When Bobby Witt Jr. walked onto the stage with the Colleyville Heritage High baseball team at his graduation practice Wednesday, he thought his principal just wanted to wish the team luck in state playoffs. Suddenly, Witt saw former MLB All-Star Michael Young walk through the door and into the gym. At that point, Witt, who already knew he was the Texas State Player of the Year, connected the dots. He was about to be named the Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year. "Chills," Witt said of his reaction when the award was announced. "It was something I'll never forget in my life." Witt joins a list of previous winners that includes Alex Rodriguez, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, among many other major leaguers. The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character. Witt is the son of longtime Texas Rangers pitcher Bobby Witt Sr., and he's arguably the best shortstop prospect baseball has seen since A-Rod in 1993. Witt is committed to play baseball at Oklahoma, but he's also considered a favorite to go No. 2 overall to the Royals in next week's MLB draft, which all but assures he'll go straight to the minors and forgo college. This season, Witt has played shortstop and pitched for his high school team, excelling at both. He's batting .500 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in 38 games, and he has a 1.62 ERA and 18 strikeouts in nine relief appearances on the mound. Young got to know Bobby Sr. from his time playing with the Rangers, though they were never teammates. He said Witt, who serves in his school's Peer Assistant Leadership Group and mentors grade school students with disabilities weekly, has not only the physical skills to make it as a professional, but the mental makeup too. "The things that are gonna really carry him at the next level are the things buried within this kid as a result of having Bobby Witt as his father and all the baseball he's learned along the way playing in one of the big hotbeds in the country," Young said. "He's very humble." Junior has grown up around the game, even though his father retired in 2001. He has two brother-in-laws who played in the majors pitchers James Russell and Zach Neal which has allowed him to spend some time in pro clubhouses and meet players such as Bryce Harper at various events. And, despite his father being retired for most of his life, Junior still has his father's 16 years of MLB experience to guide and inform his journey. "He's been a role model for me because he's done what I want to do," Witt said. "He's a great resource to have whenever I have questions. He's my dad, my friend and almost like a teammate to me." "When you have Bobby Witt as your father," Young says, "he's able to walk you through these things before they happen. Anything coming, [Junior] can see it a mile away." Witt, now a finalist for the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year Award, feels some of the hype that comes with being dubbed a phenom, usually in the form of an occasional passer-by asking for an autograph or photo. He knows those moments will happen more frequently as his career unfolds, especially with a likely top draft selection looming. Right now, he says he's focused on what's in front of him, whether that's playoffs with his high school team or graduating at the end of the year. "I try to just be a normal high school student," Witt says. "I go out there and walk through the halls and be myself and be a kid who's in high school. Not really the baseball Bobby, just kind of the school Bobby." Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Rich Paul and Klutch Sports are seemingly growing more powerful everyday, but one major sports entity is not-so subtly trying to undercut his considerable influence in the basketball world and attempting to prevent carbon copies in the future. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports broke the news that the NCAA has officially added new criteria for NBA agents representing potential NBA draftees in the pre-draft process while keeping the option open to return for school. Among the new criteria are a requirement of having a Bachelor's Degree, something Paul very famously and proudly does not have. The NCAA, which has also drawn the ire of LeBron James in various forms ( including a documentary called 'Student Athlete' that highlights the organization's hypocrisy), also wants agents to take a test that would be administered at the NCAA offices in Indianapolis. Sources: The NCAA has officially added criteria for agents who wish to represent student athletes testing the waters for the NBA Draft. Criteria: - Bachelor's Degree - Certified with NBPA for a minimum of three years - Take an in-person exam at the NCAA Office in Indianapolis - Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 6, 2019 So, it's not surprise that people are already taking to calling this addendum 'The Rich Paul Rule.' Paul has been an agent on his own since 2012 and worked in the business beforehand at one of the biggest agencies in the game, CAA. But while the NCAA is clearly trying to undercut Paul, they likely can't do much to stop his considerable influence. Klutch recently partnered with Hollywood talent giant United Talent Agency to open their sports division. Among entertainers that UTA represents are 'Space Jam 2' cast member Don Cheadle, as well as Angelina Jolie, Harrison Ford, Martin Lawrence and Paul Giamatti. MORE: NBA fans shouldn't be furious Kobe Bryant was named third team All-Decade Quick hits, observations from Packers' second joint practice with Texans WATCH: Packers rookie OLB Rashan Gary whips Texans LT Matt Kalil 5 takeaways from the Raiders' first depth chart of 2019 season Bears QB coach uses unique analogy to assess Trubisky's deep passes


Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said recently that it has been " really beneficial " for Josh Allen to work as the starting quarterback for the entire offseason this year. Daboll cited the ability to work with the same receivers all the time as one of the benefits, but Allen talked about another one when discussing how things have unfolded this offseason. Allen was getting used to the NFL and dealing with a shoulder injury during his rookie season, which meant there wasn't a lot of time to break down the playbook with Daboll as the year went on. This offseason has provided that opportunity and Allen's used it to shape the offense to his liking. "Last year, I don't think I did enough, with everything going on   first year in the NFL and a lot of people pulling you in different directions," Allen said, via the team's website. "This year, I sat down with 'Dabs' [Brian Daboll] and went over what I like, what I didn't like . And he's trusting me in that mindset. If there's a play that he wants to call, and I don't like it, he's not going to call it. So, it's developing that trust." Tailoring the offense to Allen goes along with a slew of additions to the offensive side of the ball this offseason as things the Bills have done to try to set the quarterback up for more success in his second season. Whether he takes those strides will go a long way toward determining how the team fares in 2019.


