WASHINGTON   In the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, Justice Department officials, concerned that another attack was imminent, swiftly arrested many people, some of whom were only remotely suspected of having ties to terrorism. Many suspicions proved unfounded. Some cases collapsed. And the frenzied response soon gave way to a more patient approach that encouraged F.B.I. agents to watch suspects as long as possible before making arrests, so that they could gain valuable intelligence about Al Qaeda's networks. Now, confronted with efforts by the Islamic State to inspire Americans to commit violence, the authorities have changed their strategy again. In recent months, the F.B.I. has apprehended people suspected of being Islamic State sympathizers soon after they came onto the government's radar. The F.B.I. has arrested and charged at least 25 people in the past three months with having ties to the Islamic State or other terrorist groups, compared with 20 people arrested over the previous year, according to court records. American counterterrorism officials are so concerned about the threat from the Islamic State that in June the F.B.I. had so many people under surveillance in terrorism-related investigations that supervisors reassigned criminal squads to monitor terrorism suspects, according to F.B.I. officials. "It's like in old cartoons where you would have a stick of dynamite and a long fuse, except now the fuse is much shorter   the flash to bang is much faster," John P. Carlin, the assistant attorney general for national security, said in an interview. But critics say the return to a faster-moving approach raises the possibility that, in the rush to make arrests, the government is jeopardizing criminal cases and missing opportunities to gather intelligence. Thomas A. Durkin, a Chicago defense lawyer who has represented clients accused of supporting Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, said the new cases are hurried and not as strong. "Everything is: 'Not on my watch,' " Mr. Durkin said. " 'Do you want to be responsible letting that kid go home? Not me.' " Officials from the Justice Department and the F.B.I. defend the practice, saying their chief mission is to prevent violence. They acknowledge that the Islamic State   a radical Sunni terrorist organization operating chiefly out of Syria and Iraq, and also known as ISIS or ISIL   has shown no ability to stage significant attacks inside the United States. But they say sympathizers have repeatedly expressed a willingness to undertake small-scale attacks, such as stabbings and shootings that require little planning. Because their networks are far less complex than the ones used by Al Qaeda, officials do not believe they are missing out on important intelligence. "Sometimes people say, 'So why are you disrupting these people?' " said James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, in a briefing with reporters. "Well, first, we're disrupting because we try to disrupt plots, but also we face people who are highly unpredictable." One senior law enforcement official said that "if moving quickly stops an attack but hurts our prosecutions, then that's the price you have to pay to prevent violence." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss national security matters. Some F.B.I. investigators privately disagree with the intense focus, which draws resources away from other investigations and sometimes has led to frustration inside the bureau and the Justice Department. After years of watching for large-scale plots, investigators are now trying to identify and prevent shootings and stabbings   violence on a scale that is common in major American cities but has never been a priority for the F.B.I. Preventing Islamic State-inspired violence is a priority, and current and former investigators say they feel tremendous pressure to succeed. "We don't expect to eradicate crime, but we've made a political promise that we're going to stop every act of terrorism," Mr. Durkin said. "It's ridiculous." The recent shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn., in which a troubled Kuwaiti-born man killed five people at military sites, shows the difficulty in preventing small-scale attacks. Investigators have found no evidence that the gunman, Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez , was in contact with the Islamic State, but they say they believe that he watched terrorist videos on the Internet, most likely making him the kind of self-radicalized killer that the F.B.I. is trying to stop. An event this spring in Boston illustrates how the authorities now react faster to potential violence, Mr. Comey said. In May, counterterrorism investigators began surveillance of Usaamah Abdullah Rahim , a 26-year-old man who been in touch with the Islamic State online. The authorities said they believed that while he was planning to stage an attack, he was not an imminent threat. But, Mr. Comey said that Mr. Rahim "woke up on the morning of June the 2nd and said ,'You know what, I think today is the day,' and just went to kill people." Specifically, F.B.I. agents, who were tapping Mr. Rahim's phone, heard him say on June 2 that he planned to behead a police officer. When they tried to apprehend him, he pulled out a knife and the agents fatally shot him. "That's an example of how this is so different: There could be a plan to do something in the future, but the kind of folks these are, they're unpredictable, unreliable," Mr. Comey said. In response to calls on Twitter by the Islamic State for Americans to stage attacks on the Fourth of July, F.B.I. officials in Washington told agents across the country in the weeks leading up to the holiday to arrest suspects under surveillance if they believed they had enough evidence to bring charges. Whatever additional intelligence they could gain from watching these people was not worth the risk, officials said. "Headquarters was saying, 'You can't take the chance that these guys will quickly do something crazy,' " said one senior law enforcement official. The warnings about unpredictable, small-scale attacks, however, are not completely new. Shortly after Sept. 11, the F.B.I. warned of attacks against churches, supermarkets and shopping malls. In 2003, Larry A. Mefford , the F.B.I.'s top counterterrorism official, testified before Congress about the ability of "individual terrorists, acting on their own in the name of jihad, to carry out random acts of terror wherever and whenever they can." Mr. Comey said the threat today was even worse. The Islamic State is far less choosy about its recruits than "your grandfather's Al Qaeda" ever was, he said. The group is essentially trying to crowdsource terrorism. Every day, the group sends messages on Twitter and on other social media platforms to thousands of Americans with simple instructions: Commit some type of violence in our name. "They say: 'Do whatever you can. If you can't get a gun, find a rock and throw it at someone,' " said one senior law enforcement official. Justice Department and F.B.I. officials acknowledge that there is sometimes a price to pay for speedy arrests. One of the highest-profile examples came immediately after Sept. 11, when F.B.I. agents arrested Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri. The authorities said he was a Qaeda sleeper agent who was researching poisonous gases and plotting a cyberattack while living in the United States. American intelligence officials said a Qaeda financier paid for his trip the United States. He was quickly arrested but charged with the far less serious crime of credit card fraud. After a yearslong court fight over whether Mr. Marri could be held as an enemy combatant, he pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was released this year and returned to Qatar. In response to cases like that, the F.B.I. changed its approach. Arthur Cummings, who held several senior positions in counterterrorism and national security at the F.B.I., urged agents not to make arrests until they had gleaned every bit of intelligence. Mr. Cummings's strategy helped identify Al Qaeda leaders worldwide and disrupted attacks, including a 2009 plot to bomb New York's subways, but the approach always came with an important caveat: If agents believed a threat was imminent and uncontrollable, they should move quickly.


The Houston Texans and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney are at an impasse over the club franchise-tagging the Pro Bowler, which has led to his absence at training camp. Coach Bill O'Brien, who has coached Clowney since the club took him No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL draft, thus making him O'Brien's first ever draft selection, wants to see the former South Carolina Gamecock at training camp. "I can tell you unequivocally that we want Jadeveon Clowney here," O'Brien said via ESPN 97.5's Jake Asman. "He's part of this team. We want him here. There's always a difference when you're talking about money relative to wanting him on the team. That's something that the agent and our organization are working on." Bill O'Brien on Jadeveon Clowney's absence from camp. Makes it clear he wants him back but wouldn't say he's personally spoken to him when I asked. @espn975 pic.twitter.com/yQMLmvGaA8 - Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) July 25, 2019 The Texans decided they were going to franchise tag Clowney back in March under then-general manager Brian Gaine. Clowney missed all of the club's offseason program, including organized team activities and veteran minicamp. On July 15, the deadline passed for Clowney and the Texans to reach a contract extension. Because they failed to do so, both sides will not be able to negotiate a new deal until after the season is over. Clowney has not signed his franchise tag yet. Therefore, he is not obligated to attend training camp. Nonetheless, O'Brien continues to extend his hand offering the talented edge rusher an invitation to rejoin his teammates at camp. Said O'Brien: "Relative to the player and the history that he and I have together, we would love to have him here. He's a really talented football player that's made a lot of good plays for us in the past. Like I said, the sooner the better. We would love to have him here." The lack of Clowney means more reps for down roster players such as rookie Charles Omenihu and outside linebacker Brennan Scarlett, who filled in for Clowney in the offseason in some pass-rushing packages. MORE: Mike Trout's perfect 98.6 MPH throw to home plate had everyone in awe Packers GM explains reasoning for releasing DL Mike Daniels Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Big Threes News: Elliott expected in Oxnard, Cowboys great bet to win it all Chiefs rookie RB Darwin Thompson calls Patrick Mahomes: 'A real-life jug machine'


Start your day off right by looking at some cuddly kittens! There are dozens of kittens up for adoption right here in Arlington. Hoodline partnered with Petfinder , an online adoption site that lists "more than 315,000 adoptable pets from nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups" to bring you this roundup of kittens near you. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Cash, domestic longhair mix Cash is a handsome male domestic longhair kitten being cared for at Matilda's Garden . He's vaccinated. He has mastered his house-training etiquette. Notes about Cash: He is shy at first but a total love bug who loves to sit in your lap. Apply to adopt Cash today at Petfinder . Batgirl, domestic shorthair mix Batgirl is a female domestic shorthair kitten in the care of Matilda's Garden . Batgirl is a social animal   she's happy to keep company with other cats. Batgirl has all her shots. She's mastered her house-training etiquette. About Batgirl: She is a super, outgoing and sweet little girl looking. Apply to adopt Batgirl today at Petfinder . Tori, tortoiseshell Tori is a darling female tortoiseshell kitten currently residing at the House of Meows - HOME Rescue . Tori is eager to make friends   she gets along well with kids, dogs or cats. She is already vaccinated. Notes from Tori's caretakers: Tori is a very sweet kitten. She is quiet and loves to sleep on the bed and in window seals. Shy at first but loves her head rubbed and purrs when held. Apply to adopt Tori today at Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Before Ford gave us the wonderful F-150 Raptor , we got the F-150 Lightning . Geared more towards street performance than off-road prowess, it had a low-slung stance and made a wonderful noise. The second-gen Lightning is powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 making 360 horsepower which, by 1999 standards, is a lot. Thanks to a sweet side-exit exhaust system, it had the rumble to match. Here, listen for yourself. And make sure to turn the volume all the way up. Welcome to Better Than Coffee , your daily dose of car sounds designed to help you kick that caffeine habit.


