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Bronny James plays piano, dines out in video, photos emerging days after he suffers cardiac arrest
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bronny James plays piano in a video posted by his father, LeBron James, on Saturday, five days after the teenager went into cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California.
The 18-year-old plays a brief melody in front of his family, smiles and gets up without speaking in the video posted on his father’s Instagram account. The video doesn’t indicate where or when it was shot.
“A man of many talents,” the Los Angeles Lakers superstar can be heard saying in the background as Bronny finishes playing with his two younger siblings looking on.
TMZ posted photos of Bronny out to dinner with his family, which it says were taken Friday night. They show the teenager with his father outside celebrity hot spot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.
Wearing black pants and a zip-up hoodie, Bronny carried his phone while standing outside the Italian restaurant.
Bronny was released from the hospital on Thursday. He will continue to undergo tests to determine the cause of his cardiac arrest, which occurred Monday morning during a workout at USC’s Galen Center.
Bronny, whose full name is LeBron James Jr., committed to USC in May after the 6-foot-3 guard became one of the nation’s top prospects out of Sierra Canyon School in nearby Chatsworth.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james | https://www.wishtv.com/sports/bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:23 | 1 | https://www.wishtv.com/sports/bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ |
BAGHDAD (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah said Saturday that if governments of Muslim-majority nations do not act against countries that allow the desecration of the Quran, Muslims should “punish” those who facilitate attacks on Islam’s holy book.
The comments by Hassan Nasrallah came in a video address to tens of thousands gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to mark Ashoura, a Shiite holy day commemorating the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein.
Nasrallah often uses religious occasions to send political messages to followers, and on Saturday slammed recent incidents in which the Quran was burned or otherwise desecrated at authorized demonstrations in Sweden and Denmark.
He said Muslims should watch for the outcome of an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, scheduled to take place in Baghdad on Monday to discuss the organization’s response to the Quran burnings.
The organization and its member states should “send a firm, decisive and unequivocal message to these governments that any repeat of the attacks will be met with a boycott,” Nasrallah said. If they do not, he said, Muslim youth should “punish the desecrators.”
He did not elaborate what such a boycott and punishment should entail.
Members of the crowd, who carried banners with religious slogans alongside the flags of Hezbollah, Lebanon and Palestine, chanted, “Oh, Quran, we are at your service; Oh, Hussein, we are at your service.”
Shiites represent over 10% of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims and view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to this day to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.
Millions of Shiite Muslims in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and around the world on Friday commemorated Ashoura, while Saturday marked the culmination of the observances in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine. In the streets of the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, mourners gathered to watch reenactments of the Battle of Karbala and Hussein’s death.
In the streets, young men clad in black and white slashed their heads with swords and knives to demonstrate their grief. Friends swabbed each other’s heads with tissues and handed each other water.
In Syria’s capital, Damascus, the crowds were mourning not only the death of Hussein but a deadly attack in the suburb of Sayida Zeinab, home to a shrine to Zeinab, the daughter of the first Shiite imam, Ali, and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
A bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded there on Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens more. On Tuesday, another bomb in a motorcycle had wounded two people.
On Friday, the Islamic State group — a Sunni militant group that often targets Shiites — claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying Thursday’s bombing came “during their annual polytheistic rituals.” The group’s extreme interpretation of Islam holds Shiite Muslims to be apostates.
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Associated Press writers Anmar Khalil in Karbala, Iraq, and Hassan Ammar in Beirut contributed to this report. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:25 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ |
LGBTQ+ community proud and visible at Women’s World Cup
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand striker Hannah Wilkinson has helped create two milestones at the Women’s World Cup.
With her 48th-minute goal in the tournament opener against Norway, she led the co-host Football Ferns to their first win in six trips to the Women’s World Cup. She’s also one of at least 95 out members of the LGBTQ+ community competing in this year’s tournament, according to a count being kept by Outsports, a website that covers the LGBTQ+ sports.
The Ferns were greeted with a fan-made sign at their next match in Wellington: “Gay for soccer, gay for Wilkie,” it read.
The 95 out participants make up roughly 13% of the 736 total players at the Women’s World Cup, more than doubling the 40 players and coaches Outsports counted in 2019.
The 2023 tournament also is hosting the first openly trans and non-binary player in either a men’s or Women’s World Cup, Quinn of Canada.
“Last World Cup was so big, especially with the visibility of the U.S. women’s national team winning and (Megan Rapinoe) fighting with (Donald) Trump. So I think that was a huge year for LGBTQ+ visibility,” said Lindsey Freeman, a professor of sociology and anthropology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.
“It’s just the ad hoc, fun culture of women’s soccer that you’re seeing in this World Cup,” said Freeman, who is in New Zealand conducting research on the topic.
Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports, agreed. “In the Western world, it’s such a non-issue that it really just doesn’t get talked about,” he said. “And I think that’s in a good way.”
VISIBILITY
Prior to the start of the tournament, FIFA designated eight socially conscious armbands team captains could wear throughout the Women’s World Cup. The decision came after “One Love” armbands were denied to men’s teams in Qatar in 2022.
The armbands being used this year include anti-discriminatory sayings and multiple colors, but the rainbow version Germany wanted to use is not allowed. None of the available options explicitly mention LGBTQ+ rights.
The decision has led many players to express their support in more creative ways across Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand midfielder Ali Riley was interviewed on the official Women’s World Cup broadcast after her team’s upset of Norway. Her painted fingernails, left hand in the colors of the pride flag and right hand as the trans flag, were clearly visible as she held her head and fought back tears.
“She’s such an advocate and she’s definitely someone who uses her platform in such a positive way. We are all so proud of her and the way she represents the LGBTQ+ community,” teammate CJ Bott said. “Good on her. We’re all backing her, and we all back the community as well.”
The Philippines, making its Women’s World Cup debut, took home its own historic win over New Zealand 1-0 thanks to the foot of Sarina Bolden. Bolden’s Instagram bio reads, “i just wanna have fun n b gay.”
Irish star Katie McCabe wowed fans with a goal directly from a corner kick. She’s also made tabloid news for her relationships with other players.
Thembi Kgatlana, who has scored in the tournament for South Africa, has a patch of her hair dyed rainbow colors.
“My personality is very big for me, and my hair has become a part of my personality,” Kgatlana said. “And I did this rainbow because I want to represent all the people that are part of the LGBTQ and cannot talk while in countries where they’re oppressed.”
FAN EXPERIENCE
Kristen Pariseau and her wife started a U.S. women’s national team supporters group on Facebook ahead of traveling to this year’s Women’s World Cup. Aside from some hateful users she blocked, it’s been “super LGBT friendly.”
She and her wife did not go to Qatar for the 2022 men’s World Cup to avoid referencing each other as friends and receiving questions on their sexuality. In New Zealand, she said she’s met many same-sex couples at games and while traveling around the country.
“Everywhere you turn, it’s like, ‘Oh, my wife, my girlfriend.’ It’s been so welcoming and open,” Pariseau said. “In a way, it is kind of cool to be where there’s a lot of other people like you.”
Kelsie Bozart took her own pride flag armband to the United States’ second match in Wellington, along with a pride scarf.
“If you look back a couple years, I feel like it just wasn’t really talked about or there just wasn’t much of a presence,” Bozart said. “But moving forward I feel like, especially for the U.S., they’ve done an amazing job of just incorporating pride and LGBTQ.”
NOT UNIVERSAL
Though this year’s tournament has highlighted vast gains for the LGBTQ+ community in women’s soccer, advocates feel there is still work to be done.
According to Buzinski and Outsports, there were at least 186 LGBTQ+ athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. Women outnumbered men by a 9:1 ratio. There also were no confirmed out players at the 2022 men’s World Cup.
“I think women’s sports have always been open,” Denmark striker Pernille Harder said, adding that there are many role models for women who want to come out.
Freeman said it would be good to see men feel the same level of comfort.
“What can happen in the women’s game, I would love to spill over to the men’s game,” she said. “Because obviously, there’s way more queer players in the men’s game and it’s just not safe for them to come out.
“If you want to say that you’re in an inclusive space, you really have to be an inclusive space,” Freeman added. “And I think that that includes also holding the World Cup in places where it’s fine to be a queer person.”
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Max Ralph is a student in John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
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Contributing reporters included Joe Lister in Wellington and Rafaela Pontes in Auckland, students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State, and Clay Witt in Sydney, Australia, a student at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wishtv.com/sports/lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:29 | 1 | https://www.wishtv.com/sports/lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) —
A 9-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother have been called as witnesses in a criminal case against their mother after she was accused of repeatedly “discrediting” the Russian army.
Lidia Prudovskaya and her two children were summoned by investigators in the northern Russian region of Arkhangelsk on Friday to give testimony in the case, Russian news outlet Sota reported.
Prudovskaya previously faced administrative charges on similar allegations after sharing anti-war posts on Russian social media platform VKontakte in September 2022.
Discrediting the Russian military is a criminal offense under a law adopted after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The law is regularly used against Kremlin critics.
In April, Russian authorities petitioned to restrict the parental rights of a single father convicted of discrediting the army following an anti-war sketch drawn by his daughter at school.
Alexei Moskalyov, 54, was sentenced to two years in prison for social media comments he had made criticizing Moscow’s war in Ukraine, while his daughter Maria was placed in an orphanage.
The 13-year-old was later moved to live with her mother. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:31 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ |
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has been charged with conspiracy against the state and calls for insurrections among other offenses, the public prosecutor said Saturday.
The announcement comes weeks after Sonko was convicted on separate charges of corrupting youth and sentenced to two years in prison, which ignited deadly protests across the nation.
Prosecutor Abdou Karim Diop made the announcement on state television, a day after Sonko’s lawyer said he was taken into custody for questioning at the police courthouse in the capital, Dakar.
In June, Sonko was acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and making death threats against her. But he was convicted on a lighter sentence of corrupting young people, which includes using one’s position of power to have sex with people under age 21. Corrupting youth is a criminal offense in Senegal that is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to more than $6,000.
The conviction led to deadly clashes across the country between Sonko supporters and police, where at least 23 people were killed and dozens injured.
Sonko placed third in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election and is popular with the country’s youth. His supporters maintain the charges against him are part of a government effort to derail his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election.
Sonko’s ongoing legal battles may bar him from running. Once in prison, he can ask for a retrial for his June conviction.
Saturday’s charges are separate, said the public prosecutor. The accusations include calling an insurrection, criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism, compromising public security and theft.
It is unclear what led to the charges. Sonko has mostly stayed in his house since being sentenced to prison.
In a tweet posted shortly before his arrest on Friday afternoon, Sonko said a team of soldiers were breaking down the door following an altercation with secret service agents who were taking videoing him.
Friday evening, an AP reporter saw around 20 protesters burning tires in the middle of the road in Parcelles Assainies, an outer neighborhood of Dakar. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-senegals-opposition-leader-charged-with-conspiracy-against-the-state-and-calls-for-insurrection/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:40 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-senegals-opposition-leader-charged-with-conspiracy-against-the-state-and-calls-for-insurrection/ |
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian police arrested the president’s son Saturday as part of a high-profile money laundering probe into funds he allegedly collected from convicted drug traffickers during last year’s presidential campaign.
President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel who rose through Colombia’s political ranks as an anti-corruption crusader, said he wouldn’t interfere with the investigation.
“As an individual and father, it pains me to see so much self destruction and one of my sons going to jail,” Petro said in an early morning message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “As president of the republic, I’ve assured the chief prosecutor’s office that it will have all of the guarantees so it can proceed according to the law.”
The arrest of Nicolas Petro is a major blow to the government, which has been buffeted by conservative attacks from day one at the same time it has struggled to maintain bipartisan support for Colombia in the U.S., a longtime ally in the war on drugs and fight against illegal armed groups.
The investigation stems from shocking declarations made by Nicolas Petro’s ex-wife, Daysuris del Carmen Vasquez, to local media outlet Semana earlier this year.
In the extended interview, Vasquez detailed how she was present at meetings when her husband arranged a donation of more than 600 million pesos (around $150,000) from a politician once convicted in Washington of drug trafficking and who was seeking the Petro campaign’s support to resume his political career.
She said President Petro was unaware of her son’s dealings and the money he collected in his campaign’s name was kept inside a safe inside the couple’s home in the coastal city of Barranquilla.
Nicolas Petro has denied his ex wife’s claims as unfounded.
The chief prosecutor’s office said in a statement that Nicolas Petro and his ex-wife were taken into custody on orders of a court in Bogota around 6 a.m. local time Saturday. It said that once brought before a judge, prosecutors would seek their provisional detention as it investigates the two for money laundering. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:46 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ |
Essentia Health and Marshfield Clinic in talks about potential merger
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Essentia Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System announced the two health systems have entered into an agreement to form a new integrated regional health system serving rural and mid-urban communities across four states. The agreement is the latest step in the process that keeps the organizations on track to come together formally by the end of this year pending regulatory approval.
“We are both physician-led organizations with an unwavering commitment to the health of rural communities,” said Essentia Health CEO Dr. David Herman, who will serve as chief executive officer of a new parent company. “Our complementary capabilities will allow us to learn and share with one another to better achieve our collective mission.”
“Discussions the past few months have made it clear that this is an incredible opportunity to enhance both health systems, solidify our futures, and take patient care and services to an even higher level,” said Dr. Susan Turney, who previously announced plans to step down as Marshfield Clinic Health System CEO this fall. “It represents an opportunity to expand access to care, diversify the services we provide and deepen our community-based work.”
Essentia and Marshfield Clinic say it will combine the strengths of both organizations and advance the level of care in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
“The new regional system will bring greater access to primary, specialty and hospital care through a diverse network of 3,800 providers and 150 sites of care, including 25 hospitals,” the health care systems said in a news release on July 27.
Drs. Turney and Herman added that through the combination, both organizations will be better positioned to navigate current and future challenges to health care – especially rural health care – and preserve the sustainability of high-quality care in our communities.
“While work remains to finalize our new relationship, this is another positive step in our journey to define the future of health care, and to fundamentally transform rural health care in America,” Dr. Turney said.
“Each time I meet with our Marshfield colleagues, I am excited for our future together and what we can build and sustain to better serve our patients, communities and colleagues,” Dr. Herman said. “Times are undeniably challenging for rural health care, yet I am certain we can meet those challenges more successfully together than we can separately.”
The integration agreement was preceded by the signing of a memorandum of understanding in October 2022. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
The announcement came on the same day Sanford Health and Fairview Health said they are ending plans to merge their health systems due to a lack of support from “certain Minnesota stakeholders.”
Copyright 2023 KVLY. All rights reserved. | https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/07/28/essentia-health-marshfield-clinic-talks-about-potential-merger/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:49 | 1 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/2023/07/28/essentia-health-marshfield-clinic-talks-about-potential-merger/ |
‘I’m still in shock’: Woman wins lottery jackpot while taking break from work
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - A North Carolina woman won a triple-digit jackpot thanks to purchasing a lucky scratch-off ticket.
According to the North Carolina Educational Lottery, Jodi Owens won a $100,000 prize by putting her break time to good use and buying a lottery ticket.
Officials said Owens, a retired nurse practitioner, took a break from doing some work around her house and stopped at a Civietown Mini Mart in Shallotte. She picked up a few items including a Black Titanium scratch-off.
She returned home to scratch her winning ticket.
“I’m still in shock,” Owens said. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Owens claimed her prize on Friday and took home $71,259 after taxes.
“I’m going to pay my mortgage off and pay my car off,” she said. “I’m thinking about getting a manicure and pedicure too!”
Lottery officials said the Black Titanium scratch-off game just launched last month and is available for $30.
Copyright 2023 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:49 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday signed a law moving the official Christmas Day holiday to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church observes it.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7, and cited Ukrainians’ “relentless, successful struggle for their identity” and “the desire of all Ukrainians to live their lives with their own traditions, holidays,” fueled by Russia’s 17-month-old aggression against the country.
Last year, some Ukrainians already observed Christmas on Dec. 25, in a gesture that represented separation from Russia, its culture and religious traditions.
The law also moves the Day of Ukrainian Statehood to July 15 from July 28, and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine to Oct. 1 from Oct. 14.
The Russian Orthodox Church, which claims sovereignty over Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and some other Eastern Orthodox churches continue to use the ancient Julian calendar. Christmas falls 13 days later on that calendar, or Jan. 7, than it does on the Gregorian calendar used by most church and secular groups.
The Catholic Church first adopted the modern, more astronomically precise Gregorian calendar in the 16th century. Protestants and some Orthodox churches have since aligned their own calendars for the purpose of calculating Christmas and Easter.
Ukraine’s religious landscape has fractured for years. There are two branches of Orthodox Christianity in the country, one aligned with the Russian church, even as it enjoys broad autonomy, the other completely independent of it. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the branch that is separate from the Russian church, announced earlier this year that it was switching to the Revised Julian calendar, which marks Christmas on Dec. 25.
Its leadership last year allowed believers to celebrate the holiday on Dec. 25.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday that the rival Orthodox Church, which is aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, vowed to continue observing Christmas on Jan. 7.
Zelenskyy on Saturday traveled to the war-torn Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which Russia has illegally annexed, but only partially occupies, and met with members of the country’s Special Operation Forces. Zelenskyy noted in an online statement that Saturday marks their official day of recognition and also the anniversary of the deadly attack on the Olenivka prison in the Russian-held part of the region in which dozens of prisoners of war were killed.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of the attack, with both sides saying that the assault was premeditated in a bid to cover up atrocities. A United Nations fact-finding mission requested by Russia and Ukraine was sent to investigate the killings, but the team was disbanded in January 2023 due to security concerns.
Zelenskyy described the attack as one of Russia’s “most vile and cruel crimes” in a video statement Saturday. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-ukraine-moves-official-christmas-day-holiday-to-dec-25-denouncing-russian-imposed-traditions/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:52 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-ukraine-moves-official-christmas-day-holiday-to-dec-25-denouncing-russian-imposed-traditions/ |
Melting ice near Matterhorn reveals remains of climber missing for 37 years
(CNN) - The remains of a climber who disappeared while hiking along a glacier near Switzerland’s Matterhorn 37 years ago have been found.
Police say the melting ice on the glacier helped lead to the discovery of the remains.
They were found on July 12 by climbers hiking along the Theodul Glacier.
Several pieces of equipment were also found.
Police say a DNA analysis helped identify the remains as belonging to a 38-year-old German mountain climber who was reported missing in September 1986.
Police also say they had searched for the climber at the time, but they were unsuccessful.
No further details about the climber’s identity or his cause of death have been revealed.
Police say the melting glaciers have led to the reemergence of bodies of those who were reported missing several decades ago.
Scientists announced earlier this week that July is on track to be Earth’s hottest month ever recorded.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:56 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
Australia’s center-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States.
Assange’s freedom is widely seen as a test of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration.
Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been discussed in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.
“I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it’s very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,” Blinken told reporters.
“Mr. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,” he added.
Wong said Assange’s prosecution had “dragged for too long” and that Australia wanted the charges “brought to a conclusion.”
Australia remains ambiguous about whether the United States should drop the prosecution or strike a plea bargain.
Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010.
American prosecutors allege he helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.
Australia argues there is a “disconnect” between the U.S. treatment of Assange and Manning. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s 35-year sentence to seven years, which allowed her release in 2017. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ | 2023-07-29T19:54:58 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ |
How to Watch the Astros vs. Rays Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Hunter Brown and the Houston Astros will hit the field against the Tampa Bay Rays and starting pitcher Taj Bradley on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
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Astros vs. Rays Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Astros Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Astros rank 10th-best in MLB action with 130 total home runs.
- Houston's .411 slugging percentage ranks 14th in baseball.
- The Astros are 18th in MLB with a .248 batting average.
- Houston is the 12th-highest scoring team in baseball, averaging 4.7 runs per game (487 total).
- The Astros' .317 on-base percentage ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Astros strike out 7.9 times per game to rank fifth in baseball.
- The 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings put together by Houston's pitching staff ranks sixth in MLB.
- Houston has a 3.81 team ERA that ranks third across all MLB pitching staffs.
- Pitchers for the Astros combine for the 14th-ranked WHIP in the majors (1.271).
Rays Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Rays rank fourth in Major League Baseball with 151 home runs.
- Tampa Bay ranks fifth in the majors with a .444 team slugging percentage.
- The Rays' .255 batting average is among the best in baseball, ranking 10th in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has scored the fourth-most runs in baseball this season with 549.
- The Rays have an on-base percentage of .327 this season, which ranks 10th in the league.
- The Rays rank 17th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 8.6 whiffs per contest.
- Tampa Bay strikes out 9.2 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, eighth-best in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has the first-best ERA (3.69) in the majors this season.
- Rays pitchers have a 1.178 WHIP this season, second-best in the majors.
Astros Probable Starting Pitcher
- Brown gets the start for the Astros, his 20th of the season. He is 6-7 with a 4.27 ERA and 122 strikeouts through 105 1/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics, when the righty threw six innings, surrendering two earned runs while giving up six hits.
- Brown heads into this game with nine quality starts under his belt this year.
- Brown is aiming for his third straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.5 frames per appearance on the mound.
- He has had four appearances this season in which he did not surrender an earned run.
Rays Probable Starting Pitcher
- Bradley (5-6) will take to the mound for the Rays and make his 16th start of the season.
- The right-hander gave up three earned runs and allowed five hits in five innings pitched against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
- He has earned a quality start one time in 15 starts this season.
- Bradley will look to pitch five or more innings for the fourth start in a row.
- He has two appearances with no earned runs allowed in 15 chances this season.
Astros Schedule
Rays Schedule
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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Over 100 mercenaries belonging to the Russian-linked Wagner group in Belarus have moved close to the border with Poland, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.
Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference that the mercenaries had moved close to the Suwalki Gap, a strategic stretch of Polish territory situated between Belarus and Kaliningrad, a Russian territory separated from the mainland.
Poland is a member of both the European Union and NATO, and it has worried about its security with Russian ally Belarus and Ukraine on its eastern border.
Those fears have grown since Wagner group mercenaries arrived in Belarus since the group’s short-lived rebellion earlier this summer.
The Poland-Belarus border has already been a tense place for a couple of years, ever since large numbers of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa began arriving, seeking to enter the EU by crossing into Poland, as well as Lithuania.
Poland’s government accuses Russia and Belarus of using the migrants to destabilize Poland and other EU countries. It calls the migration a form of hybrid warfare, and has responded by building a high wall along part of its border with Belarus.
“Now the situation becomes even more dangerous,” Morawiecki told reporters.
He added that “this is certainly a step towards a further hybrid attack on Polish territory.”
Morawiecki spoke during a visit to an arms factory in Gliwice, in southern Poland, where Leopard tanks used by the Ukrainian army are being repaired. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:06 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ |
How to Watch the Braves vs. Brewers Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
The Atlanta Braves and Austin Riley will take on the Milwaukee Brewers and William Contreras on Saturday at 7:20 PM ET, in the second of a three-game series at Truist Park.
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Braves vs. Brewers Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:20 PM ET
- TV Channel: BSSE
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Venue: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Explore More About This Game
Braves Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Atlanta Braves average 1.9 home runs per game and have hit a league-leading 191 home runs in total.
- Atlanta is the top slugging team in baseball this season with a .491 slugging percentage.
- The Braves rank second in MLB with a .268 batting average.
- Atlanta has the No. 3 offense in baseball, scoring 5.6 runs per game (564 total runs).
- The Braves are second in baseball with an on-base percentage of .338.
- The Braves strike out 8.2 times per game, the sixth-best average in the majors.
- The 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by Atlanta's pitching staff ranks fifth in the majors.
- Atlanta's 3.85 team ERA ranks seventh across all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Braves have the 16th-ranked WHIP in baseball (1.275).
Braves Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Braves will send Bryce Elder (7-2) out for his 21st start of the season. He is 7-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings pitched.
- The right-hander last appeared on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, when he tossed six innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up four hits.
- Elder enters this game with 12 quality starts under his belt this year.
- Elder is looking to record his 19th start of five or more innings this year in this matchup.
- In five of his 20 total appearances this season he has not given up an earned run.
Braves Schedule
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ATLANTA (AP) — “Excuse me, are you a city of Atlanta voter? Do you know about ‘Cop City?’”
Clipboards in hand, canvassers Sienna Giraldi and Gabriel Sanchez approached shopper after shopper at a Kroger supermarket lot on a recent evening collecting signatures for a referendum over whether to cancel the city’s lease of a proposed police and firefighter training center that’s become a national rallying cry for environmentalists and anti-police protesters.
Most people kept on walking. Others said they weren’t registered to vote or didn’t live within the city limits, both of which are required. Many seemed to have no idea what “Cop City” was and weren’t interested in finding out. The fact that it began raining certainly didn’t help. By the end of a 90-minute shift, 21 people had signed.
“We definitely need to come back here,” Sanchez said. “I was on a roll before the rain started.”
Over the past month, hundreds of people like them — many volunteers, some paid — have spread out across the city of about 500,000, in hopes of persuading more than 70,000 registered voters to sign on to the petition drive. The deadline had been mid-August, but the effort got a boost Thursday when a federal judge extended it to late September, though significant logistical and legal hurdles remain.
Technically, organizers say, they need just 58,203 signatures by Aug. 14 to qualify for the November ballot — the equivalent of 15% of registered voters as of the last city election — but they set the higher goal knowing some will be disqualified. If that’s not reached until late August or September, the referendum wouldn’t happen until March, when a competitive GOP presidential primary could turn out conservative voters and hurt its chances. The city also could move forward with construction in the meantime, unless a judge intervenes.
As of July 25, the drive had collected more than 30,000 signatures, according to Paul Glaze, a spokesperson for the Vote to Stop Cop City Coalition. And with the paid canvassing effort still ramping up, he expects the pace to pick up significantly.
“We’re confident of hitting our number,” Glaze said. “How much extra padding we’re able to get is still a question. … Our experience is that when you talk about this with people, when they hear the price tag, when you ask them if they would choose this or something else to spend the money on, the vast majority are against it.”
Organizers of the drive say Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council have failed to listen to a groundswell of opposition to the $90 million, 85-acre (34-hectare) training center, which they fear will lead to greater militarization of the police and exacerbate environmental damage in the South River Forest in a poor, predominantly Black area.
Officials counter that the campus would replace outdated, far-flung facilities and boost police morale, which is beset by hiring and retention struggles, especially in the wake of 2020 protests over racial injustice. Dickens has said that the facility will teach the “most progressive training and curriculum in the country” and that officials have repeatedly revised their plans to address concerns about noise pollution and environmental impact.
In June, after hearing about 14 hours of public testimony that was overwhelmingly against the training center, council members voted 11-4 to approve $67 million toward the project. Outraged but not surprised, organizers of the petition drive announced it the next day.
Outside the Kroger, located in a majority-Black neighborhood a few miles south of a Wendy’s parking lot where officers fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in 2020, Giraldi chatted with Lee Little, a Black construction worker who stopped to talk despite the rain, his hands full of bagged groceries.
Little was working near the proposed training center in March and saw the helicopters and mass of armed officers that descended on the area after about 150 masked activists stormed the site and torched construction equipment. He hadn’t thought about it much since, but he signed the petition after hearing Giraldi’s pitch.
“She was just saying that City Council approved 60-something million dollars without listening to the taxpayers. Does that sound fair to you? That should be for the voters to decide,” Little said afterward.
Another who signed was Makela Atchison, who was wearing a “Black Voters Matter” T-shirt as she left the store with her two children.