These are the best remote places around the US to switch off, escape the crowds and switch off from modern life Great escapes around the The best places aren't always the busiest or even the most popular. Quite the opposite, in fact, when it comes to really getting away from everything (and pretty much everyone). Head a little off the pounded path to find the USA's remotest nooks and farthest-flung crannies, from lesser visited national parks to tiny islands reachable only by boat and roamed by wild mustangs. We can't guarantee you won't see another person, but you'll definitely find some peace, quiet and jaw-dropping vistas. Caddo Lake, Texas This tucked-away Texan escape hugs the state's border with Louisiana. It's an ethereal mix of swampy bayous, ponds and cypress trees, which rise from the water and drip with Spanish moss. People (though not too many   don't worry) come here to fish from the pier, paddle around the maze of waterways or just rent one of the park's cabins . Cumberland Island, Georgia Loggerhead turtles nest on this barrier island off the southeast coast of Georgia. Wild horses graze on the dune grass, which sprouts in tufts on the pale, biscuity sand. People come here to escape, well, other people. Reserve a camping spot in advance online and get there via ferry from St. Marys. Then, the wilderness is your oyster. There's nearly 10,000 acres of it, from salt-sprayed forests to wetlands and marshes. Molokai Island, Hawaii Palm-fringed beaches and teal waters are pretty much a given in Hawaii. But often that comes hand-in-hand with large crowds and bustling resorts. If it's peace and quiet you're after, you're more likely to find it on Molokai, nicknamed "The Friendly Isle". This quieter, more rural island has all the looks and charm of its busier relatives with none of the trappings. There are so few cars, you won't find a single traffic light. Bliss. Big Bend, Texas The Chisos Mountains meander through this vast national park in southwest Texas. It also encompasses swathes of the Chihuahuan Desert, though you're unlikely to meet any small dogs out here. Strap on your toughest old boots and get hiking on trails that wind past limestone cliffs to reach waterfalls and mountain peaks. Get a different perspective on the park (and feel very small indeed) by taking a rafting trip down the portion of the Rio Grande river that slices through Elena Canyon. Kenai Fjords, Alaska Kenai Fjords is one of Alaska's smallest national parks, though it punches above its weight when it comes to adventure and gaspingly beautiful scenery. You won't know whether to look up or down when kayaking in Resurrection Bay: glaciers like solid, sculpted meringues are mirrored pristinely on the water's surface. With dozens of bays and coves to explore, plus the forested shoreline, isolation is easy to find. Unless you count the wildlife, from moose to clown-faced puffins. Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah We hear the moon is pretty quiet this time of year. There's even less sign of life at Bonneville Salt Flats , a blazingly white, lunar-esque landscape whose surface cracks and curls in the sunshine. These salt pans sprawl across more than 30,000 acres and, unsurprisingly, nothing grows or lives here. View this sparse natural wonder from viewpoints along the I-80   the salt flats are between Salt Lake City and Wendover, a small city in Nevada. Supai, Arizona The Grand Canyon is visited by around seven million people each year, but thankfully it's vast enough for the truly determined to escape the crowds. It's a tough eight-mile hike (or a dramatic helicopter ride) down to the remote village of Supai, home to the Havasupi Tribe since 1300. Rewards don't come much better, though, than getting up-close to shimmering waterfalls that tumble softly, like silk, into natural swimming holes. Truly remote, and all the lovelier for it. The Alvord Desert, Oregon This unique 'desert' is actually a former lake, which evaporated over time to reveal a series of whisperingly pale alkali beds. Come to soak in geothermal waters with a mountainous backdrop at Alvord Hot Springs. Or walk past hissing mud pots and bubbling turquoise pools at Mickey Hot Springs (definitely not for bathing). The best way to embrace the isolation is to camp out under the stars   it's free and accessible year-round. Tallgrass Prairie, Kansas Prairie once carpeted vast swaths of the US. Today, few pockets of this ecosystem remain, and most of them form part of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Trails wind through undulating fields of copper-hued grass, shimmering in the breeze, and past fields grazed by bison and white-tail deer. The park s open year-round, but visit in fall to see the grass at its tallest, and wearing its toastiest colors. Monhegan Island, Maine Remote getaways don't come easy. If they did, everybody would go. Take Monhegan Island, off the mid-coast of Maine and accessible only by boat. Only 70-odd people live on the mountainous enclave, and most of them seem to be artists. It is an inspiring landscape. Stay at one of the cute inns or cottages and spend blissfully serene days following hiking trails through woodland and along ocean bluffs, browsing artists' studios, and simply soaking up the sea air and solitude. White Sands National Monument, New Mexico These shortbread-hued dunes seem to go on forever, curving, dipping and rising in soft peaks. In fact they go on for 275 square miles, brightening the landscape between the San Andres and Sacramento mountain ranges. Time spent here can be as sedate or adventurous as you like. Take a ranger-led tour to learn about native shrubs and dune grass, hike on undulating trails or sled down the dunes. It's like a snow day, but much warmer. Apostle Islands, Wisconsin You haven't truly lived until you've gazed up at a cave dripping with giant icicles while standing by a lakeshore. The ice formations at Apostle Islands National Shoreline can only be reached by foot, when Lake Superior's ice is thick enough to walk on. It's just one of the unusual experiences on this chain of tiny islands. You can camp at sites on 19 of the 21 islands, or go even further off-grid and trek to a backcountry site. The official park website has details on permits. Grand Teton, Wyoming Open roads, snow-capped mountains and tree-hemmed trails whispering to be explored: Grand Teton National Park is the embodiment of the great American escape. The vast landscape is etched with hiking and biking trails and interspersed with crystalline lakes, which you can kayak on or picnic beside. The park is open year-round and bursts with wildflowers and wildlife in spring. For real solitude, though, visit in winter and try cross-country skiing across silent, snow-blanketed landscapes. Carova Beach, North Carolina Herds of wild horses roam the pale beaches and rolling dunes of Carova Beach , a tiny Outer Banks community that can only be reached by boat or 4WD. The graceful animals are thought to be descended from Spanish mustangs shipwrecked here in the 1400s. Watching their graceful movements (from a distance) is one reason chill-seekers should come here. The isolation that's allowed them to live freely here for centuries is another. Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming It's easy to find your own patch of paradise within 5.4 million acres of pine forests, mountains, canyons, lakes and open grasslands. There are around 350 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horse riding here in the Black Hills. Backpack through Black Elk Wilderness , camping in forest clearings and by lake shores, to get further from civilization. You can find our road trip guide to the region here . Whidbey Island, Washington Aside from Langley, a picturesque jumble of artists  studios and restaurants with patios overlooking the water, Whidbey Island   a short drive and ferry ride from Seattle   belongs to nature. Alder and fir trees encircle rugged campsites and rustic lodges, clusters of oysters cling to the shoreline and orcas can sometimes be spotted feet from the coast. Deception Pass State Park , right at the tip, is the domain of centuries-old trees and painterly sunsets. Don't miss our full guide showcasing where to stay and what to see in Seattle too . North Cascades, Washington North Cascades receives around 30,000 visitors per year   around a tenth of Olympic National Park, a few hours south   yet its beauty is undeniable. Glacier crowns top mountain peaks, forested trails lead to tall waterfalls, and overlooks gaze at views of lakes the color of creamy turquoise. Camp by the shore of Lake Chelan, whose northern edge is home to the remote, distinctly chilled-out Stehekin Valley . The Lost Coast, California California's Highway 1, or Pacific Coast Highway, is one of the world's most famous road tripping routes. It ends in Mendocino County, merging with the 101 freeway. But the coast itself carries on. This is the Lost Coast, a 25-mile section too wild for that wiggly highway to continue through it. Now it's a whispered secret among backpackers who get this landscape of foggy forests and driftwood beaches (pretty much) to themselves. The Adirondacks, New York State A few hours north of New York City, skyscrapers are swapped for mountain peaks, whose snowy winter caps melt into rivers and lakes come spring. Sidewalks are replaced with tree-lined paths and wildflower meadows, and a traffic jam means getting your kayak stuck in a shallow patch. The Adirondacks , named for the mountain range that wiggled through it, has pretty much everything for a secluded getaway, from backcountry campsites to maple candy made in the region. Isle Royale, Michigan Part of the Great Lakes, Isle Royale National Park is a car-free archipelago and an escapist's dream. You're more likely to encounter a moose than another person while wandering the densely forested trails and kayaking on lakes and canals. If you are craving human contact, there's a small history museum at Rock Harbor Lighthouse. Otherwise, get a permit to set up your tent at one of the backcountry camping spots, only accessible by foot or water. Rawah Wilderness, Colorado The clue's in the name: this is 74,408 acres of wonderful, unspoiled wilderness. Lurking between the far busier Roosevelt and Routt national forests, Rawah is a crowd-hater's dream. Wander through valleys carved by glaciers, hike up mountain slopes studded with fir trees and stroll around sapphire lakes. You might encounter an elk or bighorn sheep on the trails. Otherwise, it's quiet as the proverbial mouse. Everglades, Florida Why did the crocodile cross the road? Because, in Everglades National Park , stuff like that just happens. You might have to stop your car for a turtle, too, or even a huge lubber grasshopper. Nature is bigger and more abundant in Florida's vast, subtropical wilderness, which is a big part of the draw. Around 600,000 visitors pass through this national park each year. Which is nothing spread across 1.2 million acres of mangroves and marshland. Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia This barrier island is home to beaches as soft as caster sugar, wild ponies, and some of the most wonderfully remote camping spots in the US. It's also one of the country's best-kept secrets. Pitch up at one of the designated sites, or kayak or backpack to the more secluded backcountry spots. Cruises and kayak tours allow you to observe and photograph the elegant resident ponies from a safe distance, while also scouring the area for dolphins and bald eagles. Painted Hills, Oregon There's no bad time of day, or year, to view the peach, apricot and golden stripes of Oregon's Painted Hills . The early morning light washes them with pale pastels. In the afternoon, the dipping sun seems to illuminate the rocks from within. And in spring, once the snow melts, yellow wildflowers peep out between the cracks, adding an extra dimension of color. Take your camera and follow boardwalk trails to find your perfect angle. Dry Tortugas, Florida Keys Key West nabs most of the visitors to the Florida Keys, so the rest of it is often gloriously uncrowded. Dry Tortugas National Park , a chain of seven islands best known for 19th-century Fort Jefferson, is accessible only by boat or seaplane, which helps keep visitor numbers relatively low despite the natural beauty on offer here. Sea turtles nest on the sand, while surrounding waters are home to shipwrecks, corals and reef sharks. Boundary Waters, Minnesota Here's the deal: you, a boat, and a vast chain of lakes to paddle through. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness stretches along Minnesota's border with Canada and is part of the Superior National Forest, so the views aren't bad either. Around 200,000 people visit each year but, with 1,000 lakes, rivers and streams to explore, it's possible to paddle for days without seeing another human soul. (Though there's a good chance you'll spot a black bear or two by the shore.) Denali National Park, Alaska Just one road wiggles through Denali National Park , home to North America's tallest peak. That's one gravelly dirt road through six million acres of protected alpine forest, glaciers and mountains, roamed by wolves, Dall sheep and grizzlies. So if you're looking to forget civilization for a while and be where the wild things are, this Alaskan beauty is surely the place. There are no hotels or cabins, so the only option to stay in the park is camping at one of six remote spots . Washington Island, Wisconsin It's a ferry ride through Death's Door waterway to get to Washington Island . Once ashore, you'll find a charming haven with hardwood forests, a famed stone beach and around 700 residents. The air is fragrant with the scents of grilled seafood and fresh lavender, which grows abundantly on the 23-square-mile island. There are festivals celebrating anything from literature to Scandinavian dance. But even when it's relatively crowded, it's impossible to be anything other than chilled here. Shasta Cascade, California Former US president Theodore Roosevelt declared Burney Falls , a broad, spring-fed waterfall that crashes into a shimmering pool, the "eighth wonder of the world". You could heap equal praise on many parts of Shasta Cascade , a glorious area of mountains, forests, lava beds and lakes northeast of San Francisco. The waterfall area can get busy on summer weekends, but otherwise you can often find a lakeshore beach, forested campsite or wiggly, redwood-flanked road all of your own. Texas Hill Country An hour outside Austin, Texas Hill Country is an adult playground of wineries, ranches and incredible natural beauty. Fredericksburg, a German-settled town with tasting rooms, farm-to-table restaurants and galleries, makes a good base for an escape here. Stop at peach farms en route to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area , centered around a giant, pink granite dome dotted with fragrant shrubs and blackjack oaks. Hike to primitive campsites to sleep under a blanket of stars. Finger Lakes, New York State The Finger Lakes region is known for vineyards, which is perhaps enough to recommend it. But there's a lot more to it than winery tours. It's named for its 11 long, skinny lakes, where you can kayak or paddleboard away from crowds. Or follow the Gorge Trail, which links 19 waterfalls in Watkins Glen State Park. And then, there is the wine   which you can taste on a boat tour around Cayuga Lake. More than two dozen wineries are tucked around its shores. Enjoyed this? You'll love 40 places you won't believe are in the USA


AUSTIN, Texas   The Latest on newly emerged cellphone video of Sandra Bland's 2015 traffic stop in Texas (all times local): 9:30 a.m. Texas authorities are disputing accusations of withholding evidence in a heated exchange with lawmakers over why cellphone video of Sandra Bland's 2015 traffic stop never publicly surfaced until now. Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, attended the hearing Friday at the Texas Capitol. Her 28-year-old daughter was found hanging in a jail cell near Houston three days after being stopped for not signaling a lane change. Bland, who was black, recorded a 39-second cellphone video during the stop as a white state trooper pointed a stun gun and ordered her out of the car. The footage never publicly surfaced until this month . Democratic state Rep. Garnet Coleman scolded state officials and said the clip shows that the trooper had no reason to fear for his life. Texas investigators said they've been transparent and said the cellphone video was referenced in a case report. ____ 12 a.m. Texas authorities are expected to face sharp questioning over why cellphone video Sandra Bland took during her confrontational 2015 traffic stop never publicly surfaced until now. A state House committee wants answers at a hearing Friday after the 39-second clip emerged this month. Bland was found hanging in a jail cell near Houston three days after she was pulled over for not signaling a lane change. The death of the 28-year-old black woman set off protests nationwide. Her cellphone video shows Trooper Brian Encinia, who is white, drawing a stun gun while ordering Bland out of the car. Texas authorities say the video was given to Bland's family attorney with other evidence. But the family says they never saw it.