Authorities said Friday that a Woodbury man intentionally dropped his infant son headfirst on the ground in April, fatally injuring the 5-month-old. The explanation he gave? The baby was crying and fussy and was being "difficult," the man reportedly told investigators. Matthew Hoisser, 35, of Woodbury, was arrested Friday, three months after the death of his son Gus. The infant suffered head injuries that included a skull fracture. Hoisser, 35, of Woodbury, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He was arrested Friday morning at his house in the 7100 block of Victoria Road. According to his obituary, Gus Christian Hoisser died on April 30. "Gus was a sweet, beautiful baby, a source of joy to his parents, and beloved by all who knew him," his obituary stated. "He loved riding on his daddy's shoulder and hearing his mommy sing, especially 'Rainbow Connection,' and will always remain their precious 'Snuggamonkey.'" WHAT COURT RECORDS SAY HAPPENED Hoisser told authorities he was caring for his son on the evening of April 24, from about 7:30 p.m. to midnight and had trouble getting him to sleep, according to the criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court. The boy "was crying and fussy and was being 'difficult,'" the complaint states. "At one point, (Hoisser) was so frustrated he intentionally dropped the infant head first into the ground … intentionally causing him to fall to the ground and strike his head on the floor stunning (the baby) and causing him to continue to cry." At 6:30 a.m. the next morning, the boy's mother said her son, identified as "G.H." in court records, was "noticeably whining and whimpering" and would not take a bottle. She took the child to his home childcare provider in Woodbury around 7 a.m., telling the provider that the baby had only taken 2.5 ounces of formula and was "fussier than usual," the complaint states. The childcare provider put the baby down for a nap at 10 a.m. and when she went to check on him, he was "awake and fussy," according to the complaint. When she went to change his diaper, she found him "limp and quiet." She called 911 and began administering rescue breaths. The child was taken to Children's Hospital in St. Paul and then transferred to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. He died five days later. The cause of death was blunt force trauma. Doctors said the head injury was so severe it would have left the infant with permanent deficits including blindness, deafness and lack of mobility, the complaint states. AN EARLIER HEAD INJURY DISCOVERED During the baby's autopsy, the medical examiner found a second head injury that had "occurred prior to the most recent injury … likely within a week or two of the infant's hospitalization." Hoisser told police he had caused that injury while changing his son's diaper a few weeks prior to his death. He said he laid the boy on a portion of the floor where the carpet had been cut out, and that his "head hit the floor hard enough" that he could "recall the event in detail," the complaint states. "G.H. was startled by the contact between his head and the floor. The defendant admitted that there were times that he was short with G.H. and that he was not always 'super gentle' with the infant. He said G.H. was a difficult baby that had colic and was consistently fussy." Both the boy's mother and the childcare provider noted that that baby was "fussier than usual" on April 12 and had "unusual difficulty with feeding," according to the complaint. "The daycare provider reported that G.H. was screaming loudly and was inconsolable." The mother said the infant, who normally took 6 ounces of formula at least twice between midnight and 7 a.m., had refused to eat. "The daycare tried to get G.H. to eat because he was acting hungry, but he would start to scream when he would start to suck," the complaint states. The baby's pediatrician diagnosed him with an ulcer on his soft pallet and hand, foot and mouth disease, according to the complaint. He was prescribed Tylenol and did not attend childcare the following week. The infant was brought back to childcare on April 22 and "seemed to have normal days" until the incident, the complaint states. 'DIFFICULT SITUATION TO PROCESS' "It's just so tragic," said Cmdr. John Altman of the Woodbury Public Safety Department. "It's awful for the family, for the childcare provider, for all of us. We're all parents here. It's a difficult situation to process." Altman praised the childcare provider, whom he said has been operating in Woodbury for almost 30 years. Related Articles Jamar Clark family reaches tentative settlement with Minneapolis Roseville cops ask for help to ID man suspected in two Speedway robberies BCA identifies officer in fatal Minneapolis police shooting Hundreds of former Globe University and Minnesota School of Business students could have loans forgiven Memorial to sexual assault survivors to take shape in Minneapolis park "She's just a wonderful person," he said. "She did everything right. As soon as she recognized the child was in distress, she began life-saving efforts and continued until the paramedics arrived. She is just heartbroken." While conducting interviews on Tuesday, investigators learned that the infant's mother is 10 weeks pregnant, the complaint states. Hoisser "poses a serious safety risk to his future child, as well as any children in his care," according to the complaint. Hoisser is being held at the Washington County Jail in Stillwater.


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Southdale? If you're apartment hunting, you know how hard it can be to find a great spot that fits right within your budget. Fortunately, Southdale has plenty of current local listings to give you a snapshot of your options. And according to Walk Score, this Indianapolis neighborhood requires a car for most errands, is somewhat bikeable and has minimal transit options. We took a look at local listings for apartments in Indianapolis via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what apartment seekers can expect to find. Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings that fit a budget of $900 / month. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) 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. 6650 Creek Bay Drive Listed at $820/month, this 830-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 6650 Creek Bay Drive. The apartment features a renovated kitchen. Building amenities include a fitness center, on-site laundry and a swimming pool. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are welcome. The listing specifies a $100 pet fee. (See the complete listing here .) 5524 Rue Royale Next, there's this two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom apartment over at 5524 Rue Royale. It's listed for $835/month for its 1,098 square feet. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate on-site laundry and a fitness center. In the unit, you'll find central heating and air conditioning. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are allowed. (See the complete listing here .) 6909 Murphys Landing Lane Here's a 700-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 6909 Murphys Landing Lane that's going for $843/month. The apartment offers central air conditioning and a balcony. The building boasts a swimming pool and a fitness center. Pet lovers are in luck: Cats and dogs are allowed. Expect a $150 pet fee. (Check out the complete listing here .) 1510 Dakota Ridge Drive Finally, check out this 850-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that's located at 1510 Dakota Ridge Drive. It's listed for $855/month. The residence features a balcony, a dishwasher, hardwood flooring and a walk-in closet. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are welcome. (Take a look at the complete listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


A 39-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Thursday in the fatal stabbings of two men at a Chinatown social club in 2017. Vinh Dao, wearing a blue L.A. County jail uniform with his wrists cuffed behind his back, showed no expression as Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry announced the sentence. No one spoke on behalf of the victims, Kim Kong Yun and Joe Hoe "Tony" Young, both 64. Outside the courtroom after the sentencing, Dao's public defender declined to comment. A jury deliberated for just an hour and a half last month before convicting Dao of two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. Prosecutors decided not to pursue the death penalty. The slayings occurred at a Chinatown social club popular among older Chinese immigrants. Dao showed up there in January 2017 and disrupted a mah-jongg game. Authorities have said that Dao demanded $400 to retrieve his impounded vehicle. He was apparently upset with the club, which often gives immigrants money for emergency financial issues, because he felt they hadn't given him enough to get his car back. Dao began arguing with Yun before stabbing him to death. He then stabbed Young, who had come to the other man's aid. Dao had been a member of the club several years earlier and was acquainted with some of the people present at the time of the crime, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office. He was arrested the next day. The FBI had pursued Young for years , convinced that he was a leader of the notorious Wah Ching gang, implicated in an armed robbery and at least two homicides. But Dao's motive for stabbing Young, authorities say, had nothing to do with Young's past. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek


Fifty-eight people died in Niger's capital Niamey after an overturned tanker truck exploded as crowds collected spilt fuel, authorities and witnesses said Monday. The blast on the RN1 route near the international airport Sunday night left the burnt truck's wreckage, motorbikes and debris scattered over the road. Nearby houses were damaged by fire. The explosion left 58 dead, the presidency said in a statement. "Motorbike riders and people were all around the truck when it exploded all of a sudden," a local trader said. "I saw at least 40 dead." Witnesses said people were trying to collect petrol leaking from the truck, which had overturned on railway tracks, when the explosion happened. "Just before midnight I went out and I saw the truck overturned. People came from everywhere to take gas, then I saw fire on its side and everything burst into flames," a college student told AFP. Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou visited some of the injured in hospital in the capital, according to the presidential Twitter account. Prime Minister Brigi Rafini and the Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum inspected the site of the explosion, describing a scene of "real drama." Bazoum said the truck had tipped over while trying to park. Crowds and motorbike drivers rushed to the scene to take fuel from the tanker. "Unfortunately one of the motorcyclists did not switch off their engine. There must have been a spark that caused a massive blast," the minister said. He said 37 people were injured. Most were in a very serious condition in hospital with burns. Niger, a poor West African country, has tried to stamp out fuel smuggling from neighbouring Nigeria. Nigeria, a major oil producer, has seen similar deadly accidents and explosions in the past when people try to steal fuel from oil pipelines.


