Video by Fox News A nonprofit search group is helping Houston police in the search for 4-year-old Maleah Davis, who disappeared last Friday night in a reported abduction. Texas EquuSearch gathered its members to search on foot and with ATVs starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday, according to the group's website. The primary staging area was a field on the northwest corner of Highway 59 and Greens Road, where her stepfather said she was taken by three men. Police initially said Davis was 5 but later corrected the age. The stepfather, Darion Vence, told police that he, Maleah and her toddler half-brother were on their way to pick up Maleah's mother around 9 p.m. at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. While driving, he said he heard a "popping noise" and pulled over at Greens Road near Highway 59 for what he believed was a flat tire. Vence said a Chevrolet pickup with three Hispanic men pulled up behind his car. They approached him and said his daughter "looks very nice, looks very sweet," according to Vence. Vence told police that he was knocked unconscious and briefly woke up in the pickup with the three men and two children. ORIGINAL STORY: Police searching for 5-year-old possibly taken by three men in north Houston He claimed to have no recollection of where he was or what happened until 6 p.m. Saturday, according to earlier reports in the Houston Chronicle. At that point, the suspects dropped him and his son off near Highway 6 in Sugar Land, police said. The men left with Maleah, according to Vence. Vence's toddler son, who is staying with relatives, was in good health Saturday. Police said they do not consider Vence a suspect or person of interest, but they are working to get more information on his whereabouts Friday night and most of Saturday. "I realize there's a lot of blanks in that story, but we're hoping that the public fill in the blanks," Houston Police Sgt. Mark Holbrook previously said during a news conference. A relative picked up Maleah's mother from the airport. Adding to the mystery of the child's disappearance, her mother's vehicle, which Vence was driving, has since been reported as stolen. The silver, 2011 Nissan Altima has a temporary paper tag 3092G9. Maleah was last seen wearing blue jeans with a pink bow in her hair. She also wore a light blue zip jacket and gray, white and pink shoes, according to Texas EquuSearch. Maleah underwent brain surgery in the last two months and is in need of medical care, police said. Police are also interested in a blue 2010 Chevrolet crew cab pickup truck. Anyone with information should contact HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site , Chron.com , and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com . | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.


A Cape Elizabeth homeowner got a welcome surprise when he left his door unlocked -- a free house cleaning. Police were called to the home off Shore Road on June 19 for a reported burglary, police Chief Paul Fenton said. The homeowner left for work earlier in the day and left a door unlocked for a repair person who was scheduled to come to the home, Fenton said. When the man returned home later in the day, the home had been cleaned, Fenton said. A load of laundry had even been washed and folded. Police said a cleaning company was scheduled to clean a nearby short-term rental property and mistakenly cleaned the wrong home. Nothing was taken and no charges filed, Fenton said. Last month, a man in Marlborough, Massachusetts, reported a similar situation -- coming home to a clean home. The intruder made up all the beds, stacked the man's son's stuffed animals and left an origami rose on the toilet paper. The man said at the time he he believed because of the toilet paper roses, it was probably a cleaning service that went to the wrong house, but he's not taking any chances and has changed all the locks to his home. READ MORE: Mainer returns to find home unexpectedly clean, reports burglary CHECK OUT WMTW: Stay informed with the latest Portland news and weather from the team at WMTW. Browse the newest Portland, Maine, news stories and stay in the know.


ISSAQUAH, WA   An Issaquah neighborhood was treated to a rare and delightful sight Tuesday evening when about 200 working goats escaped an enclosure and flooded local streets. The goats were in the Issaquah Highlands neighborhood with their master, Craig Madsen, owner of the Spokane-area goat service Healing Hooves. It was around 5 p.m., and the goats were nearing the end of their workday clearing weeds off steep hillsides. A goat probably knocked one of the poles of their electrified corral down, opening the flood gates, Madsen said. "One of the goats just pops into another one ... and then the whole herd gets out," Madsen explained on Wednesday. The goats had been working hillsides in the Issaquah Highlands for about four weeks by Tuesday, so most of their work clearing vegetation was done   and that means less to eat. The goats took off running in the area near Magnolia Street and 33rd Avenue Northeast, stopping to eat grass and bushes along the way. They eventually found their way to a corridor of high-tension electric lines that runs through the neighborhood. The goats stopped there to munch on berries and brush, Madsen said. From there, the goats were herded into a small dog park with the help of residents and members of the Issaquah Highlands Community Association HOA   and Madsen's border collie. He came in with a truck and transported the goats bit-by-bit back to the electronic corral. Goat escapes are rare, although Madsen has seen them before. The animals ran off in the Highlands once before because teenagers were lighting firecrackers and scaring the goats. "When you have animals, it's not like you can control them 100 percent of the time," he said. "They have minds of their own." The goats will depart the Issaquah Highlands on Thursday, but they'll be back next year   Madsen and his Healing Hooves have been clearing weeds there since 2008.


Trackside Live is back, and this time it's at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 60th running of the Coca-Cola 600! Trackside Live will host two shows this Memorial Day weekend in the FanZone outside of Turn 1. The first show will take place after the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 25. The second show will start at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 26. If you're not at the track, don't worry   the show will be streamed live on NASCAR.com (bookmark this page ). RELATED: Watch Trackside this entire year Driver Q&As and games will be part of the fun to get fans pumped up for the 60th running of the Coca-Cola 600(6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Jose Castillo and Amy Long will host this weekend's events. Saturday they will welcome Monster Energy Series drivers Corey LaJoie and Ross Chastain, along with Xfinity drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Garrett Smithley. Guests for Sunday's show include Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliott, along with seven-time Monster Energy Series champion Richard Petty and Dale Inman, Petty's crew chief of three decades. Sunday's show will feature the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League races. Green flag will drop at 3:30 p.m. ET at the NASCAR Trackside Live stage as well as on Facebook and Twitch via live stream. For more information about the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, please visit eNASCAR.com . ]]>


FORT LAUDERDALE, FL   Nearly a quarter of a million people in Fort Lauderdale and nearby communities were without water Thursday as city crews worked to repair a 42-inch underground pipe that was ruptured by a subcontractor of Florida Power and Light. The Galleria Mall and the Broward County Courthouse were shut down but the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was not affected. Water-cooled air-conditioners and walk-in coolers in restaurants and hotels also had to be shut down on a day when South Florida temperatures hovered around 90 degrees and felt much warmer. "We have lost the water supply to the city and to the other cities in our surrounding area that receive water through us," said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean J. Trantalis during an afternoon press conference. "City crews are working as fast as they can to restore service. If everything goes well we could have service restored by this evening." A citywide boil water notice was in effect while repairs continued on the water main, which is located along the grounds of the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Meanwhile, Trantalis said he has declared a state of local emergency and at least three water stations were set up to distribute bottled water to residents. "The water main supplies raw water from the city's well fields which are located west of the city to the Fiveash Water Treatment Plant," he said. "It's important to know that the subcontractor was not doing work for the city nor was the work related to any city or airport project." He said nursing homes and hospitals had not reported any issues as of Thursday afternoon but officials were standing by to send assistance if necessary. The mayor said area restaurants had not been given definitive guidance on how to handle the outage and probably would not be given any guidance until around 6 p.m or 7 p.m. following a 4 p.m. conference call. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state was sending bottled water to the area and was standing by to provide additional assistance. The following locations were distributing bottled water: Beach Community Center Mills Pond Park Riverland Park In addition to the city of Fort Lauderdale, other areas affected by the disruption include: Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Oakland Park Port Everglades Village of Sea Ranch Lakes Wilton Manors Sections of Davie Tamarac Affected residents may call 954-828-8000 to report any issues resulting from the disruption.


