Facebook Inc. uncovered emails that appear to connect Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to potentially problematic privacy practices at the company, according to people familiar with the matter. Within the company, the unearthing of the emails in the process of responding to a continuing federal privacy investigation has raised concerns that they would be harmful to Facebook at least from a public-relations standpoint if they were to become public, one of the people said. The potential impact of the internal emails has been a factor in the tech giant's desire to reach a speedy settlement of the investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, one of the people said. Facebook is operating under a 2012 consent decree with the agency related to privacy, and the emails sent around that time suggest that Mr. Zuckerberg and other senior executives didn't make compliance with the FTC order a priority, the people said. It couldn't be determined exactly what emails the agency has requested and how many of them relate to Mr. Zuckerberg. Get news and analysis on politics, policy, national security and more, delivered right to your inbox The FTC investigation began more than a year ago after reports that personal data of tens of millions of Facebook users improperly wound up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica, a data firm that worked on President Trump's 2016 campaign. The FTC is investigating whether that lapse violated the 2012 consent decree with the agency in which Facebook agreed to better protect user privacy. Since the Cambridge Analytica affair, other privacy missteps have come to light, adding to Facebook's headaches. Facebook has been eager to strike a deal with the FTC and put the Cambridge Analytica scandal behind it. The firm said in April it was expecting to pay up to $5 billion as part of an accord with the agency. "We have fully cooperated with the FTC's investigation to date and provided tens of thousands of documents, emails and files. We are continuing to work with them and hope to bring this matter to an appropriate resolution," a Facebook spokesperson said on Tuesday in a statement. On Wednesday, after publication of this article, the company sent an additional statement, saying: "At no point did Mark or any other Facebook employee knowingly violate the company's obligations under the FTC consent order nor do any emails exist that indicate they did." It couldn't be determined whether any of the emails which have been described by people familiar with them but not reviewed by The Wall Street Journal reveal practices that violated the 2012 accord. Any evidence that Mr. Zuckerberg was directly involved in a potential failure on Facebook's part to honor the terms of its consent decree with the FTC could complicate efforts on both sides to resolve the matter. At least some internal emails already provided to the agency show Facebook grappling with gray areas in how it should address privacy under the consent order, with Mr. Zuckerberg closely involved, according to people familiar with the messages. Related video: Why you can't win at privacy whac-a-mole In one email exchange from April 2012 that has caught regulators' attention, according to a person familiar with the matter, Mr. Zuckerberg asked employees about an app that claimed to have built a database stocked with information about tens of millions of Facebook users. The developer had the ability to display that user information to others on its own site, regardless of those users' privacy settings on Facebook, the person said. Mr. Zuckerberg wanted to know if such extensive data collection was possible and if Facebook should do anything to stop developers from displaying that data, the person said. Another employee responded to Mr. Zuckerberg's question, saying it was possible and many developers do the same thing but adding it was a complicated issue, the person said. The discussion continued without Mr. Zuckerberg or anyone else suggesting by email that the company investigate how many other apps were stockpiling user data, the person said. Eventually Facebook suspended the app in question, the person said, adding that it didn't move aggressively to address the broader problem. At the time, Facebook executives were largely focused on increasing the company's user base and adding advertisers, and appeared to be less diligent about enforcing its data-use rules, developers and former employees have said. The company had repeatedly said it was too slow to react to privacy and security issues. That email exchange occurred after the FTC's consent decree had been announced but before it went into effect. The decree says Facebook must honor a user's privacy settings and not share data without a user's explicit permission. If it had been in effect at the time, the stockpiling of such user data would potentially have violated it. Mr. Zuckerberg's message seemed to indicate he was aware of that, according to the person who was familiar with the exchange. FTC staffers have been exploring the episode as part of the investigation, the person said. A multibillion-dollar civil penalty would be a record for the FTC, but the agency is under pressure from some lawmakers to extract more punitive terms or litigate the matter, since even such a large financial penalty would inflict little pain on the tech giant. Some FTC officials have debated whether to name Mr. Zuckerberg as a respondent in the complaint that would be filed by the agency as part of a settlement. If there are documents suggesting Facebook and Mr. Zuckerberg specifically didn't take regulators seriously, that could complicate those discussions. There is no indication that any of the documents turned over to the FTC show that. Facebook has vigorously opposed any efforts to hold Mr. Zuckerberg personally liable as part of a settlement, according to people familiar with the matter. The FTC alternative of suing Facebook in court holds risks for both sides. Even if it were to win, the agency would likely obtain far less in both monetary penalties and operational changes at Facebook than it could gain through a settlement, legal observers have said. For Facebook, those people said, litigation would make emails involving Mr. Zuckerberg and other senior executives more likely to become public, possibly casting doubt on the company's renewed public commitment to privacy. Mr. Zuckerberg, who last year said he made a "huge mistake" in not focusing on user privacy earlier, has been talking about charting a new path for Facebook. He announced earlier this year that the company would pivot toward encrypted and ephemeral messaging products and would support the U.S. government imposing personal-data protection along the lines of Europe's existing laws. Legal and political efforts in numerous jurisdictions are continuing to explore the company's past practices. Sealed American court documents obtained and made public by the British Parliament show Facebook sought to expand its access to users' data without informing them and snooped on mobile phone users' activities on other platforms. In the U.S., the attorney general of Washington, D.C., Karl Racine, is suing the company over the Cambridge Analytica matter, alleging in a recent filing that Facebook's staffers were aware that its data was being misused for political purposes as early as 2015. Facebook is fighting the D.C. lawsuit and has disputed that the company knew of the Cambridge Analytica misconduct in 2015. The company has called the documents obtained by U.K. officials "cherry-picked" and misleading.


