LEXINGTON, Ky.   Nobody in Kentucky football history has been on the field for more offensive plays than the late Jared Lorenzen. For 1,793 snaps over his four seasons, Lorenzen took the field and ran the UK offense, also setting the school record for most offensive plays in a season in 2000, when he was on the field for 635. Despite playing his last game for the Wildcats in 2003, Lorenzen's name still shows up prominently in the record books for both UK football and the Southeastern Conference. The quarterback's legacy as the fun-loving "Hefty Lefty" has been celebrated both locally and nationally this week after the Kentucky native's death Wednesday at age 38. His highlight reel is evidence of the athletic gifts the strong-armed QB brought to the field at UK from 2000 through 2003. But the record book, though dotted with only 15 wins over his four seasons, is lasting proof of a college career of rare achievement all these years later.   One of Lorenzen's most notable UK records is for most passing yards in a game, with 528 in UK's 34-30 loss to Georgia in 2000, a game he almost missed because of a thumb injury suffered in practice that week. Afterward, Georgia Coach Jim Donnan was asked if he thought that UK might have made up the injury. "I don't see any reason why they would deceive anybody," Donnan said. "If he did (injure the thumb), he ought to hurt it every Thursday." After the game, Lorenzen expressed pride in breaking a Kentucky record held by Tim Couch, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1998. "It's neat that I finally have something up on Tim," Lorenzen told the Herald-Leader's Mark Story.   Lorenzen attempted more passes than anyone in school history with 1,514, which puts him 236 ahead of Andre Woodson's 1,278. He also holds the record for passes attempted in a season, 559, which he threw in 2000   six ahead of the 553 attempted by Couch during 1998.   Of those attempts, Lorenzen completed 862 throughout his career, good for the school record. He also sits in fourth place for most completions in a season, with 321 in 2000.   For passing yards, Lorenzen's name appears several more times in the UK record book, most notably as the career leader with 10,354. Lorenzen's total ranks eighth in SEC history   one spot ahead of Mississippi's Eli Manning, the QB he would later play backup to with the NFL's New York Giants. Lorenzen passed for the fourth-most yards in a UK season (3,687 in 2000) and, as referenced above, the most passing yards in a single game.   The UK Hall of Famer is second at Kentucky and ninth in SEC history in career touchdown passes with 78, just one behind Woodson's 79. Woodson and Lorenzen are tied for second in most touchdowns thrown in a game, with Lorenzen throwing six against Vanderbilt in 2001, one behind Couch's seven, which he did against Indiana in 1997 and Louisville in 1998.   Lorenzen is second all-time with 15 career 300-yard passing games, and has the third- and fourth-most 300-yard games in a season with eight in 2000 and five in 2001. Lorenzen is tied with Couch for second place in consecutive 300-yard games, with five, seven behind Couch's record of 12.   One of Lorenzen's most unique records is this: He ranks third for longest pass in school history   and it was the only pass in the top five that did not go for a touchdown. On UK's first play from scrimmage on his record-setting day against Georgia in 2000, Lorenzen connected with tight end Derek Smith for 89 yards. Later the same day, Lorenzen completed an 86-yard TD pass to Ernest Simms and a 75-yarder to Quentin McCord. All of this from a redshirt freshman quarterback playing in the rain, with an injured thumb against the nation's 12th-ranked team. "We made so many big plays," Lorenzen said that October day. "And we were up 13-0. Those are games you want to win. We played well, but this was one we let get away in my mind."   Lorenzen's upside came, of course, with some downside: His talent and confidence sometimes led to recklessness. Lorenzen ranks third among UK quarterbacks with 41 career interceptions (behind Randy Jenkins' 53 and Rick Norton's 44). He shares the record for most picks in a season with 21 as a freshman in 2000, a total that tied Dave Blair's in 1967. Conversely, Lorenzen is fourth all-time for most consecutive passes without an interception, with 152 in the 2000 season. Woodson set the record of 325 across 2006 and 2007.     ©2019 Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.) Visit the Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.) at www.kentucky.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Related slideshow: Notable sports deaths of 2019 (Provided by imagn)


When the Seahawks traded Frank Clark to the Chiefs, they lost their top pass rusher. But they've now gained so much that it's hard not to see the trade as a big win for Seattle. The Seahawks just signed free agent defensive end Ziggy Ansah to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million, with $5.5 million guaranteed. They also drafted defensive end L.J. Collier with the first-round pick they got from the Chiefs for Clark. There's a good chance that Ansah and Collier will be the Seahawks' two starting defensive ends, one acquired by trading Clark and one acquired for much less salary cap space than the Seahawks would have had to to pay Clark on the one-year, $17.1 million guaranteed contract Clark would have made if he played on the franchise tag. That's not all the Seahawks got for Clark. They also still have a 2020 second-round draft pick coming to them. And the cost of Ansah, Collier (whose rookie contract will be a four-year deal worth around $11 million) and that second-round pick combined will be significantly less than the five-year, $105 million contract the Chiefs gave Clark. As we've previously noted, the Seahawks gained big by franchising Clark and then trading him, rather than just letting him walk in free agency. If Clark had left as a free agent, the Seahawks would have received only a 2020 third-round compensatory pick for him. At first glance, it might look like the Seahawks took a big hit when they lost their top pass rusher. But when looking at the totality of the moves the Seahawks have made   losing Clark and gaining Ansah, Collier, a 2020 second-round draft pick and additional salary cap space that may help them lock up another defensive starter like linebacker Bobby Wagner or defensive tackle Jarran Reed , both of whom are heading into the final seasons of their contracts   it appears that the Seahawks handled this offseason perfectly.


Earlier this month brought a mind-blowing announcement in the world of power plants and pollution. In a nutshell: A nonprofit artificial intelligence firm called WattTime is going to use satellite imagery to precisely track the air pollution (including carbon emissions) coming out of every single power plant in the world, in real time. And it's going to make the data public. This is a very big deal. Poor monitoring and gaming of emissions data have made it difficult to enforce pollution restrictions on power plants. This system promises to effectively eliminate poor monitoring and gaming of emissions data. And it won't just be regulators and politicians who see this data; it will be the public too. When it comes to environmental enforcement, the public can be more terrifying and punitive than any regulator. If any citizen group in the world can go online and pull up a list of the dirtiest power plants in their area, it eliminates one of the great informational barriers to citizen action. And citizens have reason to organize. According to the latest State of Global Air report, air pollution is the fifth greatest global mortality risk. It causes 5 million early deaths and 147 million years of healthy life lost, every year, and the countries building the most power plants are experiencing the most air pollution. Their citizens have the most on the line. And now they'll be armed with information. Things are about to get interesting. Let's look at the details. Eyes in the sky will track all power plant pollution The plan is to use data from satellites that make theirs publicly available (like the European Union's Copernicus network and the US Landsat network), as well as data from a few private companies that charge for their data (like Digital Globe ). The data will come from a variety of sensors operating at different wavelengths, including thermal infrared that can detect heat. The images will be processed by various algorithms to detect signs of emissions. It has already been demonstrated that a great deal of pollution can be tracked simply through identifying visible smoke. WattTime says it can also use infrared imaging to identify heat from smokestack plumes or cooling-water discharge. Sensors that can directly track NO2 emissions are in development, according to WattTime executive director Gavin McCormick. Between visible smoke, heat, and NO2, WattTime will be able to derive exact, real-time emissions information, including information on carbon emissions, for every power plant in the world. (McCormick says the data may also be used to derive information about water pollutants like nitrates or mercury.) Who's behind it Google.org , Google's philanthropic wing, is getting the project off the ground (pardon the pun) with a $1.7 million grant; it was selected through the Google AI Impact Challenge . WattTime, a nonprofit that is now a subsidiary of the Rocky Mountain Institute , made a splash earlier this year with Automated Emissions Reduction . AER is a program that uses real-time grid data and machine learning to determine exactly when the grid is producing the cleanest electricity. It can then automatically adjust power consumption to match up with those times, ensuring that users take advantage of the lowest-carbon power available. (Many kinds of power consumption can be safely shifted in time, like water heaters, battery charging, and some industrial processes; they are "dispatchable.") AER is, as the name indicates, entirely automated; it works behind the scenes, without any user intervention. "A second #renewableenergy revolution is on our doorstep. If the first revolution was about deployment of generation hardware, we'd argue the second revolution will be defined by the deployment of timing #software ." See what we mean in our latest blog: https://t.co/r3KPruT3KS pic.twitter.com/PtAOdoGLTW   WattTime (@wattTime) May 6, 2019 WattTime is partnering with Carbon Tracker , a think tank that's done previous work with satellite imagery, using it for financial analysis of power plants (including a pioneering study showing that 42 percent of global coal power plants are operating at a loss), and the World Resources Institute , which operates the world's most comprehensive Global Database of Power Plants . WattTime is a mission-based nonprofit with a track record, legitimate partners, and serious financial backing. Despite its diminutive size , it has a chance of becoming the global clearinghouse for transparent, reliable pollution data. What it will immediately enable This information is going to empower all kinds of tools and avenues for pollution reduction. Here are a few McCormick mentioned to me: Every pollution law or international agreement relies on monitoring and verification. Many countries, or areas within countries, are suspected of underreporting emissions. It creates a background level of mutual mistrust. Now there will be a trusted, third-party source of verified information on every power plant; no more gaming the system by fiddling with local monitoring equipment or misreporting emissions. Transparent third-party verification will raise everyone's confidence in the ability of regulators and negotiators to produce results. Remember Automated Emission Reductions? Real-time pollution data will enable AER to work anywhere in the world, without undue reliance on state or industry sources of data. I've written before about how battery storage doesn't always reduce carbon emissions on the grid, because it's rarely timed to sync up with clean energy. California is trying to fix that problem . AER will make it easier, for California and everyone else, to match clean energy production and consumption. Real-time, public pollution data will help renewable energy developers site their projects in areas where they can maximize emission reductions. Carbon Tracker has already shown that satellite data can be used for more precise financial analysis of power plants (again: 42 percent of the coal plants in the world are operating at a loss). WattTime's program will make that analysis more robust and help better identify those areas where renewable energy is already cheaper than fossil power. Finally, the data will help fill in the gaps even in US pollution monitoring, which are many. All that stuff will crank up the minute the information becomes public. WattTime is currently gathering data and working with partners who will put the information to use. But the really interesting stuff will happen after this data is unleashed on the world and becomes accessible everywhere. What it could enable in the long term To help illuminate the larger impact this information might have, indulge me in a brief anecdote. In 1986, the US created the Toxic Release Inventory , a database tracking the toxic emissions of all US industrial facilities. It was strengthened in 1990, as part of the Pollution Prevention Act. At the time, this outcome was seen as something of a failure   the originally proposed bill contained stiff penalties for toxic emissions, but they were stripped out in negotiations. In the end, all that was left was the information, the TRI itself. But the TRI has gone on to prove one of the most effective environmental regulations in US history . Simply making the information available to the public empowered citizens, nonprofits, and state governments to organize pressure on the worst emitters. In the five years after it was implemented, toxic emissions fell by almost half. The TRI enabled what scholars Archon Fung and Dara O'Rourke (of Harvard and MIT, respectively) have called ''populist maximin regulation," which differs from conventional command-and-control regulation in four ways. First, the role of government agencies "is not to set and enforce standards, but to establish an information-rich context for private citizens, interest groups, and firms to solve environmental problems." Second, standards are not set according to expert risk analysis, but according to what the public is willing to accept. Third, emitters "adopt pollution prevention and abatement measures in response to a dynamic range of public pressures rather than to formalized agency standards or governmental sanction." Finally, the information allows public attention to focus on the worst emitters   maximum attention on minimum performers, thus "maximin." A shorter way of putting this: Once the public knows what polluters are up to, it stops letting them get away with it. Just as the TRI enabled populist maximin regulation in the US   a wave of bottom-up activism that the authors of the TRI never anticipated   so could WattTime's data be used to organize citizen pressure on the biggest carbon emitters, on a global scale. If nothing else, the biggest polluters, and the biggest cheaters, will be exposed. No company, no country, will be able to hide or fudge its numbers. The public will know how to find them.