Hotel scams cost Americans billions of dollars a year. Here's how you can avoid contributing to that statistic. Hundreds of new hotels pop up around the world each year. With so many choices, the risk of getting scammed has never been higher. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association , fraudulent bookings cost US consumers $3.9 billion a year. If you want to avoid contributing to that statistic, you should train yourself to recognize the hallmarks of the most devious hotel scams. While using a travel agent or booking directly with a hotel and reconfirming with a manager are the best ways to make sure you don't get taken advantage of, with some diligence, you can ensure you get the room you wanted for the price you agreed on. Here are seven of the worst scams you might encounter when booking a hotel. Some hotels add staggering hidden fees to your bill No one likes hidden fees, whether it's for a concert ticket or a hotel room. Unfortunately for consumers, hidden fees are legal and, in some cities, unavoidable. In Las Vegas, for example, it's a longstanding tradition for hotels to add a hefty "resort fee" to your bill, meaning a $60 room can actually cost upward of $100, according to Jeff Russell, an entertainment travel consultant at Aspen Travel. Some hotels, unable to claim "resort" status, have rolled out "amenity fees," he said. These mandatory daily charges supposedly pay for their pool, fitness center, or dining regardless of whether you actually use the amenities. In some cities, there are also union-required porterage fees that can add $10 to $20 to the room, even if you carry your own bags. Other hotels add a daily fee for dining, again regardless of whether or not the guest eats, or even wants to eat, at the hotel. These fees allow hotels to advertise lower rates without eating into profits. They're usually listed in the fine print of your booking agreement, but whenever you're staying in an upscale city, call the hotel and ask. Otherwise, your final bill could end up hundreds of dollars more than originally expected. Don't be duped by an 'ocean-view' room that doesn't actually face the ocean Most reputable hotels can be trusted to accurately describe the views from the room. However, when paying a great rate for an "ocean-view" room at a lower-priced hotel, you may end up seeing very little ocean. The same holds true for city views. "'Ocean view' simply means you get at least a sliver of a view from somewhere in the room," Russell told Business Insider. "An oceanfront room actually faces the ocean." "If a hotel lists both an oceanfront room and an ocean-view room, know for a fact that the ocean-view will not be looking right out on the ocean," he said. Some hotels will at least denote "partial ocean view," though a glimpse of blue water out of a corner window could count as "partial." A good tip when booking a room for the view is to look at price. A room with a full view of the ocean is usually at least $50 to $100 more than a standard room, Russell said. For a commanding view of a city, make sure your room is on a high floor. Some hotels use vague language to describe their rooms These descriptions are a result of both cultural differences and vague terminology. In some cases, it may be an honest mistake, while in others, language is intentionally left ambiguous to confuse the customer. The best example is the European double room. In the US, a double room almost always means a room with two double beds. But in Europe, it could also mean a room with two twin-size beds, like a college dorm, or even a room with just one double bed. Other issues arise if you try to bring more people than you mentioned in your booking form, like if you book a room under your name but your spouse joins you, or if you book a "family room" but don't tell somebody at the front desk that you actually need multiple beds. Russell said he has seen clients who booked their own travel arrive in Europe to find a room type different from what they thought they'd booked. While hotels may even acknowledge the ambiguity, he said he's "seen them refuse to accommodate their new needs or charge exorbitant fees for adding a person." According to Russell, these fees should be somewhere in the fine print. If you have to change room type, though, many hotels will charge you the rate for booking a whole new reservation. "And they don't have to do you any favors there," he said. Usually you can avoid this by looking closely at the rooms on a hotel's website. If that fails, call the hotel directly and ask. If the price seems too good to be true, it might be a scam A hotel room in New York City, Paris, Tokyo, and other pricey destinations will usually cost more than $200 a night. If you find an $80 room in one of those cities, beware. "I will rarely, if ever, book a room for my clients in LA for under $100," Russell said. "I've heard horror stories from tour managers about what those cheap rooms are like. And even if it looks OK online, my experience is that pictures can be rigged, but the price speaks loudly." Even looking at the website or reading reviews can be misleading. Pictures can be from sneaky angles, of a model room, or from 1995. And motels can get associates or paid trolls to give positive reviews. That disproportionately low price likely means wet carpets, dirty sheets and glassware, nonfunctional plumbing, mold, or worse. Sometimes an online search will tell you if the hotel was built in the past five years or recently renovated. The best way to avoid this scam is simply to accept that a stay in a bigger city is going to cost more and stay away from the bargain basement deals. Some hotels 'walk' their guests to a different building Once you book your hotel room, you're good to go, right? Wrong. According to Russell, a "walk" is when a hotel oversells its rooms and then transfers some of its guests to another hotel. And it happens more often than you'd think. "Usually they'll list whether or not they can walk guests in the fine print of your booking agreement," Russell said. "But if they're overbooked and you do have a walk clause, the first people to be walked are ones who booked through a third-party site." Keep an eye out for this in your hotel agreement. Booking directly or through a travel agent usually ensures your room won't get walked. If you do end up being transferred - completely at the hotel's discretion - hopefully they'll walk you to a neighboring hotel. But there's no guarantee the new hotel will honor your room type or that it will even be close. "I've seen hotels walk people as far away as, for example, from San Diego to El Cajon," Russell said. That's about a 15-mile distance. 3rd-party sites may take your money and run The online-hotel-booking market is full of sketchy sites that mislead and take advantage of customers at every turn. A 2018 survey found that 23% of all consumers reported being misled when booking hotels, resulting in nearly $5.2 billion in fraudulent transactions. Many of these third-party sites offer suspiciously cheap rates for rooms, but they're really just taking your money and running. The customer likely won't find about the scam until they show up with a confirmation that either isn't in the system or is for a room type different from the one the site actually reserved. According to Chad Schyvincht, the area manager for Viceroy Hotels, San Francisco, third-party bookings are the primary cause of complaints and problems at check-in. Because many booking sites reserve the cheapest rooms possible, "guests who book on third-party sites will normally get the worst rooms in the hotel and be the first ones to get walked." And others will trick you into thinking they're a legitimate site   and then steal your identity One of the most devious scams is run by predators who trick customers into thinking they're on a legitimate booking site. Online thieves build sites with similar URLs to industry leaders' but with a slight typo - for example, "Travelacity" instead of Travelocity. Or they use Greek letters that resemble letters in the English alphabet in the URL. These false storefronts look like the real deal. You can book a room, and they'll generate a confirmation. But in reality, they've just stolen your personal information and credit-card number. "Some 55 million online hotel bookings are affected by fraudulent websites and call centers posing as hotel websites," according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association . Falling for this scam means that showing up to your hotel without a reservation will be the least of your problems - your stolen credit card and identity are the bigger concerns. In most cases, you have little to no recourse except to cancel your cards and monitor your credit score. This is a standard but highly effective phishing scam . How do you avoid it? Be extra vigilant when using third-party booking sites. The best way to avoid these scams altogether is to book through your hotel directly or through a travel agent.


The brain trust overseeing the construction of the Detroit Pistons' home appears to have thought of it all. Players will note as soon as they move through doors from the parking area there is a conference room for personal matters. A short distance later there is a small barbershop for grooming. There will be a concierge area to greet players with mail or reminders of upcoming appointments. Turn left and the players' locker room is to the left, the kitchen and lounge area to the right. A large video room which seats 28 is adjacent to the lounge area. The hallway spills out on to two basketball courts, which will be the symbolic center of the Henry Ford-Detroit Pistons Performance Center scheduled to open in the fall. "You get your nourishment, you start to get your mind ready, you get fed, you get dressed and then you walk out to training and then onto the court," Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem said in explaining the reasoning behind the setup. "It's a natural progression. A real flow to getting yourself ready mentally to prepare to for the court." The Free Press was given a roughly hour tour on Tuesday afternoon of the four-story, nearly $90 million facility under construction a short distance north from Little Caesars Arena. The building's main purpose will be to house the franchise, completing the process started in November 2016 when the Pistons agreed to leave northern Oakland County for Detroit. The team still practices and trains at the Palace. Business operations are also still located there. But Tellem and reps from The Christman Company and L.S. Brinker, the construction team behind the 175,000 square feet of office and training space featuring the up-to-date basketball equipment, said the goal was to also create a facility that will be a community hub for the New Center area. There's much work left with drywall stacked throughout the building. But the imagination sees the endgame. Tenants Blink Fitness and Plum Market will be retail anchors providing foot traffic. Tellem said they are nearing an agreement with a third retailer. Blink Fitness will provide a two-floor workout space, giving consumers the novelty of training close to professional athletes. Large windows throughout the building emphasize natural lighting. Upper floors have views of the Detroit skyline. To the north, the Fisher Building on Grand Boulevard is easily visible. "(Christman) built the Fisher Building with the idea that in 2019 the Pistons would be moving so the performance center could have a view of the building," Tellem quipped. The playing courts will sit 600-1000, which could be used for fan interaction. The first-floor studio is designed with a "Today Show" type feel, with viewers able to see pedestrians in the background walking outside. Local artists have been asked to submit works for decoration. "The whole point of this building is to have it connected to the public," Tellem said. "Hopefully the public feels like that as well. "We didn't want it closed off. We want it to be accessible in all ways to the public." The practicality is there. Players will be able to walk across a bridge to the under-construction sports medicine clinic for X rays or MRIs. Coaches offices are on the first floor; front office personnel will be situated on the second floor. Business operations will be located on the third and fourth floors. There is space to house the Pistons' Gatorade League operations with the franchise planning to have an affiliate in Detroit soon . Originally budgeted for $65 million when the project with tax incentives broke ground in Oct. 2017, Tellem said he hopes the facility will surpass newly completed facilities in Toronto, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and other NBA cities the Pistons team toured. "I wanted (the) player to feel that this is their home," Tellem said. "From the time they walk in, they can get anything done here. Whether it's their personal matters, business, but also focus on their training and basketball development. Anything they need, they can get done here. I think we've achieved that. "I think the players will love it and I think it will it help us keep our players and when we show free agents and draft picks in the future, I think it'll be a source of recruitment." [ Pistons offseason cheat sheet: Here's how they can improve ] Follow Vince Ellis on Twitter @vincent_ellis56 . Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter . This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons 'will love' their new practice facility