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)   Three executives at an affordable housing complex in Brooklyn face criminal charges in an alleged bribery scheme. Prosecutors say the three women accepted close to $1 million dollars in bribes to let unqualified applicants skip the application process and bypass the waiting list at the Luna Park Houses in Coney Island. They say more than $5 million worth of affordable apartments were involved. The money obtained was used to purchase luxury goods. According to the investigators, this case may be just the tip of the iceberg. "You would have to be naive to think that these were the only apartments in Luna Park that were awarded through bribery and residents have told us this had been an open secret that this scheme had been in place for years," said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Prosecutors say the people who paid the bribes may now face eviction.


MILWAUKEE (AP) The Milwaukee Brewers enjoyment over a comeback victory over Chicago that knocked the Cubs out of first place was offset by concerns over another possible injury to a starting pitcher. Ben Gamel hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning, and the Brewers rallied to beat Chicago 3-2 Friday night. The bad news for Milwaukee came when Gio Gonzalez left in the seventh inning when his shoulder tightened up. Milwaukee All-Star right-hander Brandon Woodruff went on the injured list Monday with a strained left oblique and right-hander Jhoulys Chacin was placed on the IL Thursday with a strained lat. ''With Gio, we're kind of day to day,'' Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. ''He really just stiffened up is what we've got right now. We'll see how he is tomorrow and the next day; we're not ruling him out for his next start. He got stiff. That was a long inning. He felt like he couldn't get loose through that inning and there was some stiffness there with that warmup pitch that he threw, so we stopped it.'' Gonzalez didn't allow a hit to the Cubs until the sixth, when Albert Almora Jr. reached on an infield single and David Bote followed with his 10th home run. Christian Yelich started Milwaukee's comeback in the seventh when he greeted Brandon Kintzler (2-1) with an RBI single. Kintzler walked Keston Hiura with one out in the eighth and hit Eric Thames with a pitch. Pedro Strop hit pinch-hitter Ryan Braun and, one out later, Gamel lined a single to right-center. ''When you have the lead late, those (losses) are demoralizing, especially for a bullpen,'' Kintzler said. ''We are doing our best to keep it tight.'' Adrian Hauser (4-4) pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings. Josh Hader worked around Kris Bryant's one-out single in the ninth, striking out two for his 23rd save in 25 chances. Chicago, which had held at least a share of the NL Central lead since after play on July 4, dropped one game behind St. Louis. Milwaukee closed within a game of the Cubs. Each team had four hits but the game took 3 hours, 9 minutes. Gonzalez, making his second start since six weeks on the injured list with left arm fatigue, left with left shoulder tightness after allowing three hits in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts and one walk. ''It kind of stiffened up, it kind of grabbed a little bit so we all just kind of played it safe by backing off a little bit,'' Gonzalez said. ''I think I'll be alright. It's been awhile since I've seen the seventh inning so I was just hanging in there. Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks allowed just two singles over five scoreless innings, but was lifted for pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber. ''I had a little bit left but that's a tough part in the ball game right there and that's just a National League game,'' Hendricks said. ''Just thought it was best to do that and give (Schwarber) a chance to extend the lead.'' HE'S BACK Cubs: LF Ian Happ was recalled from Triple-A Iowa and went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. Happ, who had 39 homers over two seasons with the Cubs, was hitting .242 with 16 homers and 53 RBI at Iowa. Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw was recalled from Triple-A San Antonio and went 0 for 3, stranding four runners. ARRIVING SOON Chicago acquired LHP Derek Holland from San Francisco for a player to be named. TRAINER'S ROOM Cubs: RHP Steve Cishek was removed with two outs in the seventh after being struck in the back by a line-drive bouncer off the bat of Lorenzo Cain. The Cubs said Cishek was not injured. UP NEXT Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (9-6, 3.87 ERA) is to make his 400th big league start Saturday. He is 6-2 with a 2.95 ERA in 11 home outings but 3-4 with a 5.09 ERA on the road. Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (5-2, 3.90 ERA) was 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in five starts in July. Left-handers are hitting just .169 against him, but righties are hitting .293. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Someone has been caught on camera stealing gas from daycare vans in southeast Houston. He was caught on camera twice in one week. On Sunday at around 2:30 a.m., surveillance video showed the suspect in a white vehicle drive up to Kid N Play Daycare on Fuqua St. He is clearly seen siphoning gas. Cameras captured the same man returning Wednesday at 1:49 a.m. In the video, you can see him squat next to the daycare van, use a hose to siphon the gas, then leave with a gas can. Daycare management has reported the crime to Houston police. They hope sharing the surveillance video helps police catch him. ALSO POPULAR ON KHOU.COM: Maintenance crew finds body near Westchase, police say Food stamp fraud: Dozens charged in $71,000 scheme at Beaumont restaurant Caught on camera: Man with knife steals woman's purse in HEB parking garage in north Houston


USA TODAY headquarters evacuated after reports of man with weapon


The U.S. Army has an established tradition of ruining things for service members that are fun for civilians. Just ask any soldier who's been through the service's grueling combat scuba diving course, or qualified to become a free-fall parachutist. Now, even the latest tech gadgets aren't safe, as soldiers may no longer be able to use smartwatches as a way to get around strict regulations governing their use of cellphones, an Army spokesman tells U.S. News. America's premier ground force strictly regulates soldiers' use of cellphones while in uniform to place calls or to text, and forbids such behavior while walking. "Conversations on cellphones are conducted at the halt," reads a memo detailing required conduct at the Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, beneath a bolded and underlined section that means violators will be punished. Soldiers can never use cellphones while driving on base without a hands-free device, it adds, and any hand-held unit must never (ever) encumber a soldier from giving a snappy salute to a superior officer. However, the advent of smartwatches   most notably the new Apple Watch   offers soldiers the chance to skirt such rules. The high-tech wristwear and latest fad among futurists and fashionistas alike allows users access to functions available on their paired cellphones; they can make calls, check texts and scroll through social media   even monitor their heart rate. That may end soon, however. The U.S. Army confirms it's currently studying the use of smartphones and may change the policies governing them. "Soldiers are authorized the wear of wristwatches in accordance to Army Regulation 670-1 (i.e. 3-4. Jewelry, (a) and (b)) unless prohibited by the commander for safety or health reasons," Paul Prince, a spokesman for the Army's Manpower and Reserve Affairs division, says in an email. "The Army is currently reviewing the electronic capabilities pertaining to 'smart watches' for policy updates." Currently, soldiers are allowed to wear one wristwatch, one ID bracelet and no more than two rings, according to Army regs . ("A wedding set is considered one ring," by the way). Soldiers can wear only one cellphone clipped to their belts, provided it's the size of a government-issued device and is in a black carrying case. So, sorry, Tim Cook, but your latest gizmo may not get the Defense Department stamp of approval. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report


A quick tour of Midtown's West Peachtree Street in March last year showed 10 large-scale projects under various states of construction in just 15 blocks, the continuation of the corridor's years-long building boom. As evidenced this year by Cousins Properties's Norfolk Southern headquarters and blade-shaped 8th @ West , and now a two-tower proposal by national homebuilder Toll Brothers, West Peachtree's evolution continues to trend up. Toll Brothers officials unveiled the latter mixed-use concept this week before the Midtown Development Review Committee. Fronting both West Peachtree and Spring streets, the two-pronged project calls for a 22-story student housing tower with 205 units, alongside a 27-story market-rate housing tower with 385 units, according to a DRC recap by Midtown Alliance. A tweet by the nonprofit Midtown booster organization described the proposal as "striking." The site is immediately north of Hanover West Peachtree and across Spring Street from historic H.M Patterson & Sons Funeral Home, once the subject of redevelopment discussions itself. Both high-rises would offer restaurant and retail space at ground level about 8,000 square feet combined along with 712 parking spaces in an eight-story deck, per the DRC. Also included would be a new private street between the towers and Hanover's apartment property to the south. DRC members asked developers for a few tweaks, including a screen to block views of the parking garage from the south, and the addition of short-term parking space for ride-hailing services. They withheld full support until info pertaining to exterior building materials, balconies, and window openings is provided. Pennsylvania-based Toll Brothers, which bills itself as one of America's largest luxury homebuilders, broke into the metro Atlanta market last year with the launch of a 348-unit Brookhaven apartment community called Oleander, just south of where North Druid Hills Road meets Interstate 85.


Ever since the Hyundai Santa Cruz concept pickup debuted, we've wondered whether Kia will also enter the segment. With development of the Hyundai well underway, it was only a matter of time until the Korean automaker spilled the beans. Now, it finally has. Kia Australia's Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith has confirmed to CarsGuide that Kia will have its own pickup. Additionally, Meredith revealed that work is already underway and the truck could arrive between 2022-2023, around the same time frame as the production Hyundai Santa Cruz. "Work has begun," Meredith told CarsGuide. "We're talking about a dual cab, a single cab-what we've requested is the full gambit for the ute, and that (includes) a dual cab with diesel and petrol (options)." Kia's Australian executives are confident that the truck would do well in their market. Meredith thinks Kia can take 8 to 10 percent market share there. Although he didn't reveal much else, we're suspecting that should Kia's pickup come to the U.S. market, it'll likely offer only gas engines. These powertrains will be shared with the Hyundai Santa Cruz ; however when it comes to engine, transmission, and chassis calibration, the Kia will likely differ just to distinguish itself from its Hyundai cousin. Hyundai-Kia's new family of Smartstream powertrains could find its way into both pickups. Read More EXCLUSIVE: Ford Will Build a Bronco Pickup! Hyundai Santa Cruz Truck to Arrive "ASAP" We Conquer the trail that Killed a Truck in a Tacoma Since it will share underpinnings with the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Kia pickup will be closer to a compact in size. Although CarsGuide states it will be competing with midsize trucks, we think Kia's pickup will be a segment smaller considering the unibody Santa Cruz will share its underpinnings with the next generation Tucson, a compact crossover. Think more Subaru Baja and first generation Ford Ranger instead of Honda Ridgeline and Chevrolet Colorado .


The penalty early in England-Scotland illustrates just how unnatural it is to get a call "right" in soccer. Another World Cup game, another minute or so spent staring at replays and trying to guess what conclusion the referee will come to. In the 14th minute of England - Scotland , Nicola Docherty was found to have committed the grave and serious infraction of a handball inside the box, and so England got the chance to jump start their World Cup campaign from the spot. Nikita Parris takes one hell of a penalty. So, who wants to talk about VAR some more? Good, good. Let's go. The latest tweaks to the handball law require that a defender, in order to be punished, be using their arms to make their bodies unnaturally bigger . Here, at full speed, Docherty appeared to be guilty, albeit only in the sense that having arms   weird twitchy sticks of meat and bone, sticking out from the shoulders, dangling around all over the place   amounts to a deliberate interposition by the body into the world. Sure, on replay it looked weird, but all human movement looks weird on replay. It is one of the oddities of VAR   of sports consumption in general, come to think of it   that slow-motion replay is presumed to reveal hidden truth, rather than add another layer of mystification. Yes, slo-mo can show whether or not a ball has touched an arm. But in the process of uncovering that technicality it renders all the surrounding movements utterly alien. Handballs look awful in two aspects: they become ponderous actions, and so perhaps deliberate, while simultaneously seeming strange and therefore unnatural. Footballers move at full speed but are judged at half. At any rate, we can probably say that Docherty wasn't actively trying to save the thing, yet she has been punished as if she had been. Perhaps the safest way for defenders to proceed is to have their arms behind their backs at all times in the penalty area, to fight the presumption of unnatural bigness with aggressively contrived smallness. That unnatural pose is bad, this one is good, for arms are treacherous, it seems, and at slow speeds they will betray you. Get them out of the way. Thinking more generally about VAR, one of the odd wrinkles is that it serves to remove such incidents, particularly handballs, from the general flow of the game. You enjoy them, when they go your way. But you don't always feel like your lot have earned them. Instead of being something that one side has forced, or a mistake that this or that player has made, a penalty becomes a pronouncement from above, dropped down into the game to keep things spicy. A Disceptator ex machina , if Google Translate is to be believed. It would be unfair to call them whimsical, and they are certainly not random, but at the same time they feel somehow external. Hyper-close, ultra-pedantic readings that couldn't exist without the technology and so, in some sense, are entirely of the technology. The ritual of the whole thing increases this feeling. The referee makes their excuses and trots off the field of play   over the touchline, out of the game   to consult the visions of the oracle. Did nobody even think of the optics? And thinking more generally still, perhaps the most important consequence of VAR will be the collapsing of one of football's great unacknowledged conventions. All football fans are familiar with the complaint that "Anywhere else on the pitch that's a foul." Usually this comes as a maladroit defender clatters through the back of an attacker inside the box, and the referee shakes their head and does that weird double-arm sweep that referees love so much. This convention is built on the understanding, widely shared but generally kept quiet, that some fouls just don't deserve to lead to a penalty. Goals are rare and precious, and penalties are almost always goals. For years and years, football has operated happily on the presumption that a good deal of what happens in the box will be ignored because, frankly, it's not worth blowing a game apart for. A moment's clumsiness here. A faint tickle on the hand there. Unnoticed, with a wink and a nod. Let the crime fit the punishment. VAR, bless its pitiless gaze, does not wink. And so we are now in a time where everything that happens in the penalty area actually happens , slowly and under great scrutiny. This, frankly, is a chaotic prospect. And while it won't be much consolation for Scotland or Docherty, they aren't the first team to fall foul of football's new hyper-attention to the penalty area. And they certainly won't be the last.


Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs legend Red Kelly has passed away at the age of 91. The Kelly family released a statement through the Red Wings: Red was a devoted husband and caring father and grandfather and was tremendously proud of his many hockey accomplishments. He was very moved by decades of love and support from Red Wings fans and was humbled to have his jersey retired earlier this year. We are comforted in knowing that he impacted so many people both at and away from the rink and know that his life will be celebrated. Maple Leafs president and former Red Wings player Brendan Shanahan also released a statement on the passing of Kelly: The entire Toronto Maple Leafs organization mourns the passing of Red Kelly. For those of us who were lucky enough to have known or encountered Red, we will all miss his sharp mind and keen intellect. He was a gentle man but a fierce competitor. Above all, he was a family man, and he will be missed by his hockey family. Our deepest sympathies go out to Andra, their children, grandchildren and the entire Kelly family. There have been few players in the history of professional hockey to achieve the success Kelly did on the ice. A defenseman for the Red Wings starting in 1947, Kelly was almost immediately recognized as one of the best players in the game. He received votes for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in just his third season, and would win the first of four Lady Byng trophies in his fourth. The exceptional two-way player would hoist the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings, only to see his career take a sharp turn later on. After a dispute with the Red Wings ended in a nixed trade to the New York Rangers and a brief retirement for Kelly, he would end up getting a call from the Maple Leafs. A famous meeting between Kelly and Toronto coach Punch Imlach resulted in the defenseman changing positions and becoming a center, in order to check Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens. Kelly would find immediate success with the Maple Leafs, and helped them to four more Stanley Cup victories over the years. The final time came on May 2, 1967, exactly 52 years ago today. The Maple Leafs have still not raised the Cup again. Kelly's No. 4 was raised to the Detroit rafters earlier this season, retired by the Red Wings. The Maple Leafs did the same, making Kelly one of 17 players to see their numbers retired in a 2016 ceremony. Both franchises were completely changed by Kelly's presence on the ice, and he will never be forgotten by fans around the hockey world.


LOUISVILLE, Ky.   The next stop in the chase for the Triple Crown is the Preakness, though both Maximum Security and Country House remain noncommittal for the May 18 race following Maximum Security's disqualification from the Kentucky Derby. Owner Gary West said Sunday he is unsure whether to enter Maximum Security in the Preakness as he ponders appealing the historic decision. West also said he realizes the appeals process could extend well beyond the upcoming race at Pimlico in Baltimore. And with Kentucky racing stewards' ruling that Maximum Security interfered with other horses that led to his disqualification, there might not be a point to racing the colt in the Triple Crown series' middle jewel. "When you're not going for the Triple Crown, sometimes it doesn't make sense to wheel the horse back in two weeks," West said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "If there's going to be an appeal it will almost certainly be before the Preakness, but appeals historically take some time to sort out. Win, lose or draw, we're not going to know the outcome of that until probably months, if not years, down the road." Maximum Security was first to finish Saturday's muddy Derby before becoming the marquee race's first winner to be disqualified for interference . Stewards elevated runner-up Country House, a 65-1 long shot, to the winner's circle after determining that Maximum Security impeded his path and two others' exiting the final turn. Maximum Security was ultimately placed 17th of 19 horses after starting as the 9-2 second betting choice, ending his four-race winning streak. Stewards cited a section of the rule that calls for disqualification if "a leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey." Chief steward Barbara Borden said in a news conference that she and two other stewards interviewed riders and studied video replays of the incident during a 22-minute review after the finish. The stewards did not take questions from reporters. West said the earliest he could see the stewards' video evidence would be Thursday, which could determine if he files an appeal in a process he was still trying to understand. "We wanted to have the stewards explain to us what they saw and show us on their video the pictures of exactly what they saw, and they refused to allow us to do that," he said. "That was really pretty bush league, because there is no rule that they can't show the film to the owner and trainer that got disqualified for the first time in the history of the Kentucky Derby other than they aren't working today, or Monday, or Tuesday or Wednesday." The only other disqualification in the Derby occurred long after the race in 1968. First-place finisher Dancer's Image tested positive for a prohibited medication, and Kentucky state racing officials ordered the purse money to be redistributed. Forward Pass got the winner's share. A subsequent court challenge upheld the stewards' decision. President Donald Trump blasted Maximum Security's disqualification, blaming the Derby outcome on "political correctness." "The Kentucky Derby decision was not a good one," Trump tweeted Sunday. "It was a rough and tumble race on a wet and sloppy track, actually, a beautiful thing to watch. "Only in these days of political correctness could such an overturn occur. The best horse did NOT win the Kentucky Derby   not even close!" The Derby finish will be debated for some time, and that's not good for the beleaguered sport. The lead-up to Triple Crown season and the week at Churchill Downs was not what horse racing officials had hoped for. And now, the focus during the run-up to the Preakness will be on what's happening off the track. A scary spill for a filly and jockey opened Friday's Kentucky Oaks for fillies, and winner Serengeti Empress won her first start since pulling up in her previous race because of external bleeding. That followed medication and safety reforms by the industry after the deaths of 23 horses over three months at Santa Anita. Now racing moves to the Preakness and Pimlico, where nearly 6,700 seats at the dilapidated track have been deemed unsafe and will be unavailable. The Canada-based Stronach Group that owns Pimlico and Santa Anita has also clashed with Baltimore officials over concerns that ownership may move the Preakness to Laurel Race Course. And the best story on the track may not materialize: a Maximum Security-Country House rematch. Country House trainer Bill Mott said the colt was in good shape after the Derby but remained noncommittal about the 1 1/8-mile Preakness, which is shorter than the Derby. It would mark his fourth race in eight weeks if he runs. "It may compromise his chances a bit and it's not a normal situation to run so often," Mott said. "But the Triple Crown is not a normal situation." West also declared Maximum Security fine but will monitor him the next few days. "The revenge motive doesn't even enter into my mind," West said. "The horse proved he was the best horse (Saturday) by far. If he's not 100%, we would not even think about taking this horse to the Preakness and then we won't know that for a few days." ___ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Related slideshow: Best photos of Kentucky Derby (Provided by imagn)


This Bosa brother will not hold out. Nick Bosa and the 49ers have agreed to a contract and Bosa will make it to the start of training camp, according to multiple reports. Bosa took his negotiations to the wire, and there was some talk that he could be a holdout like his big brother, Joey Bosa , who had a lengthy contract dispute with the Chargers after they selected him with the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. But that won't be the case. The rookie deal for the second overall pick is slotted at four years and $33.55 million. The 49ers will also have a fifth-year option. Now third overall pick Quinnen Williams of the Jets is the only remaining unsigned first-round pick.