That "healthy" yogurt parfait contains an entire day's worth of sugar. These sneaky foods are making you gain weight, according to an R.D. No single food in isolation of everything else you eat is going to make you gain (or lose!) weight. But often, the same barrier stumps so many people when it comes to weight loss and healthier eating: sneaky sources of added sugar or saturated fat lurking throughout the pantry, fridge, or freezer. Many times these foods are marketed as healthier options , leading you to buy them for their purported benefits   but actually, you might've been much more satisfied if you'd chosen the real thing instead. Other times, they're foods that have replaced the calories coming from one type of nutrient with another. For example, keto snacks swap sugar for high-fat coconut oil or butter; low-fat foods swap fat for added sugar. Read labels carefully   especially anything with a "free," "low," or "less" claim   to make sure you're making a choice that works best for you. My best tip: Prioritize real, wholesome foods in their closest-to-intended state as often as possible. (The only ingredient in your peanut butter should be peanuts!) The fewer the ingredients, generally the better it is for you. This helps you get super picky about what you're really in the mood to eat, while helping you determine what choices will maximize your enjoyment and minimize self-sabotage. Sugary Cereal Cereals are deceptive for two reasons: First, many are secret sugar bombs, especially if you aren't sticking to the suggested serving size. Second, because sugary cereals are sometimes low in fiber, they can leave you ravenous when lunch is hours away. Coconut Oil Coconut oil was never the elixir it was touted to be at 117 calories, 14 grams total fat, and 12 grams saturated fat (60% of the daily value) per one tablespoon. The bottom line is that having a tablespoon a day is unlikely to harm anyone, but there's no data to support coconut oil as a cure-all. Agave Nectar Your body processes sweeteners like agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, evaporated cane juice, and corn syrup pretty much the same way as it does plain, old white or brown sugar   so you should watch how much you eat or drink no matter which type is used. Like regular sugar, agave syrup contains about 45 60 calories per tablespoon. Bottled Smoothies and Juices Fruit smoothies and juices are often just extra-sugary versions of a previously good-for-you foods. Look for blended bevs under 12 grams of sugar a pop to ensure that your snack contains more protein than sweet stuff. It'll help you stay satisfied and keep cravings at bay. Bulletproof Coffee Bulletproof coffee is a breakfast drink that some fans claim boosts energy, improves focus, and makes you feel full. The original version sold by the Bulletproof brand combines 2 cups coffee , 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, and 2 tablespoons MCT oil sold as trademarked Brain Octane . If you're following that recipe, the coffee will contain 250 500 calories, assuming you're not adding collagen protein powder or other mix-ins. Processed Snack Packs Eliminate lunchbox meals with processed meat and cheese from your grocery list ASAP. They're filled with sodium and saturated fat, and provide little to no fiber. In fact, many versions of these processed snack products can set you back 600 milligrams of sodium   that's about 30% of your recommended daily amount! Gluten-Free Packaged Foods If you're among the 1% of Americans suffering from celiac disease (or a diagnosed gluten intolerance), gluten-free alternatives can serve as amazing substitutes! However, there's nothing necessarily healthier about gluten-free pasta compared to regular pasta. In fact, it's likely lower in protein and fiber than its whole-wheat alternative. The same goes for breads, cookies, and other gluten-free products. The calorie counts usually remain the same, but you may eat more of the gluten-free one because it appears "healthier." So unless you're suffering from celiac disease, you're not doing yourself any favors opting for a gluten-free version. Premade Cocktail Mixers Margarita and bloody mary mixes are top offenders, but even healthy-sounding options can be total sugar bombs, setting you back up to 60 grams per 12-ounce cocktail. Stick to a clear spirit on the rocks or a glass of wine so you can save the sweets for where they belong (at dessert). Protein Shakes Protein shakes do have a place in a life (like if you're having trouble chewing), but most of us add them to our day instead of swapping them in. Most hover between 250-600 calories per 16-ounce serving, making them a hearty snack for some and a mini-meal for others. Check labels on any protein powder to make sure you're choosing ones with minimal added sugar. And if you're drinking them as post-workout fuel, you may be better off with a piece of fruit and cheese to tide you over until meal time. Granola Bars Some are better than others, but my biggest gripe with breakfast bars is their promise of being  satisfying.  With too little protein, fiber, and fat, many simply won't fill you up. Look for ones that provide at least 4 grams each of protein and fiber, and less than 6 grams of added sugar per serving. The first ingredient should be an actual food ( e.g., almonds, dates, apples) and skip ones that contain a protein-isolate. Plan on adding nuts, nut butter, hard-boiled-eggs, or unsweetened low-fat latte to your breakfast as well. Tomato Sauce Tomato sauce can be a healthy, low-calorie cooking addition, but it's another one where label reading is key," says London. Many tomato sauce brands contain added sugar and tons of sodium which basically adds up to unnecessary calories and bloating. Carob Carob is often touted as a healthier alternative to chocolate , but in reality, it contains the same number of calories (150 per 1-ounce serving) and it lacks the health benefits linked to modest chocolate intake (including lowering your risk of obesity and heart disease). The only difference is that carob is caffeine-free, which can be beneficial if you're sensitive to the stimulant. But if you're trying to lose weight, you'll want to limit your intake of both carob and chocolate. Non-Dairy Cheese This is another example where you might assume the alternative version has fewer calories than the original   but it doesn't. Vegan cheese still has about 100 calories per ounce, just like the regular kind, and it's loaded with fake ingredients such as starch, xanthan gum, and protein isolates. Additionally, you're losing the protein-rich benefit of the real deal: String cheese has 1 grams of protein, whereas a serving of vegan cheese contains about 1 gram   so you won't even feel as full from each serving. Matcha and Chai Tea Lattes Not only does a sweetened tea latte contain almost triple the sugar found in a regular coffee latte, but a 16-ounce chai has up to double the amount in an entire bag of Peanut M&M's! My advice for a go-to order? Have a small cappuccino with whole milk or low-fat milk. Then flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, powdered cocoa, or vanilla powder without worrying about added sweetener. Keto and Paleo Products Both keto and paleo snacks often come loaded with saturated fat, and while they may contain less sugar than other alternatives, they're also much lower in fiber than nutritious, 100% whole-grain (or veggie, legume, or fruit-based) options. Yogurt Parfaits If you're on the run, grab the plate from the cold case instead. The cheese will fill you up with protein and some fat, while the fruit offers a little bonus fiber. Steer clear of those parfaits, though. They're usually veritable sugar bombs from pre-sweetened yogurt, with an average cup containing a whopping 60 grams of sugar. That's more than the recommended amount for an entire day ! Processed Meat Substitutes Plant-based protein that's used to create something new   and therefore highly processed   is susceptible to being loaded with sodium and saturated fat. For example, the Impossible Burger contains about about 16% of your recommended daily value for sodium, compared to just 4% in plain beef   plus 2 more grams of saturated fat from the added coconut oil despite a similar number of calories. Sodium-Filled Snacks Sodium-filled foods can lead to increased thirst   a symptom we often confuse with hunger. Plus, salty snacks can be pretty protein- and fiber-less, which can quickly add calories without adding much by way of nutritional value. Drink 16 ounces of H2O before you start snacking and choose 100% whole-grain versions where possible to help you truly determine the difference between hunger and thirst. CBD Food and Drinks Products with CBD often contain ingredients that'll make anything taste better, like added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat-filled oils. Also, there currently aren't any dosage guidelines or guarantees that a product even contains as much CBD as it says it does. Another factor to consider: Your body can use only a fraction ( less than 20% ) of the CBD it digests. Salad With Dressing on the Side Listen up, folks: no more ordering dressing on the side, asking for burgers without the bun, or missing out on experiences because you're saving calories. When we restrict items like these, we often wind up overdoing it later on in our day. Eating real food and sharing meals should be joyful, fulfilling, and enriching, so know that it's okay to go for it if that's what you're really in the mood for.


England have confirmed the shirt number that the 23 players called up to represent the Lionesses will be wearing the Women's World Cup in France this summer, potentially indicating which players are likely to be in manager Phil Neville's preferred starting XI. The squad was announced earlier this month in unique fashion via social media as various famous faces from the world of entertainment and sport were brought on board. 🔒Locked in: our OFFICIAL @FIFAWWC squad numbers 🔒 pic.twitter.com/sf5yjyXyva   Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 16, 2019 Now it has been revealed which shirt numbers have been assigned to each player. Having faced competition for her starting place from Carly Telford, goalkeeper Karen Bardsley has retained the number one jersey for third consecutive World Cup. Chelsea centre-back Millie Bright has been given the number six shirt, suggesting she might be the preferred partner for captain Steph Houghton at the heart of the defence. What a day. 23 names. 23 announcements. One team. #BeReady pic.twitter.com/HTMhRJYHy3   Lionesses (@Lionesses) May 8, 2019 Elsewhere, Manchester United's Alex Greenwood could be the starting left-back after getting the number three shirt ahead of Manchester City's Demi Stokes, who wore it at Euro 2017. Manchester City starlet Keira Walsh will wear the number four shirt at her first senior international tournament after establishing herself as a regular in the team. Star names Lucy Bronze , Nikita Parris and Fran Kirby will wear numbers two, seven and 10 respectively, as they usually do for England. # Player Position  1 Karen Bardsley Goalkeeper 2 Lucy Bronze Defender 3 Alex Greenwood Defender 4 Keira Walsh Midfielder 5 Steph Houghton Defender 6 Millie Bright Defender 7 Nikita Parris Forward 8 Jill Scott Midfielder 9 Jodie Taylor Forward 10 Fran Kirby Forward 11 Toni Duggan Forward 12 Demi Stokes Defender 13 Carly Telford Goalkeeper 14 Leah Williamson Defender 15 Abbie McManus Defender 16 Jade Moore Midfielder 17 Rachel Daly Defender 18 Ellen White Forward 19 Georgia Stanway Midfielder 20 Karen Carney Midfielder 21 Mary Earps Goalkeeper 22 Beth Mead Forward 23 Lucy Staniforth Midfielder England will face two World Cup warm up games against Denmark and New Zealand on 25 May and 1 June respectively, before beginning their tournament against Scotland in Nice on 9 June. England also opened their Euro 2017 campaign against Scotland two years ago and thrashed their neighbours 6-0 en-route to the semi finals of the competition.


The Indianapolis Colts have several young players looking to make a bigger impact in 2019, including the likes of defensive end Kemoko Turay. Turay, who was a second-round pick in the 2018 draft, has a chance to carve out a serious role in the front seven for the Colts. His game as a speed rusher gives him a unique skill set in the gap-shooting defensive line. If the unit is to take a step forward in 2019, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes the key is the development of Turay . "As great as general manager Chris Ballard's 2018 draft class looks now, it could look even better after the 2019 season. Turay was off to a fast start as a rookie second-round pick before an injury slowed his progress and apparently impacted his practice effort. Still, he put up 38 pressures on only 383 total defensive snaps and may have the most pure edge-rushing talent of anyone on the entire team, outside of free agent pickup Justin Houston. Yet another 2018 Colts second-rounder (Tyquan Lewis) will also vie for snaps at end and inside, but Turay has the biggest upside to help the Colts at a position where they could use more playmaking." Turay appeared to be on his way to enjoying a successful rookie campaign working from the edge but an injury kept him from making a significant impact along the front seven. The 23-year-old finished with 4.0 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in 14 games played during his rookie season. He held a rotational role on the edge with Al-Quadin Muhammad and Tyquan Lewis for the majority of the season. The Colts need the pass rush to improve if the defense is going to take a step forward in 2019, and Turay's development as a player will have an impact in that process for the upcoming season. MORE: 'Jeopardy' fans ripped James Holzhauer for how he said Dr. Dre's name but here's why he did it Former NFL great Mark Gastineau has a GoFundMe for the fight of his life Spurs' DeMar DeRozan 'possibly could be on the trade block' to Lakers How the Bulls can help the Lakers facilitate an Anthony Davis trade Packers DC Mike Pettine 'very encouraged' by OLB room


A toddler was found by security wandering alone on the 18th floor of the Enclave Silver Spring apartments around 8:40 a.m. Sunday. Police said he's two-to-three years old, and was unable to tell them where he lives. Attempts by police to find his parents or guardians were unsuccessful. But his parents have since been located. The child was transported to the Third District station, where he was cared for by police until his parents or guardians were found. RELATED: CRITICAL MISSING: 16-year-old girl from Northeast Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter : Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.


