The Chicago Bears dumped kicker Cody Parkey in March, months after his blocked " double-doink " field goal knocked the team out of the playoffs in the wild card round, and the team's search for a replacement couldn't be going any worse. In May, the Bears brought eight kickers to minicamp, and had each take attempt from 43 yards to mirror Parkey's fateful kick. Only two kickers converted. In June, we learned that the Bears have started to give their kickers the silent treatment during attempts. Coach Matt Nagy explained that the team has an "Augusta silence" rule, which is designed to create an "eerie" atmosphere that puts kickers under pressure. Via ESPN : Bears special-teams coordinator Chris Tabor explained on Wednesday that he and head coach Matt Nagy lifted a page from the Masters' playbook and operate under the code of "Augusta silence" whenever a field goal is called for during team drills at OTAs. …. We're creating as much pressure as we can on these guys," Nagy said. "We're getting the 'Augusta silence' out here with the team and that's eerie." Chris Blewitt, Eddy Pineiro and Elliott Fry are the three remaining kickers battling for a spot in training camp, but all three failed their latest test in practice this week. Each kicker was given a chance to kick from Parkey range - and no one was able to convert. During Bears practice, with 25 alumni & their guests watching, all 3 kickers were called onto the main field to try a 42-yard FG. 1. Right post 2. Wide left 3. Wide right HC Matt Nagy, what went through your mind? "Whatever went through your mind went through my mind." - Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) June 11, 2019 As a team, the Bears made nine of 12 attempts from 40 to 49 yards last season. Nagy pointed out after practice that even if just one of his kickers had been successful, no one would have noticed - but the Bears have spent so much time trying to ceremonially exorcise their kicking demons, it's difficult to see any kicker faring well if they happen to face a 42-yarder in the regular season. Via the Chicago Tribune : "I mean, that's about as real as it gets. They were 0-for-3 out there. For today, we can't have that. We are going to figure this thing out. But 0-for-3 today, no good," Nagy said. …. They went back to back to back, and all three missed. So they are being evaluated not just by (the media), not just by me but by their teammates." MORE: Most bizarre and incredible catches by fishermen in past decade Roundup: David Ortiz Shooting Suspect in Custody; Frozen 2; Alabama Chemical Castration Law 2019 aggregate mock draft 9.0: First look after withdrawal deadline Packers rookie CB Ka'dar Hollman impressing early with press coverage Report: Celtics don't want to keep all of their first-round picks Related slideshow: What 2019 looks like for all 32 NFL teams (Provided by USA TODAY Sports)


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Baltimore is . . . not great. It has the second-highest murder rate ("non-negligent homicide," in the nomenclature of the FBI) in the country, behind St. Louis. It has some of the worst-performing public schools in the nation. The city's mayor recently resigned in disgrace after a financial scandal. It is 63 percent African American. It is an overwhelmingly Democratic city. Owsley County, Ky., is . . . not great. It is the poorest county in the United States . It has the second-highest level of child poverty in the country. Almost a quarter of the population under the age of 65 is classified as having a disability. It is 98 percent white. It is an overwhelmingly Republican county. What does Baltimore tell us about Democratic governance? President Trump thinks he knows. (Kind of weird to hear a New Yorker complaining about the rats in some other city , though.) But we might also ask: What does Owsley County tell us about Republican governance? This is not an entirely unfair question in either case, but you have to be particular about it. Milwaukee, where the Democrats are having their 2020 convention, is a mess   and it is the Democrats' mess, no question about it. But Austin and Denver are very good places to live, and also are overwhelmingly Democratic cities. You could try to compare the state of big cities that are overwhelmingly Democratic to those that are overwhelmingly Republican, except for the problem that there is no big city in the United States that is overwhelmingly Republican. (Republicans do not seem to be able to think of one they like very much, which does not bode well for the party's electoral future.) There are cities in which Republicans win some offices and have some influence, including some very good places to live such as San Diego and Boise, Idaho (which is much less Republican than the rest of Idaho) and some fine Republican-friendly cities with critical challenges, such as Miami. What we should conclude from these generalities is not obvious. On the specific issue of crime, relatively liberal cities and relatively conservative ones often clump together in the statistics. Henderson, Nev., has about the same murder rate as Irving, Texas, and Virginia Beach, Va. Politically dissimilar cities such as Boise, Idaho, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Irvine, Calif., have even lower rates. High-crime Baltimore is Democratic, but so is low-crime Austin. Crime correlates with variables such as race and economic status. But this also happens in ways that can be counterintuitive. Relative to their share of the population, African Americans commit more violent crimes and suffer more violent crimes. And poor areas in general tend to have more violent crime. Baltimore is two-thirds black, while Austin is less than 8 percent black. Austin has a median household income of nearly $64,000 a year and a poverty rate of about 15 percent; Baltimore has a median household income that is nearly 30 percent less than Austin's and a poverty rate that is half again as much. Owsley County's median household income is half of Baltimore's, and its poverty rate is 70 percent higher, but it has a violent crime rate that not only is radically lower than Baltimore's but much lower than the national average . What's that all about? Population density? Maybe . The fact that African-American poverty in poor cities has characteristics that are different from white poverty in poor rural areas? Probably. The wisdom of Representative Elijah Cummings? Well . . . Some problems can be much more directly linked to the character of government and to public policy. The state of the schools in big American cities, for example, is very closely linked to the character of American public-sector unions and to their stranglehold on the Democratic party, which stifles competition and innovation and prevents the enactment of measures to ensure basic accountability. Moneyed suburban districts in which there is real school choice   because families can afford to choose   tend to have much better public schools, even where they have a larger share of students in private schools. But, again, there is no straightforward policy narrative: Owsley County's high-school graduation rate is 28 points higher than the Milwaukee public school district's. The shortage of housing in Democrat-dominated places such as the Bay Area also is very closely linked to progressive policies, in this case the ones that keep developers from expanding the housing supply. But these failures are compounded by the success of these communities: People really like living in Palo Alto and Manhattan. There is no affordable-housing crisis in Owsley County, Ky. There are symmetries: Poor cities and poor rural areas often are dominated by a familiar kind of insider-outsider politics: " They don't care about people like us ," goes the refrain, "and so you should support your own people , who share your interests." Hustling politicians promise visionary new economic-development schemes every other year, but not much changes. Is that political malpractice? Partly. But it also is the case that large-scale economic development is not something that politicians can magic out of a hat. Much of rural America and exurban Rust Belt America are in the condition they are in because they were built on economic foundations that are no longer operative. A lot of big Democratic cities are like that, too: If Philadelphia didn't already exist, you wouldn't invent it. St. Louis was built on the steamboat trade   not much of a going concern just now. Increasingly southern and rural Republicans are good at sneering at Baltimore. The tony Democrats in San Francisco are damned well-practiced at sneering at the rural south. As for doing something about the problems in those communities   moderate your expectations. Donald Trump is a famous son of New York City who has offered himself as tribune for the struggling communities of the heartland, and Nancy Pelosi is a celebrated daughter of Baltimore, where her father once was mayor. And if the two of them decided to really take on the most fundamental problems of any of those communities and put their heads together, it would sound like a minor mishap in a coconut-processing plant. And the poor   in the cities or in Appalachia? What about them? Oh, dear: There are funds to raise and tweets to tweet and elections to be won and cheap allegations of racism to be bandied about. Maybe we'll get to them next time around.