“I’m not saying I’m for it or against it,” Atchison said, “but I want to be able to have my input.”
The signature drive is the most ambitious in terms of numbers that has ever been launched in a Georgia city, but it has precedent from last year in Camden County, where voters overwhelmingly rejected a planned launchpad for blasting commercial rockets into space. The Georgia Supreme Court in February unanimously upheld the legality of that referendum, though it remains an open question whether citizens can veto decisions of city governments.
In a recent court filing seeking to quash the Atlanta referendum, attorneys for the city said residents can’t force officials to retroactively revoke the lease agreement, which was made in 2021. They called organizers’ efforts “futile” and “invalid.” The state agreed with the city in a separate filing, though that dispute is on hold for now.
Still, activists see the referendum as the best remaining option to block the project. They’ve gotten support from numerous groups, including the Working Families Party and the New Georgia Project Action Fund, which pledged to get 15,000 signatures over the next few weeks.
Activist Hannah Riley tries to collect a handful of them whenever she is out in public, including on a recent afternoon as she worked remotely from Muchacho, a popular taco restaurant in the ultra-liberal Reynoldstown neighborhood. At the end of her table, she taped a sign that read: “Voter? Sign Stop Cop City Petition Here.”
“This is a bit of a Hail Mary, but it’s a Hail Mary that makes a lot of sense,” Riley said. “They’ve begun to clear-cut the trees. They’re getting close to pouring concrete. … Our options are quite limited right now, so this does feel like the most practical, effective next step.”
At the same time, a small number of activists have continued taking a more violent tack, including torching eight police motorcycles over the Fourth of July weekend, actions that canvass organizers have not condemned.
Curtis Duncan, 40, said the first day he went out canvassing, a man approached and accused him of being one of the vandals.
“I said, ‘Well, sir, respectfully, I wasn’t burning cars, and the majority of people within this movement have not been engaging in any type of violent actions,’” Duncan said. He added that troopers fatally shot an activist in the forest and that authorities have brought dozens of “very flimsy” domestic terrorism charges against “Stop Cop City” protesters this year — actions he considers far worse.
Sanchez, who works for a voting rights nonprofit, said that even if the signature drive falls short, it will have made an important impact.
“I feel like we’ve exhausted all the other options, aside from full-on revolution, which I don’t think we need for this,” he said. “There’s a lot of obstacles in our way. … If we only get to 50,000, I think that still shows a real warning sign for these politicians for the 2025 election.” | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:12 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ |
How to Watch the Orioles vs. Yankees Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Adley Rutschman and the Baltimore Orioles will take on the New York Yankees and Aaron Judge on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
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Orioles vs. Yankees Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Orioles Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Orioles are 13th in MLB action with 121 home runs. They average 1.2 per game.
- Baltimore's .418 slugging percentage ranks 10th-best in MLB.
- The Orioles have the 16th-ranked batting average in the majors (.249).
- Baltimore scores the 10th-most runs in baseball (499 total, 4.8 per game).
- The Orioles are 16th in MLB with an on-base percentage of .317.
- The Orioles' 8.4 strikeouts per game rank 11th in MLB.
- The pitching staff for Baltimore has a collective 9.1 K/9, which ranks 11th in MLB.
- Baltimore has the 15th-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (4.15).
- Pitchers for the Orioles combine for the 19th-ranked WHIP in baseball (1.296).
Yankees Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Yankees' 141 home runs rank seventh in Major League Baseball.
- New York ranks 18th in the majors with a .402 team slugging percentage.
- The Yankees have a team batting average of just .229 this season, which ranks 29th among MLB teams.
- New York ranks 21st in the majors with 446 total runs scored this season.
- The Yankees have an on-base percentage of .301 this season, which ranks 26th in the league.
- The Yankees rank eighth in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 8.1 whiffs per contest.
- New York averages the 12th-most strikeouts per nine innings (8.9) in the majors this season.
- New York has the eighth-best ERA (3.87) in the majors this season.
- Yankees pitchers have a 1.245 WHIP this season, seventh-best in the majors.
Orioles Probable Starting Pitcher
- Tyler Wells makes the start for the Orioles, his 20th of the season. He is 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 111 2/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, when the right-hander went 4 1/3 innings, surrendering three earned runs while allowing only one hit.
- Wells is looking to secure his ninth quality start of the season in this game.
- Wells enters the matchup with 18 outings of five or more innings pitched this season.
- In three of his 20 total appearances this season he has not allowed an earned run.
Yankees Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Yankees' Clarke Schmidt (6-6) will make his 21st start of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Friday, July 21, when he gave up three earned runs and allowed five hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Kansas City Royals.
- He has three quality starts in 20 chances this season.
- Schmidt will look to pitch five or more innings for the third start in a row.
- He has made 21 appearances and finished five of them without allowing an earned run.
Orioles Schedule
Yankees Schedule
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The intense heat wave continued its grip on many parts of the country, including in New York City, where temperatures were expected to surge into the lower 90s (around 35 C) on Saturday, but the humid, thick air could make it feel well over the century mark.
The sizzling air has heated up everything from the ocean to pools, making it difficult to cool off. One woman in the Southwest has been throwing blocks of ice in her pool.
Metro Phoenix could see its 30th day of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or higher on Saturday before temperatures start dropping in the city and other areas that saw some of the most extreme temperatures in July. Scientists expect this month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has seen.
Here’s what’s happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now:
— Heat advisories continued in New York City, where high humidity has made it uncomfortable and dangerous. Some 500 cooling centers have opened across the city’s five boroughs, and the governor authorized the state’s swimming pools to stay open later. The extreme heat was forecast to ease Sunday.
— Parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut were under a heat advisory through Saturday night. In northern New England, temperatures were down 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit after getting into the 90s (around 35 C) on Friday, but the humidity lingered throughout the region. Afternoon and evening storms were forecast and could bring a chance of flash flooding.
— The weather was equally stifling and muggy in the center of the United States. An excessive heat warning was issued for much of Missouri, Kansas and western Illinois, where the sweaty mix of heat and humidity could make it feel like up to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (about 44 C) in parts. St. Louis health director Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said the risk of heat stroke was high and warned that interior car temperatures could reach lethal levels in minutes.
— Temperatures are forecast to start to drop in the hottest areas in the southwest of the United States, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Death Valley, California.
— With the scorching heat, even going for a swim offered little to no relief. Sea surface temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 C) at a spot off Florida’s southern tip, while pools in the Southwest gave the sensation of being in soup.
— The high temperatures are reaching across the globe, including in Bolivia, where a drought alert has been declared for Lake Titicaca after water levels of the world’s highest navigable lake receded to a critically low threshold.
___
Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Ken Ritter in Las Vegas; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers broke for their August recess this week with work on funding the government largely incomplete, fueling worries about whether Congress will be able to avoid a partial government shutdown this fall.
Congress has until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, to act on government funding. They could pass spending bills to fund government agencies into next year, or simply pass a stopgap measure that keeps agencies running until they strike a longer-term agreement. No matter which route they take, it won't be easy.
“We're going to scare the hell out of the American people before we get this done," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Coons' assessment is widely shared in Congress, reflecting the gulf between the Republican-led House and the Democratic-led Senate, which are charting vastly different — and mostly incompatible — paths on spending.
The Senate is adhering mostly to the top-line spending levels that President Joe Biden negotiated with House Republicans in late May as part of the debt-ceiling deal that extended the government's borrowing authority and avoided an economically devastating default.
That agreement holds discretionary spending generally flat for the coming year while allowing increases for military and veterans accounts. On top of that, the Senate is looking to add $13.7 billion in additional emergency appropriations, including $8 billion for defense and $5.7 billion for nondefense.
House Republicans, many of whom opposed the debt-ceiling deal and refused to vote for it, are going a different way.
GOP leaders have teed up bills with far less spending than the agreement allows in an effort to win over members who insist on rolling back spending to fiscal year 2022 levels. They are also adding scores of policy add-ons broadly opposed by Democrats. There are proposals to reduce access to abortion pills, bans on the funding of hormone therapy and certain surgeries for transgender veterans, and a prohibition on training programs promoting diversity in the federal workplace, among many others.
At a press conference at the Capitol this past week, some members of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction within the House GOP, said that voters elected a Republican majority in that chamber to rein in government spending and it was time for House Republicans to use every tool available to get the spending cuts they want.
“We should not fear a government shutdown," said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va. “Most of the American people won't even miss if the government is shut down temporarily.”
Many House Republicans disagree with that assessment. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, called it an oversimplification to say most Americans wouldn't feel an impact. And he warned Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown.
“We always get blamed for it, no matter what,” Simpson said. ”So it’s bad policy, it’s bad politics."
But the slim five-seat majority Republicans hold amplifies the power that a small group can wield. Even though the debt ceiling agreement passed with a significant majority of both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives opponents were so unhappy in the aftermath that they shut down House votes for a few days, stalling the entire GOP agenda.
Shortly thereafter, McCarthy argued the numbers he negotiated with the White House amounted to a cap and “you can always do less.” GOP Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, followed that she would seek to limit nondefense spending at 2022 budget levels, saying the debt agreement “set a top-line spending cap — a ceiling, not a floor.”
The decision to cut spending below levels in the the debt ceiling deal helped get the House moving again, but put them on a collision course with the Senate, where the spending bills hew much closer to the agreement.
“What the House has done is they essentially tore up that agreement as soon as it was signed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “And so we are in for a bumpy ride.”
Even as House Republicans have been moving their spending bills out of committee on party-line votes, the key committee in the Senate has been operating in a bipartisan fashion, drafting spending bills with sometimes unanimous support.
“The way to make this work is do it in a bipartisan way like we are doing in the Senate. If you do it in a partisan way, you’re heading to a shutdown. And I am really worried that that’s where the House Republicans are headed," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters this week.
McCarthy countered that people had the same doubts about whether House Republicans and the White House could reach an agreement to pass a debt ceiling extension and avoid a default.
“We’ve got 'til Sept. 30. I think we can get this all done," McCarthy said.
In a subsequent press conference, McCarthy said he had just met with Schumer to talk about the road ahead on an array of bills, including the spending bills.
“I don't want the government to shut down,” McCarthy said. “I want to find that we can find common ground.”
In all, there are 12 spending bills. The House has passed one so far, and moved others out of committee. The Senate has passed none, though it has advanced all 12 out of committee, something that hasn't happened since 2018.
Still, the difficulty ahead was evident on the House side, where Republicans gave up until after the recess on trying to pass a spending measure to fund federal agriculture and rural programs and the Food and Drug Administration, amid disagreements over its contents. They began their August recess a day early instead of holding votes Friday.
Simpson said some of his Republican colleagues don't want to take money approved already outside the appropriations process to cover some of this year's spending and avoid deeper cuts. For example, the House bills would take almost all of the money approved last year for the Internal Revenue Service in Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and use the savings to avoid deeper spending cuts elsewhere.
Simpson said that without such rescissions, as they are called in Washington, he couldn't vote for the agriculture spending bill because the cuts "would have just been devastating.”
“That's the challenge we're going to have when we get back in September,” he said.
Further complicating things in the House, a few Republicans are opposed to some of the policy riders being included in the spending bills. For example, the agriculture spending bill would reverse the FDA's decision to allow abortion pills to be dispensed in certified pharmacies, instead of only by prescribers in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices.
“I had a problem with abortion being put inside an ag bill," said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. "I think that's ridiculous."
It's a strong possibility that Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending bill before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The Senate can vote first on the measure, which would put the onus on House Republicans to bring it up for a vote or allow for a shutdown. | https://www.kimt.com/news/members-of-congress-break-for-august-with-no-clear-path-to-avoiding-a-shutdown-this/article_4ad8c7f4-2e34-11ee-a2f2-378145a3bf4c.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:20 | 0 | https://www.kimt.com/news/members-of-congress-break-for-august-with-no-clear-path-to-avoiding-a-shutdown-this/article_4ad8c7f4-2e34-11ee-a2f2-378145a3bf4c.html |
How to Watch the Red Sox vs. Giants Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants will play on Saturday at Oracle Park, at 7:15 PM ET, with Rafael Devers and Michael Conforto among those expected to step up at the plate.
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Red Sox vs. Giants Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Venue: Oracle Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Red Sox Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Red Sox average 1.1 home runs per game to rank 20th in MLB play with 116 total home runs.
- Boston's .437 slugging percentage is sixth-best in baseball.
- The Red Sox have the third-best batting average in the league (.265).
- Boston has the No. 6 offense in MLB action, scoring five runs per game (519 total runs).
- The Red Sox are fourth in baseball with an on-base percentage of .333.
- Red Sox batters strike out 8.2 times per game, the 10th-fewest strikeouts in baseball.
- The pitching staff for Boston has a collective 8.8 K/9, which ranks 14th in the majors.
- Boston's 4.26 team ERA ranks 17th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Pitchers for the Red Sox combine for the 18th-ranked WHIP in MLB (1.285).
Giants Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Giants have hit 120 homers this season, which ranks 14th in the league.
- San Francisco ranks 22nd in the majors with a .397 team slugging percentage.
- The Giants have a team batting average of .241 this season, which ranks 19th among MLB teams.
- San Francisco ranks 15th in the majors with 469 total runs scored this season.
- The Giants have an OBP of .317 this season, which ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Giants rank just 28th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 9.5 whiffs per contest.
- San Francisco averages the 16th-most strikeouts per nine innings (8.7) in the majors this season.
- San Francisco has the 11th-ranked ERA (4.01) in the majors this season.
- The Giants have a combined WHIP of just 1.253 as a pitching staff, which is the eighth-best in baseball this season.
Red Sox Probable Starting Pitcher
- James Paxton (6-2) takes the mound for the Red Sox in his 13th start of the season. He's put together a 3.46 ERA in 65 2/3 innings pitched, with 75 strikeouts.
- The lefty last pitched on Saturday against the New York Mets, when he went six innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up three hits.
- Paxton is trying to pick up his eighth quality start of the season in this game.
- Paxton heads into the matchup with nine outings of five or more innings pitched this season.
- He has held his opponents without an earned run in two of his 12 outings this season.
Giants Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Giants will send Ryan Walker (3-0) to the mound for his seventh start this season.
- The right-hander did not allow a run in 2 2/3 innings pitched on Thursday in his last outing, a matchup with the Oakland Athletics.
- Walker has not earned a quality start in six starts this season.
- In six starts this season, Walker has yet to pitch five or more innings.
- He has 17 appearances this season with zero earned runs allowed out of his 24 chances this season.
Red Sox Schedule
Giants Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-vs-giants-mlb-live-stream-tv/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:20 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-vs-giants-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
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.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:24 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
WINONA, Minn. – Due to construction at the jail, the Winona County Law Enforcement Center will be closed to the public on Sunday.
Power will be out at the center starting at 6 pm. County officials say this will not affect public safety services. Instead of coming to the Law Enforcement Center on Sunday to speak to an officer, call 507-457-6491 and an officer will be sent to you.
The power cut means Winona County Dispatch will be temporarily operated out of the Rochester/Olmsted Dispatch. . All emergency and non-emergency calls will be routed there and handled by Winona County Public Safety Telecommunicators.
The loss of power is expected to last for up to four hours. | https://www.kimt.com/news/power-loss-will-close-the-winona-county-law-enforcement-center-on-sunday-morning/article_231c810c-2e38-11ee-832e-cf4f01b3bce7.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:27 | 0 | https://www.kimt.com/news/power-loss-will-close-the-winona-county-law-enforcement-center-on-sunday-morning/article_231c810c-2e38-11ee-832e-cf4f01b3bce7.html |
2023 Amundi Evian Championship Betting Odds, Favorites & Insights – Round 4
Celine Boutier is the current leader (-100) at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship after three rounds of play.
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Amundi Evian Championship Fourth Round Information
- Start Time: 12:45 AM ET
- Venue: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par/Distance: Par 71/6,527 yards
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Amundi Evian Championship Best Odds to Win
Celine Boutier
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 1st (-11)
- Odds to Win: -100
Boutier Round by Round Results
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Nasa Hataoka
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 2nd (-8)
- Odds to Win: +400
Hataoka Round by Round Results
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Minjee Lee
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +700
Lee Round by Round Results
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Brooke Mackenzie Henderson
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +800
Mackenzie Henderson Round by Round Results
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Nelly Korda
- Tee Time: 6:05 AM ET
- Current Rank: 5th (-6)
- Odds to Win: +1200
Korda Round by Round Results
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Amundi Evian Championship Odds (Rest of Field)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tournament-betting-odds-round-4/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:27 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tournament-betting-odds-round-4/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s is recalling a broccoli cheddar soup that may contain insects and cooked falafel that may contain rocks, about one week after the grocery chain recalled two cookie products over similar concerns.
The soup recall impacts Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, according to a Thursday announcement from the company. On Friday, the grocer announced that Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel sold in 35 states and Washington, D.C., was also under recall.
On July 21, Trader Joe’s announced that it was recalling Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies with “sell by” dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21. Like the falafel, the cookies may also contain rocks, the company said.
When asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.” Suppliers alerted Trader Joe’s of the possible foreign material for each recall, the company said.
“We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Saturday.
All of the recalled cookies, soup and falafel have been removed from sale or destroyed, Trader Joe’s said in its announcements. But the Monrovia, California-based company is still urging consumers to check their kitchens for the products.
Trader Joe’s says customers who have the recalled products should throw them away or return them to any store for a full refund. Lot codes and further details about the products under recall, as well as customer service contact information, can be found on the company’s website.
Trader Joe’s did not specify how many products were impacted with each recall or identify suppliers. But one Food and Drug Administration notice cited by NBC News says that the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup recall impacts around 10,889 cases sold in seven states. Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc. is identified as the recalling firm, per the notice.
No formal releases about the three recalls were published on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page as of Saturday. The Associated Press reached out to the FDA and Winter Gardens Quality Foods for information on Saturday.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do,” the Trader Joe’s spokesperson said. “We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer.” | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:30 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
Nearly every Pima County employee will receive a raise after a more than year-long, methodical study found one of the region’s largest employers inadequately classifies and pays its workers.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to spend $9.5 million to reorganize employees into new salary grades and job classifications after an outside firm found about a third of county employees earn less than those in similar positions throughout the state.
The board approved the $380,000 study, conducted by CBIZ Talent and Compensation Solutions, in June 2022. The last in-depth study of the county’s compensation systems occurred in 1957, according to County Administrator Jan Lesher.
More than 60 years later, the CBIZ report showed the county underpays its employees compared to market rates, has no definitive system for adjustments to employee pay and routinely hires people at the minimum of the pay scale, creating an “outdated and overly complex” classification and pay system, Lesher said.
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The unstructured methodology has not only exacerbated turnover rates and increased vacancies, it’s affected employees’ bottom lines.
Rising costs financially strain employees as they retain the same salary, said Karl Wagner, an employee with the county’s Community and Workforce Development Department and chair of Pima County’s AFSCME division, the designated union for county employees.
“It was surprising to see that number (of jobs below market rates), but then, on second thought, I wasn't, because I see so many people struggling just with the cost of everything,” he said. Wagner specified his views don’t represent those of the AFSCME organization.
The board’s Tuesday vote implements what the county is calling phase one of salary adjustments, where workers are sorted into new, more specific job titles in updated salary classifications that are competitive within the market. For those earning wages below their job titles’ salary grade, they’ll move to the minimum salary of the wages assigned to their new pay range.
In August, supervisors will vote on the exact set of salary adjustments Lesher will recommend after human resources officials compile the changes and determine the cost. The goal is to raise wages enough to meet the middle of the market for similar positions in the region.
“When you think about how we've adjusted the classifications or who got raises, it's clearly taken us decades to get into the kind of mess some of those positions were in,” Lesher said. “That was my great fear, is that in a lot of this, we simply were not hitting the market …. We don't need to be setting any records, but we need to at least keep up with our competitors.”
"Low pay" for "high-stress" work
The county's government has felt the impact of the Great Resignation — the economic trend the U.S. began seeing in early 2021 where people voluntarily leave their jobs amid low unemployment levels and higher demands for labor rights. The lack of a policy outlining best practices for pay hasn’t helped.
The turnover rate has steadily increased over past years, with the last fiscal year seeing 22% turnover throughout the organization. A healthy turnover rate, Human Resources Director Cathy Bohland told the board Tuesday, “is anywhere between 5 and 10%,” which would “show that the organization is functioning well and able to provide and meet our business needs.”
Further destabilizing its workforce, the county employs more than 6,800 people with a median age of 50. In speaking with department heads, Board of Supervisors Chair Adelita Grijalva said most reported at least 50% of their employees are at or near retirement.
“How do you plan for leadership succession and making sure that you can keep that institutional experience in the organization when you don't have people that are taking the entry-level positions? All of that is a concern,” she said.
Employees leaving the county have contributed to a vacancy rate of about 13% as of July 16, leaving key departments such as the County Attorney's Office, the health department and facilities management without a full slate of workers to provide constituent services.
Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said her office continually struggles to hire employees performing some of the most demanding work.
It’s hard to hire “entry-level staff taking very sensitive calls,” or “redactors, who are in dark cubicles, reviewing traumatic footage, and trying to protect private, sensitive information for victims,” Conover said, “because the jobs are very low pay for very professional, high stress, delicate work.”
The CBIZ study found 81% of the county’s job classifications earn less than the market rate of similar job titles in the region. As part of the first phase of implementing a new compensation structure, the county will expand from 956 job classifications to 1,021 “to better define an employee’s position and duties,” Lesher said.
Starting with the pay period beginning Sept. 10, “the vast majority of county employees will see a (salary) adjustment,” Lesher said. It’s unclear for now precisely what those adjustments will look like until she brings a recommendation to the board in August outlining the changes. Key issues such as compression and budget restraints also have to be worked out.
Conover hopes the CBIZ study is amended to take into account new salaries for Tucson’s attorneys the City Council approved in June, the same month the CBIZ study came out. The city attorneys who mainly work on misdemeanor cases are making more than county attorneys working on felony-based cases, Conover said.
“At the end of the day, public safety will receive what we pay for,” she said.
Compression issues
The board has approved piecemeal across-the-board and department-specific raises in past years, including nearly $20 million in staff raises as part of last fiscal year’s budget with larger percentage increases for those making less. The raises gave an 8.5% raise for those making $35,000 a year or less, 5% for those making $35,001-$75,000, 3% for those making $75,001-$150,000 and 1% for those making more than $150,001.
But the percentage-based raises caused some employees right at the cut-off of the qualifying salaries for each respective increase to jump over those in higher pay grades, compounding compression issues. For those who’ve been working with the county for years, a less-experienced employee could easily catch up to them when moving to a higher pay grade.
“Compression is my biggest concern once everything is adjusted …. Other people have been in the job for a long time, they got a little bump, but now they're much closer together with somebody who's been working there less time,” Grijalva said.
Lesher said aiming for the midpoint of the new salary ranges in the new compensation structure will help address this. Plus, $5 million of the $9.5 million the board approved is earmarked for compression to provide raises to employees who may not jump a pay grade but still need compensation to ensure their wages align with experience and job tasks.
“It’s a very complicated process to look at the roughly 7,000 employees that the county has to reclassify and to then try to get the pay rates up,” Wagner from AFSCME said. “I believe it's a step in the right direction. But I think there needs to be a continued effort.”
Taxpayers absorb “astronomical raises”
The raises come at a significant cost to sustain over time, Lesher noted. “It is going to be very, very difficult for taxpayers to absorb the kinds of astronomical raises and things that are coming on,” she said.
Lesher said the board won’t go over the about $15 million it approved to implement the CBIZ study’s recommendations this fiscal year, leaving a finite amount of money to spread across thousands of county employees.
County leaders are considering enacting a cap on raises to control spending. Instead of implementing automatic pay bumps in the tens of thousands, “we would be looking at setting a cap, maybe $10,000,” Lesher said.
“I would rather that we gave everybody some of it, rather than, if we give everybody some of those very large raises, there won't be enough to cover all who need it,” she said.
The county also has to ensure it can finance salaries in future years while budgeting enough to account for future raises. Lesher said staff will bring a sustainability plan to the board in August to account for future years.
For Grijalva, rewarding employees for their years of service is a key part of the plan.
“I think a thank you to our employees for their dedication and staying with Pima County is something that's going to be really important for morale and for reducing the number of vacancies and amount of turnover,” she said.
The county provides increased vacation time based on years of service and is looking into other incentives like telecommuting policies and pet insurance, Lesher said.
“But in the final analysis, what really I think is bringing people to work is looking at what that salary is. It might not be the only driver, but it's clearly a critical one," she said.
Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com | https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/pima-county-employee-raises/article_47e44042-2cad-11ee-8388-174e917db96e.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:32 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/pima-county-employee-raises/article_47e44042-2cad-11ee-8388-174e917db96e.html |
ROCHESTER, Minn. – Two people were seriously hurt in a two-vehicle accident that happened Friday morning on Highway 63.
The Minnesota State Patrol says it took place just after 6:30 am at the intersection of Highway 63 and Quarve Road. A 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Van driven Kelly Lynn Albrecht, 36 of Stewartville, was heading north and a 2016 Toyota Camry driven by Abdul Nur Aybakar, 55 of Owatonna was heading west when they crashed.
Aybakar and a passenger in his car, Elijah Jachon Golden, 27 of Rochester, suffered what are described as life-threatening injuries. Albrecht's injuries were non-life threatening. All three were taken to St. Marys Hospital for treatment.
The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Rochester police and fire, Mayo Ambulance, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation assisted with this accident. | https://www.kimt.com/news/two-seriously-hurt-in-collision-of-van-and-car-friday-morning-on-highway-63-in/article_cbe6be82-2d6c-11ee-b0a9-9b17d025d6a4.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:33 | 1 | https://www.kimt.com/news/two-seriously-hurt-in-collision-of-van-and-car-friday-morning-on-highway-63-in/article_cbe6be82-2d6c-11ee-b0a9-9b17d025d6a4.html |
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels ‘ increasingly contentious effort to lay the groundwork for a moderate third-party presidential ticket in the 2024 election. He gives the embattled organization another prominent ally amid escalating concerns from Democratic officials that the No Labels campaign could unintentionally help Republican Donald Trump return to the White House.
Nixon, a 67-year-old lawyer, is stepping back into national politics for the first time since leaving office in 2017 and will serve as No Labels’ director of ballot integrity. He said in an interview that he was drawn to the role after learning that well-funded groups aligned with Democrats were working to stop No Labels from securing ballot access in key states.
He said that those seeking to block the group’s right to appear on the presidential ballot are attacking a pillar of American democracy.
“What do I say to those Democrats? I say, ‘You’re entitled to your opinion. But we are also entitled to use our constitutional and statutory rights to allow Americans to have another choice,’” Nixon told The Associated Press.
President Joe Biden and Trump have dominated the 2024 campaign conversation so far. But No Labels, a Washington-based group that promotes compromise, national unity and centrist policy solutions, has been preparing for the strongest third-party presidential bid at least since Texas businessman Ross Perot earned nearly 19% of the popular vote in 1992.
Working with an operating budget of roughly $70 million, No Labels is taking steps to secure presidential ballot spots in roughly 20 states this year; the group has done so already in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
While No Labels has yet to nominate candidates for president and vice president, its leadership insists there is a path to victory for a centrist third-party ticket “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.”