49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is good to go after tearing an ACL during the third game of the 2018 regular season. However, the 49ers won't expose him to potential risk during the 2019 preseason opener. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Friday that Garoppolo will not play in the team's first exhibition game. Shanahan didn't rule Garoppolo out of other preseason contests. "[H]e's cleared in my mind," Shanahan said. "[F]ull-go. I mean, he was doing seven-on-seven for all the OTAs so he's been pumped to get an offensive line in front of a defensive line so I know he's more than ready to go." Barring a setback or a new injury, Garoppolo will be good to go for the start of the regular season. Shanahan was asked how important it is to see Garoppolo play a full 16-game season. "Very important," Shanahan said. "We were so excited to get Jimmy very sporadically at the end of that trade deadline our first year and to throw him into a tough position. We didn't expect him to play the way he did there and the way he played was great. Then to go through that offseason with him and slow things down a little bit and to come out really when it was starting and our team, we struggled a little bit. I mean, we were 1-1 in our first two games and got down about a 30-point deficit in our third game where he did do a good job in the second half bringing us back within a touchdown and then he had the horrible injury. So I was really looking forward to last year knowing that Jimmy hadn't played a lot of ball, but he had shown everyone the capability he has to be a very good quarterback and I was really looking forward to going through a whole year with him where we all knew he would have some ups and downs, but he had the ability and the mentality that you knew he would continue to climb. And he missed that year. "That is what it is and now he's done the work to be healthy and we're back to this, but Jimmy hasn't played a lot of football. I think everyone knows he's a good player and knows he's talented, but we've got to go through some situations and go through playing the position. I'm just so pumped that he's healthy again and now he can start practicing fully and start trying to prepare him for that moment Week One." It's a critical year for Shanahan, for G.M. John Lynch, and for Garoppolo. If Garoppolo can't stay healthy for 16 games, or if he plays all 16 games and doesn't play well, Shanahan and Lynch could opt to look elsewhere in 2020, especially if the season goes poorly and they both move closer and closer to the hot seat. The structure of Garoppolo's deal makes it very easy to move on, and even though some find that to be an outlandish proposition, it's really a no-brainer   if Garoppolo fails to deliver. Related Slideshow: Best photos from the 2019 NFL training camps (provided by imagn)


Medicaid work requirements are associated with lower enrollment and higher uninsured rates. The first major study on the nation's first Medicaid work requirements finds that people fell off of the Medicaid rolls but didn't seem to find more work. Since Arkansas implemented the nation's first Medicaid work requirements last year, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found, Medicaid enrollment has fallen for working-age adults, the uninsured rate has been rising, and there has been little discernible effect on employment. The research appears to confirm some of the warnings from Medicaid advocates who opposed the Trump administration's approval of work requirements in Arkansas and other states. People are losing Medicaid coverage, often as a result of confusion rather than failure to meet the work requirements, but they aren't finding jobs and getting insurance that way. They are simply becoming uninsured. One paragraph succinctly summarizes the new study from a team of Harvard researchers led by Ben Sommers: Using a timely survey of low-income adults, we find that Arkansas's implementation of the nation's first work requirements in Medicaid in 2018 was associated with significant losses in health insurance coverage in the policy's initial six months but no significant change in employment. Lack of awareness and confusion about the reporting requirements were common, which may explain why thousands of individuals lost coverage even though more than 95% of the target population appeared to meet the requirements or qualify for an exemption. The study focused on adults in Arkansas ages 30-49   a working-age population less likely to be granted exemptions from the requirements   and used their peers in states that have not instituted work requirements, Texas and Louisiana, for comparison. They found that the percentage of low-income Arkansas adults ages 30-49 who said they had Medicaid or marketplace coverage fell from 70.5 percent in 2016, before the state put its work requirement in place, to 63.7 percent. The survey covered both Medicaid and the Obamacare marketplace because Arkansas has pioneered a unique version of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The state uses Medicaid dollars to pay for people who became eligible for Medicaid under the ACA expansion to receive private insurance on the marketplace. The uninsured rate for the same population increased from 10.5 percent in 2016 to 14.5 percent in 2018. Employment declined among this group over the same time frame, from 42.4 percent to 38.9 percent, though that was true for all cohorts. But for Medicaid coverage and the uninsured rate, the population targeted by Arkansas' work requirement saw significantly more deterioration than other age groups and people in other states. The Harvard survey found that one-third of respondents in the age 30-49 range had not heard anything about Arkansas's new work requirements for Medicaid. Nearly half of those people, 44 percent, said they were unsure whether the requirements applied to them. A significant number of people said a lack of internet access (32 percent) had contributed to their decision not to report their relevant information to the state. Arkansas' work requirements are currently on hold, after a federal judge ruled the requirements there and in Kentucky had violated federal law and the stated purpose of the Medicaid program. As the legal fight moves forward, data like that found in the new NEJM study should weigh heavily on the debate. Why a federal judge blocked Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and Kentucky Judge James Boasberg, who previously ruled on technical grounds against work requirements in Kentucky , blasted the Trump administration in two decisions in March for failing to consider how many Medicaid beneficiaries would lose coverage under the states' proposals to require that recipients work in order to receive their benefits. He deemed the approval of the proposals in Arkansas and Kentucky by the administration to be "arbitrary and capricious" and said that the work requirements could not be allowed to remain in effect. The rulings were a major loss for the Trump administration on one of its signature health policy crusades: introducing work requirements to Medicaid , the country's largest health insurance program. Arkansas was the first state to be allowed to implement Medicaid work requirements and, as a result, nearly 20,000 people have lost health coverage there. Boasberg began his ruling in the Arkansas case with the tale of one such person, Adrian McGonigal, who sued the state: In mid-2018, McGonigal learned that he would be subject to new work requirements, which he would have to report online, as a condition of receiving health benefits. These were imposed by the Arkansas Works Amendments (AWA), approved by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in March 2018. Despite his lack of access to, and difficulty working with, computers, he was able to report his employment in June 2018, but he did not know he needed to continue to do so each month. As a result, when he went to pick up his prescriptions in October, the pharmacist told him that he was no longer covered, and his medicines would cost him $800. In the absence of Medicaid, he could not afford the cost of the prescriptions and so did not pick them up. His 2 health conditions then flared up, causing him to miss several days of work, and Southwest Poultry fired him for his absences. He thus lost his Medicaid coverage and his job. Policy experts have argued from the start that work requirements were contrary to Medicaid's purpose of providing health coverage to low-income Americans and that most people who are on Medicaid and can work already do work. They had also warned that irregular hours and burdensome reporting requirements, rather than failing to work, were more likely to lead to people losing coverage. That was the case with McGonigal. Boasberg took the unusual step of ruling that the work requirements be halted immediately. Often, in cases like this, the court will put a stay on its own ruling in order to avoid disruption in the real world while the case is being appealed, as is expected in this case. But the judge said that the seriousness of the Trump administration's deficiencies in approving the Medicaid work requirements and the possible harm to people who would lose coverage if the work requirements were allowed to remain in place demanded that the requirements be halted. "Weighing the harms these persons will suffer from leaving in place a legally deficient order against the disruptions to the State's data-collection and education efforts due to vacatur renders a clear answer: the Arkansas Works Amendments cannot stand," Boasberg wrote to conclude his ruling. Some of the details differed in the Kentucky case, which had already been fought before Boasberg based on a previous version of the proposal. But in both cases, the judge arrived at the same conclusion: Medicaid work requirements cannot be allowed to stand.


Baltimore County police said a person swam to shore after a car submerged in Bear Creek. Officials said they received a call for a vehicle that had driven into the body of water in the 8200 block of Longpoint Road. Officials said a person swam to shore when units arrived. A diver from Middle River Fire & Rescue entered the water, searched the vehicle and confirmed no one else was in the car, police said. The patient was taken to a hospital. Their injuries are unknown.  READ MORE: Person swims to shore after car found submerged in Bear Creek CHECK OUT WBAL: Get all the latest Baltimore news, weather and sports. WBAL-TV brings you the best in Maryland news online, anytime.


There was little doubt from the moment he became a first-round pick. There is no doubt now. Rookie first-rounder Garrett Bradbury will become the Vikings' starting center. "Oh yeah, that is where he's going to be , and hopefully he will stay there for a long time," Vikings assistant head coach and offensive adviser Gary Kubiak said recently, via Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune . Immediately after the Vikings selected Bradbury with the 18th overall pick, some thought that Bradbury would play guard, and that Pat Elflein would remain at center. It has since become clear that Bradbury will indeed play center, and that Elflein will move. "He is doing great," Kubiak said of Bradbury. "For a rookie to be put in there at center from Day One, it's hard on him. But he is doing a good job." Elflein seems to be doing well, too. "Pat has moved over to left guard and been a big-time pro, stepped in there and working really hard," Kubiak said. "The guys are working good together." The Vikings are revamping their offensive scheme, embracing Kubiak's zone blocking running attack that requires offensive linemen who can move, not simply push. And if it helps the Vikings move the ball on the ground better than they did in 2018, the Vikings could be back in the postseason when January rolls around.


GILROY (CBS13)   As the town of Gilroy continues to process their grief, the site of the festival remains locked down by investigators, leaving some vendors and volunteers unable to tear down their booths. An eerie silence hangs over Christmas Hill Park as empty cars wait for drivers who not been able to return. The park, which hosted 1,000 visitors daily during the three-day garlic festival, is roped off with crime scene tape. FULL COVERAGE OF THE GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL SHOOTING These vendors, who are hoping to move to another festival, say they are being as patient as they can be after leaving behind their livelihood. Their plans have changed in the wake of tragedy. "No, we haven't been able to get back in because when we were there, we were in one of the booths less than 100 feet from where that guy was," said vender volunteer Salvador Leyva. READ ALSO: Modesto Olive Oil Company Among Vendors Impacted By Shooting At Gilroy Garlic Festival Visitors came only to light candles and pay respects as law enforcement continue to process the scene. "It's all material stuff, my wife's wallet, her ID, bank card, it's nothing to critical, we do have some stuff there," Leyva said. Some stranded vendors are holed up in hotels while others who are out of time have simply left the area, waiting for items to be claimed and returned. "From what I understand some people are not from even from the State and that's the unfortunate thing," said Gilroy resident Patricia Tovar. READ: Heroic 10-Year-Old Saved Toddler From Gilroy Garlic Festival Mass Shooter Officials and locals say the festival will continue on, and some vendors promise to return. "I'll continue because Gilroy is strong," said Mary Martinez. Some of the tents have been rented locally, but for many in Gilroy, it's what's inside that most important. They have no idea when this scene will be cleared. Officials said Monday it could take several more days.