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Westlake? According to Walk Score, this Los Angeles neighborhood is a "walker's paradise," is convenient for biking and is a haven for transit riders. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Westlake is currently hovering around $1,858. So, what might you expect to find with a budget of $1,300/month? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper. (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. 2737 San Marino St. Listed at $1,225/month, this studio apartment is located at 2737 San Marino St. In the unit, expect to find a ceiling fan and hardwood flooring, while building amenities include on-site laundry and secured entry. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed at this time. The listing specifies a $750 deposit. (See the complete listing here .) 725 S. Alvarado St. Next, there's this studio apartment situated at 725 S. Alvarado St. It's listed for $1,250/month for its 216 square feet. The building has on-site management. You can also expect to find a ceiling fan and in-unit laundry in the furnished residence. Sadly, animals are not permitted. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. (Check out the complete listing here .) 461 Witmer St. Last but not least, check out this 300-square-foot studio apartment that's located at 461 Witmer St. It's listed for $1,250/month. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are welcome here. Expect a $1,000 deposit. (Take a look at the complete listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Former NBA star guard O.J. Mayo is dealing with some financial difficulties that could lead to him losing his 9,000 square foot mansion in Milwaukee. In May, he lost his home to U.S. Bank, which "won a $1,137,302.42 default judgment on the unpaid balance of the $1.26 million loan," per Urban Milwaukee's Michael Home . Mayo stopped making payments in April of 2018, per the report, and has until October "to redeem the property from his creditor." Mayo was kicked out of the NBA for a drug violation back in 2016. He currently plays professionally in China. Originally slated for a potential reinstatement to the NBA during the 2018-19 season, Mayo was arrested for marijuana possession in February last year. Home noted in his report that it's unlikely Mayo will redeem the mansion due to his financial woes. Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NBA Draft (provided by imagn)


Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) announced late Thursday that he will undergo surgery to remove prostate cancer. Doctors found the cancer early during a routine medical exam, according to his office, and scans showed it was not spreading to other areas. He was not exhibiting any symptoms. Nelson, 72, said the diagnosis would not affect his decision to run for reelection in 2018, according to a statement sent to media. He will undergo surgery Monday in Washington. "I've been blessed with good health, which has allowed me the great privilege of public service   and I look forward to continuing serving our country and Florida," he said in a statement. A member of the Senate since 2001, Nelson recently showed off his physical fitness, completing 46 push-ups last month after losing a Stanley Cup bet. Nelson is the second senator to recently announce he has prostate cancer. Last month, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), 71, underwent surgery after being diagnosed during an annual physical.


Across the team, you will find several key position battles on the Raiders' roster. Oakland and specifically, Mike Mayock, has wanted to create as much competition as possible for the Raiders during training camp. One position that has an intriguing battle taking place is at the punter position. The two candidates competing for one job are veteran Johnny Townsend and undrafted rookie free agent A.J. Cole. Townsend was selected by the Raiders in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, while Cole was signed this offseason. In a recent article at ESPN , Paul Gutierrez named the punter spot as the most crucial camp battle on the roster. Take a look at Gutierrez's thoughts on the competition so far: Define "most important" on a team coming off a 4-12 season. But with so many starting gigs already spoken for, let's go with punter. Johnny Townsend was a fifth-round draft pick last year and struggled. Mightily. His 43.2-yards average ranked 32nd in the league, and his 38.2 net average was 30th. Undrafted rookie free agent A.J. Cole , meanwhile, is third in NC State history with a 42.2-yards average. Townsend is more of a directional kicker, and Cole goes for the booming, hang-time kicks. Oakland would love to see their former 2018 draft pick win the job easily, but that hasn't been the case so far. Cole has the bigger leg but just needs to be more consistent. Townsend is clearly accurate, but he just doesn't have the same natural power as Cole. Look for this battle to be decided over the next several weeks with their preseason play likely deciding who makes the team. MORE: Did Tom Brady troll the Falcons with his new contract extension? Rookie Tony Pollard making presence felt in Ezekiel Elliott's absence 40 Under 40: Sports Media Talents 2019 49ers improved pass rush already helping secondary improve WATCH: Texans rookie OT Tytus Howard mauls Packers at joint training camp


Video by CNBC Ford Motor will eliminate about 20% of its workforce across Europe in a sweeping overhaul to tackle the carmaker's falling sales in the region and lift weak profitability. The restructuring, which has been announced piecemeal, will involve reducing its manufacturing footprint in Europe to 18 facilities by the end of 2020 from 24 at the beginning of this year. Germany, the U.K. and Russia will be hardest hit by the cuts, which total about 12,000 regular staff as well as workers employed at joint ventures, Ford said Thursday. "Separating employees and closing plants are the hardest decisions we make," Stuart Rowley, Ford's president of Europe, said in a statement. "We are moving forward and focused on building a long-term sustainable future." Ford, struggling in the region's crowded and mature market for years, has been particularly hard hit by falling car sales in the U.K. as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the country's exit from the European Union. Underscoring the industry's woes, the European automakers' lobby group on Thursday lowered its forecast for the region, predicting that deliveries will likely fall 1% this year. That compares with a previous prediction of 1% growth. Ford's European sales through May dropped 8.3%, according to data from the ACEA industry group. Ford's German-traded shares rose 1.7.%. The American company's stock is down 13% over the past 12 months. Ford announced in January a major revamp for Europe, but at the time didn't specify the full extent of the job cuts. As part of the changes, six plants will be closed or sold by the end of next year, including the Bridgend engine plant in South Wales, a transmission plant in France and an assembly site in Russia. Tough Targets Ford said that European operations are "on track" for significant improvement this year. Over the long term, the company is pushing to lift the division's profit margin to 6% from 0.7% in the first quarter. Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett last year kicked off a company-wide $11 billion restructuring and abandoned a goal to reach an 8 percent profit margin for the group by 2020. "Even with these measures, it's very hard to see Ford returning anywhere close to 6%-8% margins in Europe," said Arndt Ellinghorst, a London-based analyst Evercore ISI. The company's woes aren't limited to Europe. At its annual shareholder meeting in May, investors voiced their grievances over falling market share, the speed at which the company is cutting costs and the long way the stock still has to go to recoup steep losses over the last few years. The challenges are forcing automakers to consider partnerships that would have once been unthinkable. Volkswagen AG may approve expanding an alliance with Ford when it meets in two weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. Job-Cut Breakdown Germany 5,000 U.K. 3,000 Russia 2,000 France 1,000 Others 1,000 In addition to grappling with sluggish demand, carmakers are scrambling to meet stiffer environmental regulations starting in 2020. Based on its 2018 carbon-dioxide emissions, Ford faces a potential penalty of around 2.56 billion euros ($2.91 billion), according to researcher JATO Dynamics. Consultant AlixPartners predicted that the automotive industry would need to invest more than 245 billion euros over the next five years globally to comply with tougher guidelines, even as worldwide demand stagnates or shrinks. Ford said Thursday that every model line in Europe will include an electrified option and said a future family of battery-powered vehicles will be assembled in Europe. The Dearborn, Michigan-based carmaker will add at least three new nameplates to its lineup over the next five years and may pare more slow-selling or gas-guzzling variants. "Where a product line either does not contribute to our cash flow or is adverse to our CO2 compliance, we will consider actions," Rowley said in an interview.


