All three NASCAR national series will be competing this weekend but they'll be doing so in two different parts of the country. Cup and Xfinity Series teams will race at Michigan International Speedway, and the Gander Outdoor Truck Series holds its first standalone weekend of the year at Texas Motor Speedway. The wunderground.com forecast for this weekend at Michigan calls for high temperatures in the mid to high 70s all weekend. There's a small chance of rain throughout the weekend. The wunderground.com forecast for Thursday and Friday at Texas will see high temperatures in the mid to high 80s. Here's the full weekend schedule for both tracks with TV and radio info. (All times are Eastern) Michigan International Speedway Friday, June 7 10 a.m.   9 p.m.   Xfinity garage open 11 a.m.   7:30 p.m.   Cup garage open 1:05   1:55 p.m.   Xfinity practice (NASCAR.com, Motor Racing Network) 2:05   2:55 p.m.   Cup practice (NASCAR.com, MRN) 3:05   3:55 p.m.   Final Xfinity practice (FS2) 4:05   4:55   Final Cup practice (FS2, MRN) Saturday, June 8 7:30 a.m.   1:30 p.m.   Cup garage open 9 a.m.   Xfinity garage opens 10:30 a.m.   Xfinity qualifying; single car/one lap (FS2) 11:45 a.m.   Xfinity driver-crew chief meeting 12:05 p.m.   Cup qualifying/impound; single car/one lap (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 1 p.m.   Xfinity driver introductions 1:30 p.m.   LTI Printing 250; 125 laps/250 miles (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Sunday, June 9 10 a.m.   Cup garage opens Noon   Driver/crew chief meeting 1:20   Driver introductions 2 p.m.   FireKeepers Casino 400; 200 laps/400 miles Texas Motor Speedway Thursday, June 6 Noon   9 p.m.   Truck Series garage open 3:05   3:55 p.m.   First Truck practice (No TV) 5:05   5:55 p.m.   Second Truck practice (No TV) 7   7:45 p.m.   Final Truck practice (No TV) Friday, June 7 1 p.m.   Truck garage opens 5:35 p.m.   Qualifying; single truck/one lap (NASCAR.com) 7 p.m.   Driver-crew chief meeting 8:30 p.m.   Driver introductions 9 p.m.   SpeedyCash.com 400; 167 laps/250.5 miles (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)


About 60 homes and a brewery could soon rise at the site of the once mighty Piedmont Mill One, the latest in a series of steps that promise to transform the old Piedmont mill village back into a vibrant community. Kudzu, crabgrass and cracked asphalt cover more than a dozen acres of riverside real estate in "downtown" Piedmont, and most of the store fronts in its block-long, century-old business district are empty. The greater Piedmont area has grown by more than 30% since 2000, according to U.S. Census data, but the village center itself has been in decline since the J.P. Stevens textile company shut down manufacturing here in 1977. A smokestack is all that is left of a mill that stood on the site for more 99 years . It burned down in 1983. When the roof started to leak on the village's community building, the cash-strapped owners came up with money to fix it only after lightning blew out a chimney and they collected insurance money on it. "When the mills were closed in the '70s a lot of jobs were lost, but when the mill burned and was torn down in the '80s, I mean, that sort of ripped the heart out of that community and everybody left," said Larry Webb, an investor who is personally financing the restoration of the mill village's old mercantile store . "I mean everybody moved." But with growth radiating out from the city of Greenville just 15 minutes away, developers are betting on a turn in the market   one that counts on millennials coming of age and looking to buy into village life, affordability, historic authenticity and proximity to a city center. Nine out of the mill village's 10 buildings along Main Street have changed hands since early 2017, according to county property records, with one of the owners dubbing themselves "Piedmont Alive LLC." Another investor   William Brock Jr. of Summerhill Properties   bought five acres and a former Piedmont Mill warehouse on the Anderson side of the river earlier this year for $425,000. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? Support stories like this by supporting local journalism. Please consider becoming a subscriber. Here's our special offer . It is in this context that a Greenville development team is weeks away from purchasing 11.5 acres of riverfront property   the site of the former Piedmont Mill One   and building 60 townhouses and cottages there. The development is directly across Main Street from the mill village's old mercantile store, itself months away from a full restoration with six business and eight apartments. Mercantile's restoration: Is Piedmont the next Travelers Rest? Bridge, waterfall could be the key " Another mill on the Saluda: 'Eyesore' mill in Pelzer could be redeveloped after standing empty for 20 years Developers Richard Greer and Brad Skelton did not disclose how big an investment the riverfront development could be, but 60 homes alone at the average sale price of a new house in Greenville County (about $175,000) would bump the land values there to at around $10.5 million. The market value of the land today is about $106,500, according to Greenville County records. "Piedmont, if you look at it on MapQuest, it's closer to Falls Park than Simpsonville is," Greer said. "Most people don't think like that." A Renaissance appears to imminent for this ready-made walkable village. Townhouses and a riverfront brewery Greer, who runs State Investors LLC, and Skelton, of Red Oak Developers, are working together on the riverfront project where the oldest of the community's four former mills once stood. If plans proceed as they say, the project could include a riverside brewery, shops, river access for kayaks and a park along the riverbank where the developers can't build. "We will put some real nice green space in, including public access for a concert series," Skelton said. Greer and Skelton went public with their plans for Piedmont at a July 16 finance committee meeting of the Greenville County Council where they sought support in their pursuit of state tax credits for the riverside project. Greer had previously laid out his plans last fall at a Piedmont Public Service Commission meeting, according to a report in the Williamston Journal , but Greer told The Greenville News late last week that he has a new partner   Skelton   and an updated vision for the project. Piedmont Mill application f... by AnnaBrutzman on Scribd "As you know, the plans are preliminary at this point, but we have a pretty good idea what we'd like to see," Greer said. The Greenville County Council certified the site as eligible for the tax credits, and the developers are moving ahead with the project, which includes buying seven parcels from three local owners and evaluating the site's soil and ground water for any possible contaminants. One of the property owners is the Piedmont Public Service Commission, which recently approved a contract to sell their 0.4-acre parcel for $42,000. The riverfront project comes a year after Webb announced last year he intended to restore the mill village's long-empty, 114-year-old mercantile store. Once the ground floor is finished   likely by early 2020   the mercantile will have room enough for six businesses. Eight apartments on the second floor will come later. A coffee shop, a breakfast-and-lunch diner, a dentist's office, a tap house serving craft beers and wines and an artists' studio with a gallery and classroom space will be moving in. "All the retail is pre-leased," Webb said. "We have leases signed on all of that." A plan and a government boost Nothing in Piedmont happens fast. Webb's quest to breathe life back into the 25,000-square-foot mercantile building had to start with earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places, which is imminent. Meanwhile, a restoration plan   required to receive historic tax credits   is in the final phases of approval by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. "While it has been sitting there vacant and not much happening to it, there's been a lot going on behind the scenes to get to the point where we can build," Webb said. Webb is taking advantage of state and federal tax credits in order to finance the restoration while keeping leases affordable. Before his crews can touch a single nail, they had to document everything that was original and historic about the building. If windows needed to be replaced, they had to be handmade like the originals. Before any bricks can be laid, masons must first document the historic mortar mix and replicate that. The preparation and the work, he said, has not been cheap. He declined to say how much his investment is amounting to except to say it is "not inexpensive." Without the tax credits, he said, the project likely couldn't happen and the old building would continue to sit. He called it a perfect example of what tax credits should be used for: bringing people and businesses back to a community that needs it. "No matter what, at the end of the day we are still in Piedmont, and Piedmont still has a way to go," Webb said. "The rents have to be very competitive. We can't charge Easley rents or Powdersville rents or Greenville rents in Piedmont. It's just not there yet. The tax credit money helps reduce the cost of the building to the point you can have affordable rents." Similarly, Greer and Skelton are seeking state income-tax credits for their riverfront project under the state's Textile Communities Rehabilitation Act. Under the act, the developer can seek tax credits equal to 25% of the site's rehabilitation expenses. The point of the law is to support redevelopment of old mill sites in depressed areas. "One thing that happened is the General Assembly passed the Textile Rehab Act back in the 1990s," Greer said. "But most of that was taken advantage of in the metro areas, not in these small textile towns that suffered the most." Permission denied: Greenville County board rejects 862-home subdivision on Hollingsworth land near Piedmont The U.S. Census considers Piedmont , which is not an incorporated city or town, a "designated place" with a population of roughly 6,200 people at last count. Median income there was estimated at $45,700 in 2017 and unemployment 6.5%, compared to $53,700 and 3.5% in Greenville County as a whole. Greer is also working on redevelopment projects at old mill sites along the Saluda River in Williamston and Pelzer. "There's lots of opportunity, but these have been depressed areas for a long time," Greer said. "We are trying to take them from distressed to a more vibrant area." Decades of waiting For Anne Peden, a local historian whose mother taught at the former Piedmont High School, the transformation has been decades in the making. When a group of Clemson University students sketched out a possible riverside park back in the 1990s, the excitement was palpable, she said. "That kind of fell through," Peden said. "We could not get the funding. I was not involved, but some of my friends were. They were very disappointed." Peden wrote a grant to get the leaky community building's roof fixed, only to never hear anything again. The Piedmont Public Service Commission owns the building but is primarily charged with fire protection in the area. Tracy Wallace, administrator of the Piedmont Public Service Commission, recently threw his support behind an 860-home subdivision off Bessie and Old Pelzer roads that could have boosted the commission's tax base by $200 million. The Bessie Road project failed last week when the Greenville County Planning Commission struck it down over infrastructure concerns. Nearby residents also spoke out against suburban sprawl ruining the largely rural nature of the Piedmont area. "Hopefully this downtown project will kick in, and we won't have to worry so much about the subdivisions," Wallace said. Peden, among those who opposed the large subdivision, said she favors dense development where it belongs   in downtown settings like the mill village. Webb said he heard similar support when he spoke to the Lion's Club, the women's club and the historical society. "A lot of the young folks want no upkeep on their grounds," Peden said. "They don't want to be cutting grass. That's fine with me, as long as you are leaving that green space." This article originally appeared on The Greenville News: Plans to transform Piedmont from mill village to Millennial village