The group’s critics across the Democratic Party are terrified that No Labels will siphon votes that would otherwise go to Biden, who narrowly beat Trump in 2020 with a coalition that included moderate Democrats, independents and disaffected Republicans.
No Labels’ leadership has promised a series of checks and balances that would allow the organization to withdraw its presidential ticket if it appears the group’s participation would help Trump win. No Labels has not outlined a detailed plan about that, and leaders acknowledge privately there is some urgency to come out with their specific safeguards, which would vary state by state. They intend to do so by “early fall.”
Anxious Democrats are unconvinced.
On Thursday, two prominent Democratic groups, the centrist Third Way and more progressive MoveOn, hosted private meetings on Capitol Hill with dozens of chiefs of staff and senior aides to House and Senate Democrats to emphasize the need to stop No Label’s presidential ambitions. In a nod to the seriousness of the Democratic establishment’s concerns, the meetings were held in both the House and Senate Democrats’ campaign headquarters.
“We told them what we have been saying consistently now for a long time: This is dangerous,” said Third Way co-founder Matt Bennett, who helped lead the briefing along with MoveOn’s executive director, Rahna Epting.
The organizers detailed data showing that a No Labels ticket would undercut Biden in the general election and warned that it could handicap vulnerable House and Senate candidates is tight elections. They also questioned that No Labels’ promise to withdraw its ticket if necessary to stop Trump.
No Labels’ leaders are furious.
“They are telling the elected leaders of this country right now that our ballot is a runaway train. And that is categorically false. That is propaganda. And that is why we’re bringing on a director of ballot integrity to stop it because it’s outrageous,” said No Labels’ founder Nancy Jacobson, a former Democratic fundraiser.
For now, Democrats are not willing to take Jacobson’s word for it.
“I don’t want to be doing this. I’d much rather focus on other things. I am concerned, genuinely,” Epting said. “They’re in over their head. They have not given any assurances that they’re clear and sober in their analysis. And when they talk about being able to put the horse back in the barn, they are not consistent about when or how they’re going to do that.”
“They’re just saying, ‘Trust us,’” Epting said. “We can’t. We don’t know you. And the stakes are too high.”
Meanwhile, Nixon joins a growing roster of former elected officials in both parties now affiliated with No Labels. Among the others: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; former Govs. Jon Huntsman Jr., R-Utah, Larry Hogan, R-Md., and Pat McCrory, R-N.C.; and former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat who became an independent late in his political career.
Manchin and Huntsman, ambassador to China under President Barack Obama and to Russia under Trump, hosted a town hall in New Hampshire this month, driving speculation they may ultimately become the No Labels presidential ticket.
No Labels plans to hold a presidential nominating convention next April in Dallas, and the group is showing no signs of backing off its 2024 plans. With a massive budget fueled by anonymous donations, No Labels can afford to be patient in the fights ahead.
Democrats in Arizona filed a complaint this month with the secretary of state asking to have the group suspended until it discloses it donors. In May, Maine’s top elections official sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding No Labels voter registration efforts after claiming the group was misleading voters.
The group Citizens to Save Our Republic formed a super political action committee this month specifically designed to stop No Labels. The group’s members includes Bennett from Third Way, several advisers to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
Nixon, who declined to criticize Biden or Trump, said he understands that he is walking into a political firestorm. But he said he is passionate about No Labels’ constitutional right to secure a place on the ballot.
“I feel calm. I feel correct. I think we have a high moral ground here,” he said. | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:36 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ |
Curb appeal has long been a problem for Tucson.
Ride into town from the airport, head to the university along Speedway Boulevard, or cruise in on Interstate 10, and you can easily view Tucson's blemishes while missing what makes it nice.
That's been true for years, and these days, you're also liable to see the tent camps of the unhoused or passed-out people on drugs. That's not just a Tucson problem, but all in all, visitors' first visual impression may well be a negative one.
Before the tents of homeless people proliferated, there were other tents up that I've never gotten used to, that have been hanging around year after year. As you enter Tucson from the east along I-10, you pass a set of these tents near South Country Club Road, then the trashed old Spanish Trail Motel, then round the bend to the north, and as you approach downtown, you see not one, not two, but four huge, empty frames.
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These ones near downtown are the frames of the tents that hold three of Tucson's big gem shows: the 22nd Street, JG & M and GJX, which has two large tents. They have not always stayed up all year-round, after the gem, mineral and fossil shows end in February, but for at least five years, some have.
Some of these shows weren't even supposed to be in tents anymore. Plans have long been in the works to build permanent structures where the 22nd Street and GJX shows take place, but those plans have been held up for years, due to problems with financing, development conflicts, the pandemic and other factors. Meanwhile, though, a gradual shift to more permanent gem-show spaces is happening in various spots around Tucson.
Not everyone cares about Tucson's big tent frames, as I learned from posting about it on Facebook. Some find them ugly, as I do, but others don't, and others don't care what they look like because they belong to important money-generating businesses.
It turns out there has long been drama surrounding the inspections of tents, as Carolyn Cary, a former operations manager for gem shows in Tucson, told me. Some operators have been cited or fined, while others have sometimes lied about when they put the tents up to evade inspection requirements and others finessed the rules, she said.
"When you finally get busted, that’s when people give it up and don’t even care," she said. "Tucson is a bit of a don’t ask, don’t tell city."
'It's green to leave it up'
The way the permits for these mega-tents work, city spokesman Andrew Squire told me, they receive a 180-day permit from the Tucson Fire Department before the gem-show starts. During the pandemic years, these regulations weren't strictly enforced — not just on gem-show tents but other outdoor structures that businesses put up. But some were left up all year anyway, including Danny Duke's JG & M structure at West Simpson Road and South Freeway, the frontage road.
Not only does it save labor and money, he said, but it also saves on carbon emissions.
"I think it's green to leave it up," he told me.
Elsewhere in Tucson, though, there is movement beyond the big-tent era. Village Originals, perhaps known best for operating shows in large temporary tents near the Kino Sports Complex, also owns eight acres near South Palo Verde Road and East Ajo Way.
There, one 20,000-square-foot building for year-round exhibitions and retailing is under construction and should be complete by November, said owner Jim Gehring. The company is also in process to build a second 20,000-square-foot-building on the same property.
"We'll have a permanent presence," Gehring said. "We can be open all year long."
In addition, he said, it saves money in the long run to build a permanent structure. The company spends a half a million dollars per year having a contractor put up and take down tents at Kino, he said.
Nearby, alongside I-10 and South Country Club Road, the Holidome shows by G & LW still have some tents up, too. Owner Candace McNamara told me they usually take them down, but they are holding a small show in September there.
"We don't want permanent structures up because immediately it's too small," she said. "Therefore, we use hard-sided tents, then we tear them down and put them back up."
Another advantage of tents, she noted, is that they don't increase property taxes the way permanent structures do.
'Tents are an expensive hassle'
The JGM show, near the federal court house at 198 S. Granada Ave., was expected to become part of a multi-purpose development including the strip of land along the I-10 frontage road years ago.
In 2015, Allan Norville's Nor-Generations LLC won the right to develop the so-called Arena Site in a contested request-for-proposals process before the Rio Nuevo board. The Nor-Generations proposal featured a visual-arts center, hotel, and apartment complex.
This plan was supposed to work together with Nor-Generations developing a permanent gem-show site at the adjacent property, 198 S. Granada Ave., where the GJX tent frames are now. But there has been no visible progress, which led to a lawsuit by Rio Nuevo and a settlement last year.
Now, Nor-Generations is planning to sell the northern part of the Arena Site, at Congress and I-10, to another developer, who is proposing a 17-story residential project. Nor-Generations attorney Pat Lopez told me that other plans, including a permanent gem-show structure, depend on what happens with that project. If it wins a rezoning, then the sale of the land for that project can proceed, and so can further developments, such as a gem-show pavilion.
Further south, the 22nd Street show was also supposed to become part of the shift to permanent exhibition halls years ago. Owner Lowell Carhart won the old El Campo Tire property in a city auction but couldn't make his initial plan work financially.
Carhart told me he's working on getting the business on financially more solid ground this year before launching his next attempt to build a permanent hall there.
"We are contractually required with the COT (city of Tucson) to have a 50,000+ sf (square foot) edifice completed by February 2027 and I am eager for it to happen sooner," he told me by email. "Tents are an expensive hassle. The yearly payments on a mortgage on a new building would be less than the annual cost of the same size tent."
Moving toward permanence
Duke, who owns gem-show properties around town, told me he foresees a shift in the North Oracle corridor, where many shows occur.
"There’s a whole area that’s moving toward permanent buildings," he said. It will be, he said, "mostly new buildings and a couple of old buildings."
But he's not looking to make that move along the I-10 frontage road. In fact, he's had that property on the market and may sell it. For now, though, he's got the tent-frame up with the fabric top on it.
Duke is one of a few gem-show operators who have received notices to do something about their tents recently. In the last 10 days or so, the Tucson Fire Department began warning those who had 180-day permits for their gem show tents that they need to take the frames down, Squire told me.
It's an expensive hassle for them, undoubtedly, but if we're going to be campaigning to take tents down in Tucson, we should probably think of the big ones as well as the little ones. In the long run, as permanent gem-show structures are built, maybe we won't need many of them at all.
Tim Steller is an opinion columnist. A 25-year veteran of reporting and editing, he digs into issues and stories that matter in the Tucson area, reports the results and tells you his conclusions. Contact him at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tim-stellers-column-lets-worry-about-tucsons-big-tents-along-with-the-little-ones/article_7bc23628-2b16-11ee-b823-f3b64a9d0742.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:39 | 0 | https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/tim-stellers-column-lets-worry-about-tucsons-big-tents-along-with-the-little-ones/article_7bc23628-2b16-11ee-b823-f3b64a9d0742.html |
FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf University says it’s gotten the go ahead to teach in-person classes in Alaska.
The state’s Commission on Postsecondary Education has granted Waldorf “Institutional Authorization,” allowing the school to teach students in a classroom on Eielson Air Force Base, in addition to Waldorf University’s over 120 fully online Certificate, Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degree programs.
Waldorf says this authorizations is a testament to its “University's dedication to meeting rigorous academic standards, fostering student success, and maintaining a supportive learning environment while showing students from Eielson Air Force Base and the surrounding community our commitment to providing them with the same high-quality education and personalized support Waldorf is renowned for.” | https://www.kimt.com/news/waldorf-university-to-begin-teaching-in-person-classes-in-alaska/article_73995a62-2e3b-11ee-a756-aff23a38c4d7.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:39 | 1 | https://www.kimt.com/news/waldorf-university-to-begin-teaching-in-person-classes-in-alaska/article_73995a62-2e3b-11ee-a756-aff23a38c4d7.html |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked a law in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T19:55:41 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
When the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivers its precious asteroid samples to Earth on Sept. 24, two University of Arizona researchers will be among the first to examine the scientific treasure trove.
Professor Thomas Zega and assistant professor Pierre Haenecour from the UA’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory are part of NASA’s “quick-look team,” a small group of researchers assigned to conduct the first science on what the spacecraft collected from the asteroid Bennu.
“I get goosebumps just thinking about how I will be among the first people in the world to actually see the sample — not just see it, but analyze it in detail,” said Zega, who arrived at the UA in 2011, the same year NASA approved the university’s now-$1 billion asteroid sampling mission. “We will know ahead of even the science team what's in the sample.”
But they won’t have much free time to marvel at what they are seeing. The team will be on a tight, three-day schedule to collect the first images and measurements that NASA plans to release to the public soon after.
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Haenecour said they are tasked with conducting “the really initial characterization of what the sample looks like and what it is composed of.”
“It’s really exciting to be among the first to put it under a microscope and get the first image to see what it actually looks like,” he said. “We expect to be surprised.”
They won’t have a lot of material to work with, either.
Haenecour said they expect to get roughly 100 milligrams of asteroid particles that stuck to the outside of the spacecraft’s sampling device when it touched down on Bennu on Oct. 20, 2020. That’s about 2% of a teaspoon.
“They’re going to just wipe some dust that was basically outside of the actual sample canister, put it in a vial and give it to us,” he said. “Then we have three days to do our suite of measurements to provide the initial characterization while they're opening the canister.”
Rush job
Luckily, Zega said, “we've gotten really good at what you might call micro-sampling.”
Even a single speck of dust measuring just 20 microns across — roughly one-quarter the thickness of a human hair — can now be delicately carved into hundreds of slices for individual study, Haenecour said.
“So the short answer is that there is a lot we can do with very, very small particles,” he said. “For us, having 100 milligrams of something is decades worth of work. We can work on this forever.”
The quick-look team also includes Lindsay Keller from NASA's Johnson Space Center; Tim McCoy, curator of meteorites for the Smithsonian; Ashley King from the Natural History Museum in London; and UA alum Michelle Thompson, now a professor at Purdue University in Indiana.
A handful of lab scientists and technicians at Johnson round out the team, Zega said.
Team members have been practicing their quick-look procedures since last year. They expect to receive their tiny bit of Bennu within two days of the capsule’s return to Earth.
Usually, scientific work is detailed, deliberate and “you take your time doing it,” Zega said, but the quick-look process feels more like "shift work."
"We literally only have three days," he said. "I'd be lying if I didn't say that there is pressure involved in doing this kind of measurement, but the group that we've assembled is really good, very highly trained and capable scientists, and we’re all confident in our abilities to get the job done.”
The work will be done at the space center in Houston, where a new curation facility has been built specifically to handle the Bennu samples and the spacecraft hardware used to collect them.
The facility is managed by NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, which oversees the world’s most extensive collection of extraterrestrial materials, including moon rocks, solar wind particles, meteorites and comet samples.
Big plans
OSIRIS-REx is now speeding back to Earth with an estimated payload of about half a pound of pebbles and dust from the asteroid.
As the spacecraft swings past the planet, it will jettison its sample-return capsule to reenter the atmosphere and land by parachute somewhere in the Utah Test and Training Range, west of Salt Lake City, at just before 8 a.m. Tucson time on Sept. 24.
A recovery team will collect the capsule from the range and secure it for transport the following day on a military flight to Houston, where the sample canister will be opened for the first time.
Once its contents have been painstakingly processed and curated, one quarter of the material from Bennu will be turned over for study by members of the mission’s science team around the world, including a number of researchers at the UA.
The remaining three-quarters of the haul from NASA’s first asteroid sampling mission will be set aside by the space agency for additional research by other scientists now and in the future. At least some of that work will almost certainly happen in Tucson.
Zega also serves as director of the university’s Kuiper Materials Imaging and Characterization Facility, a collection of state-of-the-art labs he helped assemble over the past decade or so in the basement of the Kuiper Space Sciences Building.
On Wednesday, he led a media tour of the facility and its battery of electron microscopes, spectrographs and other advanced instruments, including one that uses an ion beam to cut those impossibly small slices from individual dust particles for further analysis.
In one of the labs, a researcher was working with a lunar sample that was brought back during one of the Apollo missions, before she was born. The same sort of thing is expected to happen with the rocks and dust collected by OSIRIS-REx, which could fuel scientific work for generations to come.
“The kinds of instruments we have today, they didn't have in the late '60s and early '70s, and the kinds of instruments that we’re going to have 30 or 40 years into the future we don't obviously have now,” Zega said. “Capabilities are always improving, and the kind of science that we can do in the future will be very different from the science that we can do today.”
NASA paid for the construction of the Kuiper Building in 1966, and in December, the space agency awarded the university a four-year, nearly $3 million grant to support OSIRIS-REx sample science and other work in the labs there.
Haenecour said the UA's set-up at the Kuiper Building is on par with the new curation facility at Johnson Space Center.
“We're basically one of the only universities in the U.S. with such a coordinated facility. We have all the instruments on site, so we can carry out all the measurements that we need to do with labs next to each other in the same building,” he said.
Tiny specks
The “last piece of the puzzle,” as Zega described it, is scheduled for delivery to the UA on Thursday: a piece of scientific equipment called a NanoSIMS (short for nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry, of course).
Arriving just in time to analyze material from Bennu, the device can map the composition of elements and isotopes in a sample down about one-billionth of a meter.
Ultimately, scientists hope to learn about the origins of the solar system and life itself by examining clues preserved within the asteroid’s pristine, 4.5-billion-year-old rocks.
Zega already has big plans for the first sample he gets into his lab at the UA.
“I want to slice and dice it, and I want to look at it in this instrument here,” he said, motioning to the transmission electron microscope behind him. “We think because (Bennu) is a carbonaceous asteroid of a certain type, it's probably full of organic compounds and minerals that formed through reaction with water. That's among one of the first things I hope to see.”
Haenecour said he, too, will be scanning for “very, very small organics" in the asteroid samples, as well as microscopic grains of stardust that are measured in nanometers and predate the solar system. A lot of the stuff he is looking for is roughly the same size as an individual flu virus cell, he said.
The UA should get a head start on such research.
Once Haenecour and Zega wrap up their work with the quick-look team in Houston, the two scientists plan to return to Tucson with a few of the asteroid particles that were used for the initial characterization.
Those will be the first pieces of Bennu to be brought back for further study at the university where the OSIRIS-REx mission was born.
Haenecour said the priceless grains of dust will be sealed away in little airtight vials, so he will probably just stash them in his carry-on bag.
It should make for a memorable flight, he said. “That’s going to be very stressful and very exciting at the same time.”
Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean | https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-researchers-first-asteroid-science/article_0110d55c-2a48-11ee-97f6-afcc337e8b9a.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:45 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-researchers-first-asteroid-science/article_0110d55c-2a48-11ee-97f6-afcc337e8b9a.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a stunning new allegation in an already serious case: Former President Donald Trump sought to delete Mar-a-Lago surveillance footage to obstruct the Justice Department’s investigation into his handling of classified documents.
The latest criminal charges unsealed Thursday deepen Trump’s legal jeopardy, alleging a more central role for the former president than previously known in a cover-up that prosecutors say was meant to prevent them from recovering top-secret documents he took with him after he left the White House. Coming as Trump braces for possible additional indictments related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the new allegations strengthen special counsel Jack Smith’s already powerful case against Trump while undercutting potential defenses floated by the former president, experts say.
“Before these new charges, you could maybe try some sort of defense that ‘this was all a mistake, it was my staff’ or confusion about what documents he actually had,” said former federal prosecutor Randall Eliason, a George Washington University law professor.
“But especially now, when you’re trying to destroy video footage,” he added, “that’s kind of the final nail in the coffin. I don’t see much in the way of a defense, not a real defense. All he can do is claim he’s being persecuted and hope for a holdout juror or something.”
Trump resorted to that familiar playbook on Friday, writing in a post on his Truth Social platform that “this is textbook Third World intimidation by rabid, lawless prosecutors.” He insisted during an interview with radio host John Fredericks that he did nothing wrong and accused prosecutors of trying to intimidate his staff into making up lies about him.
Later Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to prosecutors. Trump said he was told they were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
The new Florida charges came as a surprise given that Trump and his legal team have been focused on the prospect of an additional indictment in Washington — possibly within days — related to his efforts to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. Trump received a letter this month informing him that he’s a target in that probe, and his lawyers met Thursday with special counsel Jack Smith’s office.
Hours after that meeting, Smith revealed the new classified documents case charges on top of a 38-count indictment issued last month against Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta. The updated indictment includes a detailed chronology of phone conversations and other interactions between Trump, Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager, Carlos De Oliveira, in the days after the Justice Department last June drafted a subpoena for security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago.
Video from the home would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in an effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
The day after a draft subpoena was sent to the Trump Organization, the indictment says, Trump called De Oliveira and spoke with him for about 24 minutes. Though the details of that conversation are not included in the indictment, De Oliveira is described by prosecutors as asking a Mar-a-Lago information technology staffer several days later how long the server retained footage for and is quoted as telling the employee that “the boss” wanted it deleted.
Lawyers for Nauta, who has pleaded not guilty, and De Oliveira declined to comment on the allegations. De Oliveira is expected to make his first court appearance in Miami on Monday.
To the extent that evidence of Trump’s involvement in trying to delete video is circumstantial rather than direct, it might present a challenge for prosecutors, said David Aaron, a former Justice Department national security prosecutor who has worked on cases involving the mishandling of classified documents.
But if they can tie the effort to Trump, he added, “it’s devastating in its own right, because it doesn’t matter at that point what he thought he had the right to do, or whatever other defense he’s going to have about the classified documents. That’s in and of itself very bad.”
It could also help prosecutors establish that Trump knew what he was doing was wrong because “you only delete video of what you’ve done if you think it’s going to get you in trouble,” Aaron said. And Trump’s own accusations against others, like his claims against Hillary Clinton, his opponent in the 2016 presidential race, could boomerang against him.
Trump has claimed that Clinton deleted emails from her private server for the purpose of obstructing a criminal investigation into her own handling of classified information — something the FBI and Justice Department never alleged — but now stands himself accused of scheming to delete evidence he feared would be incriminating.
“He has specifically criticized other public figures for deleting data when he says they thought they were going to be in trouble,” Aaron said. “So if you needed to prove his consciousness of guilt, it’s not just an obvious thing that you would ask the jury to rely on common sense for — he’s actually made statements about what it means when someone does this.”
Trump and Nauta are set for trial next May, though it’s not clear if that date will hold.
Smith’s team also added a new count of willful retention of national defense information related to a classified document about a Pentagon plan of attack on a foreign country prosecutors say Trump showed off during a July 2021 meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey resort.
That charge comes after Trump repeatedly claimed he didn’t have any secret documents when he spoke, only magazine and newspaper clippings, even though an audio recording captured him saying “this is secret information.” The document was returned to the government in January 2022, months before the subpoena for classified records.
It’s not clear why prosecutors moved now to indict another one of Trump’s underlings, though bringing charges against De Oliveira that could carry significant prison time adds serious pressure on him, potentially increasing the odds that he could decide to cut a plea deal and cooperate.
“But, you know, Trump seems to inspire a lot of loyalty, at least in some people,” Eliason said. “Maybe they are holding out for the idea that he is reelected and he can pardon them.”
____
Richer reported from Boston. | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-fresh-charges-tie-trump-even-more-closely-to-coverup-effort-that-could-deepen-his-legal-woes/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:44 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-fresh-charges-tie-trump-even-more-closely-to-coverup-effort-that-could-deepen-his-legal-woes/ |
U.S. EPA to offer free soil tests for lead to Cleveland area residents
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The US Environmental Protection Agency will be offering free soil tests to identify hazardous toxins at locations in the Cleveland area starting in August,
Testing will take place on a first-come, first-served basis it takes about 5 minutes and includes information on how to improve garden or play area safety.
August 5, 2023 -- 10 AM-1 PM at the Old Brooklyn Farmers Market at 4200 Pearl Rd, in conjunction with the Ben Franklin Community Garden. For more information, contact obfm@oldbrooklyn.com or call 216-217-9962. Visit https://www.oldbrooklyn.com/market for more details.
August 12, 2023 -- 10 AM- 1 PM at Coit Road Farmer’s Market, 15000 Woodworth Rd, near East 152nd and Noble Rd. in East Cleveland. Food Strong will sponsor a SoilSHOP event during their Care-A-Van program, which provides wellness resources, food and nutrition education, health screenings, giveaways, free coupons for the Market, and more. For more information call 216.417.0111, email info@foodstrong.or or visit https://www.foodstrong.org
August 19, 2023 -- 10 AM-2 PM at Vel’s Purple Oasis will sponsor a SoilSHOP event at 10821 Frank Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Along with soil testing, participants will get nutrition and lead safety information. For more information contact 216-224-1383 velmscott@gmail.com or visit https://www.velscott.com/
August 26, 2023 -- 10 AM-2 PM Concerned Citizens Community Council will sponsor a SoilSHOP event at 13611 Kinsman along with lead safety information. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/c4mtpleasant/
Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) is coordinating these events for the US EPA Region 5 staff and local sponsors as a part of a year-long lead awareness campaign. Instructions on how to prepare a sample for testing can be found on the CLASH website. https://www.clashcle.org/resources
SoilSHOP is a program of the Center for Disease Control Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing at voice/text 216-359-1060 or email clevelandleadsafe@gmail.com or visit https://www.clashcle.org/resources
Copyright 2023 WOIO. All rights reserved. | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/29/us-epa-offer-free-soil-tests-lead-cleveland-area-residents/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:47 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/2023/07/29/us-epa-offer-free-soil-tests-lead-cleveland-area-residents/ |
For the first time since 2015, the Washington Commanders hosted 10,000 fans at a training camp practice, the team said Saturday. The line in Ashburn formed before 7 a.m., and for the next two hours, people streamed in, up through the metal detectors, down the wooden stairs, across a field full of booths for photos and corporate partners, past a video board and a sizable team store and down a slope to the field, for their chance to witness the dawn of a new era.
Looking at the line at one point, a team staffer said, “This is insane!”
By the start of practice two hours later, the stands were near their capacity (about 2,500) and the roped-off area behind the end zone was several rows deep (about 3,000). The surrounding grassy patches held the other 4,500 or so fans. The transformation of the park — which was built in the early ‘90s with only football personnel in mind — took months of planning and cost about $2 million, according to Commanders vice president of guest experience Joey Colby-Begovich.
“We’re pretty jazzed about the way it all turned out,” Colby-Begovich said, adding that the setup was a reflection of the fan feedback he and his team received during last year’s camp.
For decades, Washington had packed practices. In 2014, Robert Griffin III’s second season, the team welcomed more than 10,000 fans in Richmond for three days, according to a team spokesperson. In 2015, Kirk Cousins’s first full season, the team surpassed that number one final time under Daniel Snyder.
For this practice, held on what the NFL has promoted as “Back Together Saturday,” the fans seemed to energize the players, who have spoken glowingly about the increased turnout. All day, the crowd waited to erupt for a highlight catch by Terry McLaurin or a long touchdown throw by Sam Howell, but those moments were rare. The defense dominated, and on the second play of 11-on-11 team scrimmage, rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes undercut a pass from Howell to McLaurin and ran it back the other way.
It was a showcase for a group safety Kam Curl said can be one of the league’s five best. The unit is experimenting with five-down linemen fronts, which it used occasionally last season against run-heavy offenses, as well as a bevy of defensive back combos. Benjamin St-Juste has played wide corner and in the slot; rookie Quan Martin has played in the slot and at safety; Curl and fellow safety Darrick Forrest have played pretty much everywhere.
Halfway through practice, the Commanders gave four field goal attempts each to competing kickers Joey Slye and Michael Badgley. Coach Ron Rivera asked a PA announcer and defensive end Chase Young to rile up the crowd, simulating a game environment. Young waved his arms, playing maestro, as Slye hit all four kicks and Badgley made three.
Howell continued to miss receivers in the next period. After one throw, which landed far from his target, one fan reminded the young passer of how fickle fans can be: “Howell, you’re trash, bro! What the hell was that?”
Last year, fan attendance at Commanders camp was sparse. The feedback gathered then by Colby-Begovich and the guest experience team included seating and more merchandise, he said. His team researched and consulted co-workers — including football, marketing and facility operations — to develop a plan. In February and March, Colby-Begovich said, they budgeted the roughly $2 million for camp. He acknowledged it was a complex process, with the Commanders in limbo as Snyder considered selling.
“We had a business to run,” Colby-Begovich said, adding, “I’m charged and accountable for the fan experience, so I had to push forward with that regardless of the transaction. It’s my hope that we’re making our new owners proud — and I think that we are.”