The Dallas Cowboys are preparing to start their journey towards the 2019 regular season this week as organized team activities are set to take place over the next couple of days. After an extremely quiet offseason, star running back Ezekiel Elliott finds himself in the news after being caught on video getting detained by Las Vegas Metro police after event security confronted him over an interaction between he and what is being reported as his girlfriend. A lengthy cell phone video that follows Elliott and the young woman around for almost two full minutes and was obtained and released by TMZ shows the two having a discussion at several different points, but showing event security getting involved. At one point Elliott turns in the direction of one of the staffers who then backs into a security railing. The man falls to the ground revealing Elliott's right arm being extended towards the man. This led to him being placed in handcuffs. Per the TMZ article , Elliott's lawyer is saying the handcuffing was an overreaction. "Security misconstrued and overreacted to the situation," Salzano tells TMZ Sports. "He was cuffed as a precautionary measure. He was released with no charges. He left Vegas that night and went to his [youth football camp in Dallas] on Sunday." Elliott was supsended in 2017 over a domestic violence accusation and therefore is under league scrutiny for any and all incidents. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height VIDEO: Magic Johnson Calls Out Rob Pelinka for Backstabbing on First Take Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke Kyle Rudolph could be a late offseason acquisition Cowboys need NCSA: Five common recruiting myths Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NFL Draft (provided by imagn)


As the 2018 season progressed, the Indianapolis Colts defense took the notion of "bend but don't break" to heart as they constantly found themselves with their backs to the end zone. What made the season successful for the unit was being one of the stingiest scoring defense in the NFL, especially when an opposing offense entered the red zone. In fact, the Colts defense allowed the fourth-fewest red-zone touchdowns across the entire league in 2018, per Pro Football Focus. The countdown ends today - the Colts check in at No. 4 in terms of fewest red-zone TDs allowed last season pic.twitter.com/9LYcQruzLl - PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 16, 2019 There are several reasons why the Colts found so much success inside their own 20-yard-line. From the cornerbacks being sure tacklers and playing sticky man coverage to the defensive line applying pressure and getting into the backfield, the Colts defense was among the stingiest units in the league. The Colts defense is hoping to take a step further in 2019 with the addition of some athletic playmakers in the draft to go along with signing veteran pass rusher Justin Houston. How much of an improvement will be made remains to be seen but continuing their success in the red zone is an objective the Colts will be looking to achieve in 2019. MORE: Zion Williamson still has options if he doesn't want to play for the Pelicans Report: Browns rookie RB LJ Scott decides to quit NFL after just 2 days NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Cowboys News: Prescott's circle of trust questioned, Kris Richard RKGs Roundup: Britney Spears Manager Clarifies Comments, Daryl Johnston XFL Job, Rick and Morty Season 4 Details


A 19-year-old Oakland man accused of shooting and injuring several people at a central California beach was arrested Sunday in San Luis Obispo County, authorities said. State Parks officers received calls reporting a shooting around midnight Saturday at Oceano Dunes recreation area, a San Luis Obispo County nature preserve with a beach and sand dunes. Six people were taken to the hospital with injuries, officials said. Authorities did not specify the victims' conditions. Francisco Orozco was booked Sunday afternoon into the San Luis Obispo Jail on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the case. Authorities believe the shooting was an isolated incident. Ashley McBride is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Ashleynmcb


