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The Eagles on Saturday finally unveiled their kelly green alternate jerseys.
Here’s the first glimpse as the new throwback threads:
The kelly green jerseys and gear will go on sale on Monday at 9 a.m. and all three Eagles pro shop locations at Lincoln Financial Field, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
This has been a long time coming.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has wanted to bring back these jerseys as an alternate for several years and announced at the NFL owners meetings in March that this would officially be the year.
“This is the season we’ll reintroduce the classic kelly green and I’m super excited,” Lurie said in Phoenix in March. “I don’t know what date that’s going to be but I think fans will love it. It’s why we’re bringing it back. We really took the feedback seriously over the years. The first moment we could get the kelly green helmet approved, we’ll finally be able to see it on the field.”
NFL
While midnight green will remain the Eagles’ standard, fans have been clamoring for these throwback jerseys for years. The Eagles wore kelly green from 1935-1995, before switching to midnight green in 1996, a couple years after Lurie bought the franchise.
Back in June of 2021, the NFL announced a rule change that would allow teams two different helmets beginning with the 2022 season. That had been the major hurdle in the way to bringing back these jerseys for the Eagles. Lurie wanted to use kelly green as an alternate but wanted a kelly green helmet to match and didn’t want to settle for using decals. And the thought of a kelly green jersey and a midnight green helmet simply didn’t work.
While the rule changed in time for the 2022 season, the Eagles spent extra time working with Nike to recreate the kelly green because it didn’t exist in Nike’s current color palette. So for the 2022 season, the Eagles took advantage by making an alternate black helmet.
Lurie has previously said he hopes the rule will continue to change, allowing two alternate helmets. That way the Eagles could have a kelly green alternate and a black alternate in the same season. As of March, Lurie said he was still hoping that will eventually happen.
Bringing back kelly green has been a mission of Lurie’s dating back many seasons. In fact, here’s what he said about the possibility of bringing back the jerseys all the way back in 2018:
“They know that with the Eagles, it’s important to us. We really want to be able to have kelly green jerseys at times and to make it look really right, you need to have matching helmets.”
Five years later, it’s finally happening.
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Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | RSS | Watch on YouTube | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-finally-unveil-throwback-kelly-green-jerseys-for-2023-season/529102/ | 2023-07-29T22:58:38 | 0 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-finally-unveil-throwback-kelly-green-jerseys-for-2023-season/529102/ |
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.
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Hannon reported from Bangkok. | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-blinken-says-us-economic-support-for-niger-is-at-risk-as-military-takeover-threatens-stability/ | 2023-07-29T22:58:44 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-blinken-says-us-economic-support-for-niger-is-at-risk-as-military-takeover-threatens-stability/ |
Tyreek Hill and Eli Apple are on the verge of being reunited - just not in the way you'd think.
The Miami Dolphins reportedly signed Apple to a one-year deal on Saturday, to which Hill had a hilarious response:
The two NFL athletes have a multi-year history of going at each other on social media and even postgame interviews during their days with the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively.
For example, after the Bengals eliminated the Chiefs 27-24 in the 2022 AFC Championship Game, Apple took to Twitter, now known as "X", to post: "Oh yea that chiefs cheetah pack finna hit way crazier the 2nd time."
Then this past regular season with Hill a member of the Miami Dolphins, the 29-year-old wideout said ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Bengals that: “I can’t wait to go against Eli Apple, man. I owe you boy. I owe you. I’m here. The cheetah is here.”
Miami lost the game 27-15 despite Hill's 10 catches for 160 yards, but, almost a year later, they're now set to become teammates.
NFL
Apple's signing would come off the heels of Miami losing newly acquired corner Jalen Ramsey to a knee injury that could sideline him for six-to-eight weeks.
Apple, who turns 28 in August, is an Ohio State product who started 30 games for Cincinnati the last two seasons. | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/tyreek-hill-has-hilarious-response-to-dolphins-signing-eli-apple/530343/ | 2023-07-29T22:58:44 | 1 | https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/tyreek-hill-has-hilarious-response-to-dolphins-signing-eli-apple/530343/ |
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://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-its-a-miracle-say-family-of-japanese-soldier-killed-in-wwii-as-flag-he-carried-returns-from-us/ | 2023-07-29T22:58:50 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-its-a-miracle-say-family-of-japanese-soldier-killed-in-wwii-as-flag-he-carried-returns-from-us/ |
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://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T22:58:57 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-lgbtq-community-proud-and-visible-at-womens-world-cup/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — A historic heat wave that has gripped the U.S. Southwest throughout July, blasting residents and baking surfaces like brick, is beginning to abate with the late arrival of monsoon rains.
Forecasters expect that by Monday, people in metro Phoenix will begin to see high temperatures fall under 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) for the first time in a month.
But not on Saturday. The high temperature in the desert city with more than 1.6 million residents climbed past 110 F for the 30th straight day, the National Weather Service said. The previous record stretch of 110 F or above was for 18 days in 1974.
There are increased chances on Sunday of cooling monsoon thunderstorms. Though wet weather can also bring damaging winds, blowing dust and the chance of flash flooding, the weather service warned. Sudden rains running off hard-baked surfaces can quickly fill normally dry washes.
Already this week, the overnight low at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fell under 90 F (32.2 C) for the first time in 16 days, finally giving residents some respite from the stifling heat once the sun goes down.
Temperatures also were expected to ease in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and even in Death Valley, California, where the weather service said the expected high of 122 F (50 C) on Saturday is forecast to lower to 113 F (45 C) by Tuesday — along with a slight chance of rain.
Also in California, triple-digit heat was expected in parts of the San Joaquin Valley from Saturday through Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Hanford, California.
Gusty, late-afternoon winds were expected Saturday and Sunday in Santa Barbara County, posing an elevated risk of fire weather, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Hot, dry weather was also expected across nearby valleys, lower mountains and desert areas.
In Riverside County, a firefighter was injured as crews battled a wildfire that charred 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers) in the community of Aguanga, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of San Diego, authorities said Saturday. The so-called Bonny Fire was about 5% contained, authorities said.
A downward trend in Southwest heat started Wednesday night, when Phoenix saw its first major monsoon storm since the traditional June 15 start of the thunderstorm season. 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 1 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.
“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.
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Associated Press writers Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California, contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-the-extreme-heat-wave-that-blasted-the-southwest-is-abating-with-late-arriving-monsoon-rains/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:04 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-the-extreme-heat-wave-that-blasted-the-southwest-is-abating-with-late-arriving-monsoon-rains/ |
Former President Trump faces three new charges in the case that accuses him of hoarding classified documents, as a grand jury continues to investigate his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Former President Trump faces three new charges in the case that accuses him of hoarding classified documents, as a grand jury continues to investigate his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/2023-07-29/trump-faces-new-charges-in-classified-documents-case | 2023-07-29T22:59:08 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/politics/2023-07-29/trump-faces-new-charges-in-classified-documents-case |
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons culminating in a rare blue moon.
Catch the first show Tuesday evening as the full moon rises in the southeast, appearing slightly brighter and bigger than normal. That’s because it will be closer than usual, just 222,159 miles (357,530 kilometers) away, thus the supermoon label.
The moon will be even closer the night of Aug. 30 — a scant 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) distant. Because it’s the second full moon in the same month, it will be what’s called a blue moon.
“Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August,” said retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, dubbed Mr. Eclipse for his eclipse-chasing expertise.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.
Masi will provide a live webcast of Tuesday evening’s supermoon, as it rises over the Coliseum in Rome.
“My plans are to capture the beauty of this … hopefully bringing the emotion of the show to our viewers,” Masi said in an email.
“The supermoon offers us a great opportunity to look up and discover the sky,” he added.
This year’s first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
Provided clear skies, binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, Espenak said, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the August full moon is traditionally known as the sturgeon moon. That’s because of the abundance of that fish in the Great Lakes in August, hundreds of years ago.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-two-supermoons-in-august-mean-double-the-stargazing-fun/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:11 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-two-supermoons-in-august-mean-double-the-stargazing-fun/ |
Science How to maximize your summer meteor gazing By Nell Greenfieldboyce Published July 29, 2023 at 5:40 PM EDT Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 2:43 It's the time of year when many people look to the skies in search of shooting stars. We learn a few tricks to get the best view of incoming meteors. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/2023-07-29/how-to-maximize-your-summer-meteor-gazing | 2023-07-29T22:59:15 | 1 | https://www.wvasfm.org/science/2023-07-29/how-to-maximize-your-summer-meteor-gazing |
HUARINA, Bolivia (AP) — A 70-year-old man’s feet sink into the soil as he passes abandoned boats where there used to be the water of Lake Titicaca. The highest navigable lake in the world has receded to what Bolivian authorities say are critically low levels due to a persistent drought.
“It’s completely dry,” Jaime Mamani said in exasperation while walking along the new shoreline in Huarina, a farming town 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of La Paz where he is a community leader.
The National Service of Naval Hydrography declared an alert this week for the iconic lake after its surface fell 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) below the drought warning stage, or 3,807.8 meters (12492.7 feet) above sea level. But the agency says this is just the beginning of a situation that is worrying Indigenous Aymara communities that rely on the lake for their livelihoods and fear the dry spell could permanently impact the region’s flora and fauna.
The hydrology unit of Bolivia’s navy warned that water levels could reach historically low levels in the coming months. By December, there is a “high probability” Lake Titicaca will be 64 centimeters (more than 25 inches) below the drought alert level, breaking a low water record set in 1998 by 33 centimeters (almost 13 inches).
“In three months, the water has decreased by 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), and considering that radiation is much stronger during this time of the year … we expect it to keep decreasing,” Carlos Carrasco, a hydraulic engineer for the hydrography service said.
The drought is the result of a combination of factors, including natural phenomena like La Niña and El Niño, which arrived unusually early this year and have been particularly strong due in part to climate change, according to Lucía Walper, who heads up the Hydrological Forecasting Unit at Bolivia’s National Meteorology and Hydrology Service.
But the vast lake is vital for this region of the Bolivian highlands, where hundreds of Aymara rural communities have relied on the blue body of water for millennia to practice subsistence farming and raise livestock.
Authorities in the Peruvian city of Puno also issued a warning about the declining water levels and expressed concern about the potential impact on tourism.
“We’re reaching a critical point. There will be a significant loss of water,” said Juan José Ocola, president of the Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca. The lake serves as the border between Bolivia and Peru.
Mateo Vargas, 56, a fisherman who has lived off the Lake Titicaca for 28 years, said he used to catch “lots” of fish daily. Now he considers himself lucky if he can catch six.
Vargas’ wife, Justina Condori, shares his concerns.
“The fish have vanished,” Condori, 58, said, predicting there will be famine if the current conditions persist.
Condori makes a living by renting boats to tourists. She worries fewer people will come to visit the lake, which at an elevation of 3,810 meters above sea level, is the largest body of freshwater in the Andes mountain range.
Evidence of the receding lake is seemingly everywhere. Women who sell fried fish and other snacks by the lake face rising costs for ingredients. Those who make a living transporting people from one side of the lake to the other are altering their routes because their rafts and boats no longer reach their usual docks.
Livestock farmers who rely on the plants that grow on the shores of the Titicaca to feed their animals are also seeing their livelihoods threatened.
The economic hardship is causing many residents of Huarina to migrate to other areas of the country, leaving behind mostly older townspeople, Mamani said. The waters of the Titicaca have always been shallow around the town, so the drought is even more visible there.
“There is a detriment to the economy of the inhabitants of the region,” he said.
Vargas, the fisherman, is also concerned about what the declining water levels will mean for the future.
“It looks like it will continue to decrease, day by day,” he said. “We’re worried because if we continue like this, what’s going to happen to our children?”
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Follow AP’s coverage of the climate and environment at https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-a-drought-alert-for-receding-lake-titicaca-has-indigenous-communities-worried-for-their-future/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:18 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-a-drought-alert-for-receding-lake-titicaca-has-indigenous-communities-worried-for-their-future/ |
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The African Union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the junta in Niger to reinstall the country’s democratically elected government just as the coup leaders met with senior civil servants to discuss how they would run the country and as the U.S. and the European Union threatened sanctions against the regime.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Toumba, one of the soldiers who ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on Wednesday, told state television that the junta met with civil servants on Friday and asked them to continue their work as usual following the suspension of the constitution. “The message given was not to stop the processes underway, to keep on with things,” said Brig. Gen. Toumba.
“Everything that must be done will be done,” he said, signaling the intention of the regime led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who also goes by Omar, to remain in power.
After its meeting on Friday, the African Union Peace and Security Council said it was concerned by the “alarming resurgence” of coups that undermine democracy and stability on the continent. It asked the soldiers to “return immediately and unconditionally to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum of fifteen (15) days.”
Bazoum, whose condition and that of his officials remains unknown since the government was overthrown, should also be released immediately and unconditionally, the AU said. Failure to do so would compel the bloc to take “necessary action, including punitive measures against the perpetrators.”
On the streets of the Nigerien capital Niamey on Saturday, things appeared to be returning to normal, though many in the international community were still on lockdown with hotels full of foreigners, many given instructions not to leave.
Locals say they’re waiting to see what unfolds, with many still in support of Bazoum who has not yet resigned. “I’m with him, he does a good work. (But) what can we do?” said Mohamed Cisse, a street seller. “This is (the new leader’s) time, Bazoum’s time is over,” he said.
Tchiani, the junta leader and commander of Niger’s presidential guard, is close to former Nigerien president Mahamadou Issoufou, who stepped down in 2021 after a decade in office. Tchiani’s takeover of power will reinforce speculation that Issoufou is behind the coup, said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German think tank and consultancy.
The U.S. threatened to halt its economic support to Niger while the European Union announced the immediate indefinite suspension of budgetary support and security assistance.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, estimated America’s economic and security partnership with Niger at hundreds of millions of dollars and said its continuity depends on “the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order.”
“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 said.
While there are no signs of the junta backing down amid growing international pressure, analysts called for synergy in the interventions of the international community and continental organizations such as the AU and the regional bloc of ECOWAS, which is scheduled to meet over the coup on Sunday.
A successful coup in Niger and the sanctions in the aftermath could cause more hardship for millions of poor and hungry people in West Africa and could further threaten international relations with the region, which is seeing a resurgence of coups in recent years, according to Idayat Hassan, senior Africa program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“A non-reversal of the coup also means that we are defining a new world order in West Africa in particular as you are pitching the west and other countries against few military regimes which may be backed by Russia,” said Hassan.
———
Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-african-union-gives-15-day-ultimatum-to-niger-junta-to-end-regime-but-soldiers-seek-continuity/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:25 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-african-union-gives-15-day-ultimatum-to-niger-junta-to-end-regime-but-soldiers-seek-continuity/ |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Salvage crews were preparing Saturday to tow a car-carrying cargo ship that has been burning for days to an anchor point in the North Sea after flames and smoke on board subsided, the Dutch government said.
Fire erupted in the Fremantle Highway late Tuesday night near a chain of islands in the northern Netherlands and has been blazing ever since. The ship is carrying 3,783 new vehicles, including 498 electric vehicles, the company that chartered the vessel said.
One crew member died and others were injured after the fire broke out on the ship that was heading from Bremerhaven in Germany to Singapore. The crew was evacuated in the early hours of Wednesday. The cause of the fire has not been established.
Measurements Friday showed that heat, flames and smoke had subsided enough for salvage experts to board the ship for the first time and establish a strong towing connection with a tugboat, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said.
It will be towed, likely over the weekend, to a new position 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of the island of Schiermonnikoog , the ministry said in a statement. The timing of the operation that is expected to take 12-14 hours depends on smoke development and weather, the ministry added. The aim is ultimately “once conditions on board allow,” to tow the ship to a port, though the destination has not yet been decided.
The ministry said the ship is stable and intact below the waterline.
The burning vessel is close to the shallow Wadden Sea, a World Heritage-listed area that is considered one of the world’s most significant habitats for migratory birds. It’s also near the Netherlands’ border with Germany, whose environment minister, Steffi Lemke, has warned of “an environmental catastrophe of unknown proportions,” if the ship were to sink. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-burning-cargo-ship-off-dutch-coast-will-be-towed-to-a-new-location-after-flames-and-smoke-subsided/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:32 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-burning-cargo-ship-off-dutch-coast-will-be-towed-to-a-new-location-after-flames-and-smoke-subsided/ |
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.
___
Associated Press writers Anmar Khalil in Karbala, Iraq, and Hassan Ammar in Beirut contributed to this report. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:38 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ |
In the early hours of Saturday morning, a line formed outside the McDonald's on Laburnum Avenue across from Richmond Raceway.
Attendees arrived to meet Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver to race full time in each of NASCAR's top three series (Cup, Xfinity and Truck) during his career.
Wallace has long been driven to help foster diversity and inclusion in NASCAR.
"It starts right here, coming out here and diving into your local community," he said, gesturing to the excited crowd waiting to meet him.
Ahead of Sunday's Cook Out 400 Cup Series event at the raceway in Henrico County, Wallace distributed food via the drive-thru. He also interacted with fans and signed autographs.
"For me to play a small part in it, I think it makes a big impact," the Alabama native said.
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Races in Richmond pose an opportunity for drivers to visit a track that is surrounded by a diverse community. Wallace’s appearance Saturday morning is part of his overall initiative to help the sport he loves diversify its fanbase and driver pool, an effort that begins at the grassroots level.
"Looking at the demographic here in Richmond, it's a lot of diversity surrounding the track," the 23XI Racing driver said.
Wallace remains committed to breaking barriers and bringing about change in NASCAR.
In 2021, he said he believed the Confederate flag should not be seen at races because it represented hate. Two days after expressing that sentiment, and hours before racing his No. 43 Chevrolet with #BlackLivesMatter logos emblazoned across it, NASCAR banned the flag.
Wallace is a graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development Program, which was created in 2004 for female and ethnically diverse drivers and pit crew members who have the potential and determination to succeed at the highest levels of the sport.
To further advocate for and implement more inclusion programs, Wallace said it's about being more creative and innovative to attract new audiences to watch races.
"That's been a mission for NASCAR for a handful of years now, but it really kicked into gear the last couple of years," he said. "Just trying to broaden our fan base and showcase that it's more than just turning left and going in circles."
By attracting a larger audience to attend the races, Wallace hopes to inspire other fans and prospective drivers of diverse backgrounds to join NASCAR. But he stressed that being a professional driver necessitates a lifelong commitment and an acceptance of failure on the road to success.
"It's super hard; you have to understand that in all forms of motorsport, you lose more than you win," he said. "It's a demanding sport, and you have to balance on track versus off track, but while you're starting out, just have as much fun as you can."
One of the tools under Wallace's belt is his partnership with McDonald's, which helps him reach various communities at a location that is comfortable and relatable.
"McDonald's obviously does a lot with diversity in communities and tying all of that stuff in is special," he said.
Wallace has made a lot of progress with his advocacy, but he also has his focus set on Sunday's race and qualifying for the 16-driver Cup playoffs.
"It's a short track, and we really don't race on (short tracks) much," Wallace said.
Richmond has a special place in his heart as he "ran some Late Model stuff" at the track in years past.
"To come back here in a Cup car, it's kind of like a full circle moment all these years later," he said.
Wallace is currently 15th in the playoff standings, 27 points clear of the cut line. He has five races left to secure one of the five available playoff positions.
The important thing for him now is to go out and execute.
Wallace will be starting in the top 10 on Sunday.
"I just have to go out and race every race to the most potential and just make the most of it. ... It's a lot of fun, but it can be a frustrating place, though, when your car is not dialed in where you want it to be," he said. "The heat adds a whole other element."
Wallace drives for 23XI Racing, which is owned by basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, a graduate of Manchester High in Midlothian. | https://richmond.com/sports/professional/bubba-wallace-visits-local-richmond-mcdonalds/article_e7c0952c-2e22-11ee-8191-d77ec90322a1.html | 2023-07-29T22:59:42 | 1 | https://richmond.com/sports/professional/bubba-wallace-visits-local-richmond-mcdonalds/article_e7c0952c-2e22-11ee-8191-d77ec90322a1.html |
2023 Lions training camp makes history, team’s confidence continues to rise
SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - The highly anticipated Detroit Lions regular season is right around the corner.
Before the team can get to games though, players and coaches are going through training camp.
Today was the second day of pads for the Lions and so far, head coach Dan Campbell likes what he sees.
“I thought they accepted the challenge.” Campbell said. “We’ve got a ton to work on but it was pretty clean and you started seeing some of the fundamentals show up with our guys particularly up front so it was encouraging.”
It’s been exactly one week since veterans reported to training camp and defensive back Will Harris says he’s seen the team’s growth from year to year in Detroit.
“I’m blessed to be able to work with the guys that I work with every day.” Harris said. “The coaches and everybody in the organization is taking that next step within themselves to come to work and be a pro just to get that one percent better every day. The confidence is going up and up and up every year. You know especially this year, and I’m not talking about a cocky confidence, I’m just talking about guys who are sure of themselves, guys who know what they’re doing and make plays within the scheme of the defense and play together.”