A new bakery and patisserie/cake shop, offering coffee, tea and more, has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Located at 1689 Arden Way, Suite 1186 in Arden Fair, the newcomer is called 85°C Bakery Cafe . 85°C Bakery Cafe offers a wide variety of caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages, baked goods and chef specialties. On the menu, look for iced espresso beverages, eight-inch and individual cakes and sweet and savory bread options. Here's the link to the business website. Yelper Devan C., who was one of the first to review the new spot on May 9, wrote, "Nice guys working hard at the register- all the employees were so on it! I was impressed. The bread is yummy! Wow, everything looked so good." Yelper Michelle B. added , "It's nicely located right next to Macy's and has enough seating both inside and outside the cafe. Great pastries no doubt. Got the matcha milk bun...and one Hokkaido tart." Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: 85°C Bakery Cafe is open from 9 a.m. 5 p.m. daily. 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.


Coffee giant Starbucks is on an upswing: In April, it reported fiscal second-quarter earnings that beat analysts' expectations, and its stock is up nearly 30% for 2019. The current share price is hovering around $83. If you invested in the company 10 years ago, that decision would have paid off. A $1,000 investment made June 19, 2009, would be worth nearly $14,000 as of June 19, 2019, for a total return of about 1,300%, according to CNBC calculations. Over the same period, the S&P 500 has returned just over 280%. Part of the reason for the stock's uptick has been solid sales : Starbucks' same-store sales increased by 3% in the fiscal second quarter, more than analysts expected. Earnings per share also topped Wall Street's expectations. And many analysts predict Starbucks could keep rising. JC O'Hara, chief market technician at financial planning firm MKM Partners, said in May on CNBC's "Trading Nation" that Starbucks' upward trend was just getting started : "I think this is a perfect example of an area where we don't want to be afraid of momentum. "When stock charts like these hibernate for an extended period of time and finally break out, that breakout is powerful, and it can continue a lot longer than many people think is possible." CNBC: Starbucks stock as of June 18, 2019 It doesn't hurt that in May the coffee chain received what was estimated to be more than $2 billion in free advertising and publicity after a cup with what appeared to be a Starbucks label appeared in an episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones." (It doesn't matter that it turned out not to be a Starbucks cup.) "This is a once-in-a-lifetime collision of opportunity for Starbucks ," said Stacy Jones, CEO of marketing company Hollywood Branded. Jones pointed to public relations subscription service Critical Mention, which tallied more than 10,000 mentions of Starbucks and "Game of Thrones" online, on TV and on radio. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," she said, "because what isn't being monitored or estimated is the word of mouth and social media on top of this." While Starbucks' stock has performed well over the years, any individual stock can over- or underperform , and past returns do not predict future results . The company is facing stiff competition overseas from Chinese rival Luckin Coffee , which recently went public, and whose strong initial sales have captured the attention of Wall Street analysts. Luckin has sold more than 110 million cups of coffee since being founded less than two years ago, according to KeyBanc Capital Markets. In addition, the company opened 2,370 stores in China and plans to add 2,500 more in 2019. Still, Starbucks is investing heavily in its future. In just four months, the company added delivery to 2,100 stores in China and is planning to launch mobile order and pay later this year. Starbucks Rewards also reached 8.3 million active Chinese members. The company also recently launched a monthlong trial of a reusable cup program at Gatwick Airport in London , and it's continuing its focus on creating better in-store experiences , developing new beverages and fine-tuning its digital capabilities throughout the U.S. and China. "We have gone from a long-cycle innovation approach to one that embraces the mantra of going from idea to action in 100 days and then learn and adapt," CEO Kevin Johnson said of the company's new Seattle-based innovation hub, the Tryer Center. "That's all about creating the entrepreneurial spirit and by doing that, it's unleashing the passion, the creativity and the energy … to accelerate the velocity of new things that show up in our stores." If you're looking to get into investing , seasoned investors such as Warren Buffett suggest you start with index funds , which hold every stock in an index, meaning they're automatically diversified and tend to be low cost. Plus, because they fluctuate with the market, they're typically less risky than picking individual stocks. Here's a snapshot of how the markets look now . Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Don't miss: My daily Starbucks habit costs me $2,300 a year here's why I refuse to stop Video by Claire Nolan


The 2020 BMW M3 keeps edging closer to its official reveal, and today we bring you spy photos of the most finished-looking example spied yet. Also, some clever shots of the undercarriage give us a glimpse of what's going on underneath. We'll point out the presence of what appear to be two differentials   one for the rear and then we can see the cover for one in the front. This doesn't come as a surprise, as multiple reports have declared this M3 generation will be offered with all-wheel drive. Of course, seeing it with our eyes essentially proves the validity of such reports. Also visible is the pretty exhaust design leading to BMW's massive low-hanging muffler. The same style of muffler is used on the M2 Competition now, and it looks rather large compared to other cars that tuck them away, concealed behind the rear bumper. Research the BMW M3 on MSN Autos | Find a BMW M3 near you That rear bumper looks closer to production with further refined exhaust cutouts. The fenders blend with the bodywork and side sills better now, too. Overall, the car looks less pieced together and ready for some of the camouflage to come off. BMW is still completely covering the front end so as to conceal the M3-specific design touches. A couple reports from yesterday offered conflicting information as to when BMW would debut the next M3. One pointed to a reveal this year in Frankfurt, while another posited we'd see it at Geneva in March 2020. We can all hope for the former, as we're eager to see the sport sedan legend return after driving the totally new and improved 2019 3 Series . 2020 BMW M3 spied all around and underneath originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 May 2019


The Phillies have designated catcher Rob Brantly for assignment among a series of roster moves, the team reports. Brantly's contract was selected Friday by the Philies, presumably to hold down the fort with catcher J.T. Realmuto away on paternity leave. In 182 plate appearances for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, the former Tigers and Marlins farmhand has turned in one of his best seasons yet. Brantley has walked more than he has struck out in the International League, posting a stellar .306/.401/.452 line. He'll likely go unclaimed on waivers, but the offensive maturity period for catchers can be lengthy, and it's possible Brantly has positioned himself as a legitimate MLB backup option. In 429 career plate appearances with the White Sox and Marlins, Brantly has paired a .229/.294/.332 (72 wRC+) slash with poor defensive metrics behind the plate.


The Fourth of July. The day Americans everywhere celebrate their independence. As the United States begins partying all over the country, perhaps it's time to take a look back at the day the Seattle Seahawks declared their independence from mediocrity and became a force to be reckoned with. The day is Oct. 14, 2012. The fledgling Seahawks are firmly in their third year under head coach Pete Carroll, and the first year being led by rookie quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seahawks had tentatively built a 3-2 record through the first five weeks of the season. Despite beating teams like the Packers, Cowboys, and Panthers, there was still plenty of doubt for the young team in the Pacific Northwest. On this day, the Seahawks were hosting the reigning AFC Champions, the New England Patriots. Inspired by the up-tempo offense of the Oregon Ducks, the Patriots were setting the league ablaze. New England's explosive offense was about to meet the stout Legion of Boom. A battle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object was on the horizon. Despite leading 10-7 after the first quarter, the Patriots had stifled the Seahawks and built a daunting 23-10 lead going into the fourth. New England sat on this lead up until the final 7:31 of the game. Timely stops from the Seattle defense, including a pair of interceptions courtesy of Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman, gave the Seahawks new life. With only 1:18 left on the clock, Russell Wilson proved why he was the right choice to lead the offense. The rookie uncorked a deep bomb and round wide receiver Sidney Rice 46 yards down the field for a game-winning touchdown to go up 24-23. It was the touchdown heard 'round the world, as the Seahawks had proven they were no longer a team to overlook. They proved they were a complete team, with a franchise quarterback, who could beat anyone, anywhere, and any time. In a sense, the Seahawks declared their independence from the middle of the pack of the NFL and have been in the contender mix ever since. We at Seahawks Wire want to wish all the 12s out there a happy and safe Independence Day! MORE: Kendrick Perkins: Draymond Green spat led Kevin Durant to leave the Warriors Stephen A. Smith Says Kevin Durant Told Russell Westbrook He'd Stay in OKC, KD Says That's BS The Steelers got their new Brett Keisel with Isaiah Buggs 9 quarterbacks who will improve in 2019 'You don't know me like that': Kevin Durant, the Warriors and a toxic locker room