One of these 50 cheapest cities might be closer than you think. The Most Affordable Places To Retire Near You Whether retirement is on the horizon or you're basking in its glow, putting a plan in place to save hundreds to thousands of dollars per year can help you stretch your retirement nest egg further. One way to do that is to consider moving to one of the cheapest places to retire near you. For example, there are cities in Alabama, Michigan, Indiana and New York that feature median home list prices that are at least $220,000 lower than the national average. GOBankingRates did the research and identified the most affordable places to retire in each state by looking at factors such as median home list price, annual mortgage total and annual cost of living expenses. Take a look to see if you can afford one of these cities as your retirement destination. Best Place To Retire In Alabama Near... Mobile: Chickasaw ($21,348.18 a year) Chickasaw, Alabama, has the lowest median list price for a home at $64,000, which is over 4 1/2 times less than the national average of $289,900. The city's annual mortgage of $2,868 is also over 4 1/2 times less than the national average of $12,996. Chickasaw has the fifth-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage on the list at $21,348.18. All of these savings could add up to Chickasaw   which has an estimated population of 5,745   being one of the best small cities to retire. Best Place To Retire In Alaska Near... Anchorage: Meadow Lakes ($34,357.97 a year) In Meadow Lakes, Alaska, only 9.13% of residents are 65 and over. However, housing costs are affordable, coming in below the national average. The city has a median home list price of $255,500, which is $34,400 below the national average of $289,900. The annual mortgage payment of $11,460 is also $1,536 below the national average of $12,996. Best Places To Retire In Arizona Near... Phoenix: Glendale ($31,067.78 a year) Tucson: Green Valley ($25,700.78 a year) Green Valley, Arizona, has the largest population of people 65 and older at 77.30%, whereas Glendale's 65-and-over population is on the lower side at 10.96%. Green Valley's median home list price of $189,900 and annual mortgage of $8,520 are more affordable than Glendale's, which total $254,000 and $11,388, respectively. Best Place To Retire In Arkansas Near... Little Rock: Jacksonville ($21,967.33 a year) In Jacksonville, Arkansas, 13.51% of the population is 65 and over, which is below the national average of 18.70%. But moving there might not be a bad idea. The city has the seventh-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $21,967.33 a year, which is well below the national average of $31,210. Best Places To Retire In California Near... San Jose: San Jose ($65,595.96 a year) San Francisco: Richmond ($43,546.23 a year) San Diego: Chula Vista ($43,076.64 a year) Sacramento: Sacramento ($33,709.03 a year) Los Angeles: Lancaster ($32,124.85 a year) When considering the annual cost of living plus annual mortgage costs, Lancaster, California, has the clear edge for most affordable places to retire in the state. The median list price in this city is $296,000   the cheapest among the cities analyzed. But because California is a large state, one of the other cities might be closer or more desirable to you. Sacramento, for example, has the second-cheapest median home list price in California at $330,000, whereas Richmond and Chula Vista's median home list prices are much higher at $525,000 and $535,000, respectively. Meanwhile, San Jose has the most expensive list price in the study at $998,000. Best Places To Retire In Colorado Near... Denver: Aurora ($35,741.22 a year) Colorado Springs: Security-Widefield ($30,066.51 a year) Both Aurora and Security-Widefield, Colorado, have 65-and-over populations that are below the national average, 10.48% and 12.06%, respectively. For seniors interested in the most economical housing, Security-Widefield is the better bet. The median home list price there is $270,000, whereas in Aurora the price is $360,000, exceeding the national average of $289,900. Best Place To Retire In Connecticut Near... Bridgeport: Bridgeport ($30,405.21 a year) In Bridgeport, 10.68% of the population is over 65. Seniors interested in owning a home here will find median list prices at $189,900   a whopping $100,000 below the national average. The annual mortgage payment at $8,520 is also below the national average of $12,996. Best Place To Retire In Delaware Near... Wilmington: Wilmington ($27,871.74 a year) In Wilmington, Delaware, the percentage of the population 65 and over is 11.98%. The city has the exact same median list price for a home as Bridgeport, Connecticut, at $189,900, which is quite a savings when compared to the national average. The annual mortgage in both states matches, too, at $8,520. Best Places To Retire In Florida Near... Jacksonville: Jacksonville ($28,473.86 a year) Orlando: Kissimmee ($24,087.21 a year) Miami: Boynton Beach ($32,540.74 a year) Tampa: New Port Richey ($28,739.17 a year) Retirees are no stranger to Florida: New Port Richey has the third-largest population of people 65 and older at 25.49%, whereas Boynton Beach has the 10th-largest population of people 65 and older at 16.66%. Meanwhile, the annual cost of living plus mortgage in Kissimmee   known as the gateway to Disney   ranks as the 17th-most affordable out of all cities on the list. Best Place To Retire In Georgia Near... Atlanta: Lithonia ($26,745.28 a year) In Lithonia, those 65 and over can snag an awesome deal when buying a home: The median list price in the city is $156,900, which is $133,000 below the national average. The annual mortgage payment is low, too, at $7,032, which averages out to $586 a month. Best Place To Retire In Hawaii Near... Urban Honolulu: Waipahu ($49,143.98 a year) If living in Hawaii is your retirement goal, you're in good company: Waipahu has the ninth-largest population of people 65 and older at 16.68%. Median list prices for a home are $549,900, and the annual mortgage is $24,612. You'll pay more to live here than almost all of the other cities on the list except for San Jose, California, but if you're dreaming of an island paradise, this is one of the more affordable spots on Oahu. Best Place To Retire In Idaho Near... Boise City: Caldwell ($27,976.19 a year) Approximately 12% of the population in Caldwell is 65 and over. And you won't pay a premium to live in this city that is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area. The median list price for a home is $245,990   $43,910 less than than the national average. The annual mortgage payment of $11,028 is also less than the national average of $12,996. Best Place To Retire In Illinois Near... Chicago: Joliet ($25,801.09 a year) Joilet, located 40 miles southwest of Chicago, features a retirement population percentage of 9.64%. The median list price for a home here is $169,900, which is $120,000 below the national average of $289,900. Annual mortgage costs of $7,620 are also more affordable than the national average of $12,996. The annual cost of living plus annual mortgage of $25,801.09 a year falls just outside the 25 most affordable cities on the list. Best Places To Retire In Indiana Near... Indianapolis: Anderson ($19,807.48 a year) Fort Wayne: New Haven ($22,025.42 a year) Anderson has the eighth-largest population of people 65 and older at 16.96%. The city also has the most affordable annual cost of living plus annual mortgage cost at $19,807.48   that's $11,402.52 below the national average. As for New Haven, it has the eighth-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $22,025.42 a year. Best Place To Retire In Iowa Near... Des Moines: Des Moines ($24,346.93 a year) Des Moines has the 18th-most affordable annual cost of living plus mortgage on the list. The median home list price here is $147,500, which is $142,400 below the national average. And the annual mortgage payment is $6,612   $6,384 below the national average. Also See: The Best Places to Retire in America Are All College Towns Best Place To Retire In Kansas Near... Wichita: Haysville ($24,542.95 a year) The median list price for a home in Haysville is $148,900, which is $141,000 below the national average. Plus, the annual mortgage of $6,672 is far less than the national average of $12,996. Best Places To Retire In Kentucky Near... Louisville: Louisville ($27,207.20 a year) Lexington: Georgetown ($27,504.33 a year) The annual cost of living plus mortgage in Louisville and Georgetown is just a few hundred dollars apart. When it comes to each city's median home list price and annual mortgage, however, the costs are thousands of dollars apart. For example, in Louisville, the median home list price is $215,000, whereas the price is $239,000 in Georgetown. That might help explain why the percentage of seniors 65 and over is higher in Louisville than Georgetown: 14.12% versus 9.61%, to be exact. Best Places To Retire In Louisiana Near... New Orleans: Marrero ($25,482.07 a year) Baton Rouge: Denham Springs ($28,814.28 a year) Living in close proximity to New Orleans in Marrero will be cheaper for retirees than living near Baton Rouge in Denham Springs. The annual mortgage payment in Marrero is $7,020 versus Denham Springs' $9,456. And the median home list price in Marrero is $54,400 lower than in Denham Springs. Best Place To Retire In Maine Near... Portland: South Portland ($33,109.90 a year) South Portland ranks No. 16 for percentage of population 65 and over at 15.42%. Although the median home list price at $339,450, the annual mortgage at $15,216 and the annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $33,109.90 are all above the national average, this location could be an affordable pick if East Coast living is your thing. Best Places To Retire In Maryland Near... Baltimore: Dundalk ($26,376.57 a year) Washington: Frederick ($33,933.51 a year) If living in Maryland is your retirement goal, there are a couple of more affordable choices. In Dundalk, the median home list price is below the national average at $149,925, whereas the median home list price in Frederick is $341,000. Best Place To Retire In Massachusetts Near... Boston: Lawrence ($31,519.44 a year) Around 9.85% of the population in Lawrence is comprised of seniors 65 and over. Prices in this city are a bit higher than the national average but still affordable. For example, the median home list price is $299,900 and the annual mortgage is $13,452 or $1,121 per month. Additionally, the combined cost of living and annual mortgage is only $309.44 above the national average. Best Place To Retire In Michigan Near... Detroit: Detroit ($23,578.02 a year) Detroit has the second-lowest median list price for a home at $65,000. The city also has the second-lowest annual mortgage at $2,916. Both pose amazingly considerable savings when you consider the national averages of $289,900 and $12,996, respectively. No wonder 13.08% of the population here is made up of retirees 65 and over. Best Place To Retire In Minnesota Near... Minneapolis: St. Paul ($28.621.59 a year) All cost categories in St. Paul are below the national averages. The median list price for a home at $234,900 is $15,000 lower than the national average. And the annual mortgage cost at $10,536 is $2,460 lower than the national average of $12,996. Best Place To Retire In Mississippi Near... Jackson: Jackson ($23,807.20 a year) It's very affordable to live in Jackson. Cost of living plus an annual mortgage comes out to $23,807.20 per year, and the median list price of a home at $133,450 is $156,450 less than the national average. Best Places To Retire In Missouri Near... Kansas City: Independence ($23,290.60 a year) St. Louis: Florissant ($22,954.87 a year) If it comes down to a decision between moving to Independence or Florissant, consider these facts: Independence has the sixth-largest population of people 65 and older at 17.54% and the 10th-lowest mortgage at $4,992. Florissant has the ninth-lowest median list price for a home at $110,000 and the ninth-lowest mortgage at $4,932. Best Place To Retire In Montana Near... Billings: Billings ($28,634.24 a year) Billings seems popular with retirees. The population of seniors 65 and over is 16.15%, which falls just outside of the top 10 ranking cities in this category. The city's popularity likely has to do with its affordability. All cost categories are below the national averages. For example, the median list price of a home here is $249,900, $40,000 less than the national average of $289,900. Best Place To Retire In Nebraska Near... Omaha: Bellevue ($29,346.08 a year) Bellevue's combined annual cost of living and mortgage comes in under the national average of $31,210, and so do the city's other cost categories. The annual mortgage of $9,864 comes in well below the national average of $12,996, as does the median home list price of $220,000. Best Places To Retire In Nevada Near... Las Vegas: Mesquite ($29,840.40 a year) Reno: Cold Springs ($32,611.80 a year) Although Mesquite and Cold Springs are both considered affordable, Mesquite has the edge. The city has the second-largest population of people 65 and older at 38.03%, which could have something to do with the city's close proximity to Las Vegas, as well as the affordability. The median home list price in Mesquite is $265,500, whereas the annual mortgage comes in at $11,904. Best Place To Retire In New Hampshire Near... Manchester: Manchester ($30,031.95 a year) For seniors living in or close to New Hampshire, moving to Manchester might be a good way to help you stretch your retirement nest egg further. The annual cost of living combined with the annual mortgage comes in below the national average of $31,210. Best Place To Retire In New Jersey Near... Newark/Jersey City: Lakewood ($30,010.64 a year) Although the percentage of seniors 65 and over is small in Lakewood compared to other cities on the list   4.47%   that doesn't mean it's not worth considering. As far as affordability, the median home list price is $40,500 below the national average, and the annual mortgage is $1,812 less. Best Place To Retire In New Mexico Near... Albuquerque: South Valley ($24,617.87 a year) South Valley has several positives. First, there's a healthy population percentage of retirees 65 and over at 15.14%. Next, there's an opportunity to save tons on a home   median list prices are low at $159,000. And the annual cost of living plus annual mortgage, at $24,617.87, is $6,592.13 less than the national average. Best Places To Retire In New York Near... New York: Poughkeepsie ($30,402.16 a year) Buffalo: Niagra Falls ($20,361.29 a year) Niagra Falls, New York, has the fourth-lowest median list price for a home at $69,900   tied with Anderson, Indiana. The city also has the fourth-lowest mortgage at $3,132, also tied with Anderson. In addition, Niagra Falls has the third-lowest combined annual cost of living and annual mortgage of $20,361.29 a year. Best Places To Retire In North Carolina Near... Charlotte: Salisbury ($27,384.94 a year) Raleigh: Clayton ($30,380.11 a year) Greensboro: High Point ($25,293.43 a year) Durham: Durham ($31,335.34 a year) Winston-Salem: Lexington ($26,483.03 a year) Salisbury has the seventh-largest population of people 65 and older at 17.27%, but it's not the most affordable destination in the state. Both High Point and Lexington beat out Salisbury for annual cost of living and annual mortgage expenses. And when it comes to median home list prices, High Point is the most affordable at $165,000. Best Place To Retire In North Dakota Near... Fargo: West Fargo ($27,211.27 a year) In West Fargo, the population percentage of retirees 65 and over is on the lower side at 8.61%. However, the affordability factor might make up for a lack of camaraderie. Median list prices for homes are $40,000 below the national average of $289,900 and the annual cost of living plus annual mortgage is $3,998.73 less than the national average of $31,210. Best Places To Retire In Ohio Near... Columbus: Newark ($23,244.34 a year) Cleveland: Lorain ($19,898.01 a year) Cincinnati: Middletown ($22,664.25 a year) Toledo: Toledo ($20,502.00 a year) Toledo has the fifth-lowest median list price for a home at $84,900, as well as the fifth-lowest mortgage at $3,804. It also has the fourth-most affordable annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $20,502 a year. Lorain has the sixth-lowest mortgage at $3,816, as well as the second-most affordable annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $19,898.01 per year. And Middletown has the 10th-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $22,644.25 a year. Best Places To Retire In Oklahoma Near... Oklahoma City: Midwest City ($26,113.94 a year) Tulsa: Tulsa ($27,315.64 a year) When comparing the annual cost of living plus annual mortgage between Midwest City and Tulsa, Midwest City has the edge. In fact, Midwest City has the edge all the way across the board. Median home list prices are $151,258 versus Tulsa's $195,000. And annual mortgages are $6,780 versus $8,748 respectively. Best Place To Retire In Oregon Near... Portland: Gresham ($33,003.21 a year) Costs in Gresham across the board are above the national averages. But that hasn't resulted in a seriously low retiree population: The 65-and-over population percentage in Gresham is 12.73%. Retirees can expect to pay a median list price of $360,000 for a home and $16,140 annually for a mortgage. Best Places To Retire In Pennsylvania Near... Philadelphia: Upper Darby ($26,859.45 a year) Pittsburgh: Penn Hills ($22,458.13 a year) Penn Hills has the fourth-largest population of people 65 and older at 19.60%. The city also has the seventh-lowest median list price for a home at $90,000 and the seventh-lowest mortgage at $4,032. In addition, Penn Hills has the ninth-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $22,458.13 a year. Best Place To Retire In Rhode Island Near... Providence: Pawtucket ($28,757.39 a year) For seniors who are dreaming of a Rhode Island retirement destination, Pawtucket is a more affordable choice. The median list price of a home here is $220,000, whereas an annual mortgage is $9,864. Best Place To Retire In South Carolina Near... Columbia: Columbia ($26,674.12 a year) The median list price for a home in Columbia is $189,900   a whopping $100,000 below the national average. Plus, the cost of an annual mortgage is $8,520, or $4,476 below the national average. The percentage of the population over 65, at 9.71%, however, is below the national average of 18.70%. Best Place To Retire In South Dakota Near... Sioux Falls: Sioux Falls ($27,229.71 a year) If living in the Midwest is important, Sioux Falls can deliver in the affordability department. The annual cost of living plus annual mortgage comes in at $3,980.29 less than the national average. Plus the median home list price is $59,900 less than the national average. Best Places To Retire In Tennessee Near... Memphis: Memphis ($24,807.80 a year) Nashville: Murfreesboro ($32,038.00 a year) Knoxville: Oak Ridge ($29,188.11 a year) When comparing Memphis, Murfreesboro and Oak Ridge, the one with the clear edge as far as cost of living and annual mortgage is Memphis. The city has the eighth-lowest median list price for a home at $105,000 and the eighth-lowest mortgage at $4,704. Oak Ridge, however, has the fifth-largest population of people 65 and older at 19.23% in this study. Best Places To Retire In Texas Near... Houston: Baytown ($26,242.72 a year) San Antonio: San Antonio ($28,643.69 a year) Dallas: Mesquite ($28,031.67 a year) Austin: San Marcos ($30,864.33 a year) El Paso: Socorro ($23,995.05 a year) Texas is an expansive state, which explains why there are so many choices here. Mesquite's annual cost of living and annual mortgage stands above the rest, at a cost that's $9,242.67 below the national average. Baytown, San Antonio and El Paso also beat the national average in this category, with El Paso being second-most affordable among these Texas cities. As far as which of these cities has the largest 65-and-over population, Baytown leads the pack with 11.68%, followed closely by San Antonio at 11.58% and Socorro at 11.53%. Best Place To Retire In Utah Near... Salt Lake City: West Valley City ($31,375.37 a year) The annual cost of living plus annual mortgage costs in West Valley City slightly exceed the national average. The national median home list price of $289,900 and the annual mortgage at $12,996, however, are directly in line with the national averages. What that means is that other cost of living expenses, namely healthcare and transportation, are slightly higher than the national average here. Best Place To Retire In Vermont Near... Burlington: St. Albans ($29,769.80 a year) St. Albans has a 65-and-over population of 12.06%. Costs are all below the national averages here. For example, the median home list prices at $258,000 is $31,900 below the national average of $289,900. And the annual mortgage cost of $11,568 is $1,428 below the national average of $12,996. Best Place To Retire In Virginia Near... Virginia Beach: Hampton ($26,712.86 a year) If the possibility of saving over $100,000, on average, on the price of a home is a priority, Virginia Beach can deliver. The median list price for a home here is $107,900 less than the national average. Another perk of living here is the lower annual cost of living plus annual mortgage, which is $4,497.14 lower than the national average. Best Places To Retire In Washington Near... Vancouver: Vancouver ($34,718.93 a year) Spokane: Spokane ($27,877.38 a year) Seattle: Tacoma ($30,286.66 a year) For retirees who want to settle near Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma are great picks with lower-than-national-average costs across the board. Vancouver, however, has an edge due to its larger population of retirees 65 and over at 14.69% versus Spokane's 14.48% and Tacoma's 12.98%. Best Place To Retire In West Virginia Near... Huntington: Huntington ($21,922.26 a year) Huntington has the 10th-lowest median list price for a home at $114,950, which is $174,950 below the national average of $289,900. The city also has the sixth-lowest annual cost of living plus annual mortgage at $21,922.26 a year. The city has a healthy 65-and-over population of 15.29% Best Places To Retire In Wisconsin Near... Milwaukee: Milwaukee ($24,754.67 a year) Madison: Madison ($31,003.19 a year) If you're trying to decide between Milwaukee and Madison for a retirement destination, Milwaukee has the clear edge on affordability, even though Madison has a higher population of retirees 65 and over: 11.08% vs. 9.97%. The median list price for a home in Milwaukee is $170,000 less than it is in Madison as well, at $129,900 vs. $299,900. Best Place To Retire In Wyoming Near... Cheyenne: Gillette ($29,770.80 a year) Only 6.73% of the population in Gillette is made up of retirees 65 and over, but that doesn't mean it's not a good pick. Choosing to live here means you'll have a chance of snagging a median home list price of $230,000, which is well below the national average of $289,900. The annual cost of living plus annual mortgage cost is also below the national average of $31,210 by $1,439.20. The Most Affordable Places to Retire Near You When it comes to the state with the most affordable places to retire, Ohio is the winner. Three out of the four most affordable cities in Ohio   Lorain, Toledo and Middletown   appear in the top 10, whereas Newark, Ohio, ranks No. 12. As far as states with the most affordable combined annual cost of living and annual mortgage, Anderson, Indiana, ranks No. 1, followed by Lorian, Ohio; Niagra Falls, New York; Toledo, Ohio; and Chickasaw, Alabama. If you're looking for the most options within a state, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and California all had the most cities   four or more   to choose from. Of course, to save the most money in retirement, you'll likely want to choose a city near you, instead of moving across the country, which could incur a considerable expense. Click through to see what a comfortable retirement costs in the U.S. More on Retirement The Complete Guide to the Best Retirement Age How Much Do I Need to Retire? Survey Finds 42% of Americans Will Retire Broke   Here's Why Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the top metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in each state, as well as each of the top 100 U.S. cities' MSA to determine the most affordable places to retire near you. GOBankingRates first determined the (1) median list price for each MSA's top cities using Zillow's April 2019 data, which was then converted to (2) an annual mortgage total, assuming a 20% down payment was placed for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 3.82%, as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on June 13, 2019. GOBankingRates then used the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure third quarter 2017   second quarter 2018 to determine the annual expenditures for a consumer 65 years and older in terms of groceries ("food at home"), healthcare, utilities ("utilities, fuels and public services") and transportation (gas, other fuels & motor oils" + " other vehicle expenses"). These annual expenditures were factored out for each city using Sperling's Best Places Cost of Living Indices to give GOBankingRates an (3) annual grocery cost for people 65 and older; (4) annual healthcare cost for people 65 and older; (5) annual utilities cost for people 65 and older; and (6) annual cost of transportation for people 65 years and older. Factors 2-6 were then combined to provide an annual cost of living, which was sorted and ranked, with the cheapest being best. GOBankingRates also provided supplemental data, including the percent of each city's population over 65 (according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey) as well as the property and violent crime rates of each city, which was also sourced from Sperling's Best Places. All data is accurate as of June 25, 2019.


