Peter Hickman gave the new BMW its debut road racing win, after dominating the opening North West 200 Superstock race on his Smiths Racing S1000RR. Hickman's second NW200 victory came in crushing fashion, as he led Glenn Irwin by close to two seconds across the line, while there were wins for Lee Johnston and Stefano Bonetti in the first Supersport and Supertwins race of the meeting. Irwin led Bournemouth Kawasaki team-mate James Hillier off the line in the STK race, with poleman Hickman slotting into third ahead of Bathams BMW's Michael Rutter. Hickman utilised the slipstream on the run down to University to usurp Irwin, but ran wide and had to execute the move again moments later at the Magherabouy chicane. Irwin attempted to retake the lead at the Metropole corner, but Hickman immediately countered this and soon opened his advantage at the front to over a second. Hillier faded from the lead group, with Irwin and Dean Harrison left to battle it out for second. However, the Silicone Engineering rider's race came to an early end when he tumbled off at University on the penultimate lap. Irwin did reduce Hickman's lead from 3.1s down to 1.8s across the final tour, but the world's fastest road racer could not be toppled. MD Racing's Michael Dunlop completed the podium on his BMW, beating Hillier and Johnston in the latter stages, while NW200 debutant Richard Cooper was an impressive sixth on the Hawk Racing Suzuki. Ian Hutchinson was involved in that scrap for the final podium place, but retired at the end of lap four. Rutter joined the Honda rider on the sidelines. Supersport Johnston came into the STK race on a high after beating Harrison in a thrilling six-lap SSP encounter. The Ashcourt Racing rider battled with Harrison, Hillier and Alastair Seeley for the entirety of the race, though poleman Seeley's hopes of a 25 th win were dashed when he ran into the Juniper Hill chicane and crashed on the grass having just moved back into the lead. This left Johnston to lead Harrison over the line by 0.730s for his fourth NW200 success, with Hillier, Dunlop, Jamie Coward and Hutchinson completing the top six. Supertwins Jamie Coward made a play for the lead on the final lap in the Supertwins race, but was bested by the Paton of Bonetti, who became the first Italian rider to win at the NW200. Derek McGee led in the early stages on the KMR Kawasaki, with team-mate Jeremy McWilliams   who was allowed to start despite not completing the required five laps to qualify   moving ahead at Metropole. A crash for the ex-MotoGP man at Mather's chicane on the second lap ended his hopes of a third NW200 win, with Bonetti making a break amid the chaos. McGee's race effectively ended at the same place as his team-mate, when he was forced to take the escape road when battling KTS man Coward. McGee was hit with a 10s penalty for failing to stop before carrying on, and was lucky not to crash when he clipped the kerb heading back into the paddock to retire. This promoted Rutter to third. Irwin's KTS bike expired on the opening lap, while John McGuinness was a non-starter on the Norton Superlight.


Crews are making progress containing a wildfire in Yolo County that sparked Saturday and quickly spread, officials said. The Sand Fire had charred an estimated 2,512 acres and was 60% contained as of Tuesday morning. The fire began around 2:50 p.m. Saturday, officials said. It has burned steep, brush-covered slopes near the town of Guinda in the Capay Valley, according to Cal Fire. A mandatory evacuation order was lifted for residents on County Road 41 at 5 p.m. Monday, Cal Fire said. An evacuation advisory remains in place, but people were allowed to return home, officials said. "It gets a little nerve-wracking," said Lea Lloyd, who had to evacuate over the weekend. "At the same time, we know those firefighters are working and it's awesome to watch them. Without them, I don't what we'd do." Lea Lloyd and her husband, Chet Lloyd, sat in their silver pickup truck watching the fire Saturday. "I guess it's our turn," said Chet Lloyd. "Hopefully, they'll put it out." Other neighbors stood at roadblocks, waiting to see if they could check out their homes. "Just sitting here not knowing, that's the worst," said Ingela Kaersvang, who was forced to leave. "The fire was already here. They didn't have time to evacuate us. It was already coming through the property." Highway 16 remains closed between Rumsey and Highway 20 as firefighting continues. Officials are unsure when the road will reopen. More than 1,110 personnel are fighting the blaze, plus nine helicopters and 80 fire engines. Seven outbuildings have been destroyed by the flames, Cal Fire said. No injuries have been reported. No other information was released. READ MORE: Containment grows on Sand Fire in Yolo County CHECK OUT KCRA: Stay informed. Get the latest Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento news and weather from the KCRA news team.


Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reiterated that the club is still working on making more signings this summer, but has bemoaned the 'very hard' market and the imminent early Premier League deadline that will stop incoming transfers on 8 August. United secured the signings of Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka back in June. Both new arrivals have impressed during pre-season, but the club failed to get any more over the line in July and now have just six days left to complete any remaining deals. Negotiations over Harry Maguire and Paulo Dybala are at advanced stages, although Solskjaer has voiced his concern over the early deadline because it puts English clubs at a disadvantage. But frustrated fans will be the first to point out that United have had two months to do business since the Premier League window opened on 9 June and have failed to make good use of the time. "We're looking good. Of course we've been working on a few cases over the summer. It's never easy," the Norwegian told Sky Sports . "The club has been very good and the market is very hard. We're trying to get to the start of the season with the squad that we want," he added. United were one of the few Premier League clubs to vote against the self-imposed early deadline when it was introduced last year. It was intended to protect clubs by ensuring players couldn't be unsettled by transfers after the season had started. In reality, it is potentially more of a hindrance because it cannot stop foreign teams unsettling players at English clubs. The obvious example this summer would be Real Madrid eyeing Paul Pogba right until the start of September and United being unable to replace him if they eventually have to relent and sell. "I think we have picked the short straw, to be fair," Solskjaer explained. "When our league starts there is still three more weeks that clubs can be hovering around our players. I don't think it is a good one for us, no." Relief over Pogba may yet come as Real close in on Ajax talent Donny van de Beek instead.


Tottenham's end-of-season dip has continued as the Lilywhites slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, and Son Heung-min's red card summed up a frustrating week for Spurs. Having missed out on the midweek defeat to Ajax in the Champions League semi-final through suspension, the South Korean was restored to the starting XI at the Vitality Stadium to inject renewed attacking impetus into Mauricio Pochettino's side. RED CARD Son Heung-min has been shown a straight red for an off-the-ball incident AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Spurs (43 mins) #BOUTOT   Premier League (@premierleague) May 4, 2019 RED CARD Spurs are down to 9 men as substitute Juan Foyth sees red for a dangerous challenge on Jack Simpson AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Spurs (48 mins) #BOUTOT   Premier League (@premierleague) May 4, 2019 However, Son did not even make it through the first half of the Premier League encounter, as the forward was dismissed two minutes before the interval on the south coast. The forward committed a foul on Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, before Jefferson Lerma intervened by brushing Son's leg. That drew a heated response from the Tottenham forward, as he responded by pushing Lerma, who subsequently threw himself to the floor. In truth, the South Korean's actions were more out of frustration than malice, but Lerma's dramatic reaction no doubt played a part in Craig Pawson's decision to show Son a straight red card for his actions. Eric Dier should have been sent off. Son Heung-Min was sent off. Juan Foyth has been sent off. It's all going wrong for Tottenham. #BOUTOT pic.twitter.com/SFYXlDmyQ7   Goal (@goal) May 4, 2019 Son Heung-min got a red card    Scholes (@samumakhaya) May 4, 2019 Heung-min Son was never suspended in almost four years at Tottenham. Now has a second ban in a week.   Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) May 4, 2019 Guess who's on #holiday Thursday morning? #BOUTOT #sonheungmin pic.twitter.com/5qfkuuUFRl   Carl Meason (@MeasonCarl) May 4, 2019 The decision appeared to be a harsh one, particularly given that acts of aggression are largely out of character for Son, but it was perhaps naive of the Tottenham star to engage in such an altercation off the ball. Lerma certainly did not do himself any favours with his theatrics, but he has handed his side a huge advantage in ensuring that his side could play the full duration of the second half without the threat of the visitors' most dangerous attacker. To make matters worse for Spurs, Juan Foyth lunged in recklessly with a dangerous challenge on Jack Simpson just three minutes into the second half, leaving Pawson with little choice but to brandish a second red card in remarkably quick succession, with the visitors now down to nine men. Juan Foyth's heat map from today's game. pic.twitter.com/8TirJhks6w   FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) May 4, 2019 Stellar performance from Juan Foyth that    (@ccfcben) May 4, 2019  He was hardly on the pitch for Juan minute, why's Foyth going in like that?   Josh (@JSS1804) May 4, 2019  Juan foyth a complete liability   jason wilson (@wilse13) May 4, 2019 Juan foyth!! Red card, this ref really tryna redeem himself for not booking dier 3 times #BOUTOT   Ross Knight (@rossyknightyah1) May 4, 2019 In what is a season-defining week for Tottenham, their character and resolve face almost as big a test at the Vitality Stadium as they will in days to come.