In April, the team started soliciting proposals for new structures. They contracted InProduction for the stands and Select Event Group for a sea of white tents for operations and VIP guests. For parking, the team has a gravel lot and two grass fields, so it partnered with Dulles Town Center down the road for 1,800 more spots while adding a shuttle bus system. The first day of construction was July 5, and as the structures went up, the guest experience team arrived with linens, branding and flags. Colby-Begovich said the end result is a testament to a strong partnership with facility operations, led by director Jon Radke.
“He bakes the cake, and we put on all the frosting,” Colby-Begovich said.
Early on, Colby-Begovich added, there’s been trial-and-error. After realizing there was not enough directional signage at the facility, Colby-Begovich said, they spent Thursday night making more. On the first day, the lines were long for three shuttle buses, so the next day they added three more. On Saturday, the team nearly tripled that total to 17 buses.
On Saturday, players and coaches gushed about the new energy. Rivera said that, in terms of how excited he’s seen the fan base, this practice was “right near the top.” Walking off the field, he took the microphone, thanked the fans for coming out and quoted the movie “Gladiator”: “Are you not entertained?!”
Notably, this practice was the first major Commanders event at which the enthusiasm wasn’t explicitly linked to ownership. New owner Josh Harris was not there; the crowd did not chant, “F--- Daniel Snyder!” or “Thank you, Josh!” Instead, the fans roared for their favorite players, including McLaurin and Young and Howell and Jon Allen. They celebrated good plays and grumbled about bad ones. They were focused on football. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/29/commanders-welcome-energized-fans/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:47 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/29/commanders-welcome-energized-fans/ |
Economists agree that America needs more workers (Wall Street Journal article). But one of the problems not addressed is that the majority of immigrants are not skilled enough to pick up the slack in the labor market. We are living in a Kafkaesque world, asking desperately for more high-tech immigrants and building an ever-more expensive border wall against immigrants. Most of the money (by now, trillions of dollars) spent on the southern border seems to have been wasted. Would it not be better to use a major portion of that money to collaborate with countries south of the border establishing new schools, colleges, and universities down there and giving more work permits for trained individuals? A freer flow of workers who could easily go home for vacations and then return to their jobs in the north would solve huge problems. The real problem is, of course, political ideologies in our country, which only hurt both economies. Militarizing the border is the worst response to immigration issues.
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Albrecht Classen
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-america-is-a-country-of-immigrants-and-we-need-them/article_10307902-2c96-11ee-8065-072a40decc33.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:51 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-america-is-a-country-of-immigrants-and-we-need-them/article_10307902-2c96-11ee-8065-072a40decc33.html |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The oldest historically Black collegiate fraternity in the U.S. says it is relocating a planned convention in two years from Florida because of what it described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration’s “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity said this week that it would move its 2025 convention from Orlando to another location that is yet undecided. The convention draws between 4,000 and 6,000 people and has an economic impact of $4.6 million, the fraternity said.
The decision comes after the NAACP and other civil rights organizations this spring issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that recently passed laws and policies are openly hostile to African Americans, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Willis Lonzer, the fraternity’s general president, said in statement on Wednesday that the decision was motivated in part by Florida’s new education standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
“Although we are moving our convention from Florida, Alpha Phi Alpha will continue to support the strong advocacy of Alpha Brothers and other advocates fighting against the continued assault on our communities in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis,” Lonzer said.
An email seeking comment on Saturday about the fraternity’s decision was sent to Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary and the governor’s office.
DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has come under fire this week over Florida’s new education standards. Among those criticizing the Florida governor on Friday was a rival for the Republican nomination, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate.
Responding to the criticism, DeSantis said Friday that he was “defending” Florida “against false accusations and against lies. And we’re going to continue to speak the truth.”
In May, the NAACP joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories for the Sunshine State, where tourism is one of the state’s largest job sectors. The groups cited recent laws that prohibited state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as critical race theory, and the Stop WOKE Act that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
They also cited laws that they say made life more difficult for immigrants in Florida and limited discussions on LGBTQ topics in schools.
At least nine other organizations or associations have pulled the plug on hosting conventions in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, two of the state’s most population convention cities, because of Florida’s political climate, according to local media reports.
Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of its biggest industries. More than 137.5 million tourists visited Florida last year, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion agency. Tourism supports 1.6 million full-time and part-time jobs, and visitors spent $98.8 billion in Florida in 2019, the last year figures are available.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:53 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ |
Hunter Biden is escorted into court today in Big Black Cadillacs with Secret Service Protection. I hadn't realized he worked for the U.S. Government! He doesn't but works for other Governments. So what did the escort service cost US? Do we have a President or a King?
Richard Aufmuth
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-hunter/article_76c4ba3e-2c96-11ee-b2b4-0f5eaa4b7395.html | 2023-07-29T19:55:57 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-hunter/article_76c4ba3e-2c96-11ee-b2b4-0f5eaa4b7395.html |
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Not long ago, Marine Col. Jennifer Nash, a combat engineer with war deployments under her belt, made a vow to fellow officers as they headed to a dinner in Atlanta: She would get two new recruiting contacts by the end of the evening.
She admits recruiting is not the job that she or other Marines had in mind when they enlisted. But after stints as a recruiter and senior officer at the Eastern recruiting command, she has become emblematic of the Corps’ tradition of putting its best, battle-tested Marines on enlistment duty. They get results.
Marine leaders say they will make their recruiting goal this year, while the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force all expect to fall short. The services have struggled in the tight job market to compete with higher-paying businesses for the dwindling number of young people who can meet the military’s physical, mental and moral standards.
On that night, Nash achieved her own goal. She had gotten the valet at the hotel and the hostess at the restaurant to provide their phone numbers and to consider a Marine career.
Nash’s boss, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, who head the Eastern recruiting region, says the Corps has historically put an emphasis on selecting top-performing Marines to fill recruiting jobs. He says that has been a key to the Marines’ recruiting success, along with efforts to increase the number of recruiters, extend those who do well and speed their return to high schools, where in-person recruiting stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his recruiters — who cover the territory between Canada and Puerto Rico and as far west as Mississippi — will meet their mission and expect to have 30% of their 2024 goal when they start the next fiscal year, Oct. 1. More broadly, Marine officials say they expect the Corps to achieve its recruiting target of more than 33,000.
Last year, the Navy, Air Force and Marines had to eat into their pools of delayed entry applicants in order to make their goals. The Marines will avoid that this year.
“That would be a great ending,” said Field, speaking to The Associated Press on a recent steamy day at South Carolina’s Parris Island, along the Atlantic Coast. “I’m bearish for not only concluding FY23 on a strong footing, but also how we set the conditions for FY24.”
The Marine Corps may get some help from its small size. The Army, for example, has a recruiting goal of 65,000 this year, which is nearly double the Corps’, and expects to fall substantially short of that. Air Force and Navy officials say they will also miss their goals, although the Space Force, which is the smallest service and does its recruiting within Air Force stations, is expected to meet its goal of about 500 recruits.
Sitting in the shadow of Parris Island’s replica of the Iwo Jima monument, Field said his biggest challenge is that a number of Marine hopefuls cannot pass the military’s academic test, known as the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery.
That is a widespread problem, but the Army recently set up a program that targets recruits who score below 30 on the test and provides schooling for several weeks to help them pass. Already more than 8,800 recruits have successfully gone through the classes, raised their scores and moved on to basic training.
The Navy is taking another route with a pilot program that allows up to 20% of their recruits to score below 30 on the test, as long as they meet specific standards for their chosen naval job. Marine leaders, however, do not take those lowest scoring recruits, and so far have no plans for any type of formal improvement program such as the Army’s.
Field said the Marines are repositioning recruiting stations, moving them around based on where population totals have increased in the latest census. More important, he said, the Corps maintains its focus on choosing the right recruiters, encouraging successful ones to stay in the job and increasing the number of Marine reservists tapped for recruit duties from the current 31 to 96 by the end of next year.
Nash, who until last month was assistant chief of staff for the Eastern region, said Marines are hand-selected for recruiting command jobs. Many three- and four-star Marines, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, will cite their years doing enlistment duty.
“We put our best and brightest in those positions,” said Nash, adding that those chosen for recruiting posts have a proven track record of success in previous assignments and have demonstrated critical leadership skills. “That’s why they got selected, because they were above their peers.”
She acknowledged that the first time she was picked for a recruiting job she was “voluntold.” But now, recounting her sales pitch in Atlanta, her rapid fire pitch comes without taking a breath.
“I say, ‘Hey, ever thought about being Marine? We’re a bunch of Marines. And, you know, I think you potentially could be a good Marine. You ever thought about it?’ And usually you get, ‘Yeah, I thought about it.’ And I’m, like, ‘What’s holding you back? Would you like to learn more about your opportunities?’ ‘Absolutely.’ `OK. Mind giving me your name and phone number? I’ll have one of my recruiters give you a phone call.’”
The Marines have resisted increasing bonuses to attract recruits — something the other services have found helpful.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant, got some ribbing for his response when he was asked about bonuses during a naval conference in February.
“Your bonus is you get to call yourself a Marine,” he said. “That’s your bonus, right? There’s no dollar amount that goes with that.”
Field, Nash and others also say the Corps prefers to give a lot of recruits a few thousand dollars, rather than increasing the amount and giving money to far fewer people.
Field said that getting Marine recruiters in uniform back into high schools this year, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions, has been a key driver. There, young people line up to compete in pull-up contests, vying for a free T-shirt if they can do 20. And recruiters say many are drawn to the cache of being a Marine.
“If you told me you’ll give me $10 million worth of advertising and I can do something with it, or you’ll give me 10 great-looking Marines in a Marine uniform — what’s going to get the most value? Give me those 10 Marines and give me a day,” Nash said. “We’ll go out and we’ll get more out of that, I think, than $10 million in advertising.” | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ | 2023-07-29T19:55:59 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ |
I've read about Jason Aldean's song praising small towns. I don't believe in canceling anyone but he's another like Trump trying to appeal to rural voters, that has nothing in common with them. He lives in a suburb of Nashville in a castle. He has a bowling alley, basketball court, river raft swimming pool, 2 story closet. I doubt that any of his targeted audience lives in such opulence. It's incredibly easily to dupe the gullible. Trump has made a living doing this. Remember Trump Airlines, Trump steaks, and Trump University.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-jason-aldean-small-town/article_3efb0838-2bdd-11ee-89b4-4706d1ff26c9.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:03 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-jason-aldean-small-town/article_3efb0838-2bdd-11ee-89b4-4706d1ff26c9.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.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:07 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ |
In response to Mr. Reich's questions regarding the former Supreme court:
Term limits: In the arrogant world in which they live, absolutely, as "absolute power corrupts, absolutely.
Expanding the Court: helps or hurts?
Code of Ethics: nothing but blah, blah without teeth. Real teeth.
Most humans have a "fairness" gene and can smell duplicity in even the best disinformation garbage. With notable exceptions for whom no amount of evidence will be convincing.
While we're blue skying here, how about making DOJ truly independent, a stand alone entity answerable to no branch of Government, just the Constitution and the body of law.
Virginia Gethmann
Northeast side
People are also reading…
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-the-demeans/article_a0a2ee50-2c98-11ee-b0a2-9b59c9e1625b.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:09 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/letter-the-demeans/article_a0a2ee50-2c98-11ee-b0a2-9b59c9e1625b.html |
We are all urged to take shorter showers, turn off the water while we brush our teeth, save rainwater for our yards, and get rid of our pools. Agriculture is urged to find ways to irrigate crops with less water and grow crops that use less water. Where are recommendations to businesses? Why do we seek businesses that will use enormous amounts of water? Why do we not require businesses to install grey water systems? Why aren't businesses that use lots of water required to recycle, clean and reuse that water? We all need to conserve our precious and scarce water, but we seem to be willing to allow any business to use all it wants with no restrictions. We need to make changes here.
Bette E Richards
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-business-water-use/article_9165332c-2bd9-11ee-b9fa-a3c802c4e67f.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:13 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-business-water-use/article_9165332c-2bd9-11ee-b9fa-a3c802c4e67f.html |
Flor Marte knows someone will die. She knows when and how, because it came to her in a dream. That's her gift – all the women in the Marte family have one.
But Flor refuses to share who the dream is about. Instead, she insists on throwing herself a living wake, a reason for the entire family to come together and celebrate their lives. That's the starting point for Elizabeth Acevedo's debut novel for adults, Family Lore.
Acevedo grew up in Harlem, with summer visits to the Dominican Republic, and aspirations of becoming a rapper – until a literature teacher invited her to join an after-school poetry club.
She attended reluctantly; but what she found in spoken word performance broke her world and the possibilities of language wide open.
"I think for folks who maybe have felt it difficult to occupy their bodies and take up space and demand attention, to have three minutes where that is the requirement is really powerful," she says.
Acevedo went on to become a National Poetry Slam champion and earn degrees in performing arts and creative writing. After college, she taught language arts in Prince George's County, Maryland. Teaching, she says, is its own kind of performance – one where the audience doesn't always want to be there. But her students were struggling in other ways.
"So many of my young people weren't at grade level, but they'd also not encountered literature that they felt reflected them," she says. "Trying to meet some of those students where they were was really a kickoff for my writing."
So Acevedo began writing young adult books. The Poet X, her first novel about a Dominican-American teen finding her voice through poetry, won a National Book Award in 2018.
Pivoting to a new audience
Now, with Family Lore, Acevedo turns her attention to adult readers.
"I think the way this pushes forward her work and the growing body of Dominican-American literature is how deeply she writes into the interiors of her women characters," says author Naima Coster, who read an early draft of the novel.
The story is told through memories, out of order, sometimes a memory within a different memory. Acevedo jumps from the Dominican countryside to Santo Domingo to New York, as sisters Matilde, Flor, Pastora and Camila – along with younger generation Ona and Yadi – reflect on their childhoods and teenage romances and the secrets that bind them all together. Though the Marte women grow older together, their relationships do not get easier.
"What does it mean if these women have really just had a different experience of their mother?" says Acevedo. "And how that different experience of their mother automatically will create a schism, because now it's like, 'You don't remember her the way I remember her, and because of that, I can't trust you."
There are infidelities, miscarriages, childhood love affairs and therapeutic dance classes. Acevedo explains that she needed to tell this story in a non-linear format, in the way memories surface and warp; the way family gossip is passed on from person to person, in a roundabout way.
Returning to the body
That format, she says, was more suited for adult readers; and writing for adults also allowed her to be candid about bodies: how they move, change, excite, disappoint.
"The generation I was raised by felt like their relationship to their body was very othered," Acevedo says. "When I speak to my cousins, when I think about myself, it's been a return to desire, a return to the gut, a return to health in a way that isn't necessarily about size but is about: who am I in this vessel and how do I love it?"
That tension is felt especially by the younger Marte women, whose supernatural gifts radiate from within. Ona has a self-described "alpha vagina," Yadi has a special taste for sour limes.
Naima Coster says it's easy to feel pressure to write about marginalized communities as clean-cut, exemplary characters. But Family Lore relishes in airing out the Marte family's dirty laundry– in showing Afro-Dominican women as full, complicated protagonists.
"It feels major, the way she writes about the ways that these women misunderstand each other, but still love each other," she says.
Acevedo says those themes – family, home, Blackness, power – will be in every book she writes, "because those are the questions that haunt me."
Family Lore reads like the feeling of getting older and no longer having moms and aunts lower their voices when you enter the room – like finally being privy to what makes a family flawed and perfect.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/arts/arts/2023-07-29/in-family-lore-award-winning-ya-author-elizabeth-acevedo-turns-to-adult-readers | 2023-07-29T19:56:16 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/arts/arts/2023-07-29/in-family-lore-award-winning-ya-author-elizabeth-acevedo-turns-to-adult-readers |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pamela Smith’s voice soared and quivered like a preacher in midsermon as she recalled her troubled childhood and how it helped prepare her for the challenges she faces as the new police chief in the nation’s capital.
“I stand before you as a child who had no hopes, who had no dreams — they were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible,” she said at her introductory news conference in Washington, in cadences honed by years as an ordained Baptist minister. “I believe I bring a fresh perspective, a different kind of energy, a different level of passion to what I’m going to do.”
Smith takes on the job at a precarious time.
Violent crime is rising sharply, fueled by more homicides and carjackings. The District of Columbia’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the D.C. Council have, at times, been at odds about crime legislation. On Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House has begun citing the city’s crime statistics while aggressively reviewing local public safety laws.
On July 24, the Mexican Consulate posted a tweet urging its nationals to “take precautions” in the city due to “a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe.”
Smith, 55, now becomes one of the public faces of this long-term fight even before the Council votes on her nomination as chief. She brings an inspirational story to her new role leading the Metropolitan Police Department. Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by a single mother who battled substance abuse, Smith and her siblings were at one point removed from their home and spent time in foster care. Smith emerged as a track star and went on to a 24-year career in the U.S. Park Police, where she served as the agency’s first Black female chief before retiring in 2022 to take up a senior leadership position at the MPD.
Law enforcement and government officials repeatedly point out that overall crime numbers in Washington have stayed relatively stable. But the crimes that have increased the most — murders and carjackings — are the ones most likely to damage public confidence.
“The scariest crimes are going up and regardless of what’s happening with other crimes, that’s what’s going to fuel the overall perception,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves told The Associated Press.
Graves’ office prosecutes most felonies in Washington, in a unique arrangement due to the district’s status as a nonstate. The city’s attorney general’s office prosecutes misdemeanors and juvenile crime, which is also on the rise.
This intricate dynamic among two separate sets of prosecutors, the city’s police force, Bowser’s administration and the Council has been publicly tested as the crime numbers have stayed high — all with Congress taking an increasing interest in the district’s affairs. Public safety was a primary topic of debate last year when Bowser, 50, successfully ran for a third term in office. She has spent this term sparring with both the Council and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over how best to address crime.
July has been a particular bloody month, with 22 homicides as of Friday, including murders on the campuses of both Howard and Catholic universities. The victims include an Afghan man who survived years of working as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan only to be murdered in America while driving for Lyft. Nine people, including two children, were shot at a July Fourth party, when an assailant in an SUV opened fire on the crowd. A 12-year old girl remains hospitalized after being shot in the back Tuesday night by a bullet that penetrated the walls of her home.
Although the local murder rate is well below the levels in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Washington regularly led the nation in murders per capita, it has climbed steadily in recent years. In 2022, there was a roughly 10% drop in homicides, but now, homicides are up 15 percent compared with this time a year ago and the city is on pace to surpass 200 for the third year in a row. Police also reported 140 carjacking incidents in the month of June — the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Crime in Washington is now a national headline issue in Congress. In the spring, Bowser and Council members were summoned before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a heated session on local crime rates.
Congress voted to completely overturn the Council’s comprehensive rewrite of the district’s criminal code. Bowser was caught in the middle of the dispute. She had vetoed the overhaul, saying the reduction of maximum penalties for certain violent crimes “sent the wrong message,” but was overridden by the Council.
The mayor opposes congressional intervention in local affairs as part of Washington’s long push for statehood, but her initial veto was frequently cited by Republican lawmakers as proof that the rewrite was soft on crime. In an embarrassment for the heavily Democratic city, the move to cancel the criminal code revision drew support from dozens of congressional Democratic and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, the Council, with Bowser’s support, passed emergency public safety legislation meant to serve as a temporary fix. The bill makes it a felony to fire a gun in public and makes it easier for judges, in cases where people are charged with a violent crime, to detain them before trial. As an emergency bill, the changes will only last 90 days and will not be subject to congressional review; plans to make the changes permanent in the fall will face scrutiny by lawmakers.
“It is no secret … to the public that we are in a state of emergency right now,” said Brooke Pinto, the D.C. Council member who was the bill’s architect. “Like in any emergency, we have to act like it and we have to act urgently to address the problem we’re seeing.”
But some pushing for a criminal justice overhaul said city lawmakers were reverting to mass incarceration policies that had long ago been discredited.
“We’re way beyond thinking that we can just incarcerate more people,” said Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, who helped draft the now-canceled criminal code revision. “I think everybody who voted for it knows that it will not have an impact.”
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Twitter that the new bill “essentially flips due process on its head — treating people as guilty and detaining them.”
All sides point to one primary factor fueling the violence: a flood to firearms entering Washington.
Graves, the district’s federal prosecutor, said the number of guns being used in crimes has skyrocketed, turning petty disputes into deadly battles. This includes a new wave of “ghost guns” — firearms that can be ordered in kits and assembled at home. Other kits can easily turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic, enabling a rapid-fire and generally less accurate spray of dozens of bullets. In 2018, authorities recovered three such guns; in 2022, the number was 461.
Graves compared the illegal guns to “a virus” in the neighborhood.
“The more virus there is in the community, the more people are going to get sick,” he said. “The more illegal firearms are in the community, the more likelihood those illegal firearms are going to be used.” | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:15 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
On July 25 the STAR republished a REPUBLIC (published July 17) campaign pamphlet/article by Tara Kavaler with a headline proclaiming:"Ciscomani embraces bipartisan approach". There is nothing bipartisan about Ciscomani on the toughest issues. I am referring to water for 100% of us and the right of 50% of our people to control their own bodies without religious, judicial or political intrusion.
On July 21 Ciscomani participated in a "committee hearing" hosted by Gosar, Biggs, Lesko and Crane where he sat between Biggs and Crane while mine shills urged More Mines, including Rosemont and Oak Flat. You cannot assemble a less bipartisan group or one caring less about future water quality or supply.
I want a Rep who does everything possible to protect a safe, reliable water supply and protect the right of a woman to make her own, private health decisions. Kirsten Engel is uniquely qualified and devoted to do exactly that. Ciscomani, the hyper-partisan, wants more mines and more intrusive presence in the examining room.
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Douglas Williams
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-fake-bipartisan/article_45b4e5c8-2b37-11ee-aa0e-87fbc1b44836.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:19 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-fake-bipartisan/article_45b4e5c8-2b37-11ee-aa0e-87fbc1b44836.html |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked a law in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T19:56:22 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/politics/2023-07-29/despite-all-the-talk-no-states-have-active-laws-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
(NEXSTAR) — Yet another new, unsafe trend is catching attention.
This time, some TikTok users are encouraging viewers to add borax to their water, claiming the common cleaning product can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, or even “detoxify” the body. As you may have guessed, health officials are warning of the consequences the trend could have on your health.
Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a chemical compound commonly available in the form of a white crystalline powder. It’s been utilized in a variety of ways since the Middle Ages, and today is often used a laundry detergent, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, and even a bug and weed killer.
Boric acid has also been found to have bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can prevent the growth of bacteria, Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, told Nexstar.
Despite its endless safe uses, however, borax is not approved for ingestion by humans.
Ingesting borax can cause people to become quite sick, according to Dr. Rose, leading to convulsions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, heat burns, and even kidney damage.
“This happens pretty quickly,” he adds.
Even the company behind 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular borax product, has warned against participating in the TikTok trend.
“20 Mule Team Borax has many uses but ingesting is not one of them,” the company warned on July 25.
“Do not bathe in, apply to skin, or ingest Borax, including drinking it diluted in water,” the company continued. “It is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement.”
Should your child fall victim to the trend, Dr. Rose said you can follow up with the child’s pediatrician, as long as they don’t have any symptoms. But if your child is vomiting, has abdominal pain, or experiences a seizure or other serious symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency medical attention.
Several videos recommending borax have been removed from TikTok, according to NBC News.
Social-media users, meanwhile, should always be cautious about taking medical advice from influencers or TikTok personalities.
“Just beware of these types of activities,” Dr. Rose said. “The people promoting it may not be doing it for the right reason.”
Borax uses
There are plenty of non-dangerous ways to use borax that you may not be aware of.
- It can unclog drains. As recommended by Southern Living, 1/2 cup of borax and two cups of boiling water down a clogged drain should clear it right out. Let the solution sit for 15 mins before flushing with warm water.
- It’s a pest deterrent/killer. Borax is a desiccant, which means it sucks up moisture. In this way, borax can be useful to sprinkle in places where bugs might ordinarily populate. The powder will keep the area dry and make it less optimal for insects to make home. Meanwhile, if bugs are already in your home, it’s not too late. The Spruce explains that insects, like cockroaches and ants, become “dried out” from the inside and die after eating the powder.
- It can help grow your fruit trees. Bob Vila recommends adding borax to the soil around your tree to help keep the plant’s pH levels desirable for growth.
- It’s in ingredient in “slime.” If your kids love making and playing with slime, Taste of Home has a recipe for using borax to make the stretchy, gooey stuff. | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:23 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ |
PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. – Deputies in Pulaski County have opened an investigation into a Saturday morning house fire.
Around 4 a.m., deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 1300 block of Peters Road in response to a residential fire.
Upon arrive, officials say the home was engulfed.
First responders called to the scene extinguished the fire and an investigation was then opened.
PCSO officials have not released the cause of the fire or if there were any victims.
This is an ongoing investigation. Check back for updates. | https://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/pulaski-county-sheriffs-office-open-investigation-into-early-morning-house-fire/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:24 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/pulaski-county-sheriffs-office-open-investigation-into-early-morning-house-fire/ |
Mike Pence courts Catholic voters in campaign speech at Napa Institute; founder says he 'has great respect'
Pence, a former Catholic turned evangelical, 'has great respect' for the Catholic Church, the institute founder said
Former Vice President Mike Pence is courting Catholic voters in his bid for the 2024 Republican nomination despite no longer being a follower.
Pence spoke at the Napa Institute's 13th annual summer conference in California Thursday, one of the largest and most influential gatherings of Catholic leaders in the United States.
"I cherish my Catholic upbringing. I truly do," Pence, who converted from Catholicism to Evangelical Christianity in college, told the crowd.
PENCE BRINGS IN JUST $1.2 MILLION IN BID FOR PRESIDENT, RAISING DOUBT OVER ELIGIBILITY FOR DEBATES
"What the world needs today is men and women of deep conviction and faith who will boldly live out their faith in the public square," the former vice president said.
Napa Institute co-founder Tim Busch told Fox News Digital ahead of the conference he believed Pence is sincere in his admiration for the church despite leaving it in his youth.
"I would say [Pence] has great respect. He was formerly a Catholic. I know his grandmother is, and I think his mother is. And he often speaks about that in Catholic crowds," Busch said.
IN BATTLE VERSUS TRUMP, DESANTIS, REST OF GOP 2024 FIELD, PENCE 'CONFIDENT WE'LL HAVE THE RESOURCES'
Busch also referenced Pence's many Catholic staffers and advisers as evidence he held the faith in high esteem.
"I've known Mike Pence for many years, and some of his closest advisers are devout Catholics. So, this is not an uncomfortable area for him," Busch added.
Pence contrasts most obviously with fellow Republican candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is a practicing Catholic but has made his faith less central to his presidential platform.
THESE REPUBLICANS HAVE MET QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE FIRST GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
However, Pence's speech was not focused on theology. The former vice president used the opportunity to pitch himself as a Christian candidate who would emphasize faith to a degree other Republicans would not.
Pence also touted the record of his time serving under former President Donald Trump, his most powerful opponent in the race for the GOP nomination.
"I’m proud of what we accomplished during the four years of the Trump-Pence administration," Pence said Thursday.