The star of mini-camps and OTAs for the Oakland Raiders was none other than Antonio Brown, who the team traded for during this offseason. Brown was utterly dominant, connecting with new quarterback Derek Carr instantly. During Brown's first interview with the Oakland Raiders, he discussed the Hard Knocks upcoming season, his relationship with Carr and his work ethic. You can watch the full video below via Brown's YouTube channel : MORE: NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players LaVar Ball offers explanation for his inappropriate remark to ESPN's Molly Qerim Dez Bryant tweets in support of LaVar Ball after ESPN ban D'Angelo Russell open to Lakers return with Magic Johnson gone Roundup: Beth Chapman in Medically Induced Coma, Roseanne and Andrew Dice Clay Touring Together, Poker Hall of Fame Nominees


Housing costs got you down? Though apartment hunting can be frustrating, there are deals to be had. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Long Beach look like these days   and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in Long Beach via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 351 E. Seventh St. Listed at $925/month, this studio apartment, located at 351 E. Seventh St. in Long Beach, is 31.5 percent less than the median rent for a studio in Long Beach, which is currently estimated at around $1,350/month. You'll find hardwood flooring and granite countertops in the unit. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. Look out for a $20 deposit. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location has excellent walkability and is convenient for biking. (See the complete listing here .) 625 Elm Ave. This studio apartment, situated at 625 Elm Ave. in Long Beach, is also listed for $925/month. Building amenities include on-site management and on-site laundry. Pets are not permitted. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is extremely walkable and is quite bikeable. (See the complete listing here .) 1377 N. Warren Ave. And here's a studio apartment at 1377 N. Warren Ave. in Long Beach, which is going for $1,145/month. You'll see a ceiling fan in the unit. Pets are not allowed. Expect a $100 processing fee. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is quite walkable and is convenient for biking. (Check out the listing here .) 1549 Linden Ave. Over at 1549 Linden Ave. in Long Beach, there's this studio apartment, going for $1,150/month. Building amenities include on-site management and on-site laundry. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. Cats and dogs are not permitted. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is quite walkable and is relatively bikeable. (View the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is reported to have agreed his departure this summer after winning 11 trophies in just five seasons but failing to end the club's ongoing Champions League drought, currently standing at 23 years and counting. Juventus marched to an eighth successive Serie A title this season, the fifth under Allegri. Yet their stranglehold on the Coppa Italia came to an end after a shock defeat to Atalanta in the quarter finals, while they were unable to get beyond the last eight in Europe, despite spending €100m on five-time Ballon d'Or recipient Cristiano Ronaldo. Juve have twice reached the Champions League final under Allegri's management, only to fall short on both occasions by losing to Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2015 and 2017 respectively. According to a huge revelation from Italian publication La Stampa , Allegri and Juventus have agreed to part ways after speculation over a meeting on Wednesday, with chairman Andrea Agnelli, vice-chairman Pavel Nedved and sporting director Fabio Paratici all 'on site' that day. Assuming the claims are true, it remains to be seen where Allegri might head next. His stock is certainly high, even without Champions League glory to his name, and La Stampa has named Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona as possible destinations. He could even take a year off. As for the future at Juventus, the report suggests former boss Antonio Conte, the man who kicked off the club's era of Serie A dominance with titles in 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 could make a sensational return. However, La Stampa notes a potential grudge from Agnelli over the nature of Conte's first exit to take over the Italian national team in 2014. Another possible candidate that has been mentioned is Lazio's Simone Inzaghi, the younger brother of former Juve star Filippo.


Looking to check out the top art galleries around? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best such venues in Cleveland, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of galleries to explore. 1. The Glass Bubble Project Topping the list is The Glass Bubble Project . Located at 2421 Bridge Ave. in Ohio City - West Side, the art gallery and art school offers glass-blowing classes and more. It's the highest-rated art gallery in Cleveland, boasting five stars out of 29 reviews on Yelp. 2. 78th Street Studios Next up is Detroit-Shoreway's 78th Street Studios , at 1300 W. 78th St. With 4.5 stars out of 34 reviews on Yelp, the art gallery and venue/event space has proven to be a local favorite. 3. Something Different Gallery Back in Ohio City - West Side, check out Something Different Gallery , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 16 reviews on Yelp. You can find the art gallery and gift shop at 1899 W. 25th St. 4. Artefino Art Gallery & Cafe Finally, there's Artefino Art Gallery & Cafe , a downtown favorite with four stars out of 23 reviews. Stop by 1900 Superior Ave. East to hit up the art gallery and breakfast/brunch spot, which offers coffee and tea and more, next time the urge strikes. 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.


BillsWire is proud to present the first episode of The Kyle Silagyi Variety Hour , a Buffalo Bills-centric podcast hosted by former BillsWire Managing Editor Kyle Silagyi. In this episode, Silagyi and BillsWire contributing writer Justin Diloro discuss Buffalo's troublesome situation at tight end. They also discuss the feasibility of a future NFL Draft taking place in Buffalo. Listen Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts RadioPublic RSS MORE: 'Jeopardy' star James Holzhauer fell just short of breaking his own ridiculous record Draymond Green to LeBron James' 14-Year-Old Son: "I'm at Your F--king Neck This Summer" Jimmy Butler would reportedly like playing with LeBron James Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics Oshane Ximines named Giants' most dangerous new weapon


Look back at historic pictures for National Nurses's Day. May 6th marks National Nurses Day, but there are countless reasons why we should appreciate them every day. Without the bravery and unwavering commitment of nurses who provide patients with incredible care and support, modern hospitals would cease to function. Notable nurses throughout history, such as Dorothea Dix, Florence Nightingale, and Clara Barton were the first to establish the field, and nurses around the world helped make incredible strides throughout the 20th century. Look back on these photos of nurses in action through the years as they paved the way for those who continue to make the world a better place today. 1900s A nurse at a British field hospital tends to wounded soldiers in South Africa during the 2nd Boer war. 1900s Nurse Dolores Hernandez, a registered Red Cross nurse who was inducted into the U.S. Army, works with medical equipment at Fort MacArthhur Laboratory in San Pedro, CA. 1900s An American Red Cross nurse gives water to a bandaged soldier. 1900s During a 7-mile Welcome Home Parade, a Red Cross nurse supplies food and drink to veterans in Washington Square. 1910s A band of Red Cross nurses ride in a decorated truck through a parade supporting the home effort during World War I. 1920s A Red Cross nurses teaches a group of women about home hygiene and how to care for the sick. 1930s Socialites and higher members of society also did their part for the war relief - here, radio performer Bea Wain folds bandages at the American Red Cross headquarters in New York. 1940s A nurse with a megaphone encourages men to join the British Red Cross Society. 1941 Red Cross workers collect from British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as he purchases a flag on Red Cross Flag day in June 1941. 1943 Army nurse Anne V. Wojcik feeds a wounded soldier in a neck and back cast aboard the U.S. Army's hospital train, en route from New York to Ohio. 1950 Olga Randolph and Barbara Chase pack cases of American Red Cross gift packages to be distributed in hospitals on Christmas Day. 1952 Martin Sheridan, one of the 175 survivors of the deadly Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire in Boston, donates his eighth pint of blood with help from a Red Cross nurse, Eileen Waters, to commemorate the event's 10th anniversary. 1953 Prospective nurses at the General Hospitals Preliminary Training School in England undergo practical training on a life-sized dummy 'patient.' 1959 Red Cross nurses take a blood donation from singer and actor, Elvis Presley, during his military service in Germany. 1961 Mrs. Jerry Losasso, chairman of the Red Cross Motor Service, keeps transportation orders organized and gives orders to volunteer nurses who make an average of 52 trips per day. 1967 Nurses attend to wounded American soldiers as they prepare to depart from Tan Son Nhat air base for the United States during the Vietnam War. 1968 Pat Shalter, a Red Cross staff worker at Fitzsimons General Hospital in Colorado, entertains her patient, Spec. 4 officer Greg Wadhams, by teaching him a board game. 1989 Paramedics at Tiananmen Square in China help evacuate a student during the Beijing University hunger strike and other student demonstrations in 1989.


Could AT&T be ready to unload DirecTV with Englewood-based Dish as the beneficiary? AT&T's DirecTV and Dish Network Corp. (Nasdaq: DISH) are open to a merger, and both companies believe such a deal could pass muster with U.S. regulators, according to people familiar with their thinking, Bloomberg reported Friday. Shares of AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) climbed, as did Dish's shares, in late trading. The report comes after analysts at UBS on Thursday raised the question of whether it's the right time for satellite consolidation. A spin-off of the DirecTV could be a "strong catalyst" for AT&T shares, the analysts said in a research note. "We believe the weakest piece in the AT&T puzzle is DTV, given our outlook for 2.8M (subscriber) losses in 2019," the note said. "In line with the company's past strategic approach to declining businesses in an effort to improve its overall growth profile, we think AT&T might undertake a spinout and divestment of DTV." > Click/tap to read more at the Denver Business Journal. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS


A new report on the latest investment activity in downtown Sacramento is highlighting continued interest and growth within the city's urban core. The report compiled by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership focused on investment activity in the second quarter of 2019. Here are four key takeaways : Class A office vacancy hit a five-year low Emerald Tower at 300 Capitol Mall, sold for $127 million Food and drink grew to 34% of downtown retail mix 1,082 new residential units under construction "We continue to see strong interest in downtown. Investors, businesses and employees have transformed our urban core into a hub for innovation and culture," said Michael Ault, executive director of Downtown Sacramento Partnership. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership also cited growing visitor activity as driving demand in the urban core. READ MORE: Downtown Sacramento remains on an economic roll CHECK OUT KCRA: Stay informed. Get the latest Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento news and weather from the KCRA news team.