Spending time in the Main Street District? Get to know this downtown Dallas neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from cocktail bars and a classic Irish pub to high-end bistros with locally inspired fare. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in the Main Street District, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Frankie's Downtown Topping the list is Frankie's Downtown , a traditional American breakfast and brunch spot as well as a sports bar. Located at 1303 Main St., it's among the highest-rated businesses in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 402 reviews on Yelp. This popular eatery features an extensive menu and offers a diverse range of items from flatbreads, salads and wings to sandwiches, burgers and smaller sharable plates such as jalapeño poppers and kettle chips. The restaurant also has a daily happy hour, lunch specials and a "Hair of the Dog Brunch," which is served from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. 2. The Crafty Irishman Next up is The Crafty Irishman , an Irish pub that offers burgers, sandwiches and more, situated at 1800 Main St. With 4.5 stars out of 269 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. According to its website , The Crafty Irishman is "deeply rooted in Irish tradition" and serves as "the perfect backdrop to slip out of Dallas and into the Land of a Thousand Welcomes." Additionally, the pub features a vast bar menu , where you'll find a thorough selection of Irish whiskeys, scotch, bourbon, wine, cocktails, coffee and "Irish endings." 3. CBD Provisions Brasserie, breakfast, brunch and traditional American spot CBD Provisions is another top choice. Yelpers give the eatery, located at 1530 Main St., four stars out of 919 reviews. Known for celebrating "the natural bounty and culinary traditions of Texas with a contemporary point of view," along with the use of sustainably sourced local ingredients, the restaurant offers many classic dishes with a regional twist. 4. The Woolworth The Woolworth , a cocktail bar and New American locale that features tapas and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 737 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1520 Elm St., Suite 201, to see for yourself. In addition to offering brunch, lunch, dinner, happy hour specials, desserts and spirits, the restaurant hosts special events, serving as a venue for holiday parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding festivities, corporate meetings and other private gatherings. 5. Mirador Finally, be sure to check out Mirador , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 77 reviews on Yelp. You can find this New American joint and bar, which offers burgers and more, at 1608 Elm St. Boasting sweeping views of downtown Dallas as well as floor-to-ceiling windows and a wraparound terrace, Mirador serves upscale meals in a picturesque setting. Guests can also enjoy late-night cocktails in the bistro's adjacent lounge. 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.


A Tesla driver was filmed asleep at the wheel in a Model S sedan apparently cruising on its own down California's 405 freeway with its Autopilot semi-autonomous feature enabled. The story was picked up-and sensationalized-by the local NBC station , which reports that the Tesla not-driver is alleged to have traveled 30 miles down the 405 while napping. Just as when Autopilot first came out and people put videos of themselves climbing out of the driver's seat and into the passenger or rear seats while the car seemingly drove itself, this is monumentally stupid and bad for a variety of reasons. First and most important is this: In spite of its name, Autopilot isn't a full self-driving system. Instead, it encompasses the relatively ordinary (and widely available) pairing of adaptive cruise control and a lane-keeping system that steers the car within lane markers. Sure, Tesla's self-steering function is among the better and more ambitious ones out on the market today. Mostly this is because it's allowed more leeway to steer the car than many of Tesla's competitors allow in their vehicles; for example, Mercedes-Benz has similar technology but deliberately doesn't allow it to function in as many scenarios-or handle turns as sharp-as boundary-pushing Tesla does. Either way, Tesla is adamant that drivers using Autopilot in its vehicles must remain present and aware, lest they need to retake control at any moment. In our experience with Autopilot, the need to retake control really can happen at any moment-sometimes, it's because there is a traffic scenario developing ahead that the car's computers simply can't figure out. Other times, Autopilot itself seems to go to sleep, steering the car in odd or unexpected directions. The point is this: Autopilot isn't perfect, Tesla doesn't officially view it as such, and a driver can't simply nod off while using the system. After all, Autopilot cannot read or respond to road signs, read or respond to traffic signals, and more. Stupider still, this wasn't some case of a driver, lulled by boredom, falling asleep while the car did all of the work. Tesla's Autopilot system has a fail-safe designed to keep driver inattention at bay, a torque sensor on the steering wheel that, if the wheel isn't touched or handled for a period of time, instigates the driver to retake control and defeats Autopilot. So how did this guy in California sleep for 30 miles, hands off the wheel, you ask? He hacked it. Intentionally. Per the citizen who recorded the incident, there appeared to be something tied to the Tesla's steering wheel. This is a well-known hack for Autopilot (and other self-steering systems), in which a user straps something mildly weighty (a soda can, a beanbag, whatever) to the steering-wheel rim to trick the system into thinking there's a hand on the wheel, thus defeating its hands-on-the-wheel safety net and allowing (theoretically) endless hands-off driving. Endless, that is, until the car's cameras and radar sensors lose purchase on the Tesla's surroundings, or that thing tied to the wheel falls off and the car leaves the road and slams into something, or meets any of the other grim outcomes there could be for a rudderless car traveling at highway speeds. Self-driving cars don't yet exist, not in Tesla form, not in any form-and barely in experimental form. So, although it should go without saying: always pay attention while driving, even while using driver-assistance features like Autopilot. Not least because some rightfully concerned citizen will film you and report your license plate number to the police, as happened here.


Black holes are, by definition, impossible to see by conventional methods and are often further obscured by thick blankets of dust or gas. But that's not an issue for NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array ( NuSTAR ). It can peek through the obscuring layers and monitor the black holes via the high-energy X-rays that they emit. And, after a recent survey that spotted five previously unknown supermassive black holes in the centers of various galaxies, NASA researchers now think there could be millions of of them dotting the Universe like the holes of an intergalactic colander. "Thanks to NuSTAR, for the first time, we have been able to clearly identify these hidden monsters that are predicted to be there, but have previously been elusive because of their surrounding cocoons of material," said George Lansbury of Durham University in a statement. "Although we have only detected five of these hidden supermassive black holes, when we extrapolate our results across the whole universe, then the predicted numbers are huge and in agreement with what we would expect to see." The team's research has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. NASA


The Mets just seem to have incredible luck with finding veteran major leaguers to plug into their swiss cheese roster decimated by injuries. Add SS Adeiny Hechavarria to that list tonight, as he demolished a three run bomb that directly preceded an epic bat flip. Pretty sure this bat landed on the moon. pic.twitter.com/cZ0lEYH0s8   Cut4 (@Cut4) May 25, 2019 Who knows where that bat might've gone after the home run. The moon doesn't seem to be too out of the realm of possibility considering the video never shows its final destination. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


Kelyn Soong of Washington City Paper recently covered the lives of a couple players on the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate: the Potomac Nationals. The story focuses on the financial difficulties that minor league ball players face while trying to chase their dreams of making it in MLB. It's a not-so-friendly reminder about the f***** up farm system that players, both young and old, have to go through before earning a real paycheck. Towards the end of the story, however, the tone switches a bit when Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton shares his take on this whole situation. Eaton does what most grumpy veterans do at any job and argues that because he had to struggle during his climb up to the majors, then everyone else should have to go through the same process too. In fact, getting rid of those difficulties would be problematic as it would soften up this new generation of players. While he believes things can be improved and players should make a little more money so they're "literally not eating crumbs," he doesn't want the MLB to make minor league conditions more hospitable. "If you do, complacency sets in," Eaton says. "I think it's difficult, yes, and it's easy for me to say that because of where I am, but I wouldn't be where I am without that … If I financially am supported down there and financially can make a living and not have to get to the big leagues, I think I'm a little more comfortable. I think that I might not work as hard because I know I'm getting a decent paycheck every two weeks, and may not push myself nearly as hard." "I don't disagree with [the notion] that they're being exploited, but I think it's for the betterment of everybody," he adds. "I know it sounds crazy … I think there's a middle ground … There's ground to be made up, but I think it still should be rough." It's genuinely incredible that Eaton understands why his way of thinking should be dismissed it's easy to say this now because he's already in the majors, and he knows "it sounds crazy" and yet he pushes on with it anyways. In case it's not clear, Eaton's problem is that he's conflating luxury and a basic standard of living. Minor league players aren't asking for the multi-million-dollar contracts that those in MLB are getting though there might be some that deserve it. They're just asking for a wage that doesn't force them to live out of suitcases on air mattresses of host families in whatever city they get shipped off to for their Minor League assignment. The idea that those requests will force players to be complacent is absolutely ridiculous since most players who are only searching for a check in baseball don't make it far enough for complacency to be a legitimate problem. Even from outside of a moral perspective, ball clubs pumping in more money into their MiLB affiliates would almost certainly result in better baseball in the future. But it's not like Eaton is making his argument from either of those perspectives. As is usually the case, he's projecting his own thoughts and feelings from his time as a minor league players onto everyone else who's still in that system. He thinks that struggle is good for those players because it was good for him. He thinks that those players should have it rough because he had it rough. With this logic, it's to assume that he thinks minor leaguers would get complacent with more hospitable conditions because that's likely what he would have done if he were in that position.