Looking to uncover all that Mid-Cambridge has to offer? Get to know this Cambridge neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a Japanese restaurant to a bookstore. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Mid-Cambridge, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. City Girl Café Topping the list is City Girl Café . Located at 204 Hampshire St. in Inman Square, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 423 reviews on Yelp. City Girl Café is a woman-owned restaurant offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. On the menu, look for the vegetable hash and eggs, grilled chicken panini or the French toast. Pair your meal with beer, wine, mimosas or sangria. 2. Life Alive Next up is vegetarian and vegan spot Life Alive , situated at 765 Mass Ave. in Central Square. With 4.5 stars out of 1,400 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. It has three other area locations. Life Alive's menu features grain bowls, smoothies, juices, salads and more. Look for the udon noodles with sesame ginger vinaigrette, the egg and broccoli wrap or the rice and bean grain bowl. 3. Cafe Sushi Japanese spot Cafe Sushi is another top choice. Yelpers give the eatery, located at 1105 Massachusetts Ave. in Harvard Square, four stars out of 667 reviews. Stop by for sushi, sashimi, maki rolls and more. Popular items include the eel and avocado roll, ceviche maki and the shrimp tempura. 4. Seven Stars Bookstore Seven Stars is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 64 Yelp reviews. Head over to 731 Massachusetts Ave. in Central Square to peruse the wide selection. In addition to new, used, rare and out-of-print books, expect to find a collection of crystals and gemstones. Visitors will also find books on religion, psychology, women's studies and more. 5. Broadway Bicycle School Finally, check out Broadway Bicycle School , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 136 reviews on Yelp. You can find the worker-owned co-op at 351 Broadway. Broadway Bicycle School specializes in bike repair, tune-ups and builds. In addition to fixing what is broken, the shop offers repair classes in the evenings. 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.


There's a little something for everyone coming up on the events calendar this week. From a hemp seminar to a financial literacy workshop, here are the best options to help you get off the couch and out into the world. 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. HempWorx Road Show From the event description: Learn more about our life-changing products, unique business opportunity and how you can capitalize on the emerging CBD industry! Your $10 ticket price includes a HempWorx Sample Pack ($40 value). When: Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Where: The Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St. Admission: $10 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Financial Literacy Workshop From the event description: Learn the importance of managing money as a student preparing to go to college. Parents helps students make financial choices by talking to them about money. We will show students how to follow the money and where it goes. When: Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.-noon Where: 6100 Fairview Road, #400 Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Open Studio Saturday From the event description: You're invited to explore our vibrant contemporary art space, meet artists and participate in hands-on, art-making activities! When: Saturday, July 13, noon-4 p.m. Where: McColl Center for Art + Innovation, 721 N. Tryon St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Redhawk Crescent Indie Awards From the event description: Enjoy free food and drinks while Indulging in some of the best independent films and comics from across the world! When: Saturday, July 13, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Johnson C. Smith University (Gambrell Auditorium), 100 Beatties Ford Road Admission: $17 (General Admission). More ticket options are available. Click here for more details, and to get your tickets The Marathon Brunch Part 2 From the event description: The Marathon Brunch is geared towards a positive movement and bringing people together! When: Saturday, July 13, 9 p.m.- Sunday, July 14, 2 a.m. Where: 1000 N. Carolina Music Factory Blvd. Admission: $10 (General Admission) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