With the duo of Jets defensive linemen Quinnen and Leonard Williams being dubbed the "Twinkie Twins" by a teammate, we decided to borrow that idea for Wednesday's PFT Live . It was an easy leap to make   what are the best nicknames for a duo or group in NFL history? Simms and I picked three each, with yours truly winning the rigged coin toss for the first time in weeks. It will take only minutes to watch the segment. So check it out, and let us know your own favorites in the comments. We'll be back Thursday with a new edition of PFT Live , including a draft inspired by the biggest story of Wednesday.


The offseason between the first and second years of any NFL player's career is usually the most critical. That sophomore leap often comes from players who struggled their rookie season or were only average and still have some developing to do. Every once in a while, a player who had a strong rookie year also makes that leap and becomes a legitimate star. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley certainly has all the makings of an elite play-maker. While it definitely doesn't hurt to have Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu opening up the field for him, Ridley's first season in the league went about as well as anyone possibly could have hoped. Going into year two, Matt Ryan says Ridley is hungry to get better and truly wants to be a great player, per Jason Butt at the Athletic . "When he got his chances he made plays. But like all of us, he realized there's more out there for you. You can always be better. He has that mindset. He's hungry. He wants to be a great player in this league. He's worked extremely hard this offseason." As a rookie, Ridley showed the same crisp route running and instincts to beat zone coverage that made him a standout at Alabama. His ability to change direction quickly makes him a very difficult one on one matchup, even for solid NFL cornerbacks. Ridley did drop a few too many passes for comfort, which was also a problem for him in college. If he can continue to develop the other aspects of his game and develop softer hands, Ridley looks like he has the chance to be every bit as productive as Jones. That prospect should be terrifying for the rest of the league, who may have to contend with the trio of Jones, Ridley and Sanu for at least another two seasons. MORE: Kevin Na gives caddie awesome present right after PGA Tour win: 'That's your car!' Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics NFL world responds to passing of Packers legend Bart Starr LeBron James and LeBron James, Jr. lose it after massive poster dunk This is how the Milwaukee Bucks head into the offseason


The Seattle Seahawks made a flurry of roster moves last week, signing five new free agents while also releasing two franchise icons in Doug Baldwin and Kam Chancellor. Of the five new additions, two of them play on the defensive line: defensive end Ezekiel Ansah and interior defensive tackle Al Woods. Assuming both make the roster ( a given for Ansah , not so much for Woods ) then Seattle will have some tough roster decisions to make. After a strong rookie season in 2017, former North Carolina defensive tackle Nazair Jones was hardly used last year, often ending up on the inactive list despite not showing up on the injury report. All told, Jones saw action in nine games in 2018, racking up just two solo tackles and two quarterback hits. After the season, coach Pete Carroll reported that Jones is making the transition from defensive tackle to defensive end . One would think a move to give Jones more versatility on the defensive line has to be a good thing for his future employment, except that the Seahawks seem to have filled up both spots pretty adequately - which could spell trouble for the third-year pro. The Seahawks will go into training camp with Ansah and rookie L.J. Collier as the projected starters at defensive end. Quinton Jefferson, Rasheem Green, Branden Jackson and Cassius Marsh are also competing for roles, and Seattle could use Jacob Martin and/or Shaquem Griffin off the edge as well. Of that group, only Jackson seems in real danger of getting cut. Seattle returns Jarran Reed and Poona Ford on the interior, while also adding Woods, free agent Jamie Meder, draft pick DeMarcus Christmas and two undrafted free agents; Jay-Tee Tiuli and Bryan Mone. So where does that leave Jones? A quick glance at the depth chart and it appears his best shot is on the interior, where only Reed and Ford seem locked into roster spots. However, moving him to five-tech last season is a pretty strong indication that Carroll and company didn't like what they were seeing out of him on the interior, and the addition of Woods, Meder and Christmas adds plenty of tough competition at that spot. The Seahawks don't seem likely to give up on a former third round pick after just 20 games, especially after he showed some promise in his rookie year. As such, he'll probably get opportunities at both spots during training camp, giving him a greater chance of earning a roster spot. However, in coach Carroll's culture of competition, there's no guaranteed roster spots for anybody, and Jones' job security is particularly tenuous after the new additions on the defensive line. MORE: Aaron Rodgers discusses his 'Game of Thrones' cameo, and it's not what fans all thought it was NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Video confirms reports of Chris Paul's attempt to sabotage Steph Curry Future heir or temporary face? Assessing the unknowns of Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham Roundup: Wayne LaPierre Expensive Clothes Receipts, No Matt Lauer at CNN, Michael B. Jordan Vetoes Conor McGregor in Creed 3


With her ball lying about 100 yards from the hole at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in August 2018, Isabella Fierro pulled a gap wedge out of her bag and prepared for the approach shot. The ensuing swing, though, would put a damper on the event in Tennessee. "My hand kind of cracked," Fierro recalled. "I told my caddie, 'Hey, I can barely move my hand.'" Locked in a match play contest against Emilee Hoffman, a University of Texas golfer, Fierro opted to battle through pain. She lost the matchup, went home to Mexico and told Lorena Ochoa - former world No. 1 on the LPGA Tour and a mentor for the Oklahoma State commit - about the incident. Then came her second wrist surgery in two years. Then came a seven-month hiatus for the 18-year-old from competitive golf. Then came a drop in the rankings - from as high as No. 28 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings to No. 118. Then came her return. In April, she appeared at the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship, missing the cut but thankful to be back on the course at all after so long off one. So at this week's U.S. Girls Junior, which begins Monday and goes until Saturday at SentryWorld in Stevens Point, Wis., Fierro is grateful to be competing in her fourth tournament of 2019 and her final event before heading to Stillwater, Okla., to join Oklahoma State's golf team. "It's my last tournament my mom will go with me to, then I'm going to college. It is really special to me," Fierro said. "I just want to take it day-by-day and shot-by-shot and see how it goes." Fierro, one of a number of up-and-coming Mexican golfers, including Gaby Lopez , Maria Fassi or Cory Lopez, grew up like many of the rest. She watched Lorena Ochoa, the 27-time LPGA Tour champion, from a young age. She's played alongside many of the top Mexican golfers for years as part of the national team, and seeing the success of her peers on the PGA and LPGA Tours is exciting, she said. "They've worked really hard on the program, they want to get better, and they're doing it," Fierro said. "It's really cool that Mexico has a lot of young players coming up." Photo: Joel Martinez Ochoa, often an ambassador of sorts for Mexican golf, took an interest in Fierro, particularly after a breakout 2017. After Fierro won the Mexican Amateur Championship in Mexico City, she received a phone call from Ochoa offering congratulations. Fierro's momentum continued when she won the South American Amateur in Buenos Aires, Argentina, by 10 strokes, and later topped the leaderboard at the North & South Women's Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C. With those wins, her relationship with Ochoa grew. "She's really kind with me, and I ask her a lot of questions," Fierro said. "I ask her a lot of things about the Tour, how's the life over there and what she recommended I do for college." Ultimately, the decision to attend Oklahoma State was Fierro's. When she visited Stillwater a few years ago, she liked the small-town feel. She still visited other schools, but Oklahoma State kept pulling her back - how its coaches tracked all her tournaments, even those in Mexico; the support of a new coaching regime with Greg Robertson at the helm; and a belief that the women's team can find similar success as the men's squad have, most recently with Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland leading the Cowboys to a 2018 NCAA Championship and Wolff winning the 2019 individual NCAA championship. "Why the girls - why have they not won a national championship? I ask the coaches a lot," Fierro said. "I want to help them to do that. I want to be a part of that." As Fierro works back from her second wrist surgery, she doesn't feel any more pain. Her swing is feeling more comfortable again - she won the Campeonato Nacional Infantil Juvenil in Mexico in May and finished eighth at the Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan last month. So at SentryWorld in Wisconsin for the U.S. Girls Junior, Fierro is tempering her expectations, still only playing in her fourth tournament in 2019. But in her last event before heading to Oklahoma State, Fierro hopes to put in a strong performance while following a path Ochoa paved. "My golf will get there," Fierro said. "I just need to be patient." https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/open-course-you-want-to-play_golfweek MORE: Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' Brooks Koepka explained what's the most frustrating part of J.B. Holmes' slow play Phil Simms: 'Multiple' teams were set to take Daniel Jones before No. 17 Brooks Koepka Calls Out J.B. Holmes Following Disastrous Final Round at The Open 14 biggest questions for the Packers entering training camp