Video by WKYC-TV Another MLB player is calling for expanded netting after another child was hit and injured by a foul ball at a ballpark. Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians helped his team beat the Kansas City Royals, 5-4, on Sunday, but a line drive foul that he hit in the sixth inning is what was on his mind after the game. That foul ball he hit went into the seats on the first base side of Progressive Field, just beyond the dugout where the netting stops, and injured someone. The Indians are not releasing any information about the incident, but Cleveland.com reported that a man was seen running toward the concourse holding a child immediately after the ball flew into the stands in the sixth inning. After the game, Lindor told the media that the ball had hit a 3-year-old boy, who had been taken to the hospital. Via Cleveland.com : "He's in the hospital right now. I came over immediately and tried to find out where he was. The paramedics were checking him here. "Once I got out of the game, they let me know that he's doing OK. He's doing good. He's in the hospital getting checked out. He's talking and answering questions and his eyes look good. That's a good sign. Hopefully, every test they run on him comes back good. "You don't want that to happen to anybody, especially a little kid." Lindor, who was visibly upset after he hit that foul ball, called on every team to extend protective netting. "As soon as I hit it, I knew it was headed to somebody. I hit it hard. I got over on the ball. It stinks. "I encourage every MLB team to put the nets all the way down (to the foul pole). I know it's all about the fans' experience to interact with the players. I completely get that. You want to have that interaction with the players, getting autographs and stuff. But at the end of the day, we want to make sure everybody comes out of the game healthy. We've got to do something about it. "Everybody feels bad. If we can put the nets a little farther down, it would be a a lot better." While the Chicago White Sox quickly committed to extending the netting after a little girl was injured by a foul ball at Minute Maid Park in May, the Indians have said that they will not even consider extending the netting at Progressive Field until after the end of the current season. The team has not given a reason for that decision. More from Yahoo Sports: Forty takeaways from the college football schedule Eagles preview: Loaded without Super Bowl hangover Tigers trade chip blasts Comerica Park: 'A joke' NWSL attendance spikes in first games with USWNT stars back


ASHEVILLE   After more than a 40-year break from farming, Eliada is once again turning to agricultural pursuits. This year, there's a new crop on the horizon: hemp , from which the children's agency hopes to process CBD oil, a non-psychoactive supplement. "It's one of the bigger things that's happened to us in a long time," said Tami Ruckman, Eliada Homes director of development. "There are a couple of things that have come to pass to bring this to bear." First and foremost is the fact that Eliada is more than 87% government funded, and that doesn't sit well. Eliada serves more than 600 children, ages newborn to 22, through residential treatment programs, foster care services and traditional child care. Many of Eliada's children have experienced some form of abuse or neglect, resulting in trauma. More: Eliada revives farming on Leicester land to heal, feed children More: Eliada Corn Maze 2017 Leaning so heavily on government support "makes us very uncomfortable," Ruckman said. "With Medicaid reforms, with an impetus to cut back on budgets, that's unacceptable to us. It's not sustainable and doesn't give us the room to do what we need to do, versus what is mandated, for our children." At Eliada, children receive treatment from licensed clinicians and medication management while attending regular classes. They follow a traditional curriculum but also learn life skills, all while working on physical and mental health. Hemp for a sustainable future The agency recently took a deeper dive into agriculture as part of incorporating fresher food into the residents' diets, as well as providing the sort of healing and sense of self-efficacy the children get from learning how to grow food. "Conditions our children experience, like trauma, mental illness and chronic stress, may actually worsen with a poor diet," said Eliada CEO Cindy Davis-Bryant. A geodesic grow dome on the property with a thriving hydroponic system serves as a source of food and an edible classroom for youths in Eliada's mental health programs. Farmer Brook Sheffield, owner of Lotus Farm and Garden Supply, managed the dome and its programming, though he's since departed the program. Sheffield, who has a state-issued permit to grow hemp, taught Eliada staff how to plant, maintain and harvest the plant through two crop cycles. On May 23, Eliada director of maintenance Robert Gentry was approved for his own permit to grow hemp as part of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, and on June 1, Eliada will plant its first independently managed hemp crop at an off-site greenhouse at Smith Mill Works . That West Asheville facility has its own agricultural history. Founded in the 1940s to grow vegetables as part of the World War II effort, the site became home to a thriving postwar ornamental plant business, with state-of-the-art Dutch greenhouses added in the '70s, engineered with electrically vented windows that still function today. Smith Mill Works was a major source of employment in Asheville for many years, but fell into disrepair at the turn of this century until 2014, when Asheville Fungi's Michael Klatt, a culinary mushroom grower, purchased it to create a center for sustainable business. It's there that Eliada hopes to continue to diversify its own agribusiness in an effort to carry its programming into the future. Reclaiming farmland for agribusiness "We expect that by December of this year, through hemp production, we will have covered our costs plus added to the bottom line," Davis-Bryant said in a statement. "And it is actually a triple bottom line: revenue which will go directly to help children, reclaiming farmland and developing a resilient, sustainable business model." Ruckman said that farmland reclamation effort includes trying to figure out the best land use for more than 200 underutilized acres on Eliada's 320-acre Leicester property, with the recent establishment of Eliada Farms . For starters, Eliada is installing a 90-foot greenhouse and has broken ground on a 1-acre market garden on the campus's former golf driving range. There are plans to market Eliada Farms-labeled meats and produce to local restaurants and markets. The campus has also eliminated use of genetically modified corn seed for the annual corn maze, and switched to chemical-free and sustainable farming methods to control weeds. The maze is another source of revenue for Eliada. "But even the best corn maze in the world cannot fill all the gaps," Ruckman said. Farming, she added, is not known as huge money maker. But the same can't be said for CBD oil, a non-psychoactive supplement derived from hemp, the proponents of which sing its praise for soothing ills like anxiety and joint inflammation. CBD oil as income stream With some help, Eliada is working to find the right local producers to extract CBD from hemp, as well as find the right distributors get it to market. There's also an effort underway to form a for-profit company to manage the CBD business. The revenue goal for the upcoming fiscal year is $100,000. "It's a big gamble, but we did not want to start a thrift store or sell our services to the public," Ruckman said. "We want to make a farm business." This is only a farm product, and not intended to be administered to Eliada's children, Ruckman said. "That doesn't mean one day that it doesn't have great potential." Blake Butler, executive director of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, is serving as an adviser to Eliada throughout the process. "Eliada is working with us to make sure they understand every aspect of the laws and policies governing hemp production," Butler said in a statement. "We are also introducing them to other partners who can help them broker their commodity." Even though Eliada is growing hemp legally under the NC pilot program, Ruckman acknowledged there might be some naysayers. "People always have something to say. But Eliada has been here for 116 years, and we've done nothing but take care of the children. We need money to do that, and we can't sit around and hope the government passes a bill to keep us hanging on. We want to be here another 116 years, and we have to control our own destiny." This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville's Eliada Homes plans to grow hemp, process CBD


LeBron James refused to stay on the sidelines after seeing Warriors investor Mark Stevens push Kyle Lowry during Wednesday's Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The King called for 'swift action' from the league towards Stevens , which came later on in the day as the league and the Warriors announced Stevens would be banned from the NBA for one year and fined $500K. Before the punishment and fine from the NBA was announced, Kyle Lowry was asked at Thursday's Finals media availability about the life the story has taken on and LeBron's statement. Via NBA TV The one thing about 'Bron is he's always been an activist. he's unbelievable with this. I sent a text message to him, he sent one back and I thanked him. He's one of the biggest athletes and most vocal guys that we have out there. His social activism has been amazing and he sticks up for his fellow players. He always does the right thing. He's been doing the right thing his whole career and it means a lot. It really does to have the support of guys like him and other players reaching out and showing their support. James has always seen himself as an advocate for players and his actions on Thursday, putting the league and the Warriors feet to the fire with his nearly 50 million Instagram followers, did that once again. MORE: LeBron says Warriors part owner should be held accountable for shoving Kyle Lowry Cowboys News: Michael Gallup leg injury dampens final OTA session Marlins and Brewers Get Into Twitter Battle Over Christian Yelich Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict impressing coaches, young players at OTAs Packers working on better vision from second-year LB Oren Burks


Craving sandwiches? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable sandwich sources in Washington, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings. 1. A Baked Joint Topping the list is A Baked Joint . Located at 440 K St. NW (between North Fourth and North Fifth streets.) in Mount Vernon Square, the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee, tea and sandwiches, is the most popular cheap sandwich spot in Washington, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,570 reviews on Yelp. Sandwich offerings include smoked salmon on an open-faced baguette, fried green tomatoes and house-made pimento cheese on buttered griddled sourdough and curry chicken salad on a croissant. 2. Simply Banh Mi Next up is Georgetown's Simply Banh Mi , situated at 1624 Wisconsin Ave. NW (between North Q and North 33rd streets). With 4.5 stars out of 527 reviews on Yelp, the Vietnamese and halal spot, offering sandwiches and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option. Customers customize their banh mi sandwiches by choosing a base, protein, sauce and toppings. 3. Sidamo Coffee and Tea H Street Corridor's Sidamo Coffee and Tea , located at 417 H St. NE (between North Fifth and North Fourth streets), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the cheap breakfast and brunch spot, which offers coffee and tea and sandwiches, 4.5 stars out of 419 reviews. On the menu, look for breakfast croissant sandwiches, cold cuts, paninis, grilled cheese and more. 4. Amsterdam Falafelshop Amsterdam Falafelshop , a vegetarian spot that offers falafel in the U Street Corridor, is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 369 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1830 14th St. NW (between North T and North Swann streets) to see for yourself. The restaurant has five locations across the East Coast. 5. Wicked Waffle Downtown, check out Wicked Waffle , which has earned four stars out of 1,159 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the breakfast and brunch spot, which offers sandwiches and soup, by heading over to 1712 I St. NW (between North 18th and North 17th streets). On the menu, look for savory waffle sandwiches such as Peking duck waffle with shredded duck meat, crispy skin and hoisin and plum sauce or grilled natural turkey and cheese croque madame. 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.