The forecast shows Phoenix will continue to experience light rainfall, due to last through Wednesday, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 95 percent, while the most rainfall is expected on Tuesday at 0.17 inches. The coming days will also bring hot temperatures, expected to stick around through Sunday. Temperatures will reach a high of 111 degrees on Saturday. Skies will partially clear on Friday, remaining partly cloudy through Sunday. Winds will stay somewhat calm throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Friday at just 12 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Philadelphia should be fairly dry this coming week, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . The greatest chance of rain is predicted on Wednesday at 66 percent, with the possibility of light rainfall of 0.22 inches. The coming days will also see warm temperatures, forecast to last through Wednesday. The weather will reach a high temperature of 87 degrees on Monday. Skies will be partly cloudy today and mostly cloudy on Friday. Winds will continue to be fairly calm throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Tuesday at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said Tuesday in a Tweet he will order the state's commerce authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars for the shoe company to locate in the state after Nike said it's dropping its Betsy Ross American flag sneakers. Nike has been planning to build a manufacturing plant on metro Phoenix's west side, which was expected to bring 500 jobs to the area, The Arizona Republic reported on Monday. The city had agreed to waive up to nearly $1 million in fees and reimburse up to $1 million for the jobs it will create, the paper reported. On Monday night, Nike said it was pulling the sneakers, which featured an early American flag designed by Betsy Ross in celebration of the July Fourth holiday. The decision followed a complaint from former NFL football player Colin Kaepernick, who pointed to the flag's use during a period slavery, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. There also have been reports of the flag's use by extremist groups, according to the paper. "It is a shameful retreat for the company. American businesses should be proud of our country's history, not abandoning it," wrote Ducey on Twitter. "Nike has made its decision, and now we're making ours. I've ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here." Tweet Ducey, formerly the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, has been Arizona's Governor since 2015. Kaepernick has been a polarizing figure in sports after he decided not to stand for the national anthem during a 2016 NFL preseason football game, in a protest against racial injustice. His actions have been widely defended as an exercise of his freedom of speech. Kaepernick has not played in the league since that 2016 season after the San Francisco 49ers failed to resign the former quarterback. He then filed collusion grievances against the league, which have since been settled. Last year, Nike featured Kaepernick as part of its 30th anniversary of its iconic"Just Do It" campaign. Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Weddings in 2019 are becoming increasingly modern and personalized . As part of that trend, more couples are ditching tradition when it comes to their wedding parties - or forgoing them altogether. INSIDER recently spoke with three experts to learn more about how people are customizing their wedding parties. If you're planning your nuptials, consider throwing out dress codes for your bridesmaids or groomsmen and letting them show off their personal style. You may also want to consider asking your wedding party to participate in a "flashmob ceremony" instead of walking down the aisle. One of the most challenging parts of planning a wedding can be choosing who's in your wedding party. For some couples, deciding who to include, and who to leave out, can be an agonizing process. Others may be hesitant to ask their loved ones to take on the cost of being a bridesmaid or groomsman. But, as weddings become increasingly modern and personalized in 2019 , more people are ditching tradition when it comes to their wedding parties - or forgoing them altogether. INSIDER recently spoke with three experts to learn more about how people are customizing their wedding parties. Here are nine unique ideas from couples who have rewritten, or thrown out, the wedding rulebook. Honor your loved ones with an 'I Do Crew' Victoria Lartey-Williams, the owner and lead event planner of Victorious Events NYC , told INSIDER that some of her clients have opted to honor their friends by having an "I Do Crew" in place of traditional wedding parties. Instead of wearing matching dresses or suits, people in this group will wear the same color, or hues from a specific color palette, as well as boutonnières or corsages to "signify their importance" to the couple getting married, Lartey-Williams said. Members of the "I Do Crew" may also read scriptures or poems or give speeches during the wedding reception and rehearsal dinner. Incorporate 'community vows' into your ceremony Amy Shackelford, the founder and CEO of Modern Rebel & Co. , said she and her partner John decided not to have wedding parties when they tied the knot in November 2018. Instead, the couple picked out readings for their siblings to do during their ceremony. Shackelford's sister also performed a song the two wrote for John. Then, at the end of their ceremony, the couple's friends read vows out loud to everyone about themes like loyalty, honesty, and sustainability. In turn, guests responded, "We do," to acknowledge that they would help Shackelford and John uphold the values they hold dear. Have a 'flashmob ceremony' Shackelford told INSIDER she's seen an "uptick in folks who choose to nix the aisle." Instead, these couples opt to have "flashmob ceremonies," where the wedding "starts out of nowhere" or people in the wedding party "come in together on the side" instead of walking down the aisle in pairs. Ditch bouquets and spend your money elsewhere According to WeddingWire, the average cost of bridal bouquets in the US is $150 . Bridesmaid bouquets cost an average of $75, which can quickly get pricey depending on the size of your wedding party. Speaking to INSIDER, Shackelford said she decided to forgo bouquets when she got married and she's seeing many other brides do so, too. "It just didn't make sense to spend $250 on something I'd hold for maybe five minutes," Shackelford said. "I considered replacing [floral bouquets] with cotton candy but ended up nixing all together." Opt for edible bouquets or other alternative arrangements For couples who value sustainability, choosing edible bouquets over lush floral arrangements can help reduce waste at their wedding, Terrian Freeman, an event manager at Dream Plan-It Events , previously told INSIDER. Edible bouquets are also a creative way for couples to add a personal touch, or nod to their personalities, on their big day. For example, Faheema Chaudhury, who owns an accessories brand called Unicorn Crafts , previously told INSIDER that she made her own cotton-candy bouquet, as well as lollipop "bouquets" for her bridesmaids. Choose white dresses for your bridesmaids Lartey-Williams said one of her clients wanted her bridesmaids to wear all white, one of the more unique wedding-party ideas she has seen. "What was once a modern taboo has now become a chic fashion statement," the Victorious Events NYC owner added. Throw dress codes out the window According to Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy 's in-house trend expert, more people are showing off their "unique style and personalities" at their weddings. As a part of that trend, couples are encouraging their wedding parties to express themselves through what they wear, instead of donning conventional suits or gowns. This year, expect to see more jumpsuits, prints, and unisex bow ties at weddings as tradition flies "out the door," Isom Johnson told INSIDER. Include groomswomen and bridesmen "Not everyone identifies with a gender, so we're seeing mixed-gender wedding parties, non-binary individuals in wedding parties, and people wearing whatever they want," Shackelford said. "It's less presentational and more community focused," the Modern Rebel & Co. founder continued. "It's exciting and adds an even more personable element to the event." Lartey-Williams, who has also had clients include groomswomen and bridesmen in their wedding parties, said it is "really refreshing to see a mixture of genders on both sides of the aisle." Invite your parents to join your wedding party Shackelford told INSIDER she's also seen clients ask their parents to be in their wedding parties. "People are throwing out the old rules," she said. "We could not be more excited." Related video: Wedding etiquette isn't hard, but just in case, here are eight tips (provided by People)


Anthony Davis has been the talk of the league this offseason, especially after the New Orleans Pelicans won the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and are now in position to draft Duke University's Zion Williamson, a potential superstar who could become the face of any franchise. Though the idea of playing beside a player of Williamson's talent could produce the desired effect (from the Pelicans' perspective) of keeping Davis in New Orleans, soon after the conclusion of the NBA Draft Lottery, reports surfaced that Davis' stance on his trade request still stood. On many levels, Davis' refusal to budge from his stance makes sense. Hiring a well-respected front office executive in David Griffin to be executive vice president of basketball operations, Winning the top pick is a good start if the Pelicans want to show Davis that New Orleans could have championship potential but there have been no draft selections made yet, no free agents signed yet and no games played yet that show The Brow that anything has truly changed for the Pelicans just yet. That said, Griffin wants to see a full commitment from Davis and won't shy away from making tough decisions like whether to trade the six-time All-Star before the start of the 2019-20 season. According to the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett , New Orleans will meet with Davis within the next week and, at that point, Griffin will hope to receive word from the team's current cornerstone about his level of commitment to the Pelicans. Similarly, New Orleans is also waiting on a meeting with Anthony Davis, and Pelicans sources say that discussion is expected to take place within the next week. David Griffin, who took over the team's basketball operations last month, is planning to pitch Davis on staying put after a season that saw AD ask for a trade and say that, if that request wasn't accommodated, he would opt out and leave as an unrestricted free agent in 2020. If Griffin isn't satisfied with Davis' answer, he may turn to his old boss in Boston Celtics president and general manager Danny Ainge to strike a deal. The Celtics, aside from the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, could offer the most attractive trade package and Griffin is shrewd enough to strike on the deal before or on Draft Day (June 20) if possible given the likelihood there will be 2019 draft picks at play. There have been reports that Davis hasn't moved from that stance, and if such is the case, sources here told the Herald the Pelicans will reach out to the Celtics as the most obvious trade partner. However, the Knicks' trade package is far less desirable with the third pick than when they were projected to have the first overall pick and Williamson. The best hope for Boston is if Griffin sees pairing Duke University's R.J. Barrett, projected to be the Knicks' pick, as a better option than Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (or if Ainge takes Tatum off the table in trade talks). Per ESPN's Jackie MacMullan , Pelicans owner Gayle Benson is quoted as saying she would trade Davis to the Lakers "over [her] dead body," passionately pushing back against Los Angeles' pursuit of the superstar. That statement would seem to be the nail in the coffin for the Lakers' bid for The Brow. If Davis is traded to the Celtics, they'll have a much better chance of re-signing Kyrie Irving, who has yet to give a firm indication of his offseason plans . That appears to be Ainge's hope, per The Athletic's Frank Isola , and he may just get his wish if the meeting between the Pelicans and Davis ends with fences being mended. MORE: Did the Raiders steal the best fullback in the 2019 NFL draft? Four potential Tobias Harris landing spots in free agency Houston Rockets free agency target: Jimmy Butler Mark Jackson on Draymond Green: 'We were absolutely stunned that he was still on the draft board' Why rookie Devin Bush is the cure for what ails the Steelers defense


Christian Pulisic is ripping it up for Chelsea in preseason. The USMNT forward scored twice and won a penalty kick in the first half of their friendly at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria on Wednesday, as the 20-year-old made a huge statement in his battle to become a leading man for Frank Lampard 's side. Chelsea went on to win the game 5-3 and alongside Pulisic the likes of Ross Barkley and Pedro impressed. It was clear that the American attacker made his mark on his new manager. "He showed his quality. I loved the nature of his goals. He can be a really big player for us," Lampard said. These were Pulisic's first goals for Chelsea after his $73 million move from Borussia Dortmund in January, as he spent the second half of last season back on loan with the Bundesliga club. THROUGH THE DEFENDER'S LEGS! Christian Pulisic gets his first goal for Chelsea! pic.twitter.com/Gfcn3qaW78   ESPN (@espn) July 31, 2019 After impressive cameo displays for Chelsea during their preseason tour of Japan, Pulisic is battling with Ross Barkley, Mason Mount , Pedro and Willian for minutes in the attacking midfield areas. This kind of performance should set him up very nicely for his first-ever Premier League season. Pulisic's PL debut is against Manchester United on Sunday, Aug. 11 (Watch live, 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com ). First of many we hope, @cpulisic_10 ! #RBSCHE pic.twitter.com/XwigsOHX95   Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 31, 2019 Follow @JPW_NBCSports


Quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota have been joined at the hip since they entered the NFL as the top two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft. Both have had their moments, but overall, it's mostly been mediocrity, as shown by only one Pro Bowl selection (Winston as a rookie) and only one playoff season (Mariota in 2017) between them. Their career passer ratings (89.4 for Mariota; 87.8 for Winston) are virtually identical and middle-of-the-pack among QBs. Neither has a winning record as starter, although Mariota's (27-28 in regular season and 1-1 in playoffs) is much closer to .500 than Winston's 21-33 mark. Now the moment of truth has arrived, and we will soon find out the direction their careers are headed. If their 2019 play is similar to what they've produced so far, and if I were in the shoes of Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht and/or Titans GM Jon Robinson, I would hold the line and not commit to huge extensions. Instead, I probably would look to a strong 2020 QB draft class , where I could get a much lower-cost player and invest in talent around him for four or so years. However, if Winston and Mariota can elevate their play and have very good seasons while their teams show improvement, it's an easy call for Licht and Robinson to feel they are set for years to come at the game's most important position, and they will pay this pair of 25-year-olds market value. NFL QB RANKINGS: How Winston and Mariota stack up in 2019 Part of the problem for Winston has been off-field issues , including a three-game suspension last season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. For Mariota, it's been a succession of injuries that have cost him eight games over his career, including the 2018 season finale against the Colts with a playoff spot on the line. Both players have been plagued by multiple coaching staff and supporting cast changes. Their lack of consistent elite-level play has put them in an identical contract category, as they both are playing this season under their fifth-year option with a $20.9 million salary. It's great money for one year, but the pressure is on both to convince their teams they are worthy of a lucrative extension at the going rate for perceived franchise QBs   $25 million-$30 million or more per year, with guarantees around $100 million on long-term deals. Winston, though, has a couple advantages over Mariota entering the 2019 season. Coaching-wise, Winston has a well-regarded QB guru in new head coach Bruce Arians, who has tutored Pro Bowlers Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer. Winston also will work with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who played 10 years as an NFL QB, and QB coach Clyde Christensen, a former offensive coordinator for the Colts in the Manning era. The receiving corps in Tampa Bay is led by a proven No. 1 receiver in two-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans. In contrast, Mariota is working with his fourth offensive play-caller and a first-time coordinator in Arthur Smith, who was last year's tight ends coach in Tennessee. With Derrick Henry leading the way, he does have a better running game than Winston does, but Titans wide receiver Corey Davis has not yet played up to his draft status as the fifth overall pick in 2017. And Mariota's favorite target from the past, tight end Delanie Walker, is coming off a broken ankle and is 34. At least Mariota did get a nice free-agent addition in slot receiver Adam Humphries. Winston and Mariota both seem to be well liked by teammates. They both have good leadership skills, Winston being the more vocal type, while Mariota is quieter by nature but still an effective leader. The expectations have been sky high from Day 1 for both, and their teams would love to see them emerge into the consistent, top 10-caliber QBs they envisioned on draft day in 2015. Along with solid play, part of the equation must be for Winston to stay out of trouble off the field and for Mariota to stay relatively injury-free. Winston says he is a different person now with a fiancee, a son and a commitment to his faith. Meanwhile, Mariota reportedly has put on 12 pounds in an effort to better absorb the hits from pass-rushers. MORE: Top QBs in 2020 NFL Draft class Such success in 2019 would bring Winston and Mariota their aforementioned market value, which should at least put them at the level of Jimmy Garoppolo's deal with the 49ers   $27.5 million per year for a player who had eight career starts when he got the big bucks   and Kirk Cousins' $28 million-per-year contract with the Vikings. On a comparative basis, it's interesting to hear the chatter surrounding the successful QBs who followed Winston and Mariota. This includes Jared Goff (Rams), Carson Wentz (Eagles) and Dak Prescott (Cowboys) from the 2016 draft class. All three young stars are projected to join the $30 million-plus club within the next two years. And following them are three QBs from the 2017 draft class in Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Mitchell Trubisky (Bears) and Deshaun Watson (Texans). MORE: NFL's highest-paid players in 2019 Winston and Mariota might not be the biggest stories nationally going into the 2019 season, but their performances will be under the microscope in the front offices of the Bucs and Titans. We soon will see if one can finally separate himself from the other, or if one (or both) can send his career trajectory upward and solidify his long-term future with his current team. If they don't, they will join the list of migrant QBs searching in free agency for their next team. Jeff Diamond is a former president of the Titans and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He makes speaking appearances to corporate/civic groups and college classes on negotiation and sports business/sports management. He is the former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL.


Pierre Gasly needs a mental "Ctrl+Alt+Del" reset in a bid to save his Formula 1 season, reckons his Red Bull boss Christian Horner. The Frenchman has had a difficult start to the campaign, and his misery continued in the Austrian Grand Prix when he found himself lapped by winning teammate Max Verstappen. Read Also: Gasly: Some of the criticism is "not deserved" Red Bull remains committed to the youngster for now, despite mounting speculation that he could be replaced for 2020 by Daniil Kvyat if he does not lift his game. However, Horner is clear that Gasly needs to draw a line under all that has happened this year and start fresh from the next race in a bid to turn things around. Asked by Motorsport.com how worried he was about Gasly's ongoing struggles, Horner said "I think Pierre is having a tough time at the moment and we are doing our very best to support him. I think he just needs a reset. "We know what he is capable of, and I think that we have just somehow got to go 'Ctrl+Alt+Del' in his head and start again. "He is a quick driver and I think the problem he has got is that Max is delivering every week and that puts more pressure obviously on him to perform. "But we are sticking behind him, we still believe in him and we will give him all the support we can to try to nurture the talent that we know he has." Horner made it clear that there was 'nothing wrong' with Gasly's car at the Red Bull Ring to explain his slow pace, but he has played down talk that thoughts are drifting to replace him soon. "There is no intention to change Pierre," said Horner. "He is our driver, we are going to work with him and try to get the best out of him. "He is having a tough time at the moment but we will do our best to support him through it."


CHICAGO   Trea Turner's big game got overshadowed a bit by another scary moment involving a fan hit by a foul ball. Turner homered in the second straight game, Anibal Sanchez pitched into the seventh and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago White Sox 12-1 on Monday night. But there were more questions about fan safety when woman was struck by a foul ball off the bat of White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez. He hit a hard liner into the stands in the fourth inning just beyond Chicago's dugout on the third base side. The woman was sitting several rows from the field. She was bleeding around the head area, and was covered with a towel. BOX SCORE: NATIONALS 12, WHITE SOX 1 She walked up toward the concourse with assistance of stadium personnel. The team said she was alert and taken to a hospital for evaluation. Jimenez put his hands on his helmet after seeing the ball go into the stands. Protective netting at Guaranteed Rate Field extends to the end of the dugouts. Jimenez was not available for comment after the game. Major League Baseball said late last month it will keep examining its policy on protective netting at stadiums a day after a foul ball by the Chicago Cubs' Albert Almora hit a young fan during a game at Houston. TURNER COMES THROUGH Turner tripled and scored in the third, went deep against Odrisamer Despaigne leading off the fifth and added an RBI double in the seventh. He also struck out leading off the game and in the eighth and popped out in the ninth. "I felt like I got a couple of pitches to hit in those last two at-bats, but it didn't happen. That's baseball," Turner said. "I think it's one of those things where the more you try, the less likely it's gonna happen." Sanchez (2-6) gave up one run and four hits. He left after James McCann singled leading off the seventh. Adam Eaton had three hits, including an RBI single, in his first game at Guaranteed Rate Field since Chicago traded him to Washington at the 2016 winter meetings. Kurt Suzuki added a grand slam during a six-run ninth and had five RBIs to help the Nationals win for the 12th time in 16 games. Leury Garcia hit a solo homer for Chicago in the sixth inning. Yoan Moncada left the game in the seventh with upper back tightness. Despaigne (0-1) went six innings in his first major league appearance since a relief outing for the Los Angeles Angels against Oakland last Sept. 30. The 32-year-old right-hander allowed three runs and seven hits after the White Sox purchased his contract from Triple-A Charlotte. But the White Sox fell short after winning eight of 12. "I'm not satisfied with what I did against the first batter of each inning," Despaigne said. "I'm really confident my next outing will be better than this one." JUMPING AHEAD Washington got a run in the second on Suzuki's sacrifice fly and another in the third when Eaton followed Turner's leadoff triple with a bloop single. Part of the procession in Sunday's win at San Diego when Washington hit four consecutive homers, Turner made it 3-0 when he drove a 2-1 fastball out to left leading off the fifth. "When we've got Trea getting on base and leading off, it creates a lot of havoc," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "It gets us going." DELMONICO RELEASED The White Sox released injured outfielder Nicky Delmonico on Monday. The 26-year-old Delmonico was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte about three weeks ago and had season-ending surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder on May 30. He batted .227 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs over parts of three seasons with Chicago. The White Sox also placed left-hander Jace Fry (sore left shoulder) on the 10-day injured list. TRAINER'S ROOM Nationals: RHP Justin Miller (right rotator cuff strain) pitched a scoreless inning Saturday for Double-A Harrisburg in a rehab appearance. Martinez said Miller will get "a few more games" before potentially moving up. . 1B Matt Adams suffered a left oblique strain on a checked swing in the sixth and will likely miss at least a game or two, Martinez said. White Sox: Moncada was replaced at third base by Jose Rondon at the start of the seventh inning and is listed as day to day. UP NEXT Nationals: LHP Patrick Corbin (5-4, 3.59 ERA) tries to bounce back after getting pounded in back-to-back losses to Cincinnati and San Diego. He allowed a combined 13 runs -- nine earned -- in 7 2/3 innings. White Sox: LHP Manny Banuelos (3-4, 7.36 ERA) makes his first start since beating Cleveland on May 30. He lost his previous four outings. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Callaway Golf's Truvis ball has become something of a cult favorite among golfers, and, to use a poker term, the company has been "all in" on the line for some time now, including a number of limited-edition models. Its recent offering joins that group with the Chrome Soft Truvis Suits model . As its name suggests, the latest offering features within a dozen balls one sleeve in each of the four suits in a deck of playing cards (hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds). Considering how close golf and gambling are to each other, it's a natural fit. The limited-edition Chrome Soft Truvis Suits ball includes all the same features of Callaway's Chrome Soft golf ball, including a dual core with an inner core with a softer compression than the original Chrome Soft and a firmer outer core to provide additional ball speed and reduced spin off the driver. The ball utilizes the company's softest urethane cover ever to enhance greenside spin, too. The model, which costs $45 per dozen, is the ninth Truvis launch to date. Click here to shop the Callaway Chrome Soft Truvis Suits golf ball at Golf Galaxy . See the video.


By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) - The angle of Ash Barty's climb to the top of women's tennis has been so steep, the rise so fast, that the sight of her name perched on top of the Wimbledon draw as top seed and favorite still requires a second glance. A month ago when the French Open began the 23-year-old Australian was just another name in a wide-open women's field being spoken about as a title contender. When she walks on court on Monday she will do so as the newest member of the Grand Slam winners' club and as world number one, just three years after returning to the sport she quit at the end of 2014 for cricket. In her own words the last few weeks have been a "whirlwind" and while the tranquillity of the All England Club in the days leading up to the Championships offers a chance to catch breath, she knows it is only a temporary lull. Reaching the summit is one thing but setting up camp there is an entirely different proposition, especially at Wimbledon where Barty is joined by 14 other Grand Slam champions and four finalists in a draw fraught with danger. Barty could face Spain's 2017 Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round and awaiting in the quarter-finals could be defending champion Angelique Kerber or seven-times winner Serena Williams with twice champion Petra Kvitova a potential obstacle in the semi-final. Predicting the outcome of women's Grand Slams has been a fool's game since Serena Williams earned her 23rd title at the 2017 Australian Open before breaking off to have a baby. Eight different players have won the nine Grand Slams since then with only Japan's Naomi Osaka winning two. ALL-TIME RECORD The name missing from that list is Williams, who remains tantalizingly one short of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. She lost to Kerber in last year's Wimbledon final and Osaka in a stormy U.S. Open title match and while logic suggests time might be running out for the 37-year-old American, only the foolhardy would dismiss her chances of claiming an eighth Wimbledon title. "She has that intangible championship quality that not a lot of players have," three-times Wimbledon champion Chris Evert said as she previewed the tournament for ESPN. "There's so many things that may be going against Serena, but she thrives on that, she loves that, that's when she comes through. If there was any Grand Slam she was going to win, it would probably be Wimbledon. "If her serve is on, she's going to be tough to beat." Apart from Williams, Barty's game looks most naturally-suited to grass which is why her making her Grand Slam breakthrough on clay was such an extraordinary achievement. Only six women -- Court, Billie Jean King, Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams -- have won Wimbledon straight after the French, however, and it would take a "Herculean" effort for Barty to join that group, says Evert. "At some point it's got to be overwhelming, and she's a human being," Evert said. "She has the game. She has the athleticism, the variety. I just kind of wonder when the tank is going to start to get a little bit empty." With so many names in the frame it is easy to overlook defending champion Kerber, who appears to be finding her A-game at the perfect time having struggled with injuries on clay. The 31-year-old left-hander is bidding to become the first woman to defend a Grand Slam title since Serena at Wimbledon in 2016 and the sixth at the All England Club in the last 50 years. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)


Shafonne Myers, owner and CEO of Pretty Pear Bride, the world's only magazine for plus-size brides, knows a thing or two about fashion and weddings. As a certified wedding and event planner and a gal with a serious love of all-things weddings (and a former bride herself), Shafonne understands the unique challenges plus-size brides face. Wedding-dress shopping is a tough task for any bride, but it can be particularly stressful for plus-size brides. Here, some tips to help you navigate the process happily (and easily). 1. Look for Yourself in Bridal Imagery Let's face it: Most women   no matter their size   don't look like models. But it makes wedding-dress shopping a lot easier, if you seek out photos of brides that look like you. That way, you can see exactly how the dress you're considering looks on a woman your size. 2. Find "The One" You Truly Love Some brides try on two or three dresses before they find the look they love, while other ladies try on dozens (upon dozens) before finding "the one." As a plus-size bride, you may find yourself vetoing dresses before you even put them on. Dresses   especially wedding dresses   look totally different on the hanger than they do a person. So, don't assume a design won't look good on before you give it a test drive. Plus, don't be afraid to ask the bridal salon consultant if dresses come in any other sizes. You'd be surprised to find out how many designers offer looks in a range of sizes . 3. Don't Conform Yes, typically A-line and fit-and-flare dresses are the most flattering silhouettes for curvier girls, but that doesn't mean you have to wear one of those styles! While wedding-dress shopping, you should experiment and try on different types of cuts . Just remember to have fun   you never know what will end up looking best on your body!


Year in and year out people debate the quality of sets of triplets across the NFL. Of course, the idea of triplets on a football team was made famous by the original triplets, the trio of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin during the 1990s. Good times. Just a few years ago the Cowboys were operating with a set of Tony Romo , DeMarco Murray , and Dez Bryant that were among the best in the NFL. Quickly they turned their set over, and now have Dak Prescott , Ezekiel Elliott , and Amari Cooper. The fact that Dallas has had two sets of triplets within a five-year span that are regarded so highly is quite a testament to their ability to find and cultivate talent, but that's a whole different subject. When it comes to Dak, Zeke, and Amari ( who all need new contracts by the way, the stresses of having good players!), you can certainly make the case that they are one of the top triumvirates in the league. If you're in the right mood you might even make the argument that they are the best in the league. Is that fair, or is it absurd? There are definitely solid contenders besides Dallas When you look at the landscape of the NFL there are teams who don't even really have a set of triplets worth bragging about. It's important to qualify that a wide receiver isn't necessary as some teams operate with a tight end as their primary pass-catcher. Even with Rob Gronkowski retiring (although nobody buys it) there are still some great ones in the NFL that dominate for their respective team. There are a number of teams who it feels safe to rule out as far as definitely being behind the Cowboys: Washington Redskins New York Giants Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons Tampa Bay Buccaneers Detroit Lions Chicago Bears Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers New York Jets Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts Tennessee Titans Oakland Raiders Denver Broncos There are without doubt teams on here that you could debate over the Cowboys. If Cam Newton is proper then the Panthers are certainly an elite trio. Should Deshaun Watson stay on track then you can make a great argument for the Texans, especially with Deandre Hopkins. Including the Colts on this list was tough, but they just don't have a running back that can compare to having Zeke. The Seattle Seahawks are also obviously a very good trio simply because of their quarterback, Russell Wilson. You can almost operate with whoever at running back when Wilson is commanding your offense, that's part of the reason why I didn't include the Green Bay Packers on this list. Aaron Rodgers elevates things that much individually. Looking at who's left though we have: Philadelphia Eagles New Orleans Saints Green Bay Packers Los Angeles Rams New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns Los Angeles Chargers Kansas City Chiefs It's fair (although obviously not trustworthy) to consider the Packers and Patriots behind the Cowboys (in a triplets sense exclusively) because they don't have the talent of Zeke or Amari. It's tough but it also feels fair to include Kansas City in this list because we simply don't know how elite their run game will be, but again it might not matter. These teams obviously have quarterbacks that trump Dak Prescott , but for the purposes of this exercise we'll cross them off of the list. The entire world is jumping on the Cleveland Browns bandwagon, and you can make a great case that their trio includes two wide receivers in Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. While there's a lot to like so much of it is based on potential since we haven't seen this group together so it's fair to just put a bookmark on them for now. We're left with the Eagles, Saints, Rams, Steelers, and Chargers. Pittsburgh seems like the easiest to take out next as who JuJu Smith-Schuster is as the top receiver in his offense is an unknown. That puts the Cowboys in the top five. Dallas might have the best set on average Philadelphia certainly has the potential to be very good, but who Jordan Howard is going to be in their backfield is hard to project. Plus, it's a reality that Carson Wentz could be injured at some point and that would obviously hinder the value of the overall group, but there's no doubting Zach Ertz 's strength within the tripod. Injuries have also been an issue for Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley. If he's not an every down runner (a thing that is very much in question these days) then their group is limited. This moves us to the top three. Philip Rivers probably gets the least credit for quarterbacks that have found the fountain of youth, but together with Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen the Chargers have one of the game's best sets of trios. They're elite, there's no question about it. Drew Brees is still playing at an incredibly elite level and a lot of that is likely thanks to the additions of Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. While there's no question that Kamara isn't a traditional running back, his skills and contributions in his role make that group lethal. If we looked at the positions individually then Dak, Zeke, and Amari probably rank third, first, and third compared to the Chargers and Saints. Since we've factored in injuries you can consider that factor with regards to Allen but even then that gives Dallas somebody ranked first, second, and third at every position. A perfect average. While many will scoff at this, you can say that the Cowboys might be in the most enviable position across the NFL with regards to triplets as all of theirs are still very young and ascending players. Los Angeles and New Orleans are near the end of the road at quarterback, but for now they might have better overall groups specifically because of the most important position in sports. At worst it feels like the Cowboys have the third-best set of triplets in the NFL, maybe there's some poetry in being third in a subject of three. If their quarterback takes the step that many believe he will in 2019 then we could be looking at the game's best a year from now.


The Royals have moved right-hander Jorge Lopez from the rotation to the bullpen, manager Ned Yost told reporters Wednesday ( Twitter links via Alec Lewis of The Athletic and Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com). Yost indicated that this is quite likely a long-term move for the 26-year-old Lopez. Lopez, acquired last July in the trade that sent Mike Moustakas to the Brewers, was viewed as a potential long-term option in the rotation at the time of that swap, but he's yet to find any success in that role in his new organization. He's made 17 starts since being traded (plus one relief appearance) and logged a disappointing 6.62 earned run average with a similarly discouraging 5.30 FIP. He's averaged 7.6 strikeouts and 3.2 walks per nine innings pitched in his 85 2/3 innings as a Royal, with the main problem being his penchant for surrendering home runs. Lopez has given up 17 big flies in his short time with the Royals. Only two of the 12 home runs surrendered by Lopez have come on his first trip through the order in 2019, though. It's safe to assume that following a move to short relief stints, Lopez's 93.4 mph average fastball will tick upward. Scouting reports in Lopez's prospect days actually touted him as a potential late-inning weapon, with Fangraphs' Eric Longenhagen writing back in 2017 that Lopez sits 93-97 mph as a reliever with an above-average curve and an inconsistent changeup that flashed plus at times. The move to the 'pen was essentially the Royals' lone possible course of action if they hoped to both keep him in the organization and give someone else a look in his rotation spot. He's out of minor league options and would've had to pass through waivers in order to be sent down to the minors. Given the number of clubs on the hunt for controllable rotation and bullpen help, there's little chance that Lopez would go unclaimed. In his spot in the rotation, Kansas City turned to Glenn Sparkman tonight. The 27-year-old doesn't exactly bring much prospect fanfare to the Royals' rotation   although the Blue Jays did nab him in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft, only to return him at a later date   but he's given the team plenty to think about so far in 2019. In addition to 6 1/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A Omaha, Sparkman entered play today with a 2.92 ERA and 17-to-7 K/BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings. If Sparkman is ultimately unable to secure a spot in the starting five, the Royals have alternatives on the 40-man roster in Triple-A in the form of Heath Fillmyer , Ben Lively , Scott Blewett and Arnaldo Hernandez .


Missed the the most recent top news in Los Angeles? Read on for everything you need to know. Human trafficker who targeted victims online held autistic teen for prostitution; more victims sought: LASD Authorities are looking for additional human trafficking victims of a man who held a teenage girl with autism in his house against her will and had men pay to have sex with her in his South Los Angeles-area home, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Thursday. Read the full story on KTLA 5 News . LA boy, 6, removed from life support months after father's arrest for severe assault A 6-year-old Los Angeles boy who was hospitalized in March with severe head injuries allegedly caused by his father, has now died, officials say. Read the full story on ABC7 . The 1899 plan to build a bike highway in Los Angeles It's a bittersweet tale of what might have been. Read the full story on Curbed Los Angeles . July 4th guide to fireworks, parades 2019: Los Angeles County Your complete listings of times and locations to Independence Day fun and activities going on throughout the Los Angeles area. Read the full story on Patch Los Angeles . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Baltimore Ravens will welcome back a few friendly faces over the next several weeks, with three former players returning during training camp to officially retire as members of the team. Once a Raven, Always a Raven. Lardarius Webb, Vonta Leach and Willis McGahee will all officially retire as Ravens during Training Camp. @LWebb21 @vleach44 @WillisMcGahee pic.twitter.com/C3CsbfDqSt - Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 24, 2019 Fullback Vonta Leach, running back Willis McGahee and cornerback Lardarius Webb will all sign one-day contracts with Baltimore over the next few weeks. Former general manager Ozzie Newsome and coach John Harbaugh will present the three players at press conferences on July 26 (Leach), Aug. 2 (McGahee) and Aug. 10 (Webb). Though not career Ravens, Leach and McGahee both played some of their best football as Baltimore players. A 10-year NFL veteran, Leach played with the Ravens from 2011-2013. Leach notched two first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections during that time, and also played a sizable role in paving the way for running back Ray Rice to be one of the league's top rushers during that span. McGahee was with the Ravens for a four-season run (2007-2010). Traded to Baltimore by the Buffalo Bills - who selected him in the first round of the 2003 draft - McGahee made an immediate impact upon arrival, running for 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 43 catches for 231 yards and another touchdown in 2007. Following his stint with Baltimore, McGahee joined the Denver Broncos (2011-2012) and then the Cleveland Browns (2013). McGahee finished his 10-year career with 8,474 rushing yards and 65 touchdowns. Webb spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Ravens, joining the team as a third-round selection in 2009 and playing in a variety of roles - slot cornerback, outside cornerback and safety - during his time in Baltimore. At his peak, Webb was arguably one of football's best cornerbacks. In 2011, Webb allowed a paltry 55.6 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks and was the only starting defensive back to not cede a touchdown all season. Webb finished his career with a respectable 15 interceptions, 467 tackles and 91 passes defensed. MORE: Mike Trout's perfect 98.6 MPH throw to home plate had everyone in awe Packers GM explains reasoning for releasing DL Mike Daniels Roundup: A-Rod Buys J-Lo a Porsche, PBR Hard Coffee, MLB Trade Deadline Bold Predictions Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Big Threes 10 things we'll be watching the first week of Lions training camp


Despite a Supreme Court ruling allowing a controversial drug to be used for lethal injections in Oklahoma, death-penalty states are finding it harder to carry out executions as they struggle to obtain and properly use limited supplies of ever-changing combinations of lethal injection drugs. Prison officials in Texas and Virginia have improvised a short-term solution by trading drugs for lethal injections. Both Ohio and Nebraska have sought to buy a drug no longer available in the United States from overseas only to be told by the federal Food and Drug Administration that importing the drug is illegal. Executions in Mississippi have been postponed for months over a federal lawsuit challenging the state's three-drug protocol. The delay will stretch into next year, with a trial scheduled in July 2016. And in Montana on Tuesday, a judge blocked the state from carrying out executions, ruling that one of the two drugs it planned to use did not comply with the state law governing lethal injections. The only way Montana can resume executions with that drug, the judge said, is by having the State Legislature modify the law. "Over time lethal injection has become only more problematic and chaotic," said Deborah W. Denno, a professor at Fordham Law School and an expert on lethal injections. Oklahoma last week halted the execution of Richard E. Glossip, who was part of the challenge the Supreme Court had turned down, after officials realized two hours before it was to take place that the state's supplier had sent prison officials the wrong drug. The error led to a court-ordered stay of the three executions scheduled in October and November while officials conduct an investigation. In June, the Supreme Court ruled against Mr. Glossip and two other Oklahoma death-row inmates who argued that one of the drugs in the state's three-drug protocol   midazolam, a short-acting sedative   was unreliable. But the court's decision has had little impact, experts said. Several states appear to be reluctant to use midazolam in part because of its involvement in three high-profile executions in which prisoners appeared to suffer last year, in Oklahoma , Ohio and Arizona. The apprehension over midazolam, combined with a drug shortage caused by manufacturers' ceasing production or limiting how drugs can be used, has made it increasingly difficult for states to obtain drugs and carry out executions without delays, mistakes or controversies, and without pushing the legal limits of how drugs can be obtained. The scramble for drugs has caused some states to embrace or consider more unusual or more antiquated ways of putting inmates to death. In 2014, Tennessee authorized prison officials to use the electric chair if lethal-injection drugs were unavailable. Gov. Gary R. Herbert of Utah signed a bill into law in March approving firing squads when drugs cannot be obtained. In April, Oklahoma made nitrogen gas its new backup method. In Louisiana, where executions have been postponed following a federal lawsuit over its lethal-injection system, prison officials recommended in a report in February that nitrogen gas be adopted as an alternative method, through the use of a mask or other device but not a gas chamber. Lethal injections in many of the nation's 31 death-penalty states have become increasingly varied in the type, combination and source of drugs used. The six executions in six states in January 2014 were conducted using four different protocols, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a group that opposes capital punishment. In one of those cases, two drugs   midazolam and hydromorphone   were used together for the first time for an execution in the United States. The Ohio inmate who was injected with them in January 2014, Dennis McGuire, appeared to struggle for several minutes. One year later, Ohio officials said they would no longer use the two-drug combination they had used on Mr. McGuire and postponed all executions planned for 2015 until they obtained new drugs. As it prepares to resume executions in 2016, Ohio's search for new drugs earned it a warning from federal authorities, after prison officials explored buying a sedative, sodium thiopental, from overseas. In June, an Food and Drug Administration official told the state in a letter that "there is no F.D.A.-approved application for sodium thiopental, and it is illegal to import an unapproved new drug into the United States." Ohio officials declined to answer questions about the letter. JoEllen Smith, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said the agency "continues to seek all legal means to obtain the drugs necessary to carry out court-ordered executions." In Nebraska, where proponents of the death penalty have been fighting a vote in May by state legislators to abolish capital punishment, prison officials ordered lethal-injection drugs from India but said they had not received them. A spokesman for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said hundreds of vials and capsules of sodium thiopental and pancuronium bromide were ordered at a cost of more than $50,000. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling allowing the use of midazolam, Florida has been blocked for months in using it as part of its three-drug method because of legal challenges over midazolam raised by a death-row inmate, Jerry Correll. The Florida Supreme Court ruled against him on Friday. In Texas, the execution of Michael Yowell in 2013 marked the first time the state had used a sedative known as pentobarbital that was made not by a drug manufacturer but by a compounding pharmacy. Such pharmacies are largely unregulated by the F.D.A. Texas changed its protocol from a three-drug cocktail to a single drug after its stock of one of the drugs expired and it was unable to obtain a new shipment. Virginia found itself in a similar situation as it prepared to execute Alfredo R. Prieto last week for the murders of a Virginia couple in 1988. Virginia uses a three-drug combination that includes midazolam. The state's stock of midazolam was set to expire, and officials were unable to obtain additional supplies, according to court documents. Virginia wanted another sedative, pentobarbital, and turned to Texas for help. Texas prison officials donated three vials of pentobarbital to the Virginia Department of Corrections for Mr. Prieto's execution, and two Virginia prison employees traveled to Texas in late August to bring the vials to Virginia, according to court papers. Texas was returning a favor: In 2013, Texas officials facing a shortage of pentobarbital were given the drug by Virginia. "Even if the transactions between states do not comply with law, there is no recourse for death-sentenced prisoners," said Megan McCracken, a lethal-injection expert with the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. "Over the years, we have seen states obtain drugs for execution in ways that clearly do not comply with legal and regulatory frameworks." A spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said the supply of pentobarbital given to Virginia in August was legally purchased from a compounding pharmacy and tested for potency and purity. He said Texas law prohibited the agency from disclosing the supplier's identity. Lawyers for Mr. Prieto questioned the efficacy of the drug. Virginia officials argued that Texas has used compounded pentobarbital successfully in 24 executions in two years. A federal judge sided with Virginia, and allowed Mr. Prieto's execution to proceed last week.


A New Jersey priest was arrested after pointing a musket at an 8-year-old boy, reportedly because he was unhappy the child was rooting for the Dallas Cowboys against the New York Giants in the teams' NFL season opener. NBC New York reported that Kevin Carter, a 54-year-old priest at St. Margaret of Cortona Roman Catholic Church in Little Ferry, N.J., was arrested Friday on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assault by pointing a firearm. Carter was jailed on $15,000 bail and was still in custody late Friday. According to the report, the priest approached the boy before Mass on Sept. 13 and asked to see him in a rectory room. Prosecutors said that once in the room, the priest had the boy stand against the wall and then grabbed the musket and pointed it at him. Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli told NBC New York that "As he raised his weapon and pointed it at the boy, he said, 'I'm going to shoot you.' "There's no such thing as joking around with a weapon when you're dealing with an 8-year-old kid," Molinelli added. According to prosecutors, the priest is a Giants fan who was upset the boy was going to root for the Cowboys in their game that night. A parishioner who witnessed the incident contacted the Newark Archidiocese on Sept. 25 and officials then contacted the prosecutor's office Sept. 28. A search of Carter's room turned up the alleged weapon - a functioning Civil War-style musket - in addition to gunpowder, ammunition and other items associated with the weapon.


With the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed just days away, Ford released a shadowy silhouette teaser of its next GT supercar. While the annual hill climb is set to take place in the UK, Ford is unveiling the new car on the ultimate American holiday   the Fourth of July. Details in the company's press release are scant, however, you can make out the car's roof scoop and massive rear wing in the teaser photo   features that are similar to what's found on racing versions of the GT. So, perhaps the mystery car will be a track-ready racer version of a supercar that will be sold to customers. The Blue Oval's 216-mph GT LM GTE has raced in the FIA World Endurance Championship three years in a row, so it's not too far-fetched for Ford to release a second-gen version. Plant closures: Ford confirms 12,000 job cuts in Europe Mustang Shelby GT500: Ford reveals the 'most powerful street-legal Ford ever' Or, it could also be an aggressive, street legal GT. People on Twitter have their speculations. Looking at an enhanced version of the photo, Road & Track contributor Bozi Tatarevic says he thinks it's a street car. Although there is a piece in there that looks like it could be a bit of cage or maybe it's just a reflection. pic.twitter.com/kTCHuJq2NY   Bozi Tatarevic (@hoonable) June 21, 2019 As for what Ford will be showing exactly, you'll have to wait and see. The announcement and press conference will be held by Hermann Salenbauch, the global director of Ford Performance, and Larry Holt, the chief technical officer of Multimatic. Other Ford cars that will be making the 1.16-mile hill climb include: The all-new Focus ST and all-new 760 hp Mustang Shelby GT500 The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing #66 Ford GT race car, fresh from the Le Mans 24 Hours The M-Sport Ford World Rally Team's Ford Fiesta WRC car   also appearing on the Goodwood rally stage The 2018 NASCAR Championship-winning Team Penske Ford Fusion race car The 1980 Ford Zakspeed Turbo Capri race car Gymkhana TEN star Ken Block's Hoonitruck and Escort RS Cosworth Champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s Ford Mustang RTR Drift car Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: July 4: Ford is set to debut GT mystery car on Independence Day


DeBaliviere Place is moderately walkable, is bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options, according to Walk Score's rating system . So what does the low-end pricing on a rental in DeBaliviere Place look like these days   and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in DeBaliviere Place via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this St. Louis neighborhood. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 5457 Delmar Blvd. Listed at $540/month, this 550-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, located at 5457 Delmar Blvd., is 43.2 percent less than the $950/month median rent for a one bedroom in DeBaliviere Place. Building amenities include a fitness center, on-site laundry and a swimming pool. The unit also features a balcony. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are permitted. (See the complete listing here .) 317 Belt Ave. This one-bedroom, one-bathroom address, situated at 317 Belt Ave., is listed for $800/month for its 534 square feet. The unit features air conditioning; the building has on-site laundry. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. (See the complete listing here .) 275 Union Blvd. Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 275 Union Blvd., which, at 674 square feet, is going for $1,425/month. Building amenities include a fitness center and on-site laundry. In the unit, expect hardwood flooring and stainless steel appliances. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are welcome. (See the full listing here .) 5660 Kingsbury Ave. Then there's this 757-square-foot apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom at 5660 Kingsbury Ave., listed at $927/month. The apartment features a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. Good news for animal lovers: Both dogs and cats are welcome here. When it comes to building amenities, expect assigned parking and on-site laundry. (See the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Quick Take A photo of the 1969 Woodstock music festival is circulating on Facebook with the false claim that the picture shows the crowd at a recent rally held by President Donald Trump . Full Story President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pennsylvania on May 20, and the next day an aerial photo showing a crush of people began circulating online with this caption : "No, This Is Not Woodstock- This Is A Trump Rally In Pennsylvania Yesterday!" But it is a picture of the 1969 Woodstock musical festival in Bethel, New York. It was taken by Barry Z. Levine on Aug. 15, 1969. Pictures of the recent Trump rally in Pennsylvania show a smaller crowd gathered at the airport where the rally was held . Both Trump and Fred Keller, whom the president endorsed for a vacant seat in Congress during the rally, posted pictures of the spectators on Twitter. Trump posted four photos with this caption: "Massive crowds in Pennsylvania tonight. Thank you for joining me!" Massive crowds in Pennsylvania tonight. Thank you for joining me! pic.twitter.com/v1e0d0AHHo   Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2019 One of those photos shows most of the crowd. Keller, who won the Pennsylvania special election the day after the rally, retweeted a photo of the crowd posted by Trump's 2020 campaign spokesman, Tim Murtaugh, with this caption: " Great crowd building at the airport in Montoursville, PA for #MAGA rally." Most news coverage of the rally didn't report on the size of the crowd, but many outlets included pictures or video that show the crowd. One local Pennsylvania newspaper estimated that " thousands " were in the crowd. Editor's note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here . Sources C-SPAN. President Trump Campaign Rally in Pennsylvania . 20 May 2019. Levine, Barry. " Aerial View Of Woodstock Festival ." Getty Images. 15 Aug 1969. Trump, Donald (@realDonaldTrump). " Massive crowds in Pennsylvania tonight. Thank you for joining me! " Twitter. 20 May 2019. Paez, Sarah. " Pennsylvania 12th District special election: What happened and why? " Centre Daily Times. 22 May 2019. Murtaugh, Tim. " Great crowd building at the airport in Montoursville, PA for #MAGA rally. @realDonaldTrump will be here soon in PA-12 in support of @VoteFredKeller , whose special election is tomorrow. Beautiful night! Great patriots!" Twitter. 20 May 2019. The post Photo Shows Woodstock, Not a Trump Rally appeared first on FactCheck.org .