Arm problems have kept Diamondbacks starter Luke Weaver out of action for almost a month, but the right-hander is seemingly moving toward a return. A follow-up MRI on Weaver "showed improvement," Steve Gilbert of MLB.com tweets. It's still unclear when he'll begin a throwing program, per Gilbert, although manager Torey Lovullo called Weaver's progress "a very good sign." An injury to Weaver's right ulnar collateral ligament and flexor pronator could have sent him to the operating table at the end of May, but a group of doctors agreed he could try to rehab without surgery. So far, so good for Weaver and the Diamondbacks, who can ill afford to see the 25-year-old go under the knife. Arizona's starting staff has already been without the injured Taijuan Walker , who underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2018 and has more recently battled shoulder problems. Plus, in addition to Weaver and Walker, the Diamondbacks put fellow promising righty Jon Duplantier on the injured list on June 12th with shoulder inflammation. The absences of Weaver, Walker and Duplantier have left sizable holes in Arizona's rotation after Zack Greinke , Robbie Ray and Merrill Kelly , which helps explain the Diamondbacks' recent slide down the standings. Having received unappealing results from Zack Godley and Taylor Clarke , the Diamondbacks are an unimpressive 39-40. However, they're still just two games behind the Cardinals for the NL's second wild-card spot. Should the D'backs continue to hang around the playoff picture, a healthy Weaver could serve as an important in-season reinforcement. Acquired from the Cardinals last winter in a package for first baseman Paul Goldschmidt , Weaver has pitched to an outstanding 3.03 ERA/3.07 FIP with 9.82 K/9 and 2.02 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings this season in his first campaign in the desert.


ARLINGTON, Texas -- In its more than 100 years of existence, the Iowa State football team has had watershed moments where it looked like the program could turn the corner. The late 1970s were a moment. So were the early and mid-2000s. Then there was 2009 and 2011. This year, however, there are perhaps more expectations for the Cyclones than at any previous point. And a few national voices are taking notice. The Ames Tribune sat down with Fox Sports game analyst Joel Klatt, also a former quarterback at Colorado, at Big 12 football media days at AT&T Stadium to discuss all things ISU. What's been the biggest difference in Iowa State the last few years from when you played in the Big 12 and first started broadcasting games? Is it the increase in talent, or how they use their players? Both. I think both. College football is all about head coaches. It's the starting quarterback in the NFL that drives the entire thing. The coaches in college football drive the entire thing. People believe in Matt. He's a really good coach. When I played, Iowa State was very good. They were tough to beat. They were tough minded, always played really good defense and had some skill on the offensive side. Jack Trice was a tough place to play. It feels the same as when I was playing because he's built a roster where the middle of the roster is better than six or seven teams. What that gives you a chance to do is win eight or nine football games. That's all you're trying to do. They've certainly recruited better and built it better. Also what they do on the field, they're just sound. That 3-3 stack defense, I really enjoy the way they don't beat themselves for the most part. Matt is just a really good coach. What does Brock Purdy need to do to build on his freshman season? Two things. You've got to strive to continue to get better, but don't chase ghosts. It's a really fine line to walk. The sophomore slump, if you will, can be real in that you can try to force things outside the offense in the name of getting better. Usually that's just born out of immaturity. So if you stay within the confines of the offense, continue to be a quality game manager; which I don't think is a bad term at all. Tom Brady is a game manager. But if you continue to do those things and just do them better, then you can continue to have success. That's the challenge for a young quarterback like Brock Purdy. Stay within the reins of the system and get better at all those things. You don't get better by saying, 'Oh I'm going to throw that route on this concept rather than this route.' That's not how you go about it. What kind of challenge is it to find replacements for David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler? Does a strong quarterback or offensive system mitigate any of those concerns in finding the next guy to step in? It's always tough. It's always tough to replace guys that have NFL caliber talent. It just is because those guys don't grow on trees. You want to say, 'Ah the culture or the scheme, it'll be fine.' It's usually different. Because of that, I think Brock is going to have to play better. I think he might have to do things that he wasn't asked to do a year ago and be a little more of the focal point rather than having that security blanket of a David Montgomery. Then at times when you've got wide receivers on the outside that aren't going to create space and win the matchups like Butler, you just have to be more accurate as a passer. So again, the onus falls on the quarterback to be a little better in the areas he can be. All of those things can happen. He proved to me he can play at the top level. Matt continues to prove he is going to continue to put a team on the field that can compete and play quality defense. Then they could have a chance to potentially make a run at a Big 12 title. What is it going to take for the offensive line to make a leap as a unit and be a strength of the offense? Time always helps. The more experience guys can get, the better they're going to play together. The more success they can have together, the better they're going to play together. You're right, there is no quick fix when it comes to an offensive line. Continue to develop physically in the weight room, continue to develop your mentally from a toughness standpoint and continue to be detail-oriented in the scheme. You're not making mistakes, you're smart, you've got a tough mentality and you're physically tough. Those are the three ways you improve as an offensive line. Why does the 3-3-5 defensive scheme work for ISU? It's harder to recruit a defensive lineman. There are a thousand defensive backs out there. Just based on the sheer odds of finding guys that are 6-6 and 285 pounds. The odds of the size of athlete. So when you're at a school that maybe isn't going to get a boat load of great defensive front seven players, but you can get a lot of hybrid safety guys, secondary guys, guys that can maybe play safety or linebacker, guys that can play end or linebacker, then all of a sudden you've got this malleable and pliable defense that can shift and move along those lines. You can stay sound and getting the guys you can actually get. That's why it's had success. Ray Lima and Mike Rose have emerged as strong players up the middle. Greg Eisworth, though, in the back end is one of the keys to the defensive operation. What is the importance of having a strong safety presence that can direct traffic? For me, quality defenses are built front to back and inside out. You've got to have some sort of strong presence at the defensive tackle position, you've got to have some sort of strong presence at the middle linebacker position. Then the same thing you said for the safety position. If you've got any quality player in the middle of your defense, that helps particularly in the back end. You can not only be the quarterback of the secondary, but also help the linebackers in what they need too. If you've got a leader in the secondary or safety position, you've got a chance to be a quality defense. What kind of expectations do you have for the Cyclones in 2019? Oklahoma and Texas are really good. Having said that, the next tier of teams for me are Iowa State, TCU and Oklahoma State. They put themselves in the conversation to, if injuries go their way, if the ball bounces their way here or there, the schedule breaks their way, where they could be in Dallas for the Big 12 championship game. They've built something that can stay and has lasting power under Matt Campbell. They're one of my teams that I would look at right in that second tier. ___ (c)2019 the Ames Tribune, Iowa Visit the Ames Tribune, Iowa at www.amestrib.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