The off-season is one of the most unpredictable times of the year in the NBA . Free agents are looking for their perfect team and organizations are looking for guys they can sign or trade to make their perfect roster. But all of this goes on behind the scenes, leaving people to wonder until final decisions are made. Here are five potential player moves that could surprise fans this summer. 1. J.J. Redick Signs with Lakers This is a long-shot, but would be a win-win situation for both parties. J.J. Redick is one of the league's best shooters, and at 35 with 13 years in the league he seems to have gotten better with age. He averages double figures in points with excellent efficiency behind the 3-point line. The Lakers need a solid back court to support LeBron and Anthony Davis, and a 3-point threat like Redick would be the perfect addition. The only problem is Redick would more than likely have to take a considerable pay cut to join the team. But with the potential to win his first championship ring, money may not be a problem. 2. Warriors Re-Sign DeMarcus Cousins The Warriors need some sort of stability in their system with loss of both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to injury and possibly even free agency. They will still have Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but that won't be enough to keep them competitive in the West. DeMarcus Cousins could be their solution. Although the big man was sometimes painful to watch after returning from injury at the end of last season, his worst is behind him, and a healthy Cousins means production on both ends of the floor. 3. Kemba Walker Takes Less, Signs with Lakers Kemba Walker is probably one of the most unpredictable free agents this summer. He has a good thing going as the star player in Charlotte, and by making All-NBA Third Team the Hornets will be able to offer him a super-max contract that can't be matched anywhere else in the league. The problem is, Kemba is not going to win in Charlotte anytime soon. It's not a big free agent destination and they have had trouble trying to build a team around their star point guard. If his priority is a championship ring, his best bet is finding that in LA with LeBron and Anthony Davis, even though they will not be able to offer him anything close to the money he could make in Charlotte. 4. Kawhi Leonard Takes his Talents to the Clippers Kawhi Leonard just won his first NBA championship along with a Finals MVP award for the Raptors. So why would he leave? Well for one, it's not where he wanted to be in the first place. Leonard had insisted on being traded from the Spurs and his preferred destination was back home in Los Angeles, but instead the star player ended up across the border. It's not very likely that the Lakers will be able to sign him because they don't have the cap space, so the Clippers are the next best option. 5. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant Move to New York This package deal has been discussed with teams all over the league. Though expensive, it seems like the perfect match to make any team an immediate contender. Kyrie Irving is arguably the best point guard in the league and Kevin Durant, though sidelined with a torn Achilles, is oft considered a Top 3 player. The Knicks are interested in both, and Irving and KD have had their eyes on a move to the Big Apple. It's a place with history and fans that have been unmatched by any team in the league, and would be more than willing to welcome the two superstars. Plus, both would be able to get paid while contending for NBA Championships. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA Awards (Provided by imagn)


Last year's Chicago Bears had arguably the best defense in the NFL. Spurred by the arrival of star edge rusher Khalil Mack , the Bears ranked third in the league in yards allowed, first in points allowed, and first in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders' defensive DVOA. The Bears racked up 36 takeaways, five more than any other team in the league. They allowed a touchdown or field goal on only 28.6 percent of opponent drives, besting the Ravens for the best rate in the NFL. They allowed only 278 total first downs, 5.3 net yards per pass attempt, 80.0 rush yards per game, and 4.8 yards per play -- and all of those figures also led the league. And yet, when the Bears got to the playoffs, they did not make it past the first round, having lost on a heartbreaking double-doink field goal attempt against the Philadelphia Eagles . The Bears are expected to be among the inner-circle NFC contenders once again this season, and Mack, the team's best player, knows that they can't let this window they have right now go to waste . "You're running out of time, man. All these older dudes let us know at an early point in my career, man, we ain't got no time to waste," Mack said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. He continued, noting, "You've gotta win. Gotta win now." The Bears are certainly in their prime contention window, what with this coming season being the third year of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky's rookie contract. Those are the years when you are able to build the deepest, best team possible, and do things like trade multiple first-round picks for a star edge rusher and hand him what was, at the time, the largest contract ever for a defensive player. Once the Bears get out of Trubisky's rookie deal, they will either have to pay him and trim salary elsewhere, or find another quarterback on a rookie-scale deal. Both are easier said than done. That means this Bears squad only has a slight window available to make its mark and hoist a trophy. If they follow their best player's lead, they'll be going all out during that window.


Addressing the media today, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that, as expected , Kevin Durant won't be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals ( Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Golden State's other injured starter, DeMarcus Cousins , is being listed as questionable for Game 1, according to Kerr. Neither of these updates comes as a major surprise, since last week's check-ins on Durant (calf) and Cousins (quad) indicated that KD was unlikely to be ready for the start of the Finals, while Cousins was closer to returning. Having already been officially ruled out for Game 1, Durant also appears unlikely to be back for Game 2. As Nick Friedell of ESPN.com tweets , Kerr said today that the Warriors still haven't made a final decision on whether Durant   who has yet to be cleared for any on-court work with his teammates   will travel to Toronto. Game 3 will take place next Wednesday, June 5, in Golden State. Even without Durant and Cousins, the Warriors are heavy favorites over the Raptors in the 2019 Finals. Golden State has won five games in a row   one vs. Houston and four over the Trail Blazers   without either player available.


The death toll in a landslide which buried a village in southwest China rose to 36, state broadcaster CCTV said Sunday, with 15 still missing days after the disaster struck. The state-run People's Daily said rescue work is ongoing at the site in Shuicheng county, Guizhou province, where a thick torrent of mud buried 22 houses in the landslide on Tuesday. CCTV broadcast footage of rescue workers trying to reach survivors through a huge mound of earth, and excavators digging through the collapsed hill. Two children and a mother with a baby were among those dead. Official news agency Xinhua said Saturday night that 40 people had been rescued from the site, according to the local emergency rescue command. Xinhua said a local school had been set up as an emergency medical and rescue centre, with "multiple rescue teams and experts" still searching for those missing. The government has earmarked 30 million yuan ($4.35 million) for search and rescue efforts in the province, Xinhua reported, as well as the relocation of victims. Landslides are a frequent danger in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly after heavy rain, and the country has suffered severe flooding this year. In August 2017 at least 30 people were killed in two separate landslides in the same rural province of Guizhou.


Frank Lampard is, at last, the new manager of Chelsea, the 12th man to be appointed to the post on a permanent or semi-permanent basis since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003 after having his long-awaited hire confirmed on Thursday. This raises two immediate questions: firstly, is he the right man for the job? And, secondly, even if he is the right one, will he be given time to prove it? The turnover of Chelsea managers under Abramovich has been remarkable. It shouldn't work, the turmoil going against all understanding of best practice, and yet the chaos has brought 16 trophies in 16 years although perhaps at rather higher financial cost than was necessary. The club is aware of the issue and has repeatedly made assurances that it wants to change its ways, particularly since Abramovich's interest began to wane, only for circumstances to overtake them. This last season feels inexplicable. Appointing a manager as idiosyncratic as Maurizio Sarri made sense only if he was going to be given time and yet by the time Antonio Conte was finally ushered out he didn't even have a full preseason. He wasn't supported in the transfer market, and although the season yielded a Europa League success , a League Cup final and a third-place finish, Sarri never found favor with fans frustrated by the ponderous nature of much of Chelsea's football that odd quality of succeeding despite themselves, or perhaps more accurately in this instance being frustrated despite success, shining through again. In that regard, the offer from Juventus that allowed Sarri to return to Italy perhaps spared Chelsea an awkward decision, although the impression was that the decision would have been taken to dismiss him. That readiness to pull the trigger makes the Chelsea job one of dubious attraction. There are worse things, of course, that doing a well-remunerated job for a year and then getting a payoff but, still, the very brightest managers would surely prefer a measure of stability. That is where Lampard comes in. He spent 13 years at the club, winning a Champions League and three Premier League titles. Although he came through at West Ham, Chelsea feels like his natural home. He would have needed less persuading than most to come to Stamford Bridge. The fans will want him to succeed; they're unlikely to turn on him as they did on Sarri, or if they do it would take sustained disappointment on the pitch. But the bigger question is whether the club will have patience with him. This season, more than ever before, the manager will need patience. Eden Hazard has gone to Real Madrid and, while Christian Pulisic is a notional replacement , he isn't yet anywhere near the Belgian's class. The deal for the U.S. winger was agreed to in January , which is just as well given Chelsea is under a transfer embargo for the next two windows after FIFA found it guilty of irregularities over the registration of minors. That means Chelsea will have to turn to its army of players who have spent the last few seasons out on loan   which may be no bad thing if it means more pitch time for the likes of Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The problem is the latter two won't be available for some time after tearing their Achilles late in the season. Lampard had two players on loan from Chelsea in his Derby squad last season: Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori. And that in turn means Chelsea relying on players with very little, if any, Premier League experience. Nor will there be much Premier League experience on the bench. Lampard has one season as a manager. Taking Derby to the promotion playoff final was an achievement, but the wider sense was that his start had been decent but not spectacular. The new director of football, Petr Cech, only retired last year. There is talk of a host of former stars returning in coaching roles: Jody Morris, who worked with Lampard at Derby and has previous experience in Chelsea's academy, would seem a logical appointment, while there may also be roles for Claude Makelele and Didier Drogba. In one sense, the potential return of four of the main players in Jose Mourinho's double-title winning side is very exciting, a reminder of happier times and expression of the club's sense of identity. But the lack of experience must be a concern, particularly if Chelsea is as unprepared to let its coaching staff learn on the job as has been the case under Abramovich. Lampard is a gamble. The example of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona may be the one that everybody wants to invoke, but very few people manage to be legends at a club both as a player and as a coach. In these difficult circumstances, though, appointing somebody who will be afforded time by the fans may be as a good a decision as any.