The final hours for China's Tiangong-2 space station are at hand, as the 8-ton piece of hardware will fall to earth, or rather sea, some time in the next 20 hours or so in a controlled deorbit manuever. But unlike with its predecessor, it isn't a mystery where this particular piece of space debris is going to fall. Tiangong-2 is a small space station that was put into orbit in 2016 to test a number of China's orbital technologies; it was originally planned to stay up there for two years, but as many a well-engineered piece of space kit has done, it greatly exceeded its expected lifespan and has been operational for more than a thousand days now. Chinese Taikonauts have visited the station to perform experiments, test tools, orbital refueling, and all that sort of thing. But it's not nearly as well equipped as the International Space Station, nor as spacious   and that's saying something   so they only stayed a month, and even that must have been pretty grueling. The time has come, however, for Tiangong-2 to be deorbited and, naturally, destroyed in the process. The China National Space Administration indicated that the 18-meter-wide station and solar panels will mostly burn up during reentry, but that a small amount of debris may fall "in a safe area in the South Pacific," specifying a rather large area that does technically include quite a bit of New Zealand. (160-190°W long by 30-45°S lat) They did not specify when exactly it would be coming down, except that it would be during July 19 Beijing time (it's already morning there at the time of publishing). It should produce a visible streak but not anything you'll see if you aren't looking for it. This visualization from The Aerospace Company shows how the previous, very similar station would break up: It'll be different this time around but you get a general idea. That's much better than Tiangong-1, which stopped responding to its operators after several years and as such could not be deliberately guided into a safe reentry path. Instead it just slowly drifted down until people were pretty sure it would be reentering sometime in the following few days   and it did. There was never any real danger that the bus-sized station would land on anyone, but it's just fundamentally a little unnerving not knowing where the thing would be coming down. This isn't the last Tiangong; Tiangong-3 is planned for a 2020 launch, and will further inform the Chinese engineers and astronauts in their development of a more full-featured space station planned for a couple years down the line. Controlled deorbit is the responsible thing to do, not to mention just plain polite, and the CNSA is doing the right thing here. All the same, Kiwis should probably carry umbrellas tomorrow.


DAYTONA BEACH   Just in time for New Year's Eve in 1943, a new dance hall overlooking the Halifax River on Orange Avenue opened for the first time. Constructed with $34,000 that mostly came from the federal government, it was a place where American soldiers could throw back a few drinks and swing dance one last time before heading to war zones across the globe. In the decades after World War II, the big band music faded and people walking across the large open wood floor were there for everything from elections to yoga classes to the city's annual Christmas party that packed in more than 900 employees. At some point over the past 76 years, the charm of the structure a half block east of Beach Street got lost in rotting wood and a pervasive musty stench. The city-owned building has been closed for seven years now, and it's plagued with mold, water damage, buckling floorboards and peeling paint. It's boarded shut, and used only by termites, rodents and the occasional homeless person who slips into the crawlspace below the building constructed on pilings. Last fall, city officials were poised to tear down what has become known as the City Island Recreation Center. When some local residents pleaded for a stay of execution, city leaders hired an architect and engineer who thoroughly examined the 6,000-square-foot building and estimated what various levels of renovation would cost. The engineer-architect duo, who together were paid $25,000 for their work this spring, estimate renovation would cost anywhere from $762,450 to $1.5 million. The low-end cost of $762,450 would be "the absolute minimum" to allow the building to become operational again, the engineer said in his report released June 14. City Commissioner Rob Gilliland said the $762,450 option bypasses so many things   including a fire protection system with sprinklers and alarms that's not in place now, and an efficient air temperature control system that's also needed   that the realistic renovation bill would ring in at something more like $1 million. "It is absolutely not a priority for me to spend $1 million" on the recreation center, Gilliland said during a meeting last week. "The likelihood of that (building) surviving is not good." A small group of residents have spent the past year trying to prevent another push for demolition. They're spooked by the 2010 Riverfront Master Plan that shows the area the recreation center sits on covered with a new restroom building, parking and picnic lawns. They say the building is salvageable and holds too much precious local history to be reduced to rubble. "It doesn't deserve the fate it's getting," said Anne Ruby, who has been trying to save the structure that was paid for primarily with Federal Works Administration funds. "Why have we allowed a city asset to deteriorate like this? We should not have closed it and allowed it to get to this condition." Ruby is among those who want to see the small, prosaic building remain the simple community center it's been for decades. She thinks it could get plenty of use with senior citizen programs during weekdays, neighborhood meetings in the evening, and special events like art shows on weekends. A local nonprofit veterans group wants to turn it into a military museum. Others prefer the restroom and green space master plan option that's part of a broader vision to add a restaurant, boat docks and water taxi to the narrow strip of land that's currently also occupied by the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce and the old library building used now by the Daytona Tortugas baseball team for offices. The Veterans Museum and Educational Center group is pushing hardest to get inside the riverfront building. The grassroots nonprofit runs a small military museum now on the second floor of the Beach Street building that houses the Tic Toc shop. But the property owner who's been letting them operate there for free the past two years is hoping to get a paying commercial tenant in the space within the next year, so the veterans are in search of a permanent home for their soldier memorabilia, pictures and war memorial re-creations. Bob Hawes, the group's vice president and a Korean War combat veteran who served in the Army, said the recreation center is perfect. It's about the amount of space they need, it would provide much more visibility and it would be located near the veterans' memorial planned to be built at the western end of the new Orange Avenue bridge that's under construction now, the octogenarian said. "We believe it can be redone for our purposes for about $200,000," said Hawes, who is the veterans museum's director of exhibits. "The building is structurally sound." He said he can get donated building materials and price breaks from builders and developers. But beyond that, the veterans want the city to retain ownership of the building, help with renovation costs and handle major repairs. He said the city has handled all of the building's costs for 75 years, and his group is just asking for that to continue. Hawes said his group can raise money to help cover operating costs and maintenance. He said they already have $23,000, $7,000 of which was donated from a mayor's golf tournament. Even if the city just handed over the building as it is, Hawes said they'd try to handle everything alone. [ALSO READ: Daytona riverfront land effort quiet, but not secret] Mold, rodents and roof leaks While the recreation center's fate is still undecided, the 75-page report from Cocoa-based TLC Engineering Solutions makes it clear that the concrete block structure would need extensive work to be put back into use. The TLC engineer and architect with Orlando-based KMF Architects found problems both inside and outside the 1940s building. The structure is out of step with current Florida Building Code requirements, life safety egress standards and accessibility for people with disabilities, the pair determined during their late May inspections. There's a long list of things that would have to be remedied to reopen. The inspectors found lead-based paint, both white and black mold, mildew and termites. They said there's "significant indication of live rodent activity on the exterior of the building." They determined that the building's "primary structural support systems are in reasonably good condition." But they also detailed widespread water damage to everything from ceilings to walls to windows and found support structures and walls with cracks. There are openings in the roof large enough to let in sunlight and rain, and the heart-of-pine wood floor is buckling in several areas. The landings, stairs, handrails and guardrails don't meet building code requirements. Double hung wood windows "are in general in complete failure," the sun porch is almost in complete failure, and the gutters and downspouts on the north side of the building are in complete failure, according to the report. The engineer also reported that the facility's electrical and temperature control systems need to be replaced, and noted that there are "very poor building envelope and insulation conditions." It's not the place a local contractor remembers when the city hired him for building renovations in 1999. Back then, the recreation center was still being used regularly for everything from martial arts classes to square dancing. When Lloyd Davis, president of Ormond Beach-based TYL Construction, got inside he was flooded with happy childhood memories of having fun there. The 59-year-old Davis also found himself on an impromptu archeological dig when his workers started to remove some of the old walls. They found an American flag with only 48 stars, letters from the 1940s with 4-cent stamps and a poster advertising the Grand Ole Opry coming to town with information about buying tickets for $1 at a drugstore on Beach Street. "It'll be a shame if they lose the building," Davis said. The city paid Davis $38,719 to do some concrete repair, work on the glass block windows and renovate the bathrooms along with an office area. The bill this time will be much, much higher if city commissioners decide to save the building. Renovation costs would be dictated largely by what the building would be used for, building code requirements and how extensive of an overhaul the city would want to tackle. The report suggests options that would cost about $762,450, $906,450, $1.07 million and $1.5 million. If the city wanted to build a similar new structure with 100 parking spaces on another site, the engineer and architect estimated that would cost about $2.4 million. 'Money is the problem' Gilliland said the city could try to get an ECHO grant to cover or help with renovation expenses. City Commissioner Ruth Trager said there might also be historical or veterans grants available. Trager wants to try to save the structure that sits across the road from the 105-year-old Jackie Robinson Ballpark. "I think we need to get as much money as we can, and maybe that'll be enough," said Trager, who along with her husband Warren has been deeply involved in local historical organizations and efforts. "This is a historical building. It was well-used during World War II. I do think we need to keep up our history." Trager wants to keep the recreation center from getting any closer to "demolition by neglect because we didn't keep it up." But Gilliland countered that the building has been beat up by numerous hurricanes and it's been around close to eight decades. Gilliland said he understands there's history in the building but said "we just don't have the money." Mayor Derrick Henry said it makes sense to put a military museum near the veterans memorial that will be located near the new bridge. But the mayor agrees with Gilliland on the money. "By all means, I don't think we have $1 million," Henry said. City Commissioner Paula Reed thinks the building should be saved. But if the veterans are going to be the tenants she said they'll need to "do their part" financially. City Commissioner Quanita May said she doesn't know if the recreation center is "the best location" for the veterans museum. May said she's doing research to see what other locations are available. Henry said commissioners have some time to figure out what to do. "We can have a further discussion now that everyone knows what the renovation costs are," he said. "We don't have to tear down the building tomorrow." The mayor agreed a veterans museum could revitalize the struggling recreation center building and add to the downtown renaissance being sparked by the new bridge, the planned $18 million makeover of Riverfront Park and the new Brown & Brown headquarters building being built on Beach Street. "I believe it's a project that's worthy," Henry said. Gilliland agrees the museum could be a good fit in the aging city building, but said "the money is the problem." Even if renovation costs could be covered, there would be ongoing maintenance costs for the city, he said. Hawes argues the museum could be a major tourist attraction that wouldn't cost the city that much. At a recent City Commission meeting, Hawes asked commissioners if they could explain to local veterans "that the great city of Daytona Beach has no money to sponsor a veterans memorial museum, but is perfectly comfortable with spending $800,000 annually to maintain trees and shrubs in Riverfront Park." Ruby hopes the structure is just transitioning to a new chapter. "Whether it's used for the veterans museum or as a community center, it will be another reason for people to come downtown and explore Beach Street," Ruby said. "We need a variety of attractions to build a vibrant downtown. Tearing down this historic building to replace it with restrooms and parking would be a tragic waste of an historic community resource."     ©2019 The News-Journal, Daytona Beach, Fla. Visit The News-Journal, Daytona Beach, Fla. at www.news-journalonline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Colts third-round pick Bobby Okereke was investigated for sexual assault when he was in college but was never charged, a fact the Colts learned about when Okereke told them. Via Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star , Colts General Manager Chris Ballard said Okereke informed them of the investigation during an interview at the Senior Bowl, and the work they did afterward left them comfortable drafting him. " He was very honest about his side of the story and what occurred ," Ballard said Wednesday. The Colts reviewed the Title IX case, and did their own investigation. No charges were filed and no discipline was ever brought at Stanford. "We talked it through, and look, at the end of the day, it falls on me," Ballard said. "I've been fortunate here that [coach] Frank [Reich] and [team owner Jim] Mr. Irsay have great trust in our process and what we do. Ultimately, this falls on me, whether we're right or wrong at the end of the day." Ballard said Irsay was made aware of the allegations before the draft. After a complaint in 2015, Okereke went through a pair of Title IX reviews at Stanford. While three of the five-member panelists declared him guilty, the rules required a 4-1 vote to charge him. The accuser never filed criminal charges, and eventually left the school. "I don't want to sit here and act like we don't have sympathy for both sides," Ballard said. "It happened four years ago, and because there were no charges and no disciplinary action taken by the university, and because of his track record since, we felt comfortable drafting him." Okereke drew high marks for character at Stanford, where he was a team captain and spent a summer interning for former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, working in a program that aided underprivileged children.


U.S. fencers Race Imboden, Gerek Meinhardt and Nick Itkin won the men's foil team gold medal match at the Pan American Games in Lima on Friday, defeating Brazil in a dominant performance. They beat Argentina and Colombia in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, earlier in the day to advance to the final match. On the podium while the U.S. national anthem played, Imboden, a 26-year-old two-time Olympian from Brooklyn, took a knee. As he later explained on Twitter, he was proud to represent Team USA at the Games, but he wanted to use that moment to protest racism, the "mistreatment of immigrants" and President Donald Trump, "who spreads hate", and encourage gun control. While he's certainly not the first athlete to take a knee during the national anthem, he encouraged others to do the same. and a president who spreads hate are at the top of a long list. I chose to sacrifie my moment today at the top of the podium to call attention to issues that I believe need to be addressed. I encourage others to please use your platforms for empowerment and change. - Race Imboden (@Race_Imboden) August 10, 2019 Imboden's protest follows three major mass shootings in the U.S. during the last couple weeks. Three people were killed and more than a dozen were injured during a shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, 22 people were killed at an El Paso Walmart - the gunman has since confessed and admitted to targeting Mexicans - and 10 people were killed and dozens injured in a shooting in Dayton, Ohio. And Wednesday, agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrested 680 undocumented immigrants in six cities in Mississippi as the Trump administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue raids around the country. Several athletes have protested racial injustice during national anthems in recent years, notably currently unemployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick and USWNT's Megan Rapinoe , who has repeatedly explained her support for Kaepernick and opposition to the president . Tuesday at the Pan-Am Games, Imboden won a bronze medal in the men's individual foil, while his teammate, Meinhardt, won the gold. The two were also part of the group that won Team USA's first world championship in the team competition in July. MORE: Four potential Carmelo Anthony landing spots in free agency Yankees' Brett Gardner gets ejected while sitting quietly, erupts on umpire Packers training camp practice roundup: August 10 Studs and duds from Saints preseason opener vs. Vikings Funniest Antonio Brown Helmet Controversy Memes and Tweets


Milan travel to Stadio Paolo Mazza on Sunday to face SPAL in what will be a tense final day of football for the Italian giants. This battle between Serie A's fifth and 11th placed sides is massive for Milan, who need a positive result to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. They come off the back of an emphatic 2-0 win at home to 19th placed Frosinone, with goals from Krzysztof Piatek and Suso. SPAL have lost their last two games but did win three of their previous four before those losses. Check out 90min's preview of the game below. Where to Watch   When Is Kick Off? Sunday 26 May  What Time Is Kick Off? 19:30 (BST)  Where Is it Played? Stadio Paolo Mazza TV Channel/Live Stream? Premier Sports 2  Referee? Paolo Valeri Team News  Milan are without a number of key players. Lucas Paqueta is still serving a red card suspension, with Ivan Strinic, Davide Calabria, Giacomo Bonaventura and Mattia Caldara out through injury. SPAL only have a few players ruled out, including veteran centre half Felipe and experienced central midfielder Simone Missiroli. SPAL have nothing left to play for this season, and go into the clash only wanting to spoil Milan's season. Predicted Lineups  SPAL Gomis; Cionek, Vicari, Bonifazi; Lazzari, Schiattarella, Murgia, Kurtic, Fares; Floccari, Petagna.  