As George Pinnell received more and more text messages from Rose Zhang, full of advanced questions about golf, he grew more and more confused. Yes, the messages were from Zhang's number, the 12-year-old golfer Pinnell was coaching. But were these questions really from a middle schooler, when they read more like something a 20-year-old would ask? So he asked her who was writing the messages during their next lesson. It was Zhang's turn to be confused. "Well, I am," she told him. "You're kidding me," Pinnell replied. "No way." That's when Pinnell realized there was more to Zhang than the athletic teenager he first met whose swing still needed some tweaking. She was curious and dedicated, willing to put in the time needed to improve her game, asking the sort of questions that proved to the longtime coach his pupil was impressive beyond just driving distance and a knack for reading greens. "She had an old head on young shoulders," Pinnell said. "She was different." Since then, Zhang's diligence toward golf has paid off in wins. Now 16, she's soared up the amateur rankings, featured on the LPGA and verbally committed to Stanford in the class of 2021. She's competing in her third Girls Junior PGA Championship - an event she won in 2017 and finished as runner-up last year - which gets underway Tuesday at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Conn. It's a far cry from where Zhang's competitive golf career began, as a 10-year-old on the Southern California PGA Junior Development Tour. She had picked up her father's club a few months earlier and happened to make contact with a ball. And after some lessons, she entered a nine-hole tournament to test her game. She showed up to the course in jeans and a T-shirt and looked around at the other players wearing more traditional attire. "I was just like, 'Oh well, I'll just act natural,'" Zhang said. She acted so naturally, in fact, she ended up winning the one-day event, setting in motion the start of a promising career that soon crossed paths with Pinnell, who began coaching her about five years ago. Zhang is No. 6 in Golfweek's girls junior rankings and No. 16 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She'll be competing for the U.S. in the Pan American Games in August, Pinnell said. It's a rapid rise Pinnell wishes he could credit to his own coaching. "But that's not the answer," he said with a laugh. "I've always told Rose, if you can take care of the golf ball, everything else will take care of itself. … She's an extremely humble youngster. She feels she has a tremendous amount of learning to do, even though she's way ahead. But she doesn't like to hear that. If she heard me say that, she'd be furious at me." Zhang said she watched how LPGA players went about their business at the ANA Inspiration in 2018, a tournament Zhang qualified for when she won the ANA Junior Inspiration tournament as a 14-year-old. She played with Bronte Law, Atthaya Thitikul and Angel Yin. Zhang finished 1-over 289, making the cut in her first LPGA start. "I got to test my game against them," Zhang said, "so that was certainly a special experience." Not only did the Irvine, Calif., native learn the importance of flushing a bad shot, she discovered how important it is to remain composed when television cameras are around. But composure has hardly been a struggle for Zhang. At the 2019 U.S. Women's Open, Pinnell saw Lydia Ko in the clubhouse and reintroduced himself to the 15-time LPGA winner. He asked Ko if he could introduce Zhang to her and snap a few photos of the pair. While Zhang had fun meeting the 22-year-old star, she didn't seem overwhelmed by the experience like other amateurs who Pinnell has introduced to pros in the past. "Rose just kind of takes it in stride," Pinnell said. "I think her mentality is, 'I can beat you.' Now, she would never say that, and she would kill me for saying that, but yeah. I think inside of her, she's got a lot of confidence." Zhang decided to compete at the Thunderbird International Junior tournament in Arizona the week before the U.S. Women's Open. She finished as the runner-up and arrived on a red-eye flight to South Carolina on Tuesday, two days before the major began. Pinnell was uncertain how Zhang would handle the Country Club of Charleston course on short rest. And when she shot 3 over on the first two holes Thursday, Pinnell thought, "This is going to be really hard." "But on the other hand, I know Rose," Pinnell said. "And when Rose makes a mistake when she's playing, you don't get too nervous, because she has a way of rectifying and really coming back strong." Zhang made the cut, finishing T-55 at 7-over 291 at age 16. "That event was definitely very hard," Zhang said. "Coming from that week, I learned a lot, and could gain more improvement on my game. And it helped me gain confidence in what I really want to do in the future." Since receiving those text messages full of advanced golf questions, Pinnell has had an idea of Zhang's potential. Seeing her hang around on LPGA starts only further cemented the idea. While her coach said any number of things can sidetrack a burgeoning career - be it injuries, other hobbies or a burnout - he doesn't expect it to happen to Zhang. "She can be as good as she wants to be," Pinnell said. "And I think she knows that. And I think she has that in the back of her mind, but again, would never say it. She's never said that to me." https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/which-rookie-will-be-the-next-pga-tour-w MORE: Chauncey Billups had a brutally honest take on why Carmelo Anthony isn't in the NBA Roundup: Nintendo Switch Lite, Best New Restaurants in America, Shannon Elizabeth on American Pie at 20 DK Metcalf has heard your concerns about his route-running Connor Barwin doubles down on the Eagles being a perfect situation for him Competition will be fierce for playing time along Packers defensive line


Juan Guaido accused the Venezuelan government of trying to "gag" congress after security forces prevented opposition lawmakers from entering the National Assembly on Tuesday, two weeks after the opposition leader's failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. Deputies said members of the National Guard, who provide security for the building, along with police and SEBIN intelligence agents blocked access to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Slideshow by photo services The move came as Amnesty International said it believes the Venezuelan authorities have committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests, and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. "SEBIN agents, using the excuse that there's an explosive device within the facilities, took over the federal palace. We're surrounded by intelligence agents," lawmaker Manuela Bolivar told AFP. Guaido said the security forces used "brute force," adding that congress was "occupied militarily." He tried to incite an uprising against Maduro on April 30 but only around 30 members of the armed forces joined him, and the revolt quickly petered out. It did however spark two days of deadly clashes between protesters and security forces. Since then, the Maduro regime has ramped up pressure on Guaido's allies and supporters. The Constituent Assembly, a rival legislative body that was created by the Maduro government and is packed with people who support him, voted Tuesday to strip immunity from five more opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly. That brings to 14 the number who will presumably go trial for backing the failed insurrection. The charges include treason. One of them, deputy assembly speaker Edgar Zambrano was arrested by SEBIN agents last week. Another fled to neighboring Colombia while three others sought refuge in diplomatic compounds. - Held hostage - Guaido -- the National Assembly president -- has accused Maduro of trying to dismantle the legislature. "They're trying to hold the legislative power hostage while the dictator entrenches himself alone in a palace where he shouldn't be," Guaido said on Twitter. He has previously accused the socialist leader of terrorism for his heavy-handed response to demonstrations. Amnesty said Maduro's government responded with "a systematic and widespread policy of repression" in late January, when anti-government protests swept the country after Guaido declared himself acting president. The London-based rights group said at least 47 people were killed during the protests from January 21 to 25. At least 33 were shot dead by the security forces, and six by government supporters. "Eleven of these deaths were extrajudicial executions," said Erika Guevara, Americas director for Amnesty International, who presented a report in Mexico City, following February's fact-finding mission to Venezuela. Some Maduro opponents were tortured while 900 people, including children, were arbitrarily detained, Amnesty said. "The nature of the attacks... the level of coordination by the security forces, as well as the signs of similar patterns in 2014 and 2017, leads Amnesty International to believe that the Venezuelan authorities committed crimes against humanity." Maduro himself "knew about these public and appalling acts and took no measures to either prevent or investigate them," Amnesty added in its statement. Guaido's declaration that he is the country's legitimate acting president, which has been supported by more than 50 countries, plunged Venezuela into a political crisis. It came about after the National Assembly branded Maduro a usurper over his controversial re-election last year in polls widely regarded as fraudulent. - 'Recurring theme' - The oil-rich, cash-poor country has been stricken by recession and a humanitarian crisis in which almost a quarter of its 30 million population is in urgent need of aid, according to the United Nations. The UN also says that more than 2.7 million people have fled the country since 2015. Those remaining behind face shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines, and failing public services including water, electricity and transport. From early Tuesday, the security services cordoned off the building housing the National Assembly. Bullet-proof vehicles and a tow truck were parked in the surrounding streets. "This is a recurring theme. It's not the first time it's happened," said Bolivar, who claimed this was part of "a policy to weaken the Assembly" and "intimidation" related to the power struggle between Guaido and Maduro, who retains the support of the armed forces. Guaido insisted the move would not stop lawmakers from doing their job. "Tomorrow we will be in session again, we'll reconvene and let the regime decide if it wants to continue with a type of political harakiri," he said. "Whether it's in a square, in the annex buildings, under a bridge, the Assembly will sit and there will be a session," said congressman Luis Stefanelli.


Manchester United Women have confirmed the surprise departure of club captain Alex Greenwood, after agreeing a transfer with reigning European champions Lyon. Greenwood, who was part of the England squad at the 2015 and 2019 Women's World Cups, joined United last summer when the club was newly launched and finished the 2018/19 season by lifting the Women's Championship trophy after a stunning campaign. We have agreed terms with @OLFeminin for the transfer of @AlexGreenwood . A further announcement will be made in due course. pic.twitter.com/jJsJjnqaSE   Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) August 4, 2019 The transfer is not yet fully complete, with a further announcement expected in due course, but the 25-year-old left-back will join a growing English contingent in Lyon. Lucy Bronze, who was last week nominated for 2019 Best FIFA Women's Player , and Izzy Christiansen made the switch to the all-conquering French club in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Nikita Parris, meanwhile, secured her move to Lyon in June and is awaiting her debut season. Lyon have been using France international Amel Majri as a full-back in recent seasons, although the 26-year-old is typically a winger by trade. Versatile German defender Carolin Simon is also part of the all-star squad that features many of the best players in the world. Accepting the transfer from United certainly underlines Greenwood's ambition to further herself because simply commanding a place in the Lyon team will be a huge task in itself. A month away from the start of the Barclays FA Women's Super League, United would now be expected to dip into the transfer market to find a replacement for Greenwood. The club has already brought in midfielders Hayley Ladd and Jackie Groenen, centre-back Abbie McManus, forward Jane Ross and goalkeeper Mary Earps since promotion last season.