OAKLAND   Whatever LeBron James is doing these days during the first NBA Finals he's missed since 2010, it's enticing to envision him kicking up his feet somewhere in a Los Angeles mansion watching the proceedings Wednesday night with a big glass of red wine in hand and one thought kicking around his mind. Not so easy, is it Steph? The washed-up remains of an NBA roster that we will technically call the Golden State Warriors lost Game 3 at Oracle Arena, 123-109, which was really the only result that made sense under the circumstances. What it means from here in this most unusual series, which the Toronto Raptors now lead 2-1, is anyone's guess. Over the next few days, the Warriors could get Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant back in the lineup and be completely fine against a Raptors team that still doesn't act like it should be trusted. Or they might not and lose the series in five. Who knows. But if nothing else, watching Steph Curry try to pull this off should bring one thing into crystal-clear focus for the crowd that likes to peddle the nonsense that a player's greatness is proportional to their record in NBA Finals. Context matters. It matters for Curry, who took the whole thing on his back but couldn't quite drag Golden State over the finish line. And it matters for James, whose 3-6 record in the NBA Finals is routinely wielded against against him as evidence that he's not a closer or not as good as Michael Jordan or whatever the television yell-fest narrative of the day is. As Curry played a flat-out spectacular game Wednesday, scoring 47 points, it was impossible not to think about how the tables had turned from 2015 when the Warriors won their first title. By the time James and the Cavaliers arrived at that series, Kevin Love had been lost to a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving, who had been struggling with injuries for much of the playoffs, was ruled out after Game 1 with a fractured kneecap. That left James to play it out with a cast of characters that somewhat resembled what the Warriors were able to put around Curry in Game 3. But whereas Golden State still had Draymond Green, the Cavs' second-leading scorer in that series was none other than Timofey Mozgov. The point is, it's a tricky thing to tie an all-time great player's legacy to the NBA Finals, isn't it? After 82 games and a marathon playoffs that leaves so many rosters held together with Popsicle sticks and duct tape, it's clear that which bodies are available matters a lot. "We've been on both ends of this," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game. "We have had injuries in the past, our opponents have had injuries. So you don't make any excuses. You go out there and see what you can do, and you relish the opportunity and the challenge because before you know it you're retired and you wish you could go back and do it all over again." And even now, the Warriors aren't out of chances. Through three games, the Raptors have not exactly looked like the 2014 San Antonio Spurs reincarnated. They've simply had more good players ready to go. For now, that's the series. We've learned a few things along the way: That the Warriors can't really count on DeMarcus Cousins to replicate the energy he brought in Game 2 (Marc Gasol more or less dominated him Wednesday), that Kevon Looney will be missed for the rest of this series and that they badly need Thompson as a linchpin on defense so that Green doesn't have to spend a lot of time guarding Kawhi Leonard. Still, this wasn't a blowout until the very end. It was more or less a 10-point game with 10 minutes left, and there were moments throughout where it seemed like Curry might make it even more of a chore than that for the Raptors to close out the win. But even a great player isn't going to do it all by himself in the NBA Finals. Not Curry. Not James. Not even Michael Jordan, who never lost one in six tries but never had to attempt it without Scottie Pippen. Curry's legacy isn't going to change one bit if the Warriors lose this series. It was admirable enough that he was able to put some pressure on the Raptors to finish off a game they couldn't afford to lose and perhaps plant some doubt going forward no matter who does or doesn't come back. And it was really fun to see him throw up shot after shot and perform so spectacularly with all the defensive attention on him But every superstar, no matter how brilliant, needs some legitimate help once they get to this point. LeBron can probably relate. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: Steph Curry sees what it's like to play without All-Stars surrounding him Related slideshow: 2019 NBA Finals (Provided by imagn)


A woman was found dead in the rubble of a Charlotte, North Carolina, home that was destroyed Tuesday in an explosion, the city's fire department said. Crews found the woman after searching for nearly seven hours in the wreckage of a large home in the Ballantyne neighborhood, Charlotte Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Westover said. "It was a difficult process to locate her," Westover said, noting she was found in the downstairs area of the home. The woman was not identified and authorities wouldn't confirm whether she lived at the home. Earlier on Tuesday, a man who was "conscious and alert" was plucked alive from the rubble and taken by helicopter to a hospital, fire officials said. The man's condition was unclear Tuesday night. The home had collapsed due to an explosion at about 2 p.m., fire officials said. It's unclear what caused the explosion. More than 80 firefighters responded and searched for hours with "specialized listening equipment and confined space cameras," the fire department tweeted. Footage from the scene initially showed flames and smoke coming from a pile a massive pile of debris. At least two other people from a surrounding home suffered non-life threatening injuries, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency said. A neighbor, Lorie Porter, had gone for a walk around the neighborhood when the explosion took place. "I put my Beats on, and I walked right by the house. I walked on, maybe two minutes, and through my Beats, I heard a boom!," Porter told CNN affiliate WSOC. "And there's debris right where I had walked, and the house was just leveled."


David Carr is widely considered to be one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, but at least the former quarterback has a good sense of humor about it. Carr began his career with the Houston Texans after he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2002, and he ended it as a backup with the New York Giants. Carr wore jersey No. 8 during his time in New York, which is the number that was just given to rookie Daniel Jones. Carr sarcastically called that a "bold move" and said Jones didn't even ask his permission. That's a bold move @Daniel_Jones10 I didn't even get a phone call asking for permission. #8 https://t.co/z8fZGMoJdP   David Carr (@DCarr8) May 3, 2019 Over two separate stints with the Giants, Carr appeared in a total of 11 games and completed 32 passes. He was a full-time starter for five seasons with the Texans, and he completed 58.8 percent of his passes while throwing 59 touchdowns compared to a whopping 65 interceptions during that span. Carr was a star at Fresno State like his younger brother Derek, but Derek has already had a much more successful NFL career. The Giants, of course, are hoping Jones goes on to enjoy a lot more productive of a career than Carr did. If he turns out the same, general manager Dave Gettleman will be crucified for picking the former Duke star even more than he already has been .


WASHINGTON (AP)   President Donald Trump on Monday signed a bill ensuring that a victims' compensation fund helping those impacted by the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks never runs out of money, ending years of legislative gridlock as the number of first responders dying of Ground Zero-related illnesses mounted. Appearing in the Rose Garden with more than 60 first responders from the 2001 terrorist attacks, Trump signed into law an extension of the fund through 2092, essentially making it permanent. "You inspire all of humanity," Trump said of the "true American warriors" who rushed to assist victims that day and searched for remains for months after. The president said that the nation has a "sacred obligation" to care for the responders and their families. The $7.4 billion fund had been rapidly depleting , and administrators recently cut benefit payments by up to 70%. The bill passed Congress on a bipartisan basis but only after delays by some Republicans exposed the legislative branch to brutal criticism from activists, including the comedian Jon Stewart. Dozens of first responders, many gravely ill, would repeatedly travel to Washington to lobby lawmakers to extend the funding every time it needed to be reauthorized. Though their ranks shrunk, as emergency workers died of cancers and other diseases linked to the toxic fumes from the World Trade Center rubble, the fate of the funding had never been permanently guaranteed. NYPD detective Luis Alvarez appeared gaunt and ill when he testified before Congress last month, urging lawmakers to pass the measure to help his fellow first responders even if it was too late for him. "You made me come down here the day before my 69th round of chemo and I'm going to make sure that you never forget to take care of the 9/11 first responders," Alvarez said. He died two weeks later . More than 40,000 people have applied to the fund, which covers illnesses potentially related to being at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon or Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after the attacks. Stewart, who made the cause a personal passion project, tore into the lawmakers' inaction when he testified alongside Alvarez, creating a moment that was frequently replayed on cable news. "Hundreds died in an instant. Thousands more poured in to continue to fight for their brothers and sisters," Stewart said before the committee. "They did their jobs with courage, grace, tenacity, humility. Eighteen years later, do yours." A pair of Republican senators, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah, voted against the measure this month, preventing its adoption from being unanimous. Both cited the need to eliminate unnecessary spending and offset the measure with budget cuts. Trump did not dwell on that division when he signed the bill. The bill-signing prompted a round of applause from first responders in the Rose Garden as well as Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who was mayor of New York City during the attacks and was widely praised for his leadership in the aftermath of the World Trade Center collapse. Trump, whose real estate holdings that day included some 20 buildings in Manhattan, played up his own personal connection on Monday to the World Trade Center site. "I was down there also, but I'm not considering myself a first responder," the president said. But a number of the president's recollections about his own personal experiences that day cannot be verified, including his claims that he sent construction crews to help clear the site, that he had "hundreds" of friends die at Ground Zero and that he witnessed television coverage of Muslims in the United States cheering the destruction of the iconic skyscrapers. The ceremony was attended by a handful of lawmakers   all Republican   though a White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to share planning details, said that all members of Congress had been invited to the event. The invitations went out Friday and Saturday. ___ Lemire reported from New York. ___ Follow Colvin on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@colvinj and Lemire at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire ___ An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Sen. Mike Lee represents Arkansas. He represents Utah.


No influencer can keep up with Kylie Jenner's earnings on Instagram. The 21-year-old reality star and Kylie Cosmetics founder has taken the top spot on HopperHQ.com's Instagram Rich List for the second year running. The U.K.-based Instagram planner and scheduling tool draws on its internal data, agency rate cards and public information for its annual list of the highest earners on the Facebook-owned (FB) social media platform. Jenner beat out the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift   not to mention big sister Kim Kardashian, who's No. 4 in the rich rankings   to dominate the list by earning $1.27 million per sponsored post. That's about 27% more than the $1 million per social media pic that the site estimated she earned last year. And that's more money than many people without at least a bachelor's degree make in a lifetime, based on census data that finds someone with an associate degree earned $1.1 million on average, while high school graduates earned $910,000. (Those with a bachelor's or more made $1.8 million and up over the course of their lives.) This has been a big year for Jenner. Forbes named her its youngest self-made billionaire in March when it put her on the cover of its world billionaires issue, largely thanks to her $900 million cosmetics line that's being sold online and in Ulta's (ULTA) 1,000-pus stores. Her Instagram audience has grown from 128 million to 141 million followers since the spring. Related: Forbes named Kylie Jenner the youngest self-made billionaire ever   and the 'self-made' part has people talking Yet Jenner has fewer followers than singer Ariana Grande, who is the second-highest earner on the list at $966,000 per post despite having 159 million followers, according to HopperHQ.com. Global soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo trumps them both with 173 million followers, but is third on the list, commanding an estimated $975,000 per post. HopperHQ said its calculations take into account not just followers, but also the demographic of the audience and the level of engagement of each influencer's audience, as well as either getting a hard number from that person's agent, or any prices that were publicly available. Related video: Kylie Jenner's Best Throwback Instagrams (provided by InStyle) CEO Mike Banda told Metro that, "Kylie Jenner has had an incredible year, so it's no surprise that she's topped the list again. It's incredible how much influence these professionals have over their followers, so from a brand's point of view, these paid ads are often worth every penny." Here are the first 10 on the 2019 Instagram Rich List: Kylie Jenner: $1,266,000 per post Ariana Grande: $996,000 per post Cristiano Ronaldo: $975,000 per post Kim Kardashian: $910,000 per post Selena Gomez: $886,000 per post Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson: $882,000 per post Beyoncé Knowles: $785,000 per post Taylor Swift: $748,000 per post Neymar da Silva Santos Junior: $722,000 per post Justin Bieber: $722,000 per post


