Pirates reliever Keone Kela is drawing trade interest, including from the division-rival Brewers, according to Robert Murray of The Athletic . No deal appears "imminent," Murray adds. The Pirates and Brewers already swung a deal Monday, when Pittsburgh sent starter Jordan Lyles to Milwaukee. The rotation and bullpen still look like concerns for the Brewers, whose less-than-stellar pitching has left the reigning NL Central champions in danger of missing the playoffs. However, with a 56-51 record, the Brewers are very much in the thick of the postseason race. They're a game back of the division-leading Cubs and Cardinals, facing the same deficit in the wild-card hunt and could make further upgrades by Wednesday's trade deadline. To this point, acquiring Kela at last year's deadline hasn't paid off as planned for the Pirates (nor has their 2018 deadline pickup of starter Chris Archer ). The Pirates sent two pitching prospects to the Rangers for Kela, but the trade didn't result in a playoff berth then and it won't this season. Kela has missed most of 2019 with right shoulder problems, and just as he returned from the injured list last week, the Pirates issued the 26-year-old a two-game suspension for an altercation with one of their coaches. The Pirates are now reportedly open to trading Kela, who has tossed three scoreless innings with four strikeouts, a walk and two hits allowed since returning from his short ban. Overall, Kela has logged a 3.68 ERA (and a much less encouraging 5.07 FIP) with 9.2 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 1.84 HR/9 and a 31% ground-ball rate in 14 2/3 innings this season. While 2019 has been a campaign to forget for Kela, he has mostly been an effective late-game option since debuting with the Rangers in 2015. Dating back to then, the hard-throwing Kela owns a 3.43 ERA/3.35 FIP with 11.04 K/9, 3.43 BB/9, 0.99 HR/9 and a GB percentage of 41.0 across 199 2/3 frames. He's also affordable ($3.175 million salary) and set to go through arbitration one more time.


HOUSTON (AP) The Chicago White Sox used a rare combination to beat the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Charlie Tilson hit a grand slam for his first career homer and the White Sox turned the only triple play in the majors this season during a 9-4 victory. It's the first time in franchise history the White Sox have smacked a grand slam and pulled off a triple play in the same game - and only the fourth time a major league team has done it since 1979. The last club to accomplish the feat was the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 8, 2017. ''The guys today swung the bats very well,'' manager Rick Renteria said. ''All around just a pretty good game with a few double plays and a triple play to boot.'' Eloy Jimenez homered twice for Chicago, and Tilson's slam highlighted a six-run sixth inning. A night after managing just one hit in a 5-1 loss, the White Sox got going early in this one, with Jimenez connecting in the second inning and Jose Abreu adding a solo shot in the fourth to give them a 2-0 lead. The Astros got a homer from Alex Bregman in a three-run fourth to go on top before Chicago's big inning. Leury Garcia got things started in the sixth with a single and went to second on an error by left fielder Michael Brantley. The White Sox tied it at 3 when Garcia scored on a single by Yoan Moncada. Abreu singled before Gerrit Cole (4-5) was chased by James McCann's RBI double that put Chicago up 4-3. He was replaced by Josh James, who walked Yonder Alonso to load the bases. There were two outs when Tilson, who has played 58 games over three big league seasons, launched a 98 mph fastball into the right field seats to extend the lead to 8-3. ''It was very special,'' Tilson said. ''A long time coming, but couldn't have asked for a better moment to do it.'' Jimenez, who was 0 for 7 in his first two games after spending almost a month on the injured list with an ankle problem, added a second solo homer in the eighth for the rookie's second career multihomer game. ''It was a couple of tough days, especially yesterday,'' Jimenez said. ''It was good for me because it was against one of the best pitchers, too. He's got really good stuff.'' White Sox starter Ivan Nova (3-4) allowed 10 hits but just three runs in seven-plus innings to bounce back after giving up nine runs in his previous start. He was helped by a defense that turned four double plays and ended the third inning with Chicago's first triple play since July 2016 against Atlanta. With runners on first and second, speedy Jake Marisnick hit a grounder down the third base line to Moncada. He stepped on the bag for the first out and threw to Yolmer Sanchez at second. Sanchez relayed to first, where the ball just beat Marisnick. ''It takes a perfect alignment of the stars,'' Astros manager AJ Hinch said. ''It was not our night.'' Because he was in the perfect spot to grab Marisnick's grounder, Moncada thought the White Sox might be able to get three outs as soon as he touched third. ''Honestly, yes,'' he said through a translator. ''I just reacted and from there the play was easy.'' Houston last hit into a triple play on April 19, 2018, against the Mariners. Cole yielded seven hits and six runs while striking out seven in five-plus innings. ''I was just off,'' he said. ''It wasn't a good night. I wasn't synced up enough in my delivery.'' Abreu, who broke up Justin Verlander's no-hit bid with a homer in the seventh inning Tuesday night, went deep with one out in the fourth to make it 2-0. Bregman cut the lead to one on his homer with one out in the fourth. Brantley followed with a single before scoring on a double by Carlos Correa to tie it. Correa, who reached third on the throw home, evaded a tag to score on a sacrifice fly by Aledmys Diaz that put Houston on top 3-2. Bregman's homer extended Houston's streak of games with at least one to 19, which ties the longest run in franchise history. The Astros also homered in 19 straight games in 2017. TRAINER'S ROOM Astros: OF George Springer took swings for the first time since leaving Sunday's game with stiffness in his lower back. Hinch said Springer is improving but still day to day. ... 2B Jose Altuve (hamstring) did extensive running and is moving closer to a rehab assignment. THEY SAID IT Hinch on all the double plays and the triple play the White Sox turned: ''Four plus one. That's a lot of outs. They come fast ... it ends rallies. The craziest one when you have Jake up and he hits a bullet down the line. He's standing there, and that should have been a sign of bad things to come.'' UP NEXT White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (5-1, 3.35 ERA) pitches the series finale Thursday. Giolito allowed three hits and one run over five innings against the Blue Jays in his last start to extend his winning streak to a career-high four games. Astros: RHP Corbin Martin (1-0, 3.86) is scheduled to make his third career start. The rookie yielded five hits and three runs in four innings last time out against the Red Sox. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


As of Tuesday morning, there's been no concrete news or reports about Kawhi Leonard making his free agency decision . Yet there were a bunch of Leonard-related hashtags and statements on Twitter overnight on Monday, with rumors and jokes flying around particularly about Los Angeles. Everybody's freaking out!!!! Of course they are. The biggest name aside from Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and others is still apparently on the table. As a reminder: It seems like Leonard's decision is coming down to either going to the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers, or staying with the Toronto Raptors, the team he brought a title a few weeks ago. There is this tweet from ex-NBA forward Kendrick Perkins that people are pinning their hopes on: Just heard that Kawhi is meeting with the Clippers tonight but the Lakers hold the upper hand, unless Doc work his Magic tonight it's looking very strong that Kawhi will be in Purple and Gold!!! - Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) July 2, 2019 And here's a roundup of fans tweeting about waiting: i hope Kawhi doesnt sign until September just to see what happens on here. by August we'll still be sitting at the computer wearing only tree bark as pants, trying to make fire with rocks, and arguing with a volleyball every time Woj tweets. - Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) July 2, 2019 Waiting for the Kawhi news to drop. pic.twitter.com/nP2lCDQ1kK - SportsNation (@SportsNation) July 1, 2019 …Still no Kawhi news pic.twitter.com/1PJSupA0D4 - Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2019 Waiting for Kawhi to announce he's coming to the Lakers #KawhiToLA pic.twitter.com/jZXjLh3drv - JN (@JhericaNicole) July 2, 2019 Me after a whole day of refreshing for Kawhi news #KawhiToLA pic.twitter.com/Yxv9YkXvOE - A Jokester (@AJokester_) July 2, 2019 Seeing kawhi is a laker trending and @wojespn hasn't said anything pic.twitter.com/4Ci54PsNID - KAWHI NOT ¿ (@FloridianKicks_) July 2, 2019 Waiting on Kawhi like: pic.twitter.com/CnoCViVV56 - Workman King of the Woodlands (@iam_workman) July 2, 2019 Me refreshing my feed to see if Kawhi is a Laker yet pic.twitter.com/9QcGovDR0B - Chris John (@Chris_john24) July 2, 2019 Breaking news….. Kawhi to the Lakers confirmed. My cousin's barber has a friend that is very close to Kawhi's agent stepbrother's mechanic. #KawhiToLA - d®ei (@drei4trey) July 2, 2019 Constantly refreshing my feed for the confirmation, I'm going insane I don't have the patience to wait any longer #KawhiToLA pic.twitter.com/RubBsNmIcv - Moose (@__TheRealMoose) July 2, 2019 Waiting like #KawhiToLA pic.twitter.com/cM8wn4X6YL - IG (@IbnOfficially) July 2, 2019 Just realized I wasted a whole day refreshing twitter for nothing…Kawhi wins I give up , goodnight #KawhiToLA - Ben (@ben_hernandez89) July 2, 2019 Me waiting for @espn notification to go off saying @kawhileonard finally signed with the #Lakers #KawhiToLA #KawhiLeonard pic.twitter.com/wwX1EfgG6I - Wendy (@FirstToTheKey1) July 2, 2019 i been up for two straight days waiting for this man to decide ♂♂♂♂♂ i need some rest #KawhiToLA - Mike (@MIKEKASHH) July 2, 2019 Hang in there, NBA Twitter. MORE: MLB world pays respects to Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died Monday at age 27 Stephen A. Smith: 'Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers' Do Cowboys have horses to absorb another Ezekiel Elliott suspension? Tacko Fall's mobility is turning the heads of the Celtics coaches NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Related slideshow: The top picks in the NBA draft (Provided by imagn)


New York-based jewelry and industrial company AUrate has secured $13 million in Series A funding, according to company database Crunchbase , topping the city's recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced June 27 and led by BlueCrest Capital Management Limited. According to its Crunchbase profile, "AUrate offers its clients a variety of jewelry through direct selling and online. Its materials are ethically sourced and made in New York City." Founded in 2014, the startup also raised a $2.6 million seed round in 2017. The round brings total funding raised by New York companies in commerce and shopping over the past month to $203 million. The local commerce and shopping industry has produced 203 funding rounds over the past year, securing a total of $3.9 billion in venture funding. In other local funding news, lending and credit company Climb Credit announced a $9.8 million Series A funding round on June 26, led by Third Prime. According to Crunchbase, "Climb Credit finances education that works. They identify schools that consistently improve their graduates' earning potential and justify the cost of their tuition. They then provide simple, fast, and affordable loans to their students to help them meet their career and financial goals." Founded in 2014, the company has raised three previous rounds, including a $50 million debt financing round earlier this year. Meanwhile, renewable energy company EMPEQ raised $100,000 in grant funding, announced on June 26. The round was financed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. According to the company's Crunchbase profile, "EMPEQ provides modern energy equipment to small and midsize businesses. " EMPEQ last raised convertible note funding in 2018. This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


We all make sacrifices to buy our dream cars, but this guy got a pretty great deal. Jakub of Youtube channel TheStraightPipes has bought his dream truck: a first-generation Ford Raptor . It's orange inside and out, and, being an earlier model, it's powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8 good for 411 horsepower and 434 lb/ft of torque. We're happy for him. We're a little bit jealous of him, too, and that's because his truck was the cheapest Ford Raptor for sale anywhere when he bought it. Amazingly, Jakub scored the Ford truck of his dreams for just $13,400. That's impressively cheap. As you can imagine, at that price, there are a few issues that Jakub had to take care of. For one thing, this wasn't only the cheapest Raptor for sale at the time   it was also the one with the highest mileage. At 218,000 miles, this Raptor is no spring chicken. What's worse, the truck belonged to a smoker. When Jakub first got the truck, it looked downright nasty inside. The interior was in disgusting shape, and it desperately needed to be detailed. A local automotive detailing company did an amazing job of cleaning out the truck, and afterwards, it looks downright amazing. If you were to show us photos of the inside now and tell us that this truck had 50,000 miles on it, we'd absolutely believe you. Best of all, Jakub and Yuri report that the interior no longer smells like cigarette smoke. As far as repairs, the truck has been pretty good to Jakub so far, despite its status as a high-mileage, bargain-basement performance vehicle. The only issue he had to take care of was the switch for the rear window, which ran him about $40 (we're not sure if that's $40 USD or $40 CAD; either way, he got off easy). He still has to fix the seized rear step in the tailgate, but that's a task for another day. For now, Jakub's only concern is to drive and enjoy the truck of his dreams. Research the Ford F-150 on MSN Autos | Find a Ford F-150 near you Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


REIMS, France   The U.S. and Thailand will be the last two teams to make their 2019 Women's World Cup debuts when they meet here on Tuesday (3 p.m. ET, FOX, Telemundo), and you could tell on Monday that U.S. star Alex Morgan has been ready to start for a while now. "We're feeling quite left out that we're the last ones," she joked at a loose pregame press conference with coach Jill Ellis (who for her part showed off some impressive French language skills). The defending champion Americans didn't appear to be overlooking Thailand a wise call, considering 2011 champ Japan's 0-0 tie against supposed also-ran Argentina on Monday but the fact remains that the U.S. beat Thailand 9-0 in 2016 and could put up another eye-popping scoreline on Tuesday. The U.S. has drawn by far its easiest group ever at a Women's World Cup, and the first two games against Thailand and Chile could get ugly before the group finale against Sweden. You might be surprised to know that Thailand has a forward, Miranda Nild, who like Morgan went to college at the University of California-Berkeley. "I just met her in the hallway, so it's already friendly," Morgan said on Monday. "I introduced myself to her. I was the proactive one, so I already have the edge on that. I'm really excited to see some fellow Cal Bears … For Miranda, it's just such a great opportunity. She's a player that's shown really well with the Thai team." Here are some other notes from Monday: • Ellis was asked about the prevalence of set-piece goals in the tournament so far and whether the U.S. hoped to add to that tally. "Teams that are rich with aerial presence, it comes down to two things: The quality of serve and obviously the player receiving it," she said. "The teams that do have quality in the air, obviously it becomes an advantage. I think it's going to be a major part of this tournament, and already we've seen several goals from set pieces in some shape or form. "It's definitely a strength of ours, something we pay attention to on both sides of the ball … The addition of VAR lends itself to how set pieces can be influential. Especially with teams that man-to-man mark, it becomes more challenging to get hold of players than in the past." • A British writer asked Ellis for her response to former U.S. keeper Hope Solo's remarks on the BBC that Ellis "cracked under pressure" and refused to show the team video of goals it had conceded in the Olympics. "I mean, comments are comments," Ellis said. "For me, personally, listen, I feel over the past five years I've made a lot of important decisions. I have processes to make those decisions. And at this point everything that we focus on is about this group of players that are here now. Pundits out there, that's part of it, and part of the message [inside the U.S. team] is always to focus on the internal part of the game." On the eve of the #USA 's #FIFAWWC opener, @GrantWahl assesses its Group F, "by far the easiest group the U.S. has ever drawn in a World Cup." Watch more #USWNT analysis and breakdown on Planet Fútbol TV with a FREE SI TV trial https://t.co/iKup68onTM pic.twitter.com/gvAffY6pSy   Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) June 10, 2019 • Ellis was also asked whether she considered it an issue that Abby Wambach said she accepted her role as a substitute in the 2015 Women's World Cup, while Carli Lloyd has said she doesn't accept being a sub at this one. "No, because I've known Carli for a long time, and that's a special quality, believe it or not," she said. "Whether Carli comes in off the bench or starts a game, she is a game-changer. What I know Carli will do is put the team first. And I love the belief that you want to be on the pitch and can make the difference. Every player has that. Part of when you talk about a team, you say, 'Listen, if you're an injured player, your goal is to be healthy. If you're a player that's on the bench, your goal is to be the starter.' That's the kind of drive to help a team get across the line. I have no issue with that." Related slideshow: Best photos of the 2019 Women's World Cup (provided by imagn)


For the third time in less than a week, Hong Kong protesters have taken to the streets over a controversial extradition bill with China . Hundreds of mostly young people flooded into Harcourt Road outside the city's legislature Friday morning, where they had been staging a sit-in demanding the city's chief executive, Carrie Lam, resign and officially withdraw the bill. They briefly occupied the road -- a major thoroughfare in the city center -- before moving towards nearby Wan Chai, where protest organizers including Joshua Wong, who was this week released from prison , had encouraged them to surround police headquarters. Speaking to reporters, a police spokeswoman called on protesters to leave the area, but said a "clearance operation" was not planned. "We respect the rights of the public to express their views in a peaceful manner," she said, adding a negotiation team would meet with protesters in an attempt to get them to move on. Lam issued a rare public apology Tuesday , saying she was "sincerely sorry" for the controversies around the bill, which has seen multiple major protests, including consecutive marches organizers said attracted more than 1 million and 2 million participants respectively. "I have heard you loud and clear and have reflected deeply on all that has transpired," she said. "The concerns over the last few months have been caused by the deficiencies of the (Hong Kong) government." She did not respond to demands to completely withdraw, rather than pause, the bill, however. Nor did she resign or call for an investigation into alleged police brutality during violent protests on June 12, other key protest demands. Student and pro-democracy groups had given Lam until 5 p.m. Thursday to respond to those demands, saying they would stage further protests Friday if she did not. Those protests began with a peaceful sit in outside the legislature and central government offices, which have been closed to all business, before demonstrators escalated by seizing Harcourt Road. Police presence is considerably smaller Friday than it was last week, when they used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear tens of thousands of protests from Harcourt and surrounding streets . Multiple other events are planned Friday, including a memorial for a protester who fell to his death from the Pacific Place mall last week, and demonstrations by parent groups, as Hong Kong authorities brace for a summer of disruption and discontent over the failed bill.


The Giants are looking for help in the secondary and they're starting with a pair of big names. On Monday afternoon, the Giants will audition free-agent safeties Johnathan Cyprien and Tre Boston , according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com ( Twitter links ). Cyprien, who turns 29 next week, missed the entire 2018 season due to a torn ACL. He also worked out for the Colts this week and should be able to hook on with a contender if he is indeed back to 100% health. The advanced metrics have never been high on Cyprien, but he has been a starter for his entire career and has a reputation for delivering hard hits. Boston, 27, has averaged four interceptions, 61 tackles and 8.5 passes defensed over the past two seasons (30 games) with the Chargers and Cardinals. Pro Football Focus was also fond of his performance, ranking him among one of the top defenders in the NFC West last season. Still, a big free-agency payday continues to elude him.


The Saints are expected to sign free agent tight end A.J. Derby , according to Herbie Teope of The Advocate ( Twitter link ). Offensive lineman Nate Wozniak will be waived in a corresponding move. New Orleans currently has six tight ends on its roster, but two of them   Garrett Griffin and Alize Mack   are dealing with injuries, so the club is aiming to add a bit more depth by bringing Derby onto the roster. Veteran Jared Cook , who inked a two-year, $15M contract with the Saints during the offseason, will be the team's starter, but Josh Hill should still see a relatively large role after playing on more than 60 percent of New Orleans' offensive snaps in 2018. Derby, 27, has bounced around the NFL since entering the league as a Patriots sixth-round pick in 2015. The Arkansas product's most significant action came in 2017, when he racked up 21 catches on 40 targets while splitting time between the Broncos and Dolphins. Last season, Derby appeared in four games and managed three receptions for Miami before being placed on injured reserve in December.


The Twins have a deal in place to acquire minor league outfielder Ian Miller from the Mariners, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reported Friday. While the trade has yet to be confirmed by either side, Divish says the Mariners will likely receive cash considerations from Minnesota. It's been a long road for Miller, whose past seven seasons in Seattle's farm system have yet to yield a major-league call-up. The 27-year-old outfielder has been in a holding pattern at Triple-A Tacoma since 2017, and will leave the organization batting .269/.351/.449 with 11 home runs, 29 stolen bases (in 34 chances), and a .799 OPS through 445 plate appearances in 2019. Per Divish, the Mariners had no plans to call up Miller this year and would have lost him to minor league free agency after the 2019 season. It's unclear whether the Twins have any intention of utilizing the journeyman outfielder in the majors over the final seven weeks of the regular season; though his speed makes him an undeniable asset on the basepaths, he may take an assignment in Triple-A Rochester until rosters expand in September. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


All 14 S5000 chassis are now on Australian soil following the arrival of the final nine tubs from the United States. this year, at the Garry Rogers Motorsport workshop in Melbourne. this September. "It's fantastic to see the remaining nine tubs arrive in Melbourne, on schedule and ready for our team to start to piece together," said GRM owner Barry Rogers. "We've been working hard and smart behind the scenes in preparation for this. Now with all of the tubs in place, we can start to bring them to life. It's a mammoth task, but everyone is going at a million miles and hour to get it done. "While we have completed as much of the manufacturing as we can in-house, we are also using a number of trusted suppliers who have been working just as hard to get us to this point. "Every time we put the Valvoline-liveried S5000 out on the track, we get a great reaction. It's it going to be amazing to have all of these out on track to bring back a 'hero' open-wheel class of racing to Australia." More S5000 news: S5000 cars officially hit the market S5000 technical package ticked off after latest test


MORE: 7 reasons the Warriors are winning another title no matter who they play in the Finals Injury to Reuben Foster could help Chiefs, Redskins strike a deal Magic Johnson confirms rumor that Lakers want to sign Kyrie Irving 5 reasons Saints should be favorites to sign Gerald McCoy Can Patriots CB Joejuan Williams become the next Richard Sherman?


Detroit will see a chance of rain today, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Thursday's forecast shows the greatest possibility of rain at 86 percent, while the most rainfall is predicted on Wednesday at 0.05 inches. The next few days will also see warm temperatures, forecast to last through Tuesday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 84 degrees today. Skies will be partly cloudy Friday and Saturday. Winds will stay light in the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Thursday at only 12 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


ATLANTA (AP) -- Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer won't come off the 10-day injured list to start for Washington against Atlanta this weekend. Scherzer was given a cortisone shot on Tuesday to address inflammation in the bursa sac under his right shoulder blade. Manager Dave Martinez says Scherzer still has to overcome ''that last little bit'' of discomfort before he can throw a bullpen session and prove he's ready to pitch in a game. The Nationals listed Scherzer's injury as a mid-back strain when he was placed on the injured list on July 13, a move retroactive to July 10. Martinez says he has told Scherzer ''we don't want to push it.'' Right-hander Austin Voth is expected to start in Sunday's final game of the four-game series. Scherzer is 9-5 with a 2.30 ERA. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


The last month has been especially good for the catcher All Numbers are through Friday's action. It's safe to say that this Red Sox season so far has been ... unexpected. Everything from the way things started to Michael Chavis being the highlight to Mookie Betts landing back on the planet he has orbited the last few years has been surprising. But when it comes to a quarter-season full of surprises, Christian Vazquez has been the biggest one for me, and it's not even close. He has been one of the most consistent hitters in the lineup and is on pace for a career year. Not exactly what you expect from a guy who slashed .207 / .257 / .283 one year ago with an offensive WAR of -0.4, per Baseball Reference . The last month has been especially promising for the 28-year-old. Since April 17, Vazquez has hit .385 / .438 / .585 with a wRC+ of 167 and a .423 BABIP before Saturday's game. He has eight multi-hit efforts in that 20-game span when he had 13 of those in all of 2018. He has quite literally been one of the best hitters in baseball over that stretch and I am not making this up . Overall, Vazquez's slugging percentage (.519) is the fourth-highest among all Red Sox with at least 100 plate appearances this year, behind only Mitch Moreland (.556), Chavis (.553) and J.D. Martinez (.543) and well ahead of Betts (.482), Xander Bogaerts (.481) and Rafael Devers (.444). Something has clearly changed. This is not the same guy who we saw last year. So what gives? Vazquez told Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald that he's taking a different path to the ball this year and Manager Alex Cora agreed, stating that Vazquez has been more direct after a "loopy" spring training and start to the season. "There's no more flares to right field," Cora told Silverman. I mean, there are still flares to right field, but fewer than we have become accustomed to and would he really be Christian Vazquez without one of those every now and then? He is just hoping his revised approach will continue to steer him away from ground balls, which he said he's tired of hitting, and lead to more gap-to-gap balls in the air. Fangraphs has Vazquez's ground ball percentage down to a career low 35.6% and his spray chart would indicate "so far, so good" when it comes to using the whole field. Baseball Savant also has his hard-hit percentage all the way up to 42.2 this season   which is far and away a career high as his hard-hit percentage in 2018 was 28.6 and 22.2 the year before that. Vazquez seems to be a little more selective with his swings this season   even though his strikeout percentage is up slightly. According to Fangraphs, his swing percentage on balls outside the strike zone is down to 25.9%, which would end up being a career low if he continues on this trajectory. I think we can all agree that we would rather see him swing and miss trying to drive a ball inside the zone than wave at a bad pitch away. Of the 88 pitches Vazquez has seen away and outside the zone this year, his swing percentage is down to 20.4% from 27.4% in 2018, per Brooks Baseball . He's also doing more with the inside pitches he's being offered   with hits on six of the 14 pitches he's seen inside so far. He had just three hits on 25 inside pitches in 2018, according to Brooks Baseball. I'm not sure how sustainable his success is, but it's been fun to watch so far. He is adding a much-needed spark to the bottom third of the order and he's got the runs to show for it with 16 so far when he scored 24 times all of last year. I am expecting a back-to-earth moment at some point, but I refuse to allow my pessimism to get in the way of enjoying what Vazquez is doing right now. It's unexpected and surprising, which is what makes it a perfect storyline for the 2019 Red Sox.


Brazil's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has sacked one of the most prominent moderates in his administration for reportedly failing to ideologically align himself with his commander-in-chief's radical creed. Gen Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, Bolsonaro's secretary of government, had repeatedly locked horns with the president's crotchety US-based guru, Olavo de Carvalho , and was reportedly relieved of his duties on Thursday afternoon. The move, which sent shockwaves through Brazilian politics, came as Bolsonaro finally broke an almost four-day silence over a still unfolding scandal involving his justice minister Sérgio Moro. Related: Bolsonaro tight-lipped as minister faces calls to resign over Lula scandal Moro is facing calls for his resignation after a series of politically explosive leaks published by the Intercept suggested he colluded with prosecutors in order to jail Bolsonaro's key rival in last year's presidential election, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva . Polls suggested Lula would have defeated Bolsonaro had he been able to run. Bolsonaro loyalists and Olavo de Carvalho devotees celebrated the defenestration of Santos Cruz, one of the key players in what is seen as a comparatively moderate military faction with the administration. "Santos Cruz has been relieved of his duties. The drinks are on me," tweeted the Bolsonarian blogger Allan dos Santos. But political observers voiced shock and concern that one of the more temperate characters around Brazil's far-right leader had been forced out. Brian Winter, a Brazil specialist and the editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, said: "It is very sudden, it is very unexpected, and it comes at a time when the pragmatic voices seemed to be ascendant in the government. This is one of the most pragmatic voices in the government who can be fired." Winter said it was unclear whether Santos Cruz's demise was the result of a clash with the president, or friction with Bolsonaro's Olavo de Carvalho-supporting sons, Eduardo and Carlos, who have been "baying for his head publicly and behind the scenes" for weeks. The Rio broadsheet O Globo said the sacking was the result of "a lack of political and ideological alignment". Santos Cruz became embroiled in a public feud with Olavo de Carvalho in March, with the latter launching a succession of foul-mouthed and often infantile Twitter attacks . "Watch your mouth, you s--t," Carvalho tweeted at one point. On another occasion he branded Santos Cruz "a pompous turd". Santos Cruz hit back more subtly, using one interview to warn of the danger "extremism" and "fanaticism" posed to Bolsonaro's government and Brazil. Santos Cruz's dismissal came shortly after Bolsonaro offered his backing to another key minister, Sérgio Moro, who has come under fire this week following the Intercept's revelations. "What he did is priceless. He is part of Brazilian history," Bolsonaro said in reference to the sprawling Car Wash anti-corruption investigation for which Moro became famous. Related: Jair Bolsonaro aides 'froth hate' for indigenous people, says sacked official However, the Intercept's editors have vowed to release more compromising material from what they call a "vast trove" of secret documents, leaving Brazil's political class bracing for further turbulence. Sergio Praça, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation University, said: "There's a feeling that this is only the beginning and things can change quickly. We don't know what more is coming or when." Winter said the political upheaval came after Bolsonaro's government "appeared to have found some kind of relative footing over the last month or so". "It looked like they were starting to pull it together, relatively speaking. Guess what? The drama is back."


The busy Apple Valley Transit Station will be under construction for the next six months as part of a renovation and expansion project. Run by Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, the 15450 Cedar Ave. station is the largest park and ride facility in the metro area with about 750 parking spots between a lot and the garage. The Apple Valley station routinely runs out of parking space or reaches capacity. The $8.4 million project is supported by federal, Metropolitan Council, Dakota County and Minnesota Valley Transit funds. WHAT CHANGES ARE PLANNED Two additional levels in the parking ramp. Addition of a second elevator. Energy-efficient LED lights. Additional security cameras. Accessibility improvements to existing entrances. Modernization of the ramp facade. SURVIVING CONSTRUCTION Until about mid-December, the parking ramp will be closed to the public. Three interim lots are available for transit users along 155th Street during the work. All Route 475 and 480 buses will use the old Apple Valley station located across the street at 15584 Gaslight Drive. According to Minnesota Valley Transit, this will reduce the number of pedestrians near the construction site and be conveniently located by an open parking lot. All other routes will continue to run from the current boarding area on Cedar Avenue. Contact Minnesota Valley Transit Authority Customer Service at 952-882-7500 with any concerns. Related Articles St. Paul City Council agrees to changes to lower street repaving bills 2 killed when semitrailer explodes on I-94 in Wisconsin St. Paul police searching for hit-and-run driver who injured bicyclist Law enforcement crackdown on speeding will run into next month USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul launches. 10 facts about the Navy's latest warship.


Channel 5 KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City's ABC affiliate, reported on Thursday death threats had been made against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the wake of the team trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. The threats were made against the Thunder's front office, including general manager Sam Presti and his family, and coaches, specifically mentioning head coach Bill Donovan, as well. The caller was a man from Virginia. He made more than one call. A transcript of one of the messages reads as follows, according to KOCO-TV: Y'all traded Paul George but kept Raymond Felton. You kept Andre Roberson. Do y'all not love Russell Westbrook? I hope he kill everybody. I want to kill everybody. According to the report , the man also "used a bomb reference, saying he'd blow things up if he ever went to Oklahoma." The Thunder released a statement on the matter: We defer to the authorities and they can handle the situation as they see fit. MORE: Dan Le Batard delivers impassioned rebuke of racist 'send her back' chant despite ESPN rules Roundup: Tiger Woods is Struggling; Alex Morgan's New Project; Area 51 is Big Business Any and everyone has weighed in on Ezekiel Elliott's contract, but him Ranking the Packers' position groups from weakest to strongest Report: Celtics want to sign Tacko Fall, bring him 'in the fold'


PORTLAND, Ore. -- Andre Iguodala isn't feeling 100 percent. His calf is tight, but that happens this time of year. But another important ingredient of Golden State's special runs over the past few springs also happened on Saturday night: the amazing Draymond Green. Green did it again. What did he do? What he always does, in his loud and passionate way, leading the Golden State Warriors to an 18-point comeback over the Portland Trail Blazers to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals and send a rowdy Portland crowd into silence. Green's triple-double of 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists propelled the Warriors to the win, but the stats only tell a part of the story. Before we get to the game at hand, it has to be said that discussing the Warriors without Draymond Green is like discussing a paella or a jumbalaya without including a flavorful sausage. It's an ingredient that takes an experience from a good meal to something special, a nice seafood dish to something deeper. And even when the Warriors were sorry, Green's special something helped them get through the sludge. When Portland had a leg-up, with surprise starter Meyers Leonard draining 3s and the crowd roaring, Green's energy kept the Warriors afloat. A layup from Draymond at the end of the half made Portland's lead only 13, but it made for a metaphor for Green's performance. Even when the Warriors were slipping and things looked bad, Draymond clawed for everything. The result came in the end, as the Blazers now have their backs against the wall and the Warriors are one win away from their fifth straight NBA Finals. It was the type of performance that was likely heard in Milwaukee, by Giannis and company, as they (or the Toronto Raptors, just in case) attempt to join the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers as the only team to puncture this dynasty under Steve Kerr. And the thought of defending the crown again was enough to get the most stoic Warriors out of the moment. "It gets me excited just thinking about it," Klay Thompson said of being so close to the biggest stage the game has to offer, a fifth straight NBA Finals. But those thoughts wouldn't exist were it not for the imagination of Draymond Green. Green's imagination is what gets him to tell Quinn Cook to shoot it again if he is too passive. Green's imagination is what gets him to tell Jordan Bell that missing shots makes him like Steph and Klay. The imagination to get Alfonso McKinnie to believe in his shot to make a corner-3 to bury the Blazers in the final minutes. But it's the voice that gets the imagination across to his teammates. The voice that puts the person behind the extra pass. "Just his voice, for one," Quinn Cook said of Green's ability to reach his teammates. "His presence. And he's always pushing the pace. He's a coach on the floor, he sees everything. He's always giving us energy when we need it. He's always talking trash to us, talking trash to the other team. He's building us up, he's always building us up. He's been doing that as long as he's been in the league. He does a big time job for us." A big time job is not even enough to accurately determine Green's value. He anchored, he hedged, he blocked, he passed, he scored. He was the maximum of max contracts, catch-all regular season metrics be damned. Say what you will about his regular season, nobody is more ready possession-to-possession in the postseason like Green. And it's been that way for five years. Throughout this particular postseason, his recognition of the moment has pushed the Warriors through storms in Oakland, L.A., Portland and Houston. The sun is starting to shine on the Golden State again and if they keep this up, it will follow them to Milwaukee (or Toronto, again, just to be safe). Were it not for Draymond, maybe Jordan Bell doesn't turn things around after a missed dunk to block Zach Collins at the rim and get a breakaway dunk on the other end in the second half. "I was down, obviously playing college here, I know a lot of people. I heard a lot of laughs and boos in the crowd but Draymond talked to me, got my mind back in the game," Bell said about what Green told him after the missed dunk. "I think two plays later I got the dunk with two hands." The vision that Green has, which according to Steph Curry is eight eyes worth, is one of the true guiding lights of this Warriors dynasty. Kerr's desire to diversify the offense. The skillful and relentless brilliance of Steph and Klay. The ingenuity of Iguodala. But the eyes, mind and heart of Draymond Green are as important as any of the above. Ask anyone in the Warriors locker room tonight and they couldn't help but gush over Green. "It's tremendous," Cook said of having a teammate of Green's caliber. "He's always going to keep it real with you, but he always has your back. He's always going to build you back up. He does it in practice, he does it in film, he makes everybody better." MORE: Clint Bowyer furiously punched Ryan Newman after NASCAR's All-Star Race Did the Raiders steal the best fullback in the 2019 NFL draft? NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Teams are 'a great deal more wary' about signing Kyrie Irving Video: Deontay Wilder Knocked Out Dominic Breazeale in First Round


J.T. Realmuto was clear toward the end of his time with the Marlins that he wasn't interested in signing an extension with Miami, but the All-Star catcher has taken a different tone with his new organization after just a few months. As Matt Breen of Philly.com reports , Realmuto wasn't shy during this week's All-Star festivities about expressing his interest in signing a long-term deal with the Phillies. "Everything I've experienced in Philadelphia has been awesome, so I wouldn't be opposed to spending the rest of my career there," Realmuto told the media. It doesn't sound as though there'd be any particular deadline on talks, either, as Realmuto indicated he'd be open to talks "whether it be tomorrow or in the offseason or next July." While plenty has gone wrong for the Phillies in 2019, their acquisition of Realmuto has proven to be a terrific move. His offense is down from last year in Miami (despite a move to a more hitter-friendly park), but his .273/.328/.438 slash line translates to roughly league average for a hitter, per OPS+ and wRC+. Relative to other MLB catchers, that's considerably above average. And defensively, Realmuto has taken his already strong game to a whole new level. Realmuto leads the majors with an incredible 49% caught-stealing rate, having thrown out 26 of the 53 players who've been bold enough to attempt a steal. His framing marks, once again, are comfortably above the league average, and Baseball Prospectus ranks Realmuto as the game's second-best pitch-blocker (behind Cleveland's Roberto Perez ). Realmuto is tied with Perez for second among all MLB catchers with 10 Defensive Runs Saved, and Baseball Prospectus rates only San Diego's Austin Hedges as a superior defender behind the dish. As can be seen in MLBTR's Extension Tracker , there haven't been many catchers with four-plus years of service to ink long-term deals in recent seasons. Both Francisco Cervelli (three years, $31 million when he had 5= years) and Salvador Perez (five years, $52.5 million as a 4+ player) did so in 2016, while Miguel Montero (five years, $60 million as a 5+ player) did so back in 2012. Montero's deal is dated, however, while Cervelli wasn't nearly as established a hitter, and Perez was signing a make-good deal after initially inking an astronomically club-friendly extension as a pre-arb player. (Mammoth extensions signed by Joe Mauer and Buster Posey were outliers for prime-aged superstars coming off MVP seasons.) From an annual value standpoint, Yadier Molina is earning $20 million per year on a three-year pact that he signed when he was four years older than Realmuto would be in free agency. Yasmani Grandal secured an $18.25 million salary this past winter. In a sense, a Realmuto extension could help to set some form of precedent for this type of player. He's already earning $5.9 million in his second season of arbitration and could see that sum pushed to $10 million or more next year even without an extension. He's on track to reach free agency in advance of his age-30 season, which would set him up nicely for a contract of four years in length. The Mets, as a point of comparison, were willing to pay a reported $60 million for Grandal at the same age, although that deal obviously never came together . From a team vantage point, the Phillies could easily fit a long-term deal for Realmuto onto the books. Philadelphia opened the current season with a payroll in excess of $161 million (and has pushed $180 million in the past); the organization currently has just under $90 million on the books for Realmuto's first would-be free agent season in 2021, per Roster Resource's Jason Martinez .


Real estate brokerage Citi Habitats released its Rental Market Analysis for May 2019, which explains where you can find the most expensive and most affordable apartments in New York City. The report also shows that although the rent has risen for both Manhattan and Brooklyn, the vacancy rate has continued to fall, which can make finding a place hard to do this summer. In a press release Gary Malin, President of Citi Habitats said that "Rents have been inching upward, while concessions continue to fall away. If current trends continue, tenants will face a more challenging market this summer than they have seen in years." From April to May, the rate of rent has increased by at least 1 percent in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. Malin also added that "May was a comparatively strong month for building owners. Rental housing was in demand   due, in part, to an influx of students and new grads." Which begs the questions, what areas should renters avoid, and where should they look for an apartment? This study found that the most expensive places to live in Manhattan are SoHo/TriBeCa, followed by the Gramercy/Flatiron. The most affordable areas in Manhattan are Washington Heights and the Upper East side below 96th street. The most expensive neighborhood in Brooklyn is DUMBO, whereas the most affordable areas include Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, followed closely by Bushwick. Curious about the average rental rate in Manhattan and Brooklyn? The study shows that in May 2019 on average, the rates for apartments in Manhattan are as follows: $2,543 for a studio, $3,316 for a one-bedroom, $4,322 for a two-bedroom apartment and finally for a three-bedroom apartment $5,933. For Brooklyn, the average rent for a studio apartment is $2,512, for one-bedroom $3,050, two-bedroom $3,974 and for a three-bedroom, $5,163.


Whether you mopped the floors at the local steak house or manned a cash register at the mall, you learned a lot about life and people from your very first job. My college kid's first job was at a fast food restaurant and my daughter just landed her first retail job. And oh, the life lessons they've learned. 1. Politeness matters Sure, I've taught my kids to say please and thank you, to be polite and respectful of others. But plop a teenager in front of a cash register and he will quickly learn the true value of being polite. Customers aren't always nice to store employees, and some can be downright rude over a cold burger or a long wait in line. Or maybe a customer is just having a bad day, but their general rudeness just brings everyone down. So that teen who sulks around the house in a bad mood once in a while is getting a taste of her own medicine. Ouch. Another lesson here is that by continuing to be polite to someone, often their rudeness is diffused. 2. Money doesn't grow on trees It's like a light comes on when your teen scores her first paycheck, earned from hours and hours of actual work. One of the best things about being a kid? You just get stuff from other people. Food, clothes, toys whatever you need, it appears. Then sometime around the tween years, the stakes are raised a bit higher. Movie tickets, Starbucks drinks and iTunes purchases become a constant ask, and parents are faced with deciding whether or not they continue to be a "bank" for their kid. One mom friend remembers the day she realized that her 12-year-old didn't have a clue that money from the ATM was actually earned with hard work. It's like a light comes on when your teen scores her first paycheck, earned from hours and hours of actual work, and realizes that she can't support a pricey Starbucks habit. Want a manicure at the salon? That's about three hours of work folding shirts which suddenly makes pretty nails seem not so important after all. 3. Messy people are annoying If you've got teens, you know they're messy. More often than not, they have to be asked (and reminded) to clean their rooms, put away the clean clothes and move dirty clothes to the hamper. Again and again. I can complain about it until my voice cracks, but the impact is minimal. At my daughter's job, newbies are in charge of folding clothes and making displays tidy. So imagine my daughter's surprise when she saw how incredibly messy retail shoppers can be, tossing aside every tee from the stack until they find their size. Usually on the bottom. It only takes one four-hour session of folding all the things then refolding them to realize what a pain it is to pick up after other people. Which is what I've been trying to say all along. 4. Making mistakes Making mistakes at home is a great way to learn valuable lessons. But the first time your teen oversleeps and misses a shift at the car wash he will feel the full impact of what his mistake meant to others. A missed shift means a manager has to scramble around to fill the spot, which also impacts customers and coworkers. Mistakes made while manning a cash register have an impact on store bank deposits. Having to take ownership of a mistake outside the comfort zone of their family makes a big impression on a teen and teaches them it's not the end of the world. 5. Teamwork I know your teen knows plenty about teamwork from soccer, lacrosse or track. But the type of teamwork learned from the working world is different. They aren't just hanging out with like-minded peers, but also forming bonds with different kinds of people in order to reach a common goal. It's a lesson in patience, cooperation and maturity and might even help at home the next time a sibling squabble erupts. OK, who are we kidding? So get that teen a job  it's a lot easier than nagging.


A whole day celebrating the finger food that bites back   saucy, spicy, succulent chicken wings? Mark your calendar for July 29   we certainly have. Hoodline tracked down the top chicken wing spots in Baltimore, using Yelp data tossed with our own special sauce. So grab your bib and get your wet wipes ready. 1. Delia Foley's Topping the list is Delia Foley's . Located at 1439 S. Charles St. in SBIC, the pub, which offers chicken wings and more, is the highest-rated chicken wing spot in Baltimore, boasting four stars out of 77 reviews on Yelp. 2. The Local Fry Next up is Hampden's The Local Fry , situated at 711 W. 40th St., Suite 152. With 4.5 stars out of 375 reviews on Yelp, the traditional American and Korean spot, offering chicken wings and more, has proven to be a local favorite. 3. Jazz+Soju Jazz+Soju , a bar and Korean spot that offers chicken wings and more in Riverside, is another go-to, with four stars out of 114 Yelp reviews. Head over to 900 E. Fort Ave., Suite 105 to see for yourself. 4. BRD Over in Remington, check out BRD , which has earned four stars out of 132 reviews on Yelp. You can find the chicken shop, which offers chicken wings, sandwiches and more, at 301 W. 29th St., Stall 5. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


When the Oakland Raiders selected safety Johnathan Abram with the No. 27 pick in the draft, many thought it was too much of a luxury selection. The team already has Karl Joseph on the roster, and he and Abram play the same position. However, with Joseph's contract up at the end of the 2019 season, the Raiders needed a to find his eventual replacement. They decided that the strong safety position was important enough on their roster to warrant using a first-round pick on Abram. Like Joseph, Abram is significantly better when he is closer to the line of scrimmage. According to Pro Football Focus, Abram finished his collegiate career with a grade of 64.4 at free safety and 79.3 at strong safety. Raiders S Johnathan Abram really shined when he lined up at strong safety or in the slot over his three years at Mississippi State pic.twitter.com/PluFlxGcmw - Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 13, 2019 Abram is going to need a lot of seasoning in coverage. He's adequate when asked to follow running backs or tight ends, but anything else can be a disaster. As a rookie, look for the Raiders to get Abram on the field on early downs where he can be used as a run-defender or as a blitzer. The Raiders would be wise to find a way to use both Joseph and Abram in 2019 as they ease the rookie into his eventual starting role. However, don't be surprised if Oakland gives Abram the reins to the job in Year 1. MORE: Aaron Rodgers discusses his 'Game of Thrones' cameo, and it's not what fans all thought it was NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Video confirms reports of Chris Paul's attempt to sabotage Steph Curry Future heir or temporary face? Assessing the unknowns of Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham Roundup: Wayne LaPierre Expensive Clothes Receipts, No Matt Lauer at CNN, Michael B. Jordan Vetoes Conor McGregor in Creed 3


The family of Cab and Blanche Calloway is rounding up support for their effort to preserve the vacant rowhouse at 2216 Druid Hill Ave.   where the siblings and jazz pioneers lived as teens nearly 100 years ago   that is at risk of demolition. The head of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund wants the city to "save Cab Calloway's house." So does the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, named after the acclaimed rapper who spent his teenage years in Baltimore, which argues the now-blighted home should be transformed into a landmark. Five of Cab Calloway's family members   including two of his three living children   recently issued a statement saying they are "building a coalition of partners and friends to create a landmark and thriving destination of which all the residents of Baltimore can be proud." "The legacy of Blanche and Cab Calloway is larger than these two individuals," the family's statement said. "Their legacy represents significant innovations in American music, Baltimore's Black cultural heritage, as well as an industrious spirit that serves as an example for generations to follow. We are confident that all parties involved can unite to preserve the precious history represented by this property." Calloway's grandson Peter C. Brooks spearheaded the family's push for preservation ever since learning about the house's history. In May, he and other preservationists started speaking out against a city- and community organization-backed plan to demolish the house, as well as the rest of the 2200 block of Druid Hill Ave. The city's Department of Planning and the Druid Heights Community Development Corp. hope to incorporate the land into Cab Calloway Square , a planned green space within the Baltimore Green Network Vision, and integrate bricks from the house in its design. Tammy Hawley, a spokeswoman for Baltimore's Department of Housing and Community Development, said "no immediate course of action [is] taking place" with regard to the house. Although the house, which is owned by the city, could be released, or greenlit, for demolition at any point in the fiscal quarter that began July 1, she said such a decision would take "at least three-to-six months." She said the department is following the community's lead regarding development plans   and plenty of time remains for new ideas to be considered. Anthony Pressley, executive director of the Druid Heights Community Development Corp., has said community members want a park to replace the buildings . They've long been vacant, and Pressley said they've been that way since the unrest following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. City Councilman Leon Pinkett, who represents the neighborhood, says it's unfortunate the house has been left in a state of disrepair for so long. Its weathered, boarded-up facade is marked with white Xes on red square signs signaling it's structurally unsound. "The building is [in] such a state of disrepair that I'm not certain how successful we can be in restoring it," he said. Still, he hopes that Cab's descendants and those who live in the neighborhood today can collaborate on a way to properly pay tribute to the pair. "Cab's family and the Druid Hill community are going to have to come together and figure out how to memorialize his legacy," Pinkett said. "Whether that's preserving the house or dedicating a park with a monument to Cab, I think it's too soon to say." Cab Calloway performed at the historic Royal Theater during its heyday on Pennsylvania Avenue , which runs four blocks away from the abandoned house. The theater was torn down in 1971, and Brooks wants to make sure the Calloway home doesn't meet the same fate. The state recently designated the area around the once-thriving black commercial corridor as an official arts and entertainment district . Brooks believes that the designation justifies the family's point. "The home of Cab and Blanche Calloway being in the shadow of that district is, in fact, proof that it is one of the most important arts and entertainment venues in the United States," he said. "The state has a real opportunity to promote both entertainment and the history of entertainment if we preserve this house." The Royal Theater & Community Heritage Corp.'s president said he and his group stand behind the Calloway family's efforts. James Hamlin thinks if the house is fixed up it could be a boon for city tourism. "Our concern is that so much of our history is constantly being torn down, and we need to put a stop to it," Hamlin said. "Let it stay." Calloway, who was born in 1907 and died in 1994, was dubbed "the King of Hi-De-Ho" and widely associated with Harlem's Cotton Club. An actor, band leader and scat singer, he had his biggest hit with "Minnie the Moocher." He recalled getting his musical start in Baltimore and said that the city had been "one of the great centers of jazz." An online petition to save the house started by Brooks has more than 500 signatures. On June 30, Brooks published a YouTube video of Brent Leggs, who leads the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, saying that "we got to save Cab Calloway's house" while speaking at Morgan State University. More support came from the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. A statement from the foundation, attributed to the late musician's sister Sekyiwa Shakur, noted that the house offers a chance "to say to the children of Baltimore that history is beneath their feet, and the future in their hands." It also argued for the city to deem the house a landmark "to be celebrated and preserved for generations to come." "Accolades alone cannot define the impact that Cab Calloway and his family have had on our community and our country," Shakur wrote. "This home should be celebrated." Brooks' brother, Christopher Calloway Brooks, called history "the most precious, priceless, irreplaceable thing we've got." The home should serve as a reminder of what Calloway achieved, providing inspiration to the next generation of Baltimoreans. "Baltimore has lost several of its treasures, and it's time to be more responsible," he said. "It takes inspiration sometimes to keep putting one foot in front of another, especially if you live in a neighborhood that's become as blighted as that one has." The family consolidated its aims onto a website, thecallowayhome.org , that lists a Commission of Historical and Architectural Preservation meeting July 9 among ways supporters can mobilize. The Department of Planning will have a report on the condition of the 2200 block of Druid Hill Ave. at that meeting, according to CHAP's website . srao@baltsun.com twitter.com/amancalledsrao


From triathlon coaching to disco yoga, there's plenty to enjoy in New York City this week. Read on for a rundown of ideas for how to fill your calendar. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. A Night of Tri From the event description: Join us for "A Night of Tri" with the coaching staff of the Empire Tri Club, Triathlon Hall of Famer Bob Babbitt, Matt Bach from UCAN and the NYC Tri Race Directors. UCAN will be onsite to offer samples and answer all your questions about staying fueled and hydrated. Empire Tri Club coaches will provide insider tips for conquering the race, including a transition tour and run along part of the course. When: Thursday, July 18, 5-9:30 p.m. Where: Tailwind Endurance, 143 W. 72nd St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Equity in and through Transportation Panel Discussion From the event description: Seventy-five percent of subway stations in New York City are inaccessible to people with disabilities. The impact is huge. New York is home to nearly 1 million persons with disabilities. When: Thursday, July 18, 6-8 p.m. Where: New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, 151 W. 30th St., Floor 10 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Sputnik Disco Rooftop Yoga From the event description: We will serve your fave Disco Tunes with the side of yoga. The class will be held on the indoor and the rooftop portion of the roof of Bogart House. When: Thursday, July 18, 7-10 p.m. Where: Bogart House, 230 Bogart St. Admission: $20-$25 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Apollo Teen Takeover 2019: For The Culture From the event description: The Apollo Theater has served as a stage for numerous artists who are well-known today. Through Apollo Teen Takeover, young artists are given the opportunity to showcase their talents at one of the world's most famous theaters. When: Friday, July 19, 6-9 p.m. Where: Apollo Theater Soundstage, 253 W. 125th St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Parking in NYC can be tough, especially during popular events. To find free or cheap parking and to book parking in advance, see this map of NYC parking from SpotAngels. And to get there by public transportation, see MTA's website for nearby subway stations and schedules. This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


In search of a new favorite Chinese spot? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Chinese restaurants around Seattle, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture when cravings strike. 1. Xi'an Noodles Topping the list is Xi'an Noodles . Located at 5259 University Way NE (between 52nd and 55th streets) in the University District, the Chinese and hot pot spot, which offers noodles and more, is the highest-rated budget-friendly Chinese restaurant in Seattle, boasting 4.5 stars out of 693 reviews on Yelp. On the menu, you'll find hand ripped noodle soup, spicy fungi salad, spicy cumin lamb, stewed pork burgers and more. 2. Magic Dragon Next up is Interbay's Magic Dragon , situated at 1827 15th Ave. West (between Blaine and Howe streets). With 4.5 stars out of 217 reviews on Yelp, the Chinese and fast food spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a budget-friendly option. Menu items include honey chicken, chow mein, sweet and sour pork, potstickers, Mongolian beef and more. 3. Mike's Noodle House The International District's Mike's Noodle House , located at 418 Maynard Ave. South (between Jackson and King streets), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the budget-friendly Chinese spot, which offers noodles and more, four stars out of 1,015 reviews. Look for traditional Chinese dishes like wonton and beef brisket soup, pork congee, Cantonese noodles, Chinese doughnuts and more on the menu. 4. Kau Kau Barbeque Kau Kau Barbeque , a barbecue, seafood and Cantonese spot in the International District, is another inexpensive go-to, with four stars out of 955 Yelp reviews. Head over to 656 S. King St. (between South Maynard Alley) to see for yourself. According to its website, Kau Kau Barbeque has been serving Korean barbecue for over 30 years. Aside from barbecue dishes, you'll find Korean hot pot, sweet and sour ginger duck, chow mein, mochi and more. 5. Cafe O'Dessert Over in the University District, check out Cafe O'Dessert , which has earned four stars out of 148 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the Chinese and shaved ice spot, which offers desserts and more, by heading over to 4727 University Way NE (between 47th and 50th streets). Indulge in a variety of sweet treats like shaved ice, mango pudding, egg waffles, bubble tea, sticky rice and more. Finish with drinks like Vietnamese coffee, banana macchiatos, iced chai teas, frappes and more. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


🗒 | TEAM NEWS The Nerazzurri are set to play their opening 2019 @IntChampionsCup fixture in Singapore: here's the team that Antonio #Conte has selected for #ManUtdInter ! ⚫🔵 👉 https://t.co/13gVYBQp6k #ICC2019 #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/uVszbYCYbO   Inter (@Inter_en) July 20, 2019  The team news is in, Reds...論 #MUFC #MUTOUR  #ICC2019   Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 20, 2019


Before Greg Olsen started suffering foot injuries, he was one of the elite and most consistently productive tight ends in the NFL. From 2014-2016, Olsen averaged over 1,000 receiving yards a season and had some incredible and memorable individual performances. According to Pro Football Focus, he had one of the top 100 best single-game grades of the PFF era (going back to 2006). In Week 5 of the 2016 season against Tampa Bay, Olsen posted a career-high 181 yards. Appropriately enough, that earned him the No. 88-highest grade. "The best game of Olsen's career to date, the safe-handed tight end caught all nine of his catchable targets against the Buccaneers, and he racked up nine first downs, 64 yards after the catch and a career-best 181 receiving yards which were, at the time, just three yards short of the PFF single-game record that was held by Dallas Clark," PFF wrote. Olsen has missed a total of half of the last two years because of injuries. Getting a healthy Olsen back for a full 16-game schedule would be a significant boost for the Panthers offense. MORE: Five potential Chris Paul trade destinations This 'Jeopardy' contestant failing to beat James Holzhauer to buzzer sums up his epic run Seahawks Sue Former Second-Round Pick Malik McDowell Over Signing Bonus Geronimo Allison looks like favorite to be Packers slot WR Giants already using Ryan Connelly tape to teach proper technique


A search warrant has been executed at the home of Fotis Dulos, the estranged husband of Jennifer Dulo, a Connecticut mom who has been missing since May 24.


DALLAS (AP)   The FBI received a call about three years ago about the U.S. Army veteran who opened fire on a courthouse in downtown Dallas, a federal law enforcement official said Thursday. Brian Isaack Clyde was shot and killed Monday by security officers after he began shooting at the Earle Cabell Federal Building. The 22-year-old was armed with a high-powered rifle and more than 150 rounds of ammunition, but there were no other serious injuries or deaths. The FBI did not investigate Clyde after the July 1, 2016 call because it did not contain a specific threat, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the shooting probe is ongoing. The official said a member of Clyde's family called a national tip line to say Clyde was suicidal and had a fascination with guns. Clyde's mother, Nubia Brede Solis, told The Dallas Morning News that her son's half-brother had called the FBI with concerns. Attempts to reach Clyde's family members by phone were unsuccessful Thursday. The call came while Clyde was enlisted. He served as an infantryman from August 2015 to February 2017 but was never deployed to a war zone, according to the Army. He was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. The FBI said Clyde was honorably discharged, but his short period of service suggests he left the military earlier than planned. The Army has declined to say why Clyde was discharged, citing privacy laws. More than a month before a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high school in 2018, the FBI received a tip warning that Nikolas Cruz wanted to kill people and was planning a school shooting. The tipster also said Cruz owned guns, was acting erratically and had made disturbing social media posts. The FBI said it should've assessed that as a "threat to life" and referred it to agents in Florida, but that never happened. After the Parkland shooting, the FBI made changes to its tip line protocols. Additional employees and supervisors were brought on and more calls now need to be reviewed by a supervisor before they are closed. Earlier this year, the FBI received a tip about a threatening social media post that was made by the gunman who opened fire at a synagogue near San Diego, but the bureau said it received the information too late to identify the suspect. The FBI was notified through its tip website and phone line just before the shooting and some of the tips included links to the post but didn't offer specific information about its author or the location threatened. In that case, the FBI said its employees immediately acted to identify who wrote the post, but the shooting took place before they finished. ___ Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Mike Balsamo in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.


When Ford debuted Ghia's Fiesta-based Barchetta concept in 1983, nobody thought the company would end up building a front-wheel drive, Mazda-based convertible in Australia instead. But in 1991, two years after the Mazda Miata came out, Ford needed to find its own niche within the small sports car market, and decided to offer value and practicality once it was agreed that the little Mazda's fun-factor couldn't be matched. At the time, Motorweek had a blue Miata long-termer, which meant it could easily spot the most crucial differences between these two affordable convertibles. And while the Mazda would tick most boxes on the enthusiasts side, the Capri did offer real legroom in the back for children, a more complicated, but metal-protected soft top, plus extra storage space through its foldable rear seats, although only with the top pulled up. The XR2 version even came with a turbocharged 132-horsepower four-cylinder, as well as A/C, cruise control and an AM/FM cassette player as standard. And to make the most of that mighty four, Ford threw in shorter gearing and a thicker anti-toll bar. Eight seconds to sixty, plenty of torque steer and body roll, 28 miles to the gallon, and an optional hardtop that would satisfy all crash regulations in 1991. Talk about a low bar . Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


The Seattle Seahawks and All-Pro veteran Bobby Wagner are currently in negotiations on a contract extension that could make the linebacker one of the highest paid in the league . . . and for good reason. Touchdown Wire's Doug Farrar took a look at all the linebackers in the NFL and ranked his top 11 . Wagner came out on top of the rest. "Being a great linebacker is about making big plays, yes, but it's primarily about loss prevention," Farrar writes. "Your job is to keep the defense in step with the fewest mistakes possible. And no modern linebacker is more mistake-proof than Wagner." #1 on this list was an easy call, but there are some surprise names here, and young players who deserve your attention. New on @TheNFLWire : The NFL's 11 best linebackers https://t.co/FoqcwqpVBk - Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) June 10, 2019 After breaking down the tape, Wagner's play is even more impressive. "Last season, he was involved in 999 snaps, with 108 tackles and 34 assists," Farrar continued. "He had 41 stops and didn't allow a single touchdown on 71 pass targets. Perhaps the most amazing stat from Wagner's 2018 season, though, was his two missed tackles. When you're tackling with the range demanded of today's linebacker, to make the plays you're supposed to make without errors to that degree is truly impressive." Seattle's minicamp is set to begin on Tuesday and all eyes will be on Wagner, who was present during the Seahawks offseason activities but did not participate on the field, preserving his health until a new contract is signed. MORE: Kawhi Leonard had a perfect F-bomb response to his coach's goal for Games 3 and 4 of Finals Anthony Davis narrowing focus to Knicks and Lakers, with Lakers likely ahead 4 Realistic Anthony Davis Trade Scenarios Bears believe Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a better player than Adrian Amos Former Steeler calls Mike Tomlin the best leader he ever had


Manchester City have made an 'informal offer' to Benfica that has matched the €120m release clause of starlet João Félix, according to a report from the youngster's native Portugal. The 19-year-old forward has enjoyed a breakout season at the Estádio da Luz, where his 20 goals and 11 assists helped Benfica win the Primeira Liga title as well as reach the Europa League quarter-finals. Félix has been attracting interest from across Europe ahead of the summer transfer window, with both Manchester City and United expected to rival La Liga's big hitters in the race for his signature. Although talk over Félix's future has remained purely speculative so far this summer, Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha claims that Pep Guardiola's City have already submitted an 'informal' €120m offer for the Benfica star. The offer matches Félix's release clause in Lisbon, but it's added that their bid remains 'informal' because of financial fair play. As part of City's offer, Félix would be given a €4.5m a year contract at Etihad Stadium, which would run until either 2023 or 2024. Joao Felix is unreal. He's going to be world class   Joseph (@HoldTheJoseph) February 25, 2019 It seems likely that Correio da Manha's report is still premature in regards to any kind of offer from Manchester City, while claiming they've made an 'informal offer' is a term reserved solely for the world of football. In plain English, it can be translated as 'Manchester City definitely haven't made an offer for Félix yet... but they might'. One thing that is for certain is that Manchester City will be in Portugal over the next week to scout Félix, as he's expected to be a big part of Fernando Santos' squad which kicks off the UEFA Nations League against Switzerland on Wednesday.


Jurors in the murder trial of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher heard from NCIS investigators and forensics and pathology experts on Monday. Gallagher is accused of multiple violations of military law, including murdering a prisoner, posing for a photo next to a corpse, shooting at non-combatants and intimidating SEALs who could report his behavior. In the first four days of trial last week, witnesses testified they had seen Gallagher plunge a knife into the neck of a young ISIS prisoner and fire at non-combatants. But in a stunning turn of events, one witness testified he had killed the prisoner. On the fifth day of the trial, forensic expert Dr. Frank Sheridan told prosecutors the alleged stabbing witnesses described "could result in massive hemorrhaging into the chest ... or death." Sheridan drew his conclusion while looking at photo and video evidence. Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Craig Miller testified Wednesday he saw Gallagher stab the wounded fighter "on the right side of his neck, toward the jugular vein." Another witness said he saw Gallagher stab the prisoner under the collarbone but didn't see any blood. During cross examination, Sheridan said he could not determine -- based on the information he was given -- what the ISIS prisoner's cause of death was. He also said he couldn't conclude there was a stabbing, as he wasn't shown any physical evidence. Prosecutors also showed the hunting knife that Gallagher allegedly used to stabbed the detainee. Defense questions NCIS methods Things got heated during the trial when defense attorney Tim Parlatore questioned NCIS investigators. Parlatore referred to the agents' methods while carrying out a raid at Gallagher's home, claiming the SEAL's children, 8 years old and 18 years old at the time, "were dragged out of their house in their underwear" by armed investigators. NCIS Special Agent Brian Frank testified it is "standard protocol" to attempt to get everyone out of the house during a raid. Gallagher's trial will resume Tuesday morning, when defense attorneys will have the chance to cross examine NCIS special agent Joseph Wapriski.


Receiver Marcus Simms entered the NCAA transfer portal on April 29, but he apparently will not finish his college career. Simms has filed paperwork to enter the NFL supplemental draft, Tony Pauline of draftanalyst.com reports. Simms expects to work out for NFL teams next month. Earlier this month, Simms had alluded to heading to the NFL, posting on his Instagram story a video of the supplemental draft application, renouncing his college eligibility. Simms played three seasons at West Virginia. In 26 games, he made 87 catches for 1,457 yards and eight touchdowns, along with averaging 24.2 yards on 41 kickoff returns and 6.8 yards on 23 punt returns. He missed all but two of WVU's spring practices to deal with a hamstring issue and then a personal issue. After deciding to leave, Simms posted several farewell messages and expressed uncertainty about his role at WVU under new coach Neal Brown.


Police arrested a woman who allegedly jabbed at a Florida sea turtle nest with a wooden stick. Yaqun Lu, 41, faces a felony charge of molesting marine turtles or eggs after officers on Saturday saw her "stomping" around the nesting area. Yellow tape and sticks closed off the area from the public at Miami Beach, but Lu allegedly took one of the wooden sticks to disturb a nest. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission determined none of the eggs were damaged, local station WPLG reported. Lu is a Chinese citizen who listed a home address in Hudsonville, Michigan. Three protected species of sea turtles   the loggerhead, green and leatherback   nest at Miami Beach from April to early November, according to the city's website . Travel: 10 places where you can watch sea turtles hatch Global warming connection: 99% of these sea turtles were born girls The U.S. Endangered Species Act gives all sea turtle species found in the U.S. federal protection . Florida laws also make it illegal to harm sea turtles, their nests or hatchlings. The report says authorities notified the Chinese consulate in Houston about the arrest. Online records showed no attorney listed for her. She is being held on a $5,000 bond, The Miami Herald reported. Few sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood, according to the National Ocean Service , with estimates from one in 1,000 to one in 10,000. Nearly 90% of sea turtle nesting in the U.S. happens in the Sunshine State, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan woman arrested for 'stomping' sea turtle nest at Miami Beach


James Harden has joined the ownership group of the Houston Dynamo, Houston DASH and BBVA Stadium, the Rockets star confirmed Tuesday along with the Houston Dynamo. Harden said he has been a fan of soccer for several years and the decision to become an owner of the Dynamo-Dash was easy. "I'm very excited about the opportunity to join the ownership group of the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash and proud to be a part of a club with tremendous history and a great future," Harden said. "Houston is my home now, and I saw this as a way to invest in my city and expand my business interests at the same time." Currently, the Dynamo and Dash are owned by an ownership group consisting of majority owner Gabriel Brener, of Brener International Group; boxing legend and promoter Oscar De La Hoya; Ben Guill, managing partner of White Deer Energy, and Jake Silverstein, a private investor based in Portland, Ore. Harden has been in Houston since joining the Rockets in 2012. The 2018 NBA MVP agreed to the biggest contract extension in NBA history in 2017. His deal with Adidas is also worth a total of $200 million. The Dynamo are in eighth place in the Western Conference with an 8-3-9 record. The Dash are in seventh place with a 3-4-5 record. ALSO POPULAR ON KHOU.COM Texans announce dates for open practices at training camp Angels pitcher, manager suspended for retaliating against Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick Marisnick hit with pitch nine days after violent collision with Angels catcher


The Jets added two more undrafted free agents to their roster on Tuesday, claiming WR Xavier Ubosi and OT Calvin Anderson off waivers from the Patriots. New York waived WR DeAngelo Yancey and OT Dieugot Joseph in corresponding moves. Yancey, a former fifth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers', was on the Jets practice squad since December 2018, later signing a reserve/futures deal. Joseph, an undrafted free agent out of Florida International University, was on and off the Jets practice squad for the duration of the 2018 season. He signed a reserve/futures deal in December. Ubosi with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 draft. The 25-year-old out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham tallied 35 receptions for 837 yards and eight touchdowns last season He's big and long, standing at 6-foot-3. Ubosi runs an explosive straight line and projects as a vertical threat at the next level. At his pro day, Ubosi ran an unofficial 4.50-second 40-yard dash. He has excellent speed for a big body wide receiver. Having a need at the tackle position, the Jets will roll the dice with Anderson, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Texas. Many believed he would be drafted, but he doesn't currently possess the strength to succeed in the NFL. If Anderson can put on muscle and develop under Frank Pollack, he has a chance of sticking. Anderson and Ubosi join Eric Smith, Darryl Roberts and Harvey Langi as one-time Patriots now on Gang Green's roster. MORE: Tommy Boy is Almost 20: Here Are 20 Fun Facts About the Film Steph Curry thought it was weird to see his mom cheering for him in Trail Blazers gear NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players An early preview of the 2019-20 offseason for the Celtics Bills were not going to draft receiver at 2019 draft