Debates carry the potential for great reward and the risk of debilitating consequences for candidates. As Michigan prepares to host the second Democratic presidential candidates' debate on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Fox Theatre, the candidates will be trying to ensure they either have a viral moment that catapults their campaign into the top tier or watching their opponents for flubs that could seriously cripple their campaign. More: Why debate in Detroit? Because Michigan matters greatly in the 2020 presidential race More: Your guide to the Democratic debates in Detroit: Lineup, schedule, what to watch Consider the first Democratic debate in Miami last month. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California was widely considered to have one of the strongest performances with her pointed criticism of former Vice President Joe Biden's record on race and busing to desegregate schools during the 1970s. "There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day, and that little girl was me," Harris said, adding that some of Biden's comments on race and actions on busing were "hurtful." Biden tried to defend his record, but struggled in his response and at one point cut himself off, saying "My time's up. I'm sorry." The immediate implication of the viral moment had Harris rising and Biden dropping in the polls, although Biden still remains in the lead in all the surveys that have been taken since the Miami debate, according to Real Clear Politics, which tracks presidential polling. There will be a rematch of Biden and Harris on Wednesday, the second day of the two-days of debates in Detroit. Others participating Wednesday: former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro; New York businessman Andrew Yang; U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; New York City Mayor Bill deBlasio; U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee. The Tuesday lineup: U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former U.S. Reps. Beto O'Rourke of Texas and John Delaney of Maryland; Montana Gov. Steve Bullock; former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper; U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio and author Marianne Williamson of California. Some of the biggest moments   good and bad   have come during debates in Michigan: The top one has to be former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who during a 2011 presidential debate at Oakland University in Rochester was flummoxed by a question on which federal departments he would eliminate. "Commerce, Education," he said pausing, while counting on his fingers and listening while his rivals suggested other potential candidates for shutdowns. "The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops." Later in the debate, he circled back to his problematic answer, noting Energy was the third department he wanted to eliminate. But he never really recovered and suspended his campaign two months later. In 1994, an elderly and seemingly confused Michigan Secretary of State Richard Austin asked the debate moderator, "pro-choice?" when asked whether he was pro-life or pro-choice on abortion. Austin, a Democrat and the first African American elected to statewide office, couldn't remember what the term meant. He went on to lose his reelection bid to Republican Candice Miller. Democrat Hillary Clinton tried to land a knockout punch when she accused Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders of betraying Michigan by voting against the 2008auto bailout. The $82 billion that helped finance the bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler was part of a much larger Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that covered more than $700 billion that went to bail out the largest banks, and insurance giant AIG, which Sanders did not support. "If everybody had voted as he did, I believe the auto industry would have collapsed," Clinton said during a 2016 debate in Flint. "You were either for saving the auto industry or you were against it." The attack didn't work, though, and Clinton lost Michigan by a narrow margin in the presidential primary, even though she ended up winning the Democratic nomination and ultimately losing to Republican Donald Trump. Sanders landed back in the Senate, switching his party allegiance back to independent until he decided to run for president again in 2020 as a Democrat. The 2016 Republican presidential debate at the Fox Theater in Detroit was full of rancor and bombast with most of the GOP candidates taking shots at Donald Trump and the New York businessman responding in kind. He came up with the nicknames "Little Marco" for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and "Lyin' Ted" for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and in what could be the first oblique reference to a penis in a presidential debate, Trump and Rubio had an exchange over the size of their hands. Trump noted that Rubio must also be referring to another part of his anatomy, "and I guarantee you, there's no problem there." Even with such controversial statements, which continued throughout the campaign, Trump eventually dispatched all the other GOP candidates and won the 2016 election. In 2000, it was Texas Gov. George W. Bush's turn in the hot seat during a debate at Calvin College in Grand Rapids with most of the other GOP candidates ganging up on him. But he had a moment of levity with U.S. Sen. John McCain, when the two shook hands on stage and promised not to run negative ads against one another, while businessman Steve Forbes, who had been running attack ads against Bush, said, "I will continue to tell the truth." Ten days after the debate, Bush and McCain started airing negative ads against one another in the days leading up to the Michigan presidential primary. By the time Michigan's primary election rolled around, Forbes had dropped out of the race and McCain won the battle, winning the Michigan presidential primary, but Bush won the election war, narrowly winning the electoral college vote over Democrat Al Gore. Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: As the Dem debate nears, Michigan is home to many past flubs


A new kind of freeway interchange is coming to California   possibly to Berkeley, in time   and it's likely to make drivers scratch their heads in confusion. It's called a diverging diamond. To enter the freeway, the cutting-edge interchange requires drivers to veer at a 45-degree angle across the center divide, switching sides with opposing traffic and briefly motoring across as if they are in England. By being on the left side, they can then glide left onto the highway without a dangerous 90-degree turn across oncoming cars. Transportation officials broke ground on the state's first diverging diamond interchange late last month where Union Road crosses Highway 120 in Manteca (San Joaquin County). The interchange is not scheduled to open until fall 2020, but the design's popularity is spreading. At least two more diverging diamonds are planned in the Central Valley, and engineers are considering the design for the reconstruction of the Ashby Avenue interchange over busy Interstate 80 in Berkeley. Some traffic planners are smitten with the concept and how, in the name of efficiency and safety, it forces opposing traffic to negotiate an X-shaped, signalized crossover before a bridge or underpass. As freeway-bound drivers drift to the left to an on-ramp, those heading through the interchange to the other side of the freeway follow the road back to the right at another crossover. Still, for the general public, looking at diagrams, video simulations and overhead photos can yield more amazement than clarity. What is ultimately required is the experience. "If you have never driven one before or navigated one, it looks confusing," said Matt Brogan, of the Mark Thomas firm that designed the Manteca interchange. "But once you've driven one, it makes sense." Koosun Kim, Manteca's deputy public works director, said he made his maiden voyage through a diverging diamond interchange, or DDI, at the nearest one to California   on Highway 395 in Reno. Drivers, he promised, only need to follow the signs and the traffic ahead to get the hang of it. "A lot of people don't even know they've gone through the DDI," Kim said. "They say, hey, we passed it." Despite the unorthodox approach, proponents say, diverging diamond interchanges offer obvious appeal: They save money, time and collisions. Most of the interchanges are expansions, requiring less land and shaving construction costs associated with pricey new overpasses needed for widening projects. "The big key for the city was that the cost was a lot lower," Brogan said. The $26 million price tag is about $10 million less than the cost of widening a traditional interchange, Kim said. No diverging diamond interchanges are planned in the Bay Area, but Caltrans spokeswoman Lindsey Hart said the concept is among those being considered for Ashby Avenue in Berkeley, where environmental studies and planning for a new I-80 interchange have begun. "These are new to California," she said. "At this point, it's just an idea for Ashby." While new to California, diverging diamonds have become an increasingly common choice in other states, where about 120 are either in use, under construction or in design, said Gilbert Chlewicki, director of Advanced Transportation Solutions and the creator of the interchange design. A study last year of 26 such interchanges in 11 states showed a 37% decline in collisions and a 54% drop in major crashes causing death or serious injuries. While driving in the opposite direction might seem to invite hazard, the newfangled interchanges have fewer "conflict points," where vehicles traveling in different directions could slam into each other, traffic experts said. Vehicles turning left through traffic notoriously collide with those moving straight ahead. But some pedestrians and bicyclists complain about the design. In Manteca, city officials circumnavigated that problem   literally   by building a separate bike and pedestrian path that skirts the interchange. Chlewicki, the "father of the diverging diamond interchange," created it for a term paper at the University of Maryland in 2000. The first was built in Springfield, Mo., in 2009. "Every state that has put one in is trying to put more in," Chlewicki said. "They see the advantage safetywise and costwise. It is very, very cost-effective." But will it catch on across California? "Absolutely," said Brogan, who's already working on more diverging diamond interchange designs. Some Central Valley locales, including Mountain House (San Joaquin County), Modesto and Ceres (Stanislaus County), will see diverging diamonds in the future, transportation officials said. Manteca is considering adding two, Kim said. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan


A contrite Ray Rice offered up some advice to embattled Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Greg Hardy on a sports talk radio show Thursday morning. "One thing I would encourage Greg (to do) is to take a deeper look into what the severity of domestic violence is," Rice said on WFAN's "Boomer & Carton Show." "It's better late than never." Video footage of Rice knocking out his then-fiancee at an Atlantic City casino in February 2014 led the running back to be cut from Baltimore Ravens and changed how the NFL handles domestic violence cases. Rice successfully completed a court-mandated diversion program, but hasn't played in the NFL since the 2013 season. "You have to be sincere in your actions," Rice said as he discussed Hardy. "Show it on and off the field. Take that uniform and use it for what it's worth. You don't have to win another football game, you don't need another dollar to go out and make a difference in other peoples' lives." Hardy was initially convicted of domestic violence charges in 2014, but the case was later dismissed upon appeal after his ex-girlfriend stopped cooperating with authorities in North Carolina. Hardy was suspended --- although the ban was reduced from 10 to four games upon appeal --- and he signed with the Cowboys after he was released by the Carolina Panthers. Photos of the victim of the alleged assault were recently made public, although Hardy has remained defiant as he's dodged questions about the domestic violence incident Meanwhile, Rice has not been signed by any team even as his suspension from the league has run its course. Rice said "there has been interest," although he didn't say what teams have contacted him. "I've been trying to stay in football shape, staying ready and doing what I have to do," Rice said. "I let the agents take care of that part. It is something I'm going to keep pushing to do. I do want to play football again. "If I don't have a second chance on the field with the NFL, I would love to work with them to help make a difference, speak to rookies or anybody else they wanted me to. I know I can make a difference." Rice also said he's had contact with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell during his exile. "Roger Goodell checked in on me around summertime," Rice said. "There is no real feud or animosity. . . . I don't think this has anything to do with Roger or anybody holding me back. It purely comes down to an owner giving me a second chance."


Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.) said Monday that several of his Republican colleagues had "privately expressed concerns" about the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's election interference and the Trump campaign. Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNN's "New Day" that while "very few" Republicans would publicly call out President Trump for behavior detailed in the Mueller report, many had privately voiced concerns in conversations. "Many privately expressed concerns about what was revealed in the Mueller report in part because of the gap between what Attorney General [William] Barr characterized as being in the Mueller report and what was actually in the Mueller report for those who have taken the time to read through it," Coons said. Coons says he was "surprised" to see a GOPer say "publicly" what "many are thinking privately" about Mueller report pic.twitter.com/f3TBCOR6sN - TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) May 20, 2019 Mueller handed over his report to Barr in late March. The attorney general quickly released a four-page summary of the top-line conclusions to Congress. Mueller, in a March letter that was released this month, raised concerns to Barr about his memo, writing that it didn't "capture the context, nature and substance of this office's work and conclusions." Coon's comments come after Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said in a tweet over the weekend that he had finished reading Mueller's report on Russia's election interference and the Trump campaign. He outlined four of his "principal conclusions," including that he believes Trump "has engaged in impeachable conduct." Coons added on Monday that he was "surprised" Amash said publicly "what I think many are thinking privately." "Those who have read the Mueller report cannot avoid the conclusion that the President and some of his absolutely core advisers engaged in profoundly disappointing, reprehensible conduct. Conduct that would rise to the level of an obstruction of justice charge if he were anyone other than the president of the United States," he said. But Coons drew a hard line between Republicans raising concerns about Trump's behavior and Republicans being willing to impeach Trump, saying he hadn't "spoken to a single Republican senator who would vote to remove the president." "There is a difference between thinking the Mueller report reveals conduct that is deeply disappointing, inappropriate, even borderline or actually illegal and saying they would vote to remove the president," Coons added. Though Senate Republicans have largely signaled they are ready to move on from Mueller's two-year investigation, some have raised public concerns about Trump's behavior and the actions of top aides as detailed in the report. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said the report included " an unflattering portrayal " of Trump. And Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said he was "sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President."


Because it doesn't get any better than holiday fireworks by the shore. Fireworks on the Coast What's better than Fourth of July fireworks? How about Fourth of July fireworks on the beach? There are plenty of places to catch a dazzling Independence Day firework show this July 4 but not everyone will be lucky enough to ring in America's 243rd birthday from the sand and sea. Here are 15 places where you can enjoy summer fireworks from the beach. Panama City Beach, Florida Head to Panama City Beach this Independence Day to witness the largest firework display on the Gulf Coast. This Florida town offers not one but three nights of beachfront fireworks. Kick things off with Freedom Rocks on July 3 and stick around for the Star Spangled Spectacular July 4 and Light Up the Gulf Fireworks Show July 5. Hilton Head, South Carolina Nighttime firework displays are plentiful on South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, from the HarbourFest celebration at Shelter Cove Harbour to the stellar showcase launched from Skull Creek. Take your pick, sit back and enjoy. Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu's Ala Moana Beach Park hosts live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display every Fourth of July. This year's show will be synchronized to a live soundtrack on KSSK-FM celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Ala Moana Center. Naples, Florida The annual Fourth of July fireworks near the Naples Pier on Florida's Gulf Coast are some of the best in the country and they certainly can't be beaten when you consider you get to watch from the beach. The near half-hour display begins when the sun goes down around 9 p.m. Long Beach, New York Long Beach's Fireworks Extravaganza is scheduled for Friday, July 5 so travelers don't have to miss out on New York City's Macy's 4th of July Fireworks on Independence Day. Watch from the boardwalk or the beach. The colorful display will be hard to miss. Miami, Florida The Fire on the Fourth Festival is the perfect place to celebrate America's 243rd birthday with live music, food trucks, yoga on the beach and, of course, a spectacular fireworks show to wrap it all up. Jersey Shore, New Jersey The choice is yours when it comes to beachfront fireworks along the Jersey Shore. You really can't go wrong, whether you're celebrating Independence Day in Atlantic City, Wildwood, Asbury Park or any of the Garden State's other inviting coastal towns. Southern California Much like the Jersey Shore, a summer trip to Southern California means lots of options when it comes to fireworks on the beach. If you prefer to avoid the crowds that gather at organized displays in places like San Diego and Long Beach, just find a quieter beach. The odds are you'll get lucky and be treated to an amateur show by the locals. Olympic Peninsula, Washington If you can't make it to Seafair Summer Fourth in Seattle, head to Washington's Olympic Peninsula for fireworks on the beach. You'll have plenty of options, from the Fourth of July Celebration in Port Angeles to beachfront fireworks near Bainbridge Island. Daytona Beach, Florida One of America's premier party destinations, Daytona Beach pulls out all of the stops when it comes to Independence Day. Visitors this Fourth of July will have three nights to catch the action, including July 4 at the Daytona Beach Bandshell and July 6 at Daytona International Speedway. Ocean City, Maryland The Maryland resort town of Ocean City will be lit up this Fourth of July, from can't-miss professional firework displays downtown and bayside at Northside Park to the numerous amateur pyrotechnicians who take their sparks to the beach. Outer Banks, North Carolina There's no shortage of excellent spots to catch Fourth of July fireworks in North Carolina's Outer Banks, from the 26th Annual Festival of Fireworks in Corolla to the memorable display at the Avalon Fishing Pier in Kill Devil Hills. Coastal Connecticut For off-the-beaten-path Fourth of July fireworks in New England, consider Coastal Connecticut. You can catch the WPAL Independence Day Fireworks from Compo Beach in Westport July 3 and the Rowayton Civic Association Fireworks from nearby Norwalk's Bayley Beach on July 4. South Padre Island, Texas South Padre Island celebrates every weekend throughout summer with fireworks on the beach but July 4 marks a special Fireworks Over the Bay showcase at Louie's Backyard. The fun starts around 9:15 p.m. Oregon Coast Boasting more than 360 miles of coast, Oregon is an easy pick when it comes to fireworks on the beach. The Seaside 4th of July Fireworks Celebration is one of the largest fireworks shows on the entire West Coast and features an extravagant 25-minute display while Lincoln City hosts an eye-popping display over Siletz Bay. But that's just a tiny fraction of what's on tap this Independence Day.