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"We achieved the lowest unemployment, the highest household income, the most energy production, the most pro-American trade deals, the most secure border. And we made the strongest military in the history of the world stronger than ever before." | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-pence-courts-catholic-voters-campaign-speech-napa-institute-founder-great-respect | 2023-07-29T19:56:24 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-pence-courts-catholic-voters-campaign-speech-napa-institute-founder-great-respect |
‘I’m still in shock’: Woman wins lottery jackpot while taking break from work
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - A North Carolina woman won a triple-digit jackpot thanks to purchasing a lucky scratch-off ticket.
According to the North Carolina Educational Lottery, Jodi Owens won a $100,000 prize by putting her break time to good use and buying a lottery ticket.
Officials said Owens, a retired nurse practitioner, took a break from doing some work around her house and stopped at a Civietown Mini Mart in Shallotte. She picked up a few items including a Black Titanium scratch-off.
She returned home to scratch her winning ticket.
“I’m still in shock,” Owens said. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Owens claimed her prize on Friday and took home $71,259 after taxes.
“I’m going to pay my mortgage off and pay my car off,” she said. “I’m thinking about getting a manicure and pedicure too!”
Lottery officials said the Black Titanium scratch-off game just launched last month and is available for $30.
Copyright 2023 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:24 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ |
Along with many others I supported Terry Goddard’s efforts to eliminate dark money from Arizona politics for a decade and finally Proposition 211 passed with 70% of the vote in November 2022. Now the Free Enterprise Club and the Center For Arizona Policy want their donations to be exempt from the law. Cathi Herrod would have us exempt donors to her campaigns against abortion and LGBTQI+ Arizonans. And the Free Enterprise ‘Club’ wants to hide the identities of donors who fund the Club’s work on behalf of conservative causes including regulatory reform and the expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. I cannot fathom why donors to such causes would be reluctant to be known as supporting them.
Sorry folks but no one, especially advocacy enterprises, should be exempt from the requirements of the law and that is exactly what Proposition 211 now is, thanks to the people who put it on the ballot and then voted for it overwhelmingly in last November’s election. Live with it.
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Frank Bergen
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-prop-211-is-law-live-with-it/article_f44e990c-2c96-11ee-83a5-97a66bee40fb.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:25 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-prop-211-is-law-live-with-it/article_f44e990c-2c96-11ee-83a5-97a66bee40fb.html |
(NEXSTAR) – The astounding critical and commercial reception of the new “Barbie” movie has catapulted all-things-Barbie back to the forefront of pop culture.
Even Allan!
Mattel’s Allan dolls — first introduced in the earlier half of the ‘60s as a “buddy” for Ken dolls — are currently experiencing increased demand among collectors and Barbie fans, with early specimens selling for upwards of $200 on eBay over the last several days.
The value of Allan dolls has increased, no doubt, due to Allan’s inclusion in the film. But that’s about the only effect the movie has had on the price of vintage Barbies, according to Barbie expert Rebecca Chulew, who has been featured such shows as “Collector’s Call,” “Toy Hunter” and “My Crazy Obsession.”
“Many vintage Barbies were produced by the millions and are easy to find,” said Chulew, who has sold over 10,000 Barbies on eBay and Macari over the years. “Everybody thinks they have a valuable Barbie. The truth is, the majority aren’t.”
Certain vintage Barbie dolls, meanwhile, might still be worth a pretty penny, but their value really isn’t tied to the movie, according to Chulew.
“The doll now is kind of holding steady,” she said. “It has a good value, but I don’t see it going up or down a lot.”
The most valuable Barbies, she said, continue to be the very first series of dolls ever produced in 1959. Specifically, the No. 1 or No. 2 Ponytail Barbies, which can fetch anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per doll, depending on condition, the inclusion of the original box, and — perhaps more importantly — the hair color.
“They made three blondes for every brunette,” said Chulew, who noted that brunette Ponytail Barbies from 1959 can sell for up to $6,000, even out of the box.
Chulew further said that sealed or boxed dolls don’t matter as much to many Barbie collectors, seeing as the early opaque boxes were more akin to “shoeboxes” and didn’t showcase the dolls. (“There’s a lot of [online] box sales going on” for folks who want just the packaging, she said.)
Another coveted doll is the Side-Part American Girl Barbie produced in the mid-‘60s, which can go for “about $3,000” (and reportedly once sold for almost double), according to the expert.
Collectors also tend to prize “Twist ‘n Turn” Stacey dolls (not to be confused with Stacie dolls) from the late ‘60s, as well as “Steffie-face” Barbies (i.e., a type of doll using a certain face mold) introduced a few years later. Both can sell for hundreds to the right collectors.
Other valuable dolls include rarer Barbies that weren’t widely produced — like the brunette mentioned above — and, specifically, Black Barbies. According to Chulew, first- and second-issue Francie dolls from 1967-1969 are tough to find, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbies (which commemorated the historically African American sorority) can go for up to around $1,000.
And then, there’s Allan.
Allan dolls — including the original from 1964, the bendable-leg version from 1965 and the Wedding Day Allan doll from 1990 — have seen a “slight increase [in value] due to the movie,” said Chulew, adding that sellers might be able to get a few hundred for each one.
The rest of the Barbie line, and even vintage dolls that were mentioned in the movie, are likely worth no more than they were last year.
“I think what you’re going to see in the next 30 to 60 days are a lot of people selling their childhood dolls. And a lot of them aren’t going to be valuable,” Chulew said. “A few rarities might be unearthed, but it might cause stagnation in the market. It’s going to be tough for collectors to sort through all the barbies being advertised as ‘rare’ when they’re not.”
Barbie collectors, on the other hand, might be busy scooping up other “Barbie”-movie merchandise to complete their collections or prepare for any future scarcity. For example, the collectible “Barbie” popcorn buckets from AMC are very “hot” right now, Chulew said, and certain dolls from Mattel’s latest line of movie-inspired figures are becoming hard to find, even if they’re still selling at retail prices.
“But they don’t appear to have made the Allan doll from the movie,” she lamented, “which may be a mistake on their part.” | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:25 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/nextstar-news-wire/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ |
FUKUOKA, Japan — Here's why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she'd ever 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 at the worlds. Australia 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 to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier 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 Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström's individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps' mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
"There are not too many secrets," Sjöström said about 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 expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 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 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.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy's time was quicker than Dressel's winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. 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 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4x100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wvasfm.org/sports/2023-07-29/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships | 2023-07-29T19:56:28 | 0 | https://www.wvasfm.org/sports/2023-07-29/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships |
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A North Carolina man’s long-lost 1967 Mustang coupe was found after being stolen 21 years ago.
Detectives in Guilford County, and the owner of the car, were also surprised to find the vehicle was still in decent shape.
“Twenty-one years. That is unbelievable,” David Tucker said.
The blue Mustang was Tucker’s dream car. He and his son even formed a bond during the boy’s childhood, riding together in the coupe.
“Riding in it with my son … he was in a car seat in the back,” Tucker said. “He finally got out of the car seat and was able to sit up front with me. Just riding around with him, and seeing the look on his face. That’s the best.”
In 2002, Tucker decided to sell the car. He left it sitting at a friend’s house in Oak Ridge, where it might have more visibility for potential buyers.
But somebody decided to just take it.
“I can’t even describe the sadness,” Tucker said. “That was like my baby, you know? A member of the family just got gone. I never thought I would see it again.”
For years, Tucker worked along with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to try to find it.
He checked in on his VIN number every year.
“The VIN number had been changed on it,” said Detective Sergeant Ryan Seals with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. “The initial VIN number … came back to a vehicle that had already been scrapped.”
But a few weeks back, deputies said that VIN number eventually led to a crack in the case: The car was found states away in Florida — and only a little worse for wear.
In addition to a little bit of damage on the inside and outside, the car, too, had been painted white.
“It’s nowhere near what it used to be. It’s going to take some work,” Tucker said.
Tucker is currently trying to figure out how to get the car back to North Carolina.
“It means a lot, there was a lot of memories.” he said. “That was my dream car, and my son loved it. We rode in and all the time. So I’m just anxious to get it back and maybe get it back to where it was when it got stolen.”
Tucker is also working with DMV to get his title back. He says it could still take several weeks or even months to get his car back to North Carolina. | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:30 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/dream-car-mans-stolen-mustang-found-21-years-later/ |
Rep. Tony Gonzales aims to 'get Congress working again' with bipartisan visa reform bill
'You have to crawl before you can walk,' Gonzales said
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is hoping he can find a rare area of common ground between Republicans and Democrats on immigration with a bipartisan bill that would streamline the use of temporary visa programs — something he believes will be a first step to more bipartisan work on the issue in Congress.
The HIRE Act would focus on the H-2A agricultural worker visa program and the H-2B seasonal worker program, which grants temporary legal status to nonagricultural service workers in seasonal areas such as landscaping, hotel and restaurant work.
The bill would expand the length of the visas from one to three years and would allow officials to waive an in-person interview in order to renew their visa status for an additional three years.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Gonzales said the bill was a crucial tool to end the border crisis and said his aim is "to get Congress working again."
WHITE HOUSE AGREES TO ACCEPT MORE FOREIGN NATIONALS LIVING IN MEXICO AS REFUGEES
"And we always talk about immigration. We always talk about border security. And a district like mine that's living it, we want this nightmare to end, and part of the nightmare ending is Congress having a role to play in this and encouraging legal routes where people can come over. That way, we can double down on illegal immigration," he said.
"It's narrow in scope, but it's meant to be narrow in scope. You have to crawl before you can walk. You got to walk before you can run," he said.
The bill does not increase the number of workers admitted each year, but the Republican congressman says it would cut down on the amount of red tape faced by employers and immigrants. He noted that COVID-19 showed how tools like Zoom could be used to interview virtually.
"There's all these ways where you can have this direct interaction with an applicant, ask the questions you need, so you don't need to change any of that, and then streamline it to the fact where you get rid of the bureaucracy, the red tape," he said. "Why does somebody have to mail in an application? Why can't they go online and have a pull-down menu? Why does it have to be so complex?"
SEN. VANCE BILL WOULD REQUIRE SOME IMMIGRANTS TO DEPOSIT UP TO $15K TO PREVENT OVERSTAY
As for lengthening the time of the visas from one year to three years, he said it would make the route more attainable for small businesses.
"Moving it from one to three years makes it more inexpensive for employers to hire these folks, and it encourages people to go through the legal route," he said.
The bill has been in development for over two years, and now has 20 co-sponsors — 11 Republicans and nine Democrats — and he says he is still pitching it to lawmakers. He said that by focusing on visas rather than citizenship, voting or access to social services, he’d found the "sweet spot" in this Congress.
It has also picked up the support of a number of labor, immigration and business groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Immigration Forum, Americans for Prosperity and the Chamber of Commerce — which said the bill "will help hospitality firms, agricultural commodity producers, forestry companies, seafood processors, landscapers, and many other businesses find seasonal workers for hard-to-fill jobs."
"So it's not a right or a left or a center bill. It's kind of a mix of all. And I think that's exactly the tone that needs to happen if we're going to pass something in this Congress," Gonzales said.
REPUBLICANS FUME AT MAYORKAS OVER BORDER POLICIES AT FIERY HOUSE HEARING
Some Democrats and Republicans have previously expressed concern about the abuse of H-2 visa programs — particularly H-2B — arguing that it incentivizes unscrupulous employers to take foreign workers over Americans.
"We’ve long expressed concerns that perverse incentives created by the H-2B program encourage lower wages and poor working conditions for American and immigrant guest workers alike," Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa said in a statement in 2021 opposing the raising of the H-2B cap.
This bill does not tackle reforms to the program, but Gonzales says the bill is a starting point in a coalition to take broader steps in the future.
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"The goal is always: ‘How do you get Congress to work again?’ Come together in a real tangible way, and move the ball forward, and stop pointing the blame at somebody else, round and round we go, 'It's the president's fault', 'No, it's Congress's fault' is it's always somebody else's fault but our own."
"This is a big first step, but it's almost a down payment, if you will, a down payment in a more robust immigration reform," he said. "But it starts here." | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rep-tony-gonzales-aims-congress-working-again-bipartisan-visa-reform-bill | 2023-07-29T19:56:30 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rep-tony-gonzales-aims-congress-working-again-bipartisan-visa-reform-bill |
As a scientist and addiction professional, I feel compelled to respond to the statement that “drug addiction is a personal choice.” While this view of addiction as moral failure is quite prevalent, it has been debunked by decades of research suggesting that multiple factors- including genetic makeup, underlying psychiatric conditions, family background, cultural context, and personal experiences- influence how addictions develop. Although “no one forces anyone to start doing drugs” or alcohol, many young people do experiment with substances; while most people do not develop addictions, some predisposed individuals escalate to problematic use and experience physiological and behavioral changes which make it difficult to make choices. So, while choice does play a role in the trajectory of addiction, it is a serious oversimplification to say “drug addiction is a personal choice.” The temptation to oversimplify is understandable because it suggests a simple solution (“just say no”). Unfortunately, the complexity and multi-dimensionality of drug use will require a deeper level of understanding to drive compassionate and effective policy and interventions.
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Martha Ackerman-Berrier, M.S. Pharmacology M.S. Addiction Counseling
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-re-the-july-26th-letter-to-the-editor-drugs-and-homelessness/article_80f9e586-2c98-11ee-b204-132c7f448146.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:31 | 0 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-re-the-july-26th-letter-to-the-editor-drugs-and-homelessness/article_80f9e586-2c98-11ee-b204-132c7f448146.html |
Melting ice near Matterhorn reveals remains of climber missing for 37 years
(CNN) - The remains of a climber who disappeared while hiking along a glacier near Switzerland’s Matterhorn 37 years ago have been found.
Police say the melting ice on the glacier helped lead to the discovery of the remains.
They were found on July 12 by climbers hiking along the Theodul Glacier.
Several pieces of equipment were also found.
Police say a DNA analysis helped identify the remains as belonging to a 38-year-old German mountain climber who was reported missing in September 1986.
Police also say they had searched for the climber at the time, but they were unsuccessful.
No further details about the climber’s identity or his cause of death have been revealed.
Police say the melting glaciers have led to the reemergence of bodies of those who were reported missing several decades ago.
Scientists announced earlier this week that July is on track to be Earth’s hottest month ever recorded.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:31 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ |
Re: the July 27 article "Tucson man sentenced to prison for road rage incidents."
Let me get this straight.
A guy experiences road rage and as a result he shoots into a vehicle occupied by numerous people (including children). It was a miracle but he didn't kill anyone.
As a result, he gets one year in jail. No kidding, he shoots at numerous people and gets one year in jail. So it's not a big deal since he missed.
And we wonder why there are so many mass shootings.
John Arnold
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-road-rage-incident/article_5c7cbc42-2c98-11ee-872d-b7477843781b.html | 2023-07-29T19:56:33 | 1 | https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/local-issues/letter-road-rage-incident/article_5c7cbc42-2c98-11ee-872d-b7477843781b.html |
COLFAX, Iowa (AP) — In the small central Iowa town of Colfax, thousands of cyclists participating in the largest and oldest recreational bike ride in the world were stopped along its historic main street, staring ahead at a daunting climb that would lead them out of town.
The hill, coupled with soaring temps and the vibrant downtown, made a morning sitting in the shade quite appealing.
It’s become almost simplistic to say that “small-town America” is slowly dying. That opportunities for young people have dried up, just like businesses and main streets. That the only way forward in life involves moving to a big city. But the reality is towns such as Colfax are flourishing, and that was especially evident on RAGBRAI, the annual bike ride across the state, where dozens of small towns dotting the 500-mile route welcomed some 50,000 riders with open arms.
Colfax is a prime example. It experienced a nearly 8% increase in population from the 2010 census to the most recent in 2020, turning around two decades of decline. Its population of 2,255 represented its highest since the 1990s.
Sure, many small towns are still struggling, but what has allowed those such as Colfax to thrive?
“Mostly, a wonderful mayor and council and volunteers that just ensure a vital community,” explains Wade Wagoner, the former city manager for the small town of Lake Park, and now the city administrator for Colfax.
“Des Moines and the metro growing to the east doesn’t hurt,” Wagoner said. “Also, the fact that we still have a high school and citizens just approved a $14 million bond for athletic and academic improvements make people want to raise a family here.”
Wagoner underscores that location is important. After the COVID-19 pandemic, when many jobs became partially or fully remote, people who may have once worked in a city could suddenly live just about anywhere, including small towns across America.
Wagoner goes on to talk about the smallest Fareway grocery store in the state, the coffee shop and bank and city hall, all of which make for a bustling hub. There’s also a rich history with mineral water that makes Colfax’s downtown large for its size.
In other words, Colfax has leaned into its strengths to create a community that people want to call home.
And every few years, big events such as RAGBRAI roll through, giving them a chance to shine.
“Lots of trash and (Port-o-potties,” Wagoner said of the traveling circus, “but it is actually pretty cool. It lets us show off the town and certain businesses do make some money. Others find it a pain. But it’s only for a single day.”
If nothing else, the horde of cyclists are good for making money.
In Polk City, between the busy metros of Ames and Des Moines, high school students collected money to fund their after-prom party. Elsewhere on the ride, residents of Slater were using donations to build a new community center and library. In Breda, where the route went through Monday, the town was trying to raise $300,000 to replace the lights at its baseball grandstand, which was built in 1946 and has withstood the test of time.
Breda, population 500, is another example of a small town doing well. It has steadily gained residents for the past 30 years.
In the quiet hamlet of Oxford, just past the fire department and the Deja Brew Coffee House & Bakery, four boys took turns in a dunk tank Friday as cyclists passed through on a day of unrelenting heat — the index topped out at 112 degrees.
For just $5, riders got three shots at the tank. All the proceeds went to their little league program.
The boys were winning on two fronts: staying cool and making cash.
The population of Slater, just north of Polk City, has steadily grown the past three decades.
“Many young families have moved into Slater recently for the school system, and safety of our small town, and ease of getting around,” said Evy Raes of the Slater Area Historical Association. “Our sense of community was tested when a derecho roared through in August 2020. Never fear: anyone with a pickup truck, a chain saw and a six-pack was out in the streets after the storm, helping neighbors clear and dispose of the debris. People really pulled together and no one was a stranger.”
That sense of community isn’t always felt in bigger cities. And more than anything, Raes said, that has helped them to thrive.
“We are a small town with big ideals,” Raes said. “Many people who move into Slater feel an instant connection with the community. It is said though, ‘Don’t gossip about anybody who’s lived here awhile, because they may be related to the person you’re talking to.’ My family has lived here over 74 years, and some days we feel like the new people.”
Turns out that, at least in some small towns, there are in fact plenty of new people.
___
Dave Skretta is a Kansas City, Missouri-based AP Sports Writer. He grew up in the small-but-vibrant northeast Iowa town of Decorah and and has ridden RAGBRAI many times, though he’s never written about it while doing it. Skretta wrote periodic updates from the road. He covered 579 miles from start to finish.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:31 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ |
(NerdWallet) – Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. — but it’s hardly the end of airport crowds. In fact, given record-breaking crowds already this year, there’s a good chance this Labor Day weekend could be busier than any prior Labor Day weekend.
Already this summer, U.S. airports have set fresh passenger records. June 30, the Friday before July 4, marked a new record high of passengers on a single day when more than 2.884 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.
That figure topped the previous record of 2.882 million people from the Sunday after 2019’s Thanksgiving, according to a NerdWallet analysis of TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at U.S. TSA checkpoints over the last four years.
Roughly 12% more people passed through U.S. airports in June 2023 versus June 2022, which is perhaps unsurprising given the lingering effects of the pandemic through 2022.
The more impressive feat, though, is that 2023’s crowds have exceeded 2019 levels. TSA screened 0.6% more passengers in June 2023 versus June 2019, proving that summer is back and bigger than ever.
Expect Labor Day 2023 crowds to be no different, but some days around the long weekend are significantly busier than others.
The best and worst days to fly Labor Day weekend
TSA checkpoint data suggests most people use Labor Day — which is observed on the first Monday of September — as a long weekend. They depart on Friday, bask in two full days of vacation and return home on Monday.
To avoid crowds, and likely save money, book Labor Day travel on days that aren’t the start and end of the weekend. Based on an average of the past four years, here were the most to least crowded days for the week surrounding Labor Day, ranked:
- Friday before Labor Day (most crowded).
- Thursday before.
- Labor Day Monday.
- Sunday after.
- Friday after.
- Monday after.
- Monday before.
- Thursday after.
- Tuesday after.
- Wednesday before.
- Sunday before.
- Saturday before.
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday before.
- Saturday after (least crowded).
When broken out by pre- and post-Labor Day travel, here are the three least crowded days to travel ranked from least to most crowded:
Pre-holiday:
- Tuesday before (overall least crowded day pre-holiday).
- Saturday before.
- Sunday before.
Post-holiday:
- Saturday after (overall least crowded day post-holiday).
- Wednesday after.
- Tuesday after.
During the seven days after and before Labor Day (including the holiday itself), the Friday before Labor Day has been the single busiest day to fly over each of the past four years.
As far as the period starting on Labor Day itself and spanning the subsequent seven days, Labor Day Monday has been the busiest day to fly over the past three years. If Labor Day Monday is excluded from the rankings, the Sunday after has been the busiest over the past three years. In 2019, the trends were flipped: the Sunday after was the busiest, and the holiday itself was the second busiest.
The smarter, cheaper Labor Day weekend itinerary
If you work a standard Monday-Friday workweek and have the holiday off, leaving Friday after work and returning on Labor Day seems logical. But following the same itinerary as everyone else means you’ll likely pay — both in airfares and navigating airport crowds. For lighter crowds (and perhaps better deals), try these travel days instead:
Fly on the Tuesday or Wednesday before: Let Labor Day weekend become closer to a week by jetting off earlier than the folks leaving Thursday or Friday, assuming you have enough vacation days to use (or can work remotely). You’ll have more time away from home and be more relaxed without the big airport crowds.
Travel on Saturday: Crowds are light on Saturdays before and after the holiday. So, rather than rushing out of work on Friday afternoon to catch a flight, opt for the morning flight the next day.
That Saturday morning flight might also reduce your risk of delays, too. According to travel booking site Hopper’s Flight Disruption Outlook for Spring 2023, flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed than departures scheduled from 5-8 a.m.
Fly home the Sunday before: While most folks fly home on Labor Day Monday, you might get a head start by flying home on Sunday. Sure, you’ll have one less vacation day than folks following your same itinerary departing Monday, but that’s not a bad thing. By returning Sunday night, you’ll have a whole day to refresh and prepare for the week ahead by doing laundry, meal prepping or catching up on potential jetlag. Sometimes the nicest way to relax is by taking a vacation from your vacation. | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:42 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/the-busiest-days-to-fly-around-labor-day-2023/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bronny James plays piano in a video posted by his father, LeBron James, on Saturday, five days after the teenager went into cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California.
The 18-year-old plays a brief melody in front of his family, smiles and gets up without speaking in the video posted on his father’s Instagram account. The video doesn’t indicate where or when it was shot.
“A man of many talents,” the Los Angeles Lakers superstar can be heard saying in the background as Bronny finishes playing with his two younger siblings looking on.
TMZ posted photos of Bronny out to dinner with his family, which it says were taken Friday night. They show the teenager with his father outside celebrity hot spot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica.
Wearing black pants and a zip-up hoodie, Bronny carried his phone while standing outside the Italian restaurant.
Bronny was released from the hospital on Thursday. He will continue to undergo tests to determine the cause of his cardiac arrest, which occurred Monday morning during a workout at USC’s Galen Center.
Bronny, whose full name is LeBron James Jr., committed to USC in May after the 6-foot-3 guard became one of the nation’s top prospects out of Sierra Canyon School in nearby Chatsworth.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/lebron-james | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:40 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ |
(NEXSTAR) — Yet another new, unsafe trend is catching attention.
This time, some TikTok users are encouraging viewers to add borax to their water, claiming the common cleaning product can help reduce inflammation and joint pain, or even “detoxify” the body. As you may have guessed, health officials are warning of the consequences the trend could have on your health.
Borax, or sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a chemical compound commonly available in the form of a white crystalline powder. It’s been utilized in a variety of ways since the Middle Ages, and today is often used a laundry detergent, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, and even a bug and weed killer.
Boric acid has also been found to have bacteriostatic properties, meaning it can prevent the growth of bacteria, Dr. S. Ruddy Rose, director of VCU Health’s Virginia Poison Center, told Nexstar.
Despite its endless safe uses, however, borax is not approved for ingestion by humans.
Ingesting borax can cause people to become quite sick, according to Dr. Rose, leading to convulsions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, heat burns, and even kidney damage.
“This happens pretty quickly,” he adds.
Even the company behind 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular borax product, has warned against participating in the TikTok trend.
“20 Mule Team Borax has many uses but ingesting is not one of them,” the company warned on July 25.
“Do not bathe in, apply to skin, or ingest Borax, including drinking it diluted in water,” the company continued. “It is not intended for use as a personal care product or dietary supplement.”
Should your child fall victim to the trend, Dr. Rose said you can follow up with the child’s pediatrician, as long as they don’t have any symptoms. But if your child is vomiting, has abdominal pain, or experiences a seizure or other serious symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency medical attention.
Several videos recommending borax have been removed from TikTok, according to NBC News.
Social-media users, meanwhile, should always be cautious about taking medical advice from influencers or TikTok personalities.
“Just beware of these types of activities,” Dr. Rose said. “The people promoting it may not be doing it for the right reason.”
Borax uses
There are plenty of non-dangerous ways to use borax that you may not be aware of.
- It can unclog drains. As recommended by Southern Living, 1/2 cup of borax and two cups of boiling water down a clogged drain should clear it right out. Let the solution sit for 15 mins before flushing with warm water.
- It’s a pest deterrent/killer. Borax is a desiccant, which means it sucks up moisture. In this way, borax can be useful to sprinkle in places where bugs might ordinarily populate. The powder will keep the area dry and make it less optimal for insects to make home. Meanwhile, if bugs are already in your home, it’s not too late. The Spruce explains that insects, like cockroaches and ants, become “dried out” from the inside and die after eating the powder.
- It can help grow your fruit trees. Bob Vila recommends adding borax to the soil around your tree to help keep the plant’s pH levels desirable for growth.
- It’s in ingredient in “slime.” If your kids love making and playing with slime, Taste of Home has a recipe for using borax to make the stretchy, gooey stuff. | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:44 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/why-are-people-drinking-borax-cleaning-powder-on-tiktok/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The astounding critical and commercial reception of the new “Barbie” movie has catapulted all-things-Barbie back to the forefront of pop culture.
Even Allan!
Mattel’s Allan dolls — first introduced in the earlier half of the ‘60s as a “buddy” for Ken dolls — are currently experiencing increased demand among collectors and Barbie fans, with early specimens selling for upwards of $200 on eBay over the last several days.
The value of Allan dolls has increased, no doubt, due to Allan’s inclusion in the film. But that’s about the only effect the movie has had on the price of vintage Barbies, according to Barbie expert Rebecca Chulew, who has been featured such shows as “Collector’s Call,” “Toy Hunter” and “My Crazy Obsession.”
“Many vintage Barbies were produced by the millions and are easy to find,” said Chulew, who has sold over 10,000 Barbies on eBay and Macari over the years. “Everybody thinks they have a valuable Barbie. The truth is, the majority aren’t.”
Certain vintage Barbie dolls, meanwhile, might still be worth a pretty penny, but their value really isn’t tied to the movie, according to Chulew.
“The doll now is kind of holding steady,” she said. “It has a good value, but I don’t see it going up or down a lot.”