Lions training camp was packed with fans today and WNEM was told by a Lions staff member that for the first time ever in Allen Park history, the team had to have fans claim training camp tickets.
The hype is real in Detroit as the Lions start their preseason in less than two weeks! They’ll take on the Giants on Friday, August 11th.
Copyright 2023 WNEM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/2023-lions-training-camp-makes-history-teams-confidence-continues-rise/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:42 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/2023-lions-training-camp-makes-history-teams-confidence-continues-rise/ |
Operation Welcome Home returns to Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch
STEWARTVILLE, Minn. (KTTC) – It was all smiles on Saturday at the Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch in Stewartville as families unloaded their cars excited for a fun filled weekend. This weekend is Ironwood’s annual Operation Welcome Home ranch retreat.
The retreat gives the opportunity to thank current and past military members for their service. The veterans and their families will experience a faith-based weekend to provide encouragement, hope and inspiration.
“It’s just an event that kind of breaks down all of the walls of the stresses of life and brings people together in a fun filled way and it’s just a joy serving them and to see the surprise on their face when they realized that they are important to us and to our nation and to Ironwood,” program director Matthew Van Dixon explained.
Over the weekend, the families will get to try their hand at an array of summer activities like zip-lining, laser tag, water activities and more.
The ranch first started doing the retreat in 2008 and has since served more than 1,900 families.
Copyright 2023 KTTC. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/operation-welcome-home-returns-ironwood-springs-christian-ranch/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:43 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/operation-welcome-home-returns-ironwood-springs-christian-ranch/ |
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://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:44 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ |
Robert Chambers, NYC’s ‘Preppy Killer,’ is released after 15 years in prison on drug charges
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Chambers, better known to some as the “Preppy Killer,” was released after spending 15 years in prison for drug and assault charges, according to state records.
Chambers spent a similar amount of time in prison after pleading guilty to strangling Jennifer Levin in New York City’s Central Park during the summer of 1986.
Chambers entered the plea to killing 18-year-old Levin as part of a deal when a jury could not reach a decision after nine days of deliberations.
He was released in 2003 for that crime but again ran afoul of the law soon after.
He was again arrested in 2007 for selling drugs out of his apartment. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was released Tuesday — four years early — from the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, according to online inmate records maintained by the New York Department of Corrections.
Chambers, now 56, will remain under supervision for up to five years, records show.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:49 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ |
Robert Chambers, NYC’s ‘Preppy Killer,’ is released after 15 years in prison on drug charges
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Chambers, better known to some as the “Preppy Killer,” was released after spending 15 years in prison for drug and assault charges, according to state records.
Chambers spent a similar amount of time in prison after pleading guilty to strangling Jennifer Levin in New York City’s Central Park during the summer of 1986.
Chambers entered the plea to killing 18-year-old Levin as part of a deal when a jury could not reach a decision after nine days of deliberations.
He was released in 2003 for that crime but again ran afoul of the law soon after.
He was again arrested in 2007 for selling drugs out of his apartment. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was released Tuesday — four years early — from the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, according to online inmate records maintained by the New York Department of Corrections.
Chambers, now 56, will remain under supervision for up to five years, records show.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:50 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ |
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://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-senegals-opposition-leader-charged-with-conspiracy-against-the-state-and-calls-for-insurrection/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:51 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-senegals-opposition-leader-charged-with-conspiracy-against-the-state-and-calls-for-insurrection/ |
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Hamburg European Open
Alexander Zverev will take on Laslo Djere in the Hamburg European Open final on Sunday, July 30.
With -450 odds, Zverev is favored over Djere in this tournament final against the underdog, who is +310.
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Match Information
- Tournament: The Hamburg European Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: MatchMaker Sports Gmbh
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
- Court Surface: Clay
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Alexander Zverev has an 81.8% chance to win.
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Zverev beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4.
- Djere eliminated Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Zverev has played 26 games per match (22.6 in best-of-three matches) in his 42 matches over the past year (across all court types).
- On clay, Zverev has played 22 matches over the past 12 months, totaling 24.1 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) while winning 54.8% of games.
- In his 58 matches in the past 12 months across all court types, Djere is averaging 25.3 games per match (23.5 in best-of-three matches) while winning 50.3% of those games.
- Djere has averaged 22 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.5 games per set through 22 matches on clay courts in the past 12 months.
- In head-to-head matches, Zverev has two wins, while Djere has zero. In their last match on June 4, 2021, Zverev was victorious 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.
- In terms of sets, Zverev has won five versus Djere (100.0%), while Djere has captured zero.
- Zverev and Djere have competed in 47 total games, and Zverev has won more often, capturing 31 of them.
- Djere and Zverev have matched up two times, and they have averaged 23.5 games and 2.5 sets per match.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:55 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ |
(The Hill) — More than 20 states across the U.S. are under heat advisories as of Saturday.
From the California coast to the Midwest to the Southeast and the North- and Mid-Atlantic, 110 million Americans are facing scorching temperatures that could even get up to triple digits, according to ABC News.
Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service warned of “continued excessive summer heat” across the country in a forecast discussion. In the Washington, D.C. region, daily highs sat around 96 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NWS. In New York City, temperatures topped out at 90 degrees.
“Triple-digit heat continues across the southern half of the Plains to the eastern Gulf Coast while cool and unsettled weather continues across the northern Plains toward the Midwest,” the NWS said in their latest forecast discussion on upcoming weather between Monday and Tuesday.
The NWS said cooler temperatures will arrive in the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday. However, they said these cooler temperatures will be preceded by thunderstorms as a result of the cold front creeping south.
“However, prior to the arrival of the cool air, the cold front will trigger strong to severe thunderstorms along with locally heavy downpours which may be accompanied with gusty winds and/or squalls as they move through the aforementioned areas from west to east through tonight,” the NWS aid in the forecast discussion. | https://phl17.com/nmw/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:56 | 0 | https://phl17.com/nmw/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ |
Willi Castro Player Prop Bets: Twins vs. Royals - July 29
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 4:23 PM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
On Saturday, Willi Castro (coming off going 0-for-3) and the Minnesota Twins face the Kansas City Royals, whose starting pitcher will be Jordan Lyles. First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET.
He had a hitless showing in his most recent game (0-for-3) against the Royals.
Willi Castro 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: -208)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +725)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +210)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +120)
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Discover More About This Game
Willi Castro At The Plate
- Castro has 11 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 21 walks while batting .241.
- Castro has gotten at least one hit in 53.9% of his games this season (41 of 76), with multiple hits 14 times (18.4%).
- He has hit a home run in four games this year (5.3%), homering in 1.9% of his plate appearances.
- Castro has driven home a run in 18 games this season (23.7%), including more than one RBI in 3.9% of his games and producing three or more of his team's runs on one occasion..
- In 29 of 76 games this year, he has scored, and five of those games included multiple runs.
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Willi Castro Home/Away Batting Splits
Royals Pitching Rankings
- The Royals pitching staff is 26th in the league with a collective 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
- The Royals have the 28th-ranked team ERA among all league pitching staffs (5.19).
- The Royals rank 19th in baseball in home runs allowed (126 total, 1.2 per game).
- Lyles (1-12 with a 6.10 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Royals, his 20th of the season.
- In his last outing on Sunday against the New York Yankees, the righty tossed five innings, allowing five earned runs while surrendering nine hits.
- The 32-year-old's 6.10 ERA ranks 64th, 1.282 WHIP ranks 46th, and 6.4 K/9 ranks 59th among qualifying pitchers this season.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/willi-castro-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:56 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/willi-castro-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
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://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ | 2023-07-29T22:59:58 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ |
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Hamburg European Open
Alexander Zverev will take on Laslo Djere in the Hamburg European Open final on Sunday, July 30.
With -450 odds, Zverev is favored over Djere in this tournament final against the underdog, who is +310.
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Match Information
- Tournament: The Hamburg European Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: MatchMaker Sports Gmbh
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
- Court Surface: Clay
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Alexander Zverev has an 81.8% chance to win.
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Zverev beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4.
- Djere eliminated Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Zverev has played 26 games per match (22.6 in best-of-three matches) in his 42 matches over the past year (across all court types).
- On clay, Zverev has played 22 matches over the past 12 months, totaling 24.1 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) while winning 54.8% of games.
- In his 58 matches in the past 12 months across all court types, Djere is averaging 25.3 games per match (23.5 in best-of-three matches) while winning 50.3% of those games.
- Djere has averaged 22 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.5 games per set through 22 matches on clay courts in the past 12 months.
- In head-to-head matches, Zverev has two wins, while Djere has zero. In their last match on June 4, 2021, Zverev was victorious 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.
- In terms of sets, Zverev has won five versus Djere (100.0%), while Djere has captured zero.
- Zverev and Djere have competed in 47 total games, and Zverev has won more often, capturing 31 of them.
- Djere and Zverev have matched up two times, and they have averaged 23.5 games and 2.5 sets per match.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:03 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ |
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. It 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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters Saturday that the move “is a sign of something that has been happening for centuries” and that “has to do with the relations between the Catholic church and the Orthodox one.”
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.
In a separate Telegram statement, he hailed the soldiers in the Donetsk region for “bringing closer the day when all our land and all our people will be free from the occupiers” and underscored the Special Operations Forces’ role in the recent retaking of the village of Staromaiorske in the area.
His visit to the east comes just days after Western and Russian officials said that Kyiv’s forces intensified attacks in the southeast of the country as part of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
Putin said Saturday that the intensity of Ukrainian atacks along the front line has gone down “compared to two days ago.” He reiterated that Russian forces are successfully repelling all attacks and in some parts of the front line are even mounting successful counteroffensive operations.
___
Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia. | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-ukraine-moves-official-christmas-day-holiday-to-dec-25-denouncing-russian-imposed-traditions/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:04 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-ukraine-moves-official-christmas-day-holiday-to-dec-25-denouncing-russian-imposed-traditions/ |
MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man has been sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly threatening five Circuit Court Judges of Delaware County.
Donald W. Guinn pleaded guilty but mentally ill to five counts of intimidation — a Level 5 Felony. According to police documents, Guinn issued threats to county judges during a mental health examination conducted by Bobby Hatfield — a psychologist at the Delaware County Jail.
On the order of Judge Kimberly Dowling, Guinn was to be evaluated by Hatfield for defense purposes only. During an evaluation in May of last year, Hatfield reportedly found some of Guinn’s responses troubling.
Guinn said he was going to get a high-powered rifle and pick off all the judges as they passed by his friend’s blue trailer across the street, according to court records. Guinn added that if he got his hands on any weapons, he might go after Judge Dowling.
“Every day, I am like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Guinn said. “Every day is something new with murder and torture.”
Guinn claimed that he would kill cops if he got out of jail, court documents said. He added that he didn’t care if the cops killed him and that’s how he “goes out.”
Hatfield told Guinn he would inform Dowling and Defense Attorney John Quirk of his responses because confidentiality goes out the window when specific threats are made.
In a release sent on July 29, Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Hoffman wrote about the importance of Guinn’s sentencing.
“Threats to judges are an attack at the very heart of our justice system, and it must be taken very seriously,” Hoffman wrote. “Threats cannot be tolerated. We must zealously protect our institutions, particularly that of the law enforcement officers, the judiciary and the courts. If you don’t, then what do you have? We would have nothing but anarchy.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/muncie-man-sentenced-to-5-years-in-jail-after-threatening-multiple-judges/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:11 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/muncie-man-sentenced-to-5-years-in-jail-after-threatening-multiple-judges/ |
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://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:11 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ |
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://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:11 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ |
(The Hill) — More than 20 states across the U.S. are under heat advisories as of Saturday.
From the California coast to the Midwest to the Southeast and the North- and Mid-Atlantic, 110 million Americans are facing scorching temperatures that could even get up to triple digits, according to ABC News.
Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service warned of “continued excessive summer heat” across the country in a forecast discussion. In the Washington, D.C. region, daily highs sat around 96 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NWS. In New York City, temperatures topped out at 90 degrees.
“Triple-digit heat continues across the southern half of the Plains to the eastern Gulf Coast while cool and unsettled weather continues across the northern Plains toward the Midwest,” the NWS said in their latest forecast discussion on upcoming weather between Monday and Tuesday.
The NWS said cooler temperatures will arrive in the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday. However, they said these cooler temperatures will be preceded by thunderstorms as a result of the cold front creeping south.
“However, prior to the arrival of the cool air, the cold front will trigger strong to severe thunderstorms along with locally heavy downpours which may be accompanied with gusty winds and/or squalls as they move through the aforementioned areas from west to east through tonight,” the NWS aid in the forecast discussion. | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:17 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ |
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://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:23 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ |
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://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:29 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ |
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://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:31 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world.
Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs.
Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of the program.”
A career intelligence officer, Kirkpatrick was named a year ago to lead the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, which was intended to centralize investigations into UAPs. The Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies have been pushed by Congress in recent years to better investigate reports of devices flying at unusual speeds or trajectories as a national security concern.
Kirkpatrick wrote the letter Thursday and the Defense Department confirmed Friday that he posted it in a personal capacity. Kirkpatrick declined to comment on the letter Friday.
He writes in part, “I cannot let yesterday’s hearing pass without sharing how insulting it was to the officers of the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community who chose to join AARO, many with not unreasonable anxieties about the career risks this would entail.”
“They are truth-seekers, as am I,” Kirkpatrick said. “But you certainly would not get that impression from yesterday’s hearing.”
In a separate statement, Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough denied other allegations made by Grusch before a House Oversight subcommittee.
The Pentagon “has no information that any individual has been harmed or killed as a result of providing information” about UFO objects, Gough said. Nor has the Pentagon discovered “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”
Kirkpatrick wrote, “AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology.”
He had briefed reporters in December that the Pentagon was investigating “several hundreds” of new reports following a push to have pilots and others come forward with any sightings.
Kirkpatrick wrote in his letter that allegations of “retaliation, to include physical assault and hints of murder, are extraordinarily serious, which is why law enforcement is a critical member of the AARO team, specifically to address and take swift action should anyone come forward with such claims.”
“Yet, contrary to assertions made in the hearing, the central source of those allegations has refused to speak with AARO,” Kirkpatrick said. He did not explicitly name Grusch, who alleged he faced retaliation and declined to answer when a congressman asked him if anyone had been murdered to hide information about UFOs.
Messages left at a phone number and email address for Grusch were not returned Friday. | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:37 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-ufo-congressional-hearing-was-insulting-to-us-employees-a-top-pentagon-official-says/ |
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://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:44 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ |
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://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:51 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
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://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ | 2023-07-29T23:00:58 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ |
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://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-biden-openly-acknowledges-7th-grandchild-the-daughter-of-son-hunter-and-an-arkansas-woman/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:05 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-biden-openly-acknowledges-7th-grandchild-the-daughter-of-son-hunter-and-an-arkansas-woman/ |
Police said at least eight dogs being transported inside an uncooled cargo van in Indiana died of heat-related injuries this week as temperatures soared amid an intense heat wave gripping much of the United States. The heat was not letting up Saturday in many areas, including in New York City, where temperatures were expected to surge into the lower 90s (around 35 C). Officials say the humid, thick air could make it feel well over the century mark for many Americans.
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 hit its 30th consecutive day of record-breaking heat on Saturday. Scientists calculate 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:
— Police said the eight dogs that died were among 18 Shepherds being transported from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to a K-9 training facility in Michigan City, Indiana. The driver told police he was unaware that the air conditioning unit was not cooling the back of the van until he heard dogs barking. He pulled over in Lake Station, Indiana, to open the back. Lake Station police said he then found several dogs dead and others suffering.
— 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 degrees Celsius) on Friday, but the humidity lingered throughout the region.
— 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 (44.4 degrees Celsius) in some areas. 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.
— Similar warnings were issued for much of the Deep South, which encompasses Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, with temperatures in the 90s (around 35 Celsius) and heat indexes past 100 (43.3 Celsius).
— The extreme heat has refocused attention on the lack of air conditioning in prisons. The Prison Policy Initiative, a national think tank, included Missouri and Kansas in a 2019 list of 13 “famously hot states” that lack universal air conditioning in prisons. In Missouri, only half of the prisons are fully air conditioned. And in Kansas, adding air conditioning to the newest prison sparked outrage among some lawmakers who saw it as coddling inmates.
— Phoenix broke another heat record Saturday, marking the 30th consecutive day of temperatures reaching or surpassing 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius). With the arrival of monsoon rains, temperatures are forecast to start to drop in the hottest areas in the U.S. Southwest, especially Phoenix. Temperatures are also expected to ease in 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 (37.8 Celsius) at a spot off Florida’s southern tip, while swimming 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; Chevel Johnson in New Orleans; John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
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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.
) | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:12 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ |
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://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:19 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.
A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.
The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.
The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court’s ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.
“The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties,” Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.
The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.
Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
The Arkansas lawsuit names the state’s 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library’s decision to move children’s books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.
The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas’ restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers. | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-judge-blocks-arkansas-law-allowing-librarians-to-be-criminally-charged-over-harmful-materials/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:26 | 0 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-judge-blocks-arkansas-law-allowing-librarians-to-be-criminally-charged-over-harmful-materials/ |
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://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:32 | 1 | https://cw33.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-headlines/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
Healthy morning routines for kids
If you’re a parent, you know mornings can be chaotic. Not only do you have to get up and out of bed to prepare for work or the rest of your day, but you also need to wrangle your kids and get them moving. Unfortunately, they don’t always cooperate. Not only is a family morning routine ideal to help things run smoothly but by getting organized, you and your family can lower stress, increase your productivity, boost your energy and even improve your relationships.
Start by sitting down with the entire family and creating a schedule that allows everyone the proper amount of time to get what they need done and walk out the door happy, excited and eager to start the day.
Shop this article: Eslite Toothbrush Toothpaste Holder Stand, Bento Box Lunch Containers and Gaiam Kids Yoga Mat Exercise Mat
Benefits of a Healthy Routine for Kids
- Helps kids adopt healthy habits early on: Establishing a solid daily routine helps kids implement healthy habits, such as washing their teeth and cleaning their room. Since habits require practice and repetition, you won’t have to worry about reminding them once they adopt them into their morning routine.
- Decreases parental exhaustion: Having to worry about your own routine alongside your tasks can leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Involving your entire family in creating a morning routine can make things less stressful for you.
- Limits screen time: Kids consume several hours of games, social media, TV shows and other forms of entertainment daily, which can take away from healthy habits. A healthy morning routine encourages them to step away from their devices to spend more time with family and prepare for the school day.
- Gives kids responsibility: A morning routine tells kids that they have tasks they need to complete before heading to school. Once they adapt to their routine, they understand that there are things they must do every day without being reminded. In addition, it can help them develop independence early.
- Bedtime is much easier: When your kids have a healthy morning routine, it helps them better navigate their days and makes it easier to go to bed at night. A daily routine establishes your child’s body clock, alerting them when it’s time for bed.
Helpful tips for creating a healthy morning routine
Start preparing the night before
Before you go to bed, pick out clothes that you and your kids will wear the next day, and prepare all of your food options, so you won’t be left scrambling at the last minute. You can spend Sunday preparing meals and picking out clothes to focus on other weekly tasks. In addition, it can be fun to involve your kids by having them help you in the kitchen.
Stock up on organizational items
JanSport SuperBreak One Backpacks
If it’s school you need to get your kids ready for, make sure their backpacks are packed and their lunch boxes are ready to go in the mornings. Aim to keep your pantry and fridge stocked and additional school supplies handy when your kids need them.
There are some excellent organizational items below that you can utilize during the school year or over the summer to make sure you and your kids know where their necessary supplies will be before everyone has to be out the door.
Sold by Amazon
Make sure you have the essentials
KINCMAX Shower Caddy Bathroom Shelf
Household essentials such as alarm clocks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and any shower items your family needs can keep everyone on track. If you have a lot of products or a large family, consider investing in a shower caddy so everyone has exactly what they need at arm’s reach.
Sold by Amazon
Avoid the screens
As mentioned, kids can spend a lot of time on their phones and tablets, causing morning distractions. Make a no TV rule in the morning once everyone is awake and out of bed. That means taking away any video games, iPads and cell phones.
Create a positive atmosphere
Playco Reward Chart for Kids Chores
Preparing the night before and planning can reduce stress and urgency. Not only will this make things more convenient, but it will free up time to make positive strides in the right direction. Group activities, like meditation, can be a healthy way to get the entire family in the proper mindset.
And if you’re having trouble motivating your kids, it wouldn’t hurt to provide a little extra incentive with a rewards chart.
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The best organizational items for a healthy morning routine
Humble Crew Modern Toy Organizer
Give your kids the opportunity to tidy their environment with this organizer designed for their height. Having an organized space to wake up in helps start your kids off on the right foot for the morning while teaching them to sort and improve their cognitive skills.
Sold by Amazon
Eslite Toothbrush Toothpaste Holder Stand
Morning hygiene maintenance is an imperative part of a morning routine. This bathroom organizer allows kids to have everything they need to do in the bathroom each morning and evening together. It can hold five toothbrushes and has holes for toothpaste, combs and cups for water and mouthwash.