Spending time in Cedar-Riverside? Get to know this Minneapolis neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a brewery to an outdoor gear shop. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Cedar-Riverside, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Topping the list is pub, brewery and traditional American spot Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery . Located at 1430 Washington Ave. South, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 292 reviews on Yelp. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery offers burgers, sandwiches, fish, tacos and more. On the menu, look for the beef stroganoff with mushrooms and cream sauce, sweet potato fries or the fried chicken sandwich. 2. Hard Times Café Next up is cafe Hard Times Café , situated at 1821 Riverside Ave. With four stars out of 308 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Hard Times Café is a vegetarian coffee house serving sandwiches, salads, breakfast food and more. On the menu, look for the falafel plate, biscuits and gravy or hash browns. 3. The Wienery Diner and breakfast and brunch spot The Wienery , which offers hot dogs and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 414 Cedar Ave. South, four stars out of 194 reviews. The Wienery specializes in beef hotdogs, Italian beef and Philly cheese steaks, but the restaurant offers vegetarian and vegan options too. On the menu, look for the hotdog with baked beans and coleslaw, the burger with lettuce and tomato or the tuna melt sandwich. 4. Keefer Court Bakery & Café Keefer Court Bakery & Café , a bakery and Chinese spot, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 165 Yelp reviews. Head over to 326 Cedar Ave. South to see for yourself. The Chinese bakery offers buns, cakes and pastries. On the menu, look for the barbecue pork and curry beef buns. 5. Midwest Mountaineering Check out Midwest Mountaineering , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 51 reviews on Yelp. You can find the spot to score outdoor gear and more at 309 Cedar Ave. South. Midwest Mountaineering offers adventure gear for outdoor enthusiasts. From climbing and hiking to canoeing and kayaking, the store has a variety of gear options. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Video by CBS News WASHINGTON (AP)   Republicans found themselves unwilling Monday to swiftly and unequivocally rebuke President Donald Trump's attack on progressive women of color in Congress, almost ensuring no real fallout from his party in Congress. Some Republicans spoke up against Trump's suggestion that the women should "go back" to the countries they came from. But others leveled their criticism of Trump in careful comments that also criticized the women. Most notably, the GOP leadership in Congress said more than most by staying silent or defending the president's incendiary remarks. The result is that once again Republicans in Congress are allowing Trump to break the norms of civic behavior   as when he equivocated over the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville and used a vulgarity to describe immigrants from Africa and other countries   with a muffled response that does little to change outcomes. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declined to discuss the situation after he opened the chamber Monday, telling reporters he'd "address whatever questions you have" at his regularly scheduled news conference Tuesday. Asked if Trump's comments were racist, the top Republican in the House, Kevin McCarthy of California, said: "This is about ideology. And the ideology of the Democratic Party is socialist. This debate is going to go on for a long time." Part of the problem for Republicans is a strategic one   they, too have piled on the freshmen lawmakers, using their liberal views to scare off voters. Hardly a day goes by without Republicans raising warnings against the "squad" of newcomers: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. They have become big money-makers for the GOP, portrayed as a more daunting threat than HouseSpeaker Nancy Pelosi. Omar, a Muslim refugee from Somalia, has been criticized by Republicans almost since she arrived. With an uneven response from leaders on Capitol Hill, it fell to rank-and-file Republicans to deliver some of the more critical rebukes. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the party's 2012 presidential nominee, said in a tweet, "The president failed badly." Romney said, "The President of the United States has a unique and noble calling to unite the American people   of all different races, colors, and national origins." He called the remarks "destructive, demeaning, and disunifying." Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican senator, said Trump made "unacceptable personal attacks" and used "racially offensive language." For lawmakers in tough reelection battles, the open-ended reaction allowed them to craft the message that best fit their brand. Sen. Susan Collins, the centrist Maine Republican who faces a potentially tough reelection race alongside Trump in 2020, called the president's comment "way over the line." But Collins also said she disagrees "strongly" with many of the views of the "far-left" members of the House Democrats. Another Republican up for another term, Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, tweeted that people in his state are "sick and tired of listening to anti-American, anti-Semite, radical Democrats trash our country and our ideals." Daines tweeted, "I stand with @realDonaldTrump." One party leader, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, put Trump's remarks in terms of a political strategy rather than the moral or civic debate the comments inspired. "I think it's a mistake and an unforced error," said Cornyn. "I don't think the president is a racist." Strategic thinking has guided Republicans throughout the Trump era, as they have repeatedly shown they are unwilling, and unable, to confront Trump even when he pushes the outer bounds of political rhetoric. When Trump derided immigrants from Africa and Caribbean countries with a vulgarity, saying he preferred those from places like Norway, some Republicans objected. But two Republicans who were in the private meeting, Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia, issued a statement at the time saying they could not recall the president using that specific insult. When Trump said there were good people "on both sides" of a white supremacist neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville that resulted in the death of a protester, then-House Speaker Paul Ryan said Trump "messed up." On Sunday morning, Trump tweeted that the "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen" should "go back" and help fix the "broken and crime infested" countries they came from and then return and "show us how it is done." Trump almost certainly was referring to the four new lawmakers   Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib   who are among the most outspoken against Trump administration policies and have made headlines in their ongoing divisions with Pelosi. They all support impeachment. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx, Pressley in Cincinnati, Tlaib in Detroit. Omar has been a top target of Republicans for being critical of the U.S., and of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. By Monday, as the White House sought to smooth Trump's tweets, the president doubled down and said it was up to the women to apologize for "their horrible & disgusting actions!" One Republican ally of Trump's, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, piled on, calling the women "communists" and "anti-American" as he also sought to nudge the president to focus on their policies. It was left to lesser-known Republicans to offer some of the strongest rebuttals. Rep. Mike Turner, an Ohio Republican, said the president's tweets were "racist" and Trump should apologize. "We must work as a country to rise above hate, not enable it," said the nine-term congressman. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican from Alaska, said, "There is no excuse for the president's spiteful comments   they were absolutely unacceptable and this needs to stop." Pressed Monday on whether the women should go, McCarthy, the House minority leader, conceded that "nobody believes somebody should leave the country." McCarthy added, "The president is not a racist." ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Daly, Laurie Kellman and Monika Mathur in Washington; David Eggert in Lansing, Mich.; and Meg Kinnard in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report.


Plano-based fintech company Alkami Technology has secured $55 million in Series E funding, according to company database Crunchbase , topping the city's recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced June 10 and led by MissionOG. According to its Crunchbase profile, "Alkami Technology is a privately-owned software company focused on providing eBanking solutions to the financial services industry. Alkami's eBanking solution represents a quantum leap forward in the level of control and customization given to the institution while revolutionizing the user experience provided to customers and members. With its modern interface, customizable feature set, intelligent content delivery, and financial management tools, Alkami eBanking enables institutions to build stronger relationships with their customers via the online channel." The 10-year-old company has raised seven previous funding rounds, including a $70 million Series D round in 2018. The round brings total funding raised by Plano companies in software over the past month to $57 million, and increase of $53 million from the month before. The local software industry has seen 12 funding rounds over the past year, yielding a total of $109 million in venture funding. In other local funding news, artificial intelligence company Cien announced a $1.3 million seed funding round on June 4, financed by Elaia. According to Crunchbase, "Cien is a new and unique app for managing sales talent. Using the power of AI, Cien outlines your team's strengths and weaknesses, predicts outcomes, uncovers improvement areas and recommends the biggest wins for your team." Founded in 2016, the company has raised two previous rounds, including a $1.2 million seed round in 2018. This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Flight attendants feel the pain of cramped aircraft seats, too. "It is a torture chamber for our passengers and for us, that also fly on our own airlines," Lori Bassani, of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, or APFA, said during a congressional hearing Wednesday. "We find that the seats are not only getting smaller, but there's no padding on them anymore," she said. Bassani testified before a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee hearing that smaller seats are not only uncomfortable but also a safety risk. She called it "almost impossible" to exit some seating configurations in an emergency. Federal regulations require airplanes be capable of being evacuated in fewer than 90 seconds even if some exits are blocked. "The passengers already -- in the normal case of getting on or off the airplane -- are having difficult times getting into the aisle to sit down," Bassani said. "Can you imagine in a stressful situation trying to evacuate in a real life scenario passengers from a plane that is burning or that is half tilted or upside down?" Safety concerns led a federal court in 2017 to order the Federal Aviation Administration to consider regulating minimum seat dimensions. The agency has not done so, but is now required by Congress to specify "minimums for seat pitch, width, and length, and that are necessary for the safety of passengers" later this year. APFA represents flight attendants working for American Airlines. American Airlines spokeswoman Leslie Scott told CNN the airline supports the FAA review of seat dimensions and is committed to "making sure our passengers and team members are safe." Bassani told Congress it is "distressing" to watch passengers squeeze into tight seats. "I want to thank you for the seat I'm in today," she said to the committee chairman while seated in the hearing room, "because it's a lot more comfortable than what I flew down here in."


If/when the Falcons give receiver Julio Jones a new contract, Jones can be expected to earn it right away. Caesers Entertainment has set the odds for the NFL's receiving yardage leader, and Jones is the favorite at 4/1. Next come Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Browns receiver Odell Beckham , Jr., who are both at 11/2. Former teammates Antonio Brown (now of the Raiders) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (still of the Steelers) have identical odds, at 6/1. Bucs receiver Mike Evans comes in at 8/1, along with Packers receiver Davante Adams . Saints receiver Michael Thomas and Vikings receiver Adam Thielen are 10/1. Three players are off the board, for entirely different reasons: Tyreek Hill , Doug Baldwin, and Rob Gronkowski. Jones led the NFL last year, with 1,677 yards.