Take a look through the starting lineup in pictures for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Gander RV 400 on Sunday, May 5 at Dover International Speedway Chase Elliott will start on the pole in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Alan Gustafson Spotter: Eddie D'Hondt William Byron will start second in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Chad Knaus Spotter: Tab Boyd Kyle Larson will start third in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Chad Johnston Spotter: Derek Kneeland Joey Logano will start fourth in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Crew chief: Todd Gordon Spotter: T.J. Majors Alex Bowman will start fifth in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Greg Ives Spotter: Kevin Hamlin Kevin Harvick will start sixth in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Crew chief: Rodney Childers Spotter: Tim Fedewa Aric Almirola will start seventh in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Crew chief: John Klausmeier Spotter: Joel Edmonds Denny Hamlin will start eighth in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Crew chief: Chris Gabehart Spotter: Chris Lambert Brad Keselowski will start ninth in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford Crew chief: Paul Wolfe Spotter: Coleman Pressley Clint Bowyer will start 10th in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Crew chief: Mike Bugarewicz Spotter: Brett Griffin Ryan Blaney will start 11th in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Crew chief: Jeremy Bullins Spotter: Josh Williams Jimmie Johnson will start 12th in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Kevin Meendering Spotter: Earl Barban Martin Truex Jr. will start 13th in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Crew chief: Cole Pearn Spotter: Clayton Hughes Daniel Suarez will start 14th in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Crew chief: Billy Scott Spotter: Tony Raines Erik Jones will start 15th in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Crew chief: Chris Gayle Spotter: Rick Carelli Austin Dillon will start 16th in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Danny Stockman Jr. Spotter: Andy Houston Matt DiBenedetto will start 17th in the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota Crew chief: Michael Wheeler Spotter: Doug Campbell Paul Menard will start 18th in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Crew chief: Greg Erwin Spotter: Joey Meier Kurt Busch will start 19th in the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Matt McCall Spotter: Tyler Green Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start 20th in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Crew chief: Brian Pattie Spotter: Mike Herman Jr. Ryan Newman will start 21st in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Crew chief: Scott Graves Spotter: Jason Jarrett Kyle Busch will start 22nd in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Crew chief: Adam Stevens Spotter: Tony Hirschman Daniel Hemric will start 23rd in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Luke Lambert Spotter: Branden Lines David Ragan will start 24th in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Crew chief: Seth Barbour Spotter: Rocky Ryan Ty Dillon will start 25th in the No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Matt Borland Spotter: Billy O'Dea. Michael McDowell will start 26th in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford Crew chief: Drew Blickensderfer Spotter: Frank Deiny Jr. Bubba Wallace will start 27th in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Derek Stamets Spotter: Freddie Kraft Corey LaJoie will start 28th in the No. 32 GO FAS Racing Ford Crew chief: Randy Cox Spotter: David Pepper Ryan Preece will start 29th in the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Tristan Smith Spotter: Stevie Reeves Chris Buescher will start 30th in the No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Trent Owens Spotter: Brandon Benesch Landon Cassill will start 31st in the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: Wayne Carroll Spotter: Tom Legeman Matt Tifft will start 32nd in the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford Crew chief: Michael Kelley Spotter: Chris Monez Cody Ware will start 33rd in the No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Ford Crew chief: Michael Hillman Spotter: Tyler Monn BJ McLeod will start 34th in the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet Crew chief: George Church Spotter: Tony Micale Quin Houff will start 35th in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Peter Sospenzo Spotter: Carl Miller Ross Chastain will start 36th in the No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Pat Tryson Spotter: Randy Bradshaw Reed Sorenson will start 37th in the No. 27 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet Crew chief: Tommy Baldwin Jr. Spotter: Joe Campbell


California Democrats have finally found something to like about the federal tax overhaul that congressional Republicans and President Trump pushed through in 2017   they can use it to give more money to the working poor. The Legislature is poised to approve a proposal that would reduce some business write-offs to match the Trump tax law, bringing in more than a billion dollars per year in new state revenue, mostly from wealthy individuals and corporations. It is the cornerstone of Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget push to more than double the size of the state's earned income tax credit program. Lawmakers largely support that goal, and the Senate passed the measure this week. But apprehension over the fiscal and political effects of the changes has delayed the bill in the Assembly. The optics of seeming to give Trump a win on a signature achievement   one that was deeply unpopular in California   provide an undercurrent of anxiety in the Democratic-dominated Legislature. Assemblyman Adam Gray, a moderate Democrat from Merced who previously served as a Capitol staffer, slammed the hand-wringing as "a little insincere" during a committee hearing Monday. "I've never seen, in 19 years, so such consternation about tax conformity," he said. "Conformity" is the term for aligning California's tax code with some of the 2017 federal tax law. Newsom included the idea in his first budget proposal in January. His administration has described it as closing loopholes that allow corporations and the wealthy to offset millions of dollars of income and pay little or no state taxes. Vivek Viswanathan, chief deputy director for budget at the Department of Finance, told a Senate committee that the measure would simplify the tax-filing process and help protect "our most vulnerable populations." The biggest change would remove the ability for Californians to deduct business losses greater than $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a married couple. Other provisions would limit the ability to defer taxes due on the sale of certain personal property used for business purposes and prohibit companies from deducting compensation above $1 million for their highest-paid employees. The Department of Finance estimates the changes would net about $1.3 billion annually for the state general fund. Under Newsom's plan, most of it would be used to cover the cost of an expanded earned income tax credit. That program reduces low-income workers' taxes dollar-for-dollar and refunds them money if their taxes drop below zero. The credit ranges from a maximum of $232 for workers without children to $2,879 for those with three or more children. Legislators already approved a spending plan that more than doubles the size of the program, from about $400 million to $1 billion. What's before lawmakers now is the way to pay for it. The new money would let the state raise the income ceiling to qualify for the credit to $30,000 a year for an individual, up from just under $25,000 now. Viswanathan said that would allow another 1 million Californians to claim the credit. About 2 million tax filers did so last year. The expanded program would also provide families with children under age 6 with an additional tax credit worth up to $1,000. But raising taxes requires a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature. That's not an easy lift for Democrats, even though they control about three-quarters of the Assembly and Senate. They are especially wary of tax hikes because of what happened last year to state Sen. Josh Newman . Newman, newly elected to an Orange County seat that had long been held by Republicans, voted in 2017 to raise the state gas tax to fund road and public transit improvements. Voters in his district later recalled him after a Republican-led campaign focused on his tax vote. This "tax conformity" proposal, which Republicans criticize for cherry-picking sections of the federal law that increase taxes, is particularly complex. "Some people are challenged with the word 'conformity,'" Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, said during a committee hearing. "More accurately, this is perhaps both tax simplification as well as selective alignment that meets our policy goals." Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat who oversaw the budget process for the Legislature, noted that the name of the bill had been changed to the Loophole Closure and Small Business and Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2019. "Conformity is not referenced in there at all, I think for just those reasons," she said. Immigrants rights groups, with the backing of some lawmakers, have also objected that the expanded tax credit would not apply to noncitizens who file taxes, such as visa holders. Viswanathan said the governor was concerned about committing California to too much new spending with a possible economic downturn ahead, but could revisit the issue "if the fiscal situation improves." Meanwhile, a few members in wealthy coastal districts are worried that the changes would be another financial knock to their constituents, who lost out when the 2017 federal overhaul limited state and local tax deductions. "I have a concern that a lot of these folks aren't nameless billionaires and faceless corporations," Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Laguna Beach, said during Monday's committee hearing. She was part of a wave of Democrats in November that took over state and federal seats in Orange County previously held by Republicans, in part because of voter dissatisfaction over the Trump tax law. Business groups have mostly gotten on board with Newsom's plan or are neutral. Large corporations don't stand to lose too much because of the financial benefits they received from the federal tax overhaul, while a proposed change to accounting rules could lower what small businesses owe in taxes. The exception is the automobile industry. It has raised concerns that limiting the right to defer taxes due on the sale of personal property that is used for business purposes will hurt fleet sales to companies. Silvio Ferrari, a lobbyist for the Association of Global Automakers, told the Assembly committee Monday that the bill was "changing the rules of the game right underneath" car companies. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff


CHICAGO (AP) Rookie slugger Pete Alonso said he began the season not thinking about hitting homers or setting milestones. That's becoming more difficult with every prodigious swing. Alonso hit his 26th homer to set the NL record for most homers before the All-Star Game as the New York Mets routed the Chicago Cubs 10-2 on Saturday. He broke a tie with Los Angeles' Cody Bellinger (2017). He's still seven short of Mark McGwire's major league record 33 accomplished in 1987. ''I'm playing well, I'm really happy with myself, but I just need to keep plugging along and do the best I can every day,'' he said. The 24-year-old went 2 for 4 with a walk and tied Darryl Strawberry (1983) for the Mets' rookie record for homers in a season. There are other marks within sight, including the team's record for homers in the season (41) and the rookie record of 52 by the Yankees' Aaron Judge. Alonso said he only knew he was approaching Bellinger because of posts on social media. ''I guess when you hit a lot of homers, there's a lot of buzz about it,'' he said. Todd Frazier and Wilson Ramos also homered for the Mets, who won consecutive road games for the first time in over two months. Zack Wheeler (6-5) allowed one run on five hits in seven innings to bounce back after losing his previous two starts. The right-hander retired 15 straight batters from the second through the sixth. Jeff McNeil went 2 for 4 with three RBI. New York is 17-26 on the road this season and last won back-to-back away games on April 11 and 12 in Atlanta. Jason Heyward went 3 for 4 as NL Central-leading Chicago dropped back-to-back home games for the first time in nearly a month. Cubs starter Jose Quintana (4-7) was roughed up for nine runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The left-hander allowed a career-high tying three homers despite a steady wind blowing in from right to left at Wrigley Field. He's lost six straight decisions. Backup catcher Victor Caratini, who started at first, came in the ninth to make his fourth pitching appearance with Chicago. He tossed a 1-2-3 inning and provided a highlight with a running grab of a dribbler toward third and a jump throw to first to nail Ramos to end the inning. ''We just had a tough day,'' manager Joe Maddon said. ''They swung the bats really well and they threw a good pitcher. They beat us, they beat us soundly.'' New York scored in each of the first six innings. Alonso began the barrage with a solo blast in the first. McNeil made it 3-0 with two-run single in the second. Frazier's two-run homer in the third made it 5-0 and provided a comical moment. After connecting on a 3-1 pitch, Frazier didn't think he hit it well enough to get through the wind. He tossed his bat in frustration and jogged toward first. ''I should have swung at the 3-0 and I said, `Gosh, darn it! I just missed it,''' Frazier said. ''I looked up and it went out. I'll take it. It was a bad acting job by me.'' McNeil added an RBI double in the fourth to make it 6-0. In the fifth, Michael Conforto had an RBI single and Ramos followed with a two-run shot to chase Quintana. In the sixth, Frazier drove in a run with a two-out infield single against reliever Rowan Wick to make it 10-0. GETTING CLOSE? After throwing a scoreless inning on Friday for Triple-A Iowa, Craig Kimbrel was scheduled to pitch again Saturday night to go back-to-back for the first time since finalizing a three-year, $43 million deal with the Cubs on June 7. If all goes well, Kimbrel's next outing could be in the majors. TRAINER'S ROOM Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (right hamstring) threw a bullpen on Saturday and said he ''felt great.'' He is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Wednesday ... INF Jed Lawrie (left knee and hamstring) is doing some baseball activities, but it's unclear when he'll be ready for rehab games. ''It sounds like they're treating the left leg from the hip all the way down to the knee,'' Callaway said. ''It's improving. We just don't have a timeline.'' UP NEXT Mets ace Jacob deGrom (4-6, 3.26 ERA) faces Cubs lefty Cole Hamels (6-2, 2.85) in the finale of the four-game series on Sunday. After taking a two-hitter into the ninth against the Braves on Tuesday, deGrom looks for back-to-back wins. Hamels allowed one run in seven innings for a no-decision Tuesday against the White Sox. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


As the trio of researchers eyed the aging buildings in Trona, it was hard for them to tell which were severely damaged by the earthquakes that pummeled this San Bernardino County town in recent days   and which were simply old and abandoned. "Some of this damage was already here," said Kenneth O'Dell, 55, a structural engineer. But he nonetheless noted that the earthquake had hit Trona hard, particularly because the walls of most buildings were not reinforced with steel or other material that can keep them upright, or prevent cracking during severe tremors. "It looks like most of these structures were built during the 1930s and 1940s," O'Dell said. "So it makes sense that they weren't ready for this kind of shaking." O'Dell had arrived from Los Angeles on Saturday with engineer Martin Hudson and his 25-year-old son, geologist Kenneth Hudson, to assess earthquake damage in Trona and nearby Ridgecrest after massive quakes rocked the region. Their goal was to study the structural damage of the buildings in Trona so they could understand how exactly the earthquakes affected those structures and surrounding areas. These findings, they hoped, could someday be published in a research paper and help guide future geologists and engineers. They stopped Saturday afternoon on California 178 between Trona and Ridgecrest, where the elder Hudson stood on one of the fault ruptures caused by Friday's magnitude 7.1 quake. "It's moved everything three feet to the right," said Hudson, 52, an engineer who forms part of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, an organization based in Oakland that brought researchers together in the Ridgecrest area to study the effects of the earthquakes. After assessing the fault rupture, the three researchers hopped in their car and headed to Trona, about thirty miles northeast of Ridgecrest. At the side of a faded pink house at the community's entrance, the researchers noted that soil liquefaction had caused portions of the ground to crack and collapse   some of the soil had started turning into a liquid state, the researchers explained. Nearby, a chimney had caved in on one of the houses. "We saw a lot of this type of damage in the '94 Northridge earthquake," O'Dell said. In the end, the three anticipate that their research could help prevent future building damage during earthquakes. "The goal of our research is to improve the designs of these structures so that they are not as susceptible, and we're hoping that our work today can contribute to that," Kenneth Hudson said. giulia.mcdonnell@latimes.com Twitter: @GiuliaMcDonnell


WASHINGTON   A Republican lawmaker held up a long-stalled disaster relief deal Friday that includes billions for California wildfire victims, meaning more than a week of further delays. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, objected to moving the $19.1 billion package   which easily passed the Senate on Thursday   during a brief session of the House. That all but assures that disaster victims in California and several other states and U.S. territories who have waited months for Congress to come together on a package will probably have to wait until the first week of June for lawmakers to return from a Memorial Day recess. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Democrats might try again next week during another brief House session, which would put Republicans on the spot to object again. The Senate bill includes up to $12.6 billion that people and entities affected by California wildfires in 2017 and 2018 would be eligible for, according to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Roy was able to single-handedly hold up the bill because the Senate was unable to reach its deal before Thursday afternoon, passing it after the House had adjourned for the recess and lawmakers had left town. House procedure does allow for a bill to pass without lawmakers present to vote, but it must be unanimous. A single objection, like Roy's, can stymie the effort. Roy, a former chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, cited three reasons for his objection. First, that the House was not present to vote on such a large package. Second, that the bill does not include any money for the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, which has been inundated by an influx of mainly asylum-seeking migrants. Third, the $19 billion bill has no stated funding source. The Senate passed the deal 85-8 on Thursday after it had been held up for months, largely because of President Trump's objection to more money to help Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria, which killed an estimated 3,000 people in 2017. Trump finally relented, and the deal struck Thursday included nearly $1 billion for Puerto Rico. The package had been further delayed by an effort to attach money to help the situation at the border, including overcrowding at migrant facilities, but it ended up being too controversial and was cast aside. Because the Senate version differs slightly from a previous House bill, the House will have to pass it to send it to Trump's desk for a signature. Trump said Thursday that he supported the deal. "We're going to get the immigration money later, according to everybody," Trump said. "I have to take care of my farmers with the disaster relief. If I didn't do that   really it's a long time in coming. … I didn't want to hold that up any longer, so the answer is I totally support it." The House has already passed two disaster relief bills this year, one in January and another earlier this month, and the similar Senate bill is virtually assured passage when lawmakers return. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Republicans for holding up the bill. "House Republicans' last-minute sabotage of an overwhelmingly bipartisan disaster relief bill is an act of staggering political cynicism. Countless American families hit by devastating natural disasters across the country will now be denied the relief they urgently need," the San Francisco Democrat said in a statement. "Every House Republican needs to answer to the American people why they are standing in the way of urgently needed disaster relief for families struggling to heal and recover." Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicle's Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan


A suspect stabbed another man at McDonald's on Malabar Road during a Sunday afternoon disagreement over paying for a hotel room, Palm Bay Police Lt. Mike Bandish said. The stabbing occurred about 2 p.m. at McDonald's at 1179 Malabar Road N.E., amid shopping plazas and commercial properties just west of the Interstate 95 interchange. Bandish said the men were arguing over paying for a room at the nearby Motel 6. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital. "We know who the suspect is, and we're looking for him now," Bandish said. More: Three people shot at The Wet Spot in Palm Bay; police investigating More: Man fatally shot in Sharpes; sheriff's deputies investigating Neale is the South Brevard watchdog reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1 Support local journalism: Subscribe to FLORIDA TODAY at floridatoday.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Man stabbed at Palm Bay McDonald's during dispute over hotel room payment