Sold by Amazon
Xoxo Parents Magnetic Chore Chart for Multiple Kids
Help keep everyone in the family organized in the morning with a dry-erase calendar, complete with daily to-do’s. This calendar lets kids know what to expect for the day and help them create a healthy routine while laying out all their tasks.
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Colgate Smart Manual Kids Toothbrush
Make brushing teeth fun for kids with this toothbrush. It includes augmented reality to help kids brush their teeth properly. It has an app that teaches kids to establish healthy hygiene habits, as well as a fun game they unlock when they brush their teeth.
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Gamenote Wooden Pen Holder and Pencil Holders
Having a clean environment in the morning can boost your family’s mood. If you have crafty kids, giving them a pen holder can help them tidy up before departing for school. This rainbow holder includes six different size compartments to fit pencils, pens, crayons and more.
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Zicoto Simplified To-Do List Notebook and Aesthetic Daily Planner
A planner is an excellent tool both kids and adults use to plan their days and stick to healthy routines. This planner has space to write daily to-do list notes, health tracking, appointments and meal plans. It has perforated pages, perfect for tearing them out after completing daily tasks.
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Rewards are a great way to incentivize your kids to stick to a morning routine. This reward chart encourages good behavior and promotes healthy habits. It is designed for kids ages 3 and up. It is laboratory-certified and safe for kids to use.
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The best food items to promote a healthy morning routine
Rubbermaid Brilliance BPA-Free Food Storage Containers with Lids
Plan ahead for your kids’ breakfasts and lunches with these food storage containers that are bisphenol A-free. These 100% leak-proof, splatter-resistant and microwave-safe containers easily stack in the refrigerator to keep you organized from morning till night.
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Kitch’nMore 38 Ounce Meal Prep Containers
Prepare up to 30 meals in advance and keep them neatly packaged in these microwave, dishwasher and freezer-safe containers. Each container holds up to 2.4 pounds of food. They are made of BPA-free material, leak-proof and durable.
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Pre-pack healthy, protein-rich breakfasts and lunches for your children in this eco-friendly bento lunch box. The smaller-sized compartments allow all your kids’ favorite foods to be packed separately for perfect meals that can be eaten whenever their schedule permits.
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Oniva Disney Mickey Mouse Lunch Bag
Your kids will never forget to bring their lunch box to school when it’s this cute! This Mickey Mouse lunch bag is insulated to ensure food stays at the correct temperature. It comes with a knife, fork, spoon, napkin and salt and pepper shakers.
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Lerine 10-Pack Dishwasher-Safe Reusable Bags
Save money and be environmentally friendly using reusable bags for your and your kids’ lunches. They are leakproof, BPA-free and dishwasher safe. They include three 1-gallon bags, four sandwich bags and three snack bags.
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Thermos Funtainer 10-Ounce Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated
This thermos keeps kids’ food cold for up to seven hours, and up to five hours for hot food. It has a lightweight, compact design with a push-button lid that’s easy for kids to carry and open. It also includes a spoon stored in the thermos.
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Topbooc Travel Utensils, Reusable Silverware Set-To-Go
Pack your kids’ lunches with reusable silverware to save money and be environmentally conscious. This set comes with a knife, fork, spoon, two straws, a straw cleaner, chopsticks and a compact case. It is available in a variety of colors and is dishwasher safe.
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The best items for a positive morning atmosphere
Meditation for Kids: 40 Activities to Manage Emotions, Ease Anxiety and Stay Focused
Meditation is an amazing way to start the day with a healthy and positive outlook. This book has options for 40 meditation activities kids can do in the morning to help them remain calm, relaxed and focused.
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Gaiam Kids Yoga Mat Exercise Mat
Yoga is a positive and healthy activity for a child’s morning routine. This adorable yoga mat is perfect for kids ages 5 to 8 and is decorated with a unicorn, lamb and lion. These kids’ yoga mats are non-toxic and phthalate-free while constructed with a textured surface to reduce slips.
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Hatch Rest+ Baby Sound Machine, Night Light
This sound machine helps kids to fall asleep and wake up easily. The time-to-rise programs help them handle the difficult transition from being sound asleep to starting their day. Waking up comfortably and naturally is the ideal first step in any morning routine.
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Big Red Rooster Sleep Training Alarm Clock
This alarm clock notifies your kids if it’s time to wake up or if more sleep is necessary. The ball glows green if it’s time to wake up or red if they should go back to sleep. The hidden parent compartment makes sure the alarm can’t be adjusted.
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The 3-Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids
Practicing gratitude is a great way for kids to start the morning with positivity. This journal teaches kids how to be thankful and enjoy the simple things in life. It contains daily pages where kids list out three things and people they’re grateful for and how they’re feeling each day.
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Sonoma Lavender Microwaveable Aromatherapy Pillow
Having a cuddly bear to snuggle in the morning can help kids prepare for the day. This plush bear not only provides snuggles but releases a lavender scent for aromatherapy benefits. It has 10 different animals, such as an elephant, bunny, monkey and lamb.
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Antdalis Sunrise Alarm Clock Wake-Up Light
After a long summer, it might be challenging for kids to readjust to waking up in the mornings. This alarm clock’s light gradually increases over 30 minutes to fill the room with bright, white light. It has two alarms, seven natural sounds and a 10-sound volume.
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Worth checking out
- Slip encouraging notes into your kids’ lunch bags with the Outus 120 Pieces Motivational Encouragement Quote Cards.
- Make mornings more exciting for your children with the Ainibab Boys Girls Hooded Robe.
- Ensure your kids stay hydrated throughout the day with a Bubba Brands Flo Kids Water Bottle with Leak-Proof Lid.
- Give your kids healthy, satisfying snacks such as the GoGo SqueeZ Fruit on the Go Variety Pack.
- This Be Prepared. Period Menstruation Kit is a great starter kit for teens to take to school.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/health-safety-br/how-to-develop-a-healthy-morning-routine-for-you-and-your-kids/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:38 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/health-safety-br/how-to-develop-a-healthy-morning-routine-for-you-and-your-kids/ |
While the kids are on home instruction, there’s no better time than now to school them — on the 80s and 90s movies, that is. These decades are pop-culture treasure troves from which many of our fondest memories are plucked.
That’s why you and the kiddos should curl up on the couch and revisit your favorite flicks. Believe it or not, many of them are rich in educational value, even if it’s a matter of drawing the line with feathered bangs.
Our team rounded up essential 80s and 90s cinematic masterpieces for you to share with your kids as they begin their new favorite class, Film Studies 101: The Wonder Years.
Shop this article: Sister Act (1993), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and Sixteen Candles (1984)
Rated PG
Sister Act (1993)
Witness protection doesn’t need to be boring, especially when you send a Vegas lounge singer into a nunnery for selling out her mob boyfriend. Sister Mary Clarence brings a little jazz to the sisterhood, and you’ll probably sing along to this one — much to the chagrin of the kids.
Other subjects covered: Music theory, criminal justice, religion
Also available at Disney+
The Sandlot (1993)
The summer of 1962 is a formative one for this motley crew of young baseball players. From awkward interactions with girls to dealing with bullying, it’s an all-ages relatable story. And yes, there are plenty of inside jokes that only true baseball fans will appreciate.
Other subjects covered: Bildungsroman, baseball history, bullying
Also available at Starz
Beetlejuice (1988)
Introduce the kiddos to Lydia, a teen undergoing major life adjustments. Moving and making new friends in less-than-ideal situations isn’t easy, especially when you befriend the ghosts of tenants past in your new home — some of whom have colorful personalities.
Other subjects covered: Blended families, real estate ethics, exorcisms
Life is Beautiful (1998)
In an attempt to shield his son from the reality of Nazi occupation in Italy, a quirky Jewish bookshop owner turns their new way of life into a game. The lighthearted approach to keeping young Guido out of harm’s way without further traumatizing him is truly touching.
Other subjects covered: WW2 history, European geography, family dynamics
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Soul-sucking witches from 1693 surface 300 years later to give young Max a run for his money in Salem, Mass. Kids will be enthralled with his journey, as it shows how the actions of a single person has the potential to impact — or save — an entire town.
Other subjects covered: Early American history, time management, the effervescent Bette Midler
Also available at Disney+
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Whoa! Bill and Ted are the unintentional professors of this crash-course in world history. Join them as they adapt to ancient cultures and interact with historical figures — in a most excellent way.
Other subjects covered: the French Revolution, Greek philosophy, DIY repairs
Also available at Starz
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
The concrete jungle of New York City is a far cry from where Mimi-Siku was raised in the remote Canaima region of Venezuela. Upon arrival, he has to get used to Western traditions, a father he’s never met, and unexpected shenanigans involving the Russian mob.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, New York City architecture, table manners
Top Gun (1986)
Follow Kenny Loggins’s advice: Ride into the danger zone. Few things are as cool as Maverick rocking Ray-Bans and breaking the sound barrier. Cruise through the skies in style — and in preparation for this summer’s second installment to the iconic 80s blockbuster.
Other subjects covered: Aerospace engineering, gravity, classic 80s music
Rated PG-13
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
A star-studded cast does Shakespeare justice in this modern spin on The Taming of the Shrew. High school can be the cruelest of times with unrequited love, impenetrable cliques, and popularity contests. Personality perseveres, though: being nice matters, and true love can prevail.
Other subjects covered: Courtly love, sibling rivalries, puberty
Also available at Disney+
Jurassic Park (1993)
Who doesn’t love a nature versus nurture story told through misadventures in a dinosaur theme park? Kids can flex their problem-solving skills by coming up with ways to escape velociraptors running amok — and may emerge as budding paleontologists.
Other subjects covered: Evolution, GMOs, the dangers of portable toilets
Titanic (1997)
Follow the larger-than-life story of Jack and Rose, star-crossed lovers divided by class, set on the ill-fated Titanic. Besides learning about the ship’s history, you’ll also explore how this mega-budget movie managed to pull off its special effects.
Other subjects covered: Early 20th century history, cinematic history, anatomy of a ship
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Think it’s hard to relate to a high school slacker cutting class when you miss school? Think again. Ferris Bueller plays hooky and bites off more than he can chew trying to evade the principal. It’s a great lesson on the snowball effects of decision-making — not to mention joyriding.
Other subjects covered: Driver’s education, historic Chicago, the dramatic fourth wall
Clueless (1995)
This satirical commentary on 90s Valley Girls is very loosely based on Jane Austen’s Emma. Slice through the vivacious verbiage to see the true heart of the story. Cher’s tireless mission as a social butterfly reveals good intentions, despite hang-ups with designer clothing.
Other subjects covered: 90s fashion, British Romantic literature, epic closet organization
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Running with scissors is not encouraged, and neither is falling in love when you have them for hands. This Franken-fantasy love story is endearing and illustrates the importance of not judging others by their appearance. Besides, we’re all one snip away from having our hearts broken, too.
Other subjects covered: Human anatomy, Johnny Depp as a film icon, landscape architecture
Wayne’s World (1992)
Your kids will never hear an electric guitar the same way again. This 90s spectacle incorporates all things pop culture, including the music and fashion of the era. It’s also fascinating to draw similarities between this low-budget basement show and modern-day live-streaming.
Other subjects covered: History of social media, 80s classic rock and metal, fashionable flannel
Rated R
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Sixteen is already hard enough, and things get more complicated when your sister’s wedding overshadows your birthday. Follow Sam as she becomes embroiled in a challenging relationship with her crush and navigates the antics of nerdy teenage boys.
Other subjects covered: Sex education, Molly Ringwald as a cultural icon, event planning
Also available at Starz
Coming to America (1988)
When Crown Prince Akeem of Zamunda breaks with tradition and refuses an arranged marriage, he travels to none other than New York City to find an independent woman. East and West collide during Akeem’s courtship attempts, which are awkward and borderline inappropriate.
Other subjects covered: Cultural diffusion, courtship, international travel
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1994)
To be fair, this film is technically PG-13, but it should be R. Set in jolly England, this comical delight is an un-PC retelling of Robin Hood. Toilet humor abounds, including a character named Latrine. The puns are awful, the names are worse, and if you do nothing else, duck and cover when Blinkin picks up a crossbow.
Other subjects covered: Medieval times, scriptwriting, personal hygiene
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Types of residential water heaters
Residential water heaters come in tank, tankless and hybrid varieties. Each type has its own distinct characteristics; benefits as well as drawbacks. By looking at factors including cost, energy efficiency, maintenance and lifespan, you’ll be able to determine which type is right for your home.
Shop this article: Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater, Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater, A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
Tank water heaters
Traditional water heaters feature a tank that stores hot water until it’s needed. They range in size from 30-50 gallons and run on either gas or electricity. These units cost less upfront compared to tankless and hybrid water heaters. Since they’re the most common type, costs associated with installation, repairs and maintenance are relatively low in comparison. Tank water heaters are associated with the most energy loss, referred to as standby heat loss. They waste energy by maintaining hot water in the tank when not in use.
Traditional water heaters have the shortest lifespan compared to the other types, typically lasting 8-12 years. Exposure to water, oxygen and minerals corrodes the tank over time, causing it to leak; this process is usually what causes a tank water heater to cease functioning.
Tankless water heaters
Also referred to as on-demand water heaters, tankless models are powered by gas or electricity. According to the Department of Energy, “for homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters.” While tankless water heaters cost more up-front and are pricier to install compared to tank units, energy savings make them more cost-effective in the long run. Tankless heaters also take up significantly less space compared to tank and hybrid models.
Tankless water heaters have the longest lifespan, capable of lasting around 15 to 20 years. This is in part due to the fact that they do not operate constantly the way a traditional tank heater does. However, tankless water heater components may also experience corrosion, eventually.
Hybrid water heaters
Hybrid water heaters run on minimal electricity, consisting of a tank and a heat pump. They’re larger than tank water heaters, with sizes ranging from 50 to 80 gallons. Unlike tank and tankless units, they don’t directly generate heat — heat is taken from the surrounding air and transferred into the tank. For this reason, hybrid water heaters are among the most energy-efficient options on the market. However, they are costly and more expensive to install compared to traditional storage tank heaters. Hybrid water heaters function best when the temperature of the surrounding air remains at or above 40 degrees.
Hybrid water heaters tend to last around 13-15 years. Similar to tankless water heaters, they do not run continuously, which increases their lifespan. They still contain a tank capable of corroding, though, so they won’t last as long as tankless units.
Best tank water heaters
Rheem 50-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
This electric water heater has a 50-gallon capacity suitable for households of 3-5 people. The water heater includes a 6-year tank and parts warranty.
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Rheem 40-Gallon Residential Electric Water Heater
If you’re looking for an electric model for a smaller household, this unit is a better option. It can reliably heat water for two to four people, with an included six-year tank and parts warranty.
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Rheem 40-Gallon Natural Gas Water Heater
This natural gas heater with a 40-gallon capacity can support households of 2-4 people. It features a push-button ignition for an easier startup process. You’re covered with a 6-year tank and parts warranty, as well.
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Best tankless water heaters
Stiebel Eltron Tempra 36 Plus Tankless Heater
This tankless electric option provides a continuous output of hot water for three to four bathrooms in warm climates or two to three bathrooms in cooler climates. It has a digital display and preset temperature buttons that simplify operation. This heater comes with seven-year leakage and three-year parts warranties.
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EcoSmart ECO 27 Tankless Water Heater
Another electric pick, this tankless model can heat up to 6 gallons of water per minute, ideal for apartment and condo units in warmer climates. It features a digital display and dial temperature controls. The lifetime warranty offers peace of mind.
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Eemax Electric Tankless Water Heater
In cold climates, this tankless electric model produces enough hot water for one shower and two sinks to run simultaneously. In warmer climates, this heater can support up to four showers running at once. It features a digital display and dial controls, plus 5-year leak and 1-year parts warranties with purchase.
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Best hybrid water heater
A.O. Smith 50-Gallon Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
This hybrid water heater has a 50-gallon tank capable of servicing households of three to five people. You can access efficiency, hybrid, electric and vacation operating modes using the electronic interface. The electric heater comes with a six-year tank and parts warranty.
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Best time to fertilize your lawn
Whether you’re creating a comfortable space for your family to spend their free time or increasing the curb appeal of your property, maintaining a green and healthy lawn can be difficult. One of the most effective steps you can take is applying fertilizer, but correctly applying it can be tricky. And an incorrect application can do more harm than good.
We at BestReviews want you to be knowledgeable when utilizing fertilizer and have created this guide to help you feel confident you’re adding the correct amount at the appropriate time.
Shop this article: EGO Power+ 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower, Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader and Flexzilla Garden Hose
Fertilizer nutrients
Most fertilizers found in a store will have three numbers printed on the packaging, referring to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Though all these nutrients are necessary for a better lawn, each performs a specific role in facilitating healthy grass growth.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is the most important nutrient required for a healthy lawn. All plants, including grass, need nitrogen to produce chlorophyll. Chlorophyll not only acts as food for the plant but also gives the plant its green color. Applying a nitrogen fertilizer helps your grass grow faster, recover from environmental stresses and deters disease and invasive weeds.
Although nitrogen needs to be applied in the correct amount, too much nitrogen can lead to rapid growth with an underdeveloped root system. Too little nitrogen and the yard may become nitrogen deficient, causing the grass to yellow.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus promotes vigorous root growth and helps the grass pull water from the soil. A robust root system encourages proper hydration, helps plants reach full maturity, aids in survival during dry weather and keeps soil and nutrients from blowing away during strong winds and storms.
Potassium
Potassium helps a plant’s cells maintain ‘turgor pressure,’ also known as hydrostatic pressure. Simply put, turgor pressure is what gives the plant’s cell its structural integrity. This allows the plant to survive harsh conditions, like cold weather or drought.
Best grass mowers
EGO Power+ 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower
Cordless, self-propelled, and able to run 80 minutes on a single charge, the EGO Power 21-inch 56-volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Mower is the rare full-electric mower that feels like a gas model.
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Black & Decker 6.5A 12-inch Electric 3-in-1 Trimmer/Edger and Mower
This Black and Decker lawn edger is an affordable and quality option for those with medium to small yards looking for a versatile machine.
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Types of fertilizer
Fast-release vs. slow-release
With nitrogen as the most critical component in facilitating plant growth, you should pay careful attention to how you introduce it into your yard’s ecosystem. Fast-release nitrogen fertilizers provide rapid growth and greening but increase the risk of nitrogen oversaturation.
Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers, also known as controlled-release fertilizers, allow for a more gradual introduction of nitrogen. Plant greening and maturation won’t be rapid, but you can expect even grass growth and lessen the chance of lawn damage.
Liquids vs. granules
Most home fertilizers come in either liquid or granule form. Though both contain the same nutrients needed to facilitate healthy lawn growth, they each have specific benefits and drawbacks.
Liquid fertilizers have a consistent distribution of nutrients and are easy to apply. Liquid fertilizers do not have a slow-release nitrogen option, and the initial cost of a distribution system can be steep.
Granular fertilizers are cheap to purchase, especially in bulk, are easy to store and provide slow-release nitrogen fertilizer options. Though granular fertilizers don’t spread as evenly as their liquid counterparts, the cost of granule distribution systems is far less.
Best granular spreaders
Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader
With its straightforward operation and ease of use, the Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader is an ideal fit for those who need to distribute fertilizer over a large area.
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Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader
For gardeners on a budget, Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader has plenty of capacity to cover most lawns and gardens.
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Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader
Lightweight and handheld, the Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader is an excellent fit for the gardener with a small or atypical-shaped yard in need of fertilizing.
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When is the best time to fertilize your lawn?
Depending on the needs of your soil and climate, your lawn may require multiple applications of fertilizer throughout the year. However, there are two critical times during the year when spreading fertilizer can most benefit your yard.
Spring
When fertilizer is applied to frozen soil, the plants cannot absorb nitrogen and other nutrients. Instead, the nitrogen rests on top of the soil and can be washed away, collecting in the low parts of a yard or into storm drains and ditches. These areas become damaged from an over-concentration of nitrogen and will need further attention and maintenance.
In spring, wait until the soil has sufficiently thawed and warmed before applying fertilizer. Creating a solid root system early will lead to a healthier and greener yard later, so be cautious not to apply too much nitrogen too fast.
Fall
Late fall is arguably the most critical time to apply fertilizer, as the winter months will be the hardest on your lawn. Research the expected climate in your area and spread fertilizer 2-3 weeks before the soil will freeze. The morning dews during those few weeks will bring the essential nutrients from the fertilizer into the soil. The result will be a lawn more prepared for the cold winter months and a healthier root system when the soil thaws again in the spring.
When to water the lawn after fertilizing
If you decide to apply granular fertilizer to your lawn, water the area immediately to ensure the nutrients are absorbed. Never apply granular fertilizer to wet grass, as wet grass can cause nitrogen to wash away before entering the soil, damaging your lawn.
Rugged enough to discourage kinks, yet flexible and easy to use, the Flexzilla garden hose is an ideal purchase for the gardener who prefers a hands-on approach to lawn maintenance.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/fertilizers-br/when-to-fertilize-your-lawn/ | 2023-07-29T23:01:58 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/fertilizers-br/when-to-fertilize-your-lawn/ |
Invest in art supplies to spark creativity
Art is a fun, hands-on way for kids to play and express themselves. Whether they’re doodling, designing or painting, each art project taps into their creativity and provides hours of fun.
If you’re thinking of investing in art supplies for kids, you might be wondering where to begin. Start with foundational supplies, which include coloring, sketching and painting sets. Beyond these, opt for supplies and tools that cater to your kids’ unique artistic interests. Kids who are fascinated with fashion design, for example, will appreciate sewing machines, while others may want to dabble in sculpting with modeling clay.
Shop this article: Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set, Desk Organizer for Kids and Magic Erasers
What to know about art supplies for kids
Safety
Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set
Art supplies made for kids are designed to be safe and age-appropriate. Many of them have non-toxic components or ingredients, such as Elmer’s Rainbow Glitter Glue Pen Set. Like certain toys, some art supplies may have small parts warnings. Additionally, if art supplies or kits require adult supervision, manufacturers usually indicate it clearly on the packaging.
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Storage
It’s common to amass a modest collection of kids’ art supplies, which is why it’s smart to think about storage options, too.
- Markers, colored pencils and crayons can be placed in desktop organizers or caddies.
- Small or loose supplies, such as beads or card-making supplies, can be stored in stacking storage bins.
- When several types of art supplies are used on a regular basis, a utility rolling cart keeps them accessible and organized.
- Art supplies brought on trips can be stored in portable craft organizers.
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How to handle art project messes
It’s no secret that art projects can get messy. Even if you take precautionary measures — including laying a newspaper on the floor or wearing smocks — accidents happen. Fortunately, most messes can be cleaned up quickly with the right products.
Adhesive removers are ideal for lifting residue left by glue and stickers. Magic Erasers can remove stubborn pen and marker stains from walls and other hard surfaces. Stain-fighting detergent and pre-treat spot cleaners are effective at lifting most paint and ink stains from kids’ clothing.
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How much you can expect to spend on art supplies for kids
Basic art supplies for kids, including entry-level coloring and craft sets, cost $10 or less. Mid-range art supplies, such as deluxe painting, coloring or sculpting sets, run between $10-$30. High-end supplies, like artist-grade colored pencils, run $30-$75.
Best art supplies for kids
Deluxe marker set
Deluxe marker sets include dozens of markers in a wide variety of colors. In addition to the basic rainbow colors, they may have several unique shades.
Crayola Super Tips Marker Set includes 100 markers in 100 colors. Their tapered tips are suitable for fine color work or everyday doodling. The markers, intended for ages 3 and older, are non-toxic and washable.
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Graphite pencils
Graphite pencils are used for sketching and shading. Sets include a range of grades, which vary based on hardness and how much lead the pencil deposits on paper. The higher the grade, the lighter the mark it will leave.
Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Pencil Set
Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Pencil Set includes 12 graded pencils ranging from 6B through 4H. Considered an artist-grade set, they’re easy to sharpen and erase and are packaged in a sleek, protective tin.
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Sketchbook
Sketchbooks are blank canvases for budding artists. They’re available in more than one type of paper to accommodate various types of ink, pencils or paint.
Strathmore Sketch Pad, considered an ideal “first sketchbook,” is suitable for pencil, charcoal, pastel and sketch work. The spiral-bound design features a heavy cardboard front and back to protect pages.
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Modeling clay
Modeling clay is soft and malleable, which makes it a kid-friendly medium for sculpting. Some types of modeling clay air dry into tiny creations, whereas others are non-drying and lend themselves to repeated reshaping.
Faber-Castell Modeling Clay Set
Faber-Castell Modeling Clay Set comes with clay in 10 classic colors. The kit includes a few sculpting tools as well, such as shape cutters and push molds. Suitable for ages 4 and older, this non-drying clay is gluten-free and non-toxic.
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Easel
A kids’ easel is a versatile investment in art, as it can be used for upright sketching or painting. Many of these easels have built-in tables that hold art supplies, including paint pots or chalk.
Light box
Light boxes are designed for animation, comic book art and stenciling. Their illumination comes from bright white LED lights, which last through hours of use. Many light boxes offer more than one brightness option.
TickTeckLab A4 Ultra-Thin Portable LED Tracer
TickTeckLab A4 Ultra-Thin Portable LED Tracer is appreciated for its flicker-free glow. The portable light box comes with a micro USB port for easy charging through power banks, PCs or compatible AC adapters.
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Construction paper
Construction paper remains one of the most versatile types of paper for art projects. Its heavyweight design and bright colors make it ideal for designing cards, mobiles and other crafts.
Crayola Construction Paper comes with a set of 96 9×12-inch sheets in eight colors. The paper is suitable for all types of pencils and most types of ink, including bold markers and high-pigment pens.
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Acrylic paint set
Acrylic paint is considered a multipurpose paint since it can be used on a variety of surfaces, including glass, ceramic, stone, canvas and wood. It blends easily and is ideal for beginner painters.
Arteza Craft Acrylic Paint includes 20 popular colors packaged in squeezable bottles. The fast-dry formula minimizes smearing and messes. The paint is non-toxic and can be cleaned from most surfaces with soap and water.
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Lettering kit
Creative lettering, or calligraphy, is done with a diverse range of pens with contoured tips. These pens create unique designs and shapes, resulting in artistic signs, words, logos or monograms.
Prismacolor Premier Beginner Hand Lettering Set
Prismacolor Premier Beginner Hand Lettering Set is a popular introductory set that includes two graphite pencils and four pens. The kit comes with a tips pamphlet that explains basic techniques on letter shaping and design.
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Sewing machine
Sewing machines let users experiment with fashion design, home decor and other types of fabric crafting. While they’re more expensive than most art supplies, sewing machines lend themselves to considerable use and may last for the better part of a decade — or longer.
Singer M3330 Making the Cut Sewing Machine
Singer M3330 Making the Cut Sewing Machine, a user-friendly model, is equipped with 97 stitches and has a convenient front-loading bobbin. In addition to its compact design, the Singer sewing machine has a full-metal frame for lasting durability.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/arts-crafts-br/best-art-supplies-for-kids/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:04 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/arts-crafts-br/best-art-supplies-for-kids/ |
What’s the best way to crate train a dog with separation anxiety?
Crate training can be a useful tool for many dog owners. Some may want their dog in a crate when they’re sleeping or when they leave the home, while others may want to give the dog space all their own. Crate training is also helpful for dogs with separation anxiety since the crate can provide calm and protection. Dogs that do not like being alone may welcome the crate during moments of distress. Crate training takes time and patience. Relieving separation anxiety requires an owner’s full attention and dedication. Don’t miss our testing insights on the Furbo Dog Camera.
Shop this article: MidWest Homes for Pets Dog Crate, Furbo Dog Camera and Merrick Power Bites Salmon Treats.
What is separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety is the fear of being alone. Dogs that have been abandoned, have moved to a new space or have undergone a sudden shift in lifestyle may develop separation anxiety. In particular, dogs that develop a strong bond with their owners may become anxious when alone. Especially if the owner has been home frequently only to have a new schedule in which they are often away. Separation anxiety may develop at any age among any breed. It can also be exacerbated by a lack of mental and physical stimulation, leading to a bored dog that may start to lash out.
How to identify separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is easy to identify and can manifest in a variety of ways. Most commonly, your dog barks excessively while you’re gone. They may also develop destructive behavior such as chewing furniture, rummaging for food or ripping up anything left out. They may also mark or relieve themselves when left alone. Some behavior may be noticeable before you leave. Dogs can associate certain sounds and actions, such as the handling of keys or putting on a coat, as signs they are about to be left alone. As a result, they may begin to pace, pant, drool, shake or even try to sneak out the door with you.
Crate training advantages
When afraid or anxious, a trained dog may retreat to its crate. If it becomes a place of refuge, dogs can be more comfortable when alone. It gives them security and confidence and offers you peace of mind while away. Many owners prefer to crate train a rescue dog since past trauma may be unknown and it’s likely they are in need of stability.
How to crate train
Crate training can take weeks or months and requires strict discipline and patience by the owner. The first step is to choose the right crate. Your dog should be able to comfortably stand up and turn around within the crate. Wire crates are most popular as they are durable and easy to set up and take down. Some have two doors for easier access, while others feature a bottom platform that can pull out for easy cleaning.
Initially, the crate should be a place your dog can safely explore without owners nearby. Fill it with a comfortable bed or blankets, especially ones that have a familiar smell to them. You may put in calming toys or clothes that have your scent on it to make the dog feel safe.
Spending time in the crate should be relaxing. If your dog does not initially explore the crate, a favorite toy or tasty treat might entice them. Let them enter and exit as they wish and keep your distance if they seem hesitant. Early on, their time in the crate needs to be rewarding and stimulating. A challenging puzzle or a treat-dispensing toy is useful to get them to make positive associations.
As they grow more comfortable, you can experiment with closing the door but keeping it unlocked, allowing your dog to push it open and leave if they wish. Over time, begin to lock the door, keeping them in for a few minutes. Slowly increase the time they stay in there as they grow more comfortable, building up to longer periods away.
Crate safety
There are some precautions to take when crate training your dog.
- Dogs with severe separation anxiety may seek to break free, which can be dangerous.
- They should never wear a collar or apparel within the crate as it may get caught.
- They should have water if you’re going away for more than an hour. Some water bowls can affix to the side so they don’t step in it or knock it over.
- Avoid leaving your dog in a crate for more than six to eight hours. Especially younger dogs that may not have full bladder control.
- If your dog is anxious and prone to chewing while stressed, do not leave any toys within that they could destroy and ingest.
Additional solutions
Crate training is only one way to curb separation anxiety. Before leaving, your dog should enjoy both physical and mental exertion. Tiring them out with a walk and playtime, even something as simple as fetch, can help them settle and relax. Some dogs also benefit from having the sides and top of the crate covered to create a cozier, more protective space with less stimulation.
Some dogs may enjoy calming treats and supplements. Popular ingredients include hemp and chamomile to soothe the dog and help them sleep. Some dog owners may want to keep an eye on their dog while they’re away to better see how they are coping with being alone; a dog camera may be a worthy investment. Our tester found the Furbo Dog Camera‘s treat-tossing feature excellent for interacting with your pet while away. They also liked the recording feature, saying it made training out their puppy’s bad behaviors much easier. For serious anxiety, your vet may prescribe medication in conjunction with dedicated training.
Best treats for crate training for separation anxiety
Merrick Power Bites Salmon Treats
Delicious, high-value dog treats should only be for training. These nutritious chews feature salmon and potatoes. Use these only for crate training so your dog makes positive associations.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/pets-br/training-br/how-to-crate-train-a-dog-with-separation-anxiety/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:10 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/pets-br/training-br/how-to-crate-train-a-dog-with-separation-anxiety/ |
Biogen to bulk up rare disease treatments with $7 billion Reata acquisition
Alzheimer’s treatment developer Biogen is spending more than $7 billion to buy Reata Pharmaceuticals and bolster its rare disease treatments
Biogen is spending more than $7 billion to buy Reata Pharmaceuticals and bolster its rare disease treatments.
The Alzheimer’s treatment developer said Friday it will pay $172.50 in cash for each share of Reata in a deal it expects to close by the end of this year.
Plano, Texas-based Reata focuses on developing treatments that regulate cellular metabolism and deal with inflammation in serious neurologic diseases. It makes Skyclarys, an FDA-approved treatment for the neurologic disorder Friedreich’s ataxia.
Biogen puts an enterprise value of $7.3 billion on the acquisition, and said it would slightly dilute adjusted earnings per share this year, and be roughly neutral next year before becoming “significantly accretive” in 2025.
Regulators and Reata shareholders still need to approve the deal.
Biogen makes the multiple sclerosis treatments Techfidera and Tysabri as well as the spinal muscular atrophy treatment Spinraza. It also is partnering with Japanese drugmaker Eisai to sell the new Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi.
CEO Christopher Viehbacher said in a statement the company’s experience developing and selling rare disease treatments will help expand the market for Skyclarys, which is being reviewed by European regulators.
Friedreich’s ataxia is caused by a gene defect inherited from both parents, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It can lead to vision and hearing loss, trouble walking, and heart problems. Many patients with it wind up in a wheelchair.
Viehbacher has been focused on cutting costs at Biogen and developing the company’s pipeline of potential drugs since he became CEO last November. Biogen has been dealing with sliding sales for its multiple sclerosis treatments and the failed launch of its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm.
Viehbacher said on Tuesday, after the company reported better-than-expected second quarter results, that Biogen is “laser focused” on changing the company’s share price trajectory.
“As I’ve heard from so many investors, our share price hasn’t really moved in 10 years, so that’s where we are focused on really driving … shareholder value,” he said. “And that means allocating capital in a way that’s commensurate with that.”
Shares of Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. soared 52% to $165 in pre-market trading Friday. Biogen Inc.’s stock climbed 1% to $266. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/biogen-bulk-up-rare-disease-treatments-with-7-billion-reata-acquisition/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:13 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/biogen-bulk-up-rare-disease-treatments-with-7-billion-reata-acquisition/ |
Adult lawn games
When you’re a kid, outdoor games help you develop both fine and gross motor skills. They can increase your coordination, teach you admirable character traits such as good sportsmanship and help you burn off excess energy.
However, when you become an adult, outdoor games serve a different purpose. While they still provide entertainment and recreation, outdoor games encourage and facilitate social interaction. The best outdoor games for adults create an atmosphere that sparks conversation and healthy but not too serious competition.
Read on for a list of favorite outdoor games that are best suited for backyard gatherings of adult friends and family members. To make it easy for you to find one that’s best for your needs, they’re organized in five categories: classic games, tossing games, active games, supersized games and novelty options.
Shop this article: Franklin Sports Croquet Set, Hey! Play! Family Bocce Ball Set and St. Pierre American Professional Series Horseshoes
Classic games
These lawn games are timeless favorites that have been around for a hundred years or more.
Croquet is a fun game of skill that’s been around for nearly 200 years. It involves hitting a ball through a course made of wire hoops and a peg. This set comes with everything you need: six durable mallets, six balls, nine hoops, two pegs and a carrying case.
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Hey! Play! Family Bocce Ball Set
Bocce is a simple game of skill that’s been around for over 7,000 years. This set from Hey! Play! offers quality materials at a low price, which translates to value. The balls come in two colors with two distinct patterns to facilitate four-person play.
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You thought bowling was only an indoor sport? In 5,000 B.C., ancient Egyptians used to have fun knocking down objects by rolling stones. With this quality set of ten hardwood pins and two hardwood balls, you can carry on the tradition at your next picnic. This game works best on level, short-cut lawns or dirt.
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Tossing games
Whether tossing steel or beanbags, these fun adult games are designed to test your underarm throwing skills.
St. Pierre American Professional Series Horseshoes
This is not a set for kids. The durable blue and gray horseshoes in this kit are manufactured using forged steel. The set also includes two solid steel 24-inch stakes, an official rule book and a carrying case.
Sold by Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods
GoSports Premium Metal Ladder Toss Game Set
If you’re looking for a high-quality ladder toss game, this model is made out of steel, is easy to assemble and comes with a carrying case. The bolos are manufactured using soft rubber with thicker strings to help prevent tangles.
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This regulation-size cornhole game has a vintage style and is manufactured to look like steel-framed barnwood planks but is UV- and water-resistant. The set comes with eight 16-ounce, all-weather beanbags.
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Active games
These active games are best for individuals who like to get a little workout in while playing.
For the individual who takes paddle ball seriously, this high-quality, solid wooden set is made using pine, sapele and beechwood to create a distinctive design. The handles are wrapped in neoprene to provide a confident grip, and the set comes with a canvas drawstring bag for storage and transport.
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Franklin Sports Family Badminton Set
If you’d like to save a little money and still get a great badminton set, this is the way to go. This family-friendly unit features a net that is 20 feet x 1 foot, 6 inches. It’s easy to set up and comes with four steel badminton rackets, two nylon birdies and six ropes and stakes.
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Park & Sun Sports Permanent Outdoor Tetherball Set
Tetherball is a fun and challenging game that is permanently installed so you can play whenever you’d like. The object is simply to wrap the rope completely around the pole. This kit features a two-piece galvanized steel pole to resist rusting along with a soft-touch ball with a durable nylon-wound bladder.
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Supersized games
The fun only gets bigger when you play these tabletop games in extra-large size.
This is the official Hasbro version of the popular stacking game. However, in this supersized version, you can use the 54 hardwood blocks to create towers that are over 5 feet tall.
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ECR4Kids Jumbo 4-to-Score Game Set
Yes, this is the popular kids’ game that goes by a slightly different name when sold by other manufacturers. The object is to connect four giant rings in a straight line on the huge 4-foot-tall game grid. It’s manufactured using lightweight, weather-resistant material so it can be played either indoors or outdoors.
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Triumph Sports 28-Piece Lawn Domino Set
If you’ve ever wanted to play dominoes outside, this is your chance. This wooden set features 28 pieces that are 3 1/2 x 7 inches, making them large enough to play on a picnic table or in the grass. The color-coded pips add a splash of fun while the varnish finish helps with durability.
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Novelty options
If you’d like to look a little off the beaten path for backyard entertainment, these outdoor novelty games might be the best option for you.
University Games Flickin’ Chicken
This creative novelty game is modeled after golf. There’s a target that serves as the hole, and each round, players see who can land their chicken on the target with the least number of throws. Up to four players can play a game.
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GoSports Foam Fire Trophy Hunt
Admittedly, this game was designed for kids, but that doesn’t mean adults can’t have just as much fun playing. Players take turns shooting foam balls at a target that features big game animals to try and earn the most points. The set includes two blasters, 40 foam balls, a target, a carrying case and a rule book.
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GoPong 8-Foot Portable Beer Pong Table
Yes, we’ve saved the best for last! This regulation-size beer pong table is what every serious competitor needs. The compact, fold-up design turns this table into a 2-foot square case in a matter of seconds. While the table comes with six pong balls, you need to supply your own red Solo cups.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/outdoor-toys-br/best-adult-lawn-games/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:16 | 0 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/toys-games-br/outdoor-toys-br/best-adult-lawn-games/ |
Civeo: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Civeo Corp. (CVEO) on Friday reported second-quarter earnings of $4.5 million.
On a per-share basis, the Houston-based company said it had net income of 30 cents.
The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 31 cents per share.
The provider of remote-site workforce housing posted revenue of $178.8 million in the period, topping Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $173.6 million.
Civeo expects full-year revenue in the range of $640 million to $650 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CVEO at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CVEO | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/civeo-q2-earnings-snapshot/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:19 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/civeo-q2-earnings-snapshot/ |
What are the best healthy road trip snacks?
Looking for some healthy road trip snacks? While celery sticks and grapes are great all-natural options, there are plenty more worth exploring.
While you’re on the road, convenience is everything. As far as snacks are concerned, the best ones are delicious, satisfying and relatively tidy. After all, you don’t want to derail your journey by having to pull over to clean up spills and messes.
To point you in the right direction, read on for some favorite road trip-worthy delights that range from organic fruit snacks to high-protein trail mixes.
Shop this article: Sistema Small Food Storage Containers, Navitas Organics Blueberry Hemp Organic Power Snacks and One Protein Best Sellers Variety Pack
What to know about healthy road trip snacks
What to look for in road trip snacks
If you’re wondering how road trip snacks vary compared to regular ones, it boils down to a few key characteristics.
- Road trip snacks should be somewhat mess-free. At the very least, they should be easy to clean up.
- The packages of snacks should be easy to open on their own. If possible, stick to individual snack bags that tear open, or purchase reusable containers with twist-off lids.
- To be considerate of other passengers, choose snacks without strong odors. Tuna or certain kinds of cheese, for example, might be a bit too pungent.
- To stave off hunger until the next stop at a restaurant, opt for nutrient-dense snacks. Foods that are high in protein and fiber may keep you feeling fuller longer.
Packaged snacks vs. homemade snacks
When it comes to healthy road trip snacks, there are two options: either keep it simple with packaged snacks or whip up your own.
Packaged snacks are convenient since they’re small and premeasured. Many of these snacks are affordable, especially when you buy them in bulk. However, some packaged snacks contain preservatives or ingredients you may wish to avoid.
Homemade snacks are the better choice for those who want full control over ingredients. While they involve considerable planning, shopping and preparation, making your own snacks can be healthier and more cost-effective than buying packaged snacks.
Healthy road trip snack ideas
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and veggies make simple road trip snacks when they’re cut into finger food-size pieces. Celery, baby carrots and grape tomatoes are popular options, as are apples and pears.
Sistema Small Food Storage Containers
Enjoy them on their own, or consider bringing road trip-friendly dip. Hummus is a perennial favorite since it’s less likely to spill and can be enjoyed at room temperature. Add a few hearty dollops of your favorite hummus — sweet or savory — into mini food storage containers, like these from Sistema.
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Dehydrated foods
Road trippers may reach for dehydrated foods like jerky and dried apple slices since they’re easy to pack and mess-free.
Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator
There are several types of packaged organic, non-GMO and plant-based dehydrated foods, but they can be expensive. Instead, some people opt to buy food dehydrators, like this user-friendly Presto model. It only takes using the device a few times for it to pay for itself and for you to save big on dehydrated treats.
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Simple roll-ups
Roll-ups are mess-free alternatives to crumbly sandwiches, not to mention they’re much easier to hold when they’re cut into pinwheels.
Mr. Tortilla 1 Net Carb Tortilla Wraps
Choose ingredients like cold cuts, cheese or vegetables and roll them in low-carb wraps, like these from Mr. Tortilla. Or, you can slather wraps in nut butter or hummus for a simple, satisfying snack.
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Snack mixes
Snack mixes remain a road trip favorite since they deliver a robust burst of flavor with every bite.
Planters Nut-rition Heart Healthy Nut Mix
While traditional trail mix is available, some people make their own mixes instead. Many use low-salt nut mixes as a base and pair them with organic raisins, dark chocolate chips, coconut shavings or gluten-free cereal.
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Best healthy road trip snacks
Superfood bites
Navitas Organics Blueberry Hemp Organic Power Snacks
Packed with antioxidant-rich blueberries and hemp seeds, these vegan power bites are flavorful, filling and contain 30% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.
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Gluten-free chips
Besides being non-GMO, these flavor-packed, gluten-free corn chips contain four or fewer ingredients and are free of trans fats.
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Mini fruit bars
That’s It. Mini Fruit Bars Variety Pack
These pocket-friendly fruit bars are only 60 calories apiece. They’re 100% plant-based and are free of the top 12 allergens.
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Seaweed sheets
GimMe Organic Roasted Seaweed Sheets
Indulge in these low-carb seaweed snacks, which are only 25 calories per serving. They’re an excellent source of vitamin B12, vitamin K, iodine and omega-3s.
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Pistachios
Wonderful Pistachios Variety Pack
These shelled pistachio packs come in three flavors and deliver up to 5 grams of protein per serving.
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Protein bars
One Protein Best Sellers Variety Pack
Sink your sweet tooth into these gluten-free protein bars which contain 20 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar.
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Organic figs
Sunny Fruit Rehydrated Dried Smyrna Figs
Juicy and sweet, these organic dried figs are rich in fiber and antioxidants. As an added bonus, they’re non-GMO, vegan and Kosher.
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Mini fiber bars
Fiber One Cinnamon Coffee Cake 70-Calorie Bars
In addition to 5 net carbs and only 2 grams of sugar, these bars contain 20% of your daily recommended fiber intake.
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Chocolate-covered almonds
Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate Roasted Almonds
These chocolate-covered almonds are packed in 100-calorie bags and covered in real cocoa powder, and they’re rich in vitamin E.
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Organic fruit snacks
YumEarth Organic Vegan Fruit Snacks
Organic, vegan and non-GMO, these fruit snacks are a tasty pick-me-up or sweet treat. They’re free of artificial dyes and flavors.
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/travel-br/travel-essentials-br/best-healthy-road-trip-snacks/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:22 | 1 | https://cw33.com/reviews/br/travel-br/travel-essentials-br/best-healthy-road-trip-snacks/ |
Exxon: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
IRVING, Texas (AP) — IRVING, Texas (AP) — Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) on Friday reported second-quarter earnings of $7.88 billion.
On a per-share basis, the Irving, Texas-based company said it had profit of $1.94.
The results did not meet Wall Street expectations, but Exxon does not adjust its reported results based on one-time events such as asset sales. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2 per share.
The oil and natural gas company posted revenue of $82.91 billion in the period, which topped Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $78.85 billion.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on XOM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/XOM | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/exxon-q2-earnings-snapshot/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:26 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/exxon-q2-earnings-snapshot/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — The New York Yankees have been a sub-.500 team since Aaron Judge injured his toe in early June. Now they hope his return can help them rally for a postseason spot.
The Yankees reinstated Judge from the injured list Friday before the opener of their weekend road series against the Baltimore Orioles. Judge admits he isn’t fully recovered but says he’s healthy enough to play.
“It’s feeling all right, feeling good. It’s not 100%. I don’t think it’ll be 100% until the end of the year,” he said. “I think our biggest goal is just getting to a point where I could play, I could tolerate it.”
The Yankees lost 1-0 to the Orioles on Anthony Santander’s ninth-inning homer. Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch he saw in the top of the first. Then he walked his next three times up.
Judge had been out since tearing a ligament in his right big toe June 3 when he crashed into the right-field fence while making a catch at Dodger Stadium. In the eighth inning Friday, he appeared to foul a pitch off his foot, but it was his left one.
Judge played a simulated game Wednesday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida, and returned to New York after that. The 2022 American League MVP faced live pitching Sunday at Yankee Stadium for the first time since the injury. Manager Aaron Boone said Judge homered during a simulated game Tuesday in Florida. He also played the field and ran the bases.
Judge was penciled into the lineup as the designated hitter, batting second Friday night. Boone said he could have potentially played in the field, but that will be a day-by-day decision.
“Obviously, as much as there’s urgency for us, we’ve got to be smart about that and make sure that in talking to Aaron, making sure he’s honest with his feedback about how he’s recovering, how he’s bouncing back,” Boone said. “Obviously, how the toe’s doing, but how everything else is doing.”
New York was 19-23 since Judge got hurt in Los Angeles. After Friday’s loss, the Yankees are 30-20 with the star outfielder, who also missed 10 games earlier this season with a right hip strain.
Judge set an AL record with 62 home runs last year. He is batting .290 with 19 homers and 40 RBIs in the first season of a $360 million, nine-year contract he signed last offseason.
“I guess he’s back and he’s ready,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said before the game. “So we’ll have to pitch to him well.”
Baltimore has a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East over Tampa Bay. The Yankees are five games over .500 but at the bottom of the ultracompetitive division. New York is nine games behind the Orioles and 3 1/2 behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros for the American League’s final two wild cards.
Judge was asked if the team’s offensive struggles without him made him even more anxious to come back.
“No, I just wanted to get back,” Judge said after a noticeable pause. “Any time you’re sitting out, even if we were winning and we had an eight-game lead in the division, or we were 10 games out of it, I want to be back out there battling with the guys.”
Boone said Judge had an MRI in the last few days, and Judge indicated that was a factor in his return.
“I didn’t want to come back and make it worse, and this is something that leads into the next year and the following year,” he said. “Ligament’s stable. Last couple MRIs didn’t really show much healing, but this one did.”
To make room for Judge, the Yankees optioned infielder Oswald Peraza to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:28 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-aaron-judge-comes-off-injured-list-before-yankees-open-series-at-baltimore/ |
Flower Mound pitcher, Cy Woods 3B share top honors on Texas 6A all-state baseball team
Flower Mound pitcher Jacob Gholston and Cypress Woods third baseman Ethan Farris share player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state baseball team
BRYAN, Texas (AP) — Flower Mound pitcher Jacob Gholston and Cypress Woods third baseman Ethan Farris share player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state baseball team.
Gholston was 12-2 with a 0.96 ERA. The 6-foot-6 senior right-hander struck out 111 in 87 innings in leading the Jaguars to the state title. An Oklahoma signee, Gholston was taken in the 17th round of Major League Baseball's amateur draft by Milwaukee.
Farris batted .477 with 11 doubles, 10 homers and 47 runs batted in. He was also taken in the 17th round by Detroit, but said on social media this week he will enroll at Texas State.
CLASS 6A
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers — Mason Green, Cypress Woods, sr.; Jacob Gholston, Flower Mound, sr.; (tie) Travis Sykora, Round Rock, sr.; Nico Partida, Pearland, soph.
Relief pitcher — Logan Sosolik, Katy Cinco Ranch, sr.
Catcher — J.J. Kennett, Ridge Point, sr.
First baseman — Caden Ferraro, Pearland, sr.
Second baseman — (tie) Ashton Beaird, San Antonio Reagan, sr.; Caden Wellmann, Kingwood, jr.
Shortstop — (tie) Micah Kendrick, Rockwall, sr.; Ryne Farber, San Antonio Johnson, sr.
Third baseman — Ethan Farris, Cypress Woods, sr.
Outfielders — Sam Erickson, Flower Mound, jr.; Kendall George, Atascocita, sr.; Landon Cochran, North Forney, jr.
Designated hitter — Adrian Rodriguez, Flower Mound, jr.
Player of the year — (tie) Farris, Cypress Woods; Gholston, Flower Mound
Coach of the year — Danny Wallace, Flower Mound
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers — Ty Zahradnik, Keller, sr.; Jeremiah Arnett, Waco Midway, sr.; Kannon Kemp, Weatherford, sr.
Relief pitcher — Joe Sockwell, Austin Westlake, sr.
Catcher — (tie) Luke Billings, Prosper, soph.; Mac Rose, Rockwall, sr.
First baseman — Zachary Tuxhorn, Clear Lake, soph.
Second baseman — Nick Barber, Dallas Jesuit, sr.
Shortstop — (tie) Jason Flores, Naaman Forest, jr.; Theo Gillen, Austin Westlake, jr.
Third baseman — (tie) Omar Juarez, Weatherford, sr.; Josh Glaser, Flower Mound, jr.
Outfielders — Braylon Payne, Sugar Land Elkins, jr.; Robert Deal, El Paso Pebble Hills, sr.; (tie) Landon Hutcheson, Frenship, jr.; Stephen Sepulveda, El Paso Americas, sr.
Designated hitter — James Jorgensen, Dallas Jesuit, sr.
THIRD TEAM
Pitchers — Jack Brady, Austin Westlake, jr.; Luke Isett, Dallas Jesuit, sr.; Zack James, Flower Mound, jr.
Relief pitcher — (tie) Robert De La Garza, Eagle Pass, sr.; Will Jordan, Weatherford, jr.
Catcher — Cade Arrambide, Tomball, jr.
First baseman — Barrett Johnson, San Antonio Johnson, sr.
Second baseman — Aidan Coleman, San Antonio Reagan, sr.
Shortstop — Joshua Munoz, Los Fresnos, sr.
Third baseman — Lucas Franco, Katy Cinco Ranch, soph.
Outfielders — Gabriel Saldivar, Fort Worth Paschal, sr.; Brayden Sharp, The Woodlands, sr.; (tie) Brady Sullivan, Cypress Woods, sr.; Dylan Schlaegel, Mansfield Legacy, sr.
Designated hitter — Miguel Bustamante, San Antonio O’Connor, sr.; Gabriel Cook, San Antonio Stevens, sr. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/flower-mound-pitcher-cy-woods-3b-share-top-honors-texas-6a-all-state-baseball-team/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:33 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/flower-mound-pitcher-cy-woods-3b-share-top-honors-texas-6a-all-state-baseball-team/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Saturday for a postgame outburst at an umpire following a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays a night earlier.
Bench coach Ray Montgomery managed the Angels during the second game of the three-game series as Nevin served his suspension.
Nevin was seen holding up a tablet computer and yelling at plate umpire Mike Estabrook as the crew left the field after the 4-1 loss Friday night.
The umpires access their locker room through the tunnel at the end of the visitor’s dugout on the first base side of Rogers Centre.
A Toronto police officer accompanied the umpire crew as it descended the dugout steps. Montgomery had to restrain Nevin as the umpires passed through the end of the dugout.
Nevin was angry about the game-ending called third strike against pinch hitter Michael Stefanic, who entered in the ninth inning with the bases loaded after Shohei Ohtani left because of cramping in both of his calves.
“I just explained to him that I thought the pitch to Stefanic was outside,” Nevin later told reporters.
Ohtani hit his major league-leading 39th home run in the series opener — part of a streak of three homers in three at-bats over two games — before exiting early.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-manager-phil-nevin-suspended-1-game-for-outburst-at-umpire/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:35 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-manager-phil-nevin-suspended-1-game-for-outburst-at-umpire/ |
Another week, another labor action across America.
In June, workers went on strike at at least 120 Starbucks locations, the company said.
Earlier this month, thousands of hotel workers across southern California walked off the job.
And this week, the writers strike in Hollywood reached its third month. Actors joined them on July 13.
Major strike activity increased by almost fifty percent in 2022, according to the U.S. Labor Department. And the Economic Policy Institute says over 120,000 workers were involved in major work stoppages last year.
What caused the resurgence of the U.S. labor movement?
For one thing, the pandemic accelerated union organizing, reporter Alex Press told "The Response" podcast recently. "We've seen this kind of brief, this sort of early stage uptick in union organizing in this country, very explicitly rooted in our response to a pandemic that was raising the stakes of once again to life or death sort of situations for a lot of frontline workers," she said.
Low unemployment has also given workers more leverage to organize and even strike, says Joseph Brock, president of Reliant Labor Consultants.
"That tight labor market, kind of brought on by COVID, has been a boon for unions," said Brock.
A demographic shift toward workers with more labor-friendly views may also be a factor. "There's a whole generation of younger workers that are discovering unionization as the most reliable way to get better pay and working conditions," Rutgers professor Susan Schurman told Money.com.
Workers cite low pay, bad working conditions, and poor job security as reasons to strike.
But a Milken Institute expert told Yahoo Financethat the Hollywood strike alone could cause $4 billion in losses to the U.S. economy.
"It's not just impacting these industries in California. But it's really doing so in New York, it's doing it in Atlanta. It's doing it in Albuquerque, it's doing it in Pittsburgh. It's doing it in all sorts of places where filming actually takes place," said Kevin Klowden.
What's the outlook for the future?
Unions once played a central role in America's economic, political, and cultural life. But Anthony Carnevale of Georgetown University says unions today face an uphill battle to regain that influence. "They lost their power largely because of globalization, technology, and the decline of manufacturing," he says.
Take the Amazon labor union, as it's called, which won an election with more than 8,000 workers in a Staten Island warehouse last year, a milestone hailed by the press, but the group has not yet reached a collective bargaining agreement.
"The bigger problem for unions will continue to be the attainment of that first collective bargaining agreement," says Brock.
And in terms of politics over the short term, Unions pose both political opportunities and challenges.
Balancing workers needs and growing the economy is proving tough for a president who has aligned himself closely with organized labor.
"Folks, I promised you that I'd be the most pro-union president in American history because I know this: in a crisis, America always counts on you," President Joe Biden told the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in a speech last year.
That alignment won him votes from union workers. But now, those close ties could harm a president who has always tried to connect with American workers.
Meanwhile, those marching on the picket line carry on.
SEE MORE: AI fears are fueling the labor strikes in Hollywood
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kbzk.com/why-are-us-labor-strikes-increasing-and-what-s-the-future-outlook | 2023-07-29T23:02:35 | 1 | https://www.kbzk.com/why-are-us-labor-strikes-increasing-and-what-s-the-future-outlook |
Boil water advisory issued for Hiawatha
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A boil water advisory was issued for the City of Hiawatha in Brown County, Kan.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) officials said they issued a boil water advisory for the water supply system located in Brown County.
KDHE officials said customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
- Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
- If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
KDHE officials said the advisory took effect on July 29 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE officials said they issued the advisory because the city cannot currently maintain the minimum required chlorine residual. Failure to maintain required chlorine residual levels may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination.
According to KDHE officials, regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.
For consumer questions, KDHE officials said to please contact the water system at 785-742-7417, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage.
KDHE officials noted restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at kda.fsl@ks.gov. or call 785-564-6767.
Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/29/boil-water-advisory-issued-hiawatha/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:35 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/29/boil-water-advisory-issued-hiawatha/ |
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Hamburg European Open
Alexander Zverev will take on Laslo Djere in the Hamburg European Open final on Sunday, July 30.
With -450 odds, Zverev is favored over Djere in this tournament final against the underdog, who is +310.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Match Information
- Tournament: The Hamburg European Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: MatchMaker Sports Gmbh
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
- Court Surface: Clay
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Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Alexander Zverev has an 81.8% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Zverev beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4.
- Djere eliminated Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Zverev has played 26 games per match (22.6 in best-of-three matches) in his 42 matches over the past year (across all court types).
- On clay, Zverev has played 22 matches over the past 12 months, totaling 24.1 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) while winning 54.8% of games.
- In his 58 matches in the past 12 months across all court types, Djere is averaging 25.3 games per match (23.5 in best-of-three matches) while winning 50.3% of those games.
- Djere has averaged 22 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.5 games per set through 22 matches on clay courts in the past 12 months.
- In head-to-head matches, Zverev has two wins, while Djere has zero. In their last match on June 4, 2021, Zverev was victorious 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.
- In terms of sets, Zverev has won five versus Djere (100.0%), while Djere has captured zero.
- Zverev and Djere have competed in 47 total games, and Zverev has won more often, capturing 31 of them.
- Djere and Zverev have matched up two times, and they have averaged 23.5 games and 2.5 sets per match.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:35 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/30/alexander-zverev-vs-laslo-djere-tennis-prediction-betting-odds-hamburg-european-open/ |
Robert Chambers, NYC’s ‘Preppy Killer,’ is released after 15 years in prison on drug charges
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Chambers, better known to some as the “Preppy Killer,” was released after spending 15 years in prison for drug and assault charges, according to state records.
Chambers spent a similar amount of time in prison after pleading guilty to strangling Jennifer Levin in New York City’s Central Park during the summer of 1986.
Chambers entered the plea to killing 18-year-old Levin as part of a deal when a jury could not reach a decision after nine days of deliberations.
He was released in 2003 for that crime but again ran afoul of the law soon after.
He was again arrested in 2007 for selling drugs out of his apartment. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was released Tuesday — four years early — from the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, according to online inmate records maintained by the New York Department of Corrections.
Chambers, now 56, will remain under supervision for up to five years, records show.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:37 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ |
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere: Prediction and Match Betting Odds | Hamburg European Open
Alexander Zverev will take on Laslo Djere in the Hamburg European Open final on Sunday, July 30.
With -450 odds, Zverev is favored over Djere in this tournament final against the underdog, who is +310.
Looking to place a bet on this or other tennis matches? Head over to BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks, and sign up today with our link!
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Match Information
- Tournament: The Hamburg European Open
- Round: Finals
- Date: Sunday, July 30
- Venue: MatchMaker Sports Gmbh
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
- Court Surface: Clay
Watch live tennis and many more sports and shows without cable on all your devices with a seven-day free trial to Fubo!
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Prediction and Odds
Based on the moneyline in this match, Alexander Zverev has an 81.8% chance to win.
Bet on tennis with BetMGM, the King of Sportsbooks!
Alexander Zverev vs. Laslo Djere Trends and Insights
- In the semifinals on Saturday, Zverev beat Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4.
- Djere eliminated Zhizhen Zhang 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday.
- Zverev has played 26 games per match (22.6 in best-of-three matches) in his 42 matches over the past year (across all court types).
- On clay, Zverev has played 22 matches over the past 12 months, totaling 24.1 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) while winning 54.8% of games.
- In his 58 matches in the past 12 months across all court types, Djere is averaging 25.3 games per match (23.5 in best-of-three matches) while winning 50.3% of those games.
- Djere has averaged 22 games per match (21.4 in best-of-three matches) and 10.5 games per set through 22 matches on clay courts in the past 12 months.
- In head-to-head matches, Zverev has two wins, while Djere has zero. In their last match on June 4, 2021, Zverev was victorious 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.
- In terms of sets, Zverev has won five versus Djere (100.0%), while Djere has captured zero.
- Zverev and Djere have competed in 47 total games, and Zverev has won more often, capturing 31 of them.
- Djere and Zverev have matched up two times, and they have averaged 23.5 games and 2.5 sets per match.
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It’s a miracle, say family of Japanese soldier killed in WWII, as flag he carried returns from US
Toshihiro Mutsuda was only five years old when he last saw his father, who was drafted by Japan’s Imperial Army in 1943 and killed in action
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.kswo.com/2023/07/29/its-miracle-say-family-japanese-soldier-killed-wwii-flag-he-carried-returns-us/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:39 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/its-miracle-say-family-japanese-soldier-killed-wwii-flag-he-carried-returns-us/ |
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was hit in the head by a pitch from Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah in the fifth inning Saturday.
Batting with the bases loaded in the Angels’ 6-1 loss, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch clocked at 91 mph. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.
Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down with blood running down his face.
Manoah put his hands on his head as he stood on the mound. It was the second hit batter of the game for Manoah, who hit Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani on the left foot in the first.
Angels trainers rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.
Andrew Velazquez ran for Ward, who drove in the first run of the game. Velazquez went to shortstop and Luis Rengifo, who scored on the play, moved to left field in the bottom of the inning.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider came to the mound and replaced Manoah with left-hander Génesis Cabrera.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-leaves-game-after-being-hit-in-head-by-alek-manoah-pitch/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:41 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-angels-outfielder-taylor-ward-leaves-game-after-being-hit-in-head-by-alek-manoah-pitch/ |
Las Vegas faces Dallas, aims for 12th straight home win
Las Vegas will try to keep its 11-game home win streak intact when the Aces face Dallas
Dallas Wings (13-10, 8-5 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (22-2, 13-1 Western Conference)
Las Vegas; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas hosts Dallas trying to continue its 11-game home winning streak.
The Aces have gone 13-1 against Western Conference teams. Las Vegas has a 0-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Wings have gone 8-5 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas ranks second in the Western Conference with 27.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Satou Sabally averaging 6.7.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Wings won 80-78 in the last matchup on July 8. Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 21 points, and A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 21 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chelsea Gray is averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Aces. Wilson is averaging 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over the last 10 games for Las Vegas.
Sabally is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 9.3 rebounds for the Wings. Ogunbowale is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Dallas.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 9-1, averaging 95.9 points, 34.5 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.5 points per game.
Wings: 7-3, averaging 87.4 points, 39.9 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.7 points.
INJURIES: Aces: Candace Parker: out (foot), Riquna Williams: out (back).
Wings: Lou Lopez Senechal: out (knee), Diamond DeShields: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/las-vegas-faces-dallas-aims-12th-straight-home-win/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:45 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/las-vegas-faces-dallas-aims-12th-straight-home-win/ |
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.
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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.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:48 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ |
Musgrove sharp and Tatis homers to lead the Padres to a 7-1 win over the Rangers
Joe Musgrove pitched six strong innings on the night his boyhood hero, Jake Peavy, was inducted into the Padres’ Hall of Fame and Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for San Diego, which beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 7-1
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Joe Musgrove pitched six strong innings on the night his boyhood hero, Jake Peavy, was inducted into the Padres’ Hall of Fame, Fernando Tatis Jr. homered and San Diego beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 7-1 on Friday night.
Musgrove (10-3) was facing the Rangers for the first time since throwing the first no-hitter in Padres history, in just his second start with his hometown team, on April 9, 2021, at Texas. Musgrove won for the ninth time in 10 decisions by holding Texas to four hits while striking out five and walking two.
Musgrove grew up a Padres fan in suburban El Cajon and idolized Peavy, who won the 2007 NL Cy Young Award. Musgrove began wearing Peavy's No. 44 after he was traded to the Padres before the 2021 season.
The Rangers, managed by former Padres skipper Bruce Bochy, lost for the fifth time in seven games but kept a two-game lead over Houston.
“I was excited, man," Musgrove said. "A lot of adrenaline. Obviously Peavy's night ... throwing in front of Boch for the first time in my career. A lot of San Diego legends in the house. I was really motivated and excited about this outing. I was honored to be able to throw on this night.”
The Rangers added a bit of drama when they loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and Luis Garcia walked Marcus Semien. Garcia then struck out former Padres player Travis Jankowski to end it.
Tatis homered to right-center off Dane Dunning (8-4) with one out in the fifth, his 18th, to give the Padres a 3-0 lead. He added an RBI single during the four-run sixth.
The Padres, who have underwhelmed despite having baseball's third-highest payroll, also got RBIs from two of their other stars, Juan Soto and Manny Machado. Soto hit an RBI single in the first and Machado had a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run single in the sixth. Gary Sanchez added an RBI double in the sixth.
It was one of the top wins of the season for the Padres, who had World Series aspirations coming into this season but have been mired in fourth place in the NL West and well back in the wild-card race.
“Everyone’s starting to realize where we’re at in the season and the sense of urgency we’ve got to have,” said Musgrove, who helped lead the Padres to the NL Championship Series last year. “The attitude and the mentality and the aggressiveness tonight on the basepaths, at the plate, really good defense all around, that’s the kind of baseball we’ve got to play down the stretch.
“Like I told the guys after the game, we’ve two months left here to determine our future here for the rest of the season. If we’re going to go out, we’ve got to go out on our terms playing baseball the way that we play the game.”
The Padres were coming off a dismal series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are last in the NL Central, before getting a strong outing from Musgrove.
“He’s really good, he’s really tough,” Bochy said. “He’s having another good year and you have your hands full with him. He pitched a really nice ballgame for them. They pitched well today, they got the hits, we didn’t.”
NICE PLAY
Machado made a sensational play at third to end the seventh when he dove to his left to snag Leody Taveras' grounder and threw him out while on his backside. First baseman Jake Cronenworth held onto the throw and then fell over.
“Throw my glove out there, caught it. I know the guy was fast so I was just trying to get it over there as quick as possible,” Machado said.
HALL OF FAME
Peavy was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame along with former owner John Moores during a pregame ceremony. It was under Moores' ownership that the Padres built Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
RANGERS PROSPECTS
Wyatt Langford, the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, made his professional debut Friday night with the ACL Rangers in a game at the ACL Mariners in Peoria, Arizona. He started in left and batted third. Others making their debuts in that game were 1B Anthony Calarco (undrafted free agent), 2B Devin Hurdle (undrafted free agent) and RF Quincy Scott (ninth round).
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: Placed All-Star C Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his left wrist. He came out of a game at Houston on Wednesday after hurting his wrist on an awkward swing in the fourth inning. Mitch Garver started Friday night.
Padres: With a 7-0 lead, Soto was removed for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. He's been bothered by a finger injury since spring training and the Padres were awaiting results of an MRI. Manager Bob Melvin said he thinks Soto's finger is getter better but he stung it a few times. Second baseman Ha Seong-Kim also came out after tweaking his back on a slide. Melvin said there's a good chance Soto and Kim will be in the lineup Saturday night.
UP NEXT
Texas LHP Martin Perez (8-3, 4.91 ERA) and Padres RHP Yu Darvish (7-7, 4.80) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/musgrove-sharp-tatis-homers-lead-padres-7-1-win-over-rangers/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:52 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/musgrove-sharp-tatis-homers-lead-padres-7-1-win-over-rangers/ |
ÉVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — Céline Boutier carded a 4-under 67 in the third round of the Évian Championship on Saturday to increase her lead to four shots going into the final day.
The 29-year-old Boutier aims to become the first Frenchwoman to win the tournament, which became a major in 2013.
“I didn’t start that good to be honest. I missed the first three greens but got a good break on 2 and was able to chip in. Then I just had really good chances on the two par-fives, seven and nine, and was able to take advantage of that,” said Boutier, who had a bogey on the 12th hole in a round of five birdies.
“I was just trying to focus on making, hitting a good shot, and if I happen to have a birdie opportunity, I hit a solid putt. It was definitely positive and felt pretty good to start very good on the front.”
Boutier’s closest challenger is Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who posted a 68 on Saturday after rounds of 70 and 67.
“Hopefully I will get more birdies tomorrow. It was good iron shots and distance control,” Hataoka said. “Also I was good too with my putting stroke, so I was really comfortable. Tomorrow is another new day, and I want to enjoy the next 18 holes.”
Minjee Lee of Australia and Brooke Henderson of Canada are joint-third, a shot behind Hataoka.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-takes-4-shot-lead-into-final-round-of-evian-championship/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:54 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-boutier-takes-4-shot-lead-into-final-round-of-evian-championship/ |
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced in a press release on Friday, July 28 the creation of an Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group to ensure the safety and security of energy storage systems.
“Following multiple fire safety incidents across New York, I’ve directed State agencies to immediately form the Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group to mobilize the personnel and resources necessary to keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “The Working Group will collaborate with first responders and local leaders to identify best practices, address potential risks to public safety, and ensure energy storage sites across New York are safe and effective.”
One of these incidents was in the Jefferson County town of Lyme when a battery fire at the solar farm caused a shelter-in-place order for a number of hours on Thursday, July 27. As of this time, fire officials were still monitoring the fire.
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) staff and the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Emergency Response Unit responded to the Jefferson County incident on Thursday and supported emergency response partners with performing precautionary air monitoring tests in the surrounding area of the fire.
The press release stressed that fires at storage facilities are rare. However, she directed multiple agencies to independently examine energy storage facility fires and safety standards.
There were also a fires at facilities in Orange and Sullivan counties. An additional investigation is underway in Orange County from fires earlier this month. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/gov-hochul-announces-inter-agency-fire-safety-working-after-fires-at-energy-storage-sites/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:55 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/gov-hochul-announces-inter-agency-fire-safety-working-after-fires-at-energy-storage-sites/ |
Rangers place All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on 10-day IL with a left wrist injury
The AL West-leading Texas Rangers placed All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his left wrist
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The AL West-leading Texas Rangers placed All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained tendon in his left wrist.
Heim came out of a game at Houston on Wednesday after hurting his wrist on an awkward swing in the fourth inning. Heim is batting .280 with an .816 OPS, and has 14 home runs and a career-high 70 RBIs in 90 games.
Heim has started 80 of 103 games this season. The switch-hitter leads big league catchers in RBIs (66), hits (89), doubles (23), and runs (tied, 47). His .413 average with runners in scoring position is third-highest among qualifiers.
Mitch Garver started at catcher in the opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.
The Rangers also recalled outfielder Bubba Thompson from Triple-A Round Rock, optioned right-hander Owen White to Round Rock and activated right-hander Josh Sborz from the 15-day injured list.
Sborz went 4-4 with a 4.54 ERA in 29 relief appearances before being placed on the 15-day IL on July 15 with right biceps tendinitis.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/rangers-place-all-star-catcher-jonah-heim-10-day-il-with-left-wrist-injury/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:58 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/rangers-place-all-star-catcher-jonah-heim-10-day-il-with-left-wrist-injury/ |
Biogen to bulk up rare disease treatments with $7 billion Reata acquisition
Alzheimer’s treatment developer Biogen is spending more than $7 billion to buy Reata Pharmaceuticals and bolster its rare disease treatments
Biogen is spending more than $7 billion to buy Reata Pharmaceuticals and bolster its rare disease treatments.
The Alzheimer’s treatment developer said Friday it will pay $172.50 in cash for each share of Reata in a deal it expects to close by the end of this year.
Plano, Texas-based Reata focuses on developing treatments that regulate cellular metabolism and deal with inflammation in serious neurologic diseases. It makes Skyclarys, an FDA-approved treatment for the neurologic disorder Friedreich’s ataxia.
Biogen puts an enterprise value of $7.3 billion on the acquisition, and said it would slightly dilute adjusted earnings per share this year, and be roughly neutral next year before becoming “significantly accretive” in 2025.
Regulators and Reata shareholders still need to approve the deal.
Biogen makes the multiple sclerosis treatments Techfidera and Tysabri as well as the spinal muscular atrophy treatment Spinraza. It also is partnering with Japanese drugmaker Eisai to sell the new Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi.
CEO Christopher Viehbacher said in a statement the company’s experience developing and selling rare disease treatments will help expand the market for Skyclarys, which is being reviewed by European regulators.
Friedreich’s ataxia is caused by a gene defect inherited from both parents, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It can lead to vision and hearing loss, trouble walking, and heart problems. Many patients with it wind up in a wheelchair.
Viehbacher has been focused on cutting costs at Biogen and developing the company’s pipeline of potential drugs since he became CEO last November. Biogen has been dealing with sliding sales for its multiple sclerosis treatments and the failed launch of its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm.
Viehbacher said on Tuesday, after the company reported better-than-expected second quarter results, that Biogen is “laser focused” on changing the company’s share price trajectory.
“As I’ve heard from so many investors, our share price hasn’t really moved in 10 years, so that’s where we are focused on really driving … shareholder value,” he said. “And that means allocating capital in a way that’s commensurate with that.”
Shares of Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. soared 52% to $165 in pre-market trading Friday. Biogen Inc.’s stock climbed 1% to $266. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/biogen-bulk-up-rare-disease-treatments-with-7-billion-reata-acquisition/ | 2023-07-29T23:02:59 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/biogen-bulk-up-rare-disease-treatments-with-7-billion-reata-acquisition/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Mercury say All-Star center Brittney Griner will not travel for the team’s next two games so she can focus on her mental health.
The 6-foot-9 center — who became an international story during her 10-month detainment in Russia last year — is averaging 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds over 20 games this season.
“The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return,” the team said in a statement on Saturday.
Griner’s impressive individual season hasn’t translated to success for the Mercury, who have a 6-17 record and fired Vanessa Nygaard earlier in the season.
The Mercury’s tough season and coaching change are among the multiple challenges Griner has faced in her return to the WNBA following her ordeal in Russia on drug-related charges that caused her to miss the entire 2022 season.
Griner and her teammates were confronted by what the WNBA called a “provocateur” at the Dallas airport in June and she’s also dealt with a hip injury that caused her to miss a handful of games.
Griner will miss road games against Chicago on Sunday and Indiana on Tuesday.
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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-brittney-griner-wont-travel-for-next-2-games-to-focus-on-her-mental-health-team-says/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:00 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-brittney-griner-wont-travel-for-next-2-games-to-focus-on-her-mental-health-team-says/ |
ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM) — The Ithaca Police are asking the public for help locating a man who was involved in multiple commercial burglaries.
According to the Ithaca Police Department, officers have responded to five burglaries within the past five days. The first burglary was reported at First Presbyterian Church on North Cayuga Street on July 25. Two days later, Perfect Painters on Madison Street was burglarized. The day after that, Coal Shack Café on Maple Avenue was targeted. Both Buffalo Street Books on North Cayuga Street and Botanist Coffeehouse on North Tioga were burglarized on July 29.
Cash and other items were taken during all of these burglaries. During one of the burglaries, a vehicle was stolen. The vehicle was found unoccupied the following day.
The suspect was captured on video while burglarizing Botanist Coffeehouse. Images of the suspect can be found below.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect pictured above or who has information about these burglaries is asked to contact the Ithaca Police using one of the following methods:
- Police Dispatch: 607-272-3245
- Police Administration: 607-272-9973
- Police Tip line: 607-330-0000
- Anonymous Email Tip Address: www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips
Due to the recent burglaries, the Ithaca Police Department is reminding business owners to take precautions to avoid burglaries. Cash should never be left on site overnight. All doors and windows should be locked while businesses are closed. Additionally, outside lights should be left on, and alarm systems should be activated at night if possible. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/ithaca-police-look-for-suspect-involved-in-commercial-burglaries/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:01 | 0 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/ithaca-police-look-for-suspect-involved-in-commercial-burglaries/ |
Robert Chambers, NYC’s ‘Preppy Killer,’ is released after 15 years in prison on drug charges
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Chambers, better known to some as the “Preppy Killer,” was released after spending 15 years in prison for drug and assault charges, according to state records.
Chambers spent a similar amount of time in prison after pleading guilty to strangling Jennifer Levin in New York City’s Central Park during the summer of 1986.
Chambers entered the plea to killing 18-year-old Levin as part of a deal when a jury could not reach a decision after nine days of deliberations.
He was released in 2003 for that crime but again ran afoul of the law soon after.
He was again arrested in 2007 for selling drugs out of his apartment. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was released Tuesday — four years early — from the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, according to online inmate records maintained by the New York Department of Corrections.
Chambers, now 56, will remain under supervision for up to five years, records show.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:04 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/robert-chambers-nycs-preppy-killer-is-released-after-15-years-prison-drug-charges/ |
Civeo: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Civeo Corp. (CVEO) on Friday reported second-quarter earnings of $4.5 million.
On a per-share basis, the Houston-based company said it had net income of 30 cents.
The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 31 cents per share.
The provider of remote-site workforce housing posted revenue of $178.8 million in the period, topping Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $173.6 million.
Civeo expects full-year revenue in the range of $640 million to $650 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CVEO at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CVEO | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/civeo-q2-earnings-snapshot/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:05 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/civeo-q2-earnings-snapshot/ |
(KTLA) — An invasive fly species has prompted the quarantine of an upscale Southern California neighborhood, the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
The Tau fruit fly is native to Asia and is a “serious pest for agriculture and natural resources,” according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The flies can be typically found on a variety of fruits and vegetables along with a “select range of native plants in California,” officials said.
After the detection of more than 20 Tau flies in the Stevenson Ranch area of the Santa Clarita Valley, a quarantine was placed on residents.
The quarantine area spans about 79 square miles, bordered on the north by Castaic Junction, on the south by Oat Mountain, on the west by Del Valle, and on the east by Honby Avenue.
Stevenson Ranch is an upscale neighborhood with a median home price of $1.15 million dollars according to Redfin.
Officials believe the fly was introduced to Los Angeles County by travelers who brought uninspected produce into the state. Agriculture officials note this is a common way for invasive species to arrive.
To prevent the species’ further spread, quarantined residents are asked not to move any fruits or vegetables away from their property. The produce they own may be safely consumed or processed, but must remain at the property.
If residents choose not to consume their produce, they must be disposed of by “double-bagging in plastic and placing the bags in a bin specifically for garbage,” officials said.
CDFA is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the L.A. County Agricultural Commissioner to “utilize a multi-tiered approach to eliminate the Tau fruit fly and prevent its spread to new areas.”
On properties within 200 meters of fly detections, crews will cut host fruit and vegetables to inspect for present fly larvae. Those properties will also be treated with a “naturally derived organic-approved material known as Spinosad, which will help remove any live adult fruit flies and reduce the density of the population,” said CDFA.
Fly traps that incorporate a pheromone along with a small amount of pesticide will also be placed throughout the treatment zones. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/california-neighborhood-under-quarantine-due-to-invasive-fly-species/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:07 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/california-neighborhood-under-quarantine-due-to-invasive-fly-species/ |
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://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:06 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bronny-james-plays-piano-dines-out-in-video-photos-emerging-days-after-he-suffers-cardiac-arrest/ |
Sabally record first triple-double in franchise history as Wings beat Mystics 90=62
Satou Sabally had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists — the first triple-double in franchise history — and the Dallas Wings beat the short-handed Washington Mystics 90-62
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Satou Sabally had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists — the first triple-double in franchise history — and the Dallas Wings beat the short-handed Washington Mystics 90-62 Friday night.
Arike Ogunbowale and Teaira McCowan each scored 18 points for Dallas (14-10) and Natasha Howard added 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Awak Kuier scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Maddy Siegrist scored 10.
McCowan scored 10 points as Dallas jumped to 14-7 lead midway through the first quarter before Washington's Shatori Walker-Kimbrough answered with a layup. The Mystics then went scoreless for more than four minutes before Myisha Hines-Allen hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the first quarter to make it 24-12.
The Mystics trimmed their deficit to seven points when Cyesha Goree hit a jumper with 3:25 left in the third quarter but Dallas scored the next 12 points — capped when Ogunbowale hit a 3-pointer less than two minutes later — and Washington got no closer.
Walker-Kimbrough led the Mystics with 14 points. Brittney Sykes scored 12 with five steals and Natasha Cloud added 11 points.
Regular starters Elena Delle Donne (ankle), Ariel Atkins (ankle) and Shakira Austin (hip) as well as reserve Kristi Toliver (plantar fasciitis) did not play for the Mystics.
Washington (13-11) has lost four of its last five games.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/sabally-record-first-triple-double-franchise-history-wings-beat-mystics-9062/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:11 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/sabally-record-first-triple-double-franchise-history-wings-beat-mystics-9062/ |
Evening Weather At Your Fingertips
Mostly sunny/clear this evening. Temps cooling into the 80s.
EAST TEXAS, Texas (KLTV/KTRE) - Good evening, East Texas! Here is the weather where you live... Mostly sunny skies will turn mostly clear this evening. High temperatures were in the upper 90s and 100s today, we’ll cool into the 80s for the evening. We’ll eventually drop into the 70s overnight with clear skies. You can expect another hot and mostly sunny day tomorrow; a Heat Advisory has been issued for most of the area. Still no rain in the forecast for the next five to seven days, though some models are trying to show a chance for rain next weekend. I remain skeptical but it is at least something to watch and hope to see come to fruition. Highs will continue to be in the upper 90s and 100s for the foreseeable future, with morning lows in the 70s. Please be safe out in the heat and remember burn bans are in effect for many. We have a regularly updated map of burn bans at the bottom of our kltv.com/weather website, and on the KLTV and KTRE weather apps. Have a great evening.
Copyright 2023 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/evening-weather-your-fingertips/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:12 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/evening-weather-your-fingertips/ |
(The Hill) — More than 20 states across the U.S. are under heat advisories as of Saturday.
From the California coast to the Midwest to the Southeast and the North- and Mid-Atlantic, 110 million Americans are facing scorching temperatures that could even get up to triple digits, according to ABC News.
Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service warned of “continued excessive summer heat” across the country in a forecast discussion. In the Washington, D.C. region, daily highs sat around 96 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NWS. In New York City, temperatures topped out at 90 degrees.
“Triple-digit heat continues across the southern half of the Plains to the eastern Gulf Coast while cool and unsettled weather continues across the northern Plains toward the Midwest,” the NWS said in their latest forecast discussion on upcoming weather between Monday and Tuesday.
The NWS said cooler temperatures will arrive in the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday. However, they said these cooler temperatures will be preceded by thunderstorms as a result of the cold front creeping south.
“However, prior to the arrival of the cool air, the cold front will trigger strong to severe thunderstorms along with locally heavy downpours which may be accompanied with gusty winds and/or squalls as they move through the aforementioned areas from west to east through tonight,” the NWS aid in the forecast discussion. | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:13 | 1 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/more-than-20-states-in-us-still-suffering-from-excessive-heat/ |
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Two-time reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen won the rain-hit sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday to extend his huge lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to 118 points.
It was Verstappen’s ninth straight win including the two sprint races he has won this season. He collected eight points for the victory and will look to extend his overall lead further in Sunday’s main race as he continues his march to a third straight world title.
“That was not bad,” Verstappen said with casual understatement.
He finished a comfortable 6.7 seconds ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri and 10.7 clear of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
“I’m getting more and more comfortable with the car, which is much better than it was at the start of the year,” said the 22-year-old Piastri. “It’s been amazing for me.”
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in fourth but dropped down to seventh after being given a five-second time penalty for causing a collision when trying to overtake Perez, who scored no points after retiring near the end.
“Lewis crashed into me and took the whole right hand side of my car off,” said Perez, blaming that incident on his failure to finish.
Hamilton’s penalty moved Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. into fourth spot ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc, with McLaren’s Lando Norris sixth and Mercedes driver George Russell in eighth behind his teammate Hamilton
This was the third of six scheduled sprint races this season, with Perez winning in Azerbaijan and Verstappen winning in Austria and here. The top eight drivers all score points from eight down to one.
The sprint race was delayed by more than one hour due to heavy rain, getting underway with a rolling start procedure after several laps behind a safety car, in order to clear more water off the track for the sprint, which lasted 11 laps.
“I think the rolling start was the smart thing to do,” Verstappen said. “(But) I think we could have a raced a little earlier, maybe two laps earlier.”
Safety was paramount at the Spa track, which has seen two drivers from other racing series killed in the past four years.
F2 driver Anthoine Hubert died in a multi-car crash at the track in 2019, on the eve of the F1 race.
Dutch teenage driver Dilano van ’t Hoff was killed earlier this month on the same circuit while competing in the Formula Regional European Championship.
Two years ago, six drivers from the all-female W Series needed medical checks following a heavy crash during a qualifying session on the same track.
Spa’s layout features a notorious flat-out uphill section known as Eau Rouge, which is followed by a blind corner sequence into Radillon.
The most serious issue during rain is a lack of visibility with so much spray from the cars flying up.
“The water just stayed in the air. I couldn’t see anything so I can only imagine how bad it was at the back,” said Gasly, who was close friends with Hubert. “I was hoping no car (goes) off the track or collides on the straight because we know what happened (in the past).”
Even Verstappen was unsighted when at slow speed.
“I couldn’t even see the safety car sometimes and I was the first car,” Verstappen said. “Unfortunately we had these accidents happen over the years.”
It was a welcome result for Gasly, who crashed out of the Hungarian GP last weekend and whose team is undergoing an overhaul after some disappointing results.
The encouraging performance was also a poignant one for Gasly.
“It feels very special to have done it here in Spa,” he said. “So obviously a thought for Anthoine.”
Earlier, Verstappen edged out Piastri by just .011 seconds to take the sprint pole.
The shortened qualifying format — known as the “sprint shootout” — was delayed by 35 minutes because of wet and rainy conditions, with air blowers used to clear water from the track.
Piastri shot to the top of the leaderboard on his last run, only for Verstappen to typically find extra pace.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll pushed too hard in the final seconds of Q2, the second part of qualifying, and slid off into the barriers, mangling his right tire and bringing out a red flag. His teammate Fernando Alonso was on his out lap when the crash happened and couldn’t set a time, meaning he also failed to make it into Q3.
Heavy rain had also impacted Friday’s running at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which is nestled in a forest amid the Ardennes countryside and is often impacted by gloomy weather.
Verstappen also set the fastest time in qualifying for Sunday’s main race, but Leclerc will start from pole because of Verstappen’s five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change. He begins Sunday’s race from sixth, but that will not bother Verstappen considering he won here last year from 14th.
Verstappen and Perez have won every F1 race and sprint race between them in the ultra-dominant Red Bull car.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-f1-leader-verstappen-wins-rain-hit-belgian-gp-sprint-race-piastri-is-second/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:13 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-f1-leader-verstappen-wins-rain-hit-belgian-gp-sprint-race-piastri-is-second/ |
San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers meet in game 2 of series
The San Diego Padres lead 1-0 in a three-game series with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (60-44, first in the AL West) vs. San Diego Padres (50-54, fourth in the NL West)
San Diego; Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Rangers: Martin Perez (8-3, 4.91 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 68 strikeouts); Padres: Yu Darvish (7-7, 4.80 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 108 strikeouts)
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -169, Rangers +143; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres play the Texas Rangers with a 1-0 series lead.
San Diego is 27-25 at home and 50-54 overall. The Padres are 26-10 in games when they did not give up a home run.
Texas has a 26-24 record on the road and a 60-44 record overall. Rangers pitchers have a collective 4.23 ERA, which ranks ninth in the AL.
The teams square off Saturday for the second time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Juan Soto has 24 doubles and 20 home runs for the Padres. Gary Sanchez is 8-for-32 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBI over the last 10 games.
Nate Lowe has 27 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 57 RBI for the Rangers. Marcus Semien is 13-for-40 with three home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Padres: 6-4, .246 batting average, 2.86 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs
Rangers: 5-5, .260 batting average, 6.51 ERA, outscored by eight runs
INJURIES: Padres: Alek Jacob: 15-Day IL (july), Reiss Knehr: 60-Day IL (elbow), Adrian Morejon: 15-Day IL (knee), Michael Wacha: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Drew Carlton: 15-Day IL (elbow), Preston Tucker: 10-Day IL (foot), Drew Pomeranz: 60-Day IL (elbow/flexor), Eguy Rosario: 60-Day IL (ankle)
Rangers: Jonah Heim: 10-Day IL (wrist), Corey Seager: 10-Day IL (thumb), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Odorizzi: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brett Martin: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/san-diego-padres-texas-rangers-meet-game-2-series/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:17 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/san-diego-padres-texas-rangers-meet-game-2-series/ |
Exxon: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
IRVING, Texas (AP) — IRVING, Texas (AP) — Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) on Friday reported second-quarter earnings of $7.88 billion.
On a per-share basis, the Irving, Texas-based company said it had profit of $1.94.
The results did not meet Wall Street expectations, but Exxon does not adjust its reported results based on one-time events such as asset sales. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2 per share.
The oil and natural gas company posted revenue of $82.91 billion in the period, which topped Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $78.85 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on XOM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/XOM | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/exxon-q2-earnings-snapshot/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:18 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/exxon-q2-earnings-snapshot/ |
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Jimmy Graham offered a few reasons why — at age 36 and without having played football last year — he could become a playmaker again for the New Orleans Saints.
“I’m feeling better than ever. I’m still 6-(foot)-7 and I like the red zone,” the veteran tight end said Saturday in his first public comments since rejoining his first NFL team Tuesday. “I definitely came into this with a chip on my shoulder and with something to prove.”
Estimating he weighed as much as 285 pounds in his previous stint with the Saints, when he worked out like “a meathead,” Graham said he has been cycling “hundreds of miles a week” and has changed his workout and eating habits to suit to his age.
“I know I’m definitely in shape,” said Graham, now listed at 265 pounds. “That’s not a problem at all.”
Graham, who has caught at least eight touchdown passes in six of his 12 NFL seasons, was a favorite target of former star quarterback Drew Brees and among the most popular players in New Orleans before the club surprisingly traded him to Seattle in 2015.
Many fans were upset, including general manager Micky Loomis’ own daughter. So, too, was Graham.
“For me, it was pretty shocking,” Graham said. “I thought I would never leave this place. … I woke up to the part of the business that hurt.”
Alluding to a difficult childhood in which he sometimes lived in an orphanage, Graham added, “at first it was very difficult because of my connection with Drew as an ‘older brother’ and all the people in this building.”
“It was family, you know?” Graham continued. “So, for me, a guy who didn’t have a lot of family, it was definitely a difficult time.”
Graham played three seasons with the Seahawks — where he had a major knee injury 2015, but also his last 10-TD season in 2017 — before spending two seasons each at Green Bay and Chicago. He said he spent several of those seasons avoiding interviews because he “didn’t really have a lot to say that was positive.”
In recent years, Graham said, he longed for another chance to play in New Orleans.
“I’ve been trying to come home for a long time,” Graham said, adding that by last season, he didn’t want to play anywhere else. He said several teams reached out to him in 2022, but he told his agent, Jimmy Sexton, “that if I don’t retire as a Saint that I wasn’t going to play again.”
Sitting out last season was “extremely weird, especially after you spend a whole offseason preparing (to play), working out and making sure you’re in shape,” he said. “I think everything happens for a reason and I think it’ll be to my benefit.”
The Saints used a third-round pick to draft Graham in 2010, despite the fact that he’d played just one season of football at Miami after spending four seasons as a basketball power forward for the Hurricanes.
In just his second NFL season, Graham caught 99 passes for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns and was selected to his first of five Pro Bowls. He had another banner season in 2013, with 1,215 yards and a career-high 16 TDs receiving.
Around that time, current Saints tight end Foster Moreau was playing for Jesuit High School in New Orleans and had a signed No. 80 Graham Saints jersey in a shadow box in his room.
“Jimmy was a dog, and he still is. Honestly, he runs great,” Moreau said. “So, it’s just such a funny situation. You walk into the locker room and, ‘Oh my God! Jimmy Graham right there.’”
Graham’s production plummeted in his final season with the Bears in 2021, when he caught 14 passes for 167 yards and three TDs in 15 games.
And while the Saints cannot be sure how well he’ll play this season, they expressed confidence he’ll be a leader in the locker room. Graham sounded ready to embrace that role, noting that he, along with 13th-year defensive end Cameron Jordan, are the only players on the roster who’d once been teammates with most of the stars of the Saints’ 2009 championship team.
“I understand what that culture was like and what that looks like, the sacrifice that it takes and the brotherhood – that bond – that needs to be molded,” Graham said.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jimmy-graham-is-grateful-to-be-back-with-the-saints-and-confident-he-can-still-play/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:19 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-jimmy-graham-is-grateful-to-be-back-with-the-saints-and-confident-he-can-still-play/ |
Stellar Bancorp: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Stellar Bancorp, Inc. (STEL) on Friday reported second-quarter profit of $35.2 million.
The bank, based in Houston, said it had earnings of 66 cents per share.
The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 69 cents per share.
The bank holding company posted revenue of $152.4 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $113.8 million, which also fell short of Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $117 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on STEL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/STEL | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/stellar-bancorp-q2-earnings-snapshot/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:23 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/stellar-bancorp-q2-earnings-snapshot/ |
Flower Mound pitcher, Cy Woods 3B share top honors on Texas 6A all-state baseball team
Flower Mound pitcher Jacob Gholston and Cypress Woods third baseman Ethan Farris share player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state baseball team
BRYAN, Texas (AP) — Flower Mound pitcher Jacob Gholston and Cypress Woods third baseman Ethan Farris share player of the year honors on the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state baseball team.
Gholston was 12-2 with a 0.96 ERA. The 6-foot-6 senior right-hander struck out 111 in 87 innings in leading the Jaguars to the state title. An Oklahoma signee, Gholston was taken in the 17th round of Major League Baseball's amateur draft by Milwaukee.
Farris batted .477 with 11 doubles, 10 homers and 47 runs batted in. He was also taken in the 17th round by Detroit, but said on social media this week he will enroll at Texas State.
CLASS 6A
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers — Mason Green, Cypress Woods, sr.; Jacob Gholston, Flower Mound, sr.; (tie) Travis Sykora, Round Rock, sr.; Nico Partida, Pearland, soph.
Relief pitcher — Logan Sosolik, Katy Cinco Ranch, sr.
Catcher — J.J. Kennett, Ridge Point, sr.
First baseman — Caden Ferraro, Pearland, sr.
Second baseman — (tie) Ashton Beaird, San Antonio Reagan, sr.; Caden Wellmann, Kingwood, jr.
Shortstop — (tie) Micah Kendrick, Rockwall, sr.; Ryne Farber, San Antonio Johnson, sr.
Third baseman — Ethan Farris, Cypress Woods, sr.
Outfielders — Sam Erickson, Flower Mound, jr.; Kendall George, Atascocita, sr.; Landon Cochran, North Forney, jr.
Designated hitter — Adrian Rodriguez, Flower Mound, jr.
Player of the year — (tie) Farris, Cypress Woods; Gholston, Flower Mound
Coach of the year — Danny Wallace, Flower Mound
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers — Ty Zahradnik, Keller, sr.; Jeremiah Arnett, Waco Midway, sr.; Kannon Kemp, Weatherford, sr.
Relief pitcher — Joe Sockwell, Austin Westlake, sr.
Catcher — (tie) Luke Billings, Prosper, soph.; Mac Rose, Rockwall, sr.
First baseman — Zachary Tuxhorn, Clear Lake, soph.
Second baseman — Nick Barber, Dallas Jesuit, sr.
Shortstop — (tie) Jason Flores, Naaman Forest, jr.; Theo Gillen, Austin Westlake, jr.
Third baseman — (tie) Omar Juarez, Weatherford, sr.; Josh Glaser, Flower Mound, jr.
Outfielders — Braylon Payne, Sugar Land Elkins, jr.; Robert Deal, El Paso Pebble Hills, sr.; (tie) Landon Hutcheson, Frenship, jr.; Stephen Sepulveda, El Paso Americas, sr.
Designated hitter — James Jorgensen, Dallas Jesuit, sr.
THIRD TEAM
Pitchers — Jack Brady, Austin Westlake, jr.; Luke Isett, Dallas Jesuit, sr.; Zack James, Flower Mound, jr.
Relief pitcher — (tie) Robert De La Garza, Eagle Pass, sr.; Will Jordan, Weatherford, jr.
Catcher — Cade Arrambide, Tomball, jr.
First baseman — Barrett Johnson, San Antonio Johnson, sr.
Second baseman — Aidan Coleman, San Antonio Reagan, sr.
Shortstop — Joshua Munoz, Los Fresnos, sr.
Third baseman — Lucas Franco, Katy Cinco Ranch, soph.
Outfielders — Gabriel Saldivar, Fort Worth Paschal, sr.; Brayden Sharp, The Woodlands, sr.; (tie) Brady Sullivan, Cypress Woods, sr.; Dylan Schlaegel, Mansfield Legacy, sr.
Designated hitter — Miguel Bustamante, San Antonio O’Connor, sr.; Gabriel Cook, San Antonio Stevens, sr. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/flower-mound-pitcher-cy-woods-3b-share-top-honors-texas-6a-all-state-baseball-team/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:25 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/flower-mound-pitcher-cy-woods-3b-share-top-honors-texas-6a-all-state-baseball-team/ |
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.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:25 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
Travis Scott drops ‘Utopia,’ his first album since the Astroworld festival tragedy
Rapper Travis Scott released his first album in five years on Friday, the 19 track “Utopia.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Travis Scott has released “Utopia,” his first album in five years and his first major release since 10 people died at his 2021 Astroworld music festival.
The star-studded 19-track "Utopia" features Beyoncé, SZA, Drake, Sampha, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Future, Bon Iver, James Blake, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, and many more.
The LP, Scott's fourth full-length, was originally announced back in 2020 and follows 2018's "Astroworld." In November 2019, 10 people died as a result of compression asphyxia during a massive crowd surge during Scott's Astroworld festival. A grand jury declined to file charges against Scott earlier this year.
Also Friday, Houston police released files that showed that some workers were concerned about the crowd conditions at the show. The 1,300-page report also included a summary of an interview with Scott in which he said he did not hear calls from the crowd to stop the show.
The first track from the album, the popetón -adjacent "K-pop", was released on July 21 and features the Weeknd and Bad Bunny. The release spans genres — an eclectic mix of autotune ambient ballads ("My Eyes"), ferocious bars ("Looove"), futuristic trap ("Lost Forever," Telekinesis"), and beyond.
In addition to the album, Scott hosted a one-night-only release of his feature film, "Circus Maximus" at select theaters on Thursday night.
“Utopia” was originally scheduled to be celebrated with a livestreamed concert at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, but was canceled due to “complex production issues,” Live Nation said in a statement. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:31 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/travis-scott-drops-utopia-his-first-album-since-astroworld-festival-tragedy/ |
It’s a miracle, say family of Japanese soldier killed in WWII, as flag he carried returns from US
Toshihiro Mutsuda was only five years old when he last saw his father, who was drafted by Japan’s Imperial Army in 1943 and killed in action
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.ktre.com/2023/07/29/its-miracle-say-family-japanese-soldier-killed-wwii-flag-he-carried-returns-us/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:32 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/its-miracle-say-family-japanese-soldier-killed-wwii-flag-he-carried-returns-us/ |
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.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:32 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ |
PIXLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – One of three people about to rob a convenience store was nabbed overnight by a sheriff’s deputy, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office says.
Deputies were dispatched to the Shell gas station in the 500 block of East Terra Bella Avenue after it was reported that three masked people entered the market.
The sheriff’s office says one of its deputies was in the area at the time of the call and was able to respond before the suspects were able to rob the store.
Investigators say all three suspects took off running, but they were able to catch a male juvenile they believe was involved and take him into custody.
Detectives have taken over the investigation and note that no injuries were reported during the incident.
The sheriff’s office has not yet provided outstanding suspect descriptions or disclosed whether or not the suspects were armed.
If anyone has information on this case, they are asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/deputy-thwarts-attempted-robbery-at-pixley-gas-station-tcso/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:36 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/deputy-thwarts-attempted-robbery-at-pixley-gas-station-tcso/ |
In April 2021, Niger’s Mohamed Bazoum made history by becoming the first democratically elected president to take power from a popularly elected predecessor since the country’s independence. Now, Mr. Bazoum is said to be holed up in the presidential palace, thankfully still able to communicate by telephone, while his leading military man and erstwhile protector, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, has proclaimed himself the new head of state. This follows yet another coup in this landlocked, strategically important country and continues a disturbing pattern in coup-prone West Africa.
This outrageous power grab cannot be allowed to stand. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was correct in giving his “unflagging support” for Mr. Bazoum and condemning this illegal and unconstitutional military takeover. The United States has about 1,100 troops in Niger, including a drone base, helping the country’s military battle Islamist insurgents linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. The United States also provides hundreds of millions of dollars in nonmilitary foreign assistance. The coup-makers need to know that U.S. support will be withdrawn unless Mr. Bazoum is restored to the presidency.
Few Americans have likely heard of Niger, a country larger in size than Texas and rich in uranium but whose people are among the world’s poorest. It shares with many of its African neighbors a history of military men meddling in politics, having suffered through four previous coups and many other attempts since its independence from France in 1960.
The country also sits in the middle of the unstable semiarid Sahel region south of the Sahara desert that unfortunately has become known as Africa’s “coup belt.” Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso recently also saw democratic governments toppled in coups, ostensibly for the same reason cited by Niger’s generals in their power grab — the supposed failure of civilian leaders to crack down hard enough on the Islamist insurgents and bring security to the population. Niger’s newest would-be military leader specifically blamed the deposed president for failing to cooperate more fully with Mali’s military regime.
There is also wariness among populations in the region about perceived Western interference in their internal affairs, with much of the ire directed toward France, the former colonial power. That’s one reason French troops were forced to withdraw from Mali.
It is worrisome to see reports that many in Niger appear to be supporting this coup. Even more worrying are reports that some pro-coup members of the public were displaying Russian flags and calling for assistance from the Russian mercenary group Wagner, which has been active in Mali — where they have supplanted French troops and have been credibly accused of human rights abuses, including massacres of noncombatants. Niger should avoid the same fate.
In a report last year, the State Department called Niger “a linchpin for stability in the Sahel” and “a more open and active partner with the United States.” The countries cooperate not only in battling the insurgents but also in strengthening democracy and human rights in a largely unstable region, and tackling problems that fuel instability and unrest. These include weak institutions, poor health care and education infrastructure, and the growing threat of climate catastrophe through desertification as the Sahara desert spreads southward.
That U.S.-Niger partnership, and all the benefits to the country, are at risk now, if the generals who claim to have seized power don’t immediately retreat to their barracks and allow Mr. Bazoum, who was popularly elected after a runoff vote, to reclaim full authority.
- D.C. Council reverses itself on school resource officers. Good.
- Virginia makes a mistake by pulling out of an election fraud detection group.
- Vietnam sentences another democracy activist.
- Biden has a new border plan.
1/5
The European Union has already suspended financial and security assistance to Niger, and Mr. Blinken has warned that the United States will do the same. “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,” he said in Australia.
Gen. Tchiani and his fellow coup plotters need to realize this is not an empty threat, and the United States needs to make good on its word. Cutting off assistance, especially humanitarian aid, can be a difficult decision, since ordinary people will suffer most. But the United States should stand up for its principle that democratic leaders cannot be ousted by force. There can be no business as usual with Niger until Mr. Bazoum is returned to full control. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/29/niger-coup-us-aid/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:36 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/29/niger-coup-us-aid/ |
Worker warned organizer ‘Someone’s going to end up dead’ before crowd surge at ‘21 Travis Scott show
The findings of a police investigation into the deadly 2021 Astroland festival in Houston shows that some people expressed safety concerns before rapper Travis Scott took the stage
HOUSTON (AP) — Just moments before rap superstar Travis Scott took the stage at the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival, a contract worker had been so worried about what might happen after seeing people getting crushed that he texted an event organizer saying, “Someone’s going to end up dead,” according to a police report released Friday.
The texts by security contract worker Reece Wheeler were some of many examples in the nearly 1,300-page report in which festival workers highlighted problems and warned of possible deadly consequences. The report includes transcripts of concertgoers' 911 calls and summaries of police interviews, including one with Scott conducted just days after the event.
The crowd surge at the Nov. 5, 2021, outdoor festival in Houston killed 10 attendees who ranged in age from 9 to 27. The official cause of death was compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car. About 50,000 people attended the festival.
“Pull tons over the rail unconscious. There’s panic in people eyes. This could get worse quickly,” Reece Wheeler texted Shawna Boardman, one of the private security directors, at 9 p.m. Wheeler then texted, “I know they’ll try to fight through it but I would want it on the record that I didn’t advise this to continue. Someone’s going to end up dead.”
Scott’s concert began at 9:02 p.m. In their review of video from the concert's livestream, police investigators said that at 9:13 p.m., they heard the faint sound of someone saying, “Stop the show.” The same request could also be heard at 9:16 p.m. and 9:22 p.m.
In an Aug. 19, 2022, police interview, Boardman’s attorneys told investigators that Boardman “saw things were not as bad as Reece Wheeler stated” and decided not to pass along Wheeler’s concerns to anyone else.
A grand jury declined to indict anyone who was investigated over the event, including Scott, Boardman and four other people.
During a police interview conducted two days after the concert, Scott told investigators that although he did see one person near the stage getting medical attention, overall the crowd seemed to be enjoying the show and he did not see any signs of serious problems.
“We asked if he at any point heard the crowd telling him to stop the show. He stated that if he had heard something like that he would have done something,” police said in their summary of Scott's interview.
Hip-hop artist Drake, who performed with Scott at the concert, told police that it was difficult to see from the stage what was going on in the crowd and that he didn’t hear concertgoers’ pleas to stop the show.
Drake found out about the tragedy later that night from his manager, while learning more on social media, police said in their summary.
Marty Wallgren, who worked for a security consulting firm hired by the festival, told police that when he went backstage and tried to tell representatives for Scott and Drake that the concert needed to end because people had been hurt and might have died, he was told “Drake still has three more songs,” according to an interview summary.
Daniel Johary, a college student who got trapped in the crush of concertgoers and later used his skills working as an EMT in Israel to help an injured woman, told investigators hundreds of people had chanted for Scott to stop the music and that the chants could be heard “from everywhere.”
“He stated staff members in the area gave thumbs-up and did not care,” according to the police report.
Richard Rickeada, a retired Houston police officer who was working for a private security company at the festival, told investigators that from 8 a.m. the day of the concert, things were “pretty much in chaos,” according to a police summary of his interview. His concerns and questions about whether the concert should be held were “met with a lot of shrugged shoulders,” he said.
About 23 minutes into the concert, cameraman Gregory Hoffman radioed into the show’s production trailer to warn that “people were dying.” Hoffman was operating a large crane that held a television camera before it was overrun with concertgoers who needed medical help, police said.
The production team radioed Hoffman to ask when they could get the crane back in operation.
Salvatore Livia, who was hired to direct the live show, told police that following Hoffman’s dire warning, people in the production trailer understood that something was not right, but “they were disconnected to the reality of (what) was happening out there,” according to a police summary of Livia’s interview.
Concertgoer Christopher Gates, then 22, told police that by the second or third song in Scott's performance, he came across about five people on the ground who he believed were already dead.
Their bodies were “lifeless, pale, and their lips were blue/purple,” according to the police report. Random people in the crowd – not medics – provided CPR.
The police report was released about a month after the grand jury in Houston declined to indict Scott on any criminal charges in connection with the deadly concert. Police Chief Troy Finner had said the report was being made public so that people could “read the entire investigation” and come to their own conclusions about the case. During a news conference after the grand jury’s decision, Finner declined to say what the overall conclusion of his agency’s investigation was or whether police should have stopped the concert sooner.
The report's release also came the same day that Scott released his new album, "Utopia."
More than 500 lawsuits were filed over the deaths and injuries at the concert, including many against concert promoter Live Nation and Scott. Some have since been settled.
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Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.
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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
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Find more AP coverage of the Astroworld festival: https://apnews.com/hub/astroworld-festival-deaths | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/worker-warned-organizer-someones-going-end-up-dead-before-crowd-surge-21-travis-scott-show/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:38 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/worker-warned-organizer-someones-going-end-up-dead-before-crowd-surge-21-travis-scott-show/ |
Las Vegas faces Dallas, aims for 12th straight home win
Las Vegas will try to keep its 11-game home win streak intact when the Aces face Dallas
Dallas Wings (13-10, 8-5 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (22-2, 13-1 Western Conference)
Las Vegas; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas hosts Dallas trying to continue its 11-game home winning streak.
The Aces have gone 13-1 against Western Conference teams. Las Vegas has a 0-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Wings have gone 8-5 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas ranks second in the Western Conference with 27.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Satou Sabally averaging 6.7.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Wings won 80-78 in the last matchup on July 8. Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 21 points, and A'ja Wilson led the Aces with 21 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chelsea Gray is averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Aces. Wilson is averaging 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over the last 10 games for Las Vegas.
Sabally is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 9.3 rebounds for the Wings. Ogunbowale is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Dallas.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 9-1, averaging 95.9 points, 34.5 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.5 points per game.
Wings: 7-3, averaging 87.4 points, 39.9 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.7 points.
INJURIES: Aces: Candace Parker: out (foot), Riquna Williams: out (back).
Wings: Lou Lopez Senechal: out (knee), Diamond DeShields: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/las-vegas-faces-dallas-aims-12th-straight-home-win/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:38 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/las-vegas-faces-dallas-aims-12th-straight-home-win/ |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander said it felt like a playoff game at Camden Yards.
A few more performances like this, and the Baltimore Orioles will be there.
Santander homered off Tommy Kahnle in the ninth inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 victory over New York on Friday night, spoiling Aaron Judge’s return for the Yankees. Judge walked three times in his first game back from a toe injury, but the Orioles kept New York off the scoreboard with a spectacular defensive effort.
In the eighth inning alone, Santander made a lunging, sliding catch in right field, and second baseman Adam Frazier made a diving stop on Anthony Rizzo’s grounder with a man on second.
“Great defense, great pitching, that’s how we win baseball games,” Santander said.
Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, going toe to toe with New York’s Gerrit Cole, who went seven. Félix Bautista (6-1) struck out two in a scoreless ninth. Kahnle (1-1) couldn’t match that in the bottom half, allowing Santander’s one-out drive that went well beyond the fence in right-center field.
The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL East, and they now lead the last-place Yankees by nine.
The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes by rain, but that did little to dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd that included a mix of Yankees fans cheering Judge and Orioles fans embracing their first-place team.
“Right before the start of the game, it felt like a playoff game,” Santander said. “That’s good to have those fans to support us. Hopefully they can continue to do that.”
Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch to him in the first, but he reached base the other three times he came up.
Anthony Volpe was robbed twice by stellar Baltimore defense. Third baseman Ramón Urías made a diving stop on his one-hopper in the fifth. In the eighth, Volpe led off with a fly to right that Santander reached out and caught before sliding on his stomach across the grass.
New York eventually had two on and two out that inning when Rizzo’s grounder looked headed to right field. Frazier’s diving play prevented that.
“Defense won us the game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Adam Frazier, diving play off Rizz. Santander with a great diving catch. We turned some double plays.”
Each team had only four hits. Rodriguez was one of Baltimore’s prized prospects, and after being sent back to the minors for a bit, he may be finding a groove.
“I just love his delivery right now and the tempo of his delivery,” Hyde said. “Just really, really competitive.”
DEADLINE OUTLOOK
Orioles general manager Mike Elias said it’s no secret that the Orioles are working on potentially adding pitching upgrades at the trade deadline. He said the team has the wherewithal to make “good baseball trades” even if it means adding payroll.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Elias said he hopes OFs Cedric Mullins (right adductor groin strain) and Aaron Hicks (left hamstring strain) can return and play a large part of August. … Elias said LHP John Means (left elbow UCL surgery) and RHP Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) will probably be pitching in games in the Florida Complex League in the early part of August.
UP NEXT
Baltimore’s Tyler Wells (7-5) takes the mound against New York’s Clarke Schmidt (6-6) on Saturday night. Schmidt will be on extended rest, having last pitched July 21.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:39 | 0 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ |
(NewsNation) — Nearly $1 billion in land purchases by a mysterious company near a California Air Force base is raising national security concerns.
A group called “Flannery Associates” has invested more than $800 million on almost 54,000 acres of land surrounding the Travis Air Force Base since 2018, zoned for agricultural use, public records show.
Legal representation for Flannery says the group is controlled by U.S. citizens, with 97% of its capital coming from U.S.-based investors.
But after eight months of investigation, federal officials can’t confirm or deny this to be true and have not been able to determine exactly who is backing the company.
This so-called “mystery company” has been ramping up its purchases since the beginning of the year, prompting a federal investigation into its intentions. It is still unclear what Flannery’s purpose is for investing in land near the base.
The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review office is currently investigating Flannery Associates.
With so much mystery surrounding these purchases, some lawmakers say they are not ruling out the possibility of the group having ties to foreign enemies.
“We don’t know who Flannery is, and their extensive purchases do not make sense to anybody in the area,” Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) said, adding there are reasons to be concerned Flannery may have ties to China or other foreign enemies.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flannery Associates said: “No foreign person or group holds any significant interest of substantial control over Flannery, either now or at the time of any land purchase.”
This isn’t the only such land purchase near military bases that has raised concerns in recent months.
A few months ago, NewsNation looked into a now thwarted deal with Chinese-owned Fufeng Group in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
The purchase of 300 acres of farmland near the Grand Forks Air Force base raised flags about potential spying and was ultimately shut down after pushback from the community.
Another project is currently delayed in Green Charter Township, Michigan, following similar pushback on a proposed plant by Chinese electric vehicle battery maker Gotion.
Nearly 384,000 acres of agricultural land in the U.S. is controlled by China, and the rate at which they are purchasing land is growing exponentially, the USDA reports.
Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased by 55% in the past five years, with almost 75% of it located in the South and about 16% on the West Coast. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/mystery-company-buys-nearly-1-billion-of-land-near-air-force-base/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:42 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/mystery-company-buys-nearly-1-billion-of-land-near-air-force-base/ |
Musgrove sharp and Tatis homers to lead the Padres to a 7-1 win over the Rangers
Joe Musgrove pitched six strong innings on the night his boyhood hero, Jake Peavy, was inducted into the Padres’ Hall of Fame and Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for San Diego, which beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 7-1
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Joe Musgrove pitched six strong innings on the night his boyhood hero, Jake Peavy, was inducted into the Padres’ Hall of Fame, Fernando Tatis Jr. homered and San Diego beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 7-1 on Friday night.
Musgrove (10-3) was facing the Rangers for the first time since throwing the first no-hitter in Padres history, in just his second start with his hometown team, on April 9, 2021, at Texas. Musgrove won for the ninth time in 10 decisions by holding Texas to four hits while striking out five and walking two.
Musgrove grew up a Padres fan in suburban El Cajon and idolized Peavy, who won the 2007 NL Cy Young Award. Musgrove began wearing Peavy's No. 44 after he was traded to the Padres before the 2021 season.
The Rangers, managed by former Padres skipper Bruce Bochy, lost for the fifth time in seven games but kept a two-game lead over Houston.
“I was excited, man," Musgrove said. "A lot of adrenaline. Obviously Peavy's night ... throwing in front of Boch for the first time in my career. A lot of San Diego legends in the house. I was really motivated and excited about this outing. I was honored to be able to throw on this night.”
The Rangers added a bit of drama when they loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and Luis Garcia walked Marcus Semien. Garcia then struck out former Padres player Travis Jankowski to end it.
Tatis homered to right-center off Dane Dunning (8-4) with one out in the fifth, his 18th, to give the Padres a 3-0 lead. He added an RBI single during the four-run sixth.
The Padres, who have underwhelmed despite having baseball's third-highest payroll, also got RBIs from two of their other stars, Juan Soto and Manny Machado. Soto hit an RBI single in the first and Machado had a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run single in the sixth. Gary Sanchez added an RBI double in the sixth.
It was one of the top wins of the season for the Padres, who had World Series aspirations coming into this season but have been mired in fourth place in the NL West and well back in the wild-card race.
“Everyone’s starting to realize where we’re at in the season and the sense of urgency we’ve got to have,” said Musgrove, who helped lead the Padres to the NL Championship Series last year. “The attitude and the mentality and the aggressiveness tonight on the basepaths, at the plate, really good defense all around, that’s the kind of baseball we’ve got to play down the stretch.
“Like I told the guys after the game, we’ve two months left here to determine our future here for the rest of the season. If we’re going to go out, we’ve got to go out on our terms playing baseball the way that we play the game.”
The Padres were coming off a dismal series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are last in the NL Central, before getting a strong outing from Musgrove.
“He’s really good, he’s really tough,” Bochy said. “He’s having another good year and you have your hands full with him. He pitched a really nice ballgame for them. They pitched well today, they got the hits, we didn’t.”
NICE PLAY
Machado made a sensational play at third to end the seventh when he dove to his left to snag Leody Taveras' grounder and threw him out while on his backside. First baseman Jake Cronenworth held onto the throw and then fell over.
“Throw my glove out there, caught it. I know the guy was fast so I was just trying to get it over there as quick as possible,” Machado said.
HALL OF FAME
Peavy was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame along with former owner John Moores during a pregame ceremony. It was under Moores' ownership that the Padres built Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
RANGERS PROSPECTS
Wyatt Langford, the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, made his professional debut Friday night with the ACL Rangers in a game at the ACL Mariners in Peoria, Arizona. He started in left and batted third. Others making their debuts in that game were 1B Anthony Calarco (undrafted free agent), 2B Devin Hurdle (undrafted free agent) and RF Quincy Scott (ninth round).
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: Placed All-Star C Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his left wrist. He came out of a game at Houston on Wednesday after hurting his wrist on an awkward swing in the fourth inning. Mitch Garver started Friday night.
Padres: With a 7-0 lead, Soto was removed for a pinch-hitter in the eighth. He's been bothered by a finger injury since spring training and the Padres were awaiting results of an MRI. Manager Bob Melvin said he thinks Soto's finger is getter better but he stung it a few times. Second baseman Ha Seong-Kim also came out after tweaking his back on a slide. Melvin said there's a good chance Soto and Kim will be in the lineup Saturday night.
UP NEXT
Texas LHP Martin Perez (8-3, 4.91 ERA) and Padres RHP Yu Darvish (7-7, 4.80) are scheduled to start Saturday night.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/musgrove-sharp-tatis-homers-lead-padres-7-1-win-over-rangers/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:44 | 1 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/musgrove-sharp-tatis-homers-lead-padres-7-1-win-over-rangers/ |
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.”
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AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:46 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ |
(KTLA) — An invasive fly species has prompted the quarantine of an upscale Southern California neighborhood, the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
The Tau fruit fly is native to Asia and is a “serious pest for agriculture and natural resources,” according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The flies can be typically found on a variety of fruits and vegetables along with a “select range of native plants in California,” officials said.
After the detection of more than 20 Tau flies in the Stevenson Ranch area of the Santa Clarita Valley, a quarantine was placed on residents.
The quarantine area spans about 79 square miles, bordered on the north by Castaic Junction, on the south by Oat Mountain, on the west by Del Valle, and on the east by Honby Avenue.
Stevenson Ranch is an upscale neighborhood with a median home price of $1.15 million dollars according to Redfin.
Officials believe the fly was introduced to Los Angeles County by travelers who brought uninspected produce into the state. Agriculture officials note this is a common way for invasive species to arrive.
To prevent the species’ further spread, quarantined residents are asked not to move any fruits or vegetables away from their property. The produce they own may be safely consumed or processed, but must remain at the property.
If residents choose not to consume their produce, they must be disposed of by “double-bagging in plastic and placing the bags in a bin specifically for garbage,” officials said.
CDFA is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the L.A. County Agricultural Commissioner to “utilize a multi-tiered approach to eliminate the Tau fruit fly and prevent its spread to new areas.”
On properties within 200 meters of fly detections, crews will cut host fruit and vegetables to inspect for present fly larvae. Those properties will also be treated with a “naturally derived organic-approved material known as Spinosad, which will help remove any live adult fruit flies and reduce the density of the population,” said CDFA.
Fly traps that incorporate a pheromone along with a small amount of pesticide will also be placed throughout the treatment zones. | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/california-neighborhood-under-quarantine-due-to-invasive-fly-species/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:48 | 1 | https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/u-s-world/california-neighborhood-under-quarantine-due-to-invasive-fly-species/ |
Rangers place All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on 10-day IL with a left wrist injury
The AL West-leading Texas Rangers placed All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list with a strained tendon in his left wrist
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The AL West-leading Texas Rangers placed All-Star catcher Jonah Heim on the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained tendon in his left wrist.
Heim came out of a game at Houston on Wednesday after hurting his wrist on an awkward swing in the fourth inning. Heim is batting .280 with an .816 OPS, and has 14 home runs and a career-high 70 RBIs in 90 games.
Heim has started 80 of 103 games this season. The switch-hitter leads big league catchers in RBIs (66), hits (89), doubles (23), and runs (tied, 47). His .413 average with runners in scoring position is third-highest among qualifiers.
Mitch Garver started at catcher in the opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres.
The Rangers also recalled outfielder Bubba Thompson from Triple-A Round Rock, optioned right-hander Owen White to Round Rock and activated right-hander Josh Sborz from the 15-day injured list.
Sborz went 4-4 with a 4.54 ERA in 29 relief appearances before being placed on the 15-day IL on July 15 with right biceps tendinitis.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/rangers-place-all-star-catcher-jonah-heim-10-day-il-with-left-wrist-injury/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:50 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/2023/07/29/rangers-place-all-star-catcher-jonah-heim-10-day-il-with-left-wrist-injury/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Denny Hamlin is not offering any apologies for the move he made last weekend at Pocono that caused Kyle Larson to hit the wall and let Hamlin sail on to victory.
Truth be told, it’s what NASCAR was hoping to see more of when it established the system that divides races into three stages, rewards drivers with points for doing well in those stages and allows them to accrue playoff points, Hamlin said.
“That is what it was geared to do — give us the sense of urgency to ramp up and that regular season performance matters to get to the final four with a shot,” he said at Richmond Raceway. “The system is doing what it was designed to do.”
Hamlin also has changed, he said, after getting spun several times while leading.
“If you have one person willing to be aggressive and one person not, aggressive will win every time,” he said.
Larson, who said things are “fine” between he and Hamlin after they exchanged text messages Friday night, agreed that the point system encourages the aggressive approach Hamlin took, but added that it “makes the guys on the receiving end more mad as well just because of what’s at stake and what’s taken.”
Larson said four or five restart battles with Kyle Busch at World Wide Technology Raceway in June showed how cleanly he tries to race other drivers.
“I respect Kyle and that’s why I raced him with respect at Gateway, and I respect Denny every bit as much, if not more, or I did,” he said.
“I tend to blow things over pretty quickly,” Larson said. “This time, I probably have let it linger on my attitude a little bit this week just because it’s happened more often with him than any other driver in my career and also a win was taken.”
Larson won the first Richmond race this season in April.
POINTS RACE
William Byron has dropped 30 points behind Martin Truex Jr. in the points race with five races remaining before the playoffs begin. The regular season champion gets a 15-point bonus, but Byron doesn’t expect to make any changes to the way he’s racing while trying to secure that top spot and bonus.
“It’s really important but we can’t get too focused on the result of the regular season points,” he said. “We obviously want those points, but our process has been like it is to this point, and if we start focusing on that carrot out in front of us too much, it’s going to get us off-track.”
CHASING SPEED
Chase Elliott said Richmond is “such a weird place” where his car never feels good, but he was pleased to make the second round of qualifying. He’ll start fourth.
“Any position you can gain is good ahead of 10th,” Elliott said. “I also know this is a place where you can qualify really good and be really bad.”
Elliott missed six races with an injury and another while serving a suspension. He hasn’t won yet and likely will need to win to make the playoffs. He’s 21st in points.
“There’s a few guys that I feel like have been consistently good at this track and the rest of us are kind of hit or miss,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we can hit it tomorrow and just put together a solid day, try to get some stage points and just get up in the mix.”
HEAT CHECK
The temperature was near 100 degrees when the cars went out for qualifying, and the heat index made it feel even hotter. It’s expected to be about 90 on Sunday.
“There’s less grip and more emphasis on tire management,” Brad Keselowski said. “It will be a different race here than it was in the spring, for sure.”
Truex and Larson are the betting favorites Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unapologetic-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ | 2023-07-29T23:03:53 | 1 | https://cw33.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-unapologetic-hamlin-says-nascars-point-system-encourages-in-race-urgency-and-aggression/ |