Among today's fitness folk, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is all the rage. The workout which was found to be one of the top fitness trends in a 2017 American College of Sports Medicine survey involves short intense bursts of movement followed by active recovery periods. When done correctly, HIIT can burn more fat and calories in a shorter amount of time than many other cardio workouts. But what's going on inside the body that makes high-intensity exercise so special? Keep reading to learn more about what happens to your mind and muscles when you perform a high-intensity interval workout. And if you need some workout inspiration to spice up your routine, check out these 30 Workouts That Burn More Than 500 Calories An Hour . Your brain releases feel-good chemicals. "My favorite thing about HIIT training is what happens in your mind," explains Eric the Trainer , a certified personal trainer and the host of Celebrity Sweat . So what exactly goes on in your brain? Well, when you work out, your brain is triggered to release feel-good hormones called endorphins. And if you're looking for a mood boost, then HIIT is the way to go: One 2017 study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology found that 60 minutes of high-intensity interval exercise is more conducive to releasing endorphins than 60 minutes of a moderate-intensity gym sesh. Your brain's capacity for learning and remembering increases. The hippocampus is the area of the brain that is responsible for things like memory and learning. And while you might not immediately associate toning your muscles with improving your memory, one 2015 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that when older women performed aerobic exercise at the gym twice a week for six months, the size of their hippocampus increased. Defined muscles mean sharper brains  so hit the gym, people! Your circulation improves. "The expansion and contraction of muscles that occurs while performing exercise [boosts] circulation, allowing nutrient-rich blood to reach nearly every part of the body," says Eric. Indeed, one 2003 review published in Circulation concluded that working out regularly "improves the capacity of the blood vessels to dilate… [and was] consistent with better vascular wall function and an improved ability to provide oxygen to the muscles during exercise." By improving your circulation, you'll be able to help keep your body in optimal condition. Your core temperature rises. When you do a high-intensity workout, all the energy you're exerting produces heat inside the body. As a result, your core temperature will rise. That has other effects besides simply warming you up. Movement specialist Jacob Andreae explains on his blog that "blood vessels that are close to the surface dilate, allowing greater blood flow, which can give the skin a reddish appearance." Also, as you might've already noticed, your body will respond to these increased internal temperatures by sweating  a lot. Your muscles tear. When you do a high-intensity workout, you create little tears in your muscle fibers and that's actually beneficial. Think about it like this: When your muscles tear and rebuild, they become stronger. "White blood cells start to repair the damaged muscle after about 12 to 24 hours and they release a number of chemicals, which are likely to be involved in the generation of local muscle pain," Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky , a neuromuscular disorder specialist at the McMaster University Medical Center, explained to the New York Times . Yep, that means it's these microtears that cause soreness. The good news? The more high-intensity workouts you do, the more accustomed your muscle fibers will become to the workouts. Ironically, more gym sessions mean less soreness. Your heart rate increases. One of the easiest ways to tell whether you're having a good HIIT session is by how fast your heart is beating. Your muscles require more oxygen during a high-intensity workout, so your heart has to work overtime to provide the necessary blood. While this pumping sensation can sometimes feel uncomfortable, becoming a regular at the gym can help you lower your resting heart rate and therefore put less pressure on your most vital organ. You use up a lot of oxygen. When you go for a slow jog or take a yoga class , your lungs are able to keep up with your body's demand for oxygen relatively easily. During a high-intensity workout, however, oxygen stores can deplete quickly and that's exactly what you want to happen. When your body runs out of oxygen, it has to work hard to rebuild its supply. That results in more calories burned for a longer post-workout period. For instance, one 2011 study published in the journal Medicine&Science in Sports&Exercise found that when subjects rode a stationary bicycle at a high intensity for 45 minutes, they burned an average 420 calories during the workout session. Over the next 14 hours, they burned an extra 190 calories, meaning the after-burn effect of their workout increased the total calories burned by 37 percent. Burning calories during your post-gym Netflix binge? Score! And for a simple way to reward yourself for your workout, check out these 100 Amazing Summer Buys Under $100 . To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!


A minor-league baseball team apologized late Monday for "some misleading and offensive editing" in a Memorial Day tribute video that aired at its stadium. The Class AAA Fresno Grizzlies said the video, which was broadcast between the two games of its doubleheader Monday, was intended to be "a moving tribute" to the armed forces. But as the voice of President Ronald Reagan mentioned "enemies of freedom," the video showed an image of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., between images of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and former Cuban president Fidel Castro. MUST-SEE: Outfielder throws out two runners, hits home run LEFT IN SOCKS: Indians pitcher Oliver Perez waits out unusual delay Fresno, a minor-league affiliate of the Washington Nationals, said the editing "made a statement that was not our intent and certainly not our opinion." The club apologized to servicemen and women for what it called "the undue distraction on such a solemn day." "We're embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first," the Grizzlies wrote on Twitter . "We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt. It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again." We're embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first. We unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez ( @AOC ) in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt. It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.   Fresno Grizzlies (@FresnoGrizzlies) May 28, 2019 Grizzlies spokesperson Paul Braverman confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday that the club aired this 3-minute, 35-second video on YouTube at Chukchansi Park, and that the employee responsible for selecting the video has been identified. Braverman said the employee is remorseful and the club will likely not broadcast videos from the internet at its stadium moving forward "in an abundance of caution." Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad . This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fresno Grizzlies apologize to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Memorial Day tribute video


The adorable video filmed July 9 shows the moment Samson the cane corso sits in his garden playing with a tiny baby bird. The heartwarming clip filmed in Texas shows how gentle big dogs can be, no matter how small their friends are. "A little bird hopped over to our dog and wanted to play, he loved the little bird!" Jenna Fisher, Samson's owner told Newsflare.


IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)   The ousted Iowa Department of Human Services director will pursue a wrongful termination lawsuit, alleging he was let go after objecting to a pay arrangement for the governor's deputy chief of staff, his lawyer said Wednesday. Jerry Foxhoven, a 67-year-old legal scholar known for his frequent workplace praise of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, will file a whistleblower claim with the State Appeal Board, his attorney Tom Duff said. That's the first step toward pursuing a lawsuit against state government. Foxhoven is expected to announce the action at a news conference Thursday. It's the latest development stemming from a personnel decision that has put Gov. Kim Reynolds on the defensive and prompted inquiries by state and federal watchdogs. Foxhoven was asked to resign during a meeting with the governor's chief of staff, Sara Craig Gongol, in June. The governor's office didn't give a reason. Earlier this month, Reynolds' spokesman wouldn't confirm or deny whether Foxhoven's department-wide emails celebrating Shakur's legacy and practice of playing his music on "Tupac Fridays" played a role. After stories about Foxhoven's Tupac fandom went viral, the governor said she'd never heard of the rap icon and that "of course" that wasn't the reason for his dismissal. Reynolds suggested Tuesday she wanted to go in a different direction after two years of Foxhoven's leadership because of continued problems at the agency. She denied retaliation. "I want to be clear, he never raised any concerns to me or my office about anything," said Reynolds, who appointed Gerd Clabaugh as the agency's interim director. But Duff said Foxhoven will allege he was ousted after objecting to a request to have his department continue funding the salary of Paige Thorson, deputy chief of staff for Reynolds. Foxhoven twice approved memorandums of understanding in which DHS covered 69 percent of Thorson's salary dating to Dec. 26, 2017. Duff said Foxhoven believed the arrangements made sense then because Thorson was working with Iowa's newly installed Medicaid director, Mike Randol, to help him transition into his role. The memos said Thorson would "provide strategic support for the department as agreed to" by DHS and the governor's office. By earlier this year, Foxhoven believed that Thorson's arrangement should be discontinued in the fiscal year that was to begin July 1, because she was no longer needed to help Randol, Duff said. Foxhoven told the governor's office Thorson was "really not doing anything that's furthering the business of DHS" and he wanted to stop her salary payments, Duff said. Foxhoven wanted an opinion from the governor's legal adviser, Sam Langholz, but Gongol rebuffed that idea, Duff said. Foxhoven was going to ask assistant attorneys general who worked for DHS for their opinion once a trial they were working on concluded, but was asked to resign the day before he could make that request, Duff said. Foxhoven was concerned that he would be blamed if an audit later found the arrangement was inappropriate, Duff said. He also objected to funding the salary of the governor's health adviser, Liz Matney, after lawmakers appropriated money for the position, but his primary concern was with Thorson, Duff said. Duff said the retaliation claim will rely on precedents that say employees can't be fired for refusing to do something illegal or for threatening to disclose illegal conduct. Foxhoven was recently visited by a federal investigator and has met with State Auditor Rob Sand, Duff said. The governor said Tuesday that she asked the department to review the salary arrangements with her aides to "make sure we're doing it accurately." A department spokesman said it recently identified a clerical error that "resulted in duplicate payments" for Thorson's salary in April and May and those were reversed. ___ AP reporter David Pitt contributed to this report.