The most valuable Barbies, she said, continue to be the very first series of dolls ever produced in 1959. Specifically, the No. 1 or No. 2 Ponytail Barbies, which can fetch anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 per doll, depending on condition, the inclusion of the original box, and — perhaps more importantly — the hair color.
“They made three blondes for every brunette,” said Chulew, who noted that brunette Ponytail Barbies from 1959 can sell for up to $6,000, even out of the box.
Chulew further said that sealed or boxed dolls don’t matter as much to many Barbie collectors, seeing as the early opaque boxes were more akin to “shoeboxes” and didn’t showcase the dolls. (“There’s a lot of [online] box sales going on” for folks who want just the packaging, she said.)
Another coveted doll is the Side-Part American Girl Barbie produced in the mid-‘60s, which can go for “about $3,000” (and reportedly once sold for almost double), according to the expert.
Collectors also tend to prize “Twist ‘n Turn” Stacey dolls (not to be confused with Stacie dolls) from the late ‘60s, as well as “Steffie-face” Barbies (i.e., a type of doll using a certain face mold) introduced a few years later. Both can sell for hundreds to the right collectors.
Other valuable dolls include rarer Barbies that weren’t widely produced — like the brunette mentioned above — and, specifically, Black Barbies. According to Chulew, first- and second-issue Francie dolls from 1967-1969 are tough to find, while Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbies (which commemorated the historically African American sorority) can go for up to around $1,000.
And then, there’s Allan.
Allan dolls — including the original from 1964, the bendable-leg version from 1965 and the Wedding Day Allan doll from 1990 — have seen a “slight increase [in value] due to the movie,” said Chulew, adding that sellers might be able to get a few hundred for each one.
The rest of the Barbie line, and even vintage dolls that were mentioned in the movie, are likely worth no more than they were last year.
“I think what you’re going to see in the next 30 to 60 days are a lot of people selling their childhood dolls. And a lot of them aren’t going to be valuable,” Chulew said. “A few rarities might be unearthed, but it might cause stagnation in the market. It’s going to be tough for collectors to sort through all the barbies being advertised as ‘rare’ when they’re not.”
Barbie collectors, on the other hand, might be busy scooping up other “Barbie”-movie merchandise to complete their collections or prepare for any future scarcity. For example, the collectible “Barbie” popcorn buckets from AMC are very “hot” right now, Chulew said, and certain dolls from Mattel’s latest line of movie-inspired figures are becoming hard to find, even if they’re still selling at retail prices.
“But they don’t appear to have made the Allan doll from the movie,” she lamented, “which may be a mistake on their part.” | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:45 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/news/national-news/your-vintage-barbie-dolls-might-be-worth-a-pretty-penny-if-you-have-the-right-ones/ |
‘Sounded like an explosion’: Tesla crashes through wall, lands in backyard pool
PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) - Police in Arizona are investigating after a Tesla crashed into a pool in the Phoenix area on Friday.
KPHO reports that the crash happened around 8:45 a.m. at a home about 25 minutes away from downtown Phoenix.
Video from the scene showed the blue sedan appearing to have gone through a brick wall before landing fully submerged in a backyard pool.
A car seat was pulled from the pool, but officers said the driver was alone at the time of the crash.
The homeowner said he was getting ready for the day when he heard a loud noise from his backyard.
“I heard a sound that sounded like an explosion,” the homeowner said. “It sounded like a bomb went off.”
Authorities didn’t report any injuries in the incident. It’s not yet known what led up to the crash.
Copyright 2023 KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/sounded-like-an-explosion-tesla-crashes-through-wall-lands-backyard-pool/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:44 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/sounded-like-an-explosion-tesla-crashes-through-wall-lands-backyard-pool/ |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever 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 at the worlds. Australia 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 to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier 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 Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström said about 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 expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 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 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.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. 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 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:48 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
Astros vs. Rays Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 29
Saturday's contest features the Houston Astros (58-46) and the Tampa Bay Rays (63-43) facing off at Minute Maid Park in what is expected to be a close matchup, with a projected 5-3 win for the Astros according to our computer prediction. Game time is at 7:15 PM ET on July 29.
The Astros will give the nod to Hunter Brown (6-7) against the Rays and Taj Bradley (5-6).
Astros vs. Rays Game Info & Odds
- When: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 7:15 PM ET
- Where: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas
- How to Watch on TV: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Astros vs. Rays Score Prediction
Our prediction for this matchup is Astros 5, Rays 4.
Total Prediction for Astros vs. Rays
- Total Prediction: Over 8.5 runs
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Astros Performance Insights
- The Astros have played as the favorite in eight of their past 10 games and won five of those contests.
- In its last 10 games with a total, Houston and its opponents have combined to hit the over three times.
- The Astros are winless against the spread in their last two chances.
- The Astros have won 39, or 58.2%, of the 67 games they've played as favorites this season.
- Houston has a record of 35-21 in games when oddsmakers favor them by at least -130 on the moneyline.
- The bookmakers' moneyline implies a 56.5% chance of a victory for the Astros.
- Houston ranks 12th in the majors with 487 total runs scored this season.
- The Astros' 3.81 team ERA ranks third among all league pitching staffs.
Rays Performance Insights
- Over their last 10 games, the Rays have been favored twice and lost each contest.
- In its previous 10 games with a total, Tampa Bay and its opponents have combined to exceed the over/under on two occasions.
- The Rays' previous 10 contests have not had a spread set by oddsmakers.
- The Rays have come away with four wins in the 15 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
- This year, Tampa Bay has won one of four games when listed as at least +110 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Rays have an implied victory probability of 47.6% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
- The offense for Tampa Bay is No. 4 in baseball, scoring 5.2 runs per game (549 total runs).
- The Rays have a 3.69 ERA as a team, best in baseball.
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Astros Schedule
Rays Schedule
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How to Watch the Astros vs. Rays Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Hunter Brown and the Houston Astros will hit the field against the Tampa Bay Rays and starting pitcher Taj Bradley on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
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Astros vs. Rays Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Astros Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Astros rank 10th-best in MLB action with 130 total home runs.
- Houston's .411 slugging percentage ranks 14th in baseball.
- The Astros are 18th in MLB with a .248 batting average.
- Houston is the 12th-highest scoring team in baseball, averaging 4.7 runs per game (487 total).
- The Astros' .317 on-base percentage ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Astros strike out 7.9 times per game to rank fifth in baseball.
- The 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings put together by Houston's pitching staff ranks sixth in MLB.
- Houston has a 3.81 team ERA that ranks third across all MLB pitching staffs.
- Pitchers for the Astros combine for the 14th-ranked WHIP in the majors (1.271).
Rays Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Rays rank fourth in Major League Baseball with 151 home runs.
- Tampa Bay ranks fifth in the majors with a .444 team slugging percentage.
- The Rays' .255 batting average is among the best in baseball, ranking 10th in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has scored the fourth-most runs in baseball this season with 549.
- The Rays have an on-base percentage of .327 this season, which ranks 10th in the league.
- The Rays rank 17th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 8.6 whiffs per contest.
- Tampa Bay strikes out 9.2 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, eighth-best in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has the first-best ERA (3.69) in the majors this season.
- Rays pitchers have a 1.178 WHIP this season, second-best in the majors.
Astros Probable Starting Pitcher
- Brown gets the start for the Astros, his 20th of the season. He is 6-7 with a 4.27 ERA and 122 strikeouts through 105 1/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics, when the righty threw six innings, surrendering two earned runs while giving up six hits.
- Brown heads into this game with nine quality starts under his belt this year.
- Brown is aiming for his third straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.5 frames per appearance on the mound.
- He has had four appearances this season in which he did not surrender an earned run.
Rays Probable Starting Pitcher
- Bradley (5-6) will take to the mound for the Rays and make his 16th start of the season.
- The right-hander gave up three earned runs and allowed five hits in five innings pitched against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
- He has earned a quality start one time in 15 starts this season.
- Bradley will look to pitch five or more innings for the fourth start in a row.
- He has two appearances with no earned runs allowed in 15 chances this season.
Astros Schedule
Rays Schedule
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BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Wendie Renard was threatening to skip the Women’s World Cup and Eugénie Le Sommer wasn’t in selection contention just a few months ago under France’s previous coaching regime.
A management overhaul and a change of heart ultimately led to two of French football’s most experienced players combining for Les Bleues on Saturday to deliver a 2-1 win over Brazil that put them into a strong position to progress to the round of 16.
Le Sommer missed with a diving header in the 13th minute but needed only four more minutes to convert her next chance, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Leticia with a more emphatic header to score her record-extending 90th international goal.
Debinha equalized for Brazil as the hour approached, and the game opened up as both teams pressed for a winner. That’s when Renaud stepped in.
Renard, who’d been in doubt for the match because of a calf injury she picked up in France’s lackluster opening 0-0 draw against Jamaica, drifted unmarked to the back edge of the box to meet a corner kick with a powerful header in the 83rd and clinch victory.
It meant the well-traveled Hervé Renard, who was hired in March to replace Corinne Diacre, became the first head coach to win games at both the women’s and men’s World Cups.
His upset victory with Saudi Arabia over eventual champion Argentina was one of the highlights of the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year. His French women’s team showed signs against Brazil that it could go deep in the tournament.
He credited his veteran players, either recalled or convinced to remain, for the turnaround.
Wendie Renard “is the most important player in the dressing room. Always talking, motivating the the other girls,” the France coach said, describing his captain’s influence on the team. Of other veterans like Le Sommer and Kadidiatou Diani, he added: “You need leaders in the team — they have a good experience and we need them to motivate also the other players.”
Le Sommer, who missed selection for the 2022 Euros under former coach Diacre, was in the thick of the early action for France.
The French started with a high tempo and had three chances before Sakina Karchaoui’s long floating ball into the area found Diani, who leaped and headed square for Le Sommer to finish off from directly in front.
The Brazilian women had never beaten France but started to meet them for intensity as halftime approached, helped by the majority of an almost 50,000-strong crowd.
Debinha equalized in the 58th, finishing off a quick passing movement into the area, controlling a deflected ball with the outside of her leg before firing in a right-foot shot.
Leticia kept Brazil in the game with a string of impressive saves, and Selma Bacha hit the side netting with her shot from the right in the 75th, unable to break the deadlock for France.
After Renard broke the deadlock, Brazil sent Marta in the 86th for her 22nd World Cup appearance — moving her to outright second on the country’s all-time list — but she wasn’t able to equalize in a frenetic finish.
Brazil is now winless in 12 women’s internationals against France, a setback for a team that opened the Women’s World Cup with a thumping 4-0 win over Panama, with Ary Borges scoring three goals and providing the back-heel assist for one of the goals of the tournament.
Against a more disciplined defense, the Brazilians weren’t able to finish despite creating ample opportunities.
Coach Pia Sundhage said she was disappointed with her Brazilian team’s first half and overall lack of cohesion.
The defensive lapse on the set piece that led to France’s winning goal was discouraging, she said, before adding: “I’m more disappointed we couldn’t make this a game where we play like the Brazilian style.”
Jamaica edged Panama 1-0 later Saturday in Perth to join France on four competition points in Group F, one ahead of Brazil. On Wednesday, three teams will be vying for two spots in the next round when Brazil meets Jamaica in Melbourne and France takes on Panama in Sydney.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T19:56:57 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ |
Jorge Polanco Player Prop Bets: Twins vs. Royals - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 1:23 PM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
Jorge Polanco -- 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in his most recent game -- will be in action for the Minnesota Twins against the Kansas City Royals, with Jordan Lyles on the mound, on July 29 at 7:10 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI against the Royals.
Jorge Polanco Game Info & Props vs. the Royals
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Kauffman Stadium
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Royals Starter: Jordan Lyles
- TV Channel: BSKC
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -238)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +375)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +135)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +100)
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Explore More About This Game
Jorge Polanco At The Plate
- Polanco is batting .250 with 10 doubles, five home runs and seven walks.
- Polanco has picked up a hit in 74.2% of his 31 games this year, with at least two hits in 19.4% of those games.
- He has hit a long ball in 16.1% of his games in 2023 (five of 31), and 3.8% of his trips to the dish.
- Polanco has had an RBI in 10 games this season (32.3%), including six multi-RBI outings (19.4%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in two contests.
- In nine of 31 games this year, he has scored, including multiple runs once.
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Jorge Polanco Home/Away Batting Splits
Royals Pitching Rankings
- The 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings put together by the Royals pitching staff ranks 26th in MLB.
- The Royals have the 28th-ranked team ERA among all league pitching staffs (5.19).
- Royals pitchers combine to rank 19th in baseball in home runs surrendered (126 total, 1.2 per game).
- Lyles (1-12) takes the mound for the Royals in his 20th start of the season. He's put together a 6.10 ERA in 107 2/3 innings pitched, with 76 strikeouts.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the New York Yankees, when the right-hander tossed five innings, surrendering five earned runs while giving up nine hits.
- This season, the 32-year-old ranks 64th in ERA (6.10), 46th in WHIP (1.282), and 59th in K/9 (6.4) among qualifying pitchers.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/jorge-polanco-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:05 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/jorge-polanco-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
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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___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:05 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ |
The 2023 Amundi Evian Championship Odds & Preview: Megan Khang
Before the final round of the Amundi Evian Championship, Megan Khang is in 30th place at E.
Looking to bet on Megan Khang at the Amundi Evian Championship this week? Read on for the betting odds and stats you need before you make your picks.
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Megan Khang Insights
- Over her last 17 rounds, Khang has shot better than par on nine occasions, while also posting one bogey-free round and 13 rounds with a better-than-average score.
- She has posted a top-five score in one of her last 17 rounds, while ranking among the top 10 scores of the day three times.
- Over her last 17 rounds, Khang has finished within three strokes of the best score of the round three times, and within five strokes of the top score of the day on seven occasions.
- In her past five tournaments, Khang has finished in the top five once.
- She has qualified for the weekend in four of her past five events.
- In her past five tournaments, Khang has finished within three shots of the leader once and posted a score better than average three times.
Over the last year
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Amundi Evian Championship Insights and Stats
- Khang has had an average finish of 37th at this tournament in two appearances, including a personal best 30th-place.
- Khang has made the cut in each of her last two trips to this event.
- Khang last competed at this event in 2023 and finished 30th.
- This event will take place on a par 71 listed at 6,527 yards, compared to the average for Tour stops in the past year.
- Evian Resort Golf Club is 6,527 yards, 29 yards shorter than the average course Khang has played in the past year (6,556).
Khang's Last Time Out
- Khang was in the 14th percentile on par 3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, with an average of 3.38 strokes on the eight par-3 holes.
- She averaged 4.10 strokes on par-4 holes (of which there were 20) at the U.S. Women’s Open, which was good enough to place her in the 83rd percentile of the field on par 4s (the tournament average was 4.22).
- Khang was better than just 19% of the field at the U.S. Women’s Open on par-5 holes, averaging 5.25 strokes per hole compared to the field average of 5.02.
- Khang carded a birdie or better on one of eight par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open (the other golfers averaged 1.5).
- On the eight par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Khang had more bogeys or worse (four) than the field average (3.0).
- Khang's two birdies or better on par-4s at the U.S. Women’s Open were less than the field average of 3.0.
- At that last outing, Khang carded a bogey or worse on four of 20 par-4s (the field averaged 8.4).
- Khang ended the U.S. Women’s Open with a birdie or better on one of eight par-5s, underperforming the field's average, 2.8.
- On the eight par-5s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Khang underperformed compared to the field average of 2.6 bogeys or worse on those holes by recording three.
Amundi Evian Championship Time and Date Info
- Date: July 27-30, 2023
- Course: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par: 71 / 6,527 yards
- Khang Odds to Win: +6000 (Bet now with BetMGM!)
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All statistics in this article reflect Khang's performance prior to the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship.
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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.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:14 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ |
How to Watch the Orioles vs. Yankees Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Adley Rutschman and the Baltimore Orioles will take on the New York Yankees and Aaron Judge on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Sign up for Fubo to watch this matchup and make sure you don't miss any of the action all year long!
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Orioles vs. Yankees Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Discover More About This Game
Orioles Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Orioles are 13th in MLB action with 121 home runs. They average 1.2 per game.
- Baltimore's .418 slugging percentage ranks 10th-best in MLB.
- The Orioles have the 16th-ranked batting average in the majors (.249).
- Baltimore scores the 10th-most runs in baseball (499 total, 4.8 per game).
- The Orioles are 16th in MLB with an on-base percentage of .317.
- The Orioles' 8.4 strikeouts per game rank 11th in MLB.
- The pitching staff for Baltimore has a collective 9.1 K/9, which ranks 11th in MLB.
- Baltimore has the 15th-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (4.15).
- Pitchers for the Orioles combine for the 19th-ranked WHIP in baseball (1.296).
Yankees Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Yankees' 141 home runs rank seventh in Major League Baseball.
- New York ranks 18th in the majors with a .402 team slugging percentage.
- The Yankees have a team batting average of just .229 this season, which ranks 29th among MLB teams.
- New York ranks 21st in the majors with 446 total runs scored this season.
- The Yankees have an on-base percentage of .301 this season, which ranks 26th in the league.
- The Yankees rank eighth in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 8.1 whiffs per contest.
- New York averages the 12th-most strikeouts per nine innings (8.9) in the majors this season.
- New York has the eighth-best ERA (3.87) in the majors this season.
- Yankees pitchers have a 1.245 WHIP this season, seventh-best in the majors.
Orioles Probable Starting Pitcher
- Tyler Wells makes the start for the Orioles, his 20th of the season. He is 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 111 2/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, when the right-hander went 4 1/3 innings, surrendering three earned runs while allowing only one hit.
- Wells is looking to secure his ninth quality start of the season in this game.
- Wells enters the matchup with 18 outings of five or more innings pitched this season.
- In three of his 20 total appearances this season he has not allowed an earned run.
Yankees Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Yankees' Clarke Schmidt (6-6) will make his 21st start of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched on Friday, July 21, when he gave up three earned runs and allowed five hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Kansas City Royals.
- He has three quality starts in 20 chances this season.
- Schmidt will look to pitch five or more innings for the third start in a row.
- He has made 21 appearances and finished five of them without allowing an earned run.
Orioles Schedule
Yankees Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orioles-vs-yankees-mlb-live-stream-tv/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:18 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orioles-vs-yankees-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Political instability in Niger resulting from a military takeover that deposed the president this week threatens the economic support provided by Washington to the African nation, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Saturday.
Members of the Niger military announced on Wednesday they had deposed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and on Friday named Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani as the country’s new leader, adding Niger to a growing list of military regimes in West Africa’s Sahel region.
Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, said the continued security and economic arrangements that Niger has with the U.S. hinged on the release of Bazoum and “the immediate restoration of the democratic order in Niger.”
“Our economic and security partnership with Niger — which is significant, hundreds of millions of dollars — depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days,” Blinken said. “So that assistance, that support, is in clear jeopardy as a result of these actions, which is another reason why they need to be immediately reversed.”
Blinken stopped short of calling the military actions in Niger a coup, a designation that could result in the African country losing millions of dollars of military aid and assistance.
Speaking in Brisbane, Blinken said he had spoken with President Bazoum on Saturday but did not provide details. He cited the support of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and other regional entities in trying to bring an end to the unrest.
“The very significant assistance that we have in place that’s making a material difference in the lives of the people of Niger is clearly in jeopardy and we’ve communicated that as clearly as we possibly can to those responsible for disrupting the constitutional order and Niger’s democracy,” Blinken said.
Blinken said the U.S. Embassy in Niger had accounted for the safety of all staff members and their families, while issuing a security alert advising U.S. citizens in the country to limit unnecessary movements and avoid areas impacted by the coup.
The military group that conducted the coup, calling itself the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, said its members remained committed to engaging with the international and national community.
“This is as a result of the continuing degradation of the security situation, the bad economic and social governance,” air force Col. Major Amadou Abdramane said in the video released by the coup leaders Wednesday. He said aerial and land borders were closed and a curfew was in place until the situation stabilized.
Bazoum was elected two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France.
Niger is seen as the last reliable partner for the West in efforts to battle jihadis linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Africa’s Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence in the fight against extremism.
France has 1,500 soldiers in the country who conduct joint operations with Niger’s military, while the U.S. and other European countries have helped train the nation’s troops.
___
Hannon reported from Bangkok. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-blinken-says-us-economic-support-for-niger-is-at-risk-as-military-takeover-threatens-stability/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:22 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-blinken-says-us-economic-support-for-niger-is-at-risk-as-military-takeover-threatens-stability/ |
A judge in Georgia has now set a hearing date for a motion by former President Donald Trump's lawyers to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the potential case over criminal interference in the 2020 election.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Senior Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster will hear the motion on August 10. He also directed both sides to submit their legal briefs by no later than August 8.
This comes as a possible indictment from the grand jury that could be handed down any day. Earlier this year, Willis said there would likely be a decision on an indictment in August.
SEE MORE: Georgia DA to announce possible charges in Trump probe this summer
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kxxv.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe | 2023-07-29T19:57:23 | 1 | https://www.kxxv.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe |
FAITH
South Plains Jamaica schedule
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Parishes have begun planning Jamaicas. Mark these dates on your calendars to join for food, fun and fellowship:
∙ July 29: St. Isidore Church, Abernathy
∙ July 30: Saint William Church, Denver City, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saint Ann Church, Morton, noon to 7 p.m.
∙ Aug. 5: Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, New Deal
∙ Aug. 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Slaton, noon to midnight.
∙ Aug. 20: Saint Philip Benizi Church, Shallowater, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
∙ Aug. 26: Saint Theresa Church, Hale Center, 1-8 p.m.
∙ Aug. 27: Saint Joseph Church, Lubbock
∙ Sept. 10: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Lubbock
∙ Sept. 16: Sacred Heart Church, Plainview, noon to 9 p.m. | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2023/07/29/south-plains-jamaica-schedule/70463521007/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:23 | 0 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2023/07/29/south-plains-jamaica-schedule/70463521007/ |
Orioles vs. Yankees Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 29
Saturday's contest that pits the Baltimore Orioles (63-40) versus the New York Yankees (54-49) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards should be a close matchup based on our computer prediction, which projects a final score of 5-4 in favor of the Orioles. First pitch is at 7:15 PM ET on July 29.
The probable starters are Tyler Wells (7-5) for the Orioles and Clarke Schmidt (6-6) for the Yankees.
Orioles vs. Yankees Game Info & Odds
- When: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 7:15 PM ET
- Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland
- How to Watch on TV: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Orioles vs. Yankees Score Prediction
Our prediction for this contest is Orioles 5, Yankees 4.
Total Prediction for Orioles vs. Yankees
- Total Prediction: Under 9.5 runs
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Orioles Performance Insights
- Over the past 10 games, the Orioles have been favored just once and lost that contest.
- When it comes to hitting the over, Baltimore and its opponents are 4-6-0 in its last 10 games with a total.
- Bookmakers have not set a spread for any of the Orioles' last 10 games.
- This season, the Orioles have won 33 out of the 46 games, or 71.7%, in which they've been favored.
- This season Baltimore has won 26 of its 36 games, or 72.2%, when favored by at least -125 on the moneyline.
- The Orioles have a 55.6% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
- Baltimore has scored the 10th-most runs in the majors this season with 499.
- The Orioles have the 15th-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (4.15).
Yankees Performance Insights
- Over their last 10 games, the Yankees have been favored twice and lost each contest.
- When it comes to the over/under, New York and its opponents are 5-5-0 in its previous 10 games.
- The Yankees have not covered the spread in any of their last 10 games (one of those games had a spread).
- The Yankees have come away with 12 wins in the 30 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
- New York has a win-loss record of 10-12 when favored by +105 or worse by oddsmakers this year.
- The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Yankees have a 48.8% chance of walking away with the win.
- The offense for New York is the No. 21 offense in MLB, scoring 4.3 runs per game (446 total runs).
- Yankees pitchers have a combined ERA of 3.87 ERA this year, eighth-best in baseball.
Put your picks to the test and bet on with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Orioles Schedule
Yankees Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orioles-yankees-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:24 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/orioles-yankees-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
Bridges: Texas City and the worst industrial accident in U.S. history
It started out as a typical spring day for the busy port of Texas City in 1947. It was a growing city that was thriving with peacetime prosperity. As home to many oil refineries, chemical plants, and ports, Texas City had a lot to offer the world and had nearly tripled its population since the beginning of World War II. But a looming disaster lay in their midst. An accident on one ship would lead to a horrible chain reaction of explosions that would leave 547 people dead in the worst industrial accident in American History.
The ship in question was the French cargo ship Grandcamp. The vessel itself was unremarkable. It had only been commissioned five years before as a Liberty ship during World War II. Its original American designation was the Benjamin R. Curtis. It had served faithfully running cargo to various posts across the Pacific during World War II. It had a good safety record, and it was given to France after the war to help the nation rebuild its economy.
The Grandcamp was being loaded up with a variety of cargo including peanuts and tobacco. Among its cargo were far more volatile products, including 872 tons of ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer, and 1,600 tons of sulfur. The ammonium nitrate had been shipped by train from Nebraska and had been sealed for protection. Transport and loading had been uneventful.
Sometime in the early morning of April 16, the ammonium nitrate began to react. Just before 8 a.m., longshoremen inspecting the cargo noticed some of it was starting to smoke and immediately tried to put it out, using what fire extinguishers and water was available. No effect. After a few minutes, the Grandcamp captain ordered the men to leave and ordered the hold sealed and began pumping in steam to try to smother the flames and save the ship. But the effort was useless, and the growing pressure in the hold caused the hatches to pop off by 8:30 a.m., causing the orange smoke of nitrogen oxide to erupt into the air. Firefighters were called, but Texas City only had a volunteer department and the small firefighting team of the Republic Oil Refinery. Desperate attempts were made to put out the growing fire, but their best efforts were failing.
Then at 9:12, the ship exploded. A horrible fireball engulfed the port, spreading two thousand feet in every direction, mercilessly destroying everything in its path, including a ship docked 600 feet away. The shockwave wrecked ships throughout the bay. More than a thousand buildings were destroyed, with windows blown out ten miles away, as far as Galveston. More than 500 homes were destroyed. The blast left every car in a parking lot a quarter mile away a burning ruin. The nearby Monsanto Chemical Plant was also destroyed, leading to more explosions and leaving one-third of its 450 employees dead.
Twenty-seven firefighters were killed. Fires raged on ships throughout the night, leading to more blasts the next day.
More than 5,000 people were reported injured. Fires across the city raged throughout the day, with fire departments from nearby cities joining the fight to save the city. Property damage was estimated at more than $100 million (or nearly $1.4 billion in 2023 dollars), one of the highest totals ever. Court cases raged for years, but Congress eventually stepped in and made nearly 1,400 payments to individuals through 1957.
The Grandcamp’s two-ton anchor was later found 1.6 miles away. It is still on display as part of a memorial to the victims. Dozens of bodies could never be identified and were later buried at a nearby memorial established for the victims. No clear cause of the fire was ever identified, but a series of human errors has been most often identified by scholars and officials. The city rebuilt and new safety procedures were enacted. The Texas City Fire Department was quickly transformed into a full-time department. The city never forgot the horrors of April 16, 1947.
Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas. Bridges can be reached by email at drkenbridges@gmail.com. | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/history/2023/07/29/bridges-texas-city-and-the-worst-industrial-accident-in-u-s-history/70487658007/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:29 | 1 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/history/2023/07/29/bridges-texas-city-and-the-worst-industrial-accident-in-u-s-history/70487658007/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday for the first time publicly acknowledged his seventh grandchild, a 4-year-old girl fathered by his son Hunter with an Arkansas woman, Lunden Roberts, in 2018.
“Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward,” Biden said in a statement. It was his first acknowledgement of the child.
“This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter,” he said. “Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.”
Hunter Biden’s paternity was established by DNA testing after Roberts sued for child support, and the two parties recently resolved outstanding child support issues. The president’s son wrote about his encounter with Roberts in his 2021 memoir, saying it came while he was deep in addiction to alcohol and drugs, including crack cocaine.
“I had no recollection of our encounter,” he wrote. “That’s how little connection I had with anyone. I was a mess, but a mess I’ve taken responsibility for.”
An attorney for Roberts did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The president, who has made a commitment to family central to his public persona, has faced increasing criticism from political rivals and pundits for failing to acknowledge the granddaughter. According to a person familiar with the matter, he was taking the cue from his son while the legal proceedings played out. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters.
Hunter Biden has four other children, including a son, Beau, born to his wife Melissa Cohen in 2020. He was named after the president’s late son who died of cancer in 2015, leaving behind two children.
Biden’s grandchildren have played a distinctive role in his presidency, often accompanying the president or first lady on trips and making regular visits to the White House. The president has also credited his grandchildren with persuading him to challenge then-President Donald Trump for the White House in 2020.
Biden’s statement was first reported by People Magazine. | https://www.kxxv.com/news/biden-openly-acknowledges-7th-grandchild-the-daughter-of-son-hunter-and-an-arkansas-woman | 2023-07-29T19:57:29 | 1 | https://www.kxxv.com/news/biden-openly-acknowledges-7th-grandchild-the-daughter-of-son-hunter-and-an-arkansas-woman |
CHICAGO (AP) — Leading up to the 2020 election, Facebook ads targeting Latino and Asian American voters described Joe Biden as a communist. A local station claimed a Black Lives Matter co-founder practiced witchcraft. Doctored images showed dogs urinating on Donald Trump campaign posters.
None of these claims was true, but they scorched through social media sites that advocates say have fueled election misinformation in communities of color.
As the 2024 election approaches, community organizations are preparing for what they expect to be a worsening onslaught of disinformation targeting communities of color and immigrant communities. They say the tailored campaigns challenge assumptions of what kinds of voters are susceptible to election conspiracies and distrust in voting systems.
“They’re getting more complex, more sophisticated and spreading like wildfire,” said Sarah Shah, director of policy and community engagement at the advocacy group Indian American Impact, which runs the fact-checking site Desifacts.org. “ What we saw in 2020, unfortunately, will probably be fairly mild in comparison to what we will see in the months leading up to 2024.”
A growing subset of communities of color, especially immigrants for whom English is not their first language, are questioning the integrity of U.S. voting processes and subscribing to Trump’s lies of a stolen 2020 election, said Jenny Liu, mis/disinformation policy manager at the nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Still, she said these communities are largely left out of conversations about misinformation.
“When you think of the typical consumer of a conspiracy theory, you think of someone who’s older, maybe from a rural area, maybe a white man,” she said. “You don’t think of Chinese Americans scrolling through WeChat. That’s why this narrative glosses over and erases a lot of the disinformation harms that many communities of colors face.”
In addition to general misinformation themes about voting machines and mail-in voting, groups are catering their messaging to communities of color, experts say.
For example, immigrants from authoritarian regimes in countries like Venezuela or who have lived through the Chinese Cultural Revolution may be “more vulnerable to misinformation claiming politicians are wanting to turn the U.S. into a Socialist state,” said Inga Trauthig, head of research for the Propaganda Research Lab at the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin. People from countries that have not recently had free and fair elections may have a preexisting distrust of elections and authority that may make them vulnerable to misinformation as well, Trauthig said.
Disinformation efforts often hinge on topics most important to each community, whether that is public safety, immigration, abortion, education, inflation or alleged extramarital affairs, said Laura Zommer, co-founder of the Spanish-language fact-checking group Factchequeado.
“It takes advantage of their very real fear and trauma from their experiences in their home countries,” Zommer said.
Other vulnerabilities include language barriers and a lack of knowledge of the U.S. media landscape and how to find credible U.S. news sources, several misinformation experts told The Associated Press. Many immigrants rely on translated content for voting information, leaving space for bad actors to inject misinformation.
“These tactics exploit information vacuums when there’s a lot of uncertainty around how these processes work, especially because a lot of election materials may not be translated in the languages our communities speak or be available in forms they are likely to access,” said Clara Jiménez Cruz, another co-founder of Factchequeado.
Misinformation can also arise from mistranslations. The Brookings Institute, a nonprofit think tank, found examples of mistranslations in Colombian, Cuban and Venezuelan WhatsApp groups, where “progressive” was translated to “progresista,” which carries “far-left connotations that are closer to the Spanish words ‘socialista’ and ‘comunista.’”
Disinformation, often in languages like Spanish, Mandarin or Hindi, flows onto social media apps like WhatsApp and WeChat heavily used by communities of color.
Minority communities that believe their views and perspectives aren’t represented by the mainstream are likely to “retreat into more private spaces” found on messaging apps or groups on social media sites like Facebook, Trauthig said.
“But disinformation also targets them on these platforms, even though it may feel to them to be that safer space,” she said.
Messages on WhatsApp are also encrypted and can’t be easily seen or traced by moderators or fact-checkers.
“As a result, messages on apps like WhatsApp often fly under the radar and are allowed to spread and spread, largely unchecked,” said Randy Abreu, policy counsel for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, which leads the Spanish Language Disinformation Coalition.
Abreu also raised concerns about Spanish YouTube channels and radio shows that are growing in popularity. He said the coalition is tracking more and more YouTube and radio personalities who are spreading misinformation in Spanish.
A 2022 report by the left-leaning watchdog group Media Matters tracked 40 Spanish-language YouTube videos spreading misinformation about U.S. elections. Many of these videos remained on the platform, despite violating YouTube election misinformation policy, the report said.
Amid changes in voting policies at state and local levels, advocates are sounding the alarm on how disinformation about voting in 2024 may target communities of color. Many of these efforts have surged as Asian American, Black and Latino communities have grown in political power, said María Teresa Kumar, founding president of the nonprofit advocacy group Voto Latino.
“Disinformation is, at its core, meant to be a sort of voter suppression tactic for communities of color,” she said. “It targets communities of color in a way that feeds into their already justifiable concerns that the system is stacked against them.”
The tactics also feed into a history “as old as the Jim Crow era of attempting to disenfranchise people of color, going back to voter intimidation and suppression efforts after the Civil Rights Act of 1866,” said Atiba Ellis, a professor of law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
While many of the same recycled claims around alleged fraud in the 2020 and 2022 elections are expected to resurface, experts say disinformation campaigns will likely be more sophisticated and granular in attempts to target specific groups of voters of color.
Trauthig also raised concerns about how layoffs and instability at social media platforms like Twitter may leave them less prepared to tackle misinformation in 2024. It also remains to be seen how new social media platforms like Threads will approach the threat of misinformation. Changes in policies like WhatsApp launching a “Communities” function connecting multiple groups and expanding group chat sizes may also “have big implications for how quickly misinformation will spread on the platform,” she said.
In response to the mounting threat of misinformation, Indian American Impact is ramping up its fact-checking efforts through what the organization says is the first fact-checking website specifically for South Asian Americans. Shah said the group is drawing inspiration from 2022 projects, including a voting toolkit using memes with Bollywood characters and passing out Parle-G crackers with voting information stickers at Indian grocery stores.
Cruz of Factchequeado is paying close attention to misinformation in swing states with significant Latino populations like Nevada and Arizona. And Liu of Asian Americans Advancing Justice is reviewing misinformation trends from previous elections to strategize about how to inoculate Asian American voters against them.
Still, they say there is more work to be done.
Critics are urging social media companies to invest in content moderation and fact-checking in languages other than English. Government and election officials should also make voting information more accessible to non-English speakers, organize media literacy trainings in community spaces and identify “trusted messengers” in communities of color to help approach trends in misinformation narratives, experts said.
“These are not monolithic groups,” Cruz said. “This disinformation is very specifically tailored to each of these communities and their fears. So we also need to be partnering with grassroots organizations in each of these communities to tailor our approaches. If we don’t take the time to do this work, our democracy is at stake.”
___
The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-election-disinformation-campaigns-targeted-voters-of-color-in-2020-experts-expect-2024-to-be-worse/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:28 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-election-disinformation-campaigns-targeted-voters-of-color-in-2020-experts-expect-2024-to-be-worse/ |
Red Sox vs. Giants Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 29
Saturday's contest between the San Francisco Giants (56-48) and the Boston Red Sox (56-47) at Oracle Park is expected to be a tight matchup, as our computer prediction projects a final score of 5-4, with the Giants securing the victory. First pitch is at 7:15 PM ET on July 29.
The probable pitchers are James Paxton (6-2) for the Red Sox and Ryan Walker (3-0) for the Giants.
Red Sox vs. Giants Game Info & Odds
- When: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 7:15 PM ET
- Where: Oracle Park in San Francisco, California
- How to Watch on TV: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Red Sox vs. Giants Score Prediction
Our pick for this contest is Giants 5, Red Sox 4.
Total Prediction for Red Sox vs. Giants
- Total Prediction: Over 8.5 runs
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Red Sox Performance Insights
- In six games as the favorite over the last 10 matchups, the Red Sox have a record of 3-3.
- Boston and its opponents have combined to hit the over four times in its last 10 games with a total.
- There has not been a spread set for any of the Red Sox's last 10 games.
- This season, the Red Sox have won 24 out of the 43 games, or 55.8%, in which they've been favored.
- Boston has a record of 15-11 in games when bookmakers favor them by at least -130 on the moneyline.
- The implied probability of a win from the Red Sox, based on the moneyline, is 56.5%.
- Boston is among the highest-scoring teams in the majors, ranking sixth with 519 total runs this season.
- The Red Sox have a 4.26 team ERA that ranks 17th among all league pitching staffs.
Giants Performance Insights
- The Giants have been an underdog just two times in their last 10 contests and lost both matchups.
- In its previous 10 matchups with a total posted by sportsbooks, San Francisco and its opponents are 3-7-0 when it comes to hitting the over.
- The last 10 Giants contests have not had a spread posted by bookmakers.
- The Giants have won in 23, or 54.8%, of the 42 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs this year.
- This season, San Francisco has been victorious 11 times in 24 chances when named as an underdog of at least +110 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Giants have an implied victory probability of 47.6% according to the moneyline set by oddsmakers for this matchup.
- San Francisco scores the 15th-most runs in baseball (469 total, 4.5 per game).
- The Giants have pitched to a 4.01 ERA this season, which ranks 11th in baseball.
Put your picks to the test and bet on with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Red Sox Schedule
Giants Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-giants-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:31 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-giants-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
Salter: The Spirit Of ’76: Libertarianism and American Renewal
(Note: This article originally appeared online through the American Institute for Economic Research)
A nation which makes greatness its polestar can never be free,” warned Abraham Bishop, a friend and supporter of Thomas Jefferson. “Beneath national greatness sink individual greatness, honor, wealth, and freedom.” These words could have been written today. Pomposity masquerading as grandiosity has consumed American politics. The right venerates the power of the nation-state; the left sings the praises of fashionable corporations and NGOs; both trample the human person in their frenzy for greatness.
I wrote this book to defend the old American ideals of “honor, wealth, and freedom.” Honor—not pride, but a life of integrity; wealth—not indulgence, but the right use of creation’s bounty; freedom—not licentiousness, but ordered liberty in the soul and commonwealth. America is defined by the creative tension between rights and responsibilities. Until recently, we knew liberty without order was decadent and order without liberty was tyrannical. But many powerful and influential figures have decided this wisdom is obsolete because it obstructs their demands for “systemic equity” or their desire to “own the libs.”
They’re wrong. Ordered liberty defines America. We cannot become great as Americans by ignoring who we are.
The essays in this book first appeared as a series of opinion articles in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. The theme of the series is libertarianism: an unapologetic defense of liberty as America’s greatest political good. I wanted to explain the philosophy of liberty in terms everybody could understand. Public affairs shouldn’t be the exclusive domain of professional political operatives and intellectuals. Self-governance is essential for liberty; public deliberation about important issues and ideas must be the domain of the many, not the few. There are some things we must never “outsource” to experts, at risk of relinquishing our humanity. Governing the nation is one of them.
I had three goals in writing these essays. The book’s structure reflects those goals. Part I covers the history of American liberty. By surveying how it was pursued, debated, and enshrined, I wanted to remind my countrymen of liberty’s central place in American public affairs. That also means coming to terms with major turns away from liberty. The Progressive revolution of the early 20th century is an obvious case. But the struggle for liberty is much older than that. Even the ratification of the US Constitution was a mixed blessing for freedom. It did not spring fully-formed from the heads of the Founding Fathers. Rather it was the culmination of an unsteady process, with power politics and fiscal-military ambitions mixed in. Nevertheless, the Constitution deserves our respect and loyalty. To revive American liberty, we must renew rather than repudiate its spirit.
Part II explores the philosophy of liberty. Libertarianism affirms a natural-rights approach to politics. Each person has the right to be free from force and fraud. Too often, we defend these rights in private but overlook them in public. But if anything, it’s more important to prevent rights-violations by the government, for the simple reason that the government is much stronger than any private entity. (To those fretting over Big Tech: Please remember Twitter can delete your account without consequence, but Uncle Sam can kill you without consequence.) Recognizing the disproportionate threat the government poses to liberty, we can better appreciate the difference between law and morality, the religious roots of human dignity, and the complementarity of freedom and order.
I turn from philosophy to policy in Part III. We desperately need a libertarian perspective on national problems such as unsustainable government spending and entitlements, misguided health care programs, a broken immigration system, and reckless foreign policy. At home and abroad, the government has become dysfunctional because we’ve forgotten its proper scale and scope. It’s become trendy in some circles to dismiss liberty-focused reforms as “zombie Reaganism” or “market fundamentalism.” These are unserious criticisms. Certainly, libertarianism appreciates the contributions of free enterprise to human flourishing. But civil society, the crucial domain between markets and states, matters just as much. So does federalism: local governments will be important players in securing responsible and freedom-respecting reforms. Far from reifying “atomistic individualism,” libertarian policy is both realistic and communal. It’s time we relearned how to govern ourselves, rather than passing the buck to Washington, DC.
A constitutional republic dedicated to ordered liberty is a great blessing. We do not consent to be ruled by insular oligarchs, pretentious mandarins, or an unruly mob. We do not consent to be ruled at all. Instead, we agree to be governed—public reason under the rule of law has the final say. Defenders of freedom and virtue have recently taken a beating in politics, but libertarianism can get us back in the fight. I hope these essays leave you with an appreciation for what makes the American experiment unique and worthy of continued loyalty.
Alexander William Salter is the Georgie G. Snyder Associate Professor of Economics in the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University, a research fellow at TTU’s Free Market Institute, and a community member of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal editorial board. The views in this column are solely his own. | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/07/29/salter-the-spirit-of-76-libertarianism-and-american-renewal/70488693007/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:35 | 0 | https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/07/29/salter-the-spirit-of-76-libertarianism-and-american-renewal/70488693007/ |
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Not long ago, Marine Col. Jennifer Nash, a combat engineer with war deployments under her belt, made a vow to fellow officers as they headed to a dinner in Atlanta: She would get two new recruiting contacts by the end of the evening.
She admits recruiting is not the job that she or other Marines had in mind when they enlisted. But after stints as a recruiter and senior officer at the Eastern recruiting command, she has become emblematic of the Corps’ tradition of putting its best, battle-tested Marines on enlistment duty. They get results.
Marine leaders say they will make their recruiting goal this year, while the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force all expect to fall short. The services have struggled in the tight job market to compete with higher-paying businesses for the dwindling number of young people who can meet the military’s physical, mental and moral standards.
On that night, Nash achieved her own goal. She had gotten the valet at the hotel and the hostess at the restaurant to provide their phone numbers and to consider a Marine career.
Nash’s boss, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, who head the Eastern recruiting region, says the Corps has historically put an emphasis on selecting top-performing Marines to fill recruiting jobs. He says that has been a key to the Marines’ recruiting success, along with efforts to increase the number of recruiters, extend those who do well and speed their return to high schools, where in-person recruiting stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his recruiters — who cover the territory between Canada and Puerto Rico and as far west as Mississippi — will meet their mission and expect to have 30% of their 2024 goal when they start the next fiscal year, Oct. 1. More broadly, Marine officials say they expect the Corps to achieve its recruiting target of more than 33,000.
Last year, the Navy, Air Force and Marines had to eat into their pools of delayed entry applicants in order to make their goals. The Marines will avoid that this year.
“That would be a great ending,” said Field, speaking to The Associated Press on a recent steamy day at South Carolina’s Parris Island, along the Atlantic Coast. “I’m bearish for not only concluding FY23 on a strong footing, but also how we set the conditions for FY24.”
The Marine Corps may get some help from its small size. The Army, for example, has a recruiting goal of 65,000 this year, which is nearly double the Corps’, and expects to fall substantially short of that. Air Force and Navy officials say they will also miss their goals, although the Space Force, which is the smallest service and does its recruiting within Air Force stations, is expected to meet its goal of about 500 recruits.
Sitting in the shadow of Parris Island’s replica of the Iwo Jima monument, Field said his biggest challenge is that a number of Marine hopefuls cannot pass the military’s academic test, known as the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery.
That is a widespread problem, but the Army recently set up a program that targets recruits who score below 30 on the test and provides schooling for several weeks to help them pass. Already more than 8,800 recruits have successfully gone through the classes, raised their scores and moved on to basic training.
The Navy is taking another route with a pilot program that allows up to 20% of their recruits to score below 30 on the test, as long as they meet specific standards for their chosen naval job. Marine leaders, however, do not take those lowest scoring recruits, and so far have no plans for any type of formal improvement program such as the Army’s.
Field said the Marines are repositioning recruiting stations, moving them around based on where population totals have increased in the latest census. More important, he said, the Corps maintains its focus on choosing the right recruiters, encouraging successful ones to stay in the job and increasing the number of Marine reservists tapped for recruit duties from the current 31 to 96 by the end of next year.
Nash, who until last month was assistant chief of staff for the Eastern region, said Marines are hand-selected for recruiting command jobs. Many three- and four-star Marines, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, will cite their years doing enlistment duty.
“We put our best and brightest in those positions,” said Nash, adding that those chosen for recruiting posts have a proven track record of success in previous assignments and have demonstrated critical leadership skills. “That’s why they got selected, because they were above their peers.”
She acknowledged that the first time she was picked for a recruiting job she was “voluntold.” But now, recounting her sales pitch in Atlanta, her rapid fire pitch comes without taking a breath.
“I say, ‘Hey, ever thought about being Marine? We’re a bunch of Marines. And, you know, I think you potentially could be a good Marine. You ever thought about it?’ And usually you get, ‘Yeah, I thought about it.’ And I’m, like, ‘What’s holding you back? Would you like to learn more about your opportunities?’ ‘Absolutely.’ `OK. Mind giving me your name and phone number? I’ll have one of my recruiters give you a phone call.’”
The Marines have resisted increasing bonuses to attract recruits — something the other services have found helpful.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant, got some ribbing for his response when he was asked about bonuses during a naval conference in February.
“Your bonus is you get to call yourself a Marine,” he said. “That’s your bonus, right? There’s no dollar amount that goes with that.”
Field, Nash and others also say the Corps prefers to give a lot of recruits a few thousand dollars, rather than increasing the amount and giving money to far fewer people.
Field said that getting Marine recruiters in uniform back into high schools this year, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions, has been a key driver. There, young people line up to compete in pull-up contests, vying for a free T-shirt if they can do 20. And recruiters say many are drawn to the cache of being a Marine.
“If you told me you’ll give me $10 million worth of advertising and I can do something with it, or you’ll give me 10 great-looking Marines in a Marine uniform — what’s going to get the most value? Give me those 10 Marines and give me a day,” Nash said. “We’ll go out and we’ll get more out of that, I think, than $10 million in advertising.” | https://www.kxxv.com/news/the-few-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle | 2023-07-29T19:57:35 | 0 | https://www.kxxv.com/news/the-few-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle |
‘I’m still in shock’: Woman wins lottery jackpot while taking break from work
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) - A North Carolina woman won a triple-digit jackpot thanks to purchasing a lucky scratch-off ticket.
According to the North Carolina Educational Lottery, Jodi Owens won a $100,000 prize by putting her break time to good use and buying a lottery ticket.
Officials said Owens, a retired nurse practitioner, took a break from doing some work around her house and stopped at a Civietown Mini Mart in Shallotte. She picked up a few items including a Black Titanium scratch-off.
She returned home to scratch her winning ticket.
“I’m still in shock,” Owens said. “It’s truly a blessing.”
Owens claimed her prize on Friday and took home $71,259 after taxes.
“I’m going to pay my mortgage off and pay my car off,” she said. “I’m thinking about getting a manicure and pedicure too!”
Lottery officials said the Black Titanium scratch-off game just launched last month and is available for $30.
Copyright 2023 WECT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:36 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/im-still-shock-woman-wins-lottery-jackpot-while-taking-break-work/ |
How to Watch the Red Sox vs. Giants Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants will play on Saturday at Oracle Park, at 7:15 PM ET, with Rafael Devers and Michael Conforto among those expected to step up at the plate.
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Red Sox vs. Giants Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Venue: Oracle Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Discover More About This Game
Red Sox Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Red Sox average 1.1 home runs per game to rank 20th in MLB play with 116 total home runs.
- Boston's .437 slugging percentage is sixth-best in baseball.
- The Red Sox have the third-best batting average in the league (.265).
- Boston has the No. 6 offense in MLB action, scoring five runs per game (519 total runs).
- The Red Sox are fourth in baseball with an on-base percentage of .333.
- Red Sox batters strike out 8.2 times per game, the 10th-fewest strikeouts in baseball.
- The pitching staff for Boston has a collective 8.8 K/9, which ranks 14th in the majors.
- Boston's 4.26 team ERA ranks 17th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Pitchers for the Red Sox combine for the 18th-ranked WHIP in MLB (1.285).
Giants Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Giants have hit 120 homers this season, which ranks 14th in the league.
- San Francisco ranks 22nd in the majors with a .397 team slugging percentage.
- The Giants have a team batting average of .241 this season, which ranks 19th among MLB teams.
- San Francisco ranks 15th in the majors with 469 total runs scored this season.
- The Giants have an OBP of .317 this season, which ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Giants rank just 28th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 9.5 whiffs per contest.
- San Francisco averages the 16th-most strikeouts per nine innings (8.7) in the majors this season.
- San Francisco has the 11th-ranked ERA (4.01) in the majors this season.
- The Giants have a combined WHIP of just 1.253 as a pitching staff, which is the eighth-best in baseball this season.
Red Sox Probable Starting Pitcher
- James Paxton (6-2) takes the mound for the Red Sox in his 13th start of the season. He's put together a 3.46 ERA in 65 2/3 innings pitched, with 75 strikeouts.
- The lefty last pitched on Saturday against the New York Mets, when he went six innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up three hits.
- Paxton is trying to pick up his eighth quality start of the season in this game.
- Paxton heads into the matchup with nine outings of five or more innings pitched this season.
- He has held his opponents without an earned run in two of his 12 outings this season.
Giants Probable Starting Pitcher
- The Giants will send Ryan Walker (3-0) to the mound for his seventh start this season.
- The right-hander did not allow a run in 2 2/3 innings pitched on Thursday in his last outing, a matchup with the Oakland Athletics.
- Walker has not earned a quality start in six starts this season.
- In six starts this season, Walker has yet to pitch five or more innings.
- He has 17 appearances this season with zero earned runs allowed out of his 24 chances this season.
Red Sox Schedule
Giants Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-vs-giants-mlb-live-stream-tv/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:38 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/red-sox-vs-giants-mlb-live-stream-tv/ |
TOKYO (AP) — 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 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.
“After receiving the flag today, I earnestly felt that the war like that should never be fought again and that I do not wish anyone else to go through this sadness (of separation),” Toshihiro Mutsuda said.
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,” he 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.” | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-its-a-miracle-say-family-of-japanese-soldier-killed-in-wwii-as-flag-he-carried-returns-from-us/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:37 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-its-a-miracle-say-family-of-japanese-soldier-killed-in-wwii-as-flag-he-carried-returns-from-us/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters as owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand’s iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn’t taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection said earlier this week.
Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.
Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X.” The child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left. | https://www.kxxv.com/news/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation | 2023-07-29T19:57:41 | 0 | https://www.kxxv.com/news/x-logo-installed-atop-twitter-building-spurring-san-francisco-to-investigate-permit-violation |
Melting ice near Matterhorn reveals remains of climber missing for 37 years
(CNN) - The remains of a climber who disappeared while hiking along a glacier near Switzerland’s Matterhorn 37 years ago have been found.
Police say the melting ice on the glacier helped lead to the discovery of the remains.
They were found on July 12 by climbers hiking along the Theodul Glacier.
Several pieces of equipment were also found.
Police say a DNA analysis helped identify the remains as belonging to a 38-year-old German mountain climber who was reported missing in September 1986.
Police also say they had searched for the climber at the time, but they were unsuccessful.
No further details about the climber’s identity or his cause of death have been revealed.
Police say the melting glaciers have led to the reemergence of bodies of those who were reported missing several decades ago.
Scientists announced earlier this week that July is on track to be Earth’s hottest month ever recorded.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:42 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/melting-ice-near-matterhorn-reveals-remains-climber-missing-37-years/ |
Twins vs. Royals Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 29
Saturday's game features the Minnesota Twins (54-51) and the Kansas City Royals (30-75) matching up at Kauffman Stadium in what is expected to be a competitive matchup, with a projected 6-5 win for the Twins according to our computer prediction. Game time is at 7:10 PM ET on July 29.
The Twins will give the ball to Bailey Ober (6-4, 2.76 ERA), who is eyeing win No. 7 on the season, and the Royals will counter with Jordan Lyles (1-12, 6.10 ERA).
Twins vs. Royals Game Info & Odds
- When: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 7:10 PM ET
- Where: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
- How to Watch on TV: BSKC
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Twins vs. Royals Score Prediction
Our pick for this contest is Twins 6, Royals 5.
Total Prediction for Twins vs. Royals
- Total Prediction: Over 9.5 runs
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Twins Performance Insights
- In seven games as the favorite over the last 10 matchups, the Twins have a record of 4-3.
- In its last 10 games with a total, Minnesota and its opponents have failed to hit the over three times.
- The Twins have not played a game with a spread over their last 10 outings.
- This season, the Twins have won 41 out of the 67 games, or 61.2%, in which they've been favored.
- Minnesota has entered 15 games this season favored by -190 or more and is 9-6 in those contests.
- The Twins have a 65.5% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
- Minnesota has scored the 17th-most runs in the majors this season with 462 (4.4 per game).
- The Twins have the fifth-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (3.82).
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Twins Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/twins-royals-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:44 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/twins-royals-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand striker Hannah Wilkinson has helped create two milestones at the Women’s World Cup.
With her 48th-minute goal in the tournament opener against Norway, she led the co-host Football Ferns to their first win in six trips to the Women’s World Cup. She’s also one of at least 95 out members of the LGBTQ+ community competing in this year’s tournament, according to a count being kept by Outsports, a website that covers the LGBTQ+ sports.