Despite the fact that muscle car performance had substantially eroded by the mid 1970s, you just gotta love something about the era's Trans Am. Especially a black and gold one. Of course, the 1976 model pictured here came a year before the iconic Smokey and the Bandit version, though we understand the movie cars were actually 1976 Pontiacs with 1977 front ends. Regardless, a young Stephen Martin didn't know anything about the coming movie when he went into Lakeside Pontiac in Bellevue, Washington, on July 8, 1976, with his mind made up to buy a new Trans Am. Martin was already a Pontiac fan, having driven the family's 1972 GTO on a regular basis. At 23 years of age, Martin was ready to buy his first new car, and had just about decided on a silver Trans Am that was on the Lakeside lot. As he and the salesman headed towards the office to draw up paperwork, a couple of cars parked near the service department caught Martin's eye. Both were 1976 Trans Ams, and both were Starlight Black, a color Martin hadn't realized was available on the Trans Am. "I found out later that black became available for Trans Ams midway through 1976, but these were the first I'd seen. I asked the salesman about buying one of them, but he laughed and said they belonged to the husband and wife ownership team at Lakeside." The husband's car was a Limited Edition 50th Anniversary model with more gold trim than King Midas, while the wife's car was a standard Trans Am with just a smattering of gold decals. When Martin persisted, the salesman inquired and actually found the dealers willing to sell either car. After checking out his two options, Martin decided on the wife's car, which had the base 400ci engine, automatic transmission, and almost every option in the book. Count power windows, power locks, cruise control, A/C, a tilt wheel, a rear defroster, and Honeycomb wheels among the bigger-ticket items. The car had 747 miles on it, and original sales paperwork noted it was used as a demonstrator. Despite this, Martin paid a full price of $6,805 plus tax. He blissfully drove the car for about five years and 60,000 miles before selling it to a local buyer. Before the deal concluded, Martin had the buyer make him two promises. "I made him promise to take good care of the car, and to give me the first chance to buy it back if he ever decided to sell it. And he agreed." Life went on. Martin bought and sold other Pontiacs and collector cars over the years, and the Trans Am was mostly forgotten until a day in 2008 when Martin got a call from a woman looking for the original owner of her husband's Trans Am. Indeed it was the second owner, or at least the guy's wife. One of the two promises had been kept, but barely. "It turns out the car had sat outside under a tarp for the last 17 years and was so bad off, the owner almost didn't call me," says Martin. "He was embarrassed that the car had deteriorated so much, but I've got to give him credit his wife did call. They were moving and had to get rid of the car somehow." Martin went to look at his old ride and was dismayed by what he saw. The tarp had only covered the front two-thirds of the car, so rust had done a number on the trunk. The odometer now showed 143,000 miles, meaning the second owner put 83,000 miles on it between 1981 and 1991, when it was parked due to being old and worn out. At one point the second owner's son had taken an interest, and even had the original engine built up by a local speed shop. In the end, though, that interest faded, and the engine eventually filled up with water from the elements. Despite the daunting task ahead, Martin was compelled to purchase his forlorn Firebird. Initially he hadn't planned on the high-level restoration that followed, but the project snowballed in typical fashion. Fortunately Martin had ace body-and-paint guy Dale Knutson available to take on all things cosmetic; as it would turn out, Knutson was capable of considerably more. "When I first saw the car, I knew it was going to take some time and effort," says Knutson. "The metal repair was a bit more than I wanted to dig into, so I sent that part out to Dave Mackey, who does amazing work." Mackey ended up replacing the trunk floor, rear taillight panel, and lower quarter-panels, at which point it came back to Knutson for prep and paint. Knutson put the body on a rotisserie so he could easily finish the chassis side of the car as well, and eventually sprayed the stunning finish using PPG base/clear in that beautiful original Starlight Black. But beyond the paint and bodywork, Knutson essentially functioned as a project manager, coordinating other necessary work, and ensuring that it was all done with a high regard for quality and detail. Brian Drabik of Second Generation was a huge help when it came time to track down rare and critical restoration items, including an N.O.S. Formula steering wheel, lower door panels, seat backs, cruise-control parts, correct carburetor, and much more. Once the parts were in hand, Knutson put the interior back together using Legendary door panels, upholstery, carpet, and a restored gauge cluster. While the second owner didn't want to face Martin considering the condition of the car, the two actually did meet up after the restoration was complete. "I wanted him to see it," says Martin. "I wanted him to know that the car had not only survived, but thrived, and that keeping his promise about calling me had been the right thing to do." At a Glance 1976 Trans Am Owned by: Stephen Martin, Brier, WA Engine: 400ci/185hp V-8 Transmission: TH400 3-speed automatic Rearend: 8 1/2-inch 10-bolt with 3.08 gears and limited slip Interior: Black vinyl bucket seat Wheels: 15x7 Honeycomb Tires: 245/60R15 BFGoodrich Radial T/A


Vigils, events planned in Virginia Beach after mass shooting leaves 12 dead In the wake of Friday's deadly mass shooting at a municipal center in Virginia Beach, Va., several vigils and events are being organized for Saturday, according to local reports . A longtime public utilities employee opened fire on co-workers Friday afternoon, killing 12 people and wounding at least four others . Virginia Beach police Chief Jim Cervera said Friday night the heavily armed shooter died in an exchange of gunfire with four officers who rushed into the building. The suspect's name has not yet been released and Cervera said once officials are ready to publicly identify the suspected shooter, that person's name will be mentioned once and then, "he will be forever referred to as 'the suspect' because our focus now is the dignity and respect to the victims in this case and to their families." 2020 Democratic candidates make their way to the Golden State Fourteen presidential contenders will attend this weekend's 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention   including Sens. Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke. Who won't be there? Former Vice President Joe Biden   who has a double-digit lead in early polls of 2020 Democratic nominees. ( That might not be a good thing .) He'll be in Ohio, speaking at the Human Rights Campaign's fundraising dinner on Saturday. Hurricane season begins. There's good news and bad news. The 2019 U.S. hurricane season officially begins on Saturday. The good news: It's predicted to be a near-normal Atlantic season , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which means only two to four major hurricanes will be on the way. The bad news: Despite the small number, any hurricane threatens to be among the most powerful storms in U.S. history. More than 7.3 million homes along the coast are at risk for damage. Also, as the season begins, climate scientists fear man-made global warming will spawn stronger hurricanes , packing heavier rainfall, higher storm surge and greater winds. Pride month kicks off to honor LGBT community During the month of June, celebrations will take place all over the world to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots , where protests broke out after New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village enforcing a law against selling alcohol to homosexual patrons. The anniversary brings the WorldPride celebration to New York City for the month of June and the Stonewall   designated by President Barack Obama as the first national monument honoring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in 2016   remains on the front lines. Listen up, straight people: Here's your guide to LGBTQ+ gender terms Illinois lawmakers take on hot button issues ahead of session's end Illinois lawmakers are rushing to complete their spring session chocked full of hot button issues . The session was supposed to end Friday but was extended into the weekend, at least for the House. Most notably, state lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that will legalize marijuana sales and also automatically expunge the criminal records of people convicted of minor pot possession. Gov. JB Pritzker said he will sign the measure, which make Illinois the first state to legalize marijuana sales via its legislature. Also, after at least a half-dozen Republican-controlled states adopted steep restrictions on abortion, Illinois Democrats answered with legislation to provide statutory protections for the procedure. Contributing: Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia Beach shooting, Dems in California, hurricane season begins: 5 things you need to know this weekend