An Ohio man was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for suffocating his 3-year-old stepsister while he babysat her and her 8-year-old sibling, prosecutors said on Thursday. Brian K. Scales, 21, was sentenced on Wednesday in a Montgomery County court in Dayton, Ohio, after he was found competent to stand trial and changed his insanity plea to guilty for killing Tristan Carlton. Carlton's body was found "in her bed, cold and stiff," by her mother, Inas Scales, the afternoon of Feb. 14, Montgomery County prosecutor spokesman Greg Flannagan said in a statement on Thursday. Scales, from the Dayton suburb of Trotwood, was charged with aggravated murder, endangering children and two counts of murder after Carlton's mother called 911 and an investigation into the child's death determined she had been suffocated. Inas Scales told her son she still loved him at his hearing but when he responded by saying his stepsister's death was "a mistake that happened," she replied, "You don't mistakenly murder somebody," according to the Dayton Daily News. (Reporting by Kim Palmer; Editing by Ben Klayman and Bill Trott)


Visiting North Aurora, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Aurora neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Pho restaurant to a wine and cocktail bar. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in North Aurora, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Denver Biscuit Co. Topping the list is breakfast and brunch spot Denver Biscuit Co. Located at 2501 Dallas St., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 651 reviews on Yelp. The menu features biscuit-centric breakfast items including biscuit sandwiches, biscuit strawberry shortcake and more. 2. Top Pho Restaurant Next up is Vietnamese spot Top Pho Restaurant , situated at 11697 E. Colfax Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 164 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. Top Pho Restaurant features noodle bowls with a variety of options from veggie to spicy meat. 3. Cheluna Brewing Co. Cheluna Brewing Co. , a brewery, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 88 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2501 Dallas St. to see for yourself. Cheluna Brewing Co. is a Latin-inspired brewery featuring a low rider Mexican lager, Lupita IPA and more. 4. Annette Check out Annette , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 187 reviews on Yelp. You can find the wine bar, cocktail bar and New American spot at 2501 Dallas St. On the menu, look for roasted whole fish, wood-fired half chicken and house specialty cocktails. 5. Misaki Finally, there's Misaki , a local favorite with 4.5 stars out of 140 reviews. Stop by 2501 Dallas St. to hit up the next time you're in the neighborhood. The menu features appetizers like soup and crab rangoon, a selection of sushi rolls and seafood items. 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.


Kawasaki rider Jonathan Rea beat Alvaro Bautista by 0.036 seconds in the World Superbike qualifying at Jerez, the Northern Irishman setting a new series lap record at the Spanish track. The field spent most of the Superpole session on race-spec tyres, with Yamaha's Alex Lowes and Rea both spending seven minutes each on top. As the field switched to qualifying tyres in the last five minutes, Lowes first edged ahead of Rea by 0.009s before the latter made a huge improvement, going nearly half a second faster with a 1m38.247s. Rea's pole position was only in danger from Ducati rider Bautista, who was a couple of hundredths faster before the final sector of the track, but the Spaniard fell just shy of Rea's benchmark. GRT Yamaha rider Marco Melandri stole third from Lowes, who will be joined on the second row by Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam and his predecessor Tom Sykes (BMW). Michael van der Mark qualified seventh on the second Yamaha, narrowly outpacing Jordi Torres, who ran off track at Turn 1 after his final lap, but his Pedercini Kawasaki bike was rescued by track workers before it got stuck in the gravel. The top 10 was completed by Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha), who had a small crash at Turn 6, and Barni Ducati's Michael Ruben Rinaldi. Chaz Davies was a disappointing 12th with Loris Baz qualifying 15th on his and Ten Kate's return to the series, followed by Tommy Bridewell on the GoEleven Ducati. The three Honda bikes rounded out the order with Yuki Takahashi, who is replacing the injured Leon Camier, being the fastest of them to grab 17th. Qualifying results: ClaRiderBikeLapsTimeGap 1 Jonathan Rea Kawasaki 9 1'38.247 2 Alvaro Bautista Ducati 12 1'38.283 0.036 3 Marco Melandri Yamaha 9 1'38.498 0.251 4 Alex Lowes Yamaha 10 1'38.734 0.487 5 Leon Haslam Kawasaki 8 1'38.762 0.515 6 Tom Sykes BMW 8 1'38.846 0.599 7 Michael van der Mark Yamaha 10 1'38.849 0.602 8 Jordi Torres Kawasaki 11 1'38.899 0.652 9 Sandro Cortese Yamaha 9 1'39.077 0.830 10 Michael Ruben Rinaldi Ducati 7 1'39.090 0.843 11 Toprak Razgatlioglu Kawasaki 8 1'39.330 1.083 12 Chaz Davies Ducati 13 1'39.649 1.402 13 Leandro Mercado Kawasaki 9 1'39.712 1.465 14 Markus Reiterberger BMW 10 1'39.890 1.643 15 Loris Baz Yamaha 10 1'39.999 1.752 16 Tommy Bridewell Ducati 8 1'40.376 2.129 17 Yuki Takahashi Honda 11 1'40.738 2.491 18 Alessandro Del Bianco Honda 6 1'40.747 2.500 19 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda 12 1'40.846 2.599 View full results


Air Italy has become the first airline in Europe to introduce non-binary gender options for travelers who don't define themselves as male or female. The Italian carrier follows United Airlines, which became the first US airline to add a third option, "X" or unspecified, in the gender category for LGBTQ travelers. Last year, the International Air Transport Association approved changes to booking procedures to include non-binary gender options. When booking a flight with Air Italy, passengers can now check the prefix "Mx" instead of male or female. The carrier is also working with LGBT group Arcigay on other inclusivity initiatives. "The decision of a first-tier airline like Air Italy to invest resources and time to focus on inclusivity, is a positive example that we hope is followed by others," said Gabriele Piazzoni, General Secretary of Arcigay in a statement. "The civil progress of a country depends not only on its laws, but also by the way in which the private sector puts in place anti-discrimination initiatives that take into consideration the many differences that exist."


For $1250 a person, you can have a party at Hearst Castle's outdoor Neptune pool.


In a recent interview with The Athletic's Dan Connolly, Mark Trumbo wanted it to be known that he didn't stop the post-game pies. On September 3, 2017, Mark Trumbo delivered a walkoff single in extra innings to put the Orioles on top of the Blue Jays , 5-4, and put them within 1.5 games of the second wild card spot. The victory was capped with the then-periodic tradition of Trumbo receiving a pie to his face while doing the post-game interview. Upon being hit with the pie, Trumbo did not return to the microphone to conclude the interview. Within minutes of the pie being delivered, the primary pie jokester, Adam Jones, tweeted out, "No mas pies." It is not difficult to connect those two things. Since the last pie, the Orioles have gone 73-183. Fun moments have been in short supply. No one actually blamed Trumbo for all of this, but the circumstantial evidence made him an easy target for joking ire, including from me, with an offseason article about "the curse of the pie." After 21 months, new information has come to light about the end of the pie ritual. The Athletic's Dan Connolly spoke to Trumbo on Friday after Trumbo had a setback in his attempt to return from his knee surgery last September. Trumbo wanted to make one thing clear: It wasn't because of him that all of the post-game pies came to an end. Even his immediate reaction, which seemed a whole lot like anger when filtered through the aftermath of two pies, was not what it seemed, he told Connolly: "I think the reaction I gave, although maybe it came off as something other than fired up in a good way, it simply was that I had at least two enormous pies covering every inch of my face," Trumbo said. "It took days to get it out of my ears and my nose. And I just honestly couldn't see, I couldn't talk, and that was kind of the end of the interview." "You get the game-winning hit or you do something special, (being pied) is a cool experience," he said. "Now, I challenge anyone to be able to function with two or three huge pies in their face. There's just a certain level where you've got to clean it off before you keep going." The timing was the timing. He seemed like he was mad, a few minutes passed, and then pies were forbidden again. Addressing it all this time later, Trumbo acknowledged that it "probably came off that I was the one who went in there, raised hell, and said this has got to stop." As the person who wrote the article credited by Connolly with launching the "legend" of the curse of the pie, I will tell you that's exactly what I believed had happened. Trumbo went in there and raised hell. "There was none of that whatsoever," he told Connolly. If Trumbo's denial isn't enough for you to accept a different theory of what happened all of this time, Connolly also got in touch with Jones about the last pie: "I never was told it was Trumbo, either. He was just the last one," Jones , now with the Arizona Diamondbacks , said in a text. "My understanding is it was upstairs (in the organization) and I did what any good employee does. I complied. I think the public blamed Trumbo. Not me. But I'm sure I smoked him. I've got heavy hands." I miss that guy. "I'm sure I smoked him." We're never going to get another one like him. But more importantly, if Jones thinks that it was the bosses and not that it was Trumbo, that's good enough for me to believe Trumbo saying that it wasn't him. In light of this new information, he is hereby cleared of any suspicion of guilt in the matter.


Video by Associated Press NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - American financier Jeffrey Epstein will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on charges of sex trafficking dozens of underage girls, a U.S. judge ruled on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman rejected Epstein's request to pay for armed guards to be under house arrest in his New York mansion valued at $77 million. Epstein has pleaded not guilty. Epstein's lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. Prosecutors had argued that Epstein should remain jailed both because he posed a danger to the community and because there was a high risk he would use his vast wealth to flee the United States. "The government has established a danger to others and the community by clear and convincing evidence," Berman said at a hearing in federal court in Manhattan, noting that two women who described being victimized by Epstein had said in court on Monday they would fear for their safety if he were released. Epstein's social circle over the years has included Donald Trump before he became U.S. president, former President Bill Clinton and Britain's Prince Andrew. Epstein is accused of arranging for girls under the age of 18 to perform nude "massages" and other sex acts, and of paying some girls to recruit others, from at least 2002 to 2005. Epstein had employees who helped bring him girls, prosecutors said, though none has been charged. In a written order issued later on Thursday to provide more detail about his decision, Berman said that Epstein's proposal to pay for his own guards was "especially problematic" because prosecutors alleged that "employees of the defendant may have engaged in unlawful acts with and on behalf of the defendant." Prosecutors have said that a search of Epstein's Upper East Side home turned up hundreds or thousands of pictures of nude women, some of them minors, along with cash, diamonds, valuable art and an expired Australian passport with Epstein's face but someone else's name, claiming Saudi Arabia as place of residence. Epstein is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, a fortress-like jail that has been criticized by inmates and lawyers for harsh conditions. Berman has scheduled the next hearing in Epstein's case for July 31. In a one-page summary of his finances filed in court, Epstein said he had a net worth of $559 million, with assets including his jet, four homes and two private islands. In addition to house arrest, Epstein had offered to sign a bail bond of $100 million or more secured by his assets. However, the judge said that the bail package was inadequate, and that no other possible package was likely to do better. Lawyers for Epstein have said their client has had an unblemished record since he pleaded guilty more than a decade ago to state prostitution charges in Florida and agreed to register as a sex offender. Critics have called that plea deal, which let Epstein avoid federal prosecution, too lenient. Alex Acosta, who as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida oversaw Epstein's earlier deal, resigned last week as Trump's secretary of labor, saying he did not want to be a distraction for the White House.