As the 2019 season approaches there is hope within the Dallas Cowboys organization that new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can turn the offense around. The optimism is not unfounded, aside from 2014 and 2016, seasons where the Cowboys were a legitimate passing threat, the Scott Linehan era has failed to deliver much in the vein of consistency. Perhaps one of the biggest oddities during Scott Linehan's tenure in Dallas was the use or misuse of running backs in the passing game. In 2018, the average pass to a running back traveled 1.21 yards through the air. For comparison, the average pass to a wide receiver garnered 11.3 air yards. This difference explains the variance between running backs and wide receivers from a usage standpoint. With this in mind, it is important to realize why Ezekiel Elliott's usage in the passing attack has been problematic. The 2018 season saw Elliott leading the Cowboys with 95 targets, but he only had an average depth of target (aDOT) of 0.23 yards. He might have gotten the bulk of the targets on offense, but the way he was utilized often meant that he was forced to pickup chunks of yards after the catch in order to be an efficient threat. This is not an ideal way to generate targets for a star player. The team's heyday with pass catching running backs ended with Lance Dunbar's departure in 2016. Ironically, he had been the most effective passing threat out of the backfield in Linehan's offense. Using nflscrapR's Expected Points Added model reveals this to be true. Expected Points Added or EPA measures the value of a play based on down, distance to first down, field position and time remaining in the game. Dunbar managed 88 targets on offense with an aDOT of 2.7 yards with Dallas. He also has posted a career EPA per reception of 0.57 and a success rate of 55 percent, both being pretty high marks among running backs. The Cowboys have been unable to reach similar production with the running backs that have followed. But scheme might be the biggest factor with this. After all, a metric like aDOT often explains how a player is used, and for Elliott it reveals that the overwhelming majority of his targets are at a shallow depth. This does not mean he is incapable of downfield success. EZEKIEL ELLIOTT. #DETvsDAL #DallasCowboys : FOX pic.twitter.com/PX8jgyLrOW - NFL (@NFL) September 30, 2018 On this play Elliott is used as an outside threat. He is presented with a pocket of open space in front of him and is covered by linebacker Jarrad Davis, truly a mismatch. The result was certainly unexpected, only because Dallas rarely uses their running backs as deep threats. Perhaps this will become a normal fixture in the Cowboys offense with Moore at the helm. Moore's former teammate Dan Orlovsky, recently raved about the first year play-caller on the Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny , "I think it's going to be an offense that is like Sean Payton married with Matt Nagy married with Mike Leach. Like they all had a baby." This is an optimistic, and rather imaginative viewpoint, but this would mean that Moore would have to completely reform the offense in order to establish a scheme that is as ambitious as Orlovsky suggests. It is interesting that Orlovsky mentions Sean Payton as the New Orleans Saints deploy one of the best passing offenses in the NFL. Part of what makes them so dangerous is their usage of Alvin Kamara. The Cowboys have been unable to find the same success with Elliott, but in fairness both players have completely different skillsets. Along with Elliott the Cowboys running back depth chart also includes rookies Tony Pollard and Mike Weber. Following the draft, the team's chief operating officer Stephen Jones coincidentally likened Pollard to Kamara albeit to a lesser extent via the team's official site. "It's a little unfair - he's certainly not at that level, don't get me wrong - but a little Kamara to him, as to how he complements Ingram down in New Orleans." It is hard to take Jones' word at face value, especially in regards to personnel. This is the same man that once said that Tavon Austin could receive two dozen touches per game in 2018. Expecting a Kamara-type breakout from Pollard in his rookie season seems like a pipe dream. This is all dependent on how Moore plans to run the offense. Something that could really be in for a change is how Elliott is used. There is more to a passing offense than just throwing to running backs, but the data would suggest that the Cowboys have been going about things the wrong way ever since Elliott came into the fold. In the case of Elliott, a high volume of targets does not equal efficiency. But now that Moore has a chance to prove himself as a coach, change could be up in the air. 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PHOENIX (AP) Ronald Acuna Jr. made an auspicious return to the leadoff spot Friday night, driving a career-best 466-foot homer to lift the Atlanta Braves past Arizona. Acuna's tiebreaking shot off the batter's eye in center with two outs in the eighth inning helped the Braves end a four-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks. When did he know it was gone? ''Right away,'' Acuna said via translator with a smile. After hitting cleanup in each of his previous 36 starts this season, Acuna returned to the top of the order - his regular place while winning NL Rookie of the Year last season - and hit his eighth homer off Yoan Lopez (0-1). ''I'm going to feel good no matter where they put me in the lineup,'' Acuna said.'' I'm just happy to be in the lineup. For me, it is just about focusing and getting the work done.'' Acuna has homers in two of his last three games after making a slight adjustment in the Dodgers' series earlier this week. He hit a 2-0 fastball from Lopez, who has been scored on in only four of his 29 appearances but three times in four outings against Atlanta. ''You can't fall behind a good hitter like Acuna,'' Lopez said through a translator. ''The Braves have been the only team that has been able to get to me, but it is all part of the process.'' ''I don't want to jinx things, but he is swinging the bat better,'' Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. The Braves got a good outing from Julio Teheran to overcome Zack Greinke's latest strong start. Greinke allowed a run and five hits over seven innings, posting his eighth straight quality start. He didn't walk a batter and reached a three-ball count against only two hitters - the last two he faced while escaping a two-on jam in the seventh. Teheran pitched six innings of one-run ball, Dan Winkler (1-0) pitched the seventh and Luke Jackson struck out two in ninth for his third save after blowing one in the first game of the series Thursday. Teheran gave up three hits, struck out four and walked two. He has given up one run in his last two starts without getting a decision. ''I just wish we could get some runs,'' Snitker said. Dansby Swanson had three hits, and Freddie Freeman had two hits for Atlanta. David Peralta had two hits, including an RBI triple, for Arizona. Swanson tripled to right-center with one out in the fourth inning and scored on Freeman's single over the shift for a 1-0 lead. Ketel Marte doubled off the left field fence with two outs in the sixth and scored on Peralta's triple over the first base bag to tie it at 1, ending Teheran's steak of scoreless innings at 12. ''It's unfortunate when you get a night like we did out of Zack and you can't really capitalize offensively,'' Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. TRAINER'S ROOM Braves: LHP Max Fried (left hand contusion) is expected to start Sunday after reporting no discomfort after a bullpen session Thursday. Fried was struck by a line drive and removed in the second inning of his last start at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Diamondbacks: RHP Taijuan Walker (elbow ligament) threw 23 pitches in a bullpen session Friday and is likely to throw another bullpen session Sunday before pitching in a rehab game. ... C Alex Avila (quadriceps strain) did all the normal pregame work and blocked balls in the dirt Friday and is close to returning. Avila, out since April 7, may not need a rehab assignment, Lovullo said. ... 1B/3B Jake Lamb (quadriceps strain) did some light running and took ground balls Friday while continuing to hit. Lamb will play first and third when he returns, Lovullo said, but is not expected back on the homestead that ends May 19. ... INF Ildemaro Vargas was optioned to Triple-A after the game. A corresponding move is expected Saturday. UP NEXT Braves: RHP Kevin Gausman (1-3), who was ejected and given a five-game suspension for throwing a pitch behind Miami's Jose Urena on May 3, will make his second start while his suspension is under appeal. Gausman has given up 14 earned runs in his last 16 1/3 innings. Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs in four innings in his last start Monday at Tampa Bay. He had given up as many as four runs only once previously. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Amazon.com rose as much as 2 percent on Friday, after reporting first-quarter earnings that beat expectations, helped by continued growth in its advertising and cloud-computing businesses. The stock was on track for its highest close since October before paring some of the gains. Analysts were also optimistic about the announcement that the e-commerce company would offer free one-day shipping for its Prime subscribers -- it previously offered free two-day shipping -- which was seen as a possible catalyst for sales. Multiple firms raised their price targets on the stock. Meanwhile, traditional retailers slumped on the news. Target Corp. tumbled as much as 8.6 percent, its biggest decline since Nov. 20. Walmart Inc. fell as much as 3.7 percent for its biggest intraday decline since Dec. 20. Here's what analysts are saying about Amazon's results: D.A. Davidson, Tom Forte Results "checked most of our boxes." Street-high price target raised to $2,550 from $2,450. Buy rating. The move to one-day shipping "is important because it makes the instant gratification from shopping in physical stores less of a reason to shop at physical stores versus online." This could act as a catalyst for revenue "at a time when the company needs one, with sales growth slowing, but profitability exploding." Citi, Mark May Results were "good but not great," as revenue came in "at the high end of the guidance range but slightly below (1 percent) forecasts." While Amazon's guidance for operating income "is below guidance, the company's history of OI beats actually suggests upside potential to forecasts." Buy rating, price target raised to $2,200 from $2,000. JPMorgan, Doug Anmuth The results gave JPMorgan "more confidence in Amazon's ability to stabilize & potentially accelerate revenue growth, and more clarity on AMZN's 2019 investment spend." Prime one-day shipping "is consistent with AMZN's long-standing goal of convenience & selection, but also likely reflects the increasingly competitive retail environment." Overweight rating, target raised to $2,200 from $2,050. Deutsche Bank, Lloyd Walmsley "The move to 1-day Prime delivery -- on top of wage increases in November -- will help further separate Amazon from competitors, driving more Prime subscriptions, expanding the [total addressable market] and widening the company's competitive advantages." Buy rating, price target raised to $2,315 from $2,300. Goldman Sachs, Heath Terry Raised price target to $2,400 from $2,100 and wrote that the market still doesn't appreciate the long-term benefit from cloud-computing and advertising. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says The "move to one-day free shipping for Prime members could lift near-term spending and reduce market expectations for 2019 operating profit as the e-commerce giant chases market share and digs a wider moat around its retail business." To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Vlastelica in New York at rvlastelica1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Catherine Larkin at clarkin4@bloomberg.net, Steven Fromm, Brad Olesen For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com ©2019 Bloomberg L.P.