A brief roundup of all the major transfer rumors sweeping their way across Europe and around the world, including the Premier League… [ MORE: Friday's transfer rumor roundup | Thursday | Wednesday ] Perhaps Antoine Griezmann overplayed his hand six weeks ago when he took the curious step of announcing to the world that he would be leaving Atletico Madrid this summer. His next club was expected to be revealed in pretty short order, but still we wait. Not only has no transfer been announced, but the rumors that once linked Griezmann with a move to Barcelona have gone totally quiet. So, here's one of the best attackers in the world, stuck in no man's land essentially without a club for the upcoming season. It's a terrible predicament for the player to be in, but also the club whose prized asset appears to be depreciating in value   with no leverage whatsoever, don't forget   by the day. According to a report from French newspaper L'Equipe , Atleti are growing so desperate that they recently held preliminary talks over doing the unthinkable: selling Griezmann to Real Madrid. Additional talks are expected to be held in the not-so-distant future. If the 28-year-old remains an Atleti player beyond this coming week, his release clause will increase by more than $90 million, from $136 million to $227 million. Bayern Munich's pursuit of Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi shows no signs of slowing up, despite the 18-year-old attacker suffering a ruptured achilles in April. Having already had a bid   or bids   rejected by the Blues, Bayern made another offer for Hudson-Odoi. That bid, believed to have been just over $32 million, was also rejected, according to a report from the Guardian . Bayern's previous bids were all reportedly north of $40 million, but they see an opportunity to sign one of the world's brightest attacking prospects for a cut-rate fee as he has just 12 months remaining on his current contract. Hudson-Odoi is reportedly targeting a return to the field in September, at which point he will very quickly be asked to take on a significant load of minutes for the Blues who won't be making any signings this season due to their two-window transfer ban. Follow @AndyEdMLS


It's not exactly breaking news at this point, but there have been a ton of home runs in baseball this year   a record-breaking amount, to be more precise. Entering Friday, the final day of May, MLB players needed to hit 25 home runs to set the record for most dingers hit in a month. That's exactly happened when the Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went deep in Colorado for his sixth home run of the season. In all, 1,127 home runs have been hit across MLB in the month. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s home run, there have been more HR this month (1,120) than any other month in @MLB history! pic.twitter.com/QgXe4gqzPn   MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 1, 2019 The record-breaking May immediately followed a prolific March/April period in which 1,144 home runs were hit. MORE: The Reds are the most interesting last-pace team in baseball Players have hit 2,271 home runs through 1,687 games, an average of 1.34 home runs per game   they're on pace to break the record of 1.26 per game set in 2017 . The Twins led the long-ball charge in May with a near-historic month of their own. Minnesota hit 56 home runs in the month, two short of tying the 1987 Orioles and 1999 Mariners for the single-month mark. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


Antonio Callaway has not had a great summer since arriving at Cleveland Browns training camp. The second-year wideout was called out for being out of shape by his offensive coordinator Todd Monken and has consistently been passed over for first-team reps when the regular starters are idle. Things just got worse for Callaway. He is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, according to a press release from the league office: Antonio Callaway of the Cleveland Browns has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2019 regular season for violating the NFL's policy and program on substances of abuse. Callaway is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be eligible to return to the Browns' active roster on Monday, Sept. 30, following the team's Sept. 29 game at Baltimore. It's a huge setback for Callaway. He was already in the substance abuse program for testing positive for a diluted urine sample at the 2018 NFL combine. Callaway was also arrested on a marijuana citation in 2017, and he has had issues with traffic citations since arriving in Cleveland. MORE: Browns mob touchdown scorer who slept outside a gym during tryouts Antonio Brown is Up to His Old Tricks Again in Oakland [UPDATE] Good, bad and ugly from Packers' preseason-opening win over Texans D'Angelo Russell Q&A: Warriors' new backcourt is 'like a video game' Matt Nagy can't stop gushing about Bears RB David Montgomery


(video by AP) After months of ongoing flight cancellations related to the ongoing grounding of the Boeing 737 Max following two deadly crashes, Southwest Airlines has announced that it is pulling service from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Southwest Airlines CEO Gary C. Kelly announced the move during the company's second quarter earnings this week, citing financial results that were "below expectations" as the result of troubles related to the grounded jets. The airline, which has more than 30 Max jets in its fleet, has also extended its Max flight schedule adjustments through Jan. 5, 2020. A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines said in a statement by email that the airline will cease operations at Newark beginning Sunday, Nov. 3. The change will impact 125 Southwest employees currently stationed at Newark, though the airline said that those individuals will be offered other opportunities within the company. "This was not an easy decision to make, but we must optimize our aircraft and resources to meet customer demand in other markets," the spokesperson said. "All Southwest Employees at Newark are being offered positions at New York's LaGuardia Airport or being allowed to bid for other open positons anywhere in the Southwest network. We want to thank Newark, and the surrounding community, for welcoming us for the past eight years, and we look forward to serving our EWR Customers through November with the same Southwest Hospitality they know and love." Asked by Gizmodo whether Southwest Airlines plans to cease service at other airports as well, the spokesperson said that the company's focus is currently "our [Newark] employees and our impacted customers." It is not clear when the Boeing 737 Max will be cleared for commercial flight, and the uncertainty has continued to impact the flight schedules of major U.S. carriers with the jets in their fleet, including Southwest, United, and American Airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration said in June that with respect to its ongoing review, it's "following a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 Max to passenger service."


If you can rely on one thing in a job interview , it's that your potential future employer is going to ask you if you have any questions for them . This is an opportunity for you to show you're interested in the business, and to find out more about the role to see if it's right for you. Sadly it's not a chance to find out if they do free drinks on a Thursday, or what their policy is if you're late. It can be tough to know what to ask in those situations, especially when you feel like you're on the spot, which is where these five job interview questions come in. Career expert Deepa Somasundari, Director of Client Success at global job site Indeed , has five potential questions for you to have up your sleeve, to drop in at the end of your job interview. Good luck! Related slideshow: 24 psychological tricks that will help you ace a job interview (Provided by Business Insider) 1." Can you elaborate on the day-to-day responsibilities this job entails?" This is your chance to find out more about what you'll be doing, and get an insight into the nitty gritty of your potential day-to-day goings on. "Job descriptions typically only describe some of the tasks involved with the job they are advertising, so this is a good question to ask," Deepa explains. "The answer will be important for you to take into consideration as you determine whether or not this job is the right fit for you." This should hopefully help you get to grips with what your future work life could look like, and whether it works for you. 2." What are the characteristics of someone who would succeed in this role?" Again, this is a sure fire way to see if the role would suit you, and whether your personality is a good fit for the company. Like the career expert says, "The answer to this question will really help you understand what skills and attitudes you'll need to display in order to be a success and quickly give you an idea of the qualities they hope to see in the person they hire. It will also give you an insight into the characteristics of those who you might work with if you accept the job. " 3."What are some of the challenges you've seen people in this role or on this team encounter?" "During your interviews, you want to get a clear perspective of what the job is like as well as its challenges and rewards," Deepa advises. Your job should challenge you, but you also want to know what you're taking on, and whether you'll be able to manage it. "Getting your interviewer's perspectives on potential hurdles will prepare you for difficulties you may encounter but also alert you to ways of handling them." 4."If I were in this job, how would my performance be measured?" Because everybody wants clear, structured goals, don't they? Like the career expert says, "Asking this question will give you more specific information on how you can succeed in this job. The answer to this question will be helpful to you even if you don't get the job - you may be able to use the insights they share to identify new areas of professional development." Knowing how work achievements will be measured can help you to perform better in the workplace, and help you to get there more efficiently. 5."What is the salary?" Indeed's 'The Meaning of Work' report revealed for 57% of the workforce, salary remains in their top five most important factors - and Deepa says there's no shame in asking about it in interview. "Not all job descriptions contain salary information, so while talking about money can be difficult, it's important to ask the question in order to know how the salary compared to market averages and if there's room for negotiation." Assess the mood - you don't want to sound presumptuous, but if money hasn't been discussed, this is your opportunity. Related video: 9 tricks for totally nailing that job interview (Provided by Hello Giggles)


A new convenience store has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Called Foxtrot Market , the fresh addition is located at 2822 McKinney Ave. in Oak Lawn. According to the business' website , Foxtrot Market touts itself as a "one-stop shop for local favorites and today's most exciting brands," offering a diverse rotating assortment of regional Texas-made goods, along with a wide selection of wine, beer, coffee, savory and sweet treats, chef-prepared meals, curated gifts, health products, home essentials and much more. Customers can choose to shop and enjoy a drink or snack in person, or opt to utilize its delivery service. With a 3.5-star rating out of 13 reviews on Yelp so far, Foxtrot Market has made a promising start. Penny G., who was the first Yelper to review the new establishment on June 25, raved, "Thrilled to have a new option in Uptown. We had a delicious latte on opening day. Now [we're] back for happy hour. Great prices and great wine. ... Love it!" And Hannah H. wrote , "What I love about this place is that it has so many local items. Finally, I don't have to drive to hectic Deep Ellum or Bishop Arts to get Emporium Pies! They have a selection of full meals, snacks, bottled drinks, meats and plenty of ice creams. ... Can't wait for the multiple visits here." Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Foxtrot Market is open from 7 a.m. 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. midnight on Friday, 8 a.m. midnight on Saturday and 8 a.m. 11 p.m. on Sunday. Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Dallas? Here's what else opened recently near you . 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.