CONCORD, N.C.   Daniel Suarez topped the speed chart in Saturday's first Cup Series practice for the Coca-Cola 600. Suarez posted a top speed of 182.143 mph around the 1.5-mile track. The top five was filled out by defending 600 winner Kyle Busch (182.051 mph), Austin Dillon (181.488), Ryan Blaney (181.397) and Kevin Harvick (181.366). Denny Hamlin , who was sixth on the chart, recorded the most laps with 52. Dillon had the best 10-lap average at 180.639 mph. Ryan Newman got into the Turn 3 wall as the session ended and suffered significant damage to the right side of his No. 6 Ford. The team is repairing the car. Final practice is set for 11:05 a.m. ET Click here for the speed chart.


Authorities rescued about 100 cats from a Moreno Valley home Monday and arrested its owner on animal cruelty charges, authorities said. Riverside County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the house in the 22000 block of La Jolla Circle shortly after 7:30 a.m. to conduct a welfare check. Once outside, they smelled an odor so foul they thought there might be a dead body in the house, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Inside, deputies found scores of cats in various states of neglect and at least two dogs in what officials called a hoarding environment. At least 18 cats   many of which were in cages   were dead or had to be euthanized, authorities said. Kristen Gotangco, 44, was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty. She's being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center in lieu of $600,000 bail. Moreno Valley Animal Services officers took the surviving animals to the city's shelter, where they're receiving medical attention in a separate treatment area. Some could be ready for adoption in about two weeks. officials said. Steve Fries, the shelter's director, said the facility is equipped to care for the influx of rescued pets, but added that he hopes residents will adopt them once they're available.


Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Atlanta. Billionaire graduation speaker pledges to pay off student debt of entire graduating class at Atlanta college A billionaire technology investor and philanthropist says he will provide grants to wipe out the student debt of the entire graduating class at Morehouse College   an estimated $40 million. Read the full story on KTLA 5 Morning News . Racist robocall circulating in Atlanta A robocall circulating in Georgia says a white woman shouldn't be cast as a criminal after being arrested for the fatal shooting of a black man. The call says all black people aren't fully human and should be sent to Africa. Read the full story on WRAL TV . APS 4th grade educator named 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year - Atlanta INtown Paper Tracey Nance Pendley, an Atlanta Public Schools 4th grade teacher at Burgess Peterson Academy in East Atlanta, has been named the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year. State School Superintendent Richard Woods made the announcement at a ceremony on May 18. Read the full story on Atlanta INtown . Georgia woman opens gender-neutral clothing store in Atlanta ATLANTA (AP) - A Georgia woman has opened a gender-neutral children's clothing store in Atlanta's Kirkwood neighborhood. The children's unisex clothing store is among the first of its kind, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Read the full story on Houston Chronicle . After southwest Atlanta shooting, three struggle to get to hospital Police said the three people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Read the full story on 11ALIVE . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


NEW YORK (AP) The Yankees were a tripleheader of hot on Saturday. First was the temperature: 94 degrees at game time, the highest for New York this season. Next was the offense, which torched Colorado pitching for the second straight day and romped over the Rockies 11-5 to extend the Yankees' winning streak to five. And then came tempers: Luke Voit got hit on the chin by Chad Bettis in the fourth inning and Austin Romine was buzzed by a pair of up-and-in pitches from Jairo Diaz in the eighth. ''That was some dangerous stuff going on up by the face,'' Romine said. New York went ahead when Aaron Judge doubled in a run on Anthony Senzatela's 10th pitch, Edwin Encarnacion chased the 24-year-old right-hander with a two-run double in a five-run second and the Yankees gave Masahiro Tanaka a 9-0 lead by the fourth. Encarnacion added an RBI single in the seventh as the Yankees reached double digits in runs for the 13th time this year. He has 21 RBIs in 24 games since Yankees acquired him from Seattle. DJ LeMahieu raised his AL-leading average to .334 with three hits, giving him five in two games against his former team. ''It's a little weird,'' said LeMahieu, who spent his first eight big league seasons with the Rockies. ''I'll be excited not to play them anymore.'' New York opened a 10-game AL East lead, its largest in seven years, and increased its best-in-the-majors record to 64-33. The Yankees are 14-0-1 in their last 15 home series and are on their fifth winning streak of five games or more. Tanaka said the heat reminded him of steamy summer games in Japan. ''It was fine when we were walking on the grass, but as soon as you got to the plate it was like a cone of heat. It was awful,'' Romine said. ''It was a struggle out there. It was really hot - probably one of the more hot games I've ever caught.'' Players in New York's dugout were steamed over the inside pitches. ''I don't think there was intent, but sometimes intent doesn't matter,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ''Throw the ball over the plate.'' Colorado has lost six straight and 13 of 15 while getting outscored 127-64. ''I think there's frustration for sure,'' said Nolan Arenado, who hit a three-run homer and left in the eighth with a cramp in his right leg. ''Just long innings, so that it makes it even hotter. But as the game went on, we just got used to it.'' The Rockies resembled a mirage of a big league team, making two errors plus key mental mistakes. ''We are not playing the defense we are accustomed to,'' manager Bud Black said. Left fielder Ramiel Tapia's failure to throw the ball to the infield quickly led to havoc in a 34-minute bottom of the second, and no one covered second as Romine, a slow-footed catcher, swiped a base for just the fourth time in his big league career. ''I've been working on the one-a-year thing,'' Romine said. ''I told someone I was in the one-and-one club, the illustrious one-and-one club.'' Voit was hit in the fourth by a 91 mph pitch from Bettis that glanced off his left shoulder and struck the left side of his face, drawing blood. Voit scored on Gleyber Torres' two-run single , then returned to the clubhouse and was replaced. The Yankees said tests indicated he did not have a concussion and Boone thought Voit would be available for Sunday's series finale, when New York tries for its ninth series sweep. Tanaka (7-5) needed just 46 pitches to breeze through five innings, getting nine groundouts and three strikeouts while allowing a pair of singles. Senzatela and Bettis combined to throw 79 pitches in the first two innings alone. Tanaka's splitter flattened in Colorado's five-run sixth that included Arenado's 22nd homer, a drive that hit the top of the center-field wall and bounced over. Senzatela (8-7) allowed six runs, seven hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings, the shortest of 51 career starts. His ERA rose to 6.29. Colorado came apart in the second after Didi Gregorius' leadoff single. Torres singled to left for the first of his three hits, and Gregorius sped to third as Tapia held the ball for about four seconds and then tossed ever-so-softly toward third. Senzatela cut off the throw and flung the ball into right field as Torres headed to second, allowing Gregorius to head home. Romine singled for a 3-0 lead and made a delayed steal of second with the infield shifted for LeMahieu. Romine scored on a bases-loaded single by Aaron Hicks , who had been 4 for 45 in his career with the bases full. ''I noticed no one was covering when I got halfway there,'' Romine said. ''I was happy about that.'' OUCH! Rockies C Tony Wolters was limping after the 6-foot-7, 282-pound Judge slid into him trying to score on Encarnacion's first-inning grounder to shortstop Trevor Story. Wolters held onto the ball and tagged out Judge. NEW VIEW Boone watched Friday's game from owner Hal Steinbrenner's box, between the second and third decks, between home plate and third base. Boone was serving a one-game suspension for his tirade at an umpire Thursday. LOOKING AHEAD RHP Deivi Garcia made his second start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and allowed one run and three hits in four innings with four walks and four strikeouts. The 20-year-old right-hander has 124 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings at three minor league levels this year. TRAINER'S ROOM Rockies: OF David Dahl was 0 for 3 with a walk, a day after he was scratched due to a bruised left foot. UP NEXT LHP James Paxton (5-4) starts Sunday for the Yankees. RHP German Marquez (8-5), who starts for the Rockies, has the highest ERA among qualified NL pitchers at 5.12. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Bucks center Pau Gasol won't return before the end of the 2019 postseason, the team announced Friday in a press release . According to the club, Gasol underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair a navicular stress fracture in his left foot. The Bucks confirmed that Gasol's recovery timetable should put him in position to make a full recovery in advance of training camp. However, since the big man is on an expiring contract, there's a good chance he'll no longer be on Milwaukee's roster when he's ready to return to action in the fall. General manager Jon Horst and the Bucks' front office made a series of savvy roster additions before and during the 2018-19 season, but the signing of Gasol on the buyout market looks like one of the club's few missteps. After being waived by the Spurs and arriving in Milwaukee, the six-time All-Star appeared in just three games, averaging 1.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 10.0 minutes per contest. Gasol was never expected to be a major part of the Bucks' rotation, so his absence likely won't have much of an impact on the team's ability to advance even deeper in the postseason. Still, Milwaukee had to release promising young power forward Christian Wood in order to clear a roster spot for him. After being claimed off waivers by the Pelicans, Wood averaged 16.9 PPG and 7.9 RPG in eight games (23.6 MPG) down the stretch, and he remains under contract at the non-guaranteed minimum for 2019-20. Gasol, who will turn 39 this July, said back in the fall that he wasn't considering retiring anytime soon, and still hoped to play during the 2019-20 season. We'll see if a disappointing, injury-plagued season changes his outlook at all, but for now it's safe to assume he'll try to make it back from this foot surgery and catch on with an NBA team for training camp.