Chernobyl has a flourishing tourism industry. At least 60,000 people visited the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine in 2017, according to official government data. Tourists from around the world wander around the exclusion zone with Geiger counters to measure radiation. They buy t-shirts and fridge magnets. Some even pay extra to spend the night. But this increased activity has locals and historians concerned about the memories behind the tragic site, home to the worst nuclear accident in human history. Tourists entering the exclusion zone can only go on a supervised tour. People have to enter checkpoints as they exit to test for radiation. Still, tourists visiting the Ukrainian exclusion zone are told that a trip the region will expose them to less radiation than an overseas flight. Numerous tourists told Newsweek that they were told that flying would expose them to more radiation than visiting Chernobyl. "We were reassured that it's very safe," Alex Shly, a Russian-Australian who visited Chernobyl while working on peace building projects in Ukraine, told Newsweek. "Our guide had a Geiger counter and would show us readings at different locations, including near reactor number four and near some 'peaks' on some of our stops. Hence, I didn't feel concerned for my safety at all since I realized that the guides and the people that work there are fine." Kyle Logan, an American who was in the Peace Corps in Ukraine when he took a trip to Chernobyl, said that he didn't feel unsafe traveling to the exclusion zone because the tour guides seemed knowledgeable about how to avoid the dangers of radiation. In the car from Ukraine's capital Kiev to Chernobyl, the guides showed him a video describing the different levels of radiation and the best way to stay safe during the trip. "Going out they have these old Soviet-style things and you have to put your hands on it to make sure that you aren't bringing out any radioactive material as souvenirs," Logan said. "The tour I did stressed that we generally shouldn't pick up anything, especially if you don't have gloves on. And it was actually better because I did it when there still was snow on the ground, and there is much lower radiation." Tourists visiting the exclusion zone are asked not to wear shorts or open toed shoes. In fact, the more clothes you wear the better. Juho Mikkonen, a resident of nearby Finland, took a week off from work in April to travel to Ukraine. During his visit, Mikkonen says that he noticed on Trip Adviser that it was possible to travel to Chernobyl. "I found the tour by looking at 'things to do in Ukraine' on TripAdvisor," Mikkonen told Newsweek. "There were many selections available, so I chose the top rated day tour." "After booking tickets there was an email sent to me with a list of basic advice about dressing, eating, and so on. The actual instructions were given on the tour," Mikkonen continued. "We spent about 30 minutes in a bus going through generic radiation safety instructions and rules about not sitting, putting your stuff on the ground during the tour, picking up items, illegal smuggling, mostly forbidden drone usage. Some information was already available on the organizer's website before the tour." So far, none of the risks seem to be keeping tourists from visiting the exclusion zone. Some tourists, particularly rowdy groups of British men, have started traveling to Chernobyl for bachelor parties. Last year, the area hosted its first rave. The video game Stalker , in which players shoot zombies, has a scene set in Chernobyl. Aficionados of the game often go on tours to visit the places where they killed zombies online. Julie McDowall, an expert on nuclear war, visited Chernobyl in 2017 and was upset to find that many tourists were littering and that one "stalker" had recently died attempting to climb the Soviet-era radar the Duga in order to take a selfie. "I loathe the crass and careless tourism which is springing up in Chernobyl. It is the site of an appalling disaster, and no place for selfies and superhero costumes," McDowall told Newsweek. "I may sound arrogant in saying that, but there seems to be a disturbing rise in trashy tourism to Chernobyl," McDowall added. "And I mean that literally. Guides have been out collecting the litter left by tourists and the illegal stalkers. They gather it in black bin bags, but it can't be collected and disposed of in the usual way as it can't be removed from the zone…. My guide said when she brings groups here in summer she often urges her group to 'run!' if they want to snap a selfie in front of the [ferris] wheel, so her group is trying to outrun other groups, everyone dashing and squabbling to get a photo." But Franka Hummels, a Dutch author and journalist who wrote a book about Chernobyl, said some tourists are driven by genuine nostalgia for a bygone era. "I saw several types of tourists, but one of the main types of tourists was actually from the former Soviet Union. They have some kind of nostalgia because, of course, their country ceased to exist in 1991," Hummels told Newsweek. "In 1986, time stopped in Pripyat. So they go and are like, 'these curtains, we used to have these curtains, or these drawers or books.' For them it's really a trip down memory lane." While Ukraine has undergone a formal process of "decommunization," which began in 2015 after Russian-backed separatists occupied the eastern part of the country, Pripyat and the area surrounding Chernobyl have avoided that fate. While statues of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin have been ripped down across the country and communist symbols were outlawed, Chernobyl has remained frozen in time. The streets and architecture are unchanged since before the collapse of the Soviet Union, except for the wear and tear of time and the elements. Juliet Jacques, a British author and filmmaker, decided to visit Chernobyl when she was staying in Ukraine's capital working on a movie. "I thought I might as well go to Chernobyl because when else will I have the chance to go to a post-nuclear exclusion zone? I was thinking of it as this strange thing to do that I couldn't do anywhere else. I thought it would be an interesting thing to do and I completely underestimated the emotional impact it would have on me," Jacques told Newsweek. "If before I had gone thinking this will be an interesting experience, and not thinking about the emotional or ethical side much, you do think about it when you're there and wonder if it's right to go and look at these people's homes that were abandoned. We went to look at the hospital in Pripyat, which was of course extremely busy in the days following the disaster." Jacques argues that keeping Pripyat unchanged makes it an attractive tourist destination, but there are also political and ideological reasons for keeping the area maintained like a time capsule. "You get to the entrance of the town Chernobyl and there is a Soviet concrete sign with atoms and Soviet imagery and a statue of Lenin and all of that. It is quite strange to see it preserved," Jacques told Newsweek. "It serves a tourism function and an ideological function. It's saying this is where the Soviet projects ends up. Leaving the Soviet imagery in place serves a certain political function as well as an economic tourist one. In Pripyat it's particularly powerful. All of the windows are smashed from the inside out. Everything is in such a state of distress." Related Articles Chernobyl Disaster Exclusion Zone Transforming From Nuclear Radiation Wasteland to Green Energy Hotbed Hundreds of Radioactive Puppies Just Got Spayed, Neutered at Chernobyl Disaster Site Sign up to our newsletter and get Newsweek stories delivered to your e-mail


Jonathan Rea won a red-flagged World Superbike Superpole race at Donington Park, which was stopped due to a mass crash at the Melbourne Loop on lap seven. BMW stand-in Peter Hickman's S1000RR expired on lap seven at the Melbourne Loop, depositing fluid on track. The chasing Hondas of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Alessandro Delbianco (Althea), GRT Yamaha's Sandro Cortese, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Kawasaki) and Barni Ducati's Michael Ruben Rinaldi hit the oil, and crashed out, leading to the race being halted. Poleman Sykes grabbed the holeshot off the line ahead of former Kawasaki teammate Rea, with Haslam on the sister KRT bike slotting into third. Behind, Alvaro Bautista carved past Hickman at the Fogarty Esses to move his Ducati into fifth, while Toprak Razgatlioglu took third from Haslam a lap later on the Puccetti Kawasaki. Rea shadowed Sykes for the first two laps, before making his first attempt at taking the lead at the Fogarty Esses on lap three. However, the championship leader ran in too hot, allowing Sykes to immediately strike back to regain the position. This allowed Razgatlioglu to close in, with Haslam beginning to just lose touch with the leading trio. Rea made another daring raid on the lead at the Esses two tours later, and successfully barged his way past Sykes. The BMW rider regrouped to stick on Rea's back wheel, but was unable to mount another challenge when the red flags came out as the leaders started the eighth lap. Sykes crashed on the same oil which caused the pile-up at Melbourne Loop, and was subsequently removed from the results, having been unable to return to the pitlane unaided. This promoted Razgatlioglu to second, with Haslam completing an all-Kawasaki podium. Bautista was fourth in the end, ahead of Ten Kate Yamaha's Loris Baz and his works counterpart Alex Lowes on the Crescent-run R1. Chaz Davies was seventh on the second works Ducati, beating Michael van der Mark (Yamaha) and final points scorer Jordi Torres (Pedercini Kawasaki). GRT's Marco Melandri completed the top 10, while Rinaldi was the last classified runner in 11th, having remounted from his crash. Rea's victory extends his points lead from nine to 15 over Bautista, and he will start on pole for this afternoon's second feature race. Results to follow


A fundraiser for Joe Biden's 2020 campaign said he is no longer supporting the former vice president's White House bid   and predicted that others may follow suit. Tom McInerney, a San Francisco-based attorney who was a lead bundler for former President Barack Obama, told CNBC he informed Biden's team of his decision on June 20. The news of his break comes one day after Biden delivered an uneven debate performance that provoked new doubts about his candidacy and turned a spotlight back on his controversial statements and past policy positions on civil rights and abortion. "I had actually let the campaign know I'd pulled back my support of Biden for now," McInerney told the cable network, adding, "I don't think he did well last night." And in a potentially troubling sign for Biden, McInerny predicted that others were likely souring on the Democratic front-runner. "I would imagine I'm not alone," he said. In the most notable exchange of Thursday's debate, Kamala Harris unloaded an impassioned criticism of Biden's decades-old resistance to federally enforced busing to desegregate public schools. The California senator also rebuked his widely criticized comments from earlier this month about working with segregationist lawmakers during his time in the Senate. A host of Biden's primary rivals have sought to inflict further damage on the top-polling Democrat in the hours since the confrontation on stage   calling out his compromises with Senate Republicans, slamming his vote to approve the Iraq War, and casting doubt on his ability to help bridge America's racial divides. Helping to blunt the deluge of negative headlines, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, an African American woman, announced her endorsement of Biden's campaign Friday, and the candidate himself launched into damage control mode during remarks at the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention. Biden asserted that he "never, ever opposed voluntary busing" and has "always been in favor of using federal authority to overcome state-initiated segregation," adding: "I know and you know, I fought my heart out to ensure that civil rights and voting rights, equal rights are enforced everywhere." Biden in April posted the most impressive first-day fundraising totals of all the 2020 Democratic campaigns, raising $6.3 million in the 24 hours after his official announcement. Other top fundraisers included former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke with $6.1 million , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders with $5.9 million , and Harris with $1.5 million . After Donald Trump's reelection kickoff rally in Orlando last week, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel reported that the president's campaign raised nearly $25 million in less than 24 hours.