Day trips never looked so good. When visiting Italy, most travelers make a beeline for famous cities like Rome , Venice, Florence, and Milan but some of the country's dreamiest holiday destinations are tiny, little-known towns and villages off the beaten tourist track. From sleepy Sicilian seaside escapes to postcard-perfect Tuscan hamlets, we've rounded up the 15 most beautiful small towns in Italy. Added bonus: most of them are within day-tripping distance of a major city. This gallery was originally published in 2016. It has been updated with new information. Portofino, Liguria Population: 416 The coastal town of Portofino is one of the most beautiful European ports to sail into. It also has a wealth of excellent hotels like the Hotel Splendido and the Grand Hotel Miramare , plus great shopping, and of course, that radiant coastline. Alberobello, Puglia The main draw of Alberobello, a small town near Bari in Puglia, is its characteristic trulli : cone-shaped, white-tipped houses that look as if they ve been perpetually dusted by snow. Thanks to this distinctive feature, the town was deemed so unique that it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Pro tip: Head up to Piazza del Popolo, where the Belvedere Trulli lookout offers spectacular views of the entire town. Castelluccio, Umbria Population: 120 Located atop a steep hill 5,000 feet above sea level, Castellucio is the highest and most beautiful village in the Apennine Mountain Range. The village is backed by snow-capped mountains on one side, and on the other, lush, fertile plains that blossom with red poppies, violets, and rapeseed in the spring. (Time your visit to the "Flowering," from late May to early June). The town itself is charming, with many charming piazzas and a simple but lovely church. Cefalù, Sicily Population: 14,310 Located just an hour's drive from Palermo, the medieval town of Cefalù is so postcard-pretty that many movies have been filmed here, including the much-loved Cinema Paradiso . Highlights include exploring the town's many mosaic-adorned cathedrals, walking along its picturesque lungomare (seafront promenade), and catching the sunset from the towering La Rocca. Pietrapertosa, Basilicata Population: 1,018 Pietrapertosa is one of the most dramatic towns in all of Italy it's carved into bare rock on the side of a mountain, and boasts an elevation of 3,500 feet. The town itself is beautiful, filled with ancient ruins and a ninth century Saracen castle but the highlight of any visit is a ride on Il Volo dell'Angelo. It's said to be the world's highest zipline, and gives you an unbeatable aerial view over the entire town and its surroundings. Sorrento, Campania Population: 16,609 Despite the lack of a beach, tourists love Sorrento, which straddles the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The old town makes a great base for exploring surrounding areas the Amalfi Coast to the East, Pompeii to the North, and the island of Capri offshore. As for its dramatic, rocky coast? Absolutely cover-worthy . Polignano a Mare, Apulia Population: 18,014 On a limestone cliff that slices into the ocean, the tiny town of Polignano a Mare known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic" is one of the most romantic spots in all of Puglia. Spend a day exploring its sandy bays and inlets via boat, or simply get lost in the town's winding, whitewashed streets. Taormina, Sicily Population: 10,909 There's something especially dreamy about Taormina, a clifftop town on the island of Sicily. The views of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea hypnotize, and the ancient ruins and cafe-lined streets keep you occupied. But we wouldn't blame you if you were to check into the Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and never leave the room. Praiano, Campania Population: 2,026 Also along the Amalfi Coast, lies the town of Praiano (close to Positano), which is packed with beautiful beaches like Marina di Praia and Gavitella and culture to boot. Come here for stunning ancient churches, towers, and sacred sculptures. Sperlonga, Lazio Population: 3,350 Sperlonga was the former hideaway of many Roman emperors, and it's no wonder: The tiny town's pristine beaches, rich greenery, and proximity to Rome just an hour by train make it the perfect weekend escape. The town also has an excellent museum, Museo Archeologico di Sperlonga, which is set among the ancient ruins of Emperor Tiberius' old villa. The Torre Truglia, located at the tip of the promontory on which Sperlonga is built, boasts the best views in town. Saluzzo, Piedmont Population: 16,968 Just an hour's drive south of Turin, you'll find the sleepy medieval town of Saluzzo a pretty sweep of red-tiled rooftops, bell towers, and ancient spires backed by the snow-capped Cottian Alps. Highlights include La Castiglia, a 14th-century castle, and the Casa Cavassa, a Renaissance palazzo-turned-museum that's home to some spectacular gold-leaf paintings and frescoes. Vernazza, Liguria Population: 852 Vernazza is the steepest and loveliest of the Cinque Terre villages. Its streets are lined with signature candy-colored houses and enough gelaterias to make you forget about that bathing suit you packed, while the town itself slopes down to a small, sandy beach and Cinque Terre's only natural harbor. Though sea views pop at every turn, you'll find the most impressive vistas at Belforte, an iconic seafood restaurant inside an 11th-century castle at the tip of the harbor. Belluno, Veneto Population: 35,876 Perched on high bluffs above the Piave River and backed by the snowcapped Dolomites, Belluno is easily one of Northern Italy's prettiest small towns. Besides its gorgeous 360-degree views, you'll find a charming historical town center packed with Renaissance-era buildings, palazzi, and Romanesque churches. As an added bonus, it's just a little over an hour's drive from mainland Venice. Monte Isola, Lombardy Population: 1,800 Located on an island of the same name, the town of Monte Isola sits in the middle of one of Italy's prettiest lakes, Lake Iseo. To get there, you'll need to drive an hour and a half from Milan, then take a 20-minute ferry ride across the lake from the town of Iseo but it's well worth the effort. The quaint town boasts many excellent trattorias, lakeside cafés, cozy B&Bs, and the beautiful Madonna della Ceriola chapel, nestled at the summit of the island. Collodi, Tuscany Population: 3,408 Carved into the side of a hill in Tuscany between Florence and Pisa, you'll find Collodi: a gorgeous medieval village famous for being the home of Pinocchio (or more accurately, its creator, Carlo Collodi). Don't leave without stopping by Pinocchio Park, home to the tallest wooden Pinocchio statue in the world, and nearby Garzoni Gardens, filled with Renaissance statues, ornate fountains, and lush bamboo groves.


While the matter of play-caller has not been settled, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has taken on some new duties in his promotion with the Houston Texans. Now that Kelly doesn't have to handle the tight ends room, as he did from 2017-2018, it has freed him up to have a bigger role with the offense. What are some of Kelly's new duties? "Scripting, taking care of, basically, the general organization of practice on the offensive side of the ball," Kelly said. "That's more of the stuff that I guess I'm focused on now as opposed to just handling the tight end room. So, I would say right now that's the biggest adjustment that I've had to make." The duties thus far are part of what head coach Bill O'Brien will evaluate when it comes to deciding who will be the play-caller when the reps are for real in the fall. The plan is to see how well Kelly can handle all of his new responsibilities before adding something so consequential as play-calling. Kelly's offensive philosophy is simple. "I think being able to go out there and score a lot of points is obviously something all offensive coordinators want to be responsible for," Kelly said. "I think having a sound, smart football team in the image that Coach O'Brien wants it. Again, like I said, making sure everyone is prepared when we step on the field." The Texans were one of the bottom-10 teams in the red zone in 2018, tied with the New York Giants for the fifth-worst red zone conversion rate at 50 percent. If Kelly is able to help Houston score more points, particularly inside the red zone, then it could be the difference between playing in the wild-card round or hosting a divisional playoff game. It all starts with how much of the job Kelly can handle. MORE: MLB fans crushed ump Angel Hernandez over brutal calls in Yankees-Blue Jays game Did Nike accidentally reveal that Kevin Durant is staying with the Warriors? Return of NASCAR: Packers planning ways to get 4 OLBs on the field together Observations from day 1 of Lions minicamp: pick city PFF projects Raiders DE Maxx Crosby to beat out Arden Key for starting role


PORTSMOUTH, England   British royalty and leaders from around the world gathered here Wednesday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, honoring the men and women who participated in what is still the largest naval, air and land operation in history. President Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May were among the 16 world leaders who attended events throughout the day to mark the anniversary of the allied invasion of northern France. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post The commemorations began in the morning at an amphitheater, near the Portsmouth harbor, where Queen Elizabeth II wore a bright pink dress and sat next to Trump and Prince Charles, her son. Leaders from Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland and Slovakia were in attendance. Addressing the crowd from her box, the queen said that when she attended events marking the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, some thought they would be her last. "But the wartime generation   my generation   is resilient, and I am delighted to be with you in Portsmouth today," she said. "On behalf of the entire country   indeed the whole free world   that I say to you all, thank you," she said. Photo gallery by Reuters It was a poignant affair, with military bands playing somber music as black and white film clips broadcast from the stage, showing the faces of young men running onto beaches and readying to jump out of planes. When Trump took the stage, he read part of a prayer that President Franklin D. Roosevelt read over the airwaves to the country on the eve of D-Day. "Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron read a letter, in French, from a resistance fighter named Henri Fertet, who was executed at age 16. "I am going to die for my country," he wrote to his parents. "I do not doubt that you will remain courageous, if only out of love for me." Macron finished with "Vive la France" before exiting the stage. He will host commemorative events on the other side of the English Channel on Thursday. After the speeches, Trump and the queen met some of the 300 veterans in attendance who took part in the effort to liberate France from Nazi control. Some of them will then board a ship to repeat their journey to Normandy. Arthur Hampson, who turned 93 on Wednesday, was one of those who shuttled troops and tanks across the English Channel. On D-Day, he was an 18-year-old midshipman on the landing craft LCT 313, ferrying Canadian soldiers and Sherman DD tanks to Juno Beach, one of the five landing beaches. They successfully landed four of the tanks, but one fell into the sea, and two crew members drowned. Hampson told The Washington Post: "I don't regard myself as a hero. We had a job to do. We didn't want to let anyone down. But we also didn't want to die." He returned to Portsmouth that same night and sipped a quiet pint in a pub. He recalled thinking to himself, "I can't believe what we'd gone through that day." On June 6, 1944, about 7,000 naval vessels, including battleships, destroyers and assault craft, attacked German positions on the Normandy coast and landed more than 132,000 ground troops on the beaches. Historians consider the D-Day invasion "the beginning of the end of the war" and stress that it was an international effort. The fighting in Normandy went on for a month. John Jenkins, 99, was with the Royal Pioneer Corps when he landed at Gold Beach. He recalled digging holes in the ground to get a few hours of sleep and being ever worried about treading on mines. Asked about the fear, he told The Post, "You didn't show it, but you felt it." He said that "young people today need to know what happened, because if it didn't happen, they'd all be wearing swastikas today." Jenkins added that "Trump was most welcome" at the commemorations. "I know the Americans didn't come into it until a bit later, but they did do their part," he said. Some of the hardest fighting on D-Day was done by U.S. troops at Omaha Beach, where about 2,000 of them died. An additional 238 U.S. airborne troops were killed dropping into enemy territory behind the landing beaches. Wednesday is the last day of Trump's state visit to Britain. After events in Portsmouth, he flew to Ireland, where he will meet briefly with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar before staying the night at the Trump golf resort in Doonbeg. Trump's trip to Britain was many things, but it was not dull. He was treated to a good dollop of royal pomp, while tens of thousands of Londoners took to the streets to register their dislike for him. Trump also managed to unite politicians from across the aisle who were outraged about the suggestion that Britain's National Health Service would be "on the table" in a future trade deal with the United States. Opposition was swift and fierce   few things are more cherished in Britain than its health service. Trump rowed back on the comments in an ITV interview broadcast Wednesday morning, saying: "That's something I would not consider part of trade. That's not trade." In the wide-ranging interview, Trump also was asked about not having served in Vietnam. He received multiple deferments; four for college and one because of "bone spurs" in his heels. "I was never a fan" of the Vietnam War, he told ITV. Asked whether he would have served if he could have, he said: "I would not have minded that at all. I would have been honored" to serve. "I think I make up for it right now," he added. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted: "Could not have been treated more warmly in the United Kingdom by the Royal Family or the people. Our relationship has never been better, and I see a very big Trade Deal down the road." william.booth@washpost.com karla.adam@washpost.com Adam reported from London.