WOBURN, England   U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster had to envy Euro captain Catriona Matthew Friday at the AIG Women's British Open. England's Bronte Law put on the kind of performance Inkster would like to see an American make in a bid to get her attention as a captain's pick for the U.S. team. Law, playing alongside Matthew, needs a captain's pick to make the European team, and if she wasn't a lock before arriving at Woburn, she has to be now. Law put on a show, running into contention to win her second LPGA title this year, the first major of her career. Law put up a 5-under 67 that briefly moved her into a tie for the lead . She ended the day tied for fourth, five shots behind Ashleigh Buhai. The captain's scrutiny didn't faze Law. "It's like when you're younger at school, and you're in front of the teacher so they can keep an eye on you," Law said. "Felt a little bit like that, but kept my focus out there. "Obviously, with it being a major, the goal is to play well. It's not so much that I'm worried about Solheim, it's that I have a job to do." Full-field scores from the AIG Women's British Open Full coverage of the AIG Women's British Open While Inkster's watching a veteran American group mostly struggle to give her a reason to make them a captain's pick, Matthew is watching more than one Euro step up. France's Celine Boutier shot 66 Friday and joined Law among players tied for fourth. "It was one of my goals to be part of the team, but I try not to think too much about it because it kind of stresses me out a little," Boutier said. "So I just try to do my best and then hopefully that's enough to make the team. There are six Euros among the top nine on the leaderboard, all likely to make Matthew's team one way or another. There are two Americans. If the European team were finalized this week, the Netherland's Anne van Dam, Sweden's Caroline Hedwall and England's Charley Hull would make it off the Ladies European Tour rankings. Spain's Carlota Ciganda, England's Georgia Hall, Spain's Azahara Munoz, Germany's Caroline Masson and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist would make it off Europe's world rankings list. Law, Boutier, Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg, England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Mel Reid appear to be strong candidates as captain's picks if they don't qualify.


Ely Hydes, the man who retrieved Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols' historic home run but planned to keep it, changed his mind Friday and now says he would like to return the ball to Pujols or give it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Well, Pujols has changed his mind, too, and now doesn't want the baseball that represents his 2,000th RBI. "I don't want it, brother,'' Pujols told USA TODAY Sports. "He can keep it. He had a chance to give it to me (Thursday), and he declined. That's fine. It's his right. "So, no need for him to change his mind now. "Let him keep it.'' Hydes, who told reporters Thursday that he planned to keep the ball himself, or possibly give it to his brother, told the Detroit News on Friday that he no longer wants it, either. Opinion: Who is the 'rightful' owner of Albert Pujols' milestone ball, Pujols or the fan? More: Albert Pujols' 2,000th RBI ball could fetch big money, but fan wants Pujols or Cooperstown to have it "I slept on it," Hydes told the The Detroit News . "All I ever wanted was to sleep on it. I slept on it and I woke up and I think (Pujols) is a class act. "He's not my player, he's not my guy, I don't deserve the ball. I reconsidered. 100%. I'm either going to give it to Pujols or to the Hall of Fame. "I don't want any money.'' Well, Pujols certainly wasn't going to pay for it, and a day later, with no guarantee the ball is the actual one he hit for the homer, said he is no longer interested. "If he doesn't want the ball,'' Pujols said, "he can give the ball to Cooperstown. Hopefully then, everyone will be happy. "But I don't want it. He deserves it. It's his decision.'' Hydes told reporters that he originally declined to give the ball to Pujols because he felt pressured by the Tigers' security staff , rejecting offers to meet with Pujols, or be given other memorabilia, such as autographed items from Angels All-Star Mike Trout and Tigers star Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers steadfastly disputed Hydes' allegations. "We spoke with members from the Comerica Park operations and security staffs that had contact with the guest, and we have no doubt that our staff conducted themselves in a professional manner when speaking with the guest,'' Tigers vice president Ron Colangelo said in an email to USA TODAY Sports and other Detroit outlets. "After generous offers of both Angels and Tigers autographed memorabilia, including a meet-and-greet with Albert Pujols, our staff informed the guest that a decision needed to be reached as the Angels would be leaving the ballpark soon after the game ended. "The guest decided he wanted to keep the ball, and our staff left the area.'' Now, it's up to the Hall of Fame whether it even wants the baseball, considering the ball was never authenticated. The drama continues. Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @BNightengale This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Albert Pujols says he no longer wants his 2,000th RBI baseball Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season


Lara Trump, wife of the president's youngest son Eric Trump and a Trump 2020 senior campaign adviser, stressed on Twitter Monday night that she and all of the president's adult children not serving in the administration paid their own way during the U.K. state visit last week. "Sad that we have to clarify these things, but, in case anyone is wondering, we all paid for our trip to the U.K. ourselves," Lara Trump tweeted, along with a video clip of an interview on the matter she did with ABC News on Friday. In the clip, ABC News anchor Lindsey Mastis tells Lara Trump, who had just returned from accompanying President Donald Trump to Europe, that the first family made headlines for a number of reasons, drawing criticism among other reactions. "One of the questions dominating headlines right now is the Trump family's involvement and whether taxpayers are footing the bill," Mastis said, acknowledging the trip included official business and "also what appears to be some family business." "So who's paying for what and will there be any reimbursements?" Mastis asked. "I will confirm for you that all of the president's adult children paid our fair way," Lara Trump replied. The president's daughter-in-law continued: "My husband and I flew with my brother-in-law Don over on a commercial flight, we paid for that ourselves, we paid for our hotel, all of our food. We were invited by the Queen and the Royal family to come over for a visit so we thought that was an incredible opportunity." Lara Trump called it a "wonderful trip," said the British royals were "incredibly gracious hosts," and that she and the Trump family were "just blown away by the whole experience." "But it is frustrating that people can find negative things to say no matter what, but I will confirm for you, we all paid our fair way," Lara Trump reiterated. "The taxpayers did not foot the bill for our trip to London." Trump critics raised questions and concerns about the president's family attending the U.K. state dinner at Buckingham Palace last Monday, particularly Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who are executive vice presidents of the Trump Organization family business. Pollster Matt McDermott tweeted a photo of Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Trump Jr., first daughters Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. Ivanka Trump and Kushner serve as senior White House advisers. "4 of 6 people in this photo have no official government position," McDermott tweeted last Wednesday. "They run private businesses, are campaign advisers. Why are they attending an official state dinner on behalf of the United States?" Cornell University historian Lawrence Glickman added: "Who is paying for Trump's relatives to attend an official state dinner on behalf of the United States? Are Don, Eric and his spouse, and Tiffany, none of whom have a government position, funding their trip?" A White House official told Newsweek last Wednesday that the four non-administration members of the Trump family were personally paying. Related Articles Who's Paying For Trump Jr., Eric, Lara and Tiffany Trump's U.K. State Dinner Trip? Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump Had Second Row D-Day Seats While Kellyanne Conway Watched From Sidelines: Report Donald Trump Jr., Eric Blasted for Dining With Queen While Having 'Vested Interest' in Making Money in U.K. Sign up to our newsletter and get Newsweek stories delivered to your e-mail


ATLANTA (AP) Gonzalo Martinez scored his first MLS goal and Brad Guzan had four saves to help Atlanta United beat Orlando City 1-0 on Sunday. Atlanta (5-3-2) has won four in a row - all by shutout - and five of its last six. Hector Villalba, on the left side of the area, dropped it to Martinez, the 2018 South American Footballer of the Year, who side-netted a first-timer in the 14th minute. Atlanta had 61.7% possession. Orlando City (3-5-3) is winless in its last three games and has lost three of its last five. Atlanta's Jeff Larentowicz came on the 76th minute to become the third field player in MLS history with 400 career appearances.


BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio   An Ohio man who authorities say told officers he used a plastic wand from window blinds as a switch on his 5-year-old son has been charged with murder in the boy's death. Twenty-four-year-old Anthony Barton of Bellefontaine (behl-FOWN'-tihn) was charged Friday after being charged days earlier with felony child endangering. Barton's son Michael died at a hospital Wednesday, two days after Barton's girlfriend called 911 to report the boy wasn't breathing. The Columbus Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/1KqSJ4Z ) that preliminary autopsy results show the boy received multiple blows to the head, causing his brain to bleed. Barton remained in the Logan County jail Saturday on $1 million bond. It's not clear if he has an attorney. ___ Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com


While the PGA Tour is beginning its FedEx Cup Playoffs this week, many hopeful of making it back to the big tour (or getting there for the first time) are playing in the Korn Ferry Tour's regular-season finale, the WinCo Foods Portland Open, on the Witch Hollow Course at Pumpkin Ridge outside Portland, Ore. Those who finish the regular season in the top 25 of the developmental tour's season-long points race will earn PGA Tour cards Sunday for the 2019-'20 season. THE 25 Although many of those top-25 spots are already secured, most likely there will be some drama playing out around that 25th position. Take last year's tournament, for example. Max Homa needed to birdie his final four holes in the second round at Pumpkin Ridge just to make the cut. If he didn't, it meant no Web.com Finals the next week and a trip to Q school just to get back his Web.com status. He made the birdies that he needed, landed a PGA Tour card and this year took advantage of the opportunity, winning the Wells Fargo Championship to earn, among other perks, job security for the next two seasons. The most notable name near the bubble entering the regular-season finale: Maverick McNealy. The former top-ranked amateur and Stanford alum made a big jump, moving from 28th to 20th, after a third-place finish last week, meaning that he has a good chance of securing a PGA Tour card. But a missed cut could prove damaging. RELATED: Everybody freak out, Danielle Kang and Maverick McNealy are a thing now Others in far more tenuous positions include China's Zecheng Dou, who won the first tournament of the season but fell from No. 24 to No. 26 entering this week, and Aussie Brett Coletta, who is on the bubble at No. 25. His lead over Dou is just 23 points. Other notables further down the list include Joseph Bramlett (30th), Erik Compton (37th), Steve Wheatcroft (40th), Rob Oppenheim (46th) and Doug Ghim (50th). THE 75 Finishing among the top 25 is not the only source of drama. Finishing inside the top 75 after this week gives a player full status on the Korn Ferry Tour for next year, but more important, a chance to earn a PGA Tour card via the three-tournament Korn Ferry Tour Finals, which begins next week at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship. Greg Yates is currently 75th on the points list, but his lead over No. 76 Grant Hirschman is less than a point. As for those who finish from 76th to 100th on the points list, they'll receive conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 with the chance to improve their standing via qualifying school.