The extent of Thiago Santos ' left knee injuries make his UFC 239 performance even more remarkable. "Marreta" went five rounds with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in Las Vegas on Saturday night, losing via split decision. On Monday, an MRI exam showed that the left knee meniscus and all its ligaments are completely torn, his team told MMA Fighting. Combate first reported the news. Santos' right knee, which needed surgery earlier this year , also suffered damage during the fight as the Brazilian compensated for his left knee injuries, his team told MMA Fighting. Santos will do more tests on his right knee to determine if he needs surgery on that knee as well. The Rio de Janeiro native, who fought three times in 2017 and five times in 2018, won't return to the Octagon until mid-2020. At the post-fight press conference at the T-Mobile Arena, Santos discussed how the knee injury affected his performance during the 25-minute bout. "The fight was going exactly as we trained," Santos said. "It was a good fight. I was seeing everything, all of his strikes, and was conscious during the fight. My knee really bothered me during the fight. I did everything I could in the conditions I was. It's a fight. We're never 100 percent sure that we will win, but I'm satisfied. I left everything in there even after injuring my knee in the first round. "I fought four rounds on a southpaw stance, unable to move like I usually move, unable to throw the strikes I usually throw. I didn't shock the world because of those circumstances, but I did what I could do in those conditions and I'm satisfied." "I think the fight was really close," he added. "I think I hit him more than he hit me, but I don't know. In the end I was very disappointed for what happened with my knee and that I wasn't able to give my 100 percent." After sharing the cage with arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all times on basically one leg, "Marreta" feels the 205-pound king is not unbeatable. "I still think (of him) what I thought before fighting him, that he's a human being, a man like any other man that feels pain, bleeds, feels the strikes," Santos said. "No one is unbeatable. I had a lot of good moments in the fight and I think I could prove that he's not unbeatable tonight, that it's doable. "I'm happy to get where I got, to challenge for the belt and fight five rounds when many people said I wouldn't get past the second round. Even Jones himself said that if I went past the second round I wouldn't survive and I proved it, so I'm happy."


Danny Vitale believes the Green Bay Packers' new offense will provide an opportunity to do a little bit of everything, which is just fine for the versatile fullback. In fact, he told Wes Hodkiewicz of the team's official site that Matt LaFleur's offense is a "fullback's dream." "It opens up so many opportunities instead of just being a smashing fullback," Vitale said. "You can bump out and run routes out of the backfield, anything really. The sky's the limit in this offense for a fullback." Vitale may look like The Hulk, but the 239-pounder can do more than just seek out linebackers as a lead blocker. He actually entered the NFL as an accomplished pass-catcher out of Northwestern, and it's possible LaFleur's scheme will tap into Vitale's natural receiving ability in 2019. During his four years in college, Vitale caught 135 passes while playing running back, fullback, H-back and slot receiver for the Wildcats. The Packers signed him to the practice squad on Oct. 22 of last year and eventually promoted him to the active roster on Dec. 1. He played in five games, catching one pass for two yards. Vitale said Hodkiewicz that his versatility at the position and the design of the offense for fullbacks could create "nightmares" for defenses. Back in February, we here at Packers Wire highlighted how LaFleur arriving in Green Bay could ignite Vitale's career, noting several of the pass-game concepts that figure to mesh well with the fullback's skillset. A versatile, pass-catching fullback can thrive in the LaFleur/Kyle Shanahan offense. Pro Bowler Kyle Juszcyzk produced at least 30 catches each of his first two seasons with Shanahan in San Francisco. He does just about everything for the 49ers offense. Vitale caught only eight passes during his first three NFL seasons. He's on his third NFL team and has yet to play a meaningful role in a pro offense, so comparisons to a three-time Pro Bowler are nothing if not premature. However, sometimes the right player with the right opportunity can create something out of nothing, and Vitale appears to have the kind of versatile skillset capable of adding another wrinkle for LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. The first step: Making the 53-man roster this summer. Vitale's journey to dreamland in the Packers' new offense officially begins July 25. MORE: This perfect Shaq impersonation at the NBA Awards show had fans in tears NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players 3 adjustments the Raiders should make on offense in 2019 Raven Greene looks like a top player to watch at Packers training camp New Jersey Devils Take Shot at Rival New York Rangers on Twitter


Gary Cahill has criticised Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri for the way he has been treated this season as the defender prepares to bid farewell to Stamford Bridge. Sunday's home match against Watford will be Cahill's last chance to say goodbye to the club's home supporters with his contract due to expire in the summer and the club having no intention of renewing it. Finding that pass  #chelseafc #nikefootball pic.twitter.com/LmPCuQck1Z   Gary Cahill (@GaryJCahill) April 27, 2019 Speaking in an extended interview with the Telegraph , Cahill was eager to banish memories of a torrid final season at the club. He has made just one Premier League appearance all year, criticising Sarri for his treatment of a player who has amassed seven major trophies with the side - including the Champions League in 2012. "It's been really terrible for me personally," he said. "It's been very difficult. I have played on a regular basis over the previous six seasons and I've won everything with Chelsea, so to be watching from the stands is something I didn't expect. Finding that pass  #chelseafc #nikefootball pic.twitter.com/LmPCuQck1Z   Gary Cahill (@GaryJCahill) April 27, 2019 "I see some of the situations with players who won the title with Chelsea, not just myself, and it just hasn't been right. It makes it very hard for me to have respect for someone who has not respected what some of us have won with the club. It will just be erased out of my head when I leave Chelsea. My last memory will be last season's FA Cup final." With a seven-year spell in west London coming to a close, the 33-year-old Chelsea man was eager to dispel suggestions that he would draw time on his career, insisting he has plenty of football left in him. He added: "People talk as though my career is coming to an end, but it's not like that for me at all. I 100 per cent see me playing another three or four years easily in terms of the way I look after myself. I'm ready to go and I leave this club thankful to all the players, staff and fans who have helped me so much, and I go with my head held high."


Like Abby Wambach before her, Carli Lloyd may have to be content with a smaller role at her final World Cup. [ MORE: On Her Turf series ] Not that the 36-year-old Lloyd won't star in France, nor is it impossible to imagine her fitting into the 2023 World Cup in some way, but few are expecting the "hat-trick-in-a-final-while-lobbing-the-keeper-from-midfield" Lloyd we saw in Canada. But Lloyd has been discussed as a super sub for the States as the USWNT begins its 2019 World Cup next month. And she's ready for whatever. "Now that I'm towards the end of my career, I'm soaking it up a little bit more," she said. "There comes a day where you've got to hang up those boots and be done and enter the real world." It's all part of the latest edition of "On Her Turf," as Lloyd takes the reins for a 5-minute run through her mindset. See the full video above. Follow @NicholasMendola


The New York Giants haven't won many individual postseason awards in their recent history. Last year, running back Saquon Barkley was named Offensive Rookie of the Year - the only other Giant player other than Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) to win the award. The Giants have had just one player named NFL MVP and Defensive Rookie of the Year. That was Lawrence Taylor, who took home rookie honors in 1981 and the MVP in 1986. Taylor was also named the NFL Defensive Player of the year three times ('81, '82 and '86) and Michael Strahan won it once (2001). The Giants have never had a player named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. The 2019 award season looks like it will be devoid of Giants once again as oddsmakers have made almost all of their eligible players long shots to win any hardware. Based on odds released by BetOnline.ag , the eligible Giants players are up against it to win any awards this year, barring some miracle comeback or breakthrough. For the regular season NFL MVP, Barkley is 50/1 and quarterback Eli Manning is 100/1. Former Giant Beckham is 80/1. The favorite is last year's winner, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes at 6/1 followed by Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz all at 9/1. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year field is headed by the top pick in the draft, Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, followed by Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Rams running back Darrell Henderson at 7/1. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is listed at 33/1. As for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the top choice at 5/1 followed by Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Allen at 7/1 and linebacker Devin White of Tampa Bay at 8/1. The Giants' two first round picks - defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and cornerback Deandre Baker - are listed at 33/1 and 28/1 respectively. MORE: Is Tacko Fall an NBA player? Here is the case for why... and why not Dan Le Batard delivers impassioned rebuke of racist 'send her back' chant despite ESPN rules Dan Le Batard Rips Trump and 'Send Her Back' Chants Ranking the Packers' position groups from weakest to strongest What made Bills hiring of Ken Dorsey a crucial hiring


Arizona drivers, don't say goodbye to that $32 vehicle-registration fee just yet. Motorists will continue to pay the full amount for the next two years rather than seeing a gradual phase-out before the fee's repeal , state officials confirmed Monday. "The fee will remain at $32 for fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021 … then drops to $0 by July 1, 2021," Governor's Office spokesman Patrick Ptak said via email. The Department of Transportation does not plan to pro-rate registration fees for drivers who must renew before the fee is repealed, however. For example, a driver whose registration is up in December 2020 would pay the full $32 fee upon renewing for one year, even though the fee would disappear halfway through that person's registration period. Budget face-off prompted repeal The planned elimination of the unpopular public-safety fee, which for months had angered drivers and lawmakers alike, emerged from a drawn-out budget stalemate last month. Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who pushed for a repeal in the Senate, refused to vote for any budget plan that didn't address the fee . A five-year phase-down deal reached by Gov. Doug Ducey's office and Republican leadership in the Legislature failed to appease the Scottsdale Republican, whose vote was critical in GOP budget talks. And the two-year phase-down she countered with initially went nowhere. Follow Arizona politics? Our reporters stay on top of it all. Subscribe to azcentral.com . But after a few days of gridlock, Ugenti-Rita announced she had reached a deal with Ducey to get rid of the "very unpopular" and "very unnecessary" fee by July 2021. At the time, she did not elaborate on what would happen to the fee between now and then. The details later were published in state budget documents. How does this affect state coffers? The Legislature passed a bill creating the public-safety fee   and giving the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation the authority to set it   last April. State Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, sponsored the legislation because he wanted a permanent funding source for the highway patrol. For years, lawmakers had covered highway-patrol needs by taking money collected for road repairs , a strategy that left roads and bridges crumbling throughout the state. The fee was intended to cover the highway patrol budget. At the time, state officials estimated the fee would cost $18 and generate about $149 million. ADOT later announced the fee would be nearly double that amount , providing an updated revenue estimate of $185 million. It was not immediately clear whether drivers wanting to take advantage of the state's two- and five-year registration options should avoid doing so until the fee disappears. Reach the reporter at maria.polletta@arizonarepublic.com or 602-653-6807. Follow her on Twitter @mpolletta . Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today . This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona vehicle registration fee will stay at full $32 through 2021


In the end, Kawhi Leonard held true to the ethos that fueled his success : show, don't tell. All year, he quietly went about his work and delivered the Toronto Raptors their first championship in franchise history. Then he quietly went about his work, recruiting Paul George to the Clippers, creating exactly the future he wanted for himself . He understood that whisper campaigns and manufactured drama were no match against his unfettered talent. He concentrated his energy on becoming the world's best player, and power   to stop the NBA world dead in its tracks for days, to summon news choppers, to pull George from the Oklahoma City Thunder   followed. It's an interesting thing, power. To understand it is to have it, and Leonard understands when he has power better than any superstar to date. Even better than LeBron James, who occasionally seems to wield it just to wield it, even in situations that are out of his control, like someone spraying Sriracha over ice cream and hoping it miraculously turns into a taco. James made a trade-off few people, especially in an industry where the pursuit of fame and recognition can often trump the pursuit of victory and even happiness, are willing to make: he was willing to stomach barbs and broken relationships, to be polarizing, to be disliked. One gets the sense Leonard doesn't care much about being liked either, and yet he managed to pave a new road map, wielding his influence to the edge of his capability while feeling very little of its harsh edges. He redefined what it means to control the NBA landscape, somehow amplifying player power at a time when that didn't seem possible. The lesson of Leonard: You can be above reproach and do whatever you want at the same time, as long as you keep the main thing the main thing. In a season where locker room malaise, trade rumors and off-court drama often overshadowed the actual games, Leonard's maneuvering led to a necessary recalibration: the on-court product still reigns supreme. Video by FOX Sports Raptors head coach Nick Nurse was with his staff when he got the news in a text. "Not totally surprised. I think we all knew that was a situation that could happen and he delivered big-time," Nurse said Saturday at Las Vegas Summer League. "Played his heart out for us. We certainly are going to relish this championship for a long time. We're going to stop celebrating it pretty soon   not quite yet   and we'll get back to work." But when they do, they'll encounter a landscape made bleaker by Leonard's maneuvering. He took them to the mountaintop, and then left in a fashion that makes the chances of the Raptors   and every other non-marquee franchise   ever getting there again even slimmer. There's nothing the Raptors would have done differently. They kept him healthy and surrounded him with a championship-level cast. Injuries, miracles, luck and the defining moment of Leonard's playoff career conspired together to turn the Raptors into a team of destiny. Six years of player development, collaboration and culture-building since Masai Ujiri's arrival eased the way for the team to shape itself around Leonard's personality. Leonard wanted to live closer to home, to be near family. He probably wanted to bask in the sunlight in March. Being in Los Angeles gives him something nothing else can, and it's hard to fault that. But the heart wants what it wants, and the hearts of NBA players often want the same thing: some alchemy of market size, weather and the opportunity to live on beachfront property. The rise of the Clippers and Nets has added another hack: love the gifts, but hate the trappings? Love the city, hate the circus? Problem solved: Join the most low-key institution in the most high-key city. Among the marquee franchises, only total dysfunction   see the Knicks   can hurt your bottom line. For the non-marquee franchises, even near perfection can fall short. And yet you won't hear a hint of disdain in the voice of any Raptor. Ujiri thanked Leonard in a statement. Nurse is justifying Leonard's decision for him. "I think you can't blame a guy for wanting to go home," Nurse said. "That's what he texted me today. 'I'm going home,' you know. And I just said, 'You've changed a lot of lives, man, by what you accomplished in Toronto. Mine especially.' And thanked him for what he did and we'll look to the future and look to do it again." When Ujiri traded for him, Leonard had no interest in being a Raptor. He could have reacted in a million different ways, but at some point, he realized he couldn't fight his way out of Toronto, and instead of merely accepting his fate, he embraced it. He was able, as a result, to make the most of it. He put the hammer away and took out his hard hat, working to build something instead of destroy it. His reward: a championship, a Finals MVP and relationships that could last a lifetime. He became the best mercenary of all time, mostly because he didn't act like one. He could have manufactured drama in order to sabotage the season, ensuring an easily justifiable exit instead of the unprecedented decision he made. But he never needed to justify anything to anyone, so he became the first star in NBA history to win a championship and leave his team in the same year. Years from now, the guy who never wanted to play for the fans at the Scotiabank Centre, the guy who bolted as soon as he could, will likely have his jersey retired in its rafters and bask in the roaring adulation of the crowd. By keeping it simple, Leonard mastered the modern NBA's bizarre complexities. No other top-three talent in the NBA could leave two championship contenders and carry on with relatively little ill will. Spurs and Lakers fans may never understand. Almost everyone else will, even if he leaves them a little worse off. More from Yahoo Sports: Rapinoe, Morgan, USWNT make ultimate equal pay statement This World Cup left Ellis' critics little ground to stand on Best way to spice up the Home Run Derby Celebrate USWNT's World Cup title by shopping gear


You never know what you'll find in an old barn. But in the Midwest, it's not unusual to find a stash of old automobiles. It's a popular place for collectors to hide their finds. Such was the case for Jeff Begg. The late Marshall, Michigan, businessman hoarded vintage cars, motorcycles, and parts at a rate nobody in his family suspected. After Begg, owner of machine parts manufacturer Marshall-Excelsior Corp., died at age 73, he left behind buildings stuffed with auto rarities   much of it purchased on eBay. Now it's going back to auction June 15 in a one-day sale by VanDerBrink Auctions in Springfield, Michigan. Begg particularly loved British motorcycles. In fact, he named his company after Excelsior Henderson motorcycles. The collection is heavily stocked with British bikes, 63 in all, including a rare 1952 Vincent Series C Rapide motorcycle. Read more: Michigan gas prices are about to go up, analyst warns Mega Millions ticket purchased in Michigan worth $1M Also up for sale are: 38 midget racing cars, including a 1947 Kurtis Kraft, the Locard Badger II, and more. Rare racing parts for vintage cars, including many Ford FH 4 cylinder and V8 motor parts including for 60hp FH V8s. Rare Riley Carbs and OHV Conversions for Ford 4 cylinders are everywhere. Offenhauser, Edelbrock, Rook, Eddie Meyer, and more wonderful motors and parts. 70 collector vehicles, from a 1957 Chevrolet Belair Convertible to a 1936 Ford 3 window Coupe, which Begg would take to car shows. Import cars, including 2 Marcos, TRV's, Maserati, and more. Several 1936 Pierce Arrows Bidding will be both on-site and online and there is no reserve. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jeff Begg's rare collection found in Michigan barn, headed to auction


Red Bull Formula 1 reserve driver Sebastien Buemi suffered a high-speed crash at Silverstone on Wednesday during a Pirelli tyre test. Ex-Toro Rosso racer has continued to aid long-time backer Red Bull's F1 development since leaving F1 in 2013, and carried out various simulator and on-track testing duties. He was driving at Silverstone this week as part of Pirelli's latest tyre development activity as it prepares its 2020 compound range. participated in the two-day test on Tuesday and Wednesday after the British Grand Prix, but the second day ended early after Buemi suffered a big crash exiting the high-speed right-hand Abbey corner. Buemi was unhurt in the accident and released by doctors following a thorough medical examination. The cause of the incident is under investigation. George Russell, Williams Racing FW42 Photo by: Pirelli Pirelli racked up more than 2,000km of running over the two days with Red Bull and Williams, which fielded in the test. The next Pirelli test will take place on September 12-13 at Paul Ricard. Read Also: German GP tyre selections announced F1 to discuss bringing 2018-spec tyres back after summer break


MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork)   The man sworn in as Mount Vernon police commissioner on Monday was arrested on Tuesday when he showed up for work. It marked the latest day of dysfunction in New York's eighth largest city, CBSN New York's Tony Aiello reported. For more than a week, two men have claimed to be the mayor of Mount Vernon . One of them moved Monday to appoint a new police commissioner. It didn't go well when he showed up for work. Shawn Harris took the oath of office Monday, shortly after the man who claims to be acting mayor, City Council President Andre Wallace , appointed Harris as the head of the department. But when Harris arrived at police headquarters on Tuesday he was arrested. "The reality is, he trespassed. He should have not done that. He was warned," Mayor Richard Thomas said. Thomas was elected mayor in 2015, but after pleading guilty to campaign finance misdemeanors agreed to step down by the end of September . MORE : Who's In Charge? Mount Vernon Mayor Refusing To Leave Office After Resigning Over Campaign Finance Crimes That's not good enough for the city council, which claims Thomas forfeited his office when he pleaded guilty. The council gave Thomas a deadline last week to pack up and move out. Thomas, however, has made no move to empty out his mayoral chamber and said he has no plans to do so. "As you can see, they didn't storm this office to change the locks. They tried to storm the police department and got a rude awakening. There's an existing court order that says until the fall, I'm mayor until I'm not. That's not gonna change," Thomas said. MORE : Another Mount Vernon Official Runs Afoul Of The Law At this point, there is much that is not clear. It's not clear if the Westchester County district attorney will prosecute the trespassing charge against Harris. It's not clear if anyone at City Hall will file papers asking a judge to sort out who is mayor. What is clear, the mess in Mount Vernon is showing no signs of abating.


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a sweeping executive order that would cut prices on virtually all branded prescription drugs sold to Medicare and other government programs, according to two industry sources who had discussions with the White House. The order under discussion would be much broader than the Administration's previously disclosed proposal to lower prices on physician administered, or Part B, drugs by tying prices to lower costs in other countries. The administration is now looking at ways to use this or a similar method to lower prices in Medicare's much larger Part D, which is for widely used prescription drugs patients take at home, such as for cholesterol and blood pressure, the sources said. The White House declined to comment, and it was unclear how far along the any such plan was from being undertaken. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also declined to comment. Americans pay the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world as most other developed nations have single-payer systems in which the government negotiates drug prices for its people. The U.S. government in 2016 spent around $29 billion on prescription drugs in Medicare's Part B, which includes most injectable drugs, and nearly $100 billion in Part D, which covers as pills and other drugs usually dispensed in pharmacies. Trump is also considering extending the pricing controls to the U.S. Department of Defense, which runs the Tricare health plan for military personnel and their families, as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the sources said. Executive orders often go through various drafts and incarnations, and sometimes competing versions of the same order are floated within the Trump White House. In addition, some executive orders do not end up being signed. The drug pricing executive order could come as soon as the next few weeks, the sources said. U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden - the top Republican and Democrat on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee - earlier this week announced a proposal to lower prescription drug prices that could save $100 billion in costs to government healthcare programs. The White House could delay the executive order if the Senate bill looks likely to garner bipartisan support, the sources said. If implemented, the executive order could significantly increase the number of drugmakers whose sales could take a hit. AbbVie, Eli Lilly and Co and Pfizer Inc all have substantial exposure to Medicare Part D. Companies with major exposure to Part B include Merck & Co, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co and Roche In early July, Trump said his administration was working on a drug pricing executive order with a "favored-nation clause, where we pay whatever the lowest nation's price is." Trump has called the lower prices paid by other nations "global freeloading." Trump, a Republican, has struggled to deliver on a pledge to lower drug prices before the November 2020 election. Healthcare costs are expected to be a major focus of the campaign by Trump and Democratic rivals vying to run against him. The Trump administration earlier this month scrapped an ambitious policy that would have required health insurers to pass billions of dollars in rebates they receive from drugmakers to Medicare patients. Also in July, a federal judge struck down a Trump administration rule that would have forced pharmaceutical companies to include the wholesale prices of their drugs in television advertising. (Reporting by Michael Erman and Carl O'Donnell in New York; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington and Caroline Humer in New York; editing by Bill Berkrot)


When the New York Giants get underway at training camp later this month, a number of spots will be up for grabs, but perhaps none will be more important than the center position, where Jon Halapio and Spencer Pulley will be battling things out. Early indications are that Halapio has the slight edge, especially after an offseason in which general manager Dave Gettleman cautioned against forgetting about 'Pio, but the final call will not be made until the dust settles. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recognized the significant of that battle when evaluating " the biggest spots up for grabs " for each NFL team. At some point, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones is going to replace aging veteran Eli Manning under center for the New York Giants. There's a slight possibility he gets his chance during training camp and the preseason, but Manning is definitely the favorite. A bigger question for New York is who will start at center. Jon Halapio started 10 games there in 2017 and began last season as the starter. However, he suffered a broken ankle in Week 2 and was replaced by Spencer Pulley. Pulley signed a three-year, $8 million contract with the Giants this offseason. With Halapio and Pulley healthy, this becomes an important camp battle as the Giants look to solidify and improve their offensive line. It's refreshing to see someone recognize the significance of the center battle over the imaginary competition that's allegedly going to take place between Eli Manning and Daniel Jones. Considering the Giants have placed such an emphasis on repairing their damaged offensive line, what happens at center is paramount to their success in 2019. It's essentially the final piece to a puzzle that has taken entirely too long to put together. MORE: Poker player loses brutal 31 million chip hand with pocket aces at 2019 WSOP Main Event Three Potential Landing Spots for Chris Paul Rolando McClain wants to rejoin the NFL, Cowboys still own rights NBA Depth Charts The Ringer believes Raiders could trade SS Karl Joseph to Cowboys


Scheme fit is a big part of where prospects land in the NFL draft and how much success they have at the next level. For cornerback David Long, he landed in a great situation with Wade Phillips as his defensive coordinator. The Rams' third-round pick thrived when asked to press receivers at the line of scrimmage with the Wolverines. It was his best trait and consistently knocked wideouts off of their routes. In his career, Long only allowed just 18 receptions on 60 targets. At his introductory press conference , Long was asked what he likes about Phillips' scheme. Not surprisingly, he mentioned the frequency with which corners are asked to press. "I mean, they allow corners to press and that's what I did at Michigan," Long said. "So that's always a plus. And just the identity of the defense. They do a lot of things, and I think it's a really good defense - a well-rounded defense, so to speak." When it came to press coverage, Long was the fourth-best cornerback prospect in the draft, according to Pro Football Focus' grades. He excelled in Michigan's scheme, which allowed him to get his hands on wide receivers and reroute them. Cardinals CB Byron Murphy led the draft class' top CBs in grade from press coverage last year pic.twitter.com/mU93qH60Ko - Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 14, 2019 Phillips' defenses typically involve a lot of press, but with Marcus Peters struggling last season and Aqib Talib injured, the Rams went to more zone coverage with their corners playing off the line of scrimmage. That could change with Long in the mix, especially if he becomes a starter in Year 2. For now, he's looking forward to learning from Peters and Talib, the latter of whom he watched growing up. "It wasn't really like star struck, but knowing those are guys you watched growing up. I think Aqib Talib, his rookie season, I was probably like 11 or something, so that's a little wild," Long said. "But it's a weird feeling being on the same level, not as far as talent level, but just being here now. You always look up to those guys and say that's where you want to be, and now being on the same playing field, it's crazy, but it's also inspiring and makes you want to work harder. "Those are guys that are really willing to give information and help the next person out, so just kind of carry that torch." MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. thought his wife, Amy, might break up with him over this drunken go-kart incident NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Cowboys News: Prescott's circle of trust questioned, Kris Richard RKGs What If Zion Williamson Refuses to Play for the Pelicans? [UPDATE] Why Packers' redefined defense could give Aaron Rodgers a Super Bowl opportunity


CHICAGO   The Chicago Police Union said Mayor Lori Lightfoot spread misinformation, and on Monday, the said she was taken out of context, and a minor remark is getting too much attention. In a 30-minute interview on CAN-TV, Chicago's public access channel, Lightfoot, who has tangled with the police union consistently over reform and contract issues, mentioned a rumor about something she heard about Memorial Day weekend. "I didn't verify this, but rumors floating around that they were telling their officers 'Don't do anything, don't over Memorial Day weekend,'" Lightfoot said. The Better Government Association and the Chicago Sun-Times looked into the claim and published an article under the headline: "Lightfoot spreads rumor that police union told cops not to police: 'I hope to God that wasn't true'" On Monday, Lightfoot said the quote was taken out of context   and therefore misinterpreted in the news media. "What I said was, I had heard a rumor and I hoped that's not true   that piece of it hasn't been picked up in the news media. This is another example of   I think   context matters," Lightfoot said. Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham said, "Rumors should not be spread. The mayor's office can call me at any time. I did not tell anyone to slow down. The safety of the public always comes first." Lightfoot said she regretted mentioning the turning the once again at the FOP, and she responded to the union's criticism that the mayor hasn't worked closely with it on violence prevention. "I have to tell you it's utterly laughable. This is a union leadership that has rejected categorically any progress towards reform. If they want to be a helpful partner, take some steps in our direction," Lightfoot said. Also Monday, the mayor unveiled a new initiative in which Chicago cops will work with businesses in all of the 22 districts to reduce crime. Between 7 p.m. Friday night and 11 p.m. Sunday, 41 people were shot, three of them fatally, across Chicago this weekend .     ©2019 WGN-TV, Chicago Visit WGN-TV, Chicago at www.wgntv.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


If Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder would have had it his way, the Big 12's championship game would have never been taken out of the conference's format. Following TCU and Baylor's snubs from the inaugural College Football Playoff, there's been a push from many Big 12 officials to reinstate a conference title game, with the hope that it would bring the Big 12 up to par in the race for playoff selection. "I've always favored the conference championship game, and I still do," Snyder said on the Big 12's coaches teleconference. "With the playoffs now, that muddies the water a little bit in that respect. I understand both sides of the fence or both sides of the argument. "Looking at it maybe from a selfish standpoint, I think the divisional championship and the playoff game have been very rewarding for Kansas State and very rewarding for a few other schools in our conference. Not true for everybody, so there's two well-taken arguments in regards to bringing it back. But I favor it, and I favor it because it's been beneficial to us." K-State's legendary head coach can back up his claim that he understands both sides of the argument on the hot-button issue, as the Wildcats once lost a chance at a national title because of a loss in a conference game. "We played in it one year and lost, and it knocked us out of the [national] championship game," he recalled. "It's worked both ways and we suffered from it. But overall, collectively, it's been in the best interest of our program." (h/t ESPN )


Brandel Chamblee is absolutely right when he says that Brooks Koepka isn't in the same class as a golfer with Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. That's because, right now, he's better than all three of them. In my opinion which is biased because he's a friend and a former colleague Chamblee is the best golf analyst currently working on TV. For nine years, I had the chance to watch him prepare to go on-air. He and Frank Nobilo together were notably diligent in their research prior to every single telecast. Part of the reason Chamblee is so good is his willingness to climb out on limbs whether on the subject of Tiger Woods' golf swing; the lack of Ryder Cup leadership provided in the last 20 years by Woods and Phil Mickelson; or Rory McIlroy saying he'd watch the Olympic sports "that mattered" in 2016 golf not being one of them. You climb out on limbs, you are occasionally going to take a fall. I happen to think Chamblee's analysis of Koepka is one of those. Why? Because it is based largely on statistics like driving, chipping and putting. One of Chamblee's strengths is the way he uses stats to back up the points he's making. But in this case he's missing the stat that matters most: winning more specifically winning when it matters most. McIlroy hasn't won a major title since 2014. Johnson has won a grand total of one major, his 2016 U.S. Open. Woods is different, having won 15 majors, his latest just four weeks ago at the Masters. That, however, ended an almost 11-year skein without a major. Koepka's won three of the last seven majors he's played in, dating to the 2017 U.S. Open. He's also finished T-2 at last month's Masters and T-6 at the 2017 Open Championship. His only finish outside the top-10 during that stretch were a T-13 at the 2017 PGA and a T-39 at the Open at Carnoustie last July. That's a remarkable stretch of golf, especially when one considers that he missed the 2018 Masters because wrist surgery that sidelined him from January until late April. Koepka has just turned 29, and if he stays healthy, there is no telling how many majors he might win before he's done. And, let's face it, majors are how greatness is ultimately measured. Johnson has won 20 times on tour, but I suspect if you offered him Koepka's resume five PGA Tour titles in all, but three of them majors he'd make the swap in a heartbeat. Koepka is currently ranked No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings, which is more a reflection of the flaws in the OWGR than anything else. How can someone who is the current title holder in two of the four Grand Slams be ranked behind two players Johnson and Justin Rose who haven't won a Slam during the ranking period? Koepka's also No. 4 in the FedEx Cup standings after his fourth-place finish on Sunday in the Byron Nelson Classic, which makes the OWGR even more difficult to understand since this season's FedEx Cup standings do not include his two most recent major titles, and he's currently ahead of both Johnson and Rose. Go figure. But none of those numbers really matter any more than the fact that Koepka only finished ninth on last year's FedEx Cup points list. How is it possible for someone to win two major titles and not win what is billed as "a season-long race" to that title. Again, that's a reflection of a flawed system more than it is on Koepka's golf. He was the runaway winner for PGA Tour Player of the Year, which is a far more important reflection of a player's year than any points system can produce. It isn't as if Chamblee is the only person who has failed to give Koepka the credit he's due he's just the most visible. Many in the golf media claim Koepka's boring and, as a result, many fans feel the same way. Here's a fact: Koepka's anything but boring. He's always been a little bit different, and in golf, different is almost always frowned on. When he turned pro out of Florida State in 2012, he went to Europe and played the Challenge Tour before graduating to the European Tour a year later after three victories. He played on the Euro Tour in 2013 and split time between Europe and the U.S. in 2014 winning the Turkish Airlines Open, one of the tour's Race to Dubai events, in the fall. He returned to the U.S. full time and won almost out of the chute in Phoenix in 2015. He would have made the 2015 Presidents Cup team on points if he had been a tour member in 2014 but, because he wasn't, none of the points he would have accumulated counted. The first time I sat down with Koepka was in August 2015, shortly before Jay Haas announced his Presidents Cup captain's picks. "I'd really like to be on the team," Koepka said back then. "I think I can help us win, and I think I deserve to play based on what I've done on the golf course the last two years." He paused and smiled. "Plus, I know it would help me get some feel for what the Ryder Cup is like. I'm planning on being on the Ryder Cup team next year." That kind of candor isn't just unusual on the PGA Tour, it's generally frowned upon. For one thing, the tour cringes whenever a player admits how much more important the Ryder Cup is than the Presidents Cup. For another, you aren't supposed to come off sounding too confident about your game. "I'm just trying to give 110 percent," is usually what people want to hear. Haas passed on Koepka, but Koepka fulfilled his promise by making the Ryder Cup team on points a year later and went 3-1 in the U.S. victory over Europe at Hazeltine National. When Koepka won the U.S. Open at Erin Hills almost eight months later, he mentioned that playing in the crucible of the Ryder Cup had helped him down the stretch. Koepka's reaction to Chamblee's recent comments a tweet with a photo-shopped picture of Chamblee with a clown's nose might have been a bit over the top (the big top?) but it certainly wasn't boring . Golf needs more players who are honest and even occasionally prickly. Koepka can clearly be both, and should he happen to win at Bethpage Black, even the oft-stubborn Chamblee, may be forced to revise his comments. There was a rush to criticize among many in the golf media a few years back when Patrick Reed declared himself one of the five best players in the world after winning three tournaments in seven months, even though the ever-flawed OWGR had him at No. 21. Everyone had to back off a little after Reed was the best player on the U.S. Ryder Cup teams in 2014 and 2016, and won the Masters in 2018. After Koepka won last year's PGA for his third major victory, he began to be hit with the "boring" charge. Based on my experience, I totally reject the claim. Brooks Koepka is the best player in the world right now. And, if you give him a fair chance, he's got plenty to say. Just listen. Explore Golf Digest All Access, with more than 30 video series to improve your game WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS See the video. 9 Major Host Courses That You Can Play


Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Pittsburgh. New county Bar president promotes community service Lori McMaster, 59, executive director of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, will help organize pro bono and community service activities to celebrate the Allegheny County Bar Association's 150th anniversary. Read the full story on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . 19-year-old sexual assault suspect arrested A man who allegedly raped an underage girl in Venango County was arraigned this week. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . 'Bucco Fever' in wake of Pirates' winning streak As of Thursday, the Pirates had won seven of their last eight games in the National League's Central Division. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . Anthrocon 2019 kicks off with parade The annual convention of Anthropomorphic creatures   walking, talking animals exhibiting human qualities   kicks off with a parade on Saturday starting at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . 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 San Antonio Spurs agreed to a deal with Marcus Morris in the first week of free agency only to have him back out and sign with the New York Knicks, and you can probably guess how Gregg Popovich's team feels about the situation. One NBA general manager told Frank Isola of The Athletic that the Spurs are "pissed" that Morris did not honor the verbal agreement they had in place with him for a two-year, $20 million deal. He instead signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Knicks, and that came after San Antonio created more cap space by trading Davis Bertans and having free agent DeMarre Carroll tweak his deal. While there are no rules against what Morris and the Knicks did, it is certainly frowned upon. The Spurs and Knicks have a rivalry that dates back to when there was some bad blood when the two teams met in the 2006 NBA Finals, and Isola was told by a source close to the Morris situation that New York considered it a "small victory." There's a belief that they were happy to pull one over on the Spurs because they think some members of the San Antonio organization made illegal contact with Kristaps Porzingis when he was still playing for New York. Morris and his agent, Rich Paul, parted ways after Morris agreed to sign with the Knicks. A report has since claimed that was because Paul wanted Morris to stick with the Spurs . Morris has a right to change his mind, but you don't see things unfold that way often in NBA free agency. It's no surprise it has likely negatively impacted the relationship between the Spurs and Knicks.


Switzerland forward Florijana Ismaili has been declared missing after a swimming accident on Lake Como in Italy, her club have confirmed. The 24-year-old has been playing for BSC Young Boys women's team in her native Switzerland since 2011, while she is also the club's captain. A statement on BSC Young Boys official website read: "The officials of the BSC Young Boys have been informed that our player Florijana Ismaili has been missing since Saturday afternoon on Lake Como after a swimming accident. Searches by the police continue. YB-Spielerin Florijana Ismaili wird vermisst. https://t.co/ROM8Mts3tA #BSCYB pic.twitter.com/3lDujLQLh3   헕헦헖 헬헢헨헡헚 헕헢헬헦 (@BSC_YB) June 30, 2019 "We are very concerned and have not given up the hope that everything will turn out well. "We are in close contact with family members and we ask for your understanding that we can not provide any further information at the present time. We will inform again as soon as we know more." Italian daily news outlet Corriere Della Sera say that Ismaili had decided to spend a relaxing day at the lake with a teammate, during which time they had rented an inflatable boat with the intention of taking it out on the lake. "She jumped into the water, but never surfaced again," the paper said. An alarm was reportedly sounded at 4:30 PM and divers began searching the area on Saturday, with the search suspended overnight, but then resumed on Sunday morning.


A long list of major U.S. companies have joined in an important legal brief aimed at securing federal protection against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. That list does not include the NFL or any of its teams. Via Ernest Hooper of the Tampa Bay Times , only two major American sports teams signed the "amicus" brief, a common device for parties who aren't directly involved in a controversy to chime in with their support for one position or another. Those teams are baseball's Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants. Other companies to sign the amicus brief supporting the extension of civil-rights protection to sexual orientation and gender identity include, per Hooper, Amazon, American Airlines, Bank of America, Ben & Jerry's, Coca-Cola, Domino's Pizza, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Nike, Starbucks, Viacom, the Walt Disney Co., and Xerox. "Signing the brief was not only the right thing to do, but is also best for our business," Brian Auld, Rays president told Hooper. "We encourage other sports teams and organizations to support this protection for fans, employees and their families." It's not just the NFL and its teams that passed on signing the brief. No NBA teams and no NHL teams signed it, and most MLB teams also opted to stay out of it. Most employers resist any expansion of the list of exceptions to the traditional concept of employment at will. As the list grows, the freedom of employers to do what they want becomes reduced, more i's need to be dotted and more t's need to be crossed before employees can be terminated, and the risk of wrongful-discharge lawsuits increases. Still, some societal issues take precedence over the knee-jerk desire to protect corporate coffers. Plenty of major businesses clearly believe this is one of them. The NFL, along with most other sports leagues and teams, does not.


While we love the charm of blue, purple, pink, and white hydrangeas , we are delighted to see another shade of hydrangea blooming out across the region. Pops of strawberry a gorgeous and showy pink-red shade are finding their way into the world of hydrangeas, and they have a delicious name to match. Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea ( Hydrangea paniculata 'Renhy') was developed in France by Jean Renault and made a splash when it was introduced into the wider garden world it was a charmer from the beginning and was voted the top plant of the year by the American Nursery and Landscape Association in 2010. Vanilla Strawberry (aka "Vanille Fraise") hydrangea is a variety of panicle hydrangea , and it's a hardy, low-maintenance, sun-loving planting that can easily reach 6-7 feet in height. It also has color-changing blooms. This hydrangea flowers in summer, and at first the blooms are white and tinged with pink hence the name "vanilla." As the summer months progress, the flowers become darker, eventually reaching the true strawberry shade for which the plant is also named. Panicle hydrangea has a number of deliciously named varieties, and several produce strawberry pink blooms. Other popular hydrangeas that bloom white and change to pink as the flowers age are the hydrangeas Strawberry Sundae ( Hydrangea paniculata 'Rensun') and Fire Light ( Hydrangea paniculata 'Fire Light'). Strawberry Sundae is closely related to Vanilla Strawberry both were bred by Renault though the former only reaches heights of 4-5 feet. It flowers in summer and begins white, then gradually changes to pink and a deeper strawberry shade as the fall months near. With so many options, aren't you craving pink hydrangeas this summer? Plant one of these rarer varieties of hydrangeas, and you'll likely be the only yard in the neighborhood with bright pink blooms. What are your favorite types of hydrangeas? Have your hydrangeas bloomed out yet this year? Related video: Essential Southern Plant: Hydrangea


Blue Apron 's (APRN) plan to purposely shrink its business seems to be on track , as customer defections soared in the first quarter and orders and revenue per customer grew slightly. But just because it reported a smaller net loss than it previously did, and even turned a profit on an adjusted basis, it doesn't mean the meal-kit maker is on the road to recovery. Hemorrhaging more customers than it is able to offset through higher revenue means Blue Apron is still hurtling toward an ugly end. How low can you go? Blue Apron is down to 550,000 paying customers, a 30% decline from last year and nearly half the 1 million or so it recorded at its peak two years ago. That is by design, as the meal-kit maker has all but given up on trying to attract new customers and focuses instead on servicing those who remain. Although only on the job three weeks, CEO Linda Kozlowski seems just as committed to the strategy as was her predecessor, telling analysts on the meal-kit specialist's first-quarter earnings conference call , "Narrowing our focus to our highest-impact opportunities in the business is an important foundational step, and critical as we build our growth strategy in the coming weeks and months." It also likely means Blue Apron is committed to relegating itself to being a small niche operation. Customer acquisition costs plunge Marketing expenses were slashed by 64% to $14.2 million, which represents just 10% of its decidedly lower net revenue of $141.9 million. Last year, marketing expenses accounted for 20% of Blue Apron's $196.7 million. CFO Tim Bensley was proud of the achievement, saying, "While we knew that this focus would result in lower revenue in the near term, this deliberate decision was centered on our conviction that strengthening our customer base and driving toward profitability are critical steps for building a healthy, sustainable business. We're happy to report that our approach unfolded as planned." In a way, there is sense to Blue Apron viewing this idea of allowing its customer rolls to dwindle away as a feature, not a bug. Not giving up To attract new customers, Blue Apron is forced to spend exorbitant sums of money, only to see them leave en masse after the trial period is over. Any let-up in marketing results in massive losses of paying members, as the current quarter's results bear out. It's simply not sustainable. Yet not bringing in new customers isn't a really good sustainable business model, either. Certainly, Blue Apron has attempted different ideas to attract more customers, from partnering with Costco and Walmart 's Jet.com to pairing up with Weight Watchers to offer meal kits in alignment with the weight-loss center's dieting plan. But none of these has really panned out. Costco ended the program ahead of the Christmas holidays with the possibility of it being restarted, but that hasn't happened, and no actual data has been offered to back up Blue Apron's contention there is "strong interest" from Weight Watchers members. Consumers still want convenience Meal kits are popular, with Packaged Facts saying U.S. sales reached $3.1 billion in 2018. It forecast sales will rise to $5.5 billion by 2023, a 12.2% compounded annual growth rate. But a subscription service isn't the right vehicle because customers feel it doesn't offer value for the money spent, and they're not as convenient as touted. Surveys of customers who left subscription meal-kit plans say that despite getting pre-portioned meals, they still require a lot of prep, have too many recipe steps to follow, and take too much time to cook. Instead, customers are finding meal kits sold in grocery stores are optimal because they don't require being held to a predetermined menu, and they're also more convenient and inexpensive. Bensley told analysts Blue Apron is responding by trialing same-day delivery. It's had a program in New York City and will be launching one in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is hoping it will still be able to charge premium prices for its meal kits, which ultimately undermines the convenience of the delivery. Key investment takeaway Meal kits have become commoditized, which doesn't leave much room for the premium experience that Blue Apron seeks to provide. Although its plan to service its loyal customers is starting show some results, it has not proved yet that it is workable long term and indicates it still has much farther to fall. Investors will only begin to get the full picture of how small Blue Apron needs to be when it laps the start of its decision to forgo trying to attract new customers later this year. Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . SPONSORED: 10 stocks we like better than Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor , has quadrupled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. 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Residents in parts of Northern Ohio are battling a massive swarm of mayflies as thousands of the tiny insects blanketed the state this week. People living Catawba have taken to social media to share shocking pictures of cars and storefronts covered in the insects which have flocked to the Lake Erie area. "Think the mayflies are bad in Catawba!" one person wrote on Facebook after sharing a picture of a car completely covered in a swarm, Fox 8 reported. GIANT AFRICAN SNAILS, ONCE ERADICATED FROM US, CONFISCATED FROM SUITCASE AT GEORGIA AIRPORT Another image showed the entrance to a building completely covered by the tiny critters. The swarm is so large this year that it was picked up by local weather radars on Thursday. While the images themselves are alarming, mayflies are harmless and are in fact an indication that the lake is extremely clean. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP According to Ohio State University , the Environmental Protection Agency in Ohio partly determines the cleanliness of Lake Erie and other Great Lakes based on the insect population. Mayflies breed in clean water only as the larvae live in lake sediments until they hatch in the swarms that many residents are now observing.


Death, taxes, and the Jets. These are the only guarantees in life that one day it will end, that once a year you'll have to pay for it, and that the Jets will suck all the while. It's been another rollercoaster offseason in the Meadowlands. On one hand the Jets landed their answer to Saquon Barkley in Le'Veon Bell and have a young, promising quarterback in Sam Darnold to pair with him. On the other, they hired the Lord Baelish of NFL head coaches , introduced him with one of the most bizarre press conferences in NFL history , and then fired their GM at his behest days after the Draft. Like we said, the Jets are gonna Jet. So with all those emotional loops, drops, and corkscrews behind them, on Thursday the Jets cancelled their final mini-camp practice in the interest of a little morale-boosting trip to the local Topgolf which, by the looks of things, backfired in typical Jets fashion. If you have a weak stomach for hitchy, glitchy golf moves, consider yourself warned: https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1136684433317269505 https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1136684438245560320 RELATED: Jersey man arrested for drunk driving, blames the whole thing on the Jets https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1136684444960657410 https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1136684450560053248 Sweet fancy Moses, gentleman. This is the golf equivalent of watching Elaine Benes dance and that is NOT a compliment... In the end, we hope the Jets had a good time and that at least one or two players caught the bug, but my goodness, even "swing your swing" has its limits.


Evan H. Vollerthum, a caddie on the Korn Ferry Tour , was arrested Monday for human trafficking and attempting to sexually exploit a child. Vollerthum was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations in Topeka, Kansas, according to an ICE news release . Topeka is about two hours away from this week's Wichita Open. Shawnee County Jail (Kansas) records state Vollerthum is being held in connection with one count of aggravated human trafficking involving hiring a child 14 or older to engage in sexual acts, and attempted commercial exploitation of a child involving hiring a person under 18 for a sex act. Vollerthum had been working this season with former PGA Tour player Brad Fritsch. According to Myrtle Beach Online , Fritsch and Vollerthum split three weeks ago, and the 35-year-old Vollerthum was scheduled to caddie this week for Joseph Bramlett. "Evan worked for me a handful of times this season, and during the Rex Hospital Open indicated he was going to caddie elsewhere," Fritsch told Golf Digest's Brian Wacker. "He's caddied for a few players on different tours over the last year. "I was made aware of this awful situation yesterday through various social media reports. Everything that has been documented and alleged is tough to stomach, and is deplorable." A resident of Naples, Fla., Vollerthum got his start as a touring caddie with Scott McCarron. Working as a fill-in at Caves Valley G.C. outside Baltimore, Vollerthum helped McCarron win the 2017 Constellation Senior Players Championship. Vollerthum is being held at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on $500,000 bond, according to jail records. The ICE release said the criminal investigation is ongoing. (Brian Wacker helped with the reporting of this story) See the video.


In a city where "sunny day floods" increased 400% in a decade, rising seas are changing the old real estate mantra of "location, location, location." In Miami these days, it's all about elevation, elevation, elevation. And long before melted ice caps wash over Ocean Drive, one of America's most vulnerable big cities is becoming a test case for the modern problem of climate gentrification. While some scientific models predict enough polar ice melt to bring at least 10 feet of sea level rise to South Florida by 2100, just a modest 12 inches would make 15% of Miami uninhabitable, and much of that beachside property is among America's most valuable. READ: Millions of US homes at risk of chronic flooding this century, study says Even now, as more frequent "king tides" bubble up through Florida's porous limestone, pushing fish through sewers and onto streets, residents are becoming more aware that their city is built on the rippling shelves, ridges and canyons of a fossil seabed. "Water is simply going back to the same places it flowed ages ago," says Sam Purkis, Chair of the University of Miami's Geosciences Department. "The irony is what happened 125,000 years ago is going to dictate what happens to your house now." The fickle undulations between city blocks could mean the difference between survival and retreat, and the rising cost of altitude is sparking a noticeable shift in community activism and municipal budgets. Neighbors in Pinecrest formed America's first Underwater Homeowners Association (complete with elevation yard signs) and named a marine scientist as president. Miami Beach is spending millions elevating roads, upgrading pumps and changing building codes to allow residents to raise their mansions by five feet. But in working-class, immigrant neighborhoods like Little Haiti, year-to-year sea level rise gets lost in the day-to-day struggle, and most had no idea that they live a lofty three feet higher than the wealthy folks on Miami Beach. They found out when developers started calling, from everywhere. "They were calling from China, from Venezuela. Coming here with cases of money!" says Marleine Bastien, a community organizer and longtime resident. "We used to think that the allure of Little Haiti was the fact that it's close to downtown, close to both airports and close to the beach. Unbeknownst to us, it's because we are positioned at a higher altitude." Pointing out a row of vacant shops, she ticks off the names of a dozen small business owners she says have been forced out by rising rents, and lists others who she says unwittingly took lowball offers with no understanding of Miami's housing crisis. "If you sell your home in Little Haiti, you think that you're making a big deal, and it's only after you sell, and then you realize, 'Oh, I cannot buy anywhere else.'" After her community center and day school were priced out of three different buildings, she caught wind of plans to build the sprawling $1 billion Magic City development on the edge of Little Haiti, featuring a promenade, high-end retail stores, high rise apartments and imagined by a consortium of local investors, including the founder of Cirque du Soleil. Magic City developers insist that they picked the site based on location, not elevation. They promised to preserve the soul of Little Haiti and give $31 million to the community for affordable housing and other programs, but it wasn't enough for Bastien. "This is a plan to actually erase Little Haiti," she says. "Because this is the one place where immigration and climate gentrification collide." She fought the development with all the protesters and hand-lettered signs she could muster, but after a debate that went until 1 a.m., commissioners approved the permit with a 3-0 vote at the end of June. "The area we took was all industrial," says Max Sklar, VP with Plaza Equity Partners and a member of the development team. "There was no real thriving economy around these warehouses or vacant land. And so our goal is to create that economy. "Can we appease everybody? Not 100%, that's not feasible. It's not realistic. But we've listened to them." He repeats a promise to deliver $6 million to a Little Haiti community trust before ground is even broken and, as a sign that he listened to at least one demand, acknowledges that the complex will now be called Magic City Little Haiti. But while Bastien mourns the defeat, her neighbor and fellow organizer Leonie Hermantin welcomes the investment and hopes for the best. "Even if Magic City did not come today, the pace of gentrification is so rapid that our people will not be able to afford homes here anyways," she says with a resigned head shake. "Magic City is not the government. Affordable housing policies have to come from the government." "(Climate gentrification) is something that we are very closely monitoring," Miami Mayor Francis Suarez tells me. "But we haven't seen any direct evidence of it yet." Suarez is the rare Republican who passionately argues for climate mitigation plans and helped champion the $400 million Miami Forever bond, approved by voters to fund action to protect the city from the ravages of higher seas and stronger storms. "We actually created in our first tranche of Miami Forever, a sustainability fund for people to renovate their homes so that they can stay in their properties rather than having to sell their properties," he says. But that fund is a relatively small $15 million, not enough to dent a housing crisis that grows with each heat wave and hurricane, in a city where over a quarter of residents live below the poverty level. What's happening in Little Haiti could be just one example of a "climate apartheid" that the United Nations warns is ahead , where there will be a gulf between the rich who can protect themselves from the impact of climate change and the poor who are left behind. Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said there was already evidence of how the climate crisis affects the rich and poor differently. And he pointed out that those hurt most were likely those least responsible. "Perversely, while people in poverty are responsible for just a fraction of global emissions, they will bear the brunt of climate change, and have the least capacity to protect themselves," Alston wrote last month.


Last season, the Bears from worst-to-first with a 12-4 record, an NFC North championship and the team's first playoff berth in nearly a decade. But for Matt Nagy, it's not enough. Not even close. In his first year as Bears head coach, Nagy created a winning culture with a team that had been stuck in the NFC North basement for several years. Sprinkle in a new coach and some new additions, and this team believed they could be great. And they were. "The belief in who we are started cultivating," Nagy told fans Sunday at a training camp kickoff event in Decatur. "I believe it did, too, with the fans in the city. I think the belief started creeping in. "We got to a point where we won the NFC North, but that wasn't good enough. We were still hungry. We wanted that trophy. It was a sour taste at the end, but I promise you we're not stopping until we get it." Nagy has used that playoff loss to the Eagles as motivation for his team. He wants them to feel the hurt and to use that as fuel heading into a 2019 season ripe with expectations. While it's difficult to go from worst-to-first, it's also difficult to maintain that success the following season, as many teams have learned the hard way. So the key will be sustaining that success through the culture Nagy has in place. With the defending Coach of the Year heading into his second season as Bears coach, there's certainly a pressure to keep his team motivated and at the top of the NFL. But much like having a year of experience has helped the offense become more confident, Nagy's experience in his first year as a head coach has made him more confident and comfortable, despite the added pressure. "The biggest thing is that I know all 90 of these players,'' Nagy said. ''As the year went on, I knew these guys' backgrounds personally. And you let them know that you care about who they are as a person, and you build that relationship. "I really know the hot buttons on all of our players. And they know mine, too." MORE: Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Overeager MLB umpire falls down hard while sprinting onto field J.E. Skeets on NBA TV canceling 'The Starters,' what's next for the gang and more Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes Browns sign UDFA rookie center Lo Falemaka


Video by Associated Press The Senate passed a bill Tuesday to ensure a fund to compensate victims of the Sept. 11 attacks never runs out of money   and that first responders won't have to return to Congress to plead for more funding. The vote came after intense lobbying from ailing 9/11 first responders   including one who died shortly after testifying before Congress last month. The bill, which was passed by a vote of 97-2, would authorize money for the fund through 2092, essentially making it permanent. Before final passage, the chamber defeated two proposed amendments to the bill. One, from Sen. Mike Lee, R.-Utah, would have restricted the authorization to 10 years; the other, from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, would have required offsets for the money spent on the fund. Paul and Lee were the only senators who voted against the legislation. The bill passed the House by a vote of 402-12 earlier this month, but Paul objected when Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., sought to get the legislation passed in the Senate by unanimous consent last week. Lee also reportedly placed a procedural hold on the legislation, which the Congressional Budget Office has estimated would result in about $10.2 billion in additional payments over the next decade. Paul called for the spending to be offset with cuts, citing the government's $22 trillion debt. That led comedian Jon Stewart   a fierce advocate for the first responders   to rip the senator as a hypocrite. "Pardon me if I'm not impressed in any way by Rand Paul's fiscal responsibility virtue signaling," the former "Daily Show" host told Fox News, noting that Paul supported President Donald Trump's tax cut that "added hundreds of billions of dollars to our deficit." Stewart also blasted Congress as a whole when he testified before a House committee on the issue last month, slamming lawmakers for requiring the act to be reauthorized, resulting in ailing first responders having to make repeated trips to the Capitol. Stewart testified alongside cancer-stricken former New York police detective Luis Alvarez, who was scheduled to undergo his 69th round of chemotherapy the next day. Alvarez said the fund had given him a fighting chance against cancer, and he wanted to ensure other victims who were stricken by the toxic smoke from the smoldering remains of the World Trade Center had the same opportunity. "My life isn't worth more than the next responder to get cancer," he said. He died less than three weeks later at age 53. The bill, which now includes Alvarez's name, had 74 Senate co-sponsors, and is expected to be quickly signed into law by the president, a native New Yorker. Hours before the vote was scheduled to take place, victims' advocate and first responder John Feal told NBC News he "just got a call from the White House" inviting him and other 9/11 first responders and their families to the White House for a bill signing Friday afternoon.


LeBron James will not be a part of the upcoming NBA Finals for the first time in nine years when the Golden State Warriors tip off against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. But that doesn't mean King James is mourning his first postseason absence since 2006. To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, LeBron spent time listening to his friend D.J. Meel spin Nipsey Hussle records while smoking cigars with Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. During a video that Meel posted on Instagram, you can also see LeBron and his former teammate, Tristan Thompson, breaking it down on the backyard dance floor in the Los Angeles. Bron, Brodie, and CP3 chillin' in LA, listening to Nipsey. (via @KingJames ) pic.twitter.com/8tbX8omFp7 - Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 28, 2019 Work right now pic.twitter.com/ySd1oZerZm - Meel (@djmeel) May 28, 2019 So even though Magic Johnson abruptly resigned, his former coach passed on the Lakers job and the Warriors will look to three-peat without him having a say in the outcome, don't cry for LeBron James. From the looks of things, it's more than all good in California these days. MORE: Draymond Green to LeBron James' 14-Year-Old Son: "I'm at Your F--king Neck This Summer" 'Jeopardy' star James Holzhauer fell just short of breaking his own ridiculous record Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics Jimmy Butler would reportedly like playing with LeBron James NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


Video by Bloomberg Warren Buffett is arguably the greatest investor of our time. With around $10,000 to his name in the mid-1950s, the Oracle of Omaha, as he's now known, has grown his net worth to more than $84 billion. And, mind you, this is a modest figure, given the tens of billions of dollars Buffett has generously given to charity over the years. If not for his ongoing philanthropic contributions, he might very well dethrone Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as the richest man on Earth. Buffett, who has helmed conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway as its CEO for almost 50 years, is an interesting case. Whereas every method under the sun has been seemingly tested to beat the stock market and get rich, Buffett has done so by simply focusing on value, buying solid companies, and hanging onto them for very long periods. Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo, for example, have been staples of the Berkshire Hathaway investment portfolio for more than 30 years. And with the book value of Berkshire Hathaway gaining 1,091,899% since 1965 (through Dec. 31, 2018), who's to argue with his performance? When Buffett speaks, Wall Street listens Not surprisingly, this has created quite the following for the Oracle of Omaha. Every year, when Berkshire Hathaway hosts its annual stockholder meeting, tens of thousands of shareholders, enthusiasts, and press alike, descend on Omaha, Nebraska, to hear Buffett's latest musings on stocks, the economy, and Berkshire's performance. Aside from Berkshire's more than $212 billion investment portfolio, the conglomerate also owns more than five dozen businesses in an array of sectors and industries, with a core focus on finance. Suffice it to say Buffett is an investing icon -- and he's often known for his bullish stance on the economy and long-term outlook for businesses. Here's just a small snippet of some commonly quoted Buffett blurbs: "If you aren't willing to own a stock for 10 years, don't even think about owning it for 10 minutes." "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." "When we own portion of outstanding businesses with outstanding managements, our favorite holding period is forever." This confidence in the U.S. economy, and in the stock market gaining value over the long run, has defined Buffett's approach to value investing for decades. However, Buffett's words and his actions have been at odds for a while , and it just might be a silent warning that investors should take note of. Buffett's inaction is a warning to investors Last weekend, Berkshire Hathaway released its second-quarter operating results, which featured, among other highlights, a record $122.4 billion in accumulated cash and cash equivalents. While cash is king, this isn't the case for an investment company like Berkshire Hathaway that aims to put its capital to work in companies that it views as lucratively valued. Whether it's making direct investments in businesses, or acquiring them outright, as Berkshire has done dozens of times before, this cash pile, in Buffett's own previous words, would be better off closer to $30 billion. So why has Berkshire's cash level risen to an all-time record? The simple answer is that Buffett and his team haven't made a needle-moving purchase since acquiring Precision Castparts about 3.5 years ago. Buffett has made clear that the only acquisitions he's interested in are those that'll move the needle for megacap company Berkshire Hathaway. While this is perfectly sound reasoning for not having pulled the trigger on any major deals, it's also a silent warning to investors that Buffett and his team don't see any intriguing values at the moment. Another way of rephrasing this statement: Stock market valuations aren't attractive. And it's not just Buffett's growing cash hoard that's been doing the talking. Berkshire Hathaway was a net-seller of equities during the first quarter, and according to Investor's Business Daily was an even steeper net-seller of stocks during the second quarter. That's exceptionally uncharacteristic of Buffett, who is known for his long-term approach to investing. Furthermore, Berkshire Hathaway also decreased its share buybacks during the second quarter, despite previous rumblings that it could get more aggressive on the buyback front. The company repurchased $400 million shares of its own stock in Q2, down from $1.7 billion worth of shares in the sequential first quarter. In other words, all of Buffett's actions would appear to suggest that the Oracle of Omaha doesn't view the stock market as all that attractive right now. Of course, that's nothing Buffett would ever come out and say. But his actions are speaking much louder than his words at the moment, and investors would be wise to take note. John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Sean Williams has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon and Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool has the following options: short January 2021 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares) and long January 2021 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares).


There has been unprecedented movement of NBA stars in recent years. It's not over. It's never over. The churn is eternal thanks to shorter NBA contracts, a player mindset that is less wed to the concept of staying with a single franchise over an entire career, and teams willing to make big shake-ups to get value for players they anticipate could leave. But because so many stars have so recently left their teams via trade or free agency, we're running low on additional targets. Here are our guesses on the next three stars to change teams. (This list is excepting Chris Paul , whose status as a star is beginning to fade substantially at age 34 and who is definitely on the move, likely soon, after being traded from the Rockets to the Thunder in the Russell Westbrook deal . It would be cheating a little bit to list him here   in fact, he could be traded between the time this is written and the time you read it! That's also sort of the beauty of this new player movement era: everything is fluid and constantly shifting.) With that in mind ... Bradley Beal Beal just missed out on the All NBA team, which would have qualified him for a supermax extension to go into effect for the 2021-22 season. He's set to earn $56 million over the next two seasons, and he's by far the best thing the Wizards have going given John Wall 's heartbreaking injury issues and albatross contract. There's a belief that the Wizards want to hold onto Beal and think they can convince him to re-sign with D.C., but is that a risk worth carrying into the summer of 2021? Every day that passes gets Beal a day closer to free agency, and trading him sooner rather than later is most likely to maximize the value of the return package. Of course, the decision on whether to trade Beal needs to come from the top, and the Wizards are still rolling with an interim general manager in Tommy Sheppard, as they have all summer after parting ways with longtime boss Ernie Grunfeld. If that's a hint toward indecisiveness, we could be waiting on resolution for Beal for a long, long time. Kevin Love Love is wildly out of place on a rebuilding Cavaliers team. He's really darn good and perfectly placed in the modern NBA as a flexible scoring big man. His contract is large ($120 million over the next four years) and he turns 31 in two months. The Cavaliers are also paying major luxury tax on a bad roster and could stand to cut salary during the rebuild. Leveraging Love could help that. It's a little amazing that so many teams with substantial cap space blew it on mid-tier players early in July instead of hanging out to see if Love could be had for cap space and picks. Now, most teams in the Love hunt would need to send salary back to Cleveland, which makes the move less attractive from the Cavaliers' perspective. What a pickle! Love could be a solution for a would-be contender that isn't jelling, or a smart play for a team that is surprisingly in the mix. Part of me thinks he ends up with the Warriors in a multi-team D'Angelo Russell or Draymond Green trade. Speaking of which ... Draymond Green Green is the only player on our abbreviated list approaching free agency. Green will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career in 2020, and it remains the case that he's the core Warrior most likely to depart. Why? There are a few reasons. First, Green 's value is the most likely to falter. He didn't start last season in shape and it showed. That's what made his late-season revival (after a crash diet) so magical: he was the Draymond of old, almost suddenly. Can the Warriors expect that every single night? Second, Green has had some run-ins with Steve Kerr and the front office. Don't forget that the Warriors suspended Green one game when he had his public screaming match with Kevin Durant last season. I promise you Green hasn't forgotten. Third, Green is signed to Klutch Sports. Rich Paul 's players move. A lot. Rich Paul 's players don't take pay cuts, unless it's to play with the ultimate Rich Paul client, LeBron James . Hmm. The Warriors could trade Green or he could walk in free agency. Neither would surprise me. But either would sound the bells for the true Warriors core, with no offense to Durant , Andre Iguodala , or Shaun Livingston. Without Green, the Warriors will be intrinsically different. Without the Warriors, Green will be intrinsically different. For that reason, this relationship might last beyond the summer of 2020. Stranger things have happened. But on paper, it looks like Green is one of the next big stars to show up in a new jersey. Related slideshow: NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


Brazil superstar Neymar has been ruled out of this summer's Copa America on home soil after suffering ankle ligament damage in the Seleção's penultimate warm-up game against Qatar. Neymar was withdrawn less than 20 minutes into the game in Brasilia, which the home side won 2-0 thanks to goals from Premier League pair Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison, and was evaluated by medical staff, undergoing a scan to assess the extent of a damage. A statement from the CBF has revealed that the worst fears have been realised, with the 27-year-old suffering a rupture to the ligament in his ankle. The seriousness of the injury means he will not recover in time for the Copa America, which begins in just eight days. As such, Neymar , who was recently stripped of the national team captaincy, has been forced to withdraw from the squad. A replacement will be confirmed following a meeting of the Seleção's technical committee. At club level for Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar had only returned to action in May after a second broken foot in as many years had kept him out since January. Brazil are looking to lift a ninth Copa America trophy this summer and maintain a remarkable record of winning the competition every time it has ever been held on Brazilian soil, having previously emerged victorious in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989. The hosts face Bolivia in the opening game in Sao Paulo on 14 June.


Britain's Merlin Entertainments, owner of Madame Tussauds waxworks and the London Eye Ferris wheel, was snapped up Friday by Lego's Danish parent Kirkbi for £5.9 billion ($7.5 billion, 6.6 billion euros) including debt. Kirkbi, the investment vehicle of Lego's Danish founding family, said in a statement that it will purchase the entertainment and theme park company in a consortium alongside US private equity group Blackstone and Canadian pension fund CPPIB. The equity value of the deal is £5.0 billion. Kirkbi already owns almost 30 percent of Merlin following the sale of Legoland Parks to the London-listed group in 2005. "Merlin is a global leader in location based, family entertainment, with a unique portfolio of brands and attractions spanning 25 countries and four continents, and with a proven strategy that has delivered over many years," said Merlin chairman John Sunderland. He added: "The Merlin independent directors believe this offer represents an opportunity for Merlin shareholders to realise value for their investment in cash at an attractive valuation. "We are therefore unanimously recommending it to our shareholders." The consortium offered 455 pence per share in cash for Merlin, which also owns popular theme parks Alton Towers and Chessington World of Adventure in Britain, Gardaland in Italy and Heide Park in Germany. That marked a significant premium to the stock's closing level on Thursday of 395 pence. The news, confirming overnight media reports, sent Merlin's share price soaring 14 percent to just below the offer price at 450.30 pence, in Friday morning deals on London's rising second-tier FTSE 250 index. Kirkbi chief executive Soren Thorup Sorensen said the acquisition would enable the combined group to enter a new growth phase. "With a shared understanding of the business and its culture, we believe that this group of investors has the unique collective resources necessary to equip Merlin ... for their next phase of growth. "We are committed to ensuring Legoland and the other activities in Merlin reach their full potential, which we believe is best pursued under private ownership, in order to deliver fantastic experiences to visitors of all ages around the world," he said. Merlin was founded in 1999 and floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2013. The British group booked sales of £1.65 billion in 2018, when it welcomed a total of 67 million visitors to its popular tourist attractions around the world. Kirkbi, which is backed by Denmark's billionaire Kiristiansen family, owns a controlling 75-percent stake in iconic toy giant Lego. "As the long-term owner of the Lego brand and as a strategic shareholder in Merlin since 2005, we have great pride and passion for this amazing company, its management team and its employees," added Sorensen on Friday.


Looking to uncover all that Wedgwood has to offer? Get to know this Fort Worth neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a restaurant specializing in Southern-style seafood fare to a bicycle retail establishment. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best places to visit in Wedgwood, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Mexican Restaurant Perez Topping the list is Latin American and Mexican eatery Mexican Restaurant Perez . Located at 3702 Altamesa Blvd., Suite 9, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 20 reviews on Yelp. This well-loved cafe serves authentic Mexican cuisine, including classic dishes such as tortas, enchiladas rojas, flautas, nachos, fajitas, tacos and chile rellenos. 2. Krispy Catfish Next up is traditional American fast food joint Krispy Catfish , offering seafood and more, situated at 6208 McCart Ave. With four stars out of 52 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. According to its website , Krispy Catfish is a contemporary Southern seafood restaurant with an emphasis on fresh, quality ingredients and top-tier service. Menu items include catfish and seafood baskets, chicken wings, hush puppies, fried okra and pecan pie. 3. Bicycles Inc. Bike shop Bicycles Inc. is another outstanding choice. Yelpers give the retail store, located at 5125 Granbury Road, 4.5 stars out of 19 reviews. Bicycles Inc. caters to virtually any bike-related need   this bike emporium offers an extensive selection of bicycles, summer and winter cycling clothing, parts, accessories, repair services and more. 4. SOI Brow Threading Finally, SOI Brow Threading , a waxing and eyebrow threading salon, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 40 Yelp reviews. Head over to 5028 Trl Lake Drive to try it out for yourself. Open since 2006, this salon focuses on hair removal services such as waxing and threading, along with other beauty treatments like tinting, facials and eyelash services. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Holly Nunn is expecting her first baby in September, so it was with a bright pink shirt and a protruding belly that she joined an abortion rights rally outside the US Supreme Court on Tuesday. "I'm here protesting today because no one should be forced to be pregnant when they don't want to be, and right now our right to make that most basic, fundamental decision is under attack," she said. Nunn was one of the many abortion rights supporters who gathered at statehouses, town squares and courthouses across the United States in a show of opposition to a wave of laws attempting to sharply restrict abortion. "We will not go back," protesters in Charlotte, North Carolina, chanted. "My voice, my choice," protesters outside the Georgia state Capitol in Atlanta shouted. More than 50 organizations -- including the American Civil Liberties Union and NARAL Pro-Choice America -- are participating in #StopTheBans protests nationwide. Rallies began taking place at noon local time in almost all 50 states . "Across the country, we are seeing a new wave of extreme bans on abortion, stripping away reproductive freedom and representing an all-out assault on abortion access," organizers said. "This is Trump's anti-choice movement... and it's terrifying, particularly for women of color and low-income women who are most affected by these bans." The Georgia protesters carried signs that read "Stop the bans" and "Don't take away our care." They also targeted lawmakers who recently passed a restrictive "heartbeat" abortion law with chants of "What do we do? Stand up, fight back!" A number of Democratic presidential contenders joined the protests, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Washington. "I stand in solidarity with those across the country to #StopTheBans," Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted . "We will fight with everything we've got to protect a woman's right to make her own health care decisions." Reaction to Alabama's restrictions Last week, Alabama enacted the strictest abortion law in the country . It would make abortion illegal in virtually all cases, including cases of rape and incest. The new law says doctors who perform an abortion could face up to 99 years in prison , punishments similar to penalties for rapists and murderers. But due to legal challenges, it could be years before Alabama's law takes effect -- if it ever does at all. The 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in all states up to a certain point of viability. However, with President Donald Trump's appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the high court, anti-abortion advocates believe they may have enough votes to overturn that decision. The Alabama legislation was designed specifically to go to the Supreme Court and challenge Roe v. Wade , said Eric Johnston, president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, which helped draft the Alabama bill. But it can take years for the Supreme Court to hear a case, if it chooses to hear the case at all. The nation's highest court decides which cases it wants to take. Fetal heartbeat bills Georgia is one of the latest states to enact a so-called "heartbeat law," meaning virtually all abortions are illegal once a heartbeat is detected. That can be as early as six weeks, which is before an embryo becomes a fetus , according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Several states already have passed similar laws, including Mississippi and Ohio. And more states, including Missouri and Louisiana , could soon enact similar "heartbeat" bills. None of these states have managed to put the law into practice though , and they have often been struck down as unconstitutional in court. In January, for example, an Iowa judge struck down that state's heartbeat bill, and on Tuesday, a federal judge in Mississippi expressed deep skepticism about the legality of that state's heartbeat bill. Also on Tuesday, the Nevada Assembly passed a bill that rewrites existing state abortion laws requiring physicians tell a pregnant woman about the "emotional implications" of an abortion. Instead, doctors are to only "describe the nature and consequences of the procedure." Physicians would no longer have to certify in writing a pregnant woman's marital status and age before performing an abortion. The bill also decriminalizes certain actions related to performing abortions, abortion drugs, and abortion prosecution. Abortion rights activists say these kinds of restrictive laws are attempts to end Roe v. Wade. "We will show up to speak out and fight back against this unconstitutional attempt to gut Roe and punish women," organizers of Tuesday's protests said. "Politicians shouldn't be making decisions best left to women, their families, and their doctors." The National Right to Life -- the largest anti-abortion organization in the country -- said it is fighting a different kind of national wave. "We bet you are frustrated. You are frustrated with the extreme pro-abortion agenda that seems to be taking over our country," Right to Life previously tweeted. It called for supporters to attend its national convention in July.