The Ferns were greeted with a fan-made sign at their next match in Wellington: “Gay for soccer, gay for Wilkie,” it read.
The 95 out participants make up roughly 13% of the 736 total players at the Women’s World Cup, more than doubling the 40 players and coaches Outsports counted in 2019.
The 2023 tournament also is hosting the first openly trans and non-binary player in either a men’s or Women’s World Cup, Quinn of Canada.
“Last World Cup was so big, especially with the visibility of the U.S. women’s national team winning and (Megan Rapinoe) fighting with (Donald) Trump. So I think that was a huge year for LGBTQ+ visibility,” said Lindsey Freeman, a professor of sociology and anthropology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.
“It’s just the ad hoc, fun culture of women’s soccer that you’re seeing in this World Cup,” said Freeman, who is in New Zealand conducting research on the topic.
Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports, agreed. “In the Western world, it’s such a non-issue that it really just doesn’t get talked about,” he said. “And I think that’s in a good way.”
VISIBILITY
Prior to the start of the tournament, FIFA designated eight socially conscious armbands team captains could wear throughout the Women’s World Cup. The decision came after “One Love” armbands were denied to men’s teams in Qatar in 2022.
The armbands being used this year include anti-discriminatory sayings and multiple colors, but the rainbow version Germany wanted to use is not allowed. None of the available options explicitly mention LGBTQ+ rights.
The decision has led many players to express their support in more creative ways across Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand midfielder Ali Riley was interviewed on the official Women’s World Cup broadcast after her team’s upset of Norway. Her painted fingernails, left hand in the colors of the pride flag and right hand as the trans flag, were clearly visible as she held her head and fought back tears.
“She’s such an advocate and she’s definitely someone who uses her platform in such a positive way. We are all so proud of her and the way she represents the LGBTQ+ community,” teammate CJ Bott said. “Good on her. We’re all backing her, and we all back the community as well.”
The Philippines, making its Women’s World Cup debut, took home its own historic win over New Zealand 1-0 thanks to the foot of Sarina Bolden. Bolden’s Instagram bio reads, “i just wanna have fun n b gay.”
Irish star Katie McCabe wowed fans with a goal directly from a corner kick. She’s also made tabloid news for her relationships with other players.
Thembi Kgatlana, who has scored in the tournament for South Africa, has a patch of her hair dyed rainbow colors.
“My personality is very big for me, and my hair has become a part of my personality,” Kgatlana said. “And I did this rainbow because I want to represent all the people that are part of the LGBTQ and cannot talk while in countries where they’re oppressed.”
FAN EXPERIENCE
Kristen Pariseau and her wife started a U.S. women’s national team supporters group on Facebook ahead of traveling to this year’s Women’s World Cup. Aside from some hateful users she blocked, it’s been “super LGBT friendly.”
She and her wife did not go to Qatar for the 2022 men’s World Cup to avoid referencing each other as friends and receiving questions on their sexuality. In New Zealand, she said she’s met many same-sex couples at games and while traveling around the country.
“Everywhere you turn, it’s like, ‘Oh, my wife, my girlfriend.’ It’s been so welcoming and open,” Pariseau said. “In a way, it is kind of cool to be where there’s a lot of other people like you.”
Kelsie Bozart took her own pride flag armband to the United States’ second match in Wellington, along with a pride scarf.
“If you look back a couple years, I feel like it just wasn’t really talked about or there just wasn’t much of a presence,” Bozart said. “But moving forward I feel like, especially for the U.S., they’ve done an amazing job of just incorporating pride and LGBTQ.”
NOT UNIVERSAL
Though this year’s tournament has highlighted vast gains for the LGBTQ+ community in women’s soccer, advocates feel there is still work to be done.
According to Buzinski and Outsports, there were at least 186 LGBTQ+ athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. Women outnumbered men by a 9:1 ratio. There also were no confirmed out players at the 2022 men’s World Cup.
“I think women’s sports have always been open,” Denmark striker Pernille Harder said, adding that there are many role models for women who want to come out.
Freeman said it would be good to see men feel the same level of comfort.
“What can happen in the women’s game, I would love to spill over to the men’s game,” she said. “Because obviously, there’s way more queer players in the men’s game and it’s just not safe for them to come out.
“If you want to say that you’re in an inclusive space, you really have to be an inclusive space,” Freeman added. “And I think that that includes also holding the World Cup in places where it’s fine to be a queer person.”
___
Max Ralph is a student in John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
___
Contributing reporters included Joe Lister in Wellington and Rafaela Pontes in Auckland, students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State, and Clay Witt in Sydney, Australia, a student at the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:45 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ |
She never missed a beat and was lightning on her feet when the "Shake It Off" artist and her fans caused a "Swift Quake" in Seattle during her "Eras Tour" concerts.
According to seismologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, two of Taylor Swift's concerts generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3-magnitude earthquake, asCNN originally reported.
The data was gathered from Swift's sold-out "Eras Tour" performances at Lumen Field on July 22 and 23, after Swift's fans, and possibly the sound system, shook the ground so hard that it recorded a maximum ground acceleration of roughly 0.011 meters per second squared, causing what is now being called a "Swift Quake."
Caplan-Auerbach, who’s a geology professor at Western Washington University, told CNN that this data compares to a 2011 NFL game, when the Seattle Seahawk fans went crazy over Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch's touchdown during a game against the New Orleans Saints and caused a seismic activity that was then named a "Beast Quake."
"I grabbed the data from both nights of the concert and quickly noticed they were clearly the same pattern of signals," Caplan-Auerbach told CNN. "If I overlay them on top of each other, they’re nearly identical."
Caplan-Auerbach pointed out that even though there is only a 0.3 magnitude difference between the "Beast Quake" and the "Swift Quake," the Swifties are the MVPs for outperforming the Seahawks fans in terms of enthusiasm and excitement.
"The shaking was twice as strong as 'Beast Quake.' It absolutely doubled it," said Caplan-Auerbach, adding that the length of cheering played a big role in the data. "Cheering after a touchdown lasts for a couple seconds, but eventually it dies down. It’s much more random than a concert. For Taylor Swift, I collected about 10 hours of data where rhythm controlled the behavior. The music, the speakers, the beat. All that energy can drive into the ground and shake it."
After the concert, Swift tookto Instagram to thank her fans and said that "all the cheering, screaming, jumping, dancing, singing at the top of your lungs" made that one of her favorite weekends "ever."
Swift's Seattle concerts were played in front of a crowd of more than 144,000 fans over two nights, and they came towards the end of the U.S. leg of the "Eras Tour," according to the Seattle Times.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kxxv.com/taylor-swift-fans-cause-2-3-magnitude-swift-quake-in-seattle | 2023-07-29T19:57:47 | 1 | https://www.kxxv.com/taylor-swift-fans-cause-2-3-magnitude-swift-quake-in-seattle |
‘Sounded like an explosion’: Tesla crashes through wall, lands in backyard pool
PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) - Police in Arizona are investigating after a Tesla crashed into a pool in the Phoenix area on Friday.
KPHO reports that the crash happened around 8:45 a.m. at a home about 25 minutes away from downtown Phoenix.
Video from the scene showed the blue sedan appearing to have gone through a brick wall before landing fully submerged in a backyard pool.
A car seat was pulled from the pool, but officers said the driver was alone at the time of the crash.
The homeowner said he was getting ready for the day when he heard a loud noise from his backyard.
“I heard a sound that sounded like an explosion,” the homeowner said. “It sounded like a bomb went off.”
Authorities didn’t report any injuries in the incident. It’s not yet known what led up to the crash.
Copyright 2023 KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/sounded-like-an-explosion-tesla-crashes-through-wall-lands-backyard-pool/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:49 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/sounded-like-an-explosion-tesla-crashes-through-wall-lands-backyard-pool/ |
2023 Amundi Evian Championship Betting Odds, Favorites & Insights – Round 4
Celine Boutier is the current leader (-100) at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship after three rounds of play.
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Amundi Evian Championship Fourth Round Information
- Start Time: 12:45 AM ET
- Venue: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par/Distance: Par 71/6,527 yards
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Amundi Evian Championship Best Odds to Win
Celine Boutier
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 1st (-11)
- Odds to Win: -100
Boutier Round by Round Results
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Nasa Hataoka
- Tee Time: 6:25 AM ET
- Current Rank: 2nd (-8)
- Odds to Win: +400
Hataoka Round by Round Results
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Minjee Lee
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +700
Lee Round by Round Results
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Brooke Mackenzie Henderson
- Tee Time: 6:15 AM ET
- Current Rank: 3rd (-7)
- Odds to Win: +800
Mackenzie Henderson Round by Round Results
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Nelly Korda
- Tee Time: 6:05 AM ET
- Current Rank: 5th (-6)
- Odds to Win: +1200
Korda Round by Round Results
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Amundi Evian Championship Odds (Rest of Field)
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers broke for their August recess this week with work on funding the government largely incomplete, fueling worries about whether Congress will be able to avoid a partial government shutdown this fall.
Congress has until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, to act on government funding. They could pass spending bills to fund government agencies into next year, or simply pass a stopgap measure that keeps agencies running until they strike a longer-term agreement. No matter which route they take, it won’t be easy.
“We’re going to scare the hell out of the American people before we get this done,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Coons’ assessment is widely shared in Congress, reflecting the gulf between the Republican-led House and the Democratic-led Senate, which are charting vastly different — and mostly incompatible — paths on spending.
The Senate is adhering mostly to the top-line spending levels that President Joe Biden negotiated with House Republicans in late May as part of the debt-ceiling deal that extended the government’s borrowing authority and avoided an economically devastating default.
That agreement holds discretionary spending generally flat for the coming year while allowing increases for military and veterans accounts. On top of that, the Senate is looking to add $13.7 billion in additional emergency appropriations, including $8 billion for defense and $5.7 billion for nondefense.
House Republicans, many of whom opposed the debt-ceiling deal and refused to vote for it, are going a different way.
GOP leaders have teed up bills with far less spending than the agreement allows in an effort to win over members who insist on rolling back spending to fiscal year 2022 levels. They are also adding scores of policy add-ons broadly opposed by Democrats. There are proposals to reduce access to abortion pills, bans on the funding of hormone therapy and certain surgeries for transgender veterans, and a prohibition on training programs promoting diversity in the federal workplace, among many others.
At a press conference at the Capitol this past week, some members of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction within the House GOP, said that voters elected a Republican majority in that chamber to rein in government spending and it was time for House Republicans to use every tool available to get the spending cuts they want.
“We should not fear a government shutdown,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va. “Most of the American people won’t even miss if the government is shut down temporarily.”
Many House Republicans disagree with that assessment. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, called it an oversimplification to say most Americans wouldn’t feel an impact. And he warned Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown.
“We always get blamed for it, no matter what,” Simpson said. ”So it’s bad policy, it’s bad politics.”
But the slim five-seat majority Republicans hold amplifies the power that a small group can wield. Even though the debt ceiling agreement passed with a significant majority of both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives opponents were so unhappy in the aftermath that they shut down House votes for a few days, stalling the entire GOP agenda.
Shortly thereafter, McCarthy argued the numbers he negotiated with the White House amounted to a cap and “you can always do less.” GOP Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, followed that she would seek to limit nondefense spending at 2022 budget levels, saying the debt agreement “set a top-line spending cap — a ceiling, not a floor.”
The decision to cut spending below levels in the the debt ceiling deal helped get the House moving again, but put them on a collision course with the Senate, where the spending bills hew much closer to the agreement.
“What the House has done is they essentially tore up that agreement as soon as it was signed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “And so we are in for a bumpy ride.”
Even as House Republicans have been moving their spending bills out of committee on party-line votes, the key committee in the Senate has been operating in a bipartisan fashion, drafting spending bills with sometimes unanimous support.
“The way to make this work is do it in a bipartisan way like we are doing in the Senate. If you do it in a partisan way, you’re heading to a shutdown. And I am really worried that that’s where the House Republicans are headed,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters this week.
McCarthy countered that people had the same doubts about whether House Republicans and the White House could reach an agreement to pass a debt ceiling extension and avoid a default.
“We’ve got ’til Sept. 30. I think we can get this all done,” McCarthy said.
In a subsequent press conference, McCarthy said he had just met with Schumer to talk about the road ahead on an array of bills, including the spending bills.
“I don’t want the government to shut down,” McCarthy said. “I want to find that we can find common ground.”
In all, there are 12 spending bills. The House has passed one so far, and moved others out of committee. The Senate has passed none, though it has advanced all 12 out of committee, something that hasn’t happened since 2018.
Still, the difficulty ahead was evident on the House side, where Republicans gave up until after the recess on trying to pass a spending measure to fund federal agriculture and rural programs and the Food and Drug Administration, amid disagreements over its contents. They began their August recess a day early instead of holding votes Friday.
Simpson said some of his Republican colleagues don’t want to take money approved already outside the appropriations process to cover some of this year’s spending and avoid deeper cuts. For example, the House bills would take almost all of the money approved last year for the Internal Revenue Service in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and use the savings to avoid deeper spending cuts elsewhere.
Simpson said that without such rescissions, as they are called in Washington, he couldn’t vote for the agriculture spending bill because the cuts “would have just been devastating.”
“That’s the challenge we’re going to have when we get back in September,” he said.
Further complicating things in the House, a few Republicans are opposed to some of the policy riders being included in the spending bills. For example, the agriculture spending bill would reverse the FDA’s decision to allow abortion pills to be dispensed in certified pharmacies, instead of only by prescribers in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices.
“I had a problem with abortion being put inside an ag bill,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. “I think that’s ridiculous.”
It’s a strong possibility that Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending bill before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The Senate can vote first on the measure, which would put the onus on House Republicans to bring it up for a vote or allow for a shutdown. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-members-of-congress-break-for-august-with-no-clear-path-to-avoiding-a-shutdown-this-fall/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:51 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-members-of-congress-break-for-august-with-no-clear-path-to-avoiding-a-shutdown-this-fall/ |
Astros vs. Rays Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 29
Saturday's contest features the Houston Astros (58-46) and the Tampa Bay Rays (63-43) facing off at Minute Maid Park in what is expected to be a close matchup, with a projected 5-3 win for the Astros according to our computer prediction. Game time is at 7:15 PM ET on July 29.
The Astros will give the nod to Hunter Brown (6-7) against the Rays and Taj Bradley (5-6).
Astros vs. Rays Game Info & Odds
- When: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 7:15 PM ET
- Where: Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas
- How to Watch on TV: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Astros vs. Rays Score Prediction
Our prediction for this matchup is Astros 5, Rays 4.
Total Prediction for Astros vs. Rays
- Total Prediction: Over 8.5 runs
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Astros Performance Insights
- The Astros have played as the favorite in eight of their past 10 games and won five of those contests.
- In its last 10 games with a total, Houston and its opponents have combined to hit the over three times.
- The Astros are winless against the spread in their last two chances.
- The Astros have won 39, or 58.2%, of the 67 games they've played as favorites this season.
- Houston has a record of 35-21 in games when oddsmakers favor them by at least -130 on the moneyline.
- The bookmakers' moneyline implies a 56.5% chance of a victory for the Astros.
- Houston ranks 12th in the majors with 487 total runs scored this season.
- The Astros' 3.81 team ERA ranks third among all league pitching staffs.
Rays Performance Insights
- Over their last 10 games, the Rays have been favored twice and lost each contest.
- In its previous 10 games with a total, Tampa Bay and its opponents have combined to exceed the over/under on two occasions.
- The Rays' previous 10 contests have not had a spread set by oddsmakers.
- The Rays have come away with four wins in the 15 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
- This year, Tampa Bay has won one of four games when listed as at least +110 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Rays have an implied victory probability of 47.6% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
- The offense for Tampa Bay is No. 4 in baseball, scoring 5.2 runs per game (549 total runs).
- The Rays have a 3.69 ERA as a team, best in baseball.
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Astros Schedule
Rays Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/astros-rays-mlb-picks-predictions/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:55 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/astros-rays-mlb-picks-predictions/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — A historic heat wave that turned the U.S. Southwest into a blast furnace throughout July is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by Monday at the latest, people in metro Phoenix will begin seeing high temperatures under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month. As of Friday, the high temperature in the desert city had been at or above that mark for 29 consecutive days.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 (32.2 C) for the first time in 16 days, finally allowing people some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures are also expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Death Valley, California.
The downward trend started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional start of the season on June 15. While more than half of the greater Phoenix area saw no rainfall from that storm, some eastern suburbs were pummeled by high winds, swirling dust and localized downfalls of up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) of precipitation.
Storms gradually increasing in strength are expected over the weekend.
Scientists calculate that July will prove to be the hottest globally on record and perhaps the warmest human civilization has seen. The extreme heat is now hitting the eastern part of the U.S, as soaring temperatures moved from the Midwest into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where some places are seeing their warmest days so far this year.
The new heat records being set this summer are just some of the extreme weather being seen around the U.S. this month, such as flash floods in Pennsylvania and parts of the Northeast.
And while relief may be on the way for the Southwest, for now it’s still dangerously hot. Phoenix’s high temperature reached 116 (46.7 C) Friday afternoon, which is far above the average temperature of 106 (41.1 C).
“Anyone can be at risk outside in this record heat,” the fire department in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, warned residents on social media while offering ideas to stay safe.
For many people such as older adults, those with health issues and those without access to air conditioning, the heat can be dangerous or even deadly.
Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona and home to Phoenix, reported this week that its public health department had confirmed 25 heat-associated deaths this year as of July 21, with 249 more under investigation.
Results from toxicological tests that can takes weeks or months after an autopsy is conducted could eventually result in many deaths listed as under investigation as heat associated being changed to confirmed.
Maricopa County confirmed 425 heat-associated deaths last year, and more than half of them occurred in July.
Elsewhere in Arizona next week, the agricultural desert community of Yuma is expecting highs ranging from 104 to 112 (40 C to 44.4 C) and Tucson is looking at highs ranging from 99 to 111 (37.2 C to 43.9 C).
The highs in Las Vegas are forecast to slip as low as 94 (34.4 C) next Tuesday after a long spell of highs above 110 (43.3 C). Death Valley, which hit 128 (53.3 C) in mid-July, will cool as well, though only to a still blistering hot 116 (46.7 C).
In New Mexico, the highs in Albuquerque next week are expected to be in the mid to high 90s (around 35 C), with party cloudy skies. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-the-extreme-heat-wave-that-blasted-the-southwest-is-abating-with-late-arriving-monsoon-rains/ | 2023-07-29T19:57:57 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-the-extreme-heat-wave-that-blasted-the-southwest-is-abating-with-late-arriving-monsoon-rains/ |
How to Watch the Astros vs. Rays Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 29
Hunter Brown and the Houston Astros will hit the field against the Tampa Bay Rays and starting pitcher Taj Bradley on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
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Astros vs. Rays Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:15 PM ET
- TV Channel: FOX
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Discover More About This Game
Astros Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Astros rank 10th-best in MLB action with 130 total home runs.
- Houston's .411 slugging percentage ranks 14th in baseball.
- The Astros are 18th in MLB with a .248 batting average.
- Houston is the 12th-highest scoring team in baseball, averaging 4.7 runs per game (487 total).
- The Astros' .317 on-base percentage ranks 16th in MLB.
- The Astros strike out 7.9 times per game to rank fifth in baseball.
- The 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings put together by Houston's pitching staff ranks sixth in MLB.
- Houston has a 3.81 team ERA that ranks third across all MLB pitching staffs.
- Pitchers for the Astros combine for the 14th-ranked WHIP in the majors (1.271).
Rays Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Rays rank fourth in Major League Baseball with 151 home runs.
- Tampa Bay ranks fifth in the majors with a .444 team slugging percentage.
- The Rays' .255 batting average is among the best in baseball, ranking 10th in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has scored the fourth-most runs in baseball this season with 549.
- The Rays have an on-base percentage of .327 this season, which ranks 10th in the league.
- The Rays rank 17th in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 8.6 whiffs per contest.
- Tampa Bay strikes out 9.2 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, eighth-best in MLB.
- Tampa Bay has the first-best ERA (3.69) in the majors this season.
- Rays pitchers have a 1.178 WHIP this season, second-best in the majors.
Astros Probable Starting Pitcher
- Brown gets the start for the Astros, his 20th of the season. He is 6-7 with a 4.27 ERA and 122 strikeouts through 105 1/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics, when the righty threw six innings, surrendering two earned runs while giving up six hits.
- Brown heads into this game with nine quality starts under his belt this year.
- Brown is aiming for his third straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.5 frames per appearance on the mound.
- He has had four appearances this season in which he did not surrender an earned run.
Rays Probable Starting Pitcher
- Bradley (5-6) will take to the mound for the Rays and make his 16th start of the season.
- The right-hander gave up three earned runs and allowed five hits in five innings pitched against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
- He has earned a quality start one time in 15 starts this season.
- Bradley will look to pitch five or more innings for the fourth start in a row.
- He has two appearances with no earned runs allowed in 15 chances this season.
Astros Schedule
Rays Schedule
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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. | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-two-supermoons-in-august-mean-double-the-stargazing-fun/ | 2023-07-29T19:58:06 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-two-supermoons-in-august-mean-double-the-stargazing-fun/ |
Eric Haase Player Prop Bets: Tigers vs. Marlins - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 2:23 PM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
On Saturday, Eric Haase (coming off going 0-for-1) and the Detroit Tigers play the Miami Marlins, whose starting pitcher will be Johnny Cueto. First pitch is at 4:10 PM ET.
He had a hitless showing in his most recent game (0-for-1) against the Marlins.
Eric Haase Game Info & Props vs. the Marlins
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 4:10 PM ET
- Stadium: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Marlins Starter: Johnny Cueto
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -149)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +700)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +230)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +185)
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Explore More About This Game
Eric Haase At The Plate
- Haase has eight doubles, a triple, three home runs and 14 walks while batting .199.
- In 35 of 76 games this year (46.1%) Haase has had a hit, and in nine of those games he had more than one (11.8%).
- He has hit a long ball in 3.9% of his games in 2023, and 1.2% of his trips to the plate.
- Haase has driven home a run in 14 games this season (18.4%), including more than one RBI in 6.6% of his games and producing three or more of his team's runs on two occasions..
- In 17 games this year (22.4%), he has scored, including multiple runs twice.
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Eric Haase Home/Away Batting Splits
Marlins Pitching Rankings
- The 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Marlins pitching staff ranks third in MLB.
- The Marlins' 4.11 team ERA ranks 13th among all MLB pitching staffs.
- Marlins pitchers combine to surrender the eighth-fewest home runs in baseball (114 total, 1.1 per game).
- Cueto (0-1) gets the start for the Marlins, his third of the season.
- In his most recent appearance on Saturday, July 22, the righty tossed six innings against the Colorado Rockies, giving up one earned run while surrendering two hits.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eric-haase-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T19:58:09 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/eric-haase-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
The 2023 Amundi Evian Championship Odds & Preview: Megan Khang
Before the final round of the Amundi Evian Championship, Megan Khang is in 30th place at E.
Looking to bet on Megan Khang at the Amundi Evian Championship this week? Read on for the betting odds and stats you need before you make your picks.
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Megan Khang Insights
- Over her last 17 rounds, Khang has shot better than par on nine occasions, while also posting one bogey-free round and 13 rounds with a better-than-average score.
- She has posted a top-five score in one of her last 17 rounds, while ranking among the top 10 scores of the day three times.
- Over her last 17 rounds, Khang has finished within three strokes of the best score of the round three times, and within five strokes of the top score of the day on seven occasions.
- In her past five tournaments, Khang has finished in the top five once.
- She has qualified for the weekend in four of her past five events.
- In her past five tournaments, Khang has finished within three shots of the leader once and posted a score better than average three times.
Over the last year
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Amundi Evian Championship Insights and Stats
- Khang has had an average finish of 37th at this tournament in two appearances, including a personal best 30th-place.
- Khang has made the cut in each of her last two trips to this event.
- Khang last competed at this event in 2023 and finished 30th.
- This event will take place on a par 71 listed at 6,527 yards, compared to the average for Tour stops in the past year.
- Evian Resort Golf Club is 6,527 yards, 29 yards shorter than the average course Khang has played in the past year (6,556).
Khang's Last Time Out
- Khang was in the 14th percentile on par 3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, with an average of 3.38 strokes on the eight par-3 holes.
- She averaged 4.10 strokes on par-4 holes (of which there were 20) at the U.S. Women’s Open, which was good enough to place her in the 83rd percentile of the field on par 4s (the tournament average was 4.22).
- Khang was better than just 19% of the field at the U.S. Women’s Open on par-5 holes, averaging 5.25 strokes per hole compared to the field average of 5.02.
- Khang carded a birdie or better on one of eight par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open (the other golfers averaged 1.5).
- On the eight par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Khang had more bogeys or worse (four) than the field average (3.0).
- Khang's two birdies or better on par-4s at the U.S. Women’s Open were less than the field average of 3.0.
- At that last outing, Khang carded a bogey or worse on four of 20 par-4s (the field averaged 8.4).
- Khang ended the U.S. Women’s Open with a birdie or better on one of eight par-5s, underperforming the field's average, 2.8.
- On the eight par-5s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Khang underperformed compared to the field average of 2.6 bogeys or worse on those holes by recording three.
Amundi Evian Championship Time and Date Info
- Date: July 27-30, 2023
- Course: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par: 71 / 6,527 yards
- Khang Odds to Win: +6000 (Bet now with BetMGM!)
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All statistics in this article reflect Khang's performance prior to the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/megan-khang-amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ | 2023-07-29T19:58:15 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/megan-khang-amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ |
Miguel Cabrera Player Prop Bets: Tigers vs. Marlins - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 2:23 PM EDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
On Saturday, Miguel Cabrera (.226 slugging percentage in past 10 games, with zero homers) and the Detroit Tigers play the Miami Marlins, whose starting pitcher will be Johnny Cueto. First pitch is at 4:10 PM ET.
In his most recent game he had a hitless performance (0-for-3) against the Marlins.
Miguel Cabrera Game Info & Props vs. the Marlins
- Game Day: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Game Time: 4:10 PM ET
- Stadium: LoanDepot park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Marlins Starter: Johnny Cueto
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -182)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +950)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +250)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +190)
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Explore More About This Game
Miguel Cabrera At The Plate
- Cabrera has 10 doubles, a home run and 23 walks while hitting .245.
- Cabrera has gotten a hit in 35 of 59 games this season (59.3%), including nine multi-hit games (15.3%).
- He has gone deep in one of 59 games, and in 0.5% of his plate appearances.
- In 13 games this season (22.0%), Cabrera has picked up an RBI, including two games with multiple runs batted in.
- He has scored a run in 11 of 59 games so far this season.
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Miguel Cabrera Home/Away Batting Splits
Marlins Pitching Rankings
- The 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Marlins pitching staff ranks third in the league.
- The Marlins' 4.11 team ERA ranks 13th among all league pitching staffs.
- Marlins pitchers combine to allow 114 home runs (1.1 per game), the eighth-fewest in the league.
- Cueto (0-1) takes the mound for the Marlins to make his third start of the season.
- His last appearance was on Saturday, July 22 against the Colorado Rockies, when the righty went six innings, surrendering one earned run while giving up two hits.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/miguel-cabrera-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T19:58:22 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/miguel-cabrera-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |