text stringlengths 10 159k | url stringlengths 19 865 | crawl_date timestamp[s]date 2022-02-01 01:02:23 2024-12-02 05:16:38 | lang stringclasses 1 value | lang_conf float64 0.65 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DETROIT (AP) — A monitor appointed by a federal judge in the wake of a United Auto Workers bribery and embezzlement scandal contends that the union has been uncooperative by withholding information on additional misconduct allegations.
The monitor, Neil Barofsky, made the assertion in his third report to Judge David Lawson in Detroit. Barofsky accused the union of concealing an investigation into the mishandling of cash by an assistant regional director of the UAW.
Barofsky alerted the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit, which investigated the original scandal. U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison told the union that it was violating a court order by concealing the information, and the UAW has been behaving properly since, Barofsky wrote.
But he wrote that the union was obstructing him.
“The union’s concealment of evidence of the misconduct of one of its leaders and its own investigation into that misconduct interfered with the monitor’s ability to carry out his work,” Barofsky wrote.
His assertions raise questions about whether the union has reformed itself as it has announced, and whether Ison’s office has begun further investigations. A spokeswoman for Ison declined to comment.
In a statement, the union said it’s committed to rebuilding trust and transforming the UAW’s culture. “We have proven that with a myriad of already implemented changes to policies and the creation of processes that ensure accountability,” the statement said.
The union, the statement said, would balance the need to make reforms with the mandate of bargaining for equitable contracts.
Barofsky’s report said the union also refused to give him summaries of oral interviews involving investigations as required by the court. The monitor has 19 investigations under way and has referred two cases to Ison’s office after having received tips from a UAW ethics hotline.
At a meeting with Ison on March 31, UAW President Ray Curry denied the union had violated the consent order that it had agreed to in court, the report said. Ison cautioned that the union faced potential government action and insisted that it cooperate with Barofsky. Curry committed to “do a total reset” with Barofsky and said he had replaced the UAW’s top lawyer and outside counsel.
Since then, Barofsky reported that important progress has been made. “The union should be commended for its reaction and response to the meeting with the U.S. Attorney,” Barofsky wrote.
The monitor found out about the probe into the regional director while interviewing a UAW employee in another investigation, Barofsky wrote.
Part of the bribery scandal that brought down two former UAW presidents involved spending union money on conferences. But Barofsky wrote that the union still doesn’t have sufficient financial controls in place to watch conference spending, which can run over $1 million for over 1,000 attendees.
The union, he wrote, doesn’t require conference budgets and largely leaves spending decisions up to executive board members or staff. Plus, there are no guidelines for how much can be spent at conferences or on individual categories such as food, beverages and entertainment.
Union officials have told Barofsky that expenses are consistent with past conferences and are appropriate for a union the size of the UAW. Plus, no policy prohibits them, the officials said, according to the report.
A financial officer’s conference in New Orleans had a $300,000 dinner reception for about 1,000 people, and another $19,200 dinner party for 80-to-100 people attending the conference, Barofsky reported.
Curry, appointed a year ago to replace retiring Rory Gamble to lead the nearly 400,000-member union, is running for election this fall. Union members in December decided to directly vote on their leaders instead of having them elected by delegates to a convention. Candidates for top offices will be nominated at a convention that begins on Monday in Detroit.
Under the old system, convention delegates were picked by local union offices. But the new slate of leaders was picked by the outgoing president, and seldom was there any serious opposition.
Barofsky wil oversee the election of the union’s 13-member International Executive Board, which includes the president, three vice presidents, secretary-treasurer and regional directors.
Barofsky was appointed last year as part of a settlement that avoided a government takeover of the union after the wide-ranging bribery and embezzlement scandal.
Eleven union officials and a late official’s spouse have pleaded guilty in the corruption probe since 2017, including the two presidents who served before Gamble, Gary Jones and Dennis Williams. Both were sentenced to prison. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/business/ap-business/federal-monitor-accuses-uaw-of-concealing-misconduct-probe/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:24 | en | 0.973363 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Democrats regained hold of Washington’s secretary of state office for the first time in more than five decades when Sen. Steve Hobbs was sworn into the position last November, following an appointment by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee to fill the seat.
Now, Hobbs faces challengers - including several Republicans and a long-serving elections official from Pierce County who is running as a non-partisan - as he attempts to hang on to the office for the remaining two years of former Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman’s four-year term.
Wyman was the fifth consecutive GOP secretary of state in Washington dating back to 1965, but left for a key election security job in the Biden administration.
In addition to being the state’s chief elections officer, the secretary of state also serves as chief corporations officer and supervisor of the state archives and state library.
Ballots were mailed to the state’s nearly 4.8 million voters last week for the Aug. 2 primary. Under the state’s primary system, the top two vote getters advance to the general election in November, regardless of party.
Hobbs has raised the most among the candidates for the race to date, more than $403,000, followed by Pierce County auditor Julie Anderson, who has raised nearly $170,000. Among the Republicans in the race, former Sen. Mark Miloscia – who is now head of the conservative Family Policy Institute – has raised the most, more than $59,000. Tamborine Borrelli – an “America First” candidate who was fined by the state Supreme Court last month for making legally meritless claims alleging widespread voter fraud — has raised nearly $48,000 and Sen. Keith Wagoner – who has been endorsed by former Secretary of State Sam Reed – has raised about $38,000. Both skipped a recent televised forum hosted by the League of Women Voters.
During that forum, Hobbs pointed to his experience as a Washington National Guard lieutenant and the months he's already spent in the office as why he's best positioned to address issues ranging from cybersecurity concerns to election misinformation and disinformation.
“No other candidate except for me has the experience to combat these issues,” he said.
Anderson, who has been Pierce County auditor for the past 12 years, noted that she’s led Pierce County’s elections team through three presidential elections and has managed hundreds of elections.
“The hyperpolarization that’s so painful in our country right now and in Washington state is only going to get worse,” she said on why she’s running as a non-partisan. “We don’t need political parties in the secretary of state’s office calling balls and strikes at home plate.”
Miloscia said that he wants more audits of the system, saying that "the voters have lost confidence in what we’re doing.”
There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Washington state, and Wyman, the former Republican secretary of state, regularly touted the safety and security of the vote-by-mail system. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Washington-s-secretary-of-state-draws-several-17318040.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:25 | en | 0.972274 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/articles/40132882 | 2022-07-20T21:36:27 | en | 0.738227 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony domestic violence charges filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children.
District Attorney George Gascón announced Tuesday that his office filed one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
Bridges entered not guilty pleas during an arraignment, the DA's office said.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 by Los Angeles police and was later released on $130,000 bond.
The Hornets and the NBA both said they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
“These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,” the Hornets said. “As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges’ two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read “adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.”
“I hate that it has come to this but I can’t be silent anymore. I’ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won’t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I’m not. I won’t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person.”
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have extended Bridges a qualifying offer allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team had indicated prior to knowledge of Bridges’ arrest that it wanted to re-sign him.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/Hornets-Bridges-pleads-not-guilty-to-domestic-17317887.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:29 | en | 0.974393 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
ATLANTA (AP) — Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who wears No. 15, has shed the nickname “AR-15” because he doesn’t want to be linked to the semiautomatic rifle used in mass shootings.
Richardson said Wednesday at the Southeastern Conference Media Days he is “just trying to rebrand myself and become a better person.”
The sophomore said he was thinking about “what the future holds” when making the decision.
“I’m not going to be able to play football for the rest of my life,” Richardson said. “I feel it was pretty much a business decision. There’s a lot going on and that kind of played a part in it. Just trying to understand like who I am as a person.
"AR-15 doesn’t necessarily describe who I am. I’m Anthony Richardson and that’s who I’ve been since I was born.”
NIL COUNTER
One day after Alabama coach Nick Saban said his players made more than $3 million in name, image and likeness deals, Georgia coach Kirby Smart wouldn't give a total count on the earnings of his players.
Smart said he preferred to emphasize having 95 players with NIL deals. He said winning the 2021 national championship helped his players take advantage of the NIL opportunities.
“I would rival anybody in the country with 95 NIL deals coming off the national championship, a pretty gaudy number that we’ve been able to give out,” Smart said before adding he didn't think the total value of the deals was most important.
“I think it’s more about the depth of our deals than the total amount,” Smart said.
ENDURING AT KENTUCKY
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is 59-53 as he enters his 10th season, setting a school record for endurance.
The Wildcats carry a streak of six consecutive bowl seasons into 2022.
“The 10 years in Lexington is something that I am proud of because I know how difficult it is,” Stoops said. “I know how difficult it is to walk into this league with the great coaching, with the recruiting ... then trying to climb that ladder as high as we can.”
Stoops added, “However, we’re not satisfied. We want to continue to grow. We want to continue to push it. Obviously, some teams at the top of the food chain in the East and the West are doing some really special things. So you have to continue to elevate your game.”
NEW DEAL FOR SMART
Smart confirmed he is close to agreeing to a contract extension. He is 66-15 in six years at Georgia.
Smart is earning more than $7.1 million per year on his current deal, which carries through the 2024 season. His extension is expected to be for 10 or more years and make him one of the game's highest-paid coaches at about $10 million per year.
“I’m not concerned at all about it,” Smart said of the talks between Georgia's administration and his agent, Jimmy Sexton.
“They’ve been tremendous in their communication with my representation,” Smart said. “I’m completely comfortable with where everything is. Both sides have worked really hard to get the thing done.”
BENNETT WELCOMES HIS BROTHER
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is five years older than his brother, Luke Bennett, a wide receiver. Under normal conditions, that age difference would prevent the brothers from playing together in college.
Thanks to the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stetson is taking advantage of his sixth year — and the unexpected opportunity to play with his younger brother, a freshman, who signed with Georgia as a walk-on.
“That’s probably the coolest thing for me that came out of COVID-19, if you can say that,” said Stetson Bennett. "We were always super tight, but I was five years older than him. We were never able to get on the team together.
"Being able to have that opportunity, it’s special. We are both super lucky. I know my mom is a big fan of it happening. Hopefully, the stars align, and we can throw a pass to each other, but for right now, we are good just being on the same team.”
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Florida-QB-Richardson-seeks-rebrand-sheds-AR-15-17317889.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:31 | en | 0.982904 |
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday it is the West’s own fault that the flow of Russian natural gas to European customers has dwindled and warned that it could continue ebbing.
Putin’s statement further cranked up pressure on the European Union, which fears Russia could cut off gas to wreak economic and political havoc in Europe in the winter.
Speaking to Russian reporters in Tehran, where he attended the talks with the leaders of Iran and Turkey, Putin said the amount of gas pumped through the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany will fall further from 60 million to 30 million cubic meters a day, or about one fifth of its capacity, if a turbine isn’t quickly replaced.
He added that Russia could launch the recently completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline that has never entered service, but noted that it would only have half of its designated capacity because the rest has been used for domestic needs.
The Russian leader also warned the West that its plan to cap the prices of Russian oil as part of its sanctions over Ukraine will destabilize the global oil market and make prices soar.
“We are hearing some crazy ideas about restricting the volumes of Russian oil and capping the Russian oil price,” he said. “The result will be the same — a rise in prices. Prices will skyrocket.”
Since Russian troops rolled into Ukraine in February, the EU has approved bans on Russian coal and most oil to take effect later this year but did not include natural gas because the 27-nation bloc depends on it to power factories, generate electricity and heat homes.
However, Russia’s Gazprom state-controlled natural gas giant reduced gas deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany by 60% last month, citing technical problems after a turbine that Siemens sent to Canada for overhaul couldn’t be returned because of sanctions. Canada and Germany made a deal to return the turbine, but Putin said Tuesday that Gazprom still hasn’t received the relevant documents.
The Russian leader said that Gazprom was to shut another turbine for repairs in late July, and if the one that was sent to Canada isn’t returned by that time the flow of gas will ebb even more.
As another reason for the supply reduction, he pointed out that Ukraine closed a branch of a transit pipeline carrying Russian gas to the West through territory controlled by Moscow-based separatists. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/business/ap-business/putin-warns-eu-that-gas-supplies-could-keep-dwindling/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:31 | en | 0.972151 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/articles/40133006 | 2022-07-20T21:36:33 | en | 0.738227 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, new President Sandra Douglass Morgan and star tight end Darren Waller all attended a WNBA game between the hometown Aces and the Atlanta Dream and they were all about the energy.
As electric as the arena was, though, the trio couldn't help but talk about the energy flowing roughly 10 miles away at the Raiders' facility.
“We’re undefeated right now and hopefully we’ll keep it that way,” Davis said. “This offseason has been a real building moment for us.”
The Raiders, who open their preseason slate on Aug. 4 in the Hall of Fame Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, have all new leadership, something Davis said he’s elated about.
From the enthusiasm he’s seen during Morgan’s first two weeks at the helm, to first-year general manager Dave Ziegler’s plans to build the team, to new coach Josh McDaniels' game strategies.
“We’re just really thrilled to have the three of them at the top of the food chain,” Davis said Tuesday night, a day before veterans reported for camp.
The addition of wide receiver Davante Adams gives Derek Carr the big-time target he’s longed for while completing a receiving trifecta for the ninth-year quarterback, along with Waller and Hunter Renfrow.
Waller, who was Carr’s leading receiver in 2019 and 2020, said he is looking forward to being in a McDaniels-led system that could contain hints of the style he used in New England, where the Patriots generally relied on a tight end to complement the passing game.
“It’s gonna put pressure on people," Waller said. "We have the talent to dictate what goes on out there and we feel excited about the scheme that’s in place."
For Morgan, the first Black woman to assume the role of president of an NFL team, the wow factor has been watching every component of the Raiders organization work in unison leading up to camp.
“It is just an amazing machine that is smooth and operating and we just can’t wait for the season to kick off,” Morgan said. “People are excited and ready for the season. You see the tents kind of going up on the field and we’re all just excited and really ready to go and support the team however we can.”
During a media availability Wednesday, edge rusher Maxx Crosby said he still has nerves on the eve of training camp.
”(I’m) just trying to get my mind in a different place because once you start training camp, you’ve got to be in a different place mentally,” said Crosby, who was named to his first Pro Bowl after registering eight sacks last season. “It’s here now, so it’s super exciting. Every single year, it’s always a new challenge, new goals, new things going on. But it’s football, so there’s nothing more I’d rather be doing on Earth.”
For Davis, it’s another season with another new staff and the same expectations he always has. But as confident as he may be, he knows better than to pat himself on the back over any moves he’s made
“I’ve been through this too many times at the beginning of the season,” Davis said. “We have a lot of promise. But you gotta go out and do it. And then when you go out and start earning those things, then you start saying ‘yeah we got it right.'"
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/Raiders-ramping-up-for-season-with-new-leadership-17317980.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:36 | en | 0.963421 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
ATLANTA (AP) — It's no easy task to live with expectations at the top of the Southeastern Conference.
Alabama's 2021 season has been described as a disappointment even though the Crimson Tide won the SEC title and played in the national championship game.
Georgia won its first national championship since 1980 by beating Alabama. After having 15 players selected in the NFL draft, including three defensive linemen, Georgia now faces criticisms that its time at the top will be only a one-year stay.
The Bulldogs are viewed as underdogs to the Tide in this year's SEC race. Alabama, Ohio State and possibly others are more popular picks in early national championship projections.
Coach Kirby Smart said Wednesday he doesn't worry about his Bulldogs getting complacent.
“I don’t think any of our guys would rest on the laurels because we don’t really have a lot of guys that have laurels to rest on,” Smart said at the SEC Media Days. “I think that’s the biggest thing because everybody keeps bringing up you won a national championship, so do you worry about complacency. Well the guys who won it, they’re mostly in NFL camps, so there’s a lot of hungry guys on our team.”
Alabama standout linebacker Will Anderson says just winning the SEC title last season wasn't enough.
“The biggest goal of our team is always to win a national championship and we didn’t meet that goal last year,” Anderson said Tuesday. “So that season was not the successful season that we wanted, because all the blood, sweat and tears we put in, all the hard work, all the long meetings — is to get to the national championship and win it. And we got there and didn’t finish the way we wanted to finish."
If Smart's read on his new starters' motivation is correct, the Bulldogs' hunger is most prominent on defense. There were five Georgia defensive players selected in the first round of the NFL draft, including defensive end Travon Walker as the No. 1 overall pick by Jacksonville. Three more defensive players were picked later in the draft.
Georgia linebacker Nolan Smith said he attended Walker's draft party and wasn't worried about the impact of the draft on this season's defense.
“It made me really happy, seeing all my friends realize their dreams,” Smith said. “There’s nothing more that a friend should ask for than to see your other friends be successful.”
Including LSU in 2019, Alabama in 2020 and Georgia, the SEC has had three different teams win the last three national championships. That can provide encouragement for coaches trying to build championship programs, including first-year Florida coach Billy Napier.
“I think we’re all aware if you can win your division, the championship here, you can be a national championship contender,” Napier said. “The path, it’s been proven. ... We’re consumed with Florida right now. We’ve got a lot of grass to mow, right? It’s our grass, not anybody else’s. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Georgia has won the SEC East four of the last five years and is 27-2 in the division since 2017.
“I think we're all aware there's a large gap between Georgia and No. 2, and we're working on closing that,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said.
Florida finished 6-7 overall, including 2-6 in the SEC, in 2021, leading to Dan Mullen's firing. Even so, Florida finished first in the East in 2020 and linebacker Ventrell Miller insists the Gators can return to the top.
“How big is the gap?" Miller asked Wednesday. "I don’t feel like there’s no gap.
“We’re the University of Florida. I feel like we had a bad season last year but we’re moving on, and I feel like this season is going to be a great season.”
The 33-18 loss to Georgia provides ample motivation for Alabama, including its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young.
“Coming up short obviously is really tough,” Young said. “It stings a lot. Obviously it hurt a lot losing. It’s something that we carry as fuel to the fire this offseason. It’s something that’s been fueling us, something that’s been pushing us. No one wants to feel like we felt last year, so we’re doing everything in our power to give ourselves the best chance to have the circumstances that we want to have.”
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Georgia-Alabama-coping-with-high-expectations-at-17317888.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:37 | en | 0.974584 |
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Micronesia has likely become the final nation in the world with a population of more than 100,000 to experience an outbreak of COVID-19.
For more than two-and-a-half years, the Pacific archipelago managed to avoid any outbreaks thanks to its geographic isolation and border controls. Those people who flew into the country with the disease didn’t spread it because all new arrivals were required to quarantine.
But as has been the case in several other Pacific nations this year, those defenses couldn’t keep out the more transmissible omicron variant forever.
On Tuesday, the government announced it had become aware of multiple cases across two of the nation’s four states.
Authorities said that in Kosrae State, 25 people tested positive after showing up at a local hospital. An additional 10 people from a family of 11 tested positive after a medical team visited them.
Authorities said they had also found seven community cases in the state of Pohnpei. State leaders there have asked all residents to avoid public gatherings and to wear masks at all times.
The outbreak comes less than two weeks before Micronesia planned to end its quarantine restrictions and reopen its borders to the world on Aug. 1.
Last year, Micronesia became one of the few countries to impose a broad mandate requiring all eligible citizens get vaccinated against the coronavirus. It threatened to withhold federal funds from any individuals or business owners who didn’t follow the rules, and as a result has had high vaccination rates.
Almost all nations in the world have now experienced COVID-19 outbreaks.
Turkmenistan is the only other country with more than 100,000 people that hasn’t reported any cases, although experts believe there has been a significant outbreak there that the autocratic leadership has chosen to ignore.
There have also been headaches for health officials trying to compile figures from North Korea.
In May, North Korea acknowledged it had a COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, it has reported nearly 4.8 million cases with fever symptoms, but in state media has identified only a fraction of them as confirmed COVID-19 patients, due in part to a lack of test kits.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, the omicron variant has spread the coronavirus to several small nations for the first time this year, including Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa and Nauru.
Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands have so far managed to avoid any community outbreaks. The Marshall Islands plans to end its border quarantine requirements from Oct. 1. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/health-news/ap-health/micronesia-last-of-bigger-nations-to-have-covid-19-outbreak/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:38 | en | 0.969435 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/articles/40133091 | 2022-07-20T21:36:39 | en | 0.738227 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
The NCAA has adequately addressed nine of 23 recommendations for creating comparable NCAA Tournament experiences for men's and women's basketball players, according to a progress report released Wednesday.
College sports' largest governing body hired a third party to evaluate its response to a scathing report issued almost a year ago that criticized gender inequality in the tournaments.
Among the most visible changes noted in the progress report were “March Madness” branding and increased cross-promotion for both tournaments in 2022, as well as the addition of four teams to the women's tournament to create a “First Four” event to bring it in line with the men's tournament structure.
The NCAA men's and women's basketball committees jointly rejected a recommendation to hold simultaneous Final Fours in the same city, the report said, and NCAA leadership decided against changing the Division I basketball administrative structure. That means vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman continues to report to senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt.
An outside firm was hired to conduct the assessment and that the NCAA was honoring the firm's request to not be identified, as per company policy, NCAA Associate Director of Communications Meghan Durham told The Associated Press in an email.
“The findings of this assessment illustrate our commitment to advance gender equity at NCAA championships. Thanks to a collaborative spirit, significant accomplishments were achieved this past year," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "We have said it before — our work is not finished. Gender equity must remain a priority for leaders throughout college sports and we look forward to continuing to support these efforts moving forward.”
The initial report published in August was done by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, which was hired after the NCAA failed to provide similar amenities to the teams in the 2021 men’s and women’s Division I tournaments.
The tournaments were played in “bubbles” because of the pandemic, and players blew up social media with complaints that showed disparities between men's and women's weight-training facilities, food, lounge areas and gifts — prompting apologies from NCAA executives.
The Kaplan report said the NCAA failed to uphold its commitment to gender equity by prioritizing its cash-cow men's tournament “over everything else" and put forth the recommendations that the NCAA has enacted or considered.
The issues that women's players drew attention to have been addressed, the progress report noted. And in addition to the branding improvements, the NCAA increased full-time staff working on women's tournament; improved communication between men's and women's basketball committees; began a program to identify and track areas that need to be the same, comparable and different in men's and women's tournament experiences; hired a third party to produce an annual report on gender-equity initiatives; and issued statements on how gender-equity issues are or will be addressed.
The progress report also pointed out the NCAA increased the 2022 women's tournament expenses budget by $6.1 million and that an additional $1 million would be added.
Among areas in progress: hiring a full-time employee to focus on women's and gender-equity issues; initiating third-party assessments of gender-equity progress every five years; emphasizing new corporate sponsorships for the women's tournament; pursuing promotional and marketing opportunities that benefit both tournaments; building on the increased branding visibility with “March Madness” courts and hoops at the women's First Four and first and second rounds.
In the future, the NCAA is looking to pursue standalone rights for the women's tournament once existing media and marketing contracts expire in 2024, the report said, as well as hiring a senior vice president for revenue focusing on both tournaments and creating a women's tournament revenue distribution plan that's more in line with that of the men's tournament.
NCAA revenues surpassed $1 billion in the year before the pandemic and almost $900 million of that was tied to the media rights deal with CBS and Turner for the men’s tournament.
The women’s tournament is part of a package with more than two dozen other NCAA championships that ESPN owns and pays about $34 million per year for through 2023-24. But according to an assessment done for Kaplan by a team of sports media and marketing experts, the women’s tournament will be worth between $81 and $112 million annually beginning in 2025.
___
More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/Report-NCAA-makes-progress-on-gender-inequality-17318037.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:42 | en | 0.973684 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sam Hartman walked off the field at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in December in despair after throwing four interceptions in Wake Forest's 45-21 loss to Pittsburgh in the 2021 ACC championship game.
The 22-year-old quarterback was so downtrodden he declined interviews after the game.
Hartman hasn't forgotten that night in which the Demon Deacons were held scoreless in their final 13 possessions and missed out on a chance to win the school's first ACC title since 2006.
“It's one of the reasons I came back. It's a legacy, right?" said Hartman, a redshirt junior who has thrown for 9,266 yards and 72 touchdowns during his four seasons. "Wake Forest invested in me and I want to invest back in Wake Forest. I felt like I owed it to them and their belief in me. ... I wanted to make it right."
Hartman was in good spirits on Wednesday, arriving at ACC Media Days wearing a “Peaky cap,” a nod to his favorite TV character Tommy Shelby from the early 1900s British crime drama “Peaky Blinders." (“I like his attitude and his mentality,” Hartman said.)
Aside from the ACC title game, Hartman had a spectacular season. He threw for 4,228 yards with 39 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, helping Wake Forest unseat national power Clemson to win the Atlantic Division championship. After the ACC loss, the Deacons bounced back to beat Rutgers 38-10 in the Gator Bowl to finish 11-3.
And while Tommy Shelby is known as a no-nonsense character who doesn’t take anything from anyone, Hartman said he's learned to “tone down” his trash talk during the game as he's matured .
“I’ve learned if you trash talk people, they hit you harder — so I've kind of shied away from that," Hartman said with a laugh. "I’m more likely to make cordial conversation.”
EXPERIENCED QUARTERBACKS
Wake Forest isn't the only Atlantic Division team returning an experienced quarterback — all seven will.
That group that includes Devin Leary with North Carolina State and DJ Uiagalelei at Clemson.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said he's never seen this kind of scenario before, adding that he expects the Atlantic to be a “slugfest.”
“If you are playing a team whose quarterback is not savvy and doesn’t have experience and yours is, you have a great advantage," Doeren said. "We don’t have that in any game as far as playing against a nonstarter.”
Other returning starting QBs in the division are Florida State's Jordan Travis, Syracuse's Garrett Shrader, Boston College's Phil Jurkovec and Louisville's Mailk Cunningham.
DABO'S SUPPORT
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the difference between Uiagalelei and his successful predecessors Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson is that Uiagalelei hasn't gotten the support from those around him.
Uiagalelei received heavy criticism last year for the Tigers' falloff in offensive production, but Swinney threw his support behind him Wednesday.
“I got a lot of confidence in DJ,” Swinney said. "He’s got some scars on him, some shrapnel — and that's going to serve him well. ... But you've got to go do it. And I believe he will do it.”
PLAYOFF EXPANSION
Commissioner Jim Phillips said the ACC is supportive of an expanded College Football Playoff, but added there “is more work to be done" before that comes to fruition.
In January, Phillips preached caution when it came to playoff expansion, citing concerns about athlete welfare, the impact on academics and the length of the season.
“The ACC took what we believe was a necessary stance regarding last fall’s CFP proposal,” Phillips said. “This was based on feeling we must all come together to address before rushing into a new model.”
But Phillips' optimism comes after what he called “great meetings” with other conference commissioners in April and June. He said he is confident that the concerns of the ACC and others will be addressed and “a new model with great access will ultimately come to pass.”
Phillips said an expansion still might take some time.
“I don’t expect us in September when we get together to line up and announce a new CFP structure,” Phillips said. “... I don’t know that there’s a separation now with those things. We’ll see, but I think the health and safety, the 365-day calendar review. I mean, we’ve talked about access, automatic qualifiers. There’s a lot of things to discuss.”
FINAL YEAR OF DIVISIONS
This will be the final season the ACC uses the two-division format.
Beginning in 2023, the league will go to one 14-team division and the teams with the top two winning percentages will advance to the annual conference championship game the first weekend of December in Charlotte.
That would seem to be an advantage to teams in the Atlantic Division that have had to compete for one spot with Clemson, which had won every ACC title since 2014 before being upended by Wake Forest last season.
“If you take the division votes every year, the Atlantic was for eliminating it, and the Coastal was for keeping it,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Hartman-I-owed-it-to-Wake-Forest-to-return-17317948.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:44 | en | 0.977474 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/articles/40133724 | 2022-07-20T21:36:45 | en | 0.738227 |
BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military has laid landmines that have killed and injured people in and around villages in Kayah, a conflict-affected region near the border with Thailand, Amnesty International said Wednesday.
The human rights groups said its researchers who visited the region found that landmines laid around people’s homes and churches have killed at least 20 people and maimed many other civilians.
The researchers interviewed villagers in an area where the army has been fighting ethnic Karenni armed groups after the military seized power from Myanmar’s elected government in February 2021.
Various international agreements including the 1997 Ottawa Convention ban the use of antipersonnel mines with the intention of eliminating weapons that have killed and maimed thousands of people around the world, often long after hostilities have ended.
“The Myanmar military’s use of landmines is abhorrent and cruel. At a time when the world has overwhelmingly banned these inherently indiscriminate weapons, the military has placed them in people’s yards, homes, and even stairwells, as well as around a church,” Matt Wells, Amnesty International’s Crisis Response deputy director for thematic issues, said in a statement.
Amnesty’s report said landmines have been deployed in at least 20 villages in Kayah. The report backed earlier allegations made by ethnic groups.
The Karenni Human Rights Group earlier this month also accused army forces of planting landmines in villages and settlements in Kayah state.
Last month, the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that landmines and unexploded ordnance had maimed or killed children in many regions of the country, with the largest number of casualties in Shan state in northeastern Myanmar.
Apart from the immediate danger, planting landmines can prevent people who flee violence from returning to their homes and fields, Amnesty International noted.
It said that ethnic armed groups were warning residents to be aware of the risks.
“The military appears to be systematically laying landmines near where it is based as well as in areas from which it retreats,” it said.
Myanmar has been mired in violence and civil unrest since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering widespread peaceful protests that were put down with lethal force by the army and police. The nonviolent opposition has since turned into armed resistance, and the country has slipped into what some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war.
Amnesty International has also accused Myanmar’s military of carrying out widespread atrocities in the eastern part of the country that constitute war crimes and probably crimes against humanity, saying that civilians from the Karen and Karenni ethnic minorities have been the targets of unlawful killing, arbitrary detention and forcible displacement. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/international/amnesty-intl-says-myanmar-army-has-laid-landmines-in-kayah/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:44 | en | 0.973792 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony domestic violence charges filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children.
District Attorney George Gascón announced Tuesday that his office filed one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
Bridges entered not guilty pleas during an arraignment, the DA's office said.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 by Los Angeles police and was later released on $130,000 bond.
The Hornets and the NBA both said they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
“These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,” the Hornets said. “As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges’ two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read “adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.”
“I hate that it has come to this but I can’t be silent anymore. I’ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won’t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I’m not. I won’t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person.”
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have extended Bridges a qualifying offer allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team had indicated prior to knowledge of Bridges’ arrest that it wanted to re-sign him.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Hornets-Bridges-pleads-not-guilty-to-domestic-17317887.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:45 | en | 0.974393 |
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (AP) — World TeamTennis, the mixed-gender league co-founded nearly a half-century ago by Billie Jean King, will not have a season in 2022 but plans to return next year.
WTT announced Wednesday that it is hoping to add new teams by 2023. The expansion fee is $1 million per franchise.
The league held single-site seasons during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and intends to return to matches played at teams' home courts. | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/World-TeamTennis-taking-2022-off-seeks-new-17318039.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:48 | en | 0.967246 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/articles/40134043 | 2022-07-20T21:36:51 | en | 0.738227 |
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese authorities have obtained court approval to extend the detention of the suspect in former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination earlier this month for 10 more days until they file formal charges.
Abe, one of Japan’s most influential politicians, was assassinated on July 8 in the western city of Nara, shocking a nation known for safety and strict gun control.
The alleged assassin, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, was arrested immediately after the shooting and has been held for questioning. He can be detained until July 29, when prosecutors must decide whether to formally press murder charges.
Nara prefectural police have said Yamagami, who had served in the Japanese navy in the early 2000s, told investigators that he killed Abe because of rumored links between the former prime minister and a religious group that he hated. Yamagami reportedly was distressed because his mother’s massive donations to the Unification Church bankrupted the family.
Over the weekend, police obtained a letter they believe Yamagami had mailed to a journalist the day before the attack, describing how his mother’s overspending destroyed and bankrupted his family because of her devotion to the church. He said the experience “distorted my entire life.”
In the typed, one-page letter, the suspect allegedly said Abe was not his essential target even though he felt bitter toward him. He said that Abe was just one of the “sympathizers” of the church and that it would be impossible to kill all members of the church’s founding family — hinting at his decision to target Abe instead.
Yamagami allegedly said in the letter that he no longer had capacity to think about political consequences Abe’s death may cause.
Police have said the suspect had test-fired his powerful handmade guns at least twice — in the mountains and targeting a local branch of the Unification Church.
On Tuesday, Ryo Sakai, head of the Maritime Self Defense Force, told reporters that his troops were fully cooperating with police investigations. Yamagami, who was assigned to a destroyer based at Hiroshima, likely acquired more knowledge of firearms than ordinary citizens, even though navy training does not involve handmade guns.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has asked members of the governing party to be united to overcome difficulties amid a growing speculation of a power struggle among members of Abe’s party wing — the largest among the Liberal Democrats — over who should lead the faction.
Senior LDP lawmakers on Tuesday called for members to prepare for a state funeral for Abe. A smaller funeral at a Tokyo Buddhist temple was held last Tuesday and Abe was cremated, but Kishida announced plans for a state funeral in the fall in an event that will also serve as a diplomatic gathering. Abe’s death has prompted condolences from representatives of more than 100 countries.
The plan for the state funeral for a leader whose arch-conservative ideology has divided public opinion has triggered mixed reaction from opposition groups. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/international/japan-extends-detention-for-abes-alleged-assassin/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:51 | en | 0.984671 |
WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
206 PM PDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT
THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet with dangerous rip
currents. Highest south-facing beaches.
* WHERE...Ventura County Beaches.
* WHEN...Until 11 AM PDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...There is an increased risk for ocean drowning. Rip
currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large
breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and
rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay
near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in
such conditions, stay off the rocks.
* WHERE...Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands, Malibu Coast and
Los Angeles County Beaches.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LOS-ANGELES-Warnings-Watches-and-17318089.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:54 | en | 0.866803 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, new President Sandra Douglass Morgan and star tight end Darren Waller all attended a WNBA game between the hometown Aces and the Atlanta Dream and they were all about the energy.
As electric as the arena was, though, the trio couldn't help but talk about the energy flowing roughly 10 miles away at the Raiders' facility.
“We’re undefeated right now and hopefully we’ll keep it that way,” Davis said. “This offseason has been a real building moment for us.”
The Raiders, who open their preseason slate on Aug. 4 in the Hall of Fame Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, have all new leadership, something Davis said he’s elated about.
From the enthusiasm he’s seen during Morgan’s first two weeks at the helm, to first-year general manager Dave Ziegler’s plans to build the team, to new coach Josh McDaniels' game strategies.
“We’re just really thrilled to have the three of them at the top of the food chain,” Davis said Tuesday night, a day before veterans reported for camp.
The addition of wide receiver Davante Adams gives Derek Carr the big-time target he’s longed for while completing a receiving trifecta for the ninth-year quarterback, along with Waller and Hunter Renfrow.
Waller, who was Carr’s leading receiver in 2019 and 2020, said he is looking forward to being in a McDaniels-led system that could contain hints of the style he used in New England, where the Patriots generally relied on a tight end to complement the passing game.
“It’s gonna put pressure on people," Waller said. "We have the talent to dictate what goes on out there and we feel excited about the scheme that’s in place."
For Morgan, the first Black woman to assume the role of president of an NFL team, the wow factor has been watching every component of the Raiders organization work in unison leading up to camp.
“It is just an amazing machine that is smooth and operating and we just can’t wait for the season to kick off,” Morgan said. “People are excited and ready for the season. You see the tents kind of going up on the field and we’re all just excited and really ready to go and support the team however we can.”
During a media availability Wednesday, edge rusher Maxx Crosby said he still has nerves on the eve of training camp.
”(I’m) just trying to get my mind in a different place because once you start training camp, you’ve got to be in a different place mentally,” said Crosby, who was named to his first Pro Bowl after registering eight sacks last season. “It’s here now, so it’s super exciting. Every single year, it’s always a new challenge, new goals, new things going on. But it’s football, so there’s nothing more I’d rather be doing on Earth.”
For Davis, it’s another season with another new staff and the same expectations he always has. But as confident as he may be, he knows better than to pat himself on the back over any moves he’s made
“I’ve been through this too many times at the beginning of the season,” Davis said. “We have a lot of promise. But you gotta go out and do it. And then when you go out and start earning those things, then you start saying ‘yeah we got it right.'"
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Raiders-ramping-up-for-season-with-new-leadership-17317980.php | 2022-07-20T21:36:57 | en | 0.963421 |
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A man drove his vehicle into a family as they walked near Glacier National Park then got out and began shooting at them with a shotgun, killing one man and mortally wounding a toddler before one of the victims managed to kill the assailant after he ran out of ammunition, authorities said Tuesday.
Killed in the attack on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana were David Siau, 39, of Syracuse, New York, and Siau’s 18-month-old daughter, McKenzie.
The assailant, Derick Amos Madden, 37, had been in a prior relationship with the woman who killed him and had mental health issues, according to the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office.
Madden drove his vehicle into the Siau family just before 9 p.m. Sunday as they walked along a roadway in the small town of East Glacier Park, hitting some of them before crashing into a tree, the sheriff’s office said.
As members of the family tried to run, Madden shot and killed David Siau and mortally wounded McKenzie. The young girl was being held by her mother, Christy Siau, 40, who was shot and wounded.
After running out of ammunition, Madden used a knife to attack and critically wound Christina Siau, 30. But she fought back and fatally wounded Madden, who died at the scene, authorities said.
Two minor children who were present were able to run away and escaped injury.
McKenzie Siau was later pronounced dead at the Indian Health Service hospital in Browning. Christy and Christina Siau were flown to a hospital with critical injuries.
Authorities were still trying to determine if Madden, originally of Goldsby, Oklahoma, had the shotgun legally.
The sheriff’s office described it as an “isolated…incident with a clear nexus between the victims and Madden” and said the investigation was continuing. It was not clear what provoked Sunday’s attack beyond the prior relationship between Madden and Christina Siau.
Local authorities did not know of any previous interactions that Madden had with law enforcement. He had been working recently in East Glacier, a tourist town and gateway to the mountains in Glacier National Park, according to Jody Hickey, a spokesperson for Glacier County Sheriff Vernon “Napi” Billedeaux.
Christina Siau was originally from New York and had been living in East Glacier, where her family was visiting, Hickey said.
Christy Siau was a former book keeper for the American Baptist Churches of New York State, according to a social media postings by the organization. She was described as “a long time and beloved member” of the organization’s staff in a statement from Executive Minister Rev. James Kelsey.
Christy and David Siau were also active in the First Baptist Church of Hoosick Falls, New York, Kelsey said. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/national/attacker-mows-down-family-with-vehicle-kills-2-with-shotgun/ | 2022-07-20T21:36:58 | en | 0.986178 |
WFO PHOENIX Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, July 22, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
128 PM MST Wed Jul 20 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MST /11 AM
PDT/ THURSDAY TO 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions. Afternoon temperatures 111
to 116 degrees.
* WHERE...In Arizona, Parker Valley. In California, Imperial
Valley and Palo Verde Valley.
* WHEN...From 11 AM MST /11 AM PDT/ Thursday to 8 PM MST /8 PM
PDT/ Friday.
* IMPACTS...High Heat Risk. Overexposure can cause heat cramps
and heat exhaustion to develop and, without intervention, can
lead to heat stroke.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
An Excessive Heat Warning means that a period of very hot
temperatures, even by local standards, will occur. Actions should
be taken to lessen the impact of the extreme heat.
Stay indoors and seek air-conditioned buildings. Drink water,
more than usual, and avoid dehydrating alcoholic, sugary, or
caffeinated drinks. Dress for the heat - lightweight and light-
colored clothing. Eat small meals and eat more often. Monitor
those with a higher vulnerability to heat, including small
children. Check in on family, friends, and neighbors, especially
the elderly. If engaging in outdoor activity, take longer and
more frequent breaks and avoid the hottest parts of the day.
Never leave kids or pets unattended in cars.
Public cooling shelters are available in some areas. Consult
county officials for more details, which may include guidance for
proper social distancing measures.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. Early
signs include thirst and muscle cramps. Heat exhaustion may
include: cool, moist, pale skin; headache; dizziness; weakness or
exhaustion; nausea. The most serious illness is heat stroke,
which may include: vomiting; confusion; throbbing headache;
decreased alertness or loss of consciousness; high body
temperature (above 105F); hot, dry skin; rapid, weak pulse;
rapid, shallow breathing; seizures.
Heat stroke can be DEADLY. Treat as an emergency and call 9 1 1.
Continue to monitor NWS forecasts, broadcast outlets, and local
government for updates.
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MST /11 AM PDT/
THURSDAY TO 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions. Afternoon temperatures 110
* WHERE...In Arizona, Yuma. In California, Chuckwalla Mountains,
Southeastern Imperial County and Chiriaco Summit.
* WHEN...From 11 AM Thursday to 8 PM MST Friday.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-PHOENIX-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317974.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:00 | en | 0.880306 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
The NCAA has adequately addressed nine of 23 recommendations for creating comparable NCAA Tournament experiences for men's and women's basketball players, according to a progress report released Wednesday.
College sports' largest governing body hired a third party to evaluate its response to a scathing report issued almost a year ago that criticized gender inequality in the tournaments.
Among the most visible changes noted in the progress report were “March Madness” branding and increased cross-promotion for both tournaments in 2022, as well as the addition of four teams to the women's tournament to create a “First Four” event to bring it in line with the men's tournament structure.
The NCAA men's and women's basketball committees jointly rejected a recommendation to hold simultaneous Final Fours in the same city, the report said, and NCAA leadership decided against changing the Division I basketball administrative structure. That means vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman continues to report to senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt.
An outside firm was hired to conduct the assessment and that the NCAA was honoring the firm's request to not be identified, as per company policy, NCAA Associate Director of Communications Meghan Durham told The Associated Press in an email.
“The findings of this assessment illustrate our commitment to advance gender equity at NCAA championships. Thanks to a collaborative spirit, significant accomplishments were achieved this past year," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "We have said it before — our work is not finished. Gender equity must remain a priority for leaders throughout college sports and we look forward to continuing to support these efforts moving forward.”
The initial report published in August was done by Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, which was hired after the NCAA failed to provide similar amenities to the teams in the 2021 men’s and women’s Division I tournaments.
The tournaments were played in “bubbles” because of the pandemic, and players blew up social media with complaints that showed disparities between men's and women's weight-training facilities, food, lounge areas and gifts — prompting apologies from NCAA executives.
The Kaplan report said the NCAA failed to uphold its commitment to gender equity by prioritizing its cash-cow men's tournament “over everything else" and put forth the recommendations that the NCAA has enacted or considered.
The issues that women's players drew attention to have been addressed, the progress report noted. And in addition to the branding improvements, the NCAA increased full-time staff working on women's tournament; improved communication between men's and women's basketball committees; began a program to identify and track areas that need to be the same, comparable and different in men's and women's tournament experiences; hired a third party to produce an annual report on gender-equity initiatives; and issued statements on how gender-equity issues are or will be addressed.
The progress report also pointed out the NCAA increased the 2022 women's tournament expenses budget by $6.1 million and that an additional $1 million would be added.
Among areas in progress: hiring a full-time employee to focus on women's and gender-equity issues; initiating third-party assessments of gender-equity progress every five years; emphasizing new corporate sponsorships for the women's tournament; pursuing promotional and marketing opportunities that benefit both tournaments; building on the increased branding visibility with “March Madness” courts and hoops at the women's First Four and first and second rounds.
In the future, the NCAA is looking to pursue standalone rights for the women's tournament once existing media and marketing contracts expire in 2024, the report said, as well as hiring a senior vice president for revenue focusing on both tournaments and creating a women's tournament revenue distribution plan that's more in line with that of the men's tournament.
NCAA revenues surpassed $1 billion in the year before the pandemic and almost $900 million of that was tied to the media rights deal with CBS and Turner for the men’s tournament.
The women’s tournament is part of a package with more than two dozen other NCAA championships that ESPN owns and pays about $34 million per year for through 2023-24. But according to an assessment done for Kaplan by a team of sports media and marketing experts, the women’s tournament will be worth between $81 and $112 million annually beginning in 2025.
___
More AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/Report-NCAA-makes-progress-on-gender-inequality-17318037.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:03 | en | 0.973684 |
BOULDER CITY, Nev. (AP) — A transformer exploded Tuesday at Hoover Dam, one of the nation’s largest hydroelectric facilities, producing a thick cloud of black smoke and flames that were quickly extinguished.
No one was hurt in the explosion near the base of the dam, an engineering marvel on the Colorado River that straddles the border of Arizona and Nevada. Electricity produced at Hoover Dam continued flowing to the 8 million people in Arizona, Nevada and Southern California who rely on it, the Western Area Power Administration said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation and officials were working to determine the extent of damage to the transformer, one of 15 at the complex that control the voltages for power sent to customers.
“There is no risk to the power grid,” said Jacklynn Gould, a regional director for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The fire ignited around 10 a.m. and was out within a half-hour, Gould said in a statement. It captured the attention of tourists who said they heard an alarm sound and felt the ground rumble beneath them.
William Herro, 13, of San Francisco, was on a viewing bridge with his parents when he saw the explosion and then heard a “big boom.”
“A ton of black smoke just exploded in the air. It looked almost like a mushroom and then a fire followed,” Herro said. “I was really surprised and I started filming.”
The explosion occurred on the apron of a building housing turbines that is slightly downstream from the base of the dam, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas. Hoover Dam is one of the tallest concrete dams in the U.S. at 726 feet (221 meters). Each of its 17 generators can supply electricity to 100,000 households.
As many as 20,000 vehicles a day drive across the wide top of the dam, which is a National Historic Landmark and is seen in films including “Transformers” and “Fools Rush In.” Most motorists traveling between Arizona and Nevada use a bypass bridge high above the dam that opened in 2010.
The Bureau of Reclamation owns and operates the dam, powerhouses and turbines. The power produced at the site is transferred to a substation where it’s marketed through the Western Area Power Administration.
Hoover Dam is considered a baseload source of power, meaning it can respond quickly to the need for additional power on the grid or dial back supply.
The fire triggered an alert at the Western Area Power Administration’s control center in Phoenix. Spokesman Lisa Meiman said while the loss of a transformer or other equipment on hydropower facilities can put pressure on a grid, “no single source is integral to the health of the power grid.”
The administration markets power from 57 federal hydroelectric facilities. Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam upstream on the Arizona-Utah border are among the largest, Meiman said.
Hydropower from those dams has threatened lately by the declining levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest human-made reservoirs in the U.S. that hold water from the Colorado River.
Federal officials have taken action in recent years to prop up the lakes to preserve the dams’ ability to generate power and keep water flowing to the Western states and Mexico that rely on it. Drought and climate change have sunk the lakes to their lowest levels in decades.
___
Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Arizona. Associated Press writer Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/national/hoover-dam-transformer-explodes-no-one-hurt/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:04 | en | 0.96157 |
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (AP) — World TeamTennis, the mixed-gender league co-founded nearly a half-century ago by Billie Jean King, will not have a season in 2022 but plans to return next year.
WTT announced Wednesday that it is hoping to add new teams by 2023. The expansion fee is $1 million per franchise.
The league held single-site seasons during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and intends to return to matches played at teams' home courts. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/sports/article/World-TeamTennis-taking-2022-off-seeks-new-17318039.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:05 | en | 0.967246 |
WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, July 22, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THURSDAY
TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 116
expected.
* WHERE...Coachella Valley and San Diego County Deserts.
* WHEN...From 11 AM Thursday to 8 PM PDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the
potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Nights will be quite warm with low
temperatures in the 80s and lower 90s.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 112
* WHERE...San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...High temperatures will be hottest and
nights warmest in the northern Coachella Valley.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17318082.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:07 | en | 0.881805 |
A Sesame Street-themed amusement park has apologized and promised more training for its employees after a video showing a costumed character waving off two 6-year-old Black girls during a parade went viral online.
The nine-second video, posted to Instagram on Saturday by Jodi Brown, the mother of one of the girls, showed the character Rosita high-fiving a white child and woman, then gesturing “no” and walking away from the two girls who had their arms stretched out for a hug and high-five during the parade at Sesame Place in Langhorne, outside Philadelphia.
“I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again,” Brown said online.
The family’s lawyer, B’Ivory LaMarr, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the family is appalled and disturbed by the incident and “the injuries propagated to their children.”
In an initial statement Sunday, Sesame Place said the park and its employees stand for “inclusivity and equality in all forms.” The statement also noted that performers sometimes miss requests for hugs because the costumes they wear make it difficult to see at lower levels.
“The Rosita performer did not intentionally ignore the girls and is devastated by the misunderstanding,” the statement said.
However, many people expressed outrage online and some called for a boycott of the amusement park.
The park issued a second statement Monday, apologizing again and promising that it was “taking action to do better.” Among those efforts would be inclusivity training for employees.
Both statements and the video triggered a stark response on social media, which LaMarr said helped shed a light on “the existence of these issues.”
“A lot of African Americans tend to become very passive because we unfortunately are accustomed to dealing with this type of racism in various spaces,” he said.
Sesame Place has been the official “Sesame Street” theme park for more than four decades. It opened in 1980.
“You would expect a reputable organization the one as well revered as Sesame Street and Sesame Place to stand on those principles and values in which they portray,” LaMarr said. “Instead, what this family saw was a company that comes out and they’re very dismissive of the harms that were caused.”
___
This story has been corrected to show that Sesame Place is in Langhorne, which is outside Philadelphia, not a neighborhood of Philadelphia. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/national/sesame-place-apologizes-after-black-girls-snubbed-at-parade/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:10 | en | 0.977992 |
WFO BOSTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
442 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values from 98 to 102 degrees expected.
* WHERE...Northern Connecticut, much of Rhode Island and
portions of western, central and eastern Massachusetts.
* WHEN...Through early this evening and again from 10 AM EDT
Thursday until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/CT-WFO-BOSTON-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17318038.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:13 | en | 0.88397 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army is significantly cutting the total number of soldiers it expects to have in the force over the next two years, as the U.S. military faces what a top general called “unprecedented challenges” in bringing in recruits.
Army officials on Tuesday said the service will fall about 10,000 soldiers short of its planned end strength for this fiscal year, and prospects for next year are grimmer. Army Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, said it is projecting it will have a total force of 466,400 this year, down from the expected 476,000. And the service could end 2023 with between 445,000 and 452,000 soldiers, depending on how well recruiting and retention go.
With just two and a half months to go in the fiscal year, the Army has achieved just 50% of its recruiting goal of 60,000 soldiers, according to Lt. Col. Randee Farrell, spokeswoman for Army Secretary Christine Wormuth. Based on those numbers and trends, it is likely the Army will miss the goal by nearly 25% as of Oct. 1. If the shortfalls continue, Martin said, they could have an impact on readiness.
“We’ve got unprecedented challenges with both a post-COVID-19 environment and labor market, but also competition with private companies that have changed their incentives over time,” Martin told a House Armed Services subcommittee on Tuesday. Asked if the Army will have to adjust its force structure to meet national security and warfighting missions around the world, Martin said: “We don’t need to do that immediately. But if we don’t arrest the decline that we’re seeing right now in end strength, that could be a possibility in the future.”
Cutting the size of the Army is the best option, said Wormuth.
“The Army is facing our most challenging recruiting environment since the inception of the all-volunteer force. This is not a one-year challenge. We will not solve this overnight,” she said, adding that the service is looking at a wide range of steps to recruit more soldiers without lowering standards or sacrificing quality.
“We are facing a very fundamental question,” she added. “Do we lower standards to meet end strength, or do we lower end strength to maintain a quality, professional force? We believe the answer is obvious — quality is more important than quantity.”
The Army’s recruiting problems are the most severe across the military, but the other services are also having a tough time finding young people who want to join and can meet the physical, mental and moral requirements.
Senior Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps leaders have said they are hopeful they will meet or just slightly miss their recruiting goals for this year. But they said they will have to dip into their pool of delayed entry applicants, which will put them behind as they begin the next recruiting year.
The services bring in recruits all year around, but usually send them to basic training and boot camp over a spread-out period of time. The delay can help recruits prepare for entry-level training, particularly the more physical demands.
Military leaders are also banking on cash as an incentive. They are spending tens of thousands of dollars in increased bonuses to woo recruits, hoping to compete with other employers around the county as unemployment sits at about 3.6%.
In January, the Army, for the first time, began offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who join for six years. At the time, Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head of Army Recruiting Command, told The Associated Press that shuttered schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and the highly competitive job market have posed significant challenges for recruiters.
The military services rely heavily on face-to-face meetings with young people in schools or at fairs and other large public events. And they are only now really starting to get back to something close to normal after two years of the pandemic.
Compounding the problem is the low unemployment rate and the fact that private corporations may be able to pay more to lure workers. And, among young people, only about 23% are physically, mentally and morally qualified to serve without receiving some type of waiver. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/politics/ap-politics/army-cuts-force-size-amid-unprecedented-battle-for-recruits/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:16 | en | 0.975645 |
WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
206 PM PDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT
THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet with dangerous rip
currents. Highest south-facing beaches.
* WHERE...Ventura County Beaches.
* WHEN...Until 11 AM PDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...There is an increased risk for ocean drowning. Rip
currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large
breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and
rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay
near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in
such conditions, stay off the rocks.
* WHERE...Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands, Malibu Coast and
Los Angeles County Beaches.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-LOS-ANGELES-Warnings-Watches-and-17318089.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:17 | en | 0.866803 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
RIP CURRENT STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
335 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.
* WHERE...Matagorda Islands, Brazoria Islands, Galveston Island
and Bolivar Peninsula.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
from shore into deeper water.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17317984.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:19 | en | 0.851214 |
WFO PHOENIX Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, July 22, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
128 PM MST Wed Jul 20 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MST /11 AM
PDT/ THURSDAY TO 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions. Afternoon temperatures 111
to 116 degrees.
* WHERE...In Arizona, Parker Valley. In California, Imperial
Valley and Palo Verde Valley.
* WHEN...From 11 AM MST /11 AM PDT/ Thursday to 8 PM MST /8 PM
PDT/ Friday.
* IMPACTS...High Heat Risk. Overexposure can cause heat cramps
and heat exhaustion to develop and, without intervention, can
lead to heat stroke.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
An Excessive Heat Warning means that a period of very hot
temperatures, even by local standards, will occur. Actions should
be taken to lessen the impact of the extreme heat.
Stay indoors and seek air-conditioned buildings. Drink water,
more than usual, and avoid dehydrating alcoholic, sugary, or
caffeinated drinks. Dress for the heat - lightweight and light-
colored clothing. Eat small meals and eat more often. Monitor
those with a higher vulnerability to heat, including small
children. Check in on family, friends, and neighbors, especially
the elderly. If engaging in outdoor activity, take longer and
more frequent breaks and avoid the hottest parts of the day.
Never leave kids or pets unattended in cars.
Public cooling shelters are available in some areas. Consult
county officials for more details, which may include guidance for
proper social distancing measures.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. Early
signs include thirst and muscle cramps. Heat exhaustion may
include: cool, moist, pale skin; headache; dizziness; weakness or
exhaustion; nausea. The most serious illness is heat stroke,
which may include: vomiting; confusion; throbbing headache;
decreased alertness or loss of consciousness; high body
temperature (above 105F); hot, dry skin; rapid, weak pulse;
rapid, shallow breathing; seizures.
Heat stroke can be DEADLY. Treat as an emergency and call 9 1 1.
Continue to monitor NWS forecasts, broadcast outlets, and local
government for updates.
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MST /11 AM PDT/
THURSDAY TO 8 PM MST /8 PM PDT/ FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions. Afternoon temperatures 110
* WHERE...In Arizona, Yuma. In California, Chuckwalla Mountains,
Southeastern Imperial County and Chiriaco Summit.
* WHEN...From 11 AM Thursday to 8 PM MST Friday.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-PHOENIX-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317974.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:24 | en | 0.880306 |
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregonians will decide in November whether people wanting to purchase a gun will first have to qualify for a permit, after one of the strictest gun-control measures in the nation landed on the ballot.
“I was thrilled to hear the news and thankful for the 1,600 volunteers, of all ages” the Rev. Mark Knutson, a chief petitioner of the initiative, said Tuesday.
Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s elections division determined on Monday that the gun-safety campaign delivered enough verified signatures of registered voters to put Initiative 17 on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election.
Election officials said 131,671 signatures were validated, more than the minimum 112,080 that were needed.
Knutson said he was heading to the world track championships in Eugene, Oregon, when he learned the news by phone. The pastor of a Lutheran church in Portland, Knutson said he responded with a prayer “for those who’ve been affected by gun violence in this nation, especially Buffalo, Uvalde and Highland Park, recently.”
The phenomenon of mass shootings created “a surge of volunteers” to gather signatures, Knutson said.
“We didn’t go out seeking more volunteers because they came to us,” he said.
And it inspired more voters to sign the petition.
“I signed it to keep our kids safe, because something needs to change,” Raevahnna Richardson said after she signed it last month. “I have a kid that’s going to be in first grade this upcoming season, and I don’t want her to have to be scared at school.”
The measure would ban large capacity magazines over 10 rounds — except for current owners, law enforcement and the military — and require a permit to purchase any gun. To qualify for a permit, an applicant would need to complete an approved firearm safety course, pay a fee, provide personal information, submit to fingerprinting and photographing and pass a criminal background check.
The state police would create a firearms database. Applicants would apply for the permit from the local police chief, county sheriff or their designees.
The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action has denounced the initiative, saying on its website that “these anti-gun citizens are coming after YOU, the law-abiding firearm owners of Oregon, and YOUR guns.”
Oregon appears to be the only state in America with a gun safety initiative underway for the 2022 election, according to Sean Holihan, state legislative director for Giffords, an organization dedicated to saving lives from gun violence. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/politics/ap-politics/gun-control-measure-will-be-on-oregons-fall-ballot/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:24 | en | 0.963152 |
WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, July 22, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service SAN DIEGO CA
200 PM PDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THURSDAY
TO 8 PM PDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 116
expected.
* WHERE...Coachella Valley and San Diego County Deserts.
* WHEN...From 11 AM Thursday to 8 PM PDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the
potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Nights will be quite warm with low
temperatures in the 80s and lower 90s.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 112
* WHERE...San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...High temperatures will be hottest and
nights warmest in the northern Coachella Valley.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17318082.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:25 | en | 0.881805 |
PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Alcoa Corp. (AA) on Wednesday reported second-quarter earnings of $549 million.
The Pittsburgh-based company said it had profit of $2.95 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were $2.67 per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.60 per share.
The bauxite, alumina and aluminum products company posted revenue of $3.64 billion in the period, also exceeding Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $3.49 billion.
Alcoa shares have declined 24% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P's 500 index has fallen 17%. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $45.06, an increase of 29% in the last 12 months.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AA | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Alcoa-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317932.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:25 | en | 0.942972 |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albany NY
410 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 99.
* WHERE...Portions of northwestern Connecticut and east central
New York.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/CT-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317927.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:31 | en | 0.873525 |
WALLA WALLA, Wash. (AP) _ Banner Corp. (BANR) on Wednesday reported second-quarter profit of $48 million.
The Walla Walla, Washington-based company said it had profit of $1.39 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to $1.25 per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.21 per share.
The regional bank posted revenue of $160.2 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $156.2 million, which also beat Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $142.9 million.
Banner shares have fallen slightly more than 1% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $59.82, a climb of 18% in the last 12 months.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BANR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BANR | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Banner-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317902.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:31 | en | 0.947556 |
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of South Carolina jurist Michelle Childs — recently under consideration for a slot on the U.S. Supreme Court — to sit on the federal court typically seen as a proving ground for the nation’s highest bench.
Senators, including a number of Republicans, voted 64 to 34 to approve Childs’ nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-5 earlier this year to advance her nomination.
Childs, 56, has been a federal judge on South Carolina’s District Court for more than a decade. Earlier this year, she was on a short list of candidates being considered by President Joe Biden for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, given the pending retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer.
Childs had a litany of high-profile advocates, including U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, on whose advice Biden pledged during the 2020 campaign to nominate a Black woman to the high court.
Childs’ supporters also included Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said then he was certain Childs “would have been a reliable vote for the liberal bloc of the Court” but applauded her “open mind and balance that all Americans are looking for.”
On Tuesday, she got support from some Republicans including both Graham and his fellow South Carolinian, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.
Graham, who went on to oppose eventual Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson in a party-line Judiciary Committee vote, added that he felt Childs “would have received a strong bipartisan vote in the Senate.” Three GOP senators ultimately came out in favor of Jackson’s nomination, assuring her eventual confirmation as the high court’s first Black female justice, given unified Democratic support.
During Childs’ recent appellate confirmation hearing, Graham again noted his likely disagreement with some positions from a nominee put forth by a Democratic president but called the position “consequential” and said he hoped people “can rally around the accomplished woman who has worn the robe well and has potential to serve at the highest level of the judiciary.”
At that same hearing, Clyburn pointed to Childs’ “ordinary upbringing that has helped shape her life’s work and made her an example for so many young people in similar circumstances.” It was reminiscent of his promotion of Childs for the Supreme Court, when he pointed to her legal training at the University of South Carolina School of Law — rather than an Ivy League institution — as a characteristic that would help Americans identify with the high court, currently populated almost exclusively with Harvard and Yale graduates.
Last year, Biden nominated Childs for the D.C. Circuit slot, but her hearing was postponed while she was also under consideration for the Supreme Court. Previously serving as a state trial court judge, worker’s compensation commissioner and deputy director of South Carolina’s labor department, Childs also practiced employment law at Nexsen Pruet, where she became the firm’s first Black female partner.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/politics/ap-politics/senate-confirms-michelle-childs-to-dc-appeals-court/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:31 | en | 0.974451 |
WFO BOSTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
442 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values from 98 to 102 degrees expected.
* WHERE...Northern Connecticut, much of Rhode Island and
portions of western, central and eastern Massachusetts.
* WHEN...Through early this evening and again from 10 AM EDT
Thursday until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/CT-WFO-BOSTON-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17318038.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:37 | en | 0.88397 |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) _ CSX Corp. (CSX) on Wednesday reported second-quarter earnings of $1.18 billion.
On a per-share basis, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company said it had net income of 54 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 50 cents per share.
The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 47 cents per share.
The freight railroad posted revenue of $3.82 billion in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $3.64 billion.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CSX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CSX | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/CSX-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317904.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:38 | en | 0.941504 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s dismissal of senior officials is casting an inconvenient light on an issue that the Biden administration has largely ignored since the outbreak of war with Russia: Ukraine’s history of rampant corruption and shaky governance.
As it presses ahead with providing tens of billions of dollars in military, economic and direct financial support aid to Ukraine and encourages its allies to do the same, the Biden administration is now once again grappling with longstanding worries about Ukraine’s suitability as a recipient of massive infusions of American aid.
Those issues, which date back decades and were not an insignificant part of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, had been largely pushed to the back burner in the immediate run-up to Russia’s invasion and during the first months of the conflict as the U.S. and its partners rallied to Ukraine’s defense.
But Zelenskyy’s weekend firings of his top prosecutor, intelligence chief and other senior officials have resurfaced those concerns and may have inadvertently given fresh attention to allegations of high-level corruption in Kyiv made by one outspoken U.S. lawmaker.
It’s a delicate issue for the Biden administration. With billions in aid flowing to Ukraine, the White House continues to make the case for supporting Zelenskyy’s government to an American public increasingly focused on domestic issues like high gas prices and inflation. High-profile supporters of Ukraine in both parties also want to avoid a backlash that could make it more difficult to pass future aid packages.
U.S. officials are quick to say that Zelenskyy is well within his right to appoint whomever he wants to senior positions, including the prosecutor general, and remove anyone who he sees as collaborating with Russia.
Yet even as Russian troops were massing near the Ukrainian border last fall, the Biden administration was pushing Zelenskyy to do more to act on corruption — a perennial U.S. demand going back to Ukraine’s early days of independence.
“In all of our relationships, and including in this relationship, we invest not in personalities; we invest in institutions, and, of course, President Zelenskyy has spoken to his rationale for making these personnel shifts,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Monday.
Price declined to comment further on Zelenskyy’s reasoning for the dismissals or address the specifics but said there was no question that Russia has been trying to interfere in Ukraine.
“Moscow has long sought to subvert, to destabilize the Ukrainian government,” Price said. “Ever since Ukraine chose the path of democracy and a Western orientation this has been something that Moscow has sought to subvert.”
Still, in October and then again in December 2021, as the U.S. and others were warning of the increasing potential for a Russian invasion, the Biden administration was calling out Zelenskyy’s government for inaction on corruption that had little or nothing to do with Russia.
“The EU and the US are greatly disappointed by unexplained and unjustifiable delays in the selection of the Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Office, a crucial body in the fight against high-level corruption,” the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said on Oct. 9.
“We urge the selection commission to resume its work without further delays. Failure to move forward in the selection process undermines the work of anti-corruption agencies, established by Ukraine and its international partners,” it said. That special prosecutor was finally chosen in late December but was never actually appointed to the position. Although there are indications the appointment will happen soon, the dismissal of the prosecutor general could complicate the matter.
The administration and high-profile lawmakers have avoided public criticism of Ukraine since Russia invaded in February. The U.S. has ramped up the weapons and intelligence it’s providing to Ukraine despite early concerns about Russia’s penetration of the Ukrainian government and existing concerns about corruption.
A Ukrainian-born congresswoman who came to prominence early in the war recently broke that unofficial silence.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, a first-term Republican from Indiana, has made half a dozen visits to Ukraine since the war began. And she was invited to the White House in May and received a pen used by President Joe Biden to sign an aid package for Ukraine even after she angrily criticized Biden for not doing more to help.
But in recent weeks, Spartz has accused Zelenskyy of “playing politics” and alleged his top aide Andriy Yermak had sabotaged Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
She’s also repeatedly called on Ukraine to name the anti-corruption prosecutor, blaming Yermak for the delay.
Ukrainian officials have hit back. A statement from Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry accused Spartz of spreading “Russian propaganda” and warned her to “stop trying to earn extra political capital on baseless speculation.”
U.S. officials gave Spartz a two-hour classified briefing on Friday in hopes of addressing her concerns and encouraging her to limit her public criticism. She declined to discuss the briefing afterward but told The Associated Press that “healthy dialogue and deliberation is good for Congress.”
“We’re not here to please people,” she said. “It’s good to deliberate.”
Hours later, Spartz gave a Ukrainian-language interview broadcast on YouTube in which she called again for the appointment of an independent prosecutor.
“This issue should be resolved as soon as possible,” she said in the interview. “This is a huge problem for the West, so I think your president should address this issue soon.”
Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who sits on the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, said he had seen no evidence to support allegations that Zelenskyy’s inner circle was trying to help Russia. But as the war continues, part of the long-term American strategy in Ukraine will have to include addressing waste and mismanagement of resources, he said.
“There is no war in the history of the world that is immune from corruption and people trying to take advantage of it,” Crow said. “If there are concerns raised, we will address them.”
Igor Novikov, a Kyiv-based former adviser to Zelenskyy, called many of Spartz’s claims a mix of “hearsay and urban legends and myths.” Allegations against Yermak in particular have circulated for years going back to his interactions with Trump allies who sought derogatory information against Biden’s son Hunter.
“Given that we’re in a state of war, we need to give President Zelenskyy and his team the benefit of the doubt,” Novikov said. “Until we win this war, we have to trust the president who stayed and fought with the people.” | https://www.ktsm.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ukraine-graft-concerns-resurface-as-russia-war-goes-on/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:38 | en | 0.972641 |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albany NY
410 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 97.
* WHERE...Western Schenectady, Northern Saratoga, Montgomery,
Southern Washington, Southeast Warren, Western Ulster, Eastern
Rensselaer, Northern Washington, Southern Herkimer and
Southern Fulton Counties.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 99.
* WHERE...Portions of northwestern Connecticut and east central
New York.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317920.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:44 | en | 0.846193 |
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) _ Central Valley Community Bancorp (CVCY) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $6.5 million.
The bank, based in Fresno, California, said it had earnings of 56 cents per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 52 cents per share.
The holding company for Central Valley Community Bank posted revenue of $21.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $20.6 million, also beating Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $20.1 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CVCY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CVCY | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Central-Valley-Community-Bancorp-Q2-Earnings-17317901.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:44 | en | 0.944734 |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
RIP CURRENT STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service New York NY
404 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.
* WHERE...Kings (Brooklyn), Southwest Suffolk, Southeast
Suffolk, Southern Queens and Southern Nassau Counties.
* WHEN...From Thursday morning through Thursday evening.
* IMPACTS...Life-threatening rip currents are likely for all
people entering the surf zone. Anyone visiting the beaches
should stay out of the surf. Rip currents can sweep even the
best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If you enter the surf zone, always have a flotation device with
you and swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax
and float, and do not swim against the current. If able, swim in
a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face
the shore and yell or wave for help.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17317919.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:45 | en | 0.865443 |
MEXICO CITY (AP) — When fugitive 1980s Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested in Mexico last week, it stirred up old, terrible memories for Lannie Walker, the daughter of American writer John Clay Walker.
While Caro Quintero was only ever sentenced in Mexico for the killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala Avelar in 1985, his gang apparently killed as many as six U.S. citizens in the western city of Guadalajara around the same time.
John Clay Walker, then 36 and a writer who had moved to Guadalajara to finish a book, was one of them.
“We were both very glad to hear that (Caro Quintero) had been captured, and it also brought back a lot of trauma for us,” said Lannie Walker. “My sister and I have lost almost 40 years with our father, there is nothing that can make up for that.”
The U.S. writer and his friend Alberto Radelat, a dental student from Fort Worth, Texas, had walked into “The Lobster,” a high-end Guadalajara seafood restaurant, to celebrate Walker’s planned return to the United States.
They did not know that Caro Quintero and his companions were holding a private party in a back room of the restaurant.
“Our father was an American citizen with no involvement in the Mexico-United States drug war, he was an innocent bystander that unwittingly became caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous drug cartel,” said Lannie Walker. “They began questioning my father and Al, asking them what they knew about the drug enforcement agents in Mexico, what they knew about the investigation. My father knew nothing, he was an innocent writer. They tortured him with an icepick for hours.”
Mike Vigil, the DEA’s former chief of international operations, said “Caro Quintero was one of those individuals that because he now had power, he had wealth, he crossed the line many times in terms of the people that he killed.”
Describing what occurred at the restaurant, Vigil said “they looked out and they saw the two Americans and they immediately through their paranoia as well thought that they were DEA agents. They took him into the back and stabbed to death.”
The bodies of Radelat and Walker were found wrapped in carpet in June 1985, nearly five months after they disappeared.
In December 1984, two young American couples were walking door to door in Guadalajara, trying to spread their faith as Jehovah’s Witnesses. The four were abducted and never seen again.
Two state police officials later said that they helped kidnap and kill the couples on the order of Caro Quintero and fellow capo Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo. They apparently inadvertently knocked on Fonseca Carrillo’s door as they proselytized.
Vigil, who was in Mexico and worked on Camarena’s case at the time, explained why the investigation focused on the killing of the DEA agent.
“I think that the DEA concentrated on the Kiki Camarena case and then the drug trafficking charges. I don’t think that the DEA, it was not that they weren’t interested in the other murders, but, you know, that probably would have fallen into the jurisdiction of maybe another agency,” Vigil said.
“One of the things that we were really focused on was bringing these individuals to justice simply because the DEA is committed that if one of the agents is murdered, we will hunt these people down to the end of the earth and not spare any expenditure, any resources or any activity that we have to do to get the job done,” he said.
Lannie Walker says that “if Caro Quintero is extradited to the U.S. and is convicted and punished here, that would be a small amount of justice.”
They likely will not come quickly. Caro Quintero’s lawyers filed measures with the court – and the judge agreed – that would ensure he goes through the full extradition process and will have the possibility of the corresponding appeals if necessary. Extradition for former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman took a year.
“We do have hope,” she said. “But we are very aware of how the Mexican government and the Mexican judicial system has worked, you know, as far as our fathers’ case is concerned up until now. So we do have hope but we are nervous that what happened in 2013 could happen again.”
___
This story has been corrected to show that Lannie Walker said her father was tortured for hours. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/top-headlines/ap-top-headlines/forgotten-us-victims-of-mexican-drug-lord-want-justice/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:45 | en | 0.989102 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
316 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS...
* AFFECTED COUNTIES... Houston...Trinity...Madison...Walker...
Burleson...Brazos...Washington...Grimes.
* WIND...South to southwest at 10 to 15 mph with gusts near 25
mph.
* HUMIDITY...As low as 20 to 25 percent.
* TEMPERATURES...102 to 106 degrees.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures will
create explosive fire growth potential.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17317918.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:51 | en | 0.83142 |
UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Teachers and students at Robb Elementary School knew the safety protocols when an 18-year-old with an AR-15 style rifle entered the building in May. Dozens of times in the previous four months alone, the campus had gone into lockdown or issued security alerts.
Not because of active shooter scares — because of nearby, often high-speed pursuits of migrants coming from the U.S.-Mexico border.
An entire generation of students in America has grown up simulating lockdowns for active shooters, or worse, experiencing the real thing. But in South Texas, another unique kind of classroom lockdown occurs along the state’s 1,200-mile southern border: hunkering down because Border Patrol agents or state police are chasing migrants who are trying to evade apprehension.
The frequency of lockdowns and security alerts in Uvalde — nearly 50 between February and May alone, according to school officials — are now viewed by investigators as one of the tragic contributors to how a gunman was able to walk into a fourth-grade classroom unobstructed and slaughter 19 children and two teachers. Although a slow and bungled police response remains the main failure, a damning new report by the Texas House says recurring lockdowns in Uvalde created a “diminished sense of vigilance.”
With a new school year now just weeks away in heavily patrolled South Texas, there are worries the lockdowns will resume and deepen the trauma for scarred students in Uvalde, as migrant crossings remain high and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues expanding a massive border security operation.
“That’s what it probably was, just complacency, because it does happen on a frequent basis,” said Uvalde County Justice of the Peace Eulalio “Lalo” Diaz Jr., who had to identify the bodies of the dead at Robb Elementary.
The new findings that a culture of lockdowns in Uvalde played some role in the failures on May 24 reflects how one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history intersected with immigration policies and thousands of Border Patrol agents, National Guard members and state police assigned to apprehend migrants and stop drug traffickers. Of the nearly 400 law enforcement officers at the scene of Robb Elementary, more than half were Border Patrol agents or state police, according to the report.
On Tuesday, over the span of just 20 minutes, eight state police vehicles and Border Patrol SUVs cruised through Uvalde’s central square, less than a mile from Robb Elementary.
Uvalde is about an hour’s drive from the border with Mexico, located at the crossroads of two major state highways. Nearby are the cities of Pearsall, Dilley and Karnes – all of which have immigration detention centers with some of the nation’s highest populations. More than 4,500 detainees in total were at the three facilities as of June 2022, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.
Jazmin Cazares, whose 9-year-old sister Jacklyn was among the students killed, told Texas lawmakers in June that no one in the school district took lockdowns seriously “until that day.” She said she is now terrified to return for her senior year in the fall.
“Am I going to survive it? Unbelievable,” Cazares said.
Even the first officers on scene at Robb Elementary wondered whether the threat was a so-called “bailout” — the term used by law enforcement along the border to describe suspected migrants or drug traffickers who have fled. Pete Arrendondo, the embattled Uvalde school police chief who has become the target of angry demands by parents to resign or be fired, told the House committee the thought crossed his mind since it happens so often.
The gunman entered Robb Elementary at 11:33 a.m. One minute earlier, according to the report, a fourth-grade teacher in Room 105 received a lockdown alert and made sure her classroom door was locked. That teacher also told the committee she saw a teacher across the hall locking the door in Room 112, one of two adjoining rooms where the shooting occurred.
The shooter is believed to have entered the classroom through Room 111, which was known to have trouble locking properly.
The signal the school’s alert system sends out does not specify the potential threat. And because of the prevalence of lockdowns in recent months, according to the report, many teachers and administrators “assumed it was another bailout.”
“Bailouts” has become an increasingly common part of Uvalde’s vernacular in the last year as the area has become extraordinarily busy with migrants crossing illegally, largely from countries outside Mexico and northern Central America.
The Border Patrol sector based in Del Rio, Texas – one of nine along the Mexican border – was the most transited corridor for illegal crossings in June, replacing Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. For much of the year, the two South Texas sectors have posted similar numbers of border encounters, well ahead of the others in California, Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas.
While many migrants turn themselves in to the Border Patrol in the border towns of Del Rio and Eagle Pass – each about an hour’s drive from Uvalde – many seek to elude capture for hours or days, hiding in “stash houses” or in tall fields of corn and other crops for smugglers to pick them up at a previously agreed location for the drive to San Antonio.
The committee report said there had been no incidents of “bailout-related” violence on Uvalde school campuses before the shooting. High-speed driving sometimes crossed school parking lots, according to the report, which also said some pursuits involved firearms in surrounding neighborhoods.
Diaz, the Uvalde justice of the peace, serves as a magistrate when police make arrests in the area as part of the governor’s massive border mobilization known as Operation Lone Star. He sets bail for people taken into custody for alleged human or drug smuggling, but also for crimes unrelated to national security, like minor drug charges.
He said Abbott’s operation hasn’t made Uvalde safer.
“These people who are coming through don’t want to be in Uvalde,” said Diaz. “They are looking to get away from the border and we’re too close.”
Over the last decade, many police departments have shifted away from having officers engage in car chases because they are a danger to the public. A 2017 report from the Justice Department found that between 1996 and 2015 police pursuits killed an average of 355 people annually, with nearly a third of those killed in vehicles not involved in the chases.
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin, who said he has not spoken to Abbott for nearly a month, has called on the governor to do even more on the border to curb migrant crossings. With classes set to re-start in less than two months, he worries about “the bailouts by the schools and so forth” and said “it needs to stop.”
Angie Villescaz, who grew up in Uvalde and after the shooting founded the Latina mothers advocacy group Fierce Madres with local moms, said the border rhetoric is a distraction from the most pressing issue.
“They’ve always wanted to keep the narrative about securing the border,” Villescaz said, “and now they can’t because it’s about securing our schools.”
___
Coronado reported from Austin, Texas. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
___
More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting | https://www.ktsm.com/news/top-headlines/ap-top-headlines/frequent-lockdowns-may-have-contributed-to-uvalde-tragedy/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:52 | en | 0.96927 |
HOUSTON (AP) _ Crown Castle International Corp. (CCI) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its second quarter. The results beat Wall Street expectations.
The Houston-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $783 million, or $1.80 per share, in the period.
The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of $1.79 per share.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $421 million, or 97 cents per share.
The operator of wireless communications towers, based in Houston, posted revenue of $1.73 billion in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.71 billion.
Crown Castle expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $7.31 to $7.41 per share.
The company's shares have decreased 18% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P's 500 index has fallen 17%. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $170.53, a fall of 16% in the last 12 months.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CCI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CCI | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Crown-Castle-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317961.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:56 | en | 0.954974 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
320 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 111 degrees expected.
* WHERE...Portions of south central and southeast Texas.
* WHEN...From noon to 8 PM CDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with ambient temperatures up
to 106 degrees expected.
* WHERE...Burleson, Houston, Trinity, Washington, Madison,
Walker, Brazos and Grimes Counties.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly
increase the potential for heat related illnesses,
particularly for those working or participating in outdoor
activities.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17317949.php | 2022-07-20T21:37:57 | en | 0.876065 |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan lawmakers on Wednesday elected the unpopular prime minister as their new president, a choice that risked reigniting turmoil in the South Asian nation reeling from economic collapse and months of round-the-clock protests.
The crisis has already forced out one leader, and a few hundred protesters quickly gathered after the vote to express their outrage that Ranil Wickremesinghe — a six-time prime minister whom they see as part of the problematic political establishment — would stay in power.
While the choice invited more protests, lawmakers apparently considered Wickremesinghe a safe pair of hands, a politician with deep experience who could lead Sri Lanka out of the crisis. He has spent 45 years in Parliament and led recent talks seeking a bailout for the bankrupt island nation.
Sri Lankans have taken to the street for months to demand their top leaders step down as the country spiraled into economic chaos that left its 22 million people struggling with shortages of essentials, including medicine, fuel and food. After demonstrators stormed the presidential palace and several other government buildings last week, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled and then resigned.
Much of the protesters’ ire is focused on Rajapaksa and his family’s political dynasty, which ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades. But many also blame Wickremesinghe for protecting Rajapaksa. During demonstrations last week, crowds set his personal residence on fire and occupied his office.
Wednesday’s vote means Wickremesinghe — who was also Rajapaksa’s finance minister and became acting president after the leader fled — will finish the presidential term ending in 2024. He can now also appoint a new prime minister.
“I need not tell you what state our country is in,” Wickremesinghe, 73, told fellow lawmakers after his victory was announced. “People are not expecting the old politics from us. They expect us to work together.”
He pleaded for the country to move on: “Now that the election is over, we have to end this division.”
But protesters flocked to the presidential residence instead, chanting, “Ranil, go home.”
“We are very sad, very disappointed with the 225 parliament members who we elected to speak for us, which they have not done,” said Visaka Jayawware, a performance artist in the crowd. “We will keep fighting for the people of Sri Lanka. We have to ask for a general election.”
Wickremesinghe has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and oversaw the bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
But many voters view him with suspicion since he was appointed prime minister by Rajapaksa in May, in hopes he would restore stability.
The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful family of siphoning money from government coffers and of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but the former president acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to Sri Lanka’s meltdown.
“The struggle will continue until our demands are met. Wickremesinghe “doesn’t have a mandate to rule the country,” said Nemel Jayaweera, a human resources professional. “We will oppose him.”
Still, the ruling party’s majority in Parliament swept Wickremesinghe to victory with 134 votes. Populist Dullas Alahapperuma, a longtime ally of Rajapaksa and also a minister in his government, secured 82 votes. A Marxist candidate netted three votes.
The vote, shown on national television, was a decorous, solemn affair. While the balloting was secret, as the results were announced, lawmakers thumped their tables in support of their candidates.
After the vote, some supporters celebrated Wickremesinghe’s win in the streets. He will be sworn in Thursday.
Only a few lawmakers had publicly said they would vote for Wickremesinghe given the widespread hostility against him. But dozens loyal to Rajapaksa had been expected to back him because he had assured them he would severely punish protesters who burned politicians’ homes in the unrest.
On Monday, in his role as acting president, Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency that gave him broad authority to act in the interest of public security and order. Authorities can carry out searches and detain people, and Wickremesinghe can also change or suspend any law.
The political turmoil in Sri Lanka has only worsened the economic disaster. But Wickremesinghe said Monday that negotiations with the IMF were drawing close to a conclusion, and talks on help from other countries had also progressed. He also said the government has taken steps to resolve shortages of fuel and cooking gas.
Hours before Wednesday’s vote, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told financial magazine Nikkei Asia that the organization hoped to complete the rescue talks “as quickly as possible.”
As prime minister, Wickremesinghe delivered weekly addresses in Parliament cautioning that the path out of the crisis would be difficult, while also pledging to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency.
Presidents in Sri Lanka are normally elected by the public. The responsibility falls to Parliament only if the presidency becomes vacant before the term officially ends.
That has happened only once before in Sri Lanka, in 1993, when then-Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was chosen by Parliament uncontested after former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, father of the current opposition leader, was assassinated.
___
Associated Press writer Bharatha Mallawarachi contributed to this report.
___
Find more of AP’s Sri Lanka coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/sri-lanka | https://www.ktsm.com/news/top-headlines/ap-top-headlines/sri-lanka-parliament-to-choose-president-to-lead-past-crisis/ | 2022-07-20T21:37:58 | en | 0.977282 |
Wheat for Sep. rose 7.25 cents at $8.1950 a bushel; Sep. corn fell 4.50 cents at $5.9225 a bushel, Sep. oats fell 1.75 cents $6.7750 a bushel; while Sep. declined 28.25 cents at $14.49 a bushel.
Beef was mixed and pork was higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Aug. live cattle was up .03 cent at $1.3575 a pound; Aug. feeder cattle was off .93 cent at $1.7782 a pound; while Aug. lean hogs rose 2.05 cents at $1.1487 a pound. | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Grains-mostly-lower-Livestock-mixed-17317899.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:02 | en | 0.806839 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
RIP CURRENT STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
335 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.
* WHERE...Matagorda Islands, Brazoria Islands, Galveston Island
and Bolivar Peninsula.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
from shore into deeper water.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17317984.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:04 | en | 0.851214 |
WFO LAKE CHARLES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
247 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 110.
* WHERE...Portions of central, south central, southwest and west
central Louisiana and southeast Texas.
* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 114 degrees expected.
* WHERE...Much of South Texas.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT this evening.
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to
117 expected.
* WHERE...Jim Wells, Inland Kleberg, Inland Nueces, Coastal
Kleberg and Coastal Nueces Counties.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase
the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-LAKE-CHARLES-Warnings-Watches-and-17317845.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:05 | en | 0.856338 |
On May 24, a gunman fatally shot 19 children and two teachers in two adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Over an hour passed from the time officers followed the 18-year-old gunman into the school and when they finally entered the fourth-grade classroom where he was holed up and killed him.
Meanwhile, students trapped inside repeatedly called 911 and parents outside the school begged officers to go in.
Questions continue to swirl about why police armed with rifles and bulletproof shields waited so long. Authorities have given shifting and sometimes contradictory information about what happened and how they responded. The fallout has driven recriminations and rifts between local and state authorities, and angered many who live in the small South Texas city.
On July 17, a damning report was released by an investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives and the city released hours of officers’ body camera footage, further laying bare the chaotic response, which included 376 officers. The findings were the first to criticize both state and federal law enforcement, and not just local authorities, for the bewildering inaction by the heavily armed officers.
During a May 27 news conference, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Col. Steve McCraw put the blame on the commander at the scene — school district police Chief Pete Arredondo — saying he made the “wrong decision” not to send officers in sooner.
McCraw also gave a detailed timeline during a state Senate hearing on June 21, calling law enforcement’s response an “abject failure.” He said that three minutes after the gunman, Salvador Ramos, entered the school, enough officers and firepower had been deployed to stop him. McCraw also noted that while officers spent time searching for a key to the classroom, they would have found it unlocked if they had checked.
So far, only two responding officers are known to have been put on administrative leave pending investigation of their actions: Arredondo and Lt. Mariano Pargas, a Uvalde Police Department officer who was the city’s acting police chief during the massacre.
The state House report said that according to the school district’s active shooter policy, Arredondo should have assumed command at the scene, but Arredondo told the committee he didn’t consider himself in charge.
The report said that despite the “obvious deficiencies in command and control at the scene,” no law enforcement responders offered Arredondo command assistance.
Below is a minute-by-minute look at the tragic events that day.
——
Sometime after 11 a.m. — Ramos shoots his grandmother in the face. Gilbert Gallegos, 82, who was in his backyard across the street from Ramos’ and his grandmother’s home, heard the shot. He sees Ramos speed away in a pickup truck as Ramos’ grandmother pleads for help. Covered in blood, “She says: ‘Berto, this is what he did. He shot me,’” says Gallegos, whose wife calls the police.
11:21 a.m. — Ramos says in a text message to a teen in Germany that he just shot his grandmother and is going to go “shoot up” an elementary school, McCraw tells the state Senate hearing on June 21.
11:27 a.m. — Video shows a teacher, who authorities haven’t publicly identified, propping open an exterior door of the school, McCraw says on May 27.
11:28 a.m. — Ramos crashes the pickup into a drainage ditch near the school, state police say in a timeline released June 21, citing footage from a funeral home opposite the school.
11:29 a.m. — Two men at the funeral home run out to see what happened, the footage shows. They see Ramos jump out of the passenger side carrying an AR-15-style rifle and a bag full of ammunition. Ramos shoots at the men three times but misses, McCraw says on June 21. One of the men falls but both make it back to the funeral home, McCraw says on May 27. The teacher calls 911 and reports a man with a gun, state police say in their June 21 timeline, citing phone recordings. DPS spokesman Travis Considine says on May 31 that after propping open the door, the teacher had run back inside to grab her phone to call 911 but when she came back out she realized Ramos had a gun. She removed the rock propping open the door and it closed behind her, but the door did not lock, Considine says.
At some point just after the crash, Robb Elementary coach Yvette Silva, who was outdoors with a group of third graders, saw Ramos toss his backpack over a school fence and climb over, then raise a gun and begin to shoot, the state House report says. Running from the field toward her classroom, she reports what she’d seen to the school office via a school radio. Principal Mandy Gutierrez tries to initiate lockdown using the school’s alert software but has trouble with the school’s Wi-Fi signal, the report says. She didn’t announce a lockdown over the intercom but told the head custodian to ensure all doors were locked. The report says the custodian started locking doors from the outside but heard gunshots and went to the cafeteria, where he remained.
About 11:30 a.m. — Teachers start to lock down based mostly on word-of-mouth reports about the gunman, the state House committee says. Teachers told the committee of hearing Silva yelling and the sounds of gunshots. One teacher in room 105 says she did receive the school’s lockdown alert, at 11:32 a.m.
11:31 a.m. — Ramos shoots at the school and a patrol car accelerates into the parking lot, driving by Ramos, the funeral home video shows. The Uvalde school district police officer on duty wasn’t on campus, contrary to previous reports, McCraw says on May 27. The officer drives to the school after getting a report about the shooting and approaches someone at the back of the school who he thought was the gunman. As the officer sped toward the man, who turned out to be a teacher, McCraw says the officer “drove right by the suspect who was hunkered down behind” a vehicle.
11:32 a.m. — Ramos fires multiple shots outside the school, according to state police on June 21, citing school surveillance. In audio of the 911 call from the teacher obtained by the Austin American-Statesman, she can be heard shouting: “Get down! Get in your rooms! Get in your rooms!”
Around this time, the state House report, says, Uvalde police Staff Sgt. Eduardo Canales, commander of the SWAT team, arrived at the school and saw a man firing a gun. He grabbed his rifle, put in a magazine, grabbed an extra magazine and heard someone say the attacker was in or near the building. He entered an open gate and met up with city police Lt. Javier Martinez. Another city officer, Sgt. Daniel Coronado, soon arrived and heard gunfire while getting out of his patrol car.
Another officer, who was not identified, told the state House committee that he believed the shooter was firing in their direction. When he saw a person dressed in black that he thought was the gunman, he raised his rifle and asked Coronado for permission to shoot. Coronado said he heard the request but hesitated because there were children present. The officer who made the request said there was no opportunity for Coronado to respond before they heard on the radio that the attacker was running toward the school. The officers told the committee that it turned out the person in black wasn’t the attacker, but elementary school coach Abraham Gonzales, who was headed to the parking lot for his lunch break.
The committee said this contradicts a report released July 6 by a training center at Texas State University for active shooter situations, which said that a city officer had watched Ramos walk toward campus but didn’t fire while waiting for permission from a supervisor to shoot. On July 8, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin disputed the training center report, saying no city police officer saw the gunman outside the school and none had an opportunity to shoot him. He said that while an officer did see someone outside, the officer could not tell who it was.
11:33 a.m. — Ramos enters the school through the unlocked door on the school’s west side and begins shooting into adjoining fourth-grade classrooms 111 and 112, school surveillance footage shows. Ramos then enters, exits and re-enters classrooms 111 and 112. The state House report says Ramos spent about two and a half minutes rapidly firing over 100 rounds between the two rooms. The report says it is most likely Ramos entered through the door to room 111, finding it unlocked or unsecured. The report says there’s evidence that one of the two teachers in room 112, Irma Garcia, who died in the attack, did lock her door. The report says there’s substantial evidence that the door to room 111 didn’t secure properly. The report says the teacher in room 111, Arnulfo Reyes, who was shot but survived, told the House committee he had no recollection of getting a lockdown alert or any memory that he took the “special effort” needed to get his door to lock before the attacker arrived. The state House report says problems with the room 111 door lock had been reported to the school administration, but no one placed a work order for a repair.
11:35 a.m. — Three city police officers enter the school through the west door, the same door Ramos entered, according to school surveillance footage. The state House report says that these officers were Martinez, Canales and city officer Louis Landry. The report says that Martinez said he heard gunfire from inside the building before entering and then heard “a few muffled shots.”
11:36 a.m. — Arredondo, another school district officer and two more city police officers enter through the building’s south door, according to school surveillance footage. The state House report says that city officer Donald Page and school district officer Adrian Gonzalez were the first to enter, followed by Arredondo and Coronado. The report says Page and Gonzales heard rounds, as did Coronado, who yelled, “shots fired.” Surveillance footage shows three more city police officers and another officer from the school district then entered through the west door.
11:36 a.m. — Uvalde police dispatch gets a report that a woman, who turned out to be Ramos’ grandmother, had been shot in the head, the state House report says. Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco told the committee that while on his way to the school, he learned about the woman from a man who flagged him down. The committee said other information suggests he learned of the shooting by other means, possibly earlier, and are requesting additional records.
11:37 a.m. — The officers converge from both sides of the hallway on rooms 111 and 112, the state House report says. Ramos fires as officers approach the classroom doors, according to school surveillance footage. McCraw says on June 21 that Ramos fired 11 rounds at this time and two officers were “grazed.” The state House report says Martinez was grazed on the top of his head by fragments of building material, while fragments also hit Canales on his ear. Both retreated, along with Landry. The report, without giving an exact time, says that after the initial shock of taking gunfire, Martinez returned down the hallway toward rooms 111 and 112 but no other officers followed him. He later helped evacuate children and was ultimately among the officers when the classroom was finally breached.
11:38 a.m. — An unidentified officer says, “He’s contained in this office,” according to state police, citing body camera footage on June 21. McCraw testified the same day that the school floor plan showed no office in the classroom. Canales can be heard saying on his body camera after retreating down the hall, and as he walked in and out of the building: “Dude, we’ve got to get in there. We’ve got to get in there, he just keeps shooting. We’ve got to get in there.” Another officer can be heard saying: “DPS is sending their people.” The state House report says Coronado’s body camera shows him making a request by radio for ballistic shields and helicopter support.
11:40 a.m. — Arredondo calls a Uvalde police landline, state police say, citing phone records. Thirty-five seconds later, Ramos fires one round, according to school surveillance footage. According to a transcript of Arredondo’s call released by state police, he says he’s in the building and a man “has an AR-15, he shot a whole bunch of times.” He says they’re inside the building and the shooter is in a room, adding: “I need a lot of firepower, so I need this building surrounded. Surrounded with as many AR-15s as possible.” He tells the dispatcher that he doesn’t have a radio with him. Arredondo says he’s in the hallway and that the shooter is in rooms 111 and 112. “We need this place surrounded and if you have SWAT I need them set up,” Arredondo says. “We don’t have enough firepower right now, it’s all pistol and he has an AR-15.” He says he needs a radio and a rifle.
The state House report says Arredondo arrived at the school with his radios but he dropped them by the school fence because they bothered him, and he knew Coronado had his.
11:41 a.m. — A city police officer says, “We believe that he is barricaded in one of the offices, there’s still shooting,” according to body camera footage. When dispatch asks if the door is locked, a city police officer replies by referring to a specialized crow bar, saying, “I am not sure but we have a hooligan to break it.” School surveillance footage shows two constables, a fire marshal and a Uvalde city police officer. After arriving on the north end of the hallway, Constable Johnny Field began communicating by phone with Arredondo, who was on the south end, the state House report says. Arredondo told the committee that the only direction he gave, through Field, was to evacuate kids and to test keys. The report says the city’s acting police chief that day, Pargas, dominated the north end of the building. Pargas told the committee he figured Arredondo was in command but he was never in communication with him and did not coordinate with any other responding agencies.
11:42 a.m. — A state trooper and two city police officers enter from the east hallway, according to school surveillance footage.
11:43 a.m. — After radio traffic indicates the attacker is in room 112 and the question is asked whether students are in there, Coronado asks for a mirror to look around corners. A voice on the radio says, “the class should be in session,” the state House report says, citing Coronado’s body camera footage. The report says that after the initial responders took fire, Coronado remained outside for about 30 minutes, advising officers about potential crossfire in the hall and helping evacuate students through windows on the west side of the building.
11:44 a.m. — Ramos fires one round, according to school surveillance footage. A city police officer says,: “Have some officers that are available get everybody back,” according to body camera footage.
11:48 a.m. — Body camera footage shows school district officer Ruben Ruiz, the husband of one of the teachers in the classrooms, enter the building through the west door and tell other officers, “She says she is shot.” His wife, Eva Mireles, who was in room 112, later dies. McCraw says on June 21: “What happened to (Ruiz) is he tried to move forward into the hallway, he was detained and they took his gun away from him and they escorted him from the scene.” He did not say exactly when that was.
11:50 a.m. — Body camera footage shows an unknown officer saying, “They need to get out of the hallway.” The state House report says Coronado replies: “Chief is in there. Chief is in charge right now.” The report says that suggests Arredondo was in control and in communication with the other side of the building.
11:51 a.m. — Seven Border Patrol agents enter through the west door, according to school surveillance footage.
11:52 a.m. — The first ballistic shield is bought into the building through the west door, according to school surveillance footage. Body camera footage captures a city police officer saying, “Units just showing up, can you help with crowd control?” McCraw says on June 21, “So, officers after 11:52 were being diverted to crowd control activities.”
11:53 a.m. — Body camera footage shows an unknown officer telling a DPS special agent that all they currently need is perimeter. Someone asks whether there are still kids inside, and the DPS special agent responds: “If there is then they just need to go in.”
11:54 a.m. — According to body camera footage, a DPS agent asks an unknown officer, “Are kids still in there?” The officer responds, “It’s unknown at this time.” A city police officer says: “He’s in classroom 111 or 112. But chief is making contact with him. No one has made contact with him.”
11:56 a.m. — According to body camera footage, an unidentified officer says, “Y’all don’t know if there’s kids in there?” The state House report says that DPS Special Agent Luke Williams replied, “If there’s kids in there, we need to go in there.” The unknown officer says: “What’s that?” The DPS special agent says, “If there’s kids in there, we need to go in there.” The unknown officer says, “Whoever is in charge will determine that.” The state House report says Williams then resumes clearing classrooms, which he’d started upon his arrival after disregarding a request to assist on the perimeter. The state House report notes that at this time, according to a timeline released by DPS, radio communication of unknown origin says it’s “critical for everybody to let PD take point on this.” The state House report says none of the witnesses interviewed indicated any knowledge of that communication, nor did they know what it meant. The report says the consensus of those interviewed was that officers on the scene either assumed Arredondo was in charge or couldn’t tell that anyone was in charge.
11:58 a.m. —- According to a phone recording, when an unidentified officer asks where the shooter is, another unidentified officer replies: “The school chief of police is in there with him.” According to body camera footage, a DPS special agent says: “It sounds like a hostage rescue situation. Sounds like a rescue, they should probably go in.”
12:01 a.m. — According to body camera, when a DPS special agent says he wants to clear more rooms, an unidentified officer says, “Don’t you think we should have a supervisor approve that?” The DPS special agent replies, “He’s not my supervisor.”
12:03 p.m. — A 911 call from a student inside the classroom comes in, and that is relayed on police radio, the state House report says. The girl was in room 112, and was the only uninjured child in that room, according to McCraw. Eight children and two teachers were killed in the classroom and nine children were injured, he says on June 21. Surveillance shows a second ballistic shield being carried into the building through the west door, where as many as 19 officers were in the hallway outside the classrooms where Ramos was holed up.
12:04 p.m. — School surveillance shows a third ballistic shield being carried into the building.
12:06 p.m. — Anne Marie Espinoza, a school district spokeswoman, posts on the district’s Facebook page: “All campuses are under a Lockdown Status. Uvalde CISD Parents: Please know at this time all campuses are under a Lockdown Status due to gunshots in the area. The students and staff are safe in the buildings. The buildings are secure in a Lockdown Status. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as the Lockdown Status is lifted you will be notified. Thank you for your cooperation!”
12:09 p.m. — According to body camera footage, a city police officer says, “Go around and get the master key to the rooms.”
12:10 p.m. — Members of a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team arrive, according to body camera footage. The first group of deputy U.S. marshals from Del Rio arrive from nearly 70 miles (115 kilometers) away to assist officers on the scene, according to the Marshals Service. The female student who called 911 at 12:03 p.m. calls 911 again and says there are multiple dead, McCraw says on May 27.
12:11 p.m. — Arredondo requests the master key, according to body camera footage.
12:13 p.m. — The female student calls 911 again, McCraw says on May 27.
12:14 p.m. — Arredondo tells officers to have a sniper on the east roof, according to body camera footage.
12:15 p.m. — A Border Patrol tactical team member enters the building, according to school surveillance footage.
12:16 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says, “I just need a key.” The female student who called 911 earlier calls again and says there are eight to nine students alive, McCraw says on May 27.
12:17 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “Tell them to (obscenity) wait. No one comes in.”
12:19 p.m. — A girl in room 111 calls 911 and ends the call when a fellow student tells her to hang up, McCraw says May 27.
12:20 p.m. — A fourth ballistic shield is brought into the building through the west door, according to school surveillance footage. It is the only shield that was rifle-rated, the state House report says.
12:21 p.m. — Ramos fires four rounds, according to school surveillance footage. According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “Can you go get a breaching tool? Like for a trailer house?” McCraw says during his June 21 testimony, “So if this is a barricaded subject, why is he still firing?”
12:23 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “We’ve lost two kids. These walls are thin. If he starts shooting we’re going to lose more kids. I hate to say we have to put those to the side right now.”
12:24 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo tries to communicate with Ramos in English and Spanish. “The entire communications was always one way. The suspect never communicated. So it wasn’t communication, we’re talking at,” McCraw said on June 21.
12:26 p.m. — According to body camera footage, an unknown officer says: “There’s a teacher shot in there.” A city police officer replies, “I know.”
12:27 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “People are going to ask why we’re taking so long. We’re trying to preserve the rest of the life.” He then said: “Do we have a team ready to go? Do we have a team ready to go? Have at it.”
12:28 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “There is a window over there obviously. The door is probably going to be locked. That is the nature of this place. I am going to get some more keys to test.” He then says: “These master keys aren’t working here, bro. We have master keys and they’re not working.”
Just before 12:30 p.m. — The state House report reports a burst of activity on the north side, including officers apparently preparing to breach the classrooms, indicating the Border Patrol tactical team had assumed command.
12:30 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “OK. We’ve cleared out everything except for that room. We still have people down there just past the flag to the right. But, uh, we’re ready to breach but that door is locked.”
12:33 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “I say we breach through those windows and shoot his (obscenity) head off through the windows.”
12:35 p.m. — A breaching tool is brought into the building through the west door, according to school surveillance footage. The state House committee says it received no evidence that the arrival of the breaching tool was ever communicated to Arredondo.
12:36 p.m. — A 911 call that lasts for about 21 seconds comes in. Around this time a student calls 911 and is told to stay on the line and stay very quiet, McCraw says on May 27. “He shot the door,” the girl says.
12:38 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo tries again to communicate with Ramos in English and Spanish.
12:41 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “Just so you understand, we think there are some injuries in there. And so you know what we did, we cleared off the rest of the building so we wouldn’t have anymore besides what’s already in there, obviously.”
12:42 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “We’re having a (obscenity) problem getting into the room because it is locked. He’s got an AR-15 and he’s shooting everywhere like crazy. So, he’s stopped.”
12:43 p.m. — The girl who called 911 and was told to stay on the line urges the dispatcher to “please send the police now,” McCraw says on May 27. According to body camera footage, Arredondo says: “They gotta get that (obscenity) door open, bro. They can’t get that door open. We need more keys or something.”
12:46 p.m. — According to body camera footage, Arredondo says, “If y’all are ready to do it, you do it but you should distract him out that window.” McCraw says on May 27 that at this time, the girl who called 911 and was told to stay on the line says she can “hear the police next door.”
12:47 p.m. — A sledgehammer is brought into the building through the east hallway, according to school surveillance footage. McCraw says on May 27 that the girl still on the line with the 911 dispatcher says, “Please send the police now.”
12:50 p.m. — Officers breach the classroom and fatally shoot Ramos, according to surveillance footage. McCraw asserts on May 27 that they breached the door using keys they got from the janitor because the door was locked. But on June 21, he says the classroom door could not be locked from the inside and there was no indication officers tried to open it during the standoff. He also says a teacher reported before the shooting that the lock was broken.
Arredondo tells the state House committee that he didn’t send in the Border Patrol tactical team that eventually breached the classroom. Paul Guerrero, the acting commander of the Border Patrol team, tells the committee that after obtaining a master key, he had another agent use the rifle-rated shield to cover him as he placed a key in the door to room 111 and opened it. The committee notes there’s reason to question if the door was actually locked. Guerrero says Ramos was standing in front of a closet in the corner of the room 111 when the officers rushed in. He said Ramos fired at the officers, who returned fire and killed him.
State police say an hour and 14 minutes went by from the time police entered the school to when Ramos was killed.
___
Associated Press writer Sean Murphy contributed to this report.
___
For more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting | https://www.ktsm.com/news/top-headlines/ap-top-headlines/timeline-texas-elementary-school-shooting-minute-by-minute/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:06 | en | 0.977936 |
Wheat for Sep. rose 7.25 cents at $8.1950 a bushel; Sep. corn fell 4.50 cents at $5.9225 a bushel, Sep. oats fell 1.75 cents $6.7750 a bushel; while Sep. declined 28.25 cents at $14.49 a bushel.
Beef was mixed and pork was higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Aug. live cattle was up .03 cent at $1.3575 a pound; Aug. feeder cattle was off .93 cent at $1.7782 a pound; while Aug. lean hogs rose 2.05 cents at $1.1487 a pound. | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Grains-mostly-lower-Livestock-mixed-17317931.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:08 | en | 0.806839 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence is becoming increasingly brazen in his willingness to counter former President Donald Trump.
The two will hold dueling events in Arizona on Friday as they stump for rival candidates who offer dramatically different visions of the Republican Party in a critical battleground state. Days later, they will once again cross paths as they deliver major speeches on the same day in Washington, D.C.
The encounters mark a more confrontational phase in the fraught relationship between the former running mates and once close confidantes who could soon find themselves competing against one another in the 2024 GOP presidential primary if they both ultimately choose to run.
“I think this is a continuation of the larger message that Pence is trying to embody here, which is the Republican Party should look to the future,” said Scott Jennings, a longtime party strategist. “This is going to be the existential question for the Republican Party: Are we going to listen to a slightly different view than Donald Trump’s? Right now, the standard-bearer for this is Mike Pence.”
That description marks a striking turnaround for Pence, who spent his four years in the White House as Trump’s most loyal defender. But Trump turned on his vice president when Pence refused to go along with his unconstitutional efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, putting Pence in the crosshairs of a violent mob on Jan. 6.
Now Pence, who has repeatedly defended his actions that day, is taking a more active effort to shape the future of the party. This week, Pence endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson in Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial primary, pitting himself against Trump, who has endorsed Kari Lake, a former newscaster who has embraced Trump’s election lies.
“As Arizona Democrats pursue the reckless Biden-Harris agenda, Karrin Taylor Robson is the only candidate for Governor that will keep Arizona’s border secure and streets safe, empower parents and create great schools, and promote conservative values,” Pence said in a statement announcing his decision.
Pence backed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a top Trump target who easily defeated the former president’s hand-picked challenger this spring. But Pence’s Arizona move showed a willingness to weigh in on a closer and open race in alliance with the state’s outgoing GOP governor, Doug Ducey, who also rebuffed Trump’s efforts to overturn the election.
Pence is planning to campaign with Robson in Phoenix and southern Arizona Friday — the same day that Trump is set to headline a rally for Lake that was rescheduled after the death of his first wife, Ivana Trump. Matt Benson, a Robson’s campaign spokesman, said Pence would be attending an event at a local employer and attend a briefing on border security while in the state.
A Trump spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the events.
Trump and Pence will again cross paths next week as the former president returns to the nation’s capital for the first time since leaving the White House. Pence will address the conservative Heritage Foundation on Monday evening and will speak at the Young America’s Foundation’s annual National Conservative Student Conference on Tuesday morning. That afternoon, Trump will headline a two-day summit organized by the America First Policy Institute.
Pence will use his speech before the Heritage Foundation to highlight the policy agenda he released earlier and talk about the future of the party, according to aides. The remarks are expected to offer an implicit contrast with Trump, who has spent much of his energy since leaving office on relitigating the 2020 election.
Pence has urged Republicans to move on, even as he continues to tout the accomplishments of what he often describes as the Trump-Pence administration.
Meanwhile, Pence huddled privately Wednesday with the House’s Republican Study Committee, the more traditionally conservative caucus he once led as a congressman, to discuss his “Freedom Agenda.” RSC’s current chairman Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said ahead of the meeting the group was glad to be able to hear from the former vice president.
Pence’s efforts come as Trump is preparing to launch a third campaign for the White House as soon as this summer while he faces a flurry of investigations into his efforts to cling to power. That includes the House Jan. 6 committee, which on Thursday will hold another prime-time hearing, this time spotlighting Trump’s refusal to call off the angry mob that stormed the Capitol and sent Pence and other lawmakers into hiding.
While polls show Trump remains the overwhelming favorite in a hypothetical GOP primary, Marc Short, Pence’s former chief of staff and a top adviser, argued that even if Trump does announce a run, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be on the ballot two years from now.
“As the committee winds down, I’m sure he’s looking for a reset that brings attention back on him. And an announcement does not necessarily mean a commitment at the end of that process to continue forward,” said Short. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that the president enjoys being the center of attention. And the announcement puts even additional media focus on him.”
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to slam Pence for refusing to go along with his scheme to remain in power. At a gathering of Evangelical Christians in Nashville, Tennessee, last month, Trump again said Pence “did not have the courage to act,” drawing applause.
When it comes to a potential race, Trump does not see Pence as a threat, according to allies, who are much more consumed with Ron DeSantis. The Florida governor is increasingly seen by conservatives as a natural and younger successor to Trump’s MAGA movement who can channel the same anger, but with less baggage.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday predicted Trump will face competition in 2024 if he enters the race.
“I think we’re going to have a crowded field for president,” he told reporters.
Asked if Pence should run, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, a frequent Trump critic, said it’s up to Pence, who has said he’ll make a decision after the midterms. “The more the merrier,” Romney said.
Jennings, meanwhile, praised Pence for being willing to stand up to Trump when so many others in the party still refuse to cross him.
“What Mike Pence is doing is extremely valuable. And whether he is a viable candidate for president. I don’t know. But he’s certainly earned the right to make the case for a post-Trump future,” said Jennings.
“He may end up being John the Baptist to someone else,” he added. “Headless but remembered well.”
____
Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro and Alan Fram in Washington and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report from Washington. | https://www.ktsm.com/news/top-headlines/ap-top-headlines/trump-pence-rivalry-intensifies-as-they-consider-2024-runs/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:13 | en | 0.966001 |
HOUSTON (AP) _ Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $635 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.
The Houston-based company said it had profit of 28 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 27 cents per share.
The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 27 cents per share.
The oil and natural gas pipeline and storage company posted revenue of $5.15 billion in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on KMI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/KMI | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Kinder-Morgan-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317952.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:15 | en | 0.945107 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The All-Star Game showcased what baseball has become — home runs, strikeouts and offense-killing shifts.
The National League didn’t have a hit between the first and eighth innings of Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss, its ninth in a row.
In a sport where R&D has become as important as BP, four of the five runs scored on long balls.
There were 22 strikeouts, including the final three batters on 10 pitches by Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase in a game that lasted 3 hours, 11 minutes despite just 13 hits, five walks, two hit batters and one runner reaching on a error.
Twenty All-Stars threw 299 pitches, 105 of them fastballs. The slowest fastball was 90.2 mph on the second pitch of the game from 34-year-old left-hander Clayton Kershaw.
Forty-eight were 98 mph or higher, and Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals was velocity king. The 28-year-old topped 100 mph on eight of 15 tosses, the fastest a 103 mph blazer that Minnesota’s Luis Arraez fouled off in the eighth.
“I went out there, showed what I had,” Helsley said. “It was a cool environment being in this game.”
Seattle’s Ty France, greeted by Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle with “La Vie en Rose” when he pinch hit for his All-Star debut, fouled off a Helsley fastball, then struck out when he chased a low outside slider.
“The way game is now, everybody’s throwing that hard. It’s not fun to face, but it’s just how the game is,” France said. “To be able to step in the box on this stage, it was pretty cool.”
Clase, a 24-year-old Cleveland right-hander, threw 10 pitches ranging from 97.7 mph to 100.3 mph.
“Every time that bullpen door swings open, it’s velocity,” NL manager Brian Snitker said. “The guys, they weren’t like that. The closers weren’t throwing like they are now. But it’s kind of the way they are growing up and now they are trained — and amazing to me, the number of them, too. It’s like they just keep coming.”
Defensive positioning designed by Joe Espada, Dusty Baker’s bench coach in Houston, led to outs on balls that used to be hits.
Juan Soto’s third-inning grounder was gloved by second baseman Andrés Giménez 20 feet into right field. Kyle Schwarber’s bouncer in the seventh was picked up in the center of the diamond by shortstop Corey Seager, who started to the right of second, and Jake Cronenworth’s hopper went directly to second baseman Santiago Espinal 10 feet into right field.
“The shift giveth and the shift taketh away,” Baker said. “But still, I think it giveth more than it takes away.”
The batter’s eye in center field offered a vivid display of what has overtaken baseball — an array of high-speed cameras and radar equipment that track every ball’s spin, every player’s sprint and stumble.
Behinds the scenes, many teams consider their quants All-Stars, too. Houston’s front office includes a quantitative developer, plus two senior architects.
The NL did all its scoring during Shane McClanahan’s first 13 pitches of the first inning, getting Ronald Acuña Jr’s leadoff double, Mookie Betts’ RBI single and Paul Goldschmidt’s homer.
AL offense was even more condensed. Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Tony Gonsolin, and Byron Buxton went deep four pitches later.
Not a surprise in a season that has been the big league batting average dip to .242, its lowest since 1967.
Baseball’s competition committee is considering changes for next season that some purists consider revolutionary and some conclude necessary. A pitch clock is almost certain after testing throughout the minors this year. Shift limits also have been proposed.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is gung-ho for change, but players appear less enthusiastic for change. Still, the union agreed to let a committee with a management majority make changes starting with next season.
“Our players have been, unsurprisingly, very much engaged in the process,” union head Tony Clark said, “more than willing to offer their thoughts on what makes sense, what may not make sense, what may need to be adjusted and tweaked.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/all-stars-showcase-modern-mlb-hrs-strikeouts-shifts/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:19 | en | 0.965324 |
PHOENIX (AP) _ Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (KNX) on Wednesday reported second-quarter earnings of $219.5 million.
On a per-share basis, the Phoenix-based company said it had net income of $1.35. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $1.41 per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.35 per share.
The trucking company posted revenue of $1.96 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Ten analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.79 billion.
Knight-Swift expects full-year earnings in the range of $5.30 to $5.45 per share.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on KNX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/KNX | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Knight-Swift-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317930.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:21 | en | 0.940711 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw’s news conference after his first All-Star Game start was nearly over when Blake Grice spoke up.
The 10-year-old from Denver said his grandfather was a Dodgers fan and a Redondo Beach native who died of brain cancer. Meeting Kershaw allowed Blake to check off an item on his grandfather’s bucket list, the boy said before tearing up.
Kershaw smiled, rose from the dais and grabbed Blake in a protective hug.
“Your granddad sounded like an awesome guy,” Kershaw said. “Thanks for coming up. That took a lot of courage, man. That was awesome.”
After posing for photos by Blake’s father, Kershaw returned to the dugout for the final innings of the Midsummer Classic in a stadium full of fans who adore him just as much as Blake, who does baseball card reviews on YouTube.
Kershaw is reminded of what he means to baseball and to Los Angeles during every start he makes at Dodger Stadium, where he is appropriately beloved as a vital piece of a perennial NL powerhouse since 2008.
After nine All-Star selections and six previous appearances in the game, the three-time Cy Young Award winner serendipitously got his first chance to start an All-Star Game in his home park, and he met the occasion by throwing an entertaining, scoreless first inning.
The AL eventually rallied for a 3-2 victory with three runs off fellow Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin in the fourth, but Kershaw will have mostly positive memories of a landmark day in his career.
“It was actually a lot of fun today to be out there, and the crowd was awesome,” Kershaw said. “I can’t say enough good things about Dodger fans, people in LA in general, just how much these last few days, how much they wanted me to do this. It meant a lot to me.”
Kershaw also gave himself permission to soak in the moment right before he stepped onto the mound to face Shohei Ohtani.
After all, the 34-year-old Kershaw has done just about everything it’s possible to do as a pitcher in modern baseball, but the 2014 NL MVP had never started an All-Star Game before. He also knew he’ll never get the opportunity again to do it in front of the fans who have been behind him since he was a 20-year-old phenomenon.
“I tried to take a minute at the beginning to take it all in and look around, which I usually never do,” Kershaw said. “Being here at Dodger Stadium, a place where I’ve been now for 15 years, and to get to do something like this with the best in the world, is really fun. And it was also really personal for me and my family, everybody. I’m excited it’s over.”
The All-Star Game was special for the entire home organization. The NL-leading Dodgers placed six players on the roster, and both Mookie Betts and Trea Turner got hits in the first inning. Freddie Freeman grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the third, and left-hander Tyler Anderson was among the pitchers who didn’t get to play.
While Gonsolin took the loss, he looked good doing it. Kershaw bought a custom-made suit for Gonsolin to wear to his first All-Star game — and unsurprisingly, the cat-obsessed Gonsolin added two feline paw prints to the breast pocket.
But the hometown star of the night was undoubtedly Kershaw, who got the first of several standing ovations when he took the field for his pregame stretching. He got one of the biggest pops from the crowd during pregame introductions, and he got another when he took the mound.
When he gave up a broken-bat single to Ohtani on his first pitch, Kershaw wasn’t bothered. He knew Ohtani was going to swing at his first throw, and he didn’t feel right starting off an All-Star Game with a breaking ball.
“He didn’t hit it over the fence, so it was a win and we can move on,” Kershaw said. “You kind of had to give him a heater there. Had to do it.”
Kershaw then atoned by picking Ohtani off first base, although he claimed it was accidental: He was trying to decide what pitch to throw next to Aaron Judge, so he only threw to first to buy himself some time, but caught Ohtani leaning.
Kershaw struck out Judge, but walked Rafael Devers before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into an inning-ending forceout. Kershaw did some scouting work before the game, but only on the top of the AL lineup.
“If I’d had to face more than four batters, I didn’t know what to do,” Kershaw said.
Kershaw was in an upbeat mood throughout Tuesday night — not only because of his celebratory evening, but because he had already accomplished his toughest task of the All-Star break.
When asked what he’ll remember about the week’s festivities, he quipped: “My 2-year-old is a maniac. Trying to wrangle him for the Home Run Derby, I don’t think I’ve ever been more tired than I was last night.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/clayton-kershaw-soaks-in-all-star-start-at-dodger-stadium/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:25 | en | 0.985371 |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) _ Landstar System Inc. (LSTR) on Wednesday reported second-quarter earnings of $112.6 million.
On a per-share basis, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company said it had net income of $3.05.
The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $3.25 per share.
The freight shipper and warehouser posted revenue of $1.98 billion in the period, which also fell short of Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.02 billion.
For the current quarter ending in October, Landstar expects its per-share earnings to range from $2.75 to $2.85.
The company said it expects revenue in the range of $1.8 billion to $1.85 billion for the fiscal third quarter.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LSTR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LSTR | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Landstar-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317934.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:27 | en | 0.945952 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges is facing three felony domestic violence charges after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children last month, the Los Angeles County district attorney said Tuesday.
District Attorney George Gascón said his office filed one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Bridges is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
“Children who witness family violence are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable,” Gascón said.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 by Los Angeles police and was later released on $130,000 bond.
The Hornets and the NBA both said they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
“These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,” the Hornets said. “As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Bridges’ agent, Rich Paul, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges’ two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram on July 1, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read “adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.”
“I hate that it has come to this but I can’t be silent anymore. I’ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won’t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I’m not. I won’t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person.”
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who was expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets have extended Bridges a qualifying offer allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team had indicated prior to knowledge of Bridges’ arrest that it wanted to re-sign him.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/hornets-forward-bridges-facing-3-domestic-violence-charges/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:31 | en | 0.974545 |
LAS VEGAS (AP) _ Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) on Wednesday reported a loss of $290 million in its second quarter.
The Las Vegas-based company said it had a loss of 38 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs and to account for discontinued operations, were 34 cents per share.
The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 25 cents per share.
The casino operator posted revenue of $1.05 billion in the period, beating Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $917.7 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LVS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LVS | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Las-Vegas-Sands-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317905.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:33 | en | 0.953531 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — So let’s say the All-Star Game is tied 3-all after nine innings. Then it goes to that new Home Run Derby tiebreaker, where National League boppers Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Kyle Schwarber outslug the AL trio.
What’s the final score?
After a couple of ideas were considered, Major League Baseball made its decision hours before Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium: Officially, it would be 3-3, with a notation the NL won in a home run swing-off.
There had been discussion about adding a run to the winner’s score. But MLB consulted with the Elias Sports Bureau and followed the recommendation of the sport’s record keepers.
That’d make the final tally like the results in a soccer match decided by penalty kicks, more than a college football game where the scores keep escalating in multiple overtimes.
This is the first year that the All-Star Game would go to a Home Run Derby instead of extra innings if tied after the ninth.
Each squad would send up three players for three swings each — already chosen were Alonso, Acuña and Schwarber for the NL and Julio Rodríguez, Ty France and Kyle Tucker for the AL.
Rodríguez, selected as a reserve outfielder, could get into the game in the middle innings. Suppose the 21-year-old Seattle rookie went 0 for 2, but then hit three homers in the derby and led the AL to a win — could he get the Most Valuable Player award, based on that performance?
No. The MVP will be based on the nine-inning game and, with coaches doing the tossing in the derby, no winning or losing pitcher.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/if-all-star-game-decided-by-hr-derby-final-score-stays-same/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:37 | en | 0.960995 |
RENO, Nev. (AP) _ Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. (MCRI) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $19.4 million.
On a per-share basis, the Reno, Nevada-based company said it had net income of 99 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to $1.11 per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.08 per share.
The casino operator posted revenue of $115.3 million in the period, which fell short of Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $116.2 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MCRI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MCRI | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Monarch-Casino-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317946.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:39 | en | 0.934712 |
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The look of disbelief on British 1,500-meter champion Jake Wightman’s face as he crossed the finish line captured the evening best.
“Crazy,” he said.
Nothing quite went to script, yet everything seemed almost perfect on a wild Tuesday night at the world championships.
The in-stadium announcer for Wightman’s race was none other than his dad, Geoff. Handing Jake Wightman the gold medal after the race was none other than British middle-distance great Sebastian Coe, who also happens to be the World Athletics President and one of Wightman’s mentors.
“What else could I ask for?” Jake Wightman said.
Almost lost in all those good feelings was that Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway finished second in this one and his countryman, Karsten Warholm, seventh in the night’s last race, the 400-meter hurdles.
Wightman’s win arrived because he decided to take a chance and go all-out with about 200 meters to go.
“I thought, ‘I’m going to give this a go. If I end up finishing fourth, whatever. I gave it a go to try to win,’” Wightman said.
Other surprises included 100-meter champion Fred Kerley suffering a cramp in the semifinals of the 200 and not advancing.
And Warholm’s loss — chalked up to a bad hamstring that’s been bugging him this season — was a win for Alison Dos Santos of Brazil. Not that huge of a surprise, though it did open the door for American Trevor Bassitt to take surprise third, then withstand a tackle from the silver medalist, teammate Rai Benjamin.
“Just amazing,” Benjamin said. “So proud of him.”
Warholm, Benjamin and Dos Santos have formed the Big Three in the event. So any time they don’t end up on the podium it’s a shocker.
The 24-year-old Bassitt used the underdog card to his advantage. After the race, he replicated NBA standout Steph Curry’s iconic “night, night” gesture.
No one will sleep on him again.
“I knew for me there really wasn’t that much pressure from the outside,” Bassitt said. “I knew if I got a medal people would be shocked. I knew if I didn’t get a medal it would be like, ‘OK, he really wasn’t supposed to.’ I feel like I belong in that pedigree in that group of three. I feel like today proved it.”
Dos Santos powered down the homestretch to take the title and finish in a championship-record time of 46.29 seconds. That broke Kevin Young’s world-championship record of 47.18 seconds set in 1993 in Germany.
No wonder Dos Santos gave two bows to the crowd.
“The energy of the crowd was amazing,” Dos Santos said. “I felt their love, people hugging me. When you win, you start being everyone’s favorite.”
Warholm said the hamstring was fine, but his training not as much.
“I’ve only been focusing on getting ready, and today I went all or nothing, and unfortunately it was nothing,” said Warholm, the Olympic champion and world-record holder. “I’ve just got to live with that.”
Maybe the biggest shocker of the night was that Wightman’s dad was able to keep it together on the call in the stadium, even with his own son about to win.
“I have to keep it neutral,” he explained. “So there’s things you can do just to stop yourself from getting emotional.”
Wightman finished in a time of 3 minutes, 29.23 seconds. His win broke a string of five straight world 1,500 titles by the Kenyans. Spain’s Mohamed Katir flew down the homestretch to take home bronze.
“To take the win, I think it will take a long time to sink in,” Wightman said. “I just wanted to show I was in good shape and to build on it.”
Other winners included Australia’s Eleanor Patterson in the women’s high jump and Kristjan Čeh of Slovenia in the men’s discus.
Earlier in the night, Kerley slowed down midway through his 200-meter semifinal due to a cramp and finished sixth. His thoughts of two individual medals at the first worlds held on U.S. soil were dashed.
Kerley, once a 400-meter specialist who moved down in distance before last year’s Olympics, won the 100 in 9.86 seconds and was expected to lead the Americans in the 4×100 relay this weekend. He hasn’t been ruled out.
Kerley’s departure opens a less-challenging path for Noah Lyles, the defending world champion, 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton, and top-ranked Kenny Bednarek, all of whom advanced. The trio had the top three times, led by Lyles at 19.62 seconds.
The Jamaican women are poised for another sprint sweep after qualifying three for the final in the 200. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah — the finishing order of the 100 — all advanced. Jackson had the fastest time at 21.67.
It was an easy night at the track for the medal favorites in the women’s 400 hurdles. Olympic champion and world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin, defending world champion Dalilah Muhammad and Olympic bronze medalist Femke Bol of the Netherlands easily won their first-round heats.
“This event has become one of the main focuses for the last couple of years,” Muhammad said. “It could be any one of our days. So we’ll just see how it goes.”
___
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/kerley-slows-down-with-cramp-out-of-200-meters-at-worlds/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:43 | en | 0.969425 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Mets ace Jacob deGrom pushed back a simulated game scheduled for Tuesday after experiencing muscle soreness in his right shoulder.
New York said deGrom’s soreness was mild and the right-hander’s live batting practice was delayed to Thursday “out of an abundance of caution.”
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since spring training with a stress reaction in his right scapula. He made his third minor league rehab start last Thursday, pitching four innings of one-run ball for Triple-A Syracuse. He has been expected to return shortly after the All-Star break.
The Mets say he played catch Monday and Tuesday before opting not to face hitters at the team’s spring complex in Florida.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/mets-degrom-sim-game-delayed-amid-mild-shoulder-soreness/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:45 | en | 0.967893 |
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) _ NVE Corp. (NVEC) on Wednesday reported fiscal first-quarter profit of $4.1 million.
The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 86 cents per share.
The nanotechnology company posted revenue of $7.3 million in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NVEC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NVEC | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/NVE-Fiscal-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17317945.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:46 | en | 0.906163 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Major League Baseball is moving ahead with plans for advertising on uniforms next season.
The new labor contract agreed to in March allows teams to add uniform and helmet advertising patches. The San Diego Padres in April became the first team to announce a deal for 2023, with Motorola.
“I think that jersey patches advertisements on jerseys are a reality of life in professional sports,” Commissioner Rob Manfred told the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday. “That’s a revenue source that is significant enough that it is really impossible for the sport to ignore over the long haul. I think that’s the truth.”
Major League Soccer became the first of the major North American leagues to allow jersey ads in 2007.
Among other North American leagues, the NBA started selling sponsorship logos for the 2017-18 season. The NHL launched helmet ads for the 2020-21 season and began jersey advertising last season.
Manfred defended experiments with new uniform looks, such as having players not wear their regular-season jerseys during the All-Star Game last year.
After a markedly new look in 2021 that included three-letter abbreviations of team names, uniforms for this year’s game contain the script from regular season jerseys, with gold lettering on a white background for the National League and a gray background for the American.
Nike took over as MLB’s uniform supplier in 2020 and last year added a series of City Connect uniforms that were markedly different, such as having the Boston Red Sox wear yellow and blue.
“A lot of kind unease, trepidation among certainly the more traditional people in the game. City Connect has been one of the great marketing successes in the game in recent years,” Manfred said.
“I think that it’s important to experiment with things like that in order to give the game a little different look. I never thought that a baseball team wearing different jerseys in a game was a particularly appealing look for us. I understand that people can have different views on that topic, but it is part of a larger program designed to market the game in a nontraditional way,” he said.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/mlb-moving-ahead-with-uniform-ads-for-2022/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:51 | en | 0.974902 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday:
Netflix Inc., up $14.81 to $216.44.
The streaming video pioneer reported fewer lost subscribers than analysts expected.
Baker Hughes Co., down $2.33 to $25.89.
The oilfield services company blamed weak quarterly results on component shortages, inflation and the suspension of its Russia operations.
Workhorse Group Inc., up 50 cents to $3.63.
The U.S. Postal Service plans to increase its purchases of electric vehicles such as those made by the Cincinnati-based manufacturer.
Toll Brothers Inc., down 82 cents to $47.83.
The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed for the fifth consecutive month in June.
Nasdaq Inc., up $9.72 to $169.04.
The parent of the Nasdaq Stock Market delivered stronger profit and revenue than Wall Street expected.
Comerica Inc., up $1.21 to $79.13.
The Dallas-based financial services company reported stronger-than-expected results.
Las Vegas Sands Inc., up $1.55 to $37.08.
Published reports said China will allow casinos in the gambling hub of Macao to reopen.
Omnicom Inc., up $2.65 to $70.06.
The advertising and marketing conglomerate reported quarterly results that easily beat analysts forecasts. | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Omnicom-Netflix-rise-Baker-Hughes-Toll-17317933.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:52 | en | 0.927519 |
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A new obstacle appeared out of nowhere on the steeplechase course at world championships.
A cameraman.
Trying to get a great shot of the triple jump competition going on in the infield Monday night, a World Athletics cameraman stepped onto the track, unaware that there was a live race going on behind him.
As a phalanx of runners was approaching the cameramen, the runners spread out to pass him and nobody was hurt.
“I was a little worried that he was going to dart one way or another, right at the last second,” said Evan Jager of the U.S., who finished sixth. “Thankfully he didn’t realize we were there until we all passed him.”
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali won the race in a time of 8 minutes, 25.13 seconds.
He was involved in the strange scene, though maybe not as harrowing as seven years ago at worlds in Beijing. Usain Bolt had just won the 200 meters and a cameraman riding a portable scooter lost control of the scooter and it tumbled onto the track and upended Bolt. He jumped up and dusted himself off, no worse for wear.
World Athletics President Seb Coe said the federation is looking into what happened.
“I don’t want to be cavalier about these things,” he said. “But these things happen. He did actually have the presence to recognize what was going on, and he stood still, which is the most important thing. He didn’t move.”
___
https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/new-obstacle-in-steeplechase-a-cameraman/ | 2022-07-20T21:38:57 | en | 0.984465 |
NEW YORK (AP) — Cotton No. 2 Futures on the IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) Wednesday:
- Bluegills and crappies 'have been easy to catch'
- Reed City officials approve busking permit, variance
- Crossroads Car Show in Reed City earns over $8,000 for Veterans'...
- Osceola County Fair kicks off July 23
- Alligator hunt in Kalamazoo River called off near college
- Tire and electronic collection scheduled for Aug. 6
- Walmart deal for 4,500 vans sends electric vehicle stock soaring
- Osceola County community events calendar
Most Popular
- A search of the Kalamazoo River for the alligator that prompted a 140-acre Michigan nature center...
- Those hospitals include Alton Memorial and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, one of the country's top...
- More than half a billion dollars is on the line in the July 19 Mega Millions jackpot.
- A 41-year-old Rogers City man is facing several felonies involving the possession and... | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Open-High-Low-Settle-Chg-17317921.php | 2022-07-20T21:38:58 | en | 0.878067 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles aimed high with their 13th-round draft pick.
A full seven feet — and that’s before their new pitching prospect gets on the mound.
The O’s selected 7-foot left-hander Jared Beck from Saint Leo University with the first pick in Round 13 of baseball’s amateur draft Tuesday. If Beck makes it to the majors, he’d pass 6-foot-11 pitchers Sean Hjelle and Jon Rauch as the tallest player in major league history.
Beck struck out 105 batters in 68 1/3 innings for Division II Saint Leo this season, posting a 3.95 ERA. He’s also pitched summer ball for the Savannah Bananas, where he stood out on a minor league club focused more on wacky entertainment than player development.
The O’s see Beck as more than an oddity, citing a fastball they clocked up to 95 mph. Baltimore draft director Brad Ciolek acknowledged Tuesday there’s work to do helping Beck manage his extra-long limbs, and they plan to help him improve his breaking ball and changeup, too.
“Jared’s a really interesting case,” Ciolek said. “Obviously, he’s a little bit of a bigger guy, and that might take a little bit more, I guess, in terms of delivery, refining his mechanics. But we have faith in our player-development staff, our pitching coaches, that they’ll be able to get the most out of his ability.”
There have been at least two minor league baseball players taller than Beck at 7-foot-1. Dutch pitcher Loek Van Mil played 10 seasons in affiliated ball, mostly with Minnesota, and Ryan Doherty pitched parts of three seasons in Arizona’s system before transitioning to professional beach volleyball.
Here are some other selections worth noting from the draft’s third and final day, which covered rounds 11-20:
— RHP Marquis Grissom Jr., Washington: Grissom’s father was a third-round pick by the Montreal Expos in 1988 and played six seasons as an outfielder for the club, which relocated to Washington in 2005. The younger Grissom was a 13th-round selection for the same franchise after going 4-5 with 57 strikeouts in 61 innings as a starting pitcher at Georgia Tech.
— 3B Jackson Jaha, New York Mets: Jaha, a 15th-round pick, is the son of former big league slugger John, who played 10 seasons with Milwaukee and Oakland. Jackson is a high school player out of Clackamas High School in Oregon and is committed to the University of Oregon.
— RHP Caden Dana and OF Casey Dana, Los Angeles Angels: LA picked Caden, a high school pitcher, in the 11th round, then selected his brother Casey, an outfielder from UConn, in the 16th round. Caden is committed to Kentucky for college and might require a hefty signing bonus. Finding a job for his brother, a fifth-year senior with the Huskies, might help with those negotiations.
— RHP Jared Karros, Los Angeles Dodgers: Eric Karros played 12 seasons in Dodger Blue, winning Rookie of the Year in 1992 as a first baseman. Jared went to UCLA just like his dad, where he had a 3.33 ERA for the Bruins, good enough for the Dodgers to take him in the 16th round.
— RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Milwaukee: Cinjtje is a pro pitching prospect with both arms, reaching 96 mph from the right side and 92 mph from the left. The Florida high school player lasted until the 18th round and might honor his college commitment to Mississippi State. If he decides to sign, he could follow Pat Venditte’s path as an ambidextrous big league hurler.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/orioles-draft-7-foot-pitcher-would-be-tallest-ever-in-mlb/ | 2022-07-20T21:39:03 | en | 0.969867 |
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) _ Parke Bancorp Inc. (PKBK) on Wednesday reported net income of $10.7 million in its second quarter.
The Washington Township, New Jersey-based bank said it had earnings of 88 cents per share.
The holding company for Parke Bank posted revenue of $23 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $20.5 million, exceeding Street forecasts.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PKBK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PKBK | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Parke-Bancorp-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317928.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:04 | en | 0.933732 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Baseball’s All-Stars gathered on the field before Tuesday night’s game at Dodger Stadium to honor Rachel Robinson on her 100th birthday.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts led the tribute to the widow of Jackie Robinson, speaking to the crowd from the infield grass following the Canadian and U.S. national anthems. Players from both teams fanned out across the grass behind him.
“Today’s a special day. It’s Miss Rachel Robinson’s 100th birthday,” Betts said. “So on the count of three, I want everybody here to say: ‘Happy Birthday, Rachel!’”
Rachel Robinson didn’t travel from her home in Connecticut to the game.
“That tribute is probably the thing I’ll remember the most,” Betts said. “It was very special for me to be able to be on the mic and say it.”
A video tribute followed on the hexagonal DodgerVision scoreboards in left and right field after the first inning.
“It was beautiful,” Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner said. “I know she’s really special to this game and so is Jackie.”
Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, who moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 season.
Major League Baseball held a discussion of Robinson’s life on Monday.
Jackie Robinson died in 1972 at age 53 and his No. 42 was retired throughout the major leagues in 1997. There is a statue honoring the Hall of Famer outside Dodger Stadium.
Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington wore a No. 42 jersey when he spoke to the crowd during the pregame ceremonies.
“I give Mookie a lot of respect,” Turner said. “I know he was probably a little nervous for it, especially following that great speech from Denzel. But he did a great job.”
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/rachel-robinson-honored-on-100th-birthday-at-all-star-game/ | 2022-07-20T21:39:05 | en | 0.962914 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Preferred Bank (PFBC) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $28.1 million.
The Los Angeles-based bank said it had earnings of $1.87 per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.78 per share.
The independent commercial bank posted revenue of $65.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $59 million, also topping Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $56.8 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PFBC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PFBC | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Preferred-Bank-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317925.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:10 | en | 0.947791 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was a man of his word Tuesday night — even the ones he spoke in English.
The two-way Japanese All-Star called his shot before leading off the Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium, telling Fox’s Tom Verducci in the on-deck circle that he was going to jump on Clayton Kershaw quickly.
“First pitch, first swing. That’s it,” the reigning AL MVP declared.
Sure enough, Ohtani flared a 90.9 mph fastball off the Los Angeles Dodgers ace up the middle for a base hit.
Ohtani reached base in both of his plate appearances during the AL’s 3-2 win after drawing a walk in the third inning. He is the fifth starting designated hitter to reach base multiple times in an All-Star Game, joining Albert Pujols (2008), David Ortiz (2005), Edgar Martinez (1997) and Bobby Bonilla (1991).
“I was definitely swinging 100%. Kershaw has really good command,” Ohtani said through ever-present interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “I wish I hit it more square. I wasn’t too happy about that.”
Dodgers shortstop and fellow All-Star Trea Turner said Kershaw giving up a single was better compared to how other pitchers have fared against Ohtani.
“I mean, I think Clayton would give up a broken-bat single any day as opposed to hitting homers or something like that,” Turner said. “I asked him why he didn’t throw a curveball, he basically said he was going to swing first pitch. But Clayton said, ‘No, I’m not that kind of guy. I’m going to challenge him.’”
Kershaw got his revenge against Ohtani. With a 1-2 count against Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Kershaw caught Ohtani leaning a little too far off first base and threw to St Louis’ Paul Goldschmidt for the out. It was the first time since 2008 that a runner was picked off in the All-Star Game.
Kershaw said he threw over to first because he hadn’t decided what pitch to throw next to Judge, and he was buying himself a little time.
“I was seeing if there was a chance to run and he made a great move,” said Ohtani, who smiled as he dived into the bag and chuckled while sprawled in the dirt. “I was not expecting that, regardless, my name was going to be in the papers good or bad.”
Ohtani’s second trip to the All-Star Game was less hectic than last year, when he participated in the Home Run Derby and was the American League’s starting pitcher. He declined an invitation to participate in the Derby and asked AL manager Dusty Baker to not pitch because his next mound appearance is Friday in Atlanta when the Angels open the second half of the season.
“I was more relaxed. Definitely not as much of a workload as last year,” Ohtani said. “I threw last year and I think throwing takes a toll more than anything else.”
Over his last six starts, Ohtani has allowed only three runs (two earned) and 20 hits in 39 2/3 innings with 58 strikeouts and 11 walks. The right-hander is 9-4 with a 2.38 ERA in 15 starts.
At the plate, he is batting .258 with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/shohei-ohtani-calls-shot-in-english-with-all-star-hit/ | 2022-07-20T21:39:11 | en | 0.981239 |
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The second-place finish at world championships was beside the point for Ukraine’s best high jumper, Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
“For me, it’s gold,” she said Tuesday night, as she looked down at her newly won prize, one nobody would have been right to expect four months ago after she took a three-day car trip to flee her hometown and get away from the bombing.
Mahuchikh left shortly after her country came under siege by the Russian military. The war grinds on. Though thousands of civilians and soldiers are dying, Mahuchikh felt it was her duty to keep doing what she does best, if for no other reason than to give people back home something to be happy about. And, she said, to show Ukraine is strong.
“We will fight for our independence and for our territory,” she said. “And of course, finally, we will win.”
She came into the biggest high jump contest of the year as a favorite, in part because the three-time defending champion, Maria Lasitskene, is from Russia and not allowed to compete in major events due to the war.
The Ukrainian finished behind the surprising Eleanor Patterson of Australia, who had one fewer miss than Mahuchikh at 2.02 meters (6 feet, 7 1/2 inches), which made the difference between first and second.
Still, this was a night to celebrate for Ukraine, and for Mahuchikh, who said she felt the warmth from the stands, where the yellow-and-blue Ukraine flags dotted a few seats and fans cheered for her before every jump.
“Now, everything is for our Ukrainian people, and everything you do, you want to show the good results,” she said.
The silver medal goes alongside the gold she won at the world indoor championships in March. That came shortly after she escaped her hometown of Dnipro, which had come under attack by Russia and, she said, is under siege today.
She is one of 22 Ukrainian athletes in Eugene this week for the championships, all of whom have been training far from home — some in Portugal, others in Spain, still others in Poland and Mahuchikh most recently in California after stops in Serbia, Germany and Turkey.
Her teammate, Iryna Gerashchenko, finished fourth — also a spectacular result given her plight after bombs started falling near her home in Kyiv. After sheltering in her parents’ basement for about a week, she left without spikes and trained for a time in tennis shoes.
“Things are a bit better, but at the same time, the war is going on,” said Gerashchenko, whose jump of 2 meters (6 feet, 6 3/4) was a personal best. “It’s very hard to live the life before, the previous life. But I’m very happy that my parents are safe.”
Mahuchikh’s medal gives Ukraine two at the halfway point of worlds.
A night earlier, Andriy Protsenko won bronze in the men’s high jump. His victory comes months after he was trapped for nearly six weeks in his hometown of Kherson, which is near the Crimean peninsula and under Russian occupation.
“It made me realize that anything is possible,” said Ukrainian hurdler Anna Ryzhykova, who finished second in her preliminary heat shortly before Mahuchikh took to the field. “He trained one month in an occupied city where he was risking his life. It’s amazing.”
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe was on hand. His federation was one of the first to banish Russians from these major events, a decision made, he said, because there was no fairness in allowing in athletes from an aggressor nation while those from the country under attack were living such fragile existences.
“Some of them are living at their training camps and can’t get home, some are wondering where loved ones are,” Coe said. “Their houses have been destroyed. It’s inconceivable. I don’t think any of us have that within our framework of reference.”
Mahuchikh said her mom, sister and niece are safe in Germany. Her dad and grandfather remain in Dnipro, where she said they can sometimes hear artillery firing.
There is no timeline for when she might get back to her home country to show off the silver medal.
“I wish I could come back home to our airport, to speak to our journalists, and with our relatives,” she said. “But I can’t do it now. The Russians have taken that opportunity from me.”
___
https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.ktsm.com/sports/national-sports/ukrainian-high-jumper-mahuchikh-wins-silver-at-worlds/ | 2022-07-20T21:39:17 | en | 0.984395 |
PROVO, Utah (AP) _ Qualtrics International Inc. (XM) on Wednesday reported a loss of $279.2 million in its second quarter.
The Provo, Utah-based company said it had a loss of 48 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 4 cents per share.
The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was breakeven on a per-share basis.
The developer of application software posted revenue of $356.4 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $344.9 million.
For the current quarter ending in October, Qualtrics expects its results to range from a loss of 4 cents per share to a loss of 2 cents per share.
The company said it expects revenue in the range of $358 million to $360 million for the fiscal third quarter.
Qualtrics expects full-year results to range from a loss of 9 cents per share to a loss of 7 cents per share, with revenue ranging from $1.42 billion to $1.43 billion.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on XM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/XM | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Qualtrics-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317947.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:17 | en | 0.949756 |
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) _ RLI Corp. (RLI) on Wednesday reported a loss of $2.2 million in its second quarter.
The Peoria, Illinois-based company said it had a loss of 5 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for investment costs, came to $1.49 per share.
The specialty insurance company posted revenue of $213.1 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $301.3 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on RLI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/RLI | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/RLI-Corp-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317923.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:23 | en | 0.953544 |
OAKS, Pa. (AP) _ SEI Investments Co. (SEIC) on Wednesday reported second-quarter profit of $111.3 million.
On a per-share basis, the Oaks, Pennsylvania-based company said it had profit of 81 cents.
The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 82 cents per share.
The investment management firm posted revenue of $481.7 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $471.7 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SEIC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SEIC | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/SEI-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317903.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:29 | en | 0.932085 |
NEWYORK, N.Y. (AP) _ SL Green Realty Corp. (SLG) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its second quarter. The results topped Wall Street expectations.
The Newyork, New York-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $128.8 million, or $1.87 per share, in the period.
The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of $1.69 per share.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had a loss of $43.9 million, or 70 cents per share.
The commercial real estate investment trust, based in Newyork, New York, posted revenue of $201.4 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $136.5 million.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SLG at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SLG | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/SL-Green-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317959.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:35 | en | 0.956207 |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ Valmont Industries Inc. (VMI) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $76.1 million.
The Omaha, Nebraska-based company said it had profit of $3.53 per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and amortization costs, were $3.70 per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $3.29 per share.
The infrastructure equipment maker posted revenue of $1.14 billion in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $992.1 million.
Valmont expects full-year earnings in the range of $13.60 to $14 per share.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VMI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VMI | https://www.theheraldreview.com/business/article/Valmont-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17317950.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:36 | en | 0.940483 |
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
3-8-5
(three, eight, five)
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
3-8-5
(three, eight, five) | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-Midday-game-17317924.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:42 | en | 0.931331 |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Illinois Lottery's "LuckyDay Lotto Midday" game were:
13-17-18-23-28
(thirteen, seventeen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-eight)
Estimated jackpot: $750,000
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Illinois Lottery's "LuckyDay Lotto Midday" game were:
13-17-18-23-28
(thirteen, seventeen, eighteen, twenty-three, twenty-eight)
Estimated jackpot: $750,000 | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-LuckyDay-Lotto-Midday-17317956.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:48 | en | 0.836864 |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Four-Midday" game were:
5-1-3-6, Fireball: 2
(five, one, three, six; Fireball: two)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Four-Midday" game were:
5-1-3-6, Fireball: 2
(five, one, three, six; Fireball: two) | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Four-Midday-game-17317954.php | 2022-07-20T21:39:55 | en | 0.853919 |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Three-Midday" game were:
7-4-6, Fireball: 8
(seven, four, six; Fireball: eight)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the "Pick Three-Midday" game were:
7-4-6, Fireball: 8
(seven, four, six; Fireball: eight) | https://www.theheraldreview.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-Three-Midday-game-17317955.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:01 | en | 0.841109 |
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 42-year-old Lincoln man died when someone walked onto his boat at Branched Oak Lake and shot him, prompting four other people to dive in to the water to escape, authorities said.
Benjamin Case died in an apparently targeted shooting Tuesday night, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said. The four other people on the boat were not injured, he said.
Case and his friends were inside the boat’s cabin when the man walked onto the boat's deck. Wagner said. Case opened the cabin door and was immediately shot twice with a handgun.
The suspect — who did not fire toward the others — left the lake area in a vehicle, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.
Wagner said it did not appear the suspect took anything from the boat or the victim’s vehicle, which was parked at the lake. | https://www.theheraldreview.com/news/article/1-dead-others-dive-into-water-during-shooting-in-17317942.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:07 | en | 0.98783 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
ATLANTA (AP) — Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who wears No. 15, has shed the nickname “AR-15” because he doesn’t want to be linked to the semiautomatic rifle used in mass shootings.
Richardson said Wednesday at the Southeastern Conference Media Days he is “just trying to rebrand myself and become a better person.”
The sophomore said he was thinking about “what the future holds” when making the decision.
“I’m not going to be able to play football for the rest of my life,” Richardson said. “I feel it was pretty much a business decision. There’s a lot going on and that kind of played a part in it. Just trying to understand like who I am as a person.
"AR-15 doesn’t necessarily describe who I am. I’m Anthony Richardson and that’s who I’ve been since I was born.”
NIL COUNTER
One day after Alabama coach Nick Saban said his players made more than $3 million in name, image and likeness deals, Georgia coach Kirby Smart wouldn't give a total count on the earnings of his players.
Smart said he preferred to emphasize having 95 players with NIL deals. He said winning the 2021 national championship helped his players take advantage of the NIL opportunities.
“I would rival anybody in the country with 95 NIL deals coming off the national championship, a pretty gaudy number that we’ve been able to give out,” Smart said before adding he didn't think the total value of the deals was most important.
“I think it’s more about the depth of our deals than the total amount,” Smart said.
ENDURING AT KENTUCKY
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is 59-53 as he enters his 10th season, setting a school record for endurance.
The Wildcats carry a streak of six consecutive bowl seasons into 2022.
“The 10 years in Lexington is something that I am proud of because I know how difficult it is,” Stoops said. “I know how difficult it is to walk into this league with the great coaching, with the recruiting ... then trying to climb that ladder as high as we can.”
Stoops added, “However, we’re not satisfied. We want to continue to grow. We want to continue to push it. Obviously, some teams at the top of the food chain in the East and the West are doing some really special things. So you have to continue to elevate your game.”
NEW DEAL FOR SMART
Smart confirmed he is close to agreeing to a contract extension. He is 66-15 in six years at Georgia.
Smart is earning more than $7.1 million per year on his current deal, which carries through the 2024 season. His extension is expected to be for 10 or more years and make him one of the game's highest-paid coaches at about $10 million per year.
“I’m not concerned at all about it,” Smart said of the talks between Georgia's administration and his agent, Jimmy Sexton.
“They’ve been tremendous in their communication with my representation,” Smart said. “I’m completely comfortable with where everything is. Both sides have worked really hard to get the thing done.”
BENNETT WELCOMES HIS BROTHER
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is five years older than his brother, Luke Bennett, a wide receiver. Under normal conditions, that age difference would prevent the brothers from playing together in college.
Thanks to the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stetson is taking advantage of his sixth year — and the unexpected opportunity to play with his younger brother, a freshman, who signed with Georgia as a walk-on.
“That’s probably the coolest thing for me that came out of COVID-19, if you can say that,” said Stetson Bennett. "We were always super tight, but I was five years older than him. We were never able to get on the team together.
"Being able to have that opportunity, it’s special. We are both super lucky. I know my mom is a big fan of it happening. Hopefully, the stars align, and we can throw a pass to each other, but for right now, we are good just being on the same team.”
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/Florida-QB-Richardson-seeks-rebrand-sheds-AR-15-17317889.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:13 | en | 0.982904 |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sam Hartman walked off the field at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in December in despair after throwing four interceptions in Wake Forest's 45-21 loss to Pittsburgh in the 2021 ACC championship game.
The 22-year-old quarterback was so downtrodden he declined interviews after the game.
Hartman hasn't forgotten that night in which the Demon Deacons were held scoreless in their final 13 possessions and missed out on a chance to win the school's first ACC title since 2006.
“It's one of the reasons I came back. It's a legacy, right?" said Hartman, a redshirt junior who has thrown for 9,266 yards and 72 touchdowns during his four seasons. "Wake Forest invested in me and I want to invest back in Wake Forest. I felt like I owed it to them and their belief in me. ... I wanted to make it right."
Hartman was in good spirits on Wednesday, arriving at ACC Media Days wearing a “Peaky cap,” a nod to his favorite TV character Tommy Shelby from the early 1900s British crime drama “Peaky Blinders." (“I like his attitude and his mentality,” Hartman said.)
Aside from the ACC title game, Hartman had a spectacular season. He threw for 4,228 yards with 39 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, helping Wake Forest unseat national power Clemson to win the Atlantic Division championship. After the ACC loss, the Deacons bounced back to beat Rutgers 38-10 in the Gator Bowl to finish 11-3.
And while Tommy Shelby is known as a no-nonsense character who doesn’t take anything from anyone, Hartman said he's learned to “tone down” his trash talk during the game as he's matured .
“I’ve learned if you trash talk people, they hit you harder — so I've kind of shied away from that," Hartman said with a laugh. "I’m more likely to make cordial conversation.”
EXPERIENCED QUARTERBACKS
Wake Forest isn't the only Atlantic Division team returning an experienced quarterback — all seven will.
That group that includes Devin Leary with North Carolina State and DJ Uiagalelei at Clemson.
Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said he's never seen this kind of scenario before, adding that he expects the Atlantic to be a “slugfest.”
“If you are playing a team whose quarterback is not savvy and doesn’t have experience and yours is, you have a great advantage," Doeren said. "We don’t have that in any game as far as playing against a nonstarter.”
Other returning starting QBs in the division are Florida State's Jordan Travis, Syracuse's Garrett Shrader, Boston College's Phil Jurkovec and Louisville's Mailk Cunningham.
DABO'S SUPPORT
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the difference between Uiagalelei and his successful predecessors Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson is that Uiagalelei hasn't gotten the support from those around him.
Uiagalelei received heavy criticism last year for the Tigers' falloff in offensive production, but Swinney threw his support behind him Wednesday.
“I got a lot of confidence in DJ,” Swinney said. "He’s got some scars on him, some shrapnel — and that's going to serve him well. ... But you've got to go do it. And I believe he will do it.”
PLAYOFF EXPANSION
Commissioner Jim Phillips said the ACC is supportive of an expanded College Football Playoff, but added there “is more work to be done" before that comes to fruition.
In January, Phillips preached caution when it came to playoff expansion, citing concerns about athlete welfare, the impact on academics and the length of the season.
“The ACC took what we believe was a necessary stance regarding last fall’s CFP proposal,” Phillips said. “This was based on feeling we must all come together to address before rushing into a new model.”
But Phillips' optimism comes after what he called “great meetings” with other conference commissioners in April and June. He said he is confident that the concerns of the ACC and others will be addressed and “a new model with great access will ultimately come to pass.”
Phillips said an expansion still might take some time.
“I don’t expect us in September when we get together to line up and announce a new CFP structure,” Phillips said. “... I don’t know that there’s a separation now with those things. We’ll see, but I think the health and safety, the 365-day calendar review. I mean, we’ve talked about access, automatic qualifiers. There’s a lot of things to discuss.”
FINAL YEAR OF DIVISIONS
This will be the final season the ACC uses the two-division format.
Beginning in 2023, the league will go to one 14-team division and the teams with the top two winning percentages will advance to the annual conference championship game the first weekend of December in Charlotte.
That would seem to be an advantage to teams in the Atlantic Division that have had to compete for one spot with Clemson, which had won every ACC title since 2014 before being upended by Wake Forest last season.
“If you take the division votes every year, the Atlantic was for eliminating it, and the Coastal was for keeping it,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 | https://www.theheraldreview.com/sports/article/Hartman-I-owed-it-to-Wake-Forest-to-return-17317948.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:19 | en | 0.977474 |
(Motor Authority) Volkswagen Group in February announced it was considering spinning off Porsche to help raise funds for investment in the key areas of electric vehicles, self-driving technology, and software development.
A lot has changed since then. There’s the ongoing war in Ukraine, worldwide political strife, raging inflation, rising interest rates, an energy crisis, and stock markets declining across all sectors.
Despite these challenges, VW Group will go ahead with a planned initial public offering of Porsche in the fourth quarter of the year, Arno Antlitz. VW Group’s chief financial officer, said late last month during an investor presentation in Germany.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported VW Group is lining up investment banks to serve as underwriters of the IPO and is considering launching the IPO as soon as September, with an aim to list in October.
Bloomberg also reported in March that the IPO could value Porsche at 90 billion euros (approximately $90.6 billion).
Should the IPO prove successful, VW Group may follow it with an IPO of recently established battery company PowerCo. Speaking at the investor presentation, Antlitz said VW Group’s battery unit has been set up in a way to make a listing next year or 2024 possible. PowerCo is responsible for VW Group’s global battery activities and has announced plans for six battery plants in Europe and is considering establishing plants in North America as well. | https://www.ktsm.com/automotive/vw-group-sticks-to-porsche-ipo-plans-despite-stock-market-rout/ | 2022-07-20T21:40:25 | en | 0.959731 |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albany NY
410 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 99.
* WHERE...Portions of northwestern Connecticut and east central
New York.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/CT-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317927.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:26 | en | 0.873525 |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The bodies of three people were found inside a Florida condominium on Sunday, authorities said.
Shortly before 10 p.m., a 911 caller reported blood coming from inside a condo at Paradise Cove Condominiums, according to the West Palm Beach Police Dept.
Officers responded and found the bodies of a 37-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman and a third person, whose age wasn’t immediately known. Their names were not released.
Police did not say how the three individuals were killed, but added that investigators found a gun in a bedroom. A medical examiner will determine their cause of death.
Police said all three people lived at the condo, and called the situation a “domestic dispute.” There was no forced entry into the home.
“It was chaos,” one neighbor told WPTV. “There were like 15 to 20 cars and they had it all blocked off. None of the residents could get over there. It was a nightmare.”
“Disbelief, that’s my first thought. But my first reaction is fear,” neighbor Immanuel Smith said in an interview with WCTV. “I feel like I can’t get away from the gun violence. I moved from a violent area to move back into a violent area.”
Police are waiting to release any identifications until the are able to notify next of kin living outside of the country. | https://www.ktsm.com/crime/blood-coming-from-florida-condo-leads-police-to-3-bodies/ | 2022-07-20T21:40:31 | en | 0.987309 |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
HEAT ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albany NY
410 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 97.
* WHERE...Western Schenectady, Northern Saratoga, Montgomery,
Southern Washington, Southeast Warren, Western Ulster, Eastern
Rensselaer, Northern Washington, Southern Herkimer and
Southern Fulton Counties.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Heat index values up to 99.
* WHERE...Portions of northwestern Connecticut and east central
New York.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT Thursday.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17317920.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:32 | en | 0.846193 |
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The woman accused of shooting and killing pro-cyclist Moriah Wilson appeared in an Austin courtroom for the first time Wednesday after spending 43 days on the run.
In addition to entering a plea of not guilty, Kaitlin Armstrong’s attorneys asked for a speedy trial.
“There is a big picture here. This is a beginning of a process that will play out in court and it should play out in court,” Rick Cofer, Armstrong’s attorney said. Cofer agreed to make a statement after Wednesday’s hearing but would not answer questions, including why Armstrong fled the country.
Cofer said Armstrong’s legal team has some questions themselves, including why Austin Police officers “seemingly ignored a tip about the former boyfriend of Ms. Wilson.” He also said they want to know “who vandalized the home of Kaitlin Armstrong and Colin Strickland the night of Wilson’s death and why?”
KXAN has reached out to the Austin Police Department for their response to statements made by Cofer.
After some back and forth, the judge set the docket call for this case for Oct. 19, with a jury trial the following week.
The state argued it has more than 100 murder cases backlogged because of the pandemic and that an October trial would be difficult.
“I know they haven’t seen the evidence because we don’t have all the evidence to give them,” the state told Judge Brenda Kennedy.
“What you saw in the courtroom today was illuminating. Ms. Armstrong wants her day in court, she wants a trial,” Cofer said. “Cases should not be indicted if prosecutors are not prepared to proceed.”
Armstrong was scheduled for a pretrial hearing in the 403rd District Court for her first-degree murder charge. Pretrial hearings are typically quick and procedural, but also offer attorneys the opportunity to file motions, ask for specific evidence to be included or excluded and set the stage for trial.
A court also addressed Armstrong’s theft of service charge, a class B misdemeanor, Wednesday after she allegedly did not pay for a Botox session in March 2018. Court records show Armstrong had a jail docket call on that case Wednesday morning, prior to her hearing.
Armstrong is being held on a $3.5 million bond in Travis County’s jail after police say she shot and killed Wilson in mid-May and then fled the country using someone else’s passport. She was captured in Costa Rica and extradited back to the United States for trial.
Wilson was visiting Austin for a race. She was staying with a friend who found her shot and bleeding the night of her murder.
“Moriah was a talented, kind, and caring young woman. Her life was taken from her before she had the opportunity to achieve everything she dreamed of. Our family, and all those who loved her, will forever miss her,” her family’s statement said in part.
Wilson’s family has started a GoFundMe in her memory, the proceeds of which will go to the Moriah Wilson Foundation, which will help expand “access to recreation, sports and educational programs that promote healthy lifestyles and community engagement for all.” | https://www.ktsm.com/crime/suspect-in-murder-of-pro-cyclist-enters-plea-attorneys-seek-speedy-trial/ | 2022-07-20T21:40:37 | en | 0.976138 |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, July 21, 2022
_____
RIP CURRENT STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service New York NY
404 PM EDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents expected.
* WHERE...Kings (Brooklyn), Southwest Suffolk, Southeast
Suffolk, Southern Queens and Southern Nassau Counties.
* WHEN...From Thursday morning through Thursday evening.
* IMPACTS...Life-threatening rip currents are likely for all
people entering the surf zone. Anyone visiting the beaches
should stay out of the surf. Rip currents can sweep even the
best swimmers away from shore into deeper water.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If you enter the surf zone, always have a flotation device with
you and swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax
and float, and do not swim against the current. If able, swim in
a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face
the shore and yell or wave for help.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17317919.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:38 | en | 0.865443 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/articles/40133594 | 2022-07-20T21:40:41 | en | 0.738227 |
HOUSTON (CW39) — Harris County investigators are looking for a driver who hit and killed a 16-year-old boy in the west side of Houston late Tuesday night.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez took to Twitter to share details about what happened to Omar Ghawtah, 16.
Sheriff Gonzalez said Ghawtah was being chased by a dog in the 14100 block of Alief-Clodine Road a little before 11 p.m. Tuesday night.
He said the teen reportedly ran onto the roadway and was struck by a 2007-2014 white Chevy Silverado then pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities added that the person behind the wheel of the Chevy truck did not stop and render assistance and fled the scene eastbound on Alief-Clodine.
The deadly crash remains under investigation. | https://www.ktsm.com/crime/teen-chased-by-dog-killed-by-hit-and-run-driver-in-houston/ | 2022-07-20T21:40:43 | en | 0.966373 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, July 20, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
316 PM CDT Wed Jul 20 2022
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS...
* AFFECTED COUNTIES... Houston...Trinity...Madison...Walker...
Burleson...Brazos...Washington...Grimes.
* WIND...South to southwest at 10 to 15 mph with gusts near 25
mph.
* HUMIDITY...As low as 20 to 25 percent.
* TEMPERATURES...102 to 106 degrees.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now...or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures will
create explosive fire growth potential.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.theheraldreview.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17317918.php | 2022-07-20T21:40:44 | en | 0.83142 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.