General Motors' 78-year-old transmission plant in Warren, Mich., is halting production this week. The Detroit-area plant is one of five in North America that GM last year announced would suspend operations as part of the company's business transformation. GM plans to build fewer sedans as customers demand more trucks and SUVs. It also wants to reshape is business to eventually build more electric cars, while saving $6 billion annually starting at the end of 2019. The Warren plant opened in 1941 and has been operated by GM since 1958. It produces six-speed transmissions for the Cadillac XTS and the Chevrolet Impala   both models that GM is discontinuing. GM is largely replacing those kind of transmissions with more advanced versions. GM thanked the plant's roughly 200 employees in a statement. "We appreciate their commitment and hard work to build the highest quality possible into each and every transmission produced at Warren Transmission Operations," GM said. The company said 60 workers have transferred to other factories in the United States and 25 workers are retiring. GM describes the plant as being "unallocated," meaning the plant isn't completely shutting down for now. Instead, it's no longer producing anything else once it's done with the current line of transmissions. The plant's future depends on the ongoing negotiations between GM and the UAW Union. "We have job opportunities for virtually every hourly employee at the impacted plants provided they are willing to relocate," it said. As part of GM's modernization plan, the company is reducing its salaried workforce by 15%, including non-factory workers. The transition will come at the expense of about 8,000 salaried workers, and 6,000 hourly workers will either lose their jobs or be reassigned to other plants. GM previously offered voluntary buyouts for 18,000 salaried workers. Related video: GM announces big cuts to workforce and plant closings


Looking for a delicious Turkish meal near you? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Turkish spots around Atlanta, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're on the hunt. 1. Ali Baba Topping the list is Ali Baba . Located at 1099 Euclid Ave. NE. in Inman Park, it's the highest rated Turkish restaurant in Atlanta, boasting four stars out of 87 reviews on Yelp. The menu features authentic Mediterranean, Turkish and Greek cuisine. 2. Café Agora Next up is Buckhead's Café Agora , situated at 318 E. Paces Ferry Road NE. With four stars out of 662 reviews on Yelp, the Turkish, Greek and Mediterranean spot has proven to be a local favorite. Some of the chef specialties include sea bass, lamb shanks, Turkish moussaka and baklava. 3. Truva Turkish Kitchen Over in Virginia Highland, check out Truva Turkish Kitchen , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 29 reviews on Yelp. The restaurant specializes in classic Turkish dishes such as hummus, grill kebabs, stuffed eggplant and more. You can find the Mediterranean spot at 842 N. Highland Ave. NE. 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.


If I was to have written this 12 months ago it would've been quite frankly ridiculed, and rightly so, due to the absurd notion that Manchester City would have to avoid the prospect parting with Leroy Sane. The German international was pivotal in City's 2017/18 Premier League and Carabao Cup-winning campaign. He scored ten goals and provided 15 assists in the league alone, which resulted in him being named the PFA Young Player of the Year. Yet it's not 2018. It's 2019, and Sane's most-recent campaign has been a confusing one to say the least, and one which has now led to him being linked with a stunning summer move to Bayern Munich . He was astonishingly omitted from Germany's World Cup squad that summer, as Die Mannschaft's limp efforts of retaining the trophy they won in 2014 suggested there simply had to be room for Sane on the plane. Yet it was the comments from Toni Kroos months after the event in Russia that pointed to a problem that has cropped up more than once. "He has to improve his body language," said the Real Madrid midfielder . "He's a player who has everything you need to be a world class player but sometimes you have to tell him he has to perform better."  #LS19 #inSané @DFB_Team_EN pic.twitter.com/W1lS7ldbpf   Leroy Sané (@LeroySane19) June 5, 2018 Those comments by the four-time Champions League winner carried more weight when Sane endured a slow start the season, which reached a low point when he was omitted from the City squad for their Premier League game against Newcastle. In the space of four months, Sane had gone from a major player in a side that accumulated a record 100 points in the Premier League, to an omission for both club and country with his attitude and demeanour now being scrutinised. Due to the the impressive form of Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling - who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award this season - it became even more apparent that things can change in football very quickly, whether that be form, standing at a club, or perhaps a new club altogether. It must be said that Sane's 2018/19 campaign was by no means a disappointment, because it most certainly wasn't. His league tally of ten goals and ten assists helped City become the first side since Manchester United in the late 2000s to retain the Premier League. In terms of appearances, Sane was down one on last season's 32, but he did feature ten times of the bench this season, as opposed to only five in 2017/18. The 23-year-old has since had to become accustomed to the idea of rotation, but for someone that starred for the Citizens 12 months ago, it's one that doesn't come easily. One major plus for Sane this season came in the Champions League, with the 23-year-old significantly improving his numbers in Europe's elite club competition. After notching just two assists last season, Sane finished this campaign with four goals and four assists. Only Leo Messi, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané hit double figures in both goals and assists in both 2017-18 and 2018-19 among all players in Europe's top 5 leagues. Elite. ⭐ (Via - @OptaFranz ) pic.twitter.com/SBVRJfW9FQ   Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) May 15, 2019 Yes, City missed out on winning the competition, but for Sane, it proved he can cut it in the only competition they're yet to win since the arrival of Sheikh Mansour and his bottomless pockets in 2008. Let's not forget as well that Sane has popped up with vital goals for a seemingly in fallible City side, none more so than the winner in their 2-1 win over Liverpool in January. Seeing the prospect of the Reds maintaining their seven-point lead, Sane injected more pace into an already-frenetic game, before squeezing his strike beyond Alisson to clinch a result that was so much more than three points. Sane also grabbed the second in a 2-0 win against United at Old Trafford towards the end of the season in the game they now know they had to win on they way to retaining the Premier League title. It's clear that Sane is a key member to this City squad for both now and the future. At 23, the levels he could reach in the future are a frightening prospect to behold, especially considering he's currently being managed by arguably the best coach in the world in Pep Guardiola. The lure of Bayern Munich for any German player is likely to turn their head though, similarly to that of Juventus being interested in an Italian player. Die Roten's interest however stems from a need rather than a want. Despite being two games away from a league and cup double, the way the Bavarian rolled over against Liverpool in the Champions League had all the hallmarks of a side in desperate need of youth and pace. Add to that the departures of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben at the end of the season, then a place in Bayern's starting lineup is almost assured, while the same cannot be said at City at the minute. Having signed Sane from Schalke in 2016 for £37m on a contract lasting until 2021, it would take an incredible offer to lure him away from the Etihad. And despite recent reports suggesting contract talks have stalled , Guardiola was adamant of what he wants. "You're not going to extend his contract because you don't want him," said Guardiola when asked about Sane's contract situation ahead of their FA Cup final against Watford. Striving for another title  FA Cup final  #LS19 #inSané @ManCity pic.twitter.com/7DKx1JgUOB   Leroy Sané (@LeroySane19) May 15, 2019 To sell a player with the potential of Sane at 23 would defy everything that City are looking to build, which is an established force able to compete for major honours both domestically and in Europe.


The 2019 Women's World Cup begins tomorrow, and we are fired up about it. We've looked at all 24 teams in the tournament already , so it's time to dig down and identify the ten most important players in this World Cup. Note the word "important" here. These are all great players on this list, ten of the very best alive, but they are ranked not only by their skill but by their importance to the team. Roughly: How would the team fare without them? Can anyone approximate what they do? I've also limited it to one player from each team for this list, mostly to give people some looks at people from different nations, and also because it's a made-up list, and who really cares? Let's get to it: 10. Wang Shuang, China China didn't qualify for the World Cup in 2011, but other than that blip, they've made at least the quarterfinal in every World Cup over the last two decades, including the final in 1999, when they memorably lost to the USWNT. This team plays well at this tournament , and while they're young and don't have the attention of some of the other squads, they do have Wang Shuang, a creative midfielder who plays her club ball for PSG, and scores bangers. 9. Kim Little, Scotland Scotland has not traditionally had a great soccer team. They were longshots for even qualifying for this tournament, but now they're here, and that means we get to see Kim Little. She's dominated in NWSL, she's dominated in FA Women's National League, and if Scotland does anything this tournament, it will be with Little pulling the strings. 8. Lucy Bronze, England Lucy Bronze is England's best player , though it's unclear if she'll play her preferred right back position or central midfield for England at this World Cup. Wherever she is, England will be relying on her to create chances and shut down opponents. 7. Christine Sinclair, Canada Getty Images Sinclair is 36, and doesn't have the trophy cabinet of some of the other players on this list. But she just keeps scoring goals for Canada , something she's done for years and years. She may not be able to beat defenders with pace anymore, but she's still a beautiful passer of the ball, and takes every chance that comes her way. 6. Saki Kumagai, Japan Saki Kumagai will most likely anchor Japan's back line in this World Cup, and is easily her team's leader and most important player. She's also played in the midfield, but the team will need her to keep things organized, and she should be able to make some incisive passes from deep. 5. Tobin Heath, United States Tobin Heath is at five on this list just because she's surrounded by so much talent, and the USWNT has several players who could come fill in for her and do a good job. But not as good a job. Heath has progressed from a tricky technical player to one of the most devastating attackers in world soccer. 4.Lieke Martens, Netherlands Netherlands are good , and Lieke Martens is their most important player. The former FIFA World Player of the year is now running the show for Barcelona. She loves to operate in a left wing role, where she can beat people to the touch line or - her specialty - cut in and score at will. 3. Dzsenifer Marozsán, Germany Marozsán might be my favorite player to watch. A gifted #10, I give her one of my top compliments I give to soccer players: She isn't afraid to try s@#%. Incisive passes, beautiful touches, a flair for the dramatic, Marozsán provides Germany a creative spark that can break a game wide open. 2. Sam Kerr, Australia AP Photo/Raad Adayleh Kerr just scores goals. Everywhere she goes. Against anyone. At rates that are kind of preposterous. Australia doesn't have a ton of talent outside of their front line, but with Kerr and teammate Caitlin Foord, I say without hesitation: They can score against anyone. Without Kerr in the team, I don't think Australia gets out of the group. With her in the team, they could make a final. 1. Wendie Renard, France Getty Images Kerr may be more important to her squad than Wendie Renard, but I'm not sure one player has more on her shoulders entering this tournament. France is the host nation , and Renard is their most important player. A 6'2″ center back, Renard is just as dangerous scoring goals off set pieces as she is at shutting down opposing attackers. She will be tasked with providing on both ends, and if she's playing at the top of her game, France could lift the trophy at home. MORE: Beyonce's perceived reaction to Warriors' owner's wife became a meme Warriors Fan Who Pushed Kyle Lowry Should Face Lifetime Ban From NBA [UPDATE] Cowboys News: Michael Gallup leg injury dampens final OTA session Packers working on better vision from second-year LB Oren Burks Giants' Pat Shurmur brushes off Odell Beckham's comments on Eli Manning


Whoops. When the Broncos selected Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner in the 2019 NFL draft, I wrote that he would likely compete for the team's right guard spot this summer. This was my reasoning for the prediction: Connor McGovern is expected to move from right guard to center this year and Ron Leary seems to prefer playing on the left side over playing on the right side of the line. My assumption was wrong. Denver had Risner playing at left guard at rookie minicamp and he will continue working there during organized team activities. That may not be his final position, though. The Broncos will move him around on the offensive line. "We played him at guard today, but eventually he's going to learn tackle, too," coach Vic Fangio said on May 10. "We'll take a look at him at center at some point in between now and the end of training camp. "You only dress seven offensive linemen in a game, and somebody has to be able to know how to play more than one position or two positions. You've got to have some utility guys, and if he's capable of doing that for us, then we'll take advantage of it." If Risner wins the starting left guard spot, Leary would presumably start on the right side once he returns from an Achilles injury. Thanks to his versatility, Risner should have no problem winning a starting job. "I told the coaches I was comfortable playing across the board and that's something that I need to be able to do - be versatile," Risner said. "Of course it's a little bit more studying, but it's worth it." MORE: NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players These five photos of Kawhi Leonard watching his buzzer-beater are incredible Video confirms reports of Chris Paul's attempt to sabotage Steph Curry Dak Prescott's accuracy, aggressive quantified ahead of new deal Ex-GM: Giants got it right with Daniel Jones at No. 6


PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland   J.B. Holmes surprisingly leads the way at the top of a tantalizingly tight leaderboard at the British Open, but it was a day to forget for Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods at Royal Portrush. Holmes, whose previous best finish at a major was third in the same tournament at Royal Troon three years ago, stands alone after a 5-under-par 66 on Thursday. That puts the Kentucky native one stroke clear of Shane Lowry, while Jon Rahm   in fine form after winning the Irish Open earlier this month   had reached 5 under before two late bogeys on the Dunluce Links left him in a mammoth clutch of 13 players in a tie for third. Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka is also lurking just two shots back, as are Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton and Ryan Fox, who came home in 29 strokes to set a new record for the lowest back-nine score in Open history. But the cause of McIlroy, carrying the weight of home expectation at Portrush, already appears a lost one as the local favorite toiled to an 8-over 79. Woods' chances of a fourth Claret Jug also seem damaged beyond repair, with the Masters champion badly out of touch en route to a score of 78. A bogey on the 1st but it was red from then on for @JBHolmesgolf . He finishes with a 66 and is the clubhouse leader #TheOpen #NTTDATAWall Live scoring https://t.co/eQjasgPOwf pic.twitter.com/kyOZyicmCL   The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2019 McIlroy arrived at the first hole to a thunderous ovation, but he trudged off the green with a quadruple-bogey eight after an out-of-bounds tee shot   which broke a spectator's phone   and could not regain his composure. Another bogey followed at the third and, despite a couple of birdies at the seventh and ninth, more misery was to follow on the closing holes. He three-putted on the 16th, fittingly named Calamity Corner, and finished with a triple-bogey seven. It was left to Lowry to lay down the marker for the early starters on a morning where conditions were favorable for low scoring, the Irishman recording five birdies and just a solitary bogey to set the clubhouse target. When heavy bursts of showers interspersed clear skies later in the day, Koepka   who has gone 2-1-2 in the majors in 2019   got to 4 under by the 14th before a bogey at the penultimate hole slightly dented his progress. Solo leader at #TheOpen . @JBHolmesGolf opens with a 5-under 66 in Round 1. pic.twitter.com/vnStUoXKIq   PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 18, 2019 Woods, meanwhile, dropped six shots between the fifth and 10th to tumble down the leaderboard. Another bogey arrived at 14 before a gain at the next offered temporary relief, with a dropped shot on 18 compounding his misery. Rahm, meanwhile, came flying out of the blocks, a huge drive down the par-5 second leading to his first birdie of the day before draining a 12-foot putt at the fourth for another. Some wonderful approach play yielded three straight birdies to leave him 5 under by the turn but scoring proved trickier on the back nine, which he played at 2 over, including a costly bogey at the last after finding himself out of position. Instead Holmes, who flew under the radar for much of the round, was the one to emerge from the congested pack. MORE : Tiger Woods downbeat after British Open opening round misery | British Open 2019: Reality stings for Rory McIlroy at Royal Portrush He bogeyed his opening hole but was 2 under by the turn thanks to a trio of birdies at the second, third and fifth. The way home proved just as fruitful as he picked up strokes at the 12th and 14th and 18th, the late gain enough to take the outright lead.


Ezekiel Elliott is out of sight from the Dallas Cowboys, but not out of mind. Quarterback Dak Prescott admitted that Elliott texts him daily as the running back holds out in search of a new contract, and that Elliott is doing work away from training camp. . @Dak tells @gbagnation re #Cowboys holdout @EzekielElliott : 'I miss him a lot. He's been shooting me text messages every day .. back and forth. .. he's out there doing what he needs to do   making himself a better football player.' pic.twitter.com/TrHxP2HC77   mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) August 3, 2019 At last report, Elliott was off to Mexico as he avoided Cowboys' training camp. There don't seem to be any hard feelings between him and Prescott as the running back does what he feels he needs to do. Ownership may not be happy , but the quarterback isn't, even as there's no end in sight here. Related slideshow: Best photos from NFL training camps (Provided by imagn)


Video by The Associated Press WASHINGTON   The rising tensions between the United States and Iran continued on Thursday morning, when a U.S. surveillance drone was shot down by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in what a U.S. official called an "unprovoked attack." U.S. and Iranian officials gave differing accounts of the attack, which comes as the war of words between the U.S. and Iran threatens to spill into open conflict. Here's what we know so far about the drone attack and the tensions between the U.S. and Iran: American and Iranian accounts of the attack differ The key difference between the two sides is that U.S. officials said the drone was shot down in "international airspace" over the Strait of Hormuz. But Iran alleged the drone had violated Iranian airspace, saying the drone fell in the Kouh-e Mobarak region in the central district of Jask. Navy Capt. Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command called the Iranian reports that the drone was in its airspace "false." Iran and the U.S.: Escalating Iran crisis looks a lot like the path US took to Iraq war "U.S. Central Command can confirm that a U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance ISR aircraft was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in international airspace," Urban said. Major General Hossein Salami, a spokesperson for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, said the incident serves as a warning to the U.S. "The downing of the U.S. drone had an explicit, decisive and clear message that defenders of the Islamic Iran's borders will show decisive and knockout reactions to aggression against this territory," Salami said at a news conference in Kurdistan Province. "Borders are our redline, and any enemy violating these borders will not go back." Drone attack: Iran shoots down U.S. drone in 'unprovoked attack,' heightening tensions Tanker attacks Iran's drone takedown comes a week after two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The Trump administration has said that Iran is responsible for those attacks, although Iran has denied responsibility. Since then, the U.S. military has released video and photographs claiming to show a relationship between Iranian forces and the attacks on the tankers. Despite previous comments by top Trump administration advisors on the threat posed by Iran, President Donald Trump has contradicted his top advisors. In an interview with TIME posted this week, Trump said that the attacks were "very minor." Slideshow by photo services Troop deployments The U.S. has also deployed more troops to the Middle East in what Pentagon officials say is a direct response to Iran's provocations. On Monday, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced that 1,000 troops would be sent to the Middle East "to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East." Shanahan cited "hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region." More: Pentagon sending 1,000 U.S. troops to Middle East after oil tanker attacks Nuclear tensions Iran announced this week that it would soon be breaking its nuclear stockpile and enrichment limits set under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the "Iran Deal." The U.S. withdrew from that pact in 2015, but the U.S. has urged Iran to abide by its provisions. In a television interview last Sunday on Fox News, Pompeo restated America's goals regarding Iran's nuclear program. "President Trump has been unambiguous: Iran will not get a nuclear weapon," he said. "That's the goal, that's the objective of our entire campaign with respect to Iran and to create stability throughout the Middle East as part of that effort." Does this look like the buildup to the Iraq War? The saber-rattling between the U.S. and Iran appears to have parallels to the build-up to the 2003 Iraq War. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration was trying to make the case to Congress that Iran had ties to Al Qaeda, which under a 2001 congressional authorization , would potentially give the Trump administration the legal authority to take military action against Iran. Pompeo ducked a question about military authorization during a Fox News interview last Sunday, saying that "the president has the authorization to act to defend American interests," but did not elaborate on what authorization that was. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released in late May shows that half of all Americans believe the U.S. will go to war with Iran "within the next few years." Contributing: Michael Collins, John Bacon, Rebecca Morin and Kim Hjelmgaard This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iran shoots down US drone: What we know about the tensions between the US and Iran


The Wells Fargo Championship continues with the final round Sunday at Quail Hollow. Max Homa looked like he would end the third round with the lead Saturday after two rain delays, but he bogeyed the 18th hole to end the round in a three-way tie for the lead with Jason Dufner and Joel Dahmen at 11 under. Homa and Dahmen finished Saturday with 70s and Dufner, the second-round leader, shot a 71. Homa and Dufner tee off at 1:45 p.m. ET on Sunday while Dahmen and Pat Perez tee off at 1:35 p.m. Perez is one-stroke behind the leaders after going 5 under in the third round and Rory McIlroy sits in fifth at 9 under after shooting a 68. Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed are among five golfers in a tie for ninth at 6 under. Garcia and Fowler tee off at 1:05 p.m. Check out tee times and TV info below. | Leaderboard Final Round Tee Times 1st Tee Tee Time Pairing 8:06 a.m. Beau Hossler, Fabián Gómez 8:15 a.m. Matthew Short, Brendan Steele 8:24 a.m. Zack Sucher, Hank Lebioda 8:33 a.m. Wes Roach, Tom Hoge 8:42 a.m. Adam Long, Jason Kokrak 8:51 a.m. Harris English, Trey Mullinax 9:00 a.m. J.J. Henry, Nick Watney 9:09 a.m. Nick Taylor, Luke List 9:18 a.m. Jimmy Walker, Tony Finau 9:27 a.m. Byeong Hun An, Kramer Hickok 9:36 a.m. Brandon Harkins, Roberto Díaz 9:45 a.m. Julián Etulain, Hideki Matsuyama 9:54 a.m. Matt Jones, Richy Werenski 10:03 a.m. Bill Haas, Alex Prugh 10:12 a.m. Daniel Berger, Kyoung-Hoon Lee 10:21 a.m. Joaquin Niemann, Brian Harman 10:30 a.m. Jason Day, Chase Wright 10:39 a.m. Sebastián Muñoz, Brendon Todd 10:48 a.m. Chez Reavie, Lucas Glover 10:57 a.m. Dylan Frittelli, Henrik Stenson 11:06 a.m. Brice Garnett, Shawn Stefani 11:15 a.m. Ryan Blaum, Webb Simpson 11:25 a.m. Bud Cauley, Ollie Schniederjans 11:35 a.m. Sungjae Im, Cody Gribble 11:45 a.m. Jim Knous, Kevin Streelman 11:55 a.m. Nate Lashley, John Senden 12:05 p.m. Martin Laird, Adam Hadwin 12:15 p.m. Rory SabbatiniKyle Stanley 12:25 p.m. Jhonattan Vegas, Aaron Wise 12:35 p.m. Colt Knost, Adam Schenk 12:45 p.m. Patrick Reed, Keith Mitchell 12:55 p.m.. Doc Redman, Vaughn Taylor 1:05 p.m. Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler 1:15 p.m. Paul Casey, Seamus Power 1:25 p.m. Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose 1:35 p.m. Joel Dahmen, Pat Perez 1:45 p.m. Max Homa, Jason Dufner TV Info Sunday Golf Channel: 1-2:45 p.m. NBC: 3-6 p.m. PGA Tour Live: 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. PGA Tour Radio: 1-6 p.m. (Sirius 208/XM 92) View embedded content MORE: Kentucky Derby: Why Maximum Security was disqualified and Country House won Four potential Nikola Vucevic landing spots in free agency Giants' Reggie White Jr. doesn't care whose No. 13 he's wearing Lions gave OT Ryan Pope the biggest UDFA guaranteed deal Maximum Security Disqualified, Country House Wins Kentucky Derby


After a six-year reign as the best city park system in the country, Minneapolis has been knocked off the throne by the nation's capital. The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a nonprofit group, ranks the 100 largest U.S. city park systems on accessibility, acreage, spending per capita and amenities such as the number of basketball hoops, dog parks and restrooms. In its annual rankings released Wednesday, Minneapolis dipped to third place, with first-place honors going to Washington, D.C., where new playgrounds helped boost it above the Twin Cities. St. Paul stayed in second place. Minneapolis had enjoyed the top spot since 2013, and shared it with St. Paul in 2015. But the city's growing population means there are more people who live farther than walking distance from a park, according to Susan Schmidt, Minnesota director of TPL. In particular, Schmidt said the city needs to improve access to parks in the growing North Side and Northeast. "They know they need access to parks on the upper river, north of downtown," she said. "They can't keep ahead of the population growth with redeveloping parks." About 96% of Minneapolis residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, according to TPL. In St. Paul, that figure is 98% Both are well above the 72% average of the 100 cities ranked. Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura, who began his job earlier this year, said he didn't look at the new ranking as a negative. "We're very fortunate, and being ranked [No. 1 3/8 all those years has been great," he said. "I'm still very excited, of course, of being ... one of the best park systems in the country." Bangoura said the city has new parks in the pipeline, including Towerside Park in Northeast, which is set to open by the end of the year, and the redevelopment of the Upper Harbor Terminal industrial site, which is in the planning stages. The Park Board is looking to acquire land for a new park in the North Loop and is in negotiations to build a "green corridor" along N. 8th Avenue, connecting that neighborhood to the riverfront. Schmidt praised St. Paul's upcoming development of a large park in the Midway neighborhood, part of the land acquired and donated by TPL. The city is also finishing construction on a $10 million Frogtown Community Center, which is slated to open in the fall, St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Mike Hahm said. Hahm said the organization's ranking was a testament to continued improvements and investments. "Being recognized by respected organizations and objective data really validates what we're doing here in the Twin Cities," he said. "I think it reflects well on decisions made before us." Minneapolis spends the most per resident on parks out of all of three top cities, $299 per resident, according to Schmidt. St. Paul spends $220 per capita, and Washington, D.C. spends $270 per capita. Hahm said they are working to make parks more relevant for different demographic groups and are dealing with environmental challenges, including the effects of Mississippi River flooding earlier this year and the invasive emerald ash borer. Bangoura extended his congratulations to St. Paul. "It's always good that St. Paul is doing well. We're connected," he said. "Their success is our success, our success is their success." The Trust for Public Land began ranking park systems in 2012. It first ranked the 40 largest cities but over the years has grown to include the largest 100. In total, those cities invested $7.9 billion on parks last year, up $250 million from the previous year. The organization also noted a bump in the number of courts for pickleball, a racket sport popular with seniors. Nationally, about 72% of people in those cities live within a 10-minute walk of a park, up 2 percentage points from the year before. Other top park systems this year include Arlington, Va., Portland, Ore. and Irvine, Calif.     ©2019 the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


It's looks a lot like the CT4-V we saw last month. At the end of last month, Cadillac unveiled the CT4-V performance sedan. While some were miffed Cadillac would affix the coveted V badge on what many consider an unworthy vehicle, this was our first look at the ATS's replacement. Today, new spy photos give us a clear look at the non-V CT4, and the differences are minor. Cadillac's V-Series Sedans Make Waves: 2020 Cadillac CT5-V Arrives Packing A 355-HP Twin-Turbo V6 Cadillac CT4-V Has A Lot In Common With Outgoing ATS Our spy photographers captured two trims of the CT4   Sport and Luxury. The two trims are distinct from one another. The Sport features a V-Series-inspired grille, black accents, and clear taillights while the Luxury trim has bright trim accents and a unique grille design. The lower front facias are also different, with the Sport more closely mimicking the design of the CT4-V. Another clear differentiator between the CT4-V and the regular CT4 is the exhaust   quad versus dual outlets, respectively. Under the hood, the CT4 should receive the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 237 horsepower (176 kilowatts). The CT4-V uses a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine producing an estimated 320 hp (239 kW). The sedan will come with rear- or all-wheel drive   there's an AWD badge on the rear of the CT4 Sport. The engine, which will also power the XT4 and CT5, should pair with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which is likely to be the only transmission choice available. Inside, expect the CT4 to borrow heavily from the CT5. However, we've already seen the CT4's interior with the CT4-V reveal, which has a clean, modern design. Cadillac has had more than a few ups and downs over the last year. The automaker is rushing to expand its crossover lineup as consumers flock to the larger vehicles; however, it also hasn't yet abandoned the sedan. While the CT6's future remains uncertain, the CT5 and CT4 are indicators Cadillac isn't giving up on the sedan. It'll be interesting to see how well the CT4 sells. An official reveal should happen later this summer with the new 2020 Cadillac CT4 going on sale this fall. Photos: Automedia