Malcolm Jenkins didn't get the good news he was looking for on Wednesday night, but one of his contemporaries just got paid, and that should have the agent of the Eagles safety smiling tonight. The Tennessee Titans just signed star safety, Kevin Byard to a five-year, $70.5 million deal, with over $30 million guaranteed. Titans and S Kevin Byard reached agreement on a 5-year, $70.5 million agreement that includes $31 million in guarantees, per source. Byard - who has the same agent ( @DavidMulugheta ) as Landon Collins and Earl Thomas, now is the highest paid safety in NFL history. - Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2019 Byard, 25, was a third-round pick out of Middle Tennessee State in 2016 and has made one Pro Bowl and one All-Pro team in his three NFL seasons. The raise is significant, as Byard was set to make $2 million this season. View embedded content Byard led the Titans in defensive snaps with 1,043 in 2018. Compare that to Jenkins who played nearly the same amount of snaps for the Eagles, while playing every snap on defense. Byard racked up 90 tackles last season, three for a loss, two sacks and eight passes defended. Byard and Jenkins are both top-ten safeties although the Titans star is only 25 years old. According to Over The Cap , Jenkins is slowly creeping out of the top-10 highest-paid safeties in the league and that was the reasoning for him skipping OTAs. Jenkins is looking for a new deal, with two years left on his current deal. View embedded content MORE: Mike Trout's perfect 98.6 MPH throw to home plate had everyone in awe Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Big Threes Jalen Rose: Don't Be Surprised if Anthony Davis Winds Up With the Bulls Packers GM explains reasoning for releasing DL Mike Daniels Release of Mason Foster leaves Redskins with $11.5 million in salary cap space


The crescendo was familiar. The homophobic climax as forceful as ever. Again, and again, and again, it filled the Pasadena air. "EeeeeehhhhHHHHH," came the primer from Mexican national team fans. And then the punctuation: "P***!" It rattled the Rose Bowl on Saturday night, an inescapable feature of the 2019 Gold Cup 's opening-night soundtrack. And in one sense, it was alarming: Here, on international television, in front of some 65,000 people, was an anti-gay slur, the Spanish equivalent of "f*****," being hurled in unison by hundreds of fans at an opposing goalkeeper. Yet in another sense, it was routine. Perhaps even easy to ignore. After all, authorities did just that for years, as the taunt spread from Mexican club games to the national team last decade. It soon became a community staple , a rite of passage for match-going fans, a so-called tradition that follows El Tri almost everywhere it goes. FIFA fined Mexico's soccer federation (FMF) for "homophobic chants" at 11 different 2018 World Cup qualifiers. They appeared anyway at the World Cup proper , then again at friendlies, then again on Saturday night. Because of course they did. Everyone knew they would. Prior to Saturday, I set out to understand the chant's apparent inevitability. As I rambled to one source, explaining that I planned to write about it whether or not it marred Saturday's opener, the source interjected: "It will." So then why, if its presence was so foreseeable, weren't the FMF, CONCACAF and others able to stop it? Or, some might argue, a better question: Did anybody really try? FIFA's crackdown, and Mexican minimums First, to disprove the chant's inevitability: FIFA did stop it . Last year, in Russia, with a comprehensive crackdown that coerced cooperation out of the FMF. Global soccer's governing body opened disciplinary proceedings after the chant accompanied German goal kicks during Mexico's World Cup opener . FIFA not only fined the Mexican federation, but threatened more sanctions. It also promised to revoke Fan IDs   essentially tickets   and eject anybody caught yelling the slur. The team responded with pleas to its supporters : "NO GRITES 'P***.'" Prominent players reiterated the message . But their reasoning was problematic. "Let's not risk another sanction," Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez said . And Marco Fabián : "There are different rules now. It would be a shame for [fans] to not be allowed in. ... We should [try to] avoid punishments." Never did they, nor the Mexican federation, acknowledge that the chant is homophobic. Which it is   even if the word has multiple meanings. FIFA has decided so. Disciplinary descriptions make that clear. So does FARE 's global guide to discriminatory practices in football , which declares "p***" a synonym for "f*****." The word, according to the guide, refers "to gay men in a derogatory way." But the FMF has never admitted this. Its refusal constrains its efforts to eradicate the chant. Instead, it has appealed fines   about which supporters don't care anyway. It launched one unspecific campaign in 2016. It has done the absolute minimum to avoid serious punishment. FIFA's relatively heavy hand forced FMF to do more. CONCACAF, on the other hand, hasn't done nearly enough. Whose responsibility is the chant? The two parties most responsible for Saturday night's cries, and for an atmosphere that is hostile toward LGBTQ fans, are the FMF and CONCACAF. Probably in that order. A third entity involved is Soccer United Marketing, or SUM, the agency that partners with both the FMF and CONCACAF to promote and sell their products. Its influence, however, is limited. There have been discussions among the three about how to best address the chant. Back in 2017, after all, CONCACAF general secretary Philippe Moggio called it "the No. 1 stadium issue we face." But the discussions heading into the 2019 Gold Cup appear to have led to dead ends. No meaningful action was taken. No LGBTQ advocacy groups were retained as partners. It's unclear why. The FMF has done nothing of substance to address the chant since the 2018 World Cup. (FMF, when asked by Yahoo Sports about recent efforts, pointed to the aforementioned 2016 campaign , saying it has been maintained since.) CONCACAF, meanwhile, re-upped its "State of Goal" campaign , an educational initiative from 2017 that supposedly "rais[es] awareness on diversity and inclusion." It features vague, often tuned-out messages in stadiums and, infrequently, on social media . They don't include a single mention of the chant, homophobia or sexual orientation. In the short-term, it's ineffective   and quite likely will be in the medium- and long-term as well. That multiple entities could potentially aid chant-eradication efforts is part of the problem. Some feel others are responsible   a crutch they use to absolve themselves of blame. It's bystander apathy in the abstract: Each organization does less than it should to help victims   gay soccer fans everywhere. CONCACAF's vagueness So what, exactly, is CONCACAF's stance on the chant? Yahoo Sports asked the North and Central American soccer confederation, simply: "Does CONCACAF have a position on whether the chant is homophobic?" CONCACAF responded with four paragraphs, not one of which directly answered the question. "Our priority is to ensure that every spectator at the Concacaf Gold Cup experiences an inclusive and enjoyable environment," it said in an email. "Therefore, we will address any fan behavior that causes offence or that affects the integrity of the game. "One of the most positive aspects about the Concacaf Gold Cup is that it brings together such a variety of cultures. But this diversity can also lead to sensitive situations when the fan behavior of one nation is offensive to fans from other communities. "Education is therefore essential to help stimulate a more harmonious and inclusive environment. This is why we have been working on the 'Let's Live in a State of Goal' inclusivity initiative, with all of the federations and stakeholders across our region. "In 2019, this campaign is being allocated significant amounts of time and space across all promotional assets around the Gold Cup Venues - from LED signage and PA announcements to big screens. This will help us encourage fans to consider the impact their behavior will have on others." In other words: No. CONCACAF is unwilling to even confirm publicly that the chant is homophobic. It does have a fan code of conduct , which encourages match-goers to remain "respectful and courteous." It states that each and every one of them "has the right to expect an environment where … fans enjoy the football experience free from ... disorderly behavior, including foul, sexist, racial, obscene, offensive or abusive language or gestures." (It doesn't mention homophobia.) Failure to abide by that code, it says, "is subject to sanctions, including ejection, banishment and arrest." Would the chant, assuming it's at least considered "offensive," therefore result in ejections? Yahoo Sports asked. "We work closely with the stadium authorities and apply official measures to assess each issue on a case-by-case basis," CONCACAF responded. There were no reports of mass security interventions on Saturday night. There was a public address announcement, midway through the first half, "urging fans to refrain from discriminatory chanting," per CONCACAF. If they didn't, the PA warned, the game would be halted. But of course they didn't, and it wasn't. Such warnings, from CONCACAF or otherwise, rarely have teeth. There is occasional talk of point deductions and empty stadiums. None of it ever comes to fruition. Nor would it necessarily be fair. But if not overly harsh, attention-grabbing punishments … then what? A complex issue ... and a desperately simple one One reason CONCACAF might be keeping its Gold Cup messaging vague: Many executives and observers argue that reprimands targeting the chant only strengthen fans' resolve. The climax, they've noticed, becomes even more forceful in defiance. It's one of many dynamics that make the problem so vexing. Throwing more resources at it might only bring minimal reward. Plus, El Tri 's fan base is uniquely vast. A successful crackdown in Los Angeles wouldn't necessarily translate to Houston or Mexico City. Nor does one in Russia by FIFA pertain to the United States and CONCACAF. A traveling circus is different than one centralized bonanza, and makes the problem not only vexing but overwhelming. That, however, is no excuse for leaning on bland video-board announcements, and certainly no excuse for utter inaction. If FIFA curtailed the chant last summer, and if clubs have stamped it out , the FMF and CONCACAF can at least do more to try. The latter must hold the former accountable. There is the worry that explicit admonishments might backfire, but what is the downside? The status quo is unsafe. The PR-tailored "initiatives" are practically worthless. CONCACAF will claim that altering behavior takes time, and that it is chipping away LED board by LED board, but how about chipping away ejection by ejection? By threatening fans with expulsion, and following through? Perpetrators could not possibly be easier to identify. Some even out themselves on social media. Ehhhhhhhhhhhh Puto! #MexicoVSCuba #GoldCup #CopaOro #Pasadena #RoseBowl #California pic.twitter.com/L86Na0aVFs   #JuanSnow 🐺 (@Salgado1031) June 16, 2019 They not only partake in the homophobia. They flaunt it . Because the entities that brought them to the Rose Bowl never specifically told them it was out of bounds. In that sense, the chant is both a terribly complex issue and a desperately simple one. CONCACAF, not once in the buildup to the tournament, publicly mentioned it or homophobia. Never told fans they couldn't yell "p***." Never told them what the consequences would be if they did, and never proved to them those consequences actually existed. Until somebody does, the word will keep echoing around North America's largest stadiums. And many LGBTQ fans will continue to feel unwelcome.               Henry Bushnell is a features writer for Yahoo Sports . Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell , and on Facebook . More from Yahoo Sports: Women's World Cup about to get tougher for USWNT Report: Kyrie has 'essentially ghosted' Celtics Prosecutors identify man allegedly behind Ortiz plot How does Davis trade compare to other NBA mega-deals?