High-price luxury items like sports cars, fine art and even rare first-edition books are generally beyond the reach of average collectors. Now, several technology companies are packaging rare cars, paintings, and books as offerings in which any collector can buy shares. Some offerings start with prices as low as $25 or $50 a share. In return, these retail investors can, the pitch goes, participate in the appreciation of a famous painting in the same way billionaire art collectors do. "It's the idea that wealth is not accumulated off a salary," said Rob Petrozzo, chief product officer of Rally Rd., which began by securitizing cars and has recently expanded to art, watches, collectibles, and even a first-edition "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." The prospect of buying shares in collectible luxury items, known as passion assets, is certainly appealing. But when the underlying asset is fairly illiquid and not divisible, investors should proceed with caution. "Securitization makes sense when there's cash flow generated by the underlying assets," said Steven L. Schwarcz, a professor at Duke University's School of Law. "What that does is provide a mechanism for the investor to be paid if the investor can't sell the securities since many don't have a robust, if any, secondary market." In the case of art, cars, books and similar assets, there is no such cash flow. The investor is paid back only if the underlying asset or its shares are sold. "Investors can't force the sale," Professor Schwarcz said. "That means a lot of the consumers investing in this will have illiquid investments when the marketing is saying you can make this stuff liquid. It's misleading to begin with." Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter Dividing assets into smaller securities has a long history in finance. The practice of securitizing assets like mortgages, auto loans and credit card debt goes back several decades. In this model, an investor buys into a pool, which spreads both the risk and the returns across the entire investor base. If loans go into default or get paid off early, the affect on the individual investor is muted. But the assets that are being securitized come with an obligation from the borrower to pay money back, and they offer a stream of income for a fixed period. Art, cars and other luxury items do not offer those guarantees. The actual objects stay in galleries, showrooms or, with most of the cars that Rally has, at two locations where a caretaker maintains them. A similar model is used in real estate, in which the use of a property like a condo or a house is divided into fixed amounts and sold to investors, which I wrote about recently. The risk with fractional ownership is that owners struggle to sell their shares. There is an opportunity for a return. The sponsors of these deals seek to eventually sell the assets to private collectors. Rally sold a Ferrari F430, which was on the platform for six months, to a private collector, earning a 17 percent profit. But like many investments, proponents put this into the category of future of finance, which is a squishy term at best. Scott Lynn, founder and chief executive at Masterworks, which is offering shares in a Marilyn Monroe painting by Andy Warhol , points Lending Club, a pioneer in this investment model. Along with other peer-to-peer groups, Lending Club makes high-interest, short-term loans to individuals with money from other retail investors. Others paint the securitization of these assets as an equity investment. "Each vehicle is its own entity, whether we issue 2,000 or 5,000 shares," said Chris Bruno, chief executive of Rally Rd. "The barrier to entry is one share, from $8 to $200. Each car is independent of the other." Related video: When artificial intelligence creates art, who owns it? (provided by Newsy) The potential for appreciation of these private assets and their lack of correlation with the stock market has attracted some investors, while the tangible nature of art and cars versus stocks and bonds has brought in others. Leland Sutton, a brand strategist and entrepreneur, is No. 6 on the waiting list to buy shares in the first piece of art offered by Otis , an online platform that plans to offer one or two cultural investments a month. The first offering is a painting by Kehinde Wiley, who painted President Barack Obama's presidential portrait. Otis paid $237,500 for the painting and has marked it up to $250,000 for the initial offering of 10,000 shares. "It's more tangible and feasible than putting your money into a Damien Hirst dot painting going for millions of dollars," Mr. Sutton said. "People understand the cultural value of this and that they don't need millions of dollars." He said he was open to investing in the private asset class after watching his stock portfolio swing from positive to negative and seeing the value of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin plummet. Otis is offering a broad range of assets that it will securitize on its platform. "The offerings span across comic books, other artworks, luxury items like Rolex watches and Birkin bags," said Michael Karnjanaprakorn, founder of Otis. "We believe in a diversified portfolio." The bet on appreciation has some artists and other cultural creators interested. The street artist who goes by Fnnch said he was creating his largest piece of art for the Otis platform. Fnnch said he intended to retain an interest in his work, which could help him financially. He noted how a recent auction of Jeff Koons's "Rabbit" for $91 million helped the market for the artist, even though none of that money went to Mr. Koons. "It would be different if every artist retained 10 percent or 50 percent of his work and benefited from the sale of it," he said. "A platform like this opens up potential." Share prices are relatively low, but a minimum investment is often required. At Masterworks, shares in the Warhol work, valued at nearly $2 million, cost $20 apiece, but the minimum investment is $1,000, Mr. Lynn said. Even though these companies are selling shares in the items, the secondary markets are limited or nonexistent. Mr. Lynn said he tells investors to plan on holding their shares for three to seven years. Mr. Karnjanaprakorn of Otis said the company was working on a secondary market. With Rally's car investments, an investor can enter and exit an offering like any publicly traded security after a 90-day lockup period, Mr. Bruno said. That helps Rally track the asset's value. "Opening up a trading window allows us to regularly re-price the asset," he said. But Professor Schwarcz said the lack of liquidity was riskier than retail investors might realize. A pool of mortgages, for example, will eventually turn into a pool of money as the underlying loans are paid back. But a painting will continue to be a painting. Some companies are working to persuade investors that the assets will increase in value. Mr. Lynn said similar Warhol paintings of Marilyn Monroe were approaching $2.5 million in value. To increase value of its Warhol, the company plans to lend the artwork to museums. Rally has a purple 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota on display in its SoHo showroom. The car was priced at $598,000, which was divided into 5,000 shares at $119.50 a share. The company sold half the shares in two hours, eventually bringing in 976 investors. Having the car on display in a showroom is another tool to increase interest. Whether this approach to securitizing assets works is hard to say. Even Mr. Karnjanaprakorn said it was difficult to predict what would happen. "I have no idea if it's going to work," he said. "The things that I've seen make me believe it's going to work. We have close to 25,000 people on the waiting list." But Professor Schwarcz said this model sounded like a fad. "On a superficial level, it's a tangible interest in the art," he said. "But on a realistic level, you can't go to the person who has the artwork and say, 'Give me a piece of that artwork.'"


WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign believes he can turn Republicans' biggest liability from last year's congressional elections - the debate about the future of healthcare in America - into a winning issue for his reelection. That would have appeared highly unlikely just months ago, when Democrats seized upon the issue of coverage for pre-existing medical conditions to capture control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since then, the 2020 Democratic presidential field has been locked in a debate about how far to go to transform the U.S. healthcare system. Some candidates have suggested abolishing private insurance in favor of a single government-run plan, sometimes referred to as "Medicare for All," while others favor more modest reforms. Trump's campaign is betting that whoever emerges with the Democratic nomination next year will have been forced to embrace a sweeping healthcare reform proposal that may spook moderate voters. "The president has taken the issue back," Tim Murtaugh, Trump's campaign communications director, told Reuters in an interview. "(Democrats are) taking the Blue Cross (private insurance) card out of your wallet and making it worthless." About half of the dozen top-tier of Democratic hopefuls vying for the nomination have endorsed some form of Medicare for All, according to a Reuters analysis of campaign positions. Democrats could end up ceding political ground if they nominate a candidate who advocates for universal healthcare, said Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-partisan healthcare advocacy group. "The polls show very clearly that the Democrats have a very substantial advantage on health and all the health issues," Altman said. "If the Democrat is a candidate who is a big advocate for Medicare for All, it will play a little differently." Some voters will be leery of losing their private insurance, but Democrats are still likely to win over those concerned about pre-existing conditions and abortion access, Altman said. TOUTING REFORMS Trump has yet to set forth his long-promised healthcare reform plan. But he is speaking about healthcare more frequently. At a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday, Trump repeated his promise to keep protections for people with pre-existing conditions. He also is likely to tout what the White House and his campaign say are meaningful changes the administration has made to help small businesses and to try to reduce the price of prescription drugs for U.S. consumers. His administration recently mandated pharmaceutical companies include list prices of drugs in television ads in a bid to get them to lower prices. His administration argued in a report released in February that it has made healthcare markets more efficient by de-regulating some aspects of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Those included doing away with the law's mandate to purchase health insurance and expanding coverage options through association plans, which allow small businesses to band together to purchase insurance. "The president can point to real results on healthcare," Murtaugh said. But Trump also has provided Democrats with fodder they are likely to use to challenge his healthcare claims, and they are sure to argue that Trump will cost millions of Americans their coverage. The president already backed a proposal in Congress that would have reduced protections for pre-existing conditions - despite his continued insistence that he does not want to eliminate those rules. And he has proposed reductions to Medicaid and Medicare funding. His campaign will be forced to navigate those decisions as well as dispel voters' worry that Trump wants to gut the existing Obamacare framework with no effective replacement. Trump said in a local media interview in Pennsylvania this week he would roll out a new healthcare plan soon. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the timing. Providing such a plan will be critical to winning over voters next year, said Michael Steel, a former top aide to former Republican House Speaker John Boehner. Steel said that while he thinks Democrats are "overreaching" on the issue, "we'll need our own conservative cost-containment plan to truly go on offense. And we don't have that yet." WORRIED VOTERS Chris Kofinis, a Democratic strategist and former chief of staff to Senator Joe Manchin, a moderate from West Virginia, said Trump's campaign underestimates the depth of voter anxiety over healthcare costs and coverage. Branding Democratic proposals as "socialist" will not be persuasive, he said. "They're wrong if they think they can win this as an ideological debate," Kofinis said, adding that his own work with voter groups has shown some appetite for a large-scale overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system. Kofinis warned that Democrats risk losing their edge on the issue, however, if they fail to heed the lesson of the 2018 midterm elections and instead become preoccupied with investigations of Trump. Last year, Democrats took 40 seats to regain the House, a victory largely fueled by voter concerns over losing coverage if Republicans dismantled Obamacare. Murtaugh believes that Democrats did not act quickly enough to turn their electoral victories into action. "The big conversation was about healthcare and what are they talking about? Impeachment," Murtaugh said. "They won the election, but they haven't done a damn thing with it." (Reporting by Ginger Gibson and James Oliphant Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Bill Berkrot)


The Golden State Warriors will have some big free agency decisions to make when it comes to Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, but they also want to be able to retain some of their younger talent as well. Young big man Jordan Bell just wrapped up and up-and-down second season in the league averaging just 3.3 points and 2.7 rebounds, but the Warriors see enough in him that they want to continue to develop him. He even earned a start in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. According to Yahoo!'s Shams Charania, the Warriors have extended a qualifying offer to the 24-year old which will make him a restricted free agent. This would give Golden State the right to match any offer Bell would sign in free agency. The Golden State Warriors have extended a qualifying offer to forward Jordan Bell, making him a restricted free agent, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium . - Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2019 Another one of those free agents is DeMarcus Cousins and with the possibility of losing him, the Warriors would have a nice fallback option in Bell who has shown some potential in the early part of his career, Free agency officially opens Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. EST. MORE: Danny Green: 'This is the time where I need to maximize the dollars on the longest amount of years that I can do' LeBron James fans who bought No. 23 Lakers jerseys are now being mocked Vegas Sportsbook moves up Lakers title odds due to Kawhi Leonard rumors Francis Ellis Fired from Barstool Sports [UPDATE] Randall Cobb: No offer from Packers during free agency


Whether or not the Pelicans trade Anthony Davis, his agent says he won't sign a contract extension with any team and plans to enter free agency in 2020. Rich Paul, Davis's agent, told Sports Illustrated 's S.L. Price that regardless of where Davis plays next season, the six-time All-Star will test the free-agency market next summer. "Where he's going to land? I have no idea," Paul told SI. "And it don't matter. We're going into free agency. Why does it matter to me where he goes? Earth: We're going into free agency. He has a year, he has to play. But after that, I can't say it no bigger: WE ARE GOING INTO FREE AGENCY. 2020: ANTHONY DAVIS WILL BE IN FREE AGENCY." Davis has one year remaining on a five-year, $127 million deal he signed in 2015. He's eligible for a five-year supermax contract worth over $240 million with New Orleans, but doesn't have any intention of returning. Paul didn't rule out the possibility of Davis re-signing with any club he's dealt to over the course of the upcoming campaign. However, it appears the door will be open for the rest of the league to get involved. Related slideshow: The 2019 NBA Finals (Provided by imagn)


Former Arsenal defender and member of the legendary 'Invincibles' Lauren has been giving his thoughts on the current Gunners squad ahead of the new season. Lauren identified 20-year-old French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi as a potential Arsenal 'legend' after a solid first season in England. After joining from Ligue 2 outfit Lorient last summer Unai Emery gave the youngster 24 starts in the Premier League, plus ten appearances from the bench. When asked how he thought Guendouzi had fared for Emery's side last season the former Senegalese international told BWIN : "Matteo Guendouzi has the potential to grow into an Arsenal legend. "Guendouzi is young, already part of the French national team and his future is very bright. "Emery will need to invest time and patience in Guendouzi but that will pay off as he develops and learns from the big-name players around him at the club." Lauren's attention then turned to Uruguay international Lucas Torreira. After struggling to settle into life in England the 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a return to Italy. A reunion with former Sampdoria boss Marco Giampaolo , now at AC Milan, has been touted, but Lauren believes the midfielder still has a future at the club. "Lucas Torreira has so much more to give Arsenal and will continue to improve throughout next season. "Torreira does bring much-needed balance to Arsenal's squad. He is a young talent who will continue to grow with Arsenal and I look forward to seeing him progress."


Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to increase the asking price to £40m for defender Toby Alderweireld when his release clause expires on Friday. Alderweireld currently has a £25m release clause in his contract, which must be paid in no more than three instalments and within a two year period, but that will end on 26 July, allowing Levy to hold out for more money for the Belgian centre back from any interested parties. The Telegraph claims that Levy will raise Alderweireld's price tag to £40m following the 26 July deadline. Despite his low release clause, there has been precious little concrete interest in the 30-year-old Belgian. Roma were said to be interested, but cannot afford the player's wages, meaning they are yet to make an official offer to Tottenham . Despite only having one year remaining on his current contract, Alderweireld remains content in north London and stated earlier this week that he was happy to stay at Tottenham this season. "Yes, the release clause is running out and again anything can happen. But my focus is on Spurs and in my head I will be playing for Spurs", he told reporters when questioned on his future. Meanwhile, Alderweireld's raised value could speed up Manchester United's pursuit of Leicester City's Harry Maguire. Manchester United's primary target this summer is Maguire, who remains keen on a move to Old Trafford. However, Alderweireld remains a backup option should United fail to agree terms with Leicester. The threat of a £15m increase in the valuation of Alderweireld could force United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to act swiftly in wrapping up the deal for Maguire , enabling him to turn his attentions towards Tottenham's centre back before Friday should the Maguire transfer fall through. Woodward will want to learn from the mistakes of last summer's transfer window when United failed to sign a centre back, which led to the side conceding 54 goals in the Premier League and missing out on Champions League football for the upcoming campaign.


There was no sheet cake in the Milwaukee Brewers' clubhouse. But Sunday nevertheless represented what could be considered a franchise-turning anniversary   the initial callup of Josh Hader from the minor leagues two years earlier. Regarded as one of the Brewers' top prospects at that point, the 25-year-old left-hander has gone on to exceed just about everyone's expectations since then by developing into arguably the game's most dominating reliever. Coming into Sunday, Hader was 1-3 with a 2.27 earned run average and 15 saves with 63 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings   a major-league-leading rate of 17.9 per nine innings pitched   and once again appears to be a shoo-in for a spot on the National League all-star team. "Josh, since he's stepped in the league, he's been fun to watch," Counsell said. "I think he's generated a ton of attention, and he should. He's striking people out like we've rarely seen, and he's doing it with one great pitch, largely. "I think there was maybe a little bit of a graduation to this. But it happened pretty darn fast." True to his demeanor, Hader wasn't aware Sunday was the day it all began for him at the big-league level. "It's been an eventful two years," he said. "It's really helped me grow as a person as a player. The things that we go through every year, to be a part of this team, I feel like I've been able to experience a lot of the good things that baseball has to offer." Hader made his first appearance for the Brewers on June 10, 2017, a 14-pitch outing in which he walked two and struck out one at Arizona. He recorded his first victory seven appearances later. It was later that July that Counsell recalled misusing him a game in Washington. Hader came on with two on and one out in a 2-2 game and struck out Bryce Harper only to be lifted for right-hander Jared Hughes with the right-handed-hitting Ryan Zimmerman coming up. Zimmerman greeted Hughes with a two-run double, and the Nationals went on to score seven times in beating the Brewers, 8-5. "I still remember a game where I took him out after he struck out Bryce Harper because there was a righty next," Counsell said. "It was early on. But I should have left him in." What's interesting to remember about Hader is that he was a starter   not a reliever   prior to his callup. He'd gone 3-4 with a 5.37 earned run average in 12 starts at Class AAA Colorado Springs before shifting to the bullpen, and all 44 of his appearances in the minors since Milwaukee acquired him from the Houston Astros in a 2015 trade had been as a starter. Now after 114 appearances as a major-league reliever, Hader is 9-7 with a 2.30 ERA, WHIP of 0.84 and an incredible 274 strikeouts in 160 2/3 innings . "From my perspective, this is what Josh was meant to do," Counsell said. "It's pretty clear   this is what he was meant to do. With his stuff, with who he is, this is the best way for him to have success and make a huge impact on our team." Hader had no inkling two years ago that he'd find himself in this position. Really, how could he have? "Obviously, I don't really look too far ahead," he said. "You hope that you do good and can achieve good things, but no one really knows. That's why I stay in the moment and I try to give everything I've got to put myself in a good position so each and every day I can get better at what I do. "I think that's the biggest thing for me. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play this game, and I want to be able to do it to the best of my ability." Take a seat Manny Piña knew 2019 was going to be a different season for him. After serving as the Brewers' primary catcher in 2017 and splitting duties with Erik Kratz in 2018, he's seen his playing time dwindle down to almost nothing because of the presence and production of Yasmani Grandal. Throw in a 13-game stint on the injured list caused by a right hamstring strain, and Piña had seen the least amount of action (28 games) of any player on the opening-day roster heading into Sunday's series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. "It's tough, man," he acknowledged. "It's not the same as it used to be last year, the year before, when I was playing 4-5 games a week. When they signed Yasmani, Counsell told me in spring training, 'You're not going to play too much. Yasmani is going to be the first catcher.' "So I said, 'I'll be ready when you need me at any point.' It's tough, but I just keep that in my mind." Why Grandal is tied with Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto for most starts behind the plate in the major leagues (57) is no mystery. The switch-hitter signed a one-year, $18.25 million free-agent deal with the Brewers on Jan. 14 and has fared as well or better than both parties had hoped. Grandal entered Sunday with a .278 average, 13 home runs and 32 runs batted in and was once again ranked among the best in the game when it comes to pitch framing. Piña, meanwhile, was hitting .145 with two homers and four RBI after 13 starts. "The guy ahead of him is putting up an incredible season," Counsell said. "I think it's a little different when you look at it like that. "Manny's doing fine. He hasn't had a lot of chances. He really hasn't. He's doing great. He hasn't played a lot. He's got like 50 plate appearances. With the DL stuff, he just hasn't played a bunch." Knowing that his role would be curtailed so dramatically, Piña has done his best to stay sharp by taking extra swings in batting practice and the cages while offering to catch as many bullpen sessions as he can to keep his catching and game-calling skills sharp. "You've got a lot of time to think," he said. "When I don't play, I watch a lot of video. I still work in the cage, block balls   still prepare for when they give me a chance to play. It's not the same when you're hitting in BP or you're facing a machine. "But all I can do is be 100 percent ready mentally and physically -- anything I can control. And when I go out there I do my best, and try to win the game." Piña was rewarded for his efforts on Saturday when he homered in the eighth to give the Brewers a big insurance run in an eventual 5-3 win, then he stayed in the game to catch Josh Hader's 1-2-3 ninth. He knows he needs to continue to make the most of his limited opportunities. "I needed that," Piña said of the homer. "I wasn't doing very good offensively. Hitting a homer made me feel a little less pressure. I'll keep working, keep doing the small things to win the game." Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe to the Journal Sentinel today and get a special offer at jsonline.com/deal. Top Headlines from Sports: Youth trapshooters keep busting targets UW assistant coach Moore out of hospital Relive Braun's bat flip against Pirates FOLLOW JS SPORTS: Like our Facebook Page for the latest news This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two years ago today, Josh Hader was called up to the major leagues by the Brewers