Follow these steps if you actually want to retire early. 12 People Who Retired Young (and How They Did It) After shooting 15 films in seven years, Macaulay Culkin decided to quit acting at age 14 and retire to normal life and attend high school in Manhattan. The "Home Alone" and "Ri¢hie Ri¢h" star began acting at 4 years old and he earned an estimated $17 million from his on-screen work   enough to retire, even as a teenager. Retiring early isn't just a dream reserved for the stars. Plenty of people manage to achieve financial independence without hitting stardom. In fact, the 12 people profiled here retired well before their 60s thanks to hard work, a high savings rate, frugal living, smart investing, or a combination of savvy retirement strategies. Several actually retired before they turned 40. Each person took his or her own path, but there are similarities in the ways they all reached financial independence. Read their stories to find out what it takes to retire early. Pauline Paquin Imagine being able to retire before age 30. Most people are just starting out in their careers at that point, but Pauline Paquin left the 9-to-5 working life when she was just 29. "What helped me achieve financial independence early is I got an early start in life," said Paquin, the founder of the blog Reach Financial Independence. She had several jobs as a teen, kept hustling through college and graduated with $25,000 in savings that helped her buy her first rental property with cash. "I realized early on that money buys freedom, and every time I would save $50, I would tell myself that's a day I don't need to work in the future," she said. Now, Paquin has three rental properties that provide enough income to support her low-cost early retirement lifestyle in Guatemala. Jim Wang Jim Wang left the workforce at 30 after selling his successful blog, Bargaineering. While Wang was working as a software engineer in the defense industry, he started blogging on the side for fun. However, that hobby turned into a profitable business. See if you're financially ready to quit your job , like Wang was. "I quit my job once Bargaineering was bringing in enough," Wang said. "It had been for over a year, but I was still scared to make the leap." He left his software engineering job in 2008, then sold Bargaineering in 2010, invested the proceeds and "retired." Wang now has a new blog, Wallet Hacks. It's something he does for fun rather than to support himself financially, so he still considers himself retired. Elizabeth Willard Thames After working for 10 years in the nonprofit sector as a fundraiser and communications manager, Elizabeth Willard Thames retired at age 32. She and her husband, Nate, left their careers in Cambridge, Mass., and moved to 66 wooded acres in Vermont. Urban Boston has a lot higher living expenses than rural Vermont. "For my husband and me, the key thing that helped us reach financial independence was having a clear goal for why we wanted to pursue a different lifestyle," said Thames, author of "Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independence through Simple Living" and founder of the Frugalwoods blog. "Articulating that we wanted to move to a homestead in the woods of Vermont and have greater control over our time motivated us to save money at a very high rate and embrace a simpler approach to living," she said. "Knowing that we were working toward this more fulfilling lifestyle allowed us to let go of the desire to spend money and freed us up to focus only on our highest and best priorities." Learn More: How to Set Career and Financial Goals You'll Actually Achieve Jillian Johnsrud Being incredibly frugal helped Jillian Johnsrud retire at age 32 from a sales job and her husband, Adam, take an early medical retirement at 35 from the Army. "We never earned a lot of income, so we had to be really freaking scrappy and focused to get here," said Johnsrun, who blogs about her financial freedom and frugal living at Montana Money Adventures. She and her husband managed to save $100,000 by age 24 by stashing all of her earnings and living on just his $1,800 monthly paycheck from the Army. They continued to save, their investments grew thanks to compound interest , and they used some of that money to buy a rental property. Then with the income from that rental property, they bought another, Johnsrud said. Monthly rental income of $1,250 and her husband's monthly military retirement benefit of $1,450 is enough to support them in their early retirement   along with their five children   because they keep costs low. "We rarely buy stuff or feel a need to spend money to be happy," she said. Learn More: 9 People Share the Extreme Methods They Took to Retire Early Todd Tresidder Todd Tresidder knew before he even started working that he wanted to achieve financial independence to retire early , which he did at age 35. "My entire process was very conscious, methodical and planned," he said. "I realized in college that if I wanted financial freedom that I would have to become an expert investor. I researched where investment expertise was concentrated   the hedge fund industry   and targeted my career aspirations there." Tresidder had several job offers, but took the lowest-paying job because it had the greatest upside potential, he said. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a partner at his hedge fund firm in a few years. But as his pay increased, he continued to live as he did in college and save 70 percent of his income. "I then took those savings and invested them according to the investment strategies I developed as a researcher and presto   financial freedom," Tresidder said. To stay busy and engaged in his retirement, Tresidder blogs about reaching financial independence at Financial Mentor. Don't Miss: 3 Things People Most People Get Wrong About the FIRE Movement Akaisha and Billy Kaderli Akaisha and Billy Kaderli were 36 when they decided they wanted to retire early. Akaisha was running the restaurant the couple owned in Santa Cruz, Calif., and Billy was the vice president of investments with Dean Witter Reynolds. Their relationship was suffering because of their work schedules, so they set a savings goal of $500,000 and invested every penny they could over the next two years. By 1991, they reached their savings goal through investing and the sale of their restaurant and home and retired at the age of 38. They were able to retire with less than $1 million at such a young age because they've been living outside the U.S. in countries where the cost of living is low. They try to keep their annual spending below $30,000. Because they only withdraw a small percentage of their savings each year, their money has continued to grow and they actually have more now than when they retired. They share their adventures on their blog, Retire Early Lifestyle. Dustin Heiner Investing in real estate allowed Dustin Heiner to retire at the age of 37. In 2007, he used his life's savings to buy his first rental property for cash. "Six months after I bought my first property, I refinanced it and pulled out 80 percent of the value to purchase another rental property," Heiner said. "Four months after buying that property, I refinanced it and pulled out 80 percent to buy two more properties. After a little over a year, I had four properties that rented for $500 to $550 a month." He saved every penny of profit from those properties to buy more. After six years, he had enough passive income from his properties to replace the income from his job. But it took another three years to get the courage to quit. Heiner now has 28 properties that bring in more than $12,000 in rent a month and blogs about real estate investing at Master Passive Income. Related: How to Get Into Real Estate Investing Now J.D. Roth For years, J.D. Roth sold corrugated packaging   such as shipping boxes   and hated it. He had always wanted to be a writer, so he created a blog about sensible personal finance called Get Rich Slowly. It became so popular and generated enough revenue that Roth was able to quit his day job and write full time. Blogging is a tried-and-true way to boost your income . Ironically, Roth actually got rich quickly when he sold Get Rich Slowly in 2009 at the age of 40. "While it's true that I achieved financial independence through a windfall, I was well on my way even without that event," Roth said. "If I hadn't sold the site, the income I had from it would have allowed me to reach the same point within a few years. But I wanted to quit work. I wanted to 'retire.'" He didn't stop working on the site and retire until 2012. But Roth jumped back into the world of work in October 2017 when he bought back Get Rich Slowly, "not because I needed the money, but because I wanted to feel useful, and I wanted something to do that gave me fulfillment," he said. Doug Nordman Doug Nordman retired from the U.S. Navy's submarine force in 2002 at the age of 41. Although his military service entitled him to a pension, it was his own savings that allowed him to retire early. "The key factor to our financial independence was a high savings rate," said Nordman, who is the author of "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement" and founder of The Military Guide. See what jobs still come with a pension . Nordman and his wife eliminated wasteful spending to invest at least 40 percent of their income annually in mutual funds between 1982 to 2001. In fact, many months they put more than 50 percent of the income in retirement savings. "We saved and invested for our own financial independence as if I wouldn't earn a pension," Nordman said. "The pension is great, but we have enough investments to be financially independent without it." Carl from 1500 Days When figuring out how to retire early from his job as a software developer, Carl used the 4 percent rule to calculate how much he would need to save to make his dream a reality. The strategy assumes that if you can live off 4 percent of your investments in the first year of retirement, your savings should last 30 years if you continue to withdraw your money at the same rate. He estimated that his expenses would be $40,000 his first year in retirement, so he would need to save $1 million. Carl, who blogs at 1500days.com and uses only his first name to protect his family's privacy, already had $586,000 because he had been saving in a 401k since he first started working. To reach $1 million, he and his wife cut their spending and downsized to a smaller house so he could save 60 percent to 70 percent of his income. He reached his savings goal in three years, but didn't work up the courage to quit until nearly a year later when he was 43. "I wasn't happy at my job and didn't need more money, so leaving was the right decision and I'm satisfied with where my life is now," he said. Carl's Story: What It's Really Like to Retire Early Amy and Tim Rutherford To retire early, Amy and Tim Rutherford changed their big-spending ways. "We used to be high spenders and cut $6,500 a month out of our budget," Amy said. One of the biggest expenses they slashed was housing, by downsizing from a 6,000-square-foot home to a less-than-2,000-square-foot townhouse. See why downsizing can make sense from a financial standpoint . The couple also saved all of Amy's income and a portion of Tim's, which helped them build a big enough nest egg to retire early. Amy retired from a sales position at 46, and Tim left his job selling telecommunications equipment at age 48. Now, they spend a lot of their time traveling and sharing frugal travel tips on their blog, GoWithLess. John from ESI Money John was able to retire at 52 by following a philosophy of earning, saving and investing. "If you do those things well, you can retire," said John, who only uses his first name to protect his family's privacy because he shares details about his finances on his blog ESI Money. John had a high income while he worked. Before he retired, he was earning six figures as the chief marketing officer for a marketing services company. He saved 36 percent of his income by maximizing 401k contributions and stashing cash in an individual retirement account and brokerage accounts. The money he saved grew because it was invested in index funds, and he retired with more than $3 million in savings. John also owns 14 rental units, which provide enough income along with ESI Money and his other blog, Rockstar Finance, to cover his expenses. "We really don't have to touch our savings at all," he said. Click through to learn the surprising things about early retirement you need to know .