PORT CHESTER - One person was killed and another injured in a shooting at a Port Chester apartment complex early today, police said. Port Chester police said they responded to Weber Drive around 12:35 a.m. for numerous 911 calls about a shooting. There they found Charles Anthony Elliott Jr., a 26-year-old Port Chester resident, in the street with a gunshot wound to head. Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS took Elliott to Greenwich Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. At the hospital, police said, officers found out that another person, a 26-year-old Rye Brook resident, was also being treated for gunshot wounds after apparently being shot in the same incident on Weber Drive. Those injuries were not life-threatening. Police did not comment on the circumstances of the shooting or a possible motive. Police from Port Chester and Westchester County are investigating. Rye police also helped secure the crime scene at 9 Weber Drive, which is a section of the 120-unit Port Chester Housing Authority complex known as Midland Court. MAP: 2 shot in Port Chester, 1 dies Loading... Port Chester police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to call them at 914-939-1000. All calls will be kept confidential. More news MOUNT VERNON: Neither acting mayor budges in City Hall battle WHITE PLAINS: DMV to be moved, but Barker Avenue tenants object BUILDING CODES: Mount Vernon, Ramapo show need for enforcement SUBSCRIBE: A variety of special offers to follow lohud's news coverage Twitter: @MattSpillane This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Port Chester man killed in shooting on Weber Drive


The 2020 Ford Explorer has a hard road ahead, now that it's facing brand-new and significantly improved rivals like the Honda Pilot , Chevrolet Blazer , Kia Telluride, Volkswagen Atlas , and Subaru Ascent . The Ford Explorer traces its roots back to the '90s, including a memorable Hollywood career outrunning some extremely cranky dinosaurs, but that doesn't mean it gets a free pass among a crowded SUV field. Research the Ford Explorer | Look for a Ford Explorer in your region That's why, when it comes to the 2020 Explorer, Ford did more than tweak the options sheet and add some extra features. The basic blueprint of the Explorer has been completely reengineered, from the lighter chassis it rides on to the positioning of its three available engines. All three engines have been turned to a north-south longitudinal position, which helps balance weight and provides better ride and handling characteristics. This also means that, for the first time in nearly a decade, the Explorer is available in rear-wheel-drive format. When properly equipped, the 2020 Explorer can also tow up to 5,600 pounds. That's more than enough to haul something like a sizable boat Ford had a couple of them hooked up and ready to roll during our testdrive or about 180 full-grown velociraptors. (Fun Fact: Full-grown velociraptors were only about 30 pounds apiece.) Velociraptors were noticeably absent from the drive, unfortunately. Time to Drive Our testdrive of the new Explorer took us to the small town of Stevenson, Washington. Located about one hour's drive east of Portland, Oregon, the quiet location and empty roads provided an ideal opportunity to get acquainted with nearly every model in the lineup. In total, there are five main trim levels: XLT, Limited, Hybrid, Platinum, and the performance-tuned ST. Only the entry-level XLT, which has a starting price of $37,770 (including destination fee), was missing from our drive. Moving our way up the range, let's start things off with the Explorer Limited. Powered by a 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder that provides 300 hp and 312 lb-ft of torque, this motor was immediately impressive when we first stomped on the gas pedal all in the name of professional journalism, of course. Coupled with a smooth 10-speed automatic, the sole gearbox available on all variations of the Explorer, there is plenty of power to get down the road swiftly. Better still, getting on that gas pedal doesn't mean fuel bills will drain your bank account. When equipped with optional all-wheel drive, this punchy turbo-four returns an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in city driving and 27 on the highway (in rear-wheel-drive format, these improve to 21/28 city/highway). For a little reference, a 2019 Honda Pilot with all-wheel drive rings in at 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway. The Explorer's ride was nicely controlled and supple, something that was greatly appreciated on unfamiliar roads that curved and dipped their way alongside the Columbia River. More Power, and Lots More Screen Too much of a good thing can sometimes be exactly that too much. The Explorer Limited impressed us with its ride comfort, cabin room, strong powertrain, and impressive list of features. With a starting price of $49,225, the Limited comes with luxury touches like leather seating, 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, satellite radio, second row captain's chairs, tri-zone climate control, Wi-Fi hot spot, and power folding third-row seats. It also comes with Ford Co-Pilot Assist+, an expansive suite of safety items that includes lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring, hill descent control, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking, to name just a few. So, if the Limited is so nicely optioned, what's the draw of a range-topping model like the Explorer Platinum? Don't get us wrong, the twin-turbocharged 3.0L V-6 used in the Platinum pushes out 365 hp and a meaty 380 lb-ft of torque. If the Explorer Limited was peppy, the Platinum is downright fast and we haven't even arrived at the most powerful version of the Explorer yet. Cabin materials are excellent, the quilted leather trim is handsome, a dual-pane moonroof adds plenty of light, and the 21-inch alloy wheels looked great and didn't ruin the ride. Unfortunately, at more than $59,000, the Explorer Platinum starts to lose the plot when it comes to value. While it's loaded with almost every conceivable feature, you could probably live without the turbo-V-6 (unless you need the full 5,600-pound towing capacity). You'll definitely be happier with the standard touch screen, since the one fitted to the Platinum looks like someone installed a laptop atop the dashboard. We're all for large and easy-to-use infotainment system screens, but the 10.1-inch unit in the Platinum model borders on the ridiculous. You even lose the smartphone-friendly dash cubbyhole that's nestled conveniently below the standard screen. Hybrid, and High-Performance ST If the Platinum is a step too far for your midsize SUV budget, the Explorer Hybrid could be worth considering. Starting at little more than $53,000, the combined total output of the 3.3L naturally aspirated V-6 electric motor and 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is 318 hp and 322 lb-ft of torque. At the time of our testdrive, Ford did not have official mileage figures but did state overall driving range would be more than 500 miles per tank of gas. Using our automotive expert crystal-ball-gazing and 3rd-grade-level math, because we know the Hybrid's fuel tank measures in at 17.9 gallons we'd peg the Hybrid's upcoming mileage at about 27 to 28 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. The Hybrid can also tow up to 5,000 pounds when fitted with the optional Class III Tow Package. Our main complaints with the Explorer Hybrid center on the $4,150 cost of the engine itself, as well as some unrefined engine behavior as the gas motor and electric engine juggle power delivery. Once again, the base 2.3L turbo-four is so nicely mannered, it's hard to justify the price premium here. That is, unless you're totally power hungry and want the Explorer ST. To be clear, we started and ended our driving day with Ford's performance-oriented and family friendly SUV. We're red-blooded journalists, after all, and the most powerful truck is the one we're always bound to flock to first (and last). Despite the twin-turbo V-6 and 400 hp under the hood, the drive experience was a little underwhelming when starting off. Sure, it pushed us into the cozy leather seats under hard acceleration. It also launched one very expensive camera straight into the dashboard under hard braking. The ST's upgraded brakes are strong, trust us on that one! But the engine note was flat and shift points catered more to fuel mileage, versus corner-carving driving fun. Then we toggled the drive mode selector into "Sport," and things quickly came into focus. The exhaust note of the turbo-six went up an octave, the 10-speed transmission held onto gears when powering out of corners, and the steering added extra resistance (though not much in the way of actual feel). We even toggled up and down the gears using the paddle-shifters to enjoy the surge of horsepower and how well the Explorer ST gets down the road despite tipping the scales at 4,300 pounds. Is it silly, and do you need this much power? Yes, and probably not. But we sure like it, all the same! We understand most people are going to consider the Explorer because the third-row seats are easy to access and can hold actual adults. Or maybe it'll be down to the handsome dash and comfortable seating, the clear and concise infotainment system, or the 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seatbacks. Ironically, the fact that the base turbo-four engine is so good works against the idea that you must load an Explorer with every option and more power. That's true even when the upgrade nets you more mpg, as it does in the Hybrid model. Research the Ford Explorer | Look for a Ford Explorer in your region The Platinum and ST are opulent and speedy, though they're a bit like adding extra frosting onto an already delicious cake. The Explorer is a great SUV, and a much better value when you stick to the lower- and middle-end of the lineup. 2020 Ford Explorer Limited Vehicle type: Three-row, seven-passenger, SUV Base price: $48,130 Price as tested: $54,120 (est. ) Engine: 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 Transmission: 10-speed automatic Horsepower: 300 Torque: 310 lb-ft Curb weight: 4,345 pounds Towing capacity: 5,300 pounds EPA mileage rating: 20 city, 27 hwy, 23 comb (AWD) 2020 Ford Explorer Platinum Vehicle type: Three-row, six-passenger, SUV Base price: $58,250 Price as tested: $61,325 (est. ) Engine: 3.0L EcoBoost V-6 Transmission: 10-speed automatic Horsepower: 365 Torque: 380 lb-ft Curb weight: 4,727 pounds Towing capacity: 5,600 pounds EPA mileage rating: 18 city, 24 hwy, 20 comb (AWD) 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid Vehicle type: Three-row, six-passenger, SUV Base price: $53,270 (est. ) Price as tested: $57,870 (est. ) Engine: 3.3L V-6 Transmission: 10-speed automatic Horsepower: 318 (combined) Torque: 322 lb-ft Curb weight: 4,969 pounds Towing capacity: 5,600 pounds EPA mileage rating: N/A 2020 Ford Explorer ST Vehicle type: Three-row, six-passenger, SUV Base price: $54,740 Price as tested: $60,090 (est. ) Engine: 3.0L EcoBoost V-6 Transmission: 10-speed automatic Horsepower: 400 Torque: 415 lb-ft Curb weight: 4,701 pounds Towing capacity: 5,600 pounds EPA mileage rating: N/A


Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan delivered the commencement address to the 2019 graduating class of the U.S. Naval Academy. The former Boeing executive spoke Friday at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. More than 1,000 midshipmen will be graduating. Each will receive a Bachelor of Science degree and be commissioned as either a Navy ensign or 2nd lieutenant in the Marines. Shanahan served as the Pentagon's No. 2 official since July 2017 until he was appointed the acting secretary in January. He took over after former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis resigned in December over policy differences with President Donald Trump. The White House earlier this month announced Trump intends to nominate Shanahan as defense secretary, ending months of speculation. READ MORE: More than 1,000 midshipmen being commissioned CHECK OUT WBAL: Get all the latest Baltimore news, weather and sports. WBAL-TV brings you the best in Maryland news online, anytime.