Jake Marisnick did not receive a friendly welcome back in Southern California. The Houston Astros outfielder was booed by Angels fans when he came to the plate for his first at-bat in Tuesday night's game in Anaheim. The fans cheered when he took a called strike to fall behind in the count, though Marisnick ended up hitting a single. They booed him again when he came to the plate in the fourth and cheered when he swung and missed at a pitch. Why the boos for Marisnick? The outfielder slammed into Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy in a collision at home plate on July 7, the teams' final game before the All-Star break. The collision left Lucroy concussed and with a fractured nose. Marisnick received a two-game suspension and appealed, saying he did not intend to hurt Lucroy . Marisnick is from Riverside, Calif., which is about 35 miles northeast of Anaheim. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2009 and traded to the Marlins as part of the big Mark Buehrle/Jose Reyes deal. Houston got him in a 2014 trade. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


SEATTLE (AP)   Sue Bird found one upside to having knee surgery that has kept her out of the entire WNBA season to date. She won't be missing any playing time to attend the Women's World Cup final on Sunday in Lyon, France, to see if the United States can win its fourth title. "What they're doing right now, it's amazing," Bird said Wednesday. Despite not playing so much as a second this season for the Seattle Storm, Bird has found herself in the news, especially this week because of her article on The Players' Tribune website regarding girlfriend Megan Rapinoe and the U.S. performance at the World Cup. Bird said she sat down to write the article last Sunday and it was published on Tuesday, and so far most of the comments have been positive. The headline caught attention for its reference to President Donald Trump and his comments regarding Rapinoe , although Bird said the headline was more a reference to an article she wrote for the website last September after she broke her nose during Seattle's run to the WNBA title. "On some levels, if you read it, there is some humor in there. It's a light, fun way to use your voice, but also address some things," Bird said. "More than anything I wanted to hype Megan up a little bit and also have her back. ... It was challenging at times trying to get the right messaging across that I wanted to convey, but I think all in all I'm happy with it. There has been a lot more love than hate. Unfortunately, there has been some hate, but that's just reality we live in right now." Bird said she doesn't view what she wrote as a political statement. "I don't feel political. To me, this isn't a matter of tax reform and things of that nature," she said. "This is treating people with respect, treating people like they're a human, just like you are. That's where I stand with it. That's what I believe in. It's very similar to what Megan believes in. More than anything, I wanted to have her back, and talk about some soccer." Bird's rehabilitation on her left knee is continuing, but the surgery she had in late May was a bit more extensive than initially expected and has put any return this season in question. She said it's similar to 2013, when she ended up missing the entire season following knee surgery. "I was actually ready right around the playoffs. Then it becomes this team has played an entire season without me, is that fair. And I'm already putting the carriage before the horse because who knows if I'm going to be ready by then," she said. "It was definitely more extensive than we had initially thought going in. Which isn't a bad thing, I think long term it's a good thing. It just kind of sucks for this season."


A new reputable source signals the U.S.-spec Golf Mk VIII will come only in GTI and R flavors. First reported by Motor1.com at the beginning of the month, the next-generation VW Golf will be getting a simplified lineup in the United States where at least a couple of versions are going to get the proverbial axe. Automotive News has published a report that echoes our original article stating the base version of the Golf Mk VIII will not make it to the U.S. where the more practical SportWagen won't be available either. AN says Volkswagen of America recently informed its dealers about killing the U.S.-spec base Golf and the Golf SportWagen for the model's eighth generation, with only the GTI and R performance derivatives earmarked for North America. The hot hatches will be revealed sometime next year as per a promise made by VW , but the new intel sourced from "people familiar with the automaker's plans "suggests these won't go on sale in the United States until the end of 2021 as 2022MY. There's no word about whether the Alltrack will survive the transition to the new gen in the U.S., but with the rugged flavor being based on the not-for-America Golf SportWagen / Variant, it seems highly unlikely. There's more to the story as Canada could effectively save the base Golf from being eliminated in North America. As AN points out, the standard Golf is VW's best-selling car in Canada and dealers over there are unlikely to give up on the model so easily. For this reason, they'll likely pressure VW on keeping it alive, which would also impact U.S. availability as an undisclosed source told AN that if Canadian dealers will be getting the base Golf, so will dealers across the U.S. One thing is for sure   the fully electric e-Golf will not live to see a new generation globally since its role in the lineup will be replaced by the ID.3. On the subject of electrification, VW has announced plans for at least two plug-in hybrid versions of its best seller, but it's not known at this point if either of the two will be getting U.S. license plates. One of the PHEV versions has already been confirmed to offer 50 miles (80 kilometers) of electric range. The same report goes on to mention another possible change brought by the switch to the Mk VIII will be the location from where the U.S.-spec Golf is going to be sourced. While some of the current versions of the compact hatchback/wagon are shipped from VW's Puebla factory in Mexico, the entire next-gen lineup will originate from Germany. Source: Automotive News


WASHINGTON (AP) A few days after the birth of his second daughter, Kacy, Max Scherzer was back to work. His wife wouldn't have it any other way. Scherzer sustained a dominant stretch with seven strong innings two days after the birth of his daughter, Kurt Suzuki homered and the Washington Nationals beat the Kansas City Royals 6-0 on Saturday. The NL pitcher of the month for June, Scherzer (9-5) allowed four hits and struck out 11 with one walk in his final outing before heading to Tuesday's All-Star Game, where he won't pitch. Kacy was born Thursday. ''I know my wife, Erica, she wanted me to pitch today,'' Scherzer said. ''She wants me out there pitching, she doesn't want me sitting at home. We got the in-laws in, we got help. She's a baseball wife, she (was) a pitcher (in college). She knows she wants me out there competing.'' Scherzer has won seven straight starts and has an 0.84 ERA over his last nine appearances. On Saturday, he settled in after a 22-pitch first inning and later struck out the side in the seventh inning as Washington won for the ninth time in 11 games. ''I played in Atlanta (with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine) and those guys they had were pretty good, but what I've seen out of Max is incredible, it really is,'' manager Dave Martinez said. ''I don't know how many games now where he keeps getting better and better as we go along.'' Both teams wore throwback uniforms in celebration of their franchise's 50 years since joining Major League Baseball in 1969, with the Nationals wearing the powder blue uniforms of the Montreal Expos. Kansas City starter Glenn Sparkman (2-5) gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings. ''The way it looked early, they were going to bash his brains in, and he did a nice job of settling down and making pitches,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. ''I was pleased that he was able to give us six strong.'' Alex Gordon had two hits and a walk for the Royals, who have lost eight of 10. With Washington leading 1-0, Matt Adams walked leading off the second and Suzuki followed with his 11th homer of the season to culminate a 10-pitch at-bat. Juan Soto had two RBI singles. EXPOS DAY Hall of Famer and former Expo Vladimir Guerrero threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... It wasn't the first time in an Expos uniform for Martinez, who caught Guerrero's pitch, and third base coach Bobby Henley. Martinez hit .279 over 3 1/2 seasons with Montreal, and Henley was a teammate of Guerrero's on the 1998 Expos. ... Expos highlights were shown between innings. WHEELS Scherzer stole his first base of the season and second of his career after a single in the fourth. He was then caught too far off second on Trea Turner's grounder to third for a fielder's choice. CENTURY STEAL Kansas City CF Whit Merrifield recorded his 100th career steal when he swiped second in the first inning. He's the sixth fastest player in Royals history to reach that mark, doing it in 474 games. Tom Goodwin was the fastest (243 games). TRAINER'S ROOM Royals: Manager Ned Yost said he was without a quartet of relievers following Friday's 11-inning game including Wily Peralta (who pitched in four out of past five games), Jake Newberry (three out of four), Kevin McCarthy (51 pitches in the past three days) and Ian Kennedy (49 pitches in two days). Nationals: Martinez said 1B Ryan Zimmerman was ''normally sore'' coming out of Friday's game and was given the day off. ... Martinez said Scherzer will get some extra time off after the All-Star break and won't make his next start until Sunday, July 14. UP NEXT Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (4-8, 5.53) is winless since May 30. He received one run of support or less in four of his past six outings. He's never faced the Nationals. Nationals: LHP Patrick Corbin (7-5, 3.55) has a 1.29 ERA with 24 strikeouts, four walks and a .181 opponents' batting average over his past three starts. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Tampa Bay Rays closer Jose Alvarado has become one of the most reliable relievers in the MLB. The combination of speed and movement on his pitches leave his opponents completely dazed. Watch this 99 mph sinking, swerving deathball warp all the way to the right edge of the plate against all known laws of physics, utterly destroying Gary Sanchez. Can't tell which is more , the unis or the pitch. pic.twitter.com/JIQKkAcrH7   MLB (@MLB) May 12, 2019 The nonchalant turnaround and strut was perfectly fitting. Alvarado has been stout this season, posting an 1.2 ERA with four saves. In 15 innings pitched, he has allowed zero home runs and has struck out 23 batters. The 23-year-old flamethrower is looking like one of the most promising players in the league. Meanwhile, the Rays have been reaping the benefits of having Alvarado as a safety net. Their win over the Yankees gave them a 1.5-game lead for the top of the AL East division. Not bad for a humble team that plays in a weird dome. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)