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Calling for a sex strike as a way to protest restrictions on abortion has sparked a powerful response. Sure, it's been a mixed reaction, but it got the country talking about the GOP's undeniable war on women. And let's face it, with so much going on every day in the news, sometimes we need an extreme response to get national attention. So now that we have your attention: Our reproductive rights are blatantly and systematically being stripped away before our very eyes. Abortion care is a normal and at times necessary medical procedure, but anti-choice activists have strategically chipped away at abortion rights and access for decades, with the hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade. The attempts to treat women as second-class citizens have become increasingly brazen, and just last week Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the " heartbeat bill ," which bans most abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy. The bill also allows a fetus to be counted in the census, and can be claimed as a dependent minor on income taxes. Georgia is the fourth state to pass a six-week ban this year , and is one of 16 states working to pass such legislation . None of these bans have yet to take effect, and while they will be challenged in court, they are part of an alarming trend. The attacks on women and abortion rights don't stop there. In Alabama, lawmakers are scheduled to vote on a bill that would ban nearly all abortions with a single exception in cases involving a serious health risk to the mother. The Texas legislature had hearings on a bill that would allow a woman who has an abortion to be charged with capital murder -- a crime that is punishable by death in the state. And there was a bill in Ohio that required the removal and replacement of an ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg attaches itself outside the uterus), which is a medical impossibility. All of these bills have the same, singular purpose: to make it up to the Supreme Court. The sponsor of Alabama's pending abortion bill, Representative Terri Collins, openly said that the bill's goal was to spark litigation that would force the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. Anti-choice legislators speak with alarming candor and their intentions are very clear. They want to take away all control pregnant people have over their own bodies. Sixty percent of abortions are are performed by independent providers in our country, according to a 2017 Abortion Care Network report, and advocates on the ground are doing incredible and often thankless work. Groups like SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective are fighting for the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy. Organizations like Feminist Women's Health Center (FWHC) in Georgia and ARC Southeast in six Southern states including Georgia are doing advocacy and education work and funding and practical support, respectively. The Abortion Care Network is another organization working to ensure meaningful access to abortion care across the US through independent abortion providers. Organizers on the ground across the Midwest and South have been working for decades at the state level. These advocates and organizations rarely receive the national attention they need to significantly move the needle, not just to defend against harmful legislation, but to actually move proactive legislation that supports our communities. We need everyone to be engaged in this assault on our reproductive rights. The time for national engagement on this issue is long overdue. We must collectively reject these restrictions on our basic human rights and dignity in every way that we can. This flood of anti-abortion legislation is completely outrageous and an equally bold response is required. And, so, we call on all people whose rights are in danger to participate in a #SexStrike. Laws restricting abortion rights and access are a targeted attempt to erase decades of hard-fought gains for women's autonomy. A #SexStrike is another way for people who have the potential to get pregnant to call attention to this systematic onslaught and assert the power to change our own destinies. Lysistratic protest is a longstanding, effective and empowering method to fight for change. In the 1600s, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) women refused to engage in sex as a way to stop unregulated warfare, and their demands were met. In 2009, activists in Kenya organized a sex strike to force an end the deteriorating relationship between the President and Prime Minister. The strike lasted seven days, and ended when the leaders finally agreed to talks. In 2011, Colombia women used a sex strike to get a dangerous 35-mile road repaired . When utilized as part of a broader strategy of coordinated action, sex strikes can raise awareness and achieve a wide range of political objectives. This is just one tool available in the fight for reproductive justice and abortion access -- we must also support the organizations and individuals working courageously on the front lines by supporting them. At its heart, these attempts to wield control over sex come from a desire to reassert total control over our bodies and our reproductive rights. But really, it's about power. Whoever controls reproduction has power. The stakes are extremely high, and a number of lawmakers, many of whom are men, get to make decisions with serious ramifications. We need to pay attention to the incremental challenges to abortion rights and figure out how to resist them both collectively and individually. Abortion access is not just a "women's issue." Abortion is a human rights issue. Abortion is a labor issue. Abortion is a public health issue. Abortion is an issue for people of all genders. A #SexStrike is a way to target straight, cisgender men so they may feel the physical consequences of our reproductive rights being systematically eliminated. This form of protest has the potential to raise the issue far beyond the usual groups engaged in debates about reproductive health. It's a way to ignite conversation and help everyone understand the gravity of the situation and the immediate need for swift action. Our vision is a world where people can all thrive. We want everyone to live healthy lives and have control over their sexual and reproductive choices. Join us by not having sex until we achieve full bodily autonomy for all. It's time for a #SexStrike .


Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is thought to be warming to the idea of committing his long-term future to the club and is eager to inherit the No. 10 shirt at Stamford Bridge if Eden Hazard leaves for Real Madrid at the end of the season. The 18-year-old was flirting with a move away from Chelsea earlier this season, with Bayern Munich pushing to sign Hudson-Odoi during the January transfer window and going on to submit their highest offer of £35m. Hudson-Odoi appeared to be pushing for a move to Bavaria, but Goal reports that the England international is now making a U-turn and considering staying at Chelsea next season. The teenager's current contract is still set to expire in 2020 so Chelsea will have to extend their academy graduate's deal, but it's added that so far the club haven't made an attempt to kick start negotiations with Hudson-Odoi's agent. Even when Chelsea do, however, Hudson-Odoi will still demand first-team assurances before putting pen to paper, as well as requesting to inherit's Hazard's shirt number and role on the pitch. The Belgium international is believed to be on the cusp of signing on the dotted line at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Real Madrid holding off from completing the deal until after Chelsea's involvement in the Europa League final. Despite becoming frustrated at his lack of game time during the first half of the season, Hudson-Odoi has gone on to make 23 appearances across all competitions where he's scored five goals and claimed the same amount of assists. So Hudson-Odoi would be likely to sign a new contract if he could be the main one to replace Hazard. MAKE IT HAPPEN, @ChelseaFC Don't lose what this 18 yr old could be for someone like Coutinho. Find a ST & maybe a LB and make Hudson-Odoi a BIG part of next season.   Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) May 15, 2019 Hudson-Odoi has also been called up to Gareth Southgate's England squad thanks to his performances for the Blues, and he went on to assist one of their goals against Montenegro during his first ever start for the Three Lions.


Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford will retire at the conclusion of the 2015 16 season, he told the Delaware County Daily Times late on Friday. Crawford, 64, is in his 39th season in the league. He received the Golden Whistle Award from the National Association of Sports Officials in 2014, which is considered the highest award among official. He said he still has a passion for the game, but he wants to leave on 'on a high note.' From the Times: I'm done ... There's nothing to be sorry about," Crawford said. "You know what happens? It's not that you lose your passion. I have that. That's insanity. But it just comes to the point where you say, 'I don't want to make a fool out of myself.' And it's been so good that I want to go out on a high note. I don't want to go out on a low note. I want to be in the NBA Finals, and I don't want to be reffing just for the sake of reffing. Crawford, who is recovering from knee surgery, has not worked yet this season, but told the paper he's aiming to return in March. - Kenny Ducey


Malcolm Jenkins has been absent from Eagles workouts this offseason, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Although the workouts are voluntary, it is uncharacteristic for Jenkins to miss them, so McLane posits that Jenkins could be angling for a new contract. Jenkins is under club control through 2020 thanks to a four-year, $35M extension he signed three years ago, but after the safety market famously stagnated in 2018, it came back with a vengeance in 2019. Jenkins is now the 10th-highest-paid safety in the NFL in terms of total value, full guarantee and per-year average. And while McLane concedes that Jenkins' contract may accurately reflect his standing in the league's safety hierarchy, he also notes that Jenkins' per-year salary of $8.75M is only 63 percent of the $14M average for Landon Collins and Tyrann Mathieu , who both inked new deals this offseason. Though Jenkins, 31, is older than Collins and Mathieu, it would be difficult for Philadelphia to argue that he is only 63 percent as valuable. Despite his age, Jenkins is about as durable as they come, his work ethic is among the best on the team and he is still playing at a high level. The Eagles typically don't add new money to a contract that has multiple years left, but McLane believes the team should be willing to make an exception for a player as important to its success as Jenkins. Jenkins, though, may be content with the addition of incentives to his current deal or perhaps with a restructure like the one he agreed to last year that gave him more guaranteed money upfront. It is difficult to know at this point, because Jenkins and his representation have declined comment, and the Eagles don't discuss a player missing non-mandatory training. If Jenkins is still a no-show for the team' OTAs in a couple of weeks, that would give us a better indication of Jenkins' mindset.


OAKLAND, Calif.   Justin Verlander struck out eight over eight innings and moved into a share of the major league lead with his ninth win, pitching the Houston Astros past the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Saturday night. Verlander (9-2), who had a four-start winning streak snapped by Boston his last time out, moved into a first-place tie with the Yankees' Domingo German. BOX SCORE: ASTROS 5, ATHLETICS 1 Houston's ace right-hander allowed one run on four hits and walked two, allowing only Stephen Piscotty's second-inning homer. He also passed Cy Young (2,806) for 22nd place in major league history for strikeouts and now has 2,809. Verlander's biggest strikeout of the night was of Matt Olson to end the eighth with runners on first and second. Verlander hasn't lost to the A's in eight starts since Aug. 27, 2013, winning his last six decisions dating to Game 5 of the 2013 AL Division Series with Detroit. Josh Reddick hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth for Houston. Reddick also had a two-run drive against his old Oakland team in a 9-1 Astros win here April 16. Robinson Chirinos added a two-run drive in the ninth for the Astros. Oakland starter Brett Anderson (6-4) exited in the sixth after manager Bob Melvin and an athletic trainer visited the mound despite the pitcher's attempt to wave them off. The lefty, who had won his previous two starts, allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The A's thought they had added a run in the fifth when Reddick made a dive over the foul line in right field on Marcus Semien's sharp line drive. The ball was ruled foul and Oakland challenged the call, which was upheld in 1 minute, 50 seconds. After Semien grounded into a fielder's choice that ended the inning, he argued and was quickly tossed by first base umpire Alan Porter. It was the first ejection for Semien in five seasons with Oakland. A's slugger Khris Davis returned from a stint on the injured list with a bruised left hip and went 0 for 4. The designated hitter, who led the majors with 48 home runs in 2018, went on the injured list May 24 retroactive to May 22 after getting hurt May 5 at Pittsburgh and initially trying to play through it. "I wish he would have taken a couple more days off because he's done some damage. But it's obviously good for their team that he's back," Astros manager AJ Hinch said. "He's one of the prolific power hitters in the game. So we'll see how he adjusts with no rehab assignment. Hopefully he'll be a little bit behind JV's fastball, but he's a threat from the minute he gets activated." STREAKIN' Oakland's Ramon Laureano ran his career-best hitting streak to 14 games with a fifth-inning single. It's the longest active streak in baseball and the best by an Oakland player this year. TRAINER'S ROOM Astros: Hinch said none of the long list of injured Astros are close to rehab assignment but had "done significant work" Saturday again. Nor will any of them   Jose Altuvé (left hamstring), Carlos Correa (cracked rib sustained during a massage), George Springer (hamstring), INF Aledmys Díaz (hamstring) and RHP Joe Smith (Achilles) be with the team at all for this road trip that goes through Thursday in Seattle. "We've got to push the gas pedal eventually," Hinch said. Athletics: LHP Sean Manaea, who pitched a no-hitter against Boston on April 21, 2018, before his season was cut short by September shoulder surgery, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session and is scheduled to face live hitters for 15 pitches Tuesday at Class-A Stockton. ... Marco Estrada will play catch Monday for the first time since going on the injured list April with a lower back strain. He soon will begin a throwing program. ... RHP Jharel Cotton injured his right hamstring while on a rehab outing with Stockton as he works back from Tommy John surgery and will be shut down for the immediate future, manager Bob Melvin said. ... LHP Jesus Luzardo threw 30 pitches over two simulated innings in Arizona. UP NEXT RHP Gerrit Cole (5-5, 4.02 ERA) pitches the series finale for Houston, having gone 3-1 lifetime with 50 strikeouts to 12 walks in six career starts vs. the A's. Oakland counters with RHP Chris Bassitt (3-1, 3.27) in his eighth start of the year looking to win consecutive outings for the first time in parts of five big league seasons. He missed all of 2017 following Tommy John surgery. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


Mercedes is facing a last-minute drama ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix after the team discovered an hydraulic leak on Lewis Hamilton's car. Hamilton had qualified second for the race in Montreal, with Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel having taken pole position. But the team found itself needing some extra work to get to the bottom of an hydraulic leak on the car that it discovered on Saturday night. As Giorgio Piola's exclusive photograph shows, the team had to remove Hamilton's engine and floor on Sunday morning to try to find the cause of the leak so it can be fixed ahead of the race start. Although parc ferme conditions exist, if Mercedes is able to fix the leak without changing specification of parts then Hamilton will be able to take up his second spot on the grid. A Mercedes spokesman said: "We have diagnosed the source after the car came out of parc ferme and are now putting the car back together. We plan to be ready [for the race]."


How much do you need to be rich? That depends where you live. States where you're rich making less than $100,000 If you re wondering  How much do I need to be rich?  the answer depends on where you live. To be rich in America   or in the 80th percentile of household incomes   you need to earn $103,405, which is significantly less than the amount many Americans think they need to be rich. However, in some states, you need to earn even less than that to be among the top earners. For this study, GOBankingRates defined rich as an income in the 80th percentile of households and determined the states where that amount is less than $100,000. The study also took into consideration states where top-tier homes are affordable. In addition, GOBankingRates looked at living costs, including groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Keep reading to see where you can live a rich life while earning less than $100,000 . Michigan "Rich" Income Threshold: $95,395 Michigan has the third-lowest cost of living of all the states, so it doesn't take much to live richly there. However, it's not one of the richest states in America . Ohio "Rich" Income Threshold: $94,663 Ohio is one of the states where you might be able to afford a mansion : The median price of a top-tier home in Ohio is $248,000, so you can live in a nice home for a monthly mortgage payment of $1,219. Louisiana "Rich" Income Threshold: $94,449 Louisiana is one of the cheapest states to live in , so you can easily live well for less than $100,000 a year. The median price of a top-tier home in the state is $259,700. Florida "Rich" Income Threshold: $94,160 You don't need to be a millionaire to be "rich" in Florida. In fact, Florida is one of the best states for the middle class . However, the cost of a top-tier home in the state is on the higher end, with a median price of $402,500. Missouri "Rich" Income Threshold: $92,568 In Missouri, a top-tier home costs a median price of $276,400, which means an average monthly mortgage payment of $1,351. The overall cost of living in the state is well below the national average, making it one of the states where you're least likely to live paycheck to paycheck . North Carolina "Rich" Income Threshold: $92,305 You can be rich making less than $100,000 in North Carolina, and you can buy a top-tier home for $331,000. New Mexico "Rich" Income Threshold: $92,115 Although it doesn't take a lot of money to be a top earner in New Mexico, it's one of the worst states for the upper class , in part due to its high property crime rates. Maine "Rich" Income Threshold: $91,883 You can buy a top-tier home in Maine for $379,500, with an average monthly mortgage payment of $1,826. Indiana "Rich" Income Threshold: $91,698 If you make about $92,000 in Indiana, you could be considered rich. And that income can help you live comfortably in this state. The median price for a top-tier home in Indiana   $213,800   is the fifth-lowest of all the states in this ranking. Plus, the state has the fourth-cheapest groceries in the U.S. See: 1 in 4 Americans Are Confident They'll Be Rich   But Many Aren't Even Close South Dakota "Rich" Income Threshold: $91,170 South Dakotans can make about $91,000 and still be considered rich here. Although the overall cost of living is slightly above average in South Dakota, the state has the lowest transportation costs in the U.S. South Carolina "Rich" Income Threshold: $89,604 South Carolina is the first state on this list where you can be rich making less than $90,000 a year. The median price for a top-tier home in South Carolina is $309,900, and the state has a below-average overall cost of living. Define 'Rich': Nearly 50% of Americans Say Being 'Rich' Isn't About the Money Oklahoma "Rich" Income Threshold: $89,267 You can buy a nice house in Oklahoma for not so much money   the median price for a top-tier home in the state is $215,900, so the monthly mortgage would be just over $1,000. It also has the second-lowest overall cost of living of all the states. Alabama "Rich" Income Threshold: $88,984 Alabama is tied with Arkansas for the fourth-lowest cost of living of all the states, so it's easy to live well off less than $100,000 a year. It's also one of the states where $300,000 gets you a larger home : The median price of a top-tier home in Alabama is just $246,400. Tennessee "Rich" Income Threshold: $88,339 With a low overall cost of living, you can live richly for less in Tennessee than in most other places. Transportation and healthcare costs are especially low in the state. You can buy a top-tier home in Tennessee for $300,100. Montana "Rich" Income Threshold: $88,241 Although the cost of living is slightly above the national average in Montana, some costs   like utilities   are among the lowest in the U.S. Kentucky "Rich" Income Threshold: $87,048 The cost of living is below average in Kentucky, and grocery costs are especially low: The state has the second-cheapest groceries in the country. And the cost of a top-tier home is only about $250,000, so it might be possible to live richly on a smaller income in this state. Looking to Buy an Investment Property? Here Are 15 States Where Your Dollar Will Stretch the Furthest Idaho "Rich" Income Threshold: $86,701 The overall cost of living in Idaho is below the national average, and the state also has the third-lowest utility costs in the U.S. In addition, Idaho is one of the states where you don't need a high salary to afford a home. The median price for a top-tier home here is $375,200. West Virginia "Rich" Income Threshold: $82,384 Not only does West Virginia have the third-lowest income requirement to be considered wealthy, but it also has the most affordable top-tier homes, with the median price at $187,000. That translates to a monthly mortgage of $937 with a $37,400 down payment. Arkansas "Rich" Income Threshold: $81,917 The median price for a top-tier home in Arkansas is $216,200   the third-lowest of all the states in this ranking. It also has the fourth-lowest cost of living of all the states. Live Richly in Retirement: Best Places in Every State to Live on a Fixed Income Mississippi "Rich" Income Threshold: $81,038 It takes less money to be considered rich in Mississippi than in any other state. And with a median price for top-tier homes at $218,000, it requires the fourth-lowest mortgage payment to buy a top-tier house compared to the other states in this ranking. Mississippi also has the overall lowest cost of living in the U.S. Click through to see how much you really take home from a $100,000 salary in every state . More on Making Money and Wealth Minimum Salary You Need to Be Happy in Every State 12 Cities With High Salaries and Low Costs of Living Best and Worst States for Families to Live a Richer Life Watch: Treating Finances Like a Game Will Help Get You Rich We make money easy. Get weekly email updates, including expert advice to help you Live Richer™ . Methodology: Since the general definition of being "rich" or "wealthy" refers to one with more money or assets relative to others in a society, GOBankingRates used the 80th percentile of household income in each state   which means you're earning more than 80 percent of the people in the state   as our threshold for being "rich." Additional factors in this ranking included the ability to pay for a top-tier home, defined as a home that falls into the top third of home values within a given region in Zillow's Home Value Index. The annual cost of groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare were calculated using data sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.


The Alamo isn't the only venue worth remembering; The San Antonio Zoo is ranked number five on the "Most-Booked Sightseeing" list. TripAdvisor released the list of tickets sold in 2018 for the most popular venues tourists booked for their trips. This isn't the first time the zoo has made a national list appearance. They were also mentioned in America's 20 most kid-friendly places for a family vacation. "We are proud of, and love our zoo and we're thrilled to see that others around the world love it too. Every time someone purchases a ticket to our zoo it helps fund our global conservation efforts, educational programs and zoo improvements," said Tim Morrow, the zoo's President and CEO. The list reads as follows: NYC One World Observatory Skip-the-Line Ticket , NYC, New York, United States Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour , London, England Skip the Line: Arc de Triomphe Including Terrace Access , Paris, France Skip-the-Line Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Admission , Amsterdam, The Netherlands San Antonio Zoo General Admission , San Antonio, Texas, United States Edinburgh Castle Entrance Ticket , Edinburgh, Scotland Skip the Line: Guinness Storehouse Entrance Ticket , Dublin, Ireland Gaudi's Casa Batlló Admission Ticket with Smart Guide , Barcelona, Spain Skylon Tower Observation Deck Admission , Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Skip the Line: Florence Accademia Gallery Tickets , Florence, Italy If you love being a "social animal," check out what the zoo has to offer!