Need a budget-friendly new spot? Though apartment hunting can be challenging, don't despair just yet   there are deals to be had. So what does the low-end pricing on a rental in Washington look like these days   and what might you get for the price? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in Washington via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what budget-minded apartment seekers can expect to find. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (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. 3738 D St. SE Listed at $879/month, this 354-square-foot studio apartment, located at 3738 D St. SE in Anacostia, is 49.8 percent less than the median rent for a studio in Washington, which is currently estimated at around $1,750/month. The unit comes with hardwood flooring. Pets are not permitted. According to Walk Score's assessment, the surrounding area isn't very walkable, isn't particularly bikeable and has good transit options. (See the complete listing here .) 2515 Savannah St. SE Then there's this 602-square-foot apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom at 2515 Savannah St. SE in Anacostia, listed at $945/month. The unit features central air conditioning and hardwood flooring. Pets are not allowed. When it comes to building amenities, expect on-site laundry, secured entry, a business center and on-site management. Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area is somewhat walkable, is somewhat bikeable and has good transit options. (See the listing here .) 116 B Irvington St. SW Next up is this 500-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, located at 116 B Irvington St. SW in Anacostia and listed for $950/month. Building amenities include secured entry and on-site laundry. The apartment also comes with both air conditioning and central heating, a dishwasher, a walk-in closet and carpeted floors. Cats and dogs are not permitted. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is moderately walkable, isn't particularly bikeable and has good transit options. (Here's the listing .) 2942 Second St., SE This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 2942 Second St., SE in Anacostia, is listed for $999/month for its 524 square feet. The apartment includes air conditioning. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. The building offers on-site laundry, a swimming pool, on-site management, secured entry and assigned parking. According to Walk Score's assessment, the surrounding area is moderately walkable, isn't particularly bikeable and has good transit options. (See the listing here .) 2210 Nicholson St. SE Over at 2210 Nicholson St. SE in Anacostia, there's this 700-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, going for $1,100/month. Look for a ceiling fan, air conditioning and granite countertops in the unit. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is quite bikeable and has good transit options. (View the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


NEW YORK (AP) Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, the pubs and the double-decker buses, there's plenty to see in London. To Aaron Judge, there's an even more enticing sight: The 385-foot fence in center field at the soccer stadium where his New York Yankees will play this weekend. ''I don't mind that at all,'' he said, smiling. Europe, you're up. The Yankees hit two more big flies before jetting off to visit Big Ben and the British capital, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday. Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. Gleyber Torres won it with an RBI single in the ninth inning. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand. Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday at London Stadium in the first major league games in Europe. ''It's different, for sure. It's unique, obviously,'' LeMahieu said. ''To some of the guys it feels like we're going on a field trip.'' Manager Aaron Boone was among several Yankees set for ''the flight across the pond'' to explore London for the first time. He said his family is already overseas and had sent him pictures of a red phone booth, a popular bridge and Heathrow Airport. ''I got some work to do to figure out some touristy things to do,'' Judge said. This was New York's final home game until after the All-Star break, on July 12 against the Blue Jays. During a break before the bottom of the eighth, the stadium sound system blared ''London Calling'' by The Clash. Zack Britton - pronounced ''Britain,'' in fact - wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep. Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit. LeMahieu stretched his streak to 10 games of getting a hit and scoring a run, the team's longest such string since Johnny Damon's 10-gamer in 2009. Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the first and a solo drive in the fifth for a 6-5 lead. Danny Jansen also connected for the Blue Jays. Gregorius homered off Trent Thornton and Judge had three hits. ''Every single one of those guys can run the ball out of the yard, especially at a park like this,'' Thornton said. ''So that's when it comes down to really executing your pitches and slowing the game down and getting ahead in the count and making them hit your pitches.'' TROPHY TIME The Champions League trophy - albeit, a replica - was on the field to promote a July 24 friendly between champions Liverpool and Sporting Lisbon at Yankee Stadium. Former Liverpool captain John Barnes posed with the trophy, as did Tommy Kahnle, Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka of the Yankees. TRAINER'S ROOM Blue Jays: 3B Brandon Drury banged his knee trying to make a sliding catch on a foul ball in the seventh. He was checked and stayed in. Yankees: Slugger Giancarlo Stanton (strained knee) went back on the 10-day injured list. Boone said it's likely Stanton will be sidelined for longer than 10 days. OF Mike Tauchman was called up from Triple-A. UP NEXT Blue Jays: After a day off, Toronto opens a four-game series at home against Kansas City. Manager Charlie Montoyo was still putting together his pitching plan for the opener. Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (5-5, 3.21 ERA) will pitch the opener of the London series on Saturday. Boone said the Yankees will use a combination of relievers on Sunday. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Shortly after the news broke that Giants wide receiver Golden Tate was set to be suspended for four games , the veteran took to Twitter to offer an explanation. "This past April, during the off-season, my wife and I decided to see a specialist for fertility planning. I started the treatment prescribed to me and just days later I discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league's banned substance list. I immediately discontinued use, I reported the situation to the Independent Administrator of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and I spoke with my coaches and general manager. I did all of this well before a failed test was even confirmed. Per NFL protocol, an initial suspension was imminent, but myself and the Giants organization are confident in the facts, and eagerly await my appeal to put this behind us. During the entirety of my 10 year career I have taken great pride in playing this game the right way, have been an ambassador for the NFL and have never had any issue with the league's policy. The treatment this past April had no effect on the upcoming season, and I did not, and could not have undergone this treatment in April for any competitive advantage. I deeply appreciate the support from the New York Giants Organization, and will continue to hold the highest level of character and integrity, while being a leader in the locker room. In respect to the team and my teammates I won't be speaking on this again until after the appeal. I'm focusing on football, and will not let this be a distraction." Tate surely sounds confident in his argument, and we heard earlier that the receiver had high hopes for the appeals process. Let's check out some more notes and reactions following Tate's ban: Speaking of the appeal, the meeting is set to take place in early August, tweets ESPN's Adam Schefter. That means the team will have some clarity on Tate's availability for the start of the regular season. If the suspension is upheld, Tate would lose around $1.75M in 2019 money, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Perhaps more importantly, the receiver would forfeit his $7.975M in 2020 guarantees. Tate signed a four-year, $37M deal with the Giants this past winter. Last offseason, the Giants signed defensive end Josh Mauro with the understanding that he was facing a four-game suspension. That wasn't the case this time around, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets that the Giants only learned of the impending suspension after inking Tate in March (which makes sense considering the timeline detailed in Tate's tweet). We learned earlier today that the Giants would be hosting a workout for free agent wideouts, and it sounds like a signing is pending. Head coach Pat Shurmur said the team would likely be added a receiver at some point today (via NFL.com's Adam Maya ). Following Tate's suspension and injuries to Sterling Shepard and Corey Coleman , the Giants current depth chart consists of of Cody Latimer , Bennie Fowler , Russell Shepard and Darius Slayton .


The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on June 27 announced that a discrimination lawsuit has been filed against Rogers Behavioral Health, which is based in Oconomowoc. According to a news release from the EEOC, the inpatient residential health facility violated federal law when it rescinded an applicant's job offer because she tested positive for a prescribed medication. "The EEOC's investigation revealed that Rogers offered the applicant a position as an intake specialist," the release stated. "As part of her pre-employment requirements, Rogers instructed her to have a physical and a drug screen. At her physical, she disclosed that she had a prescription for Alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, a medication commonly prescribed for anxiety." Anne Ballentine, Rogers Behavioral Health's vice president of marketing and communications, said the not-for-profit enterprise denied allegations that it discriminated against anyone and specifically the allegations made in the complaint. "Rogers intends to vigorously defend against the claims," Ballentine said. "At this time, due to the pending litigation, Rogers cannot comment further on the matter." Job offer rescinded The EEOC said the woman She also disclosed other medical impairments she had and provided a sample for her drug screen, according to the EEOC. A third-party administrator of workplace drug and alcohol tests called Noble Diagnostics preformed the drug screen, which showed that the applicant tested positive for Alprazolam. "The doctor who performed the physical indicated on the physical examination form that she had reviewed the applicant's drug screen and found her medically acceptable for work as an intake specialist," the EEOC noted. The EEOC said Rogers failed to contact the applicant or give her the opportunity to provide additional prescription information to contest the drug screen. "Rogers withdrew the job offer from the applicant by email without explaining the decision was related to her drug screen," the release stated. "The EEOC said that Rogers rescinded the offer because it regarded the applicant as disabled, a conclusion it reached because of her drug screen." The alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived disability, according to the EEOC. Lawuist filed after conciliation fails The EEOC said it filed the lawsuit after attempting to reach a pre-litigation resolution through its conciliation process. The EEOC is seeking full relief, including reinstatement, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and non-monetary measures to correct Rogers's practices going forward. "Rogers Behavioral Health cannot hide its discriminatory intent behind a complicated pre-employment process," said Gregory Gochanour, regional attorney for the EEOC's Chicago District Office. "The plain fact is that Rogers knows Alprazolam is a common prescription medication, and that rather than acknowledging the prescription information already disclosed or giving the applicant the opportunity to correct her drug screen, it chose to rescind her job offer because it did not want to hire an employee whom it regarded as disabled." Julianne Bowman, district director of the EEOC's Chicago District Office, said, "When employers like Rogers Behavioral Health reject qualified candidates who they believe have disabilities, they not only harm those candidates, they deprive the national economy of the valuable contributions those candidates can make." Contact Evan Frank at (262) 361-9138 or evan.frank@jrn.com . Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP . Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe to the Journal Sentinel today and get a special offer at jsonline.com/deal. Top Headlines Around the Community: One Franklin High School student killed, two others injured in accident on I-94 Jury finds a former Muskego man guilty of murdering his wife in decades-old cold case Inspired by his grandfather's battle with Alzheimer's, a New Berlin man went from living in his car to med school (Subscriber exclusive) FOLLOW JS COMMUNITIES: Newsletter | Twitter | Instagram This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Rogers Behavioral Health in Oconomowoc sued for discrimination


Boston will see a return of last week's light rainfall today, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the highest likelihood of rain at 100 percent, with expected rainfall of 0.24 inches. The immediate forecast also has warm temperatures in store for today with a high of 70 degrees. Temperatures will reach a high of 71 degrees on Sunday. Skies will be mostly cloudy tomorrow. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm through the week, with the highest speeds today at just 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.