Milan  Donnarumma; Abate, Musacchio, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessie, Bakayoko, Calhanoglu; Borini, Piatek, Suso. Head to Head Record SPAL and Milan have faced off 42 times, with Milan being dominant with 28 wins and losing only twice. The first match between these two clubs came all the way back in the 1951/52 season in a 1-1 draw at Milan. Gattuso has an impressive record against SPAL since his appointment in November 2017, winning four of the six games he has played against them. The reverse fixture earlier in the season resulted in a 2-1 victory for I Rossoneri at San Siro, with Gonzalo Higuain and Samu Castillejo scoring for Milan, and Andrea Petagna for SPAL. Suso was also sent off in the final few moments of the match after receiving two yellows. Recent Form  SPAL had been in surprisingly impressive form over the past few months, grabbing significant victories against Juventus and Lazio, saving them from a dreaded relegation dogfight. They've been scoring for fun, but as of late they've hit a bit of a speed-bump with two losses on the bounce. In their past five games in the league they've scored 12 and conceded eight. Milan on the other hand have enjoyed a recent resurgence, bouncing back from a relatively depressing past two months at San Siro which saw them slowly drop out of the top four. They have scored only five and conceded four in their past five matches in all competitions. As long as one of Atalanta or rivals Inter drop points on the final day of the season and Milan win, they'll gain a desired top four spot. Here's how both sides have fared in their past five games in all competitions.  SPAL Milan Udinese 3-2 SPAL (18/5) Milan 2-0 Frosinone (19/5) SPAL 1-2 Napoli (12/5) Fiorentina 0-1 Milan (11/5) Chievo 0-4 SPAL (4/5) Milan 2-1 Bologna (6/5) SPAL 1-1 Genoa (28/4) Torino 2-0 Milan (28/4) Empoli 2-4 SPAL (20/4) Milan 0-1 Lazio (24/4) Prediction  Milan have it all to lose in this game, as the pressure is on them to get the win to secure Champions League qualification. Milan have endured a resurgence over the past three games after being humbled by Torino, players like Suso and Piatek are back among the goals and Donnarumma is in inspired form, so this should carry them to victory. SPAL will play with no pressure and are no strangers to stealing points off the top six. Petagna has been in red-hot form of late and they should put up a resilient fight against this determined Rossoneri side. However, Milan should still come away with a victory, being spurred on by the opportunity of a top four spot, leaving it down to other results to decide their fate. Prediction: SPAL 1-2 Milan


The Golden State Warriors swept the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference Finals due to brilliant performances from Draymond Green and Stephen Curry. Curry and Green held things down in the absence of Kevin Durant, who is out with a right calf strain. After making it to their fifth-straight NBA Final in the Steve Kerr era, the Warriors await the winner of the Toronto Raptors-Milwaukee Bucks series in the Eastern Conference. Notable Golden State starter Klay Thompson is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and he will be looking for a max contract. Earlier this week, Thompson was named to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team, but he wasn't voted onto any of the three All-NBA Teams. The All-NBA Teams: pic.twitter.com/ZdTEWdDEAo - Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 23, 2019 That is a problem for Thompson. He now has lost some of his leverage when it comes to negotiating a possible new deal with the Warriors this summer. In fact, it will cost Thompson $31 million on his max deal which would have increased his earnings up to $221 million (instead of $190 million). When Anthony Slater of The Athletic informed Thompson that the All-NBA Teams were announced and he wasn't chosen, Thompson can be seen visibly upset with the news, and replied : That's cool and all, but when you go to five straight Finals, it takes more than a couple All-NBA guys … Do I think there are that many guards better than me? No. Klay Thompson learns he didn't make All-NBA ("Oh I didn't?") and is clearly a little ticked (it affects his next contract): "When you go to five straight Finals, it takes more than a couple All-NBA guys…Do I think there are that many guards better than me? No." pic.twitter.com/bW5DiBavo1 - Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 23, 2019 Will the loss of a potential $31-million deal sway Thompson to not re-sign with the Warriors this offseason? That is totally up to Thompson and his team at the end of the day. In a recent phone conversation, former Golden State Warrior Nate Robinson shared with Warriors Wire that if the Warriors keep this same group together they will reach their sixth NBA Finals in the 2019-20 season: If the Warriors keep their same team as this season they go back to the Finals. Nobody is going to beat the Warriors; they will win it again next season. They must win this year, but they can go back to the Finals again for sure. I don't if Klay wants to return because he might want a bigger role or a different atmosphere in a different location. Who knows? Robinson added: I don't know what it would look like with Klay Thompson in a different jersey. I would compare it to Michael Jordan in a Wizards' jersey because it doesn't look right. As a fan of [Jordan], I hated that because it was the worse thing ever. But it happens. I don't think there will be a scenario on the Warriors' end where Klay Thompson is in a different uniform because Warriors' owner Joe Lacob wants to keep him and Kevin Durant, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Per Kawakami : So I checked with owner Joe Lacob via text on Tuesday afternoon, pointing out that he's been quite clear about paying what it takes to keep this team together and asking if anything has changed or if his stance is even stronger after the Warriors' Western Conference triumph. "The season is still ongoing," Lacob responded. "We are not finished. I have no new ideas or data for you. We love Klay and KD and intend to attempt to re-sign them. Period. I am confident about BOTH of them . But it is their choice to do what is best for them. They have earned that right. Our goal is to keep our team together. We are pretty good." Game 1 of the NBA Finals starts on Thursday, May 30, and the Warriors will be on the road in either Toronto or Milwaukee. Eastern Conference teams had a better regular season record than the Warriors this season. MORE: 'Jeopardy' fans ripped James Holzhauer for how he said Dr. Dre's name but here's why he did it Chuck Pagano feels 'like a kid again' coaching this Bears defense This is how the Milwaukee Bucks head into the offseason Expect to see more starters on special teams under Mike Priefer Report: Wizards would want Lonzo Ball included in Bradley Beal trade


The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is looking for a person accused of stealing a purse from a grocery store shopper. The sheriff's office said it happened at about 4:06 p.m. on July 25 at the Publix on 9850 Little Road in New Port Richey. The person removed the purse from the cart and left the store, according to the sheriff's office. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the sheriff's office at 1(800)706-2488. What other people are reading right now: 5 pilot whales beach themselves on Redington Beach, aquarium and FWC crews work save them 2-year-old found dead in van outside Florida daycare These are the two systems we're watching in the tropics Florida woman woken up by 7-foot alligator in her pool Boy dies after falling 9 stories at Florida condo ► Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now . Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed .


Looking to try the top diners around? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable diners in Pittsburgh, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're on the hunt. 1. P&G's Pamela's Diner Topping the list is P&G's Pamela's Diner . Located at 60 21st St., this Strip District location of the local chain of breakfast and lunch spots is the highest-rated inexpensive diner in Pittsburgh, boasting 4.5 stars out of 570 reviews on Yelp. Pamela's starts serving sweet and savory breakfast, brunch and lunch items most days at 7 a.m. Stop in for a short stack or a plate of Pittsburgh hash, made with kielbasa and sauerkraut. (See the full menu here .) 2. DeLuca's Diner Next up, also in the Strip District, is DeLuca's Diner , situated at 2015 Penn Ave. With four stars out of 574 reviews on Yelp, the diner, which serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option. Check out the specialty omelets, waffle sundaes, hearty burger baskets and old-fashioned milkshakes. 3. Johnny's Diner West End's Johnny's Diner , located at 1900 Woodville Ave., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the inexpensive diner 4.5 stars out of 24 reviews. This old-school, counter-service diner is your stop for no-frills American favorites. Try the Big K's BBQ Burger, with cheese, barbecue sauce and onion rings. 4. Bitter Ends Luncheonette Bitter Ends Luncheonette , a breakfast and brunch spot that offers sandwiches and more in Bloomfield, is another much-loved, low-priced go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 64 Yelp reviews. Bitter Ends' regularly changing menu features homemade soups, sides and sandwiches, made on fresh-baked bread and topped with seasonal ingredients. Head over to 4613 Liberty Ave. to try it for yourself. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The search is on for a suspected burglar who was caught on camera scoping out homes in San Antonio's Beacon Hill neighborhood. Oscar Vasquez said he works for a homeowner on the 900 block of Mistletoe Avenue. When he showed up to the house on Wednesday, he turned around for a moment and suddenly saw a man on the second floor of the house. "He was already taking everything," Vasquez said. Vasquez said he confronted the man, but he took off in a black four-door car. "I'm hurt because I couldn't catch him," Vasquez said. "He ran away." He called the police, and a spokesperson with the San Antonio Police Department said they could not identify the suspect in the video, but confirmed the burglary report. A neighbor's security cameras caught the suspect checking doors just days prior. Vasquez said he's concerned that other neighborhoods could now be targeted. "If it's not an inside job, he's got to be from around here," Vasquez said. "He is not going to get away with it. I'm going to do my best to stop this person." If anyone sees suspicious activity in the area, they are urged to call police.


Malaysia's former king has divorced a Russian ex-beauty queen just months after news of their wedding emerged and he abdicated in a first for the country, his lawyer said. The former Miss Moscow, however, says she is still married to Sultan Muhammad V, and has continued to post pictures of the couple on social media. The sultan stepped aside as Malaysia's monarch in January after just two years on the throne when reports of the marriage surfaced last year while he was officially on medical leave. His abdication was the first by a monarch in the Muslim-majority country's history. The sultan "has irrevocably divorced Ms Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko on 22 June 2019 by three talaqs in accordance with syariah laws", said a statement from his Singapore-based lawyer, Koh Tien Hua. "Triple talaq" is the practice which sees a Muslim man end his marriage by saying "talaq" ("you are divorced") in Arabic three times. An Islamic court in the northeastern Malaysian state of Kelantan, where Muhammad is still the sultan, had issued a divorce certificate, the lawyer said earlier this week. But the former beauty queen denied knowing about the separation, telling news portal Malaysiakini: "I have never heard of any divorce statements made directly to me". She has continued to post pictures on Instagram with the sultan and of a son she gave birth to in May. Lawyer Koh told Singapore's Straits Times newspaper there was "no objective evidence as yet as to the biological father of the child". After Muhammad's abdication, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah -- a keen athlete who holds a string of positions on sporting bodies -- was chosen as Malaysia's new king during a special meeting of the country's Islamic royalty. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a unique arrangement where the national throne changes hands every five years between the Islamic royal rulers of the country's nine states.


The Jets lost their best red-zone weapon when the NFL suspended tight end Chris Herndon for the first four games of the season. But after signing Ryan Griffin, Sam Darnold and the Jets will once again have a big-bodied target in the most important part of the field. Griffin isn't the best pass-catching tight end in the league, but he is efficient - especially in the red zone. All of Griffin's seven career touchdowns have come in the red zone, with five coming inside the five-yard line. In six seasons with the Houston Texans, the 6-foot-6, 264-pound Griffin caught 61.5 percent of his targets (136 receptions) for 1,491 yards and the seven red zone touchdowns. Griffin is coming off back-to-back down years, though, only catching 37 receptions for 463 yards and one touchdown in 21 games. While not gaudy numbers by any means, Griffin's stats alone make him the Jets' most experienced and best receiving tight end option to start the season. The remaining tight end trio of Eric Tomlinson, Daniel Brown and rookie Trevon Wesco combined for only 51 receptions for 510 yards and two touchdowns in 80 total games. Tomlinson, Brown and Wesco were never going to be the answer to Herndon's absence, especially since all three are known more as blockers than pass-catching tight ends. Bringing in an experienced player like Griffin immediately makes the position more important to Adam Gase's offense. Griffin, combined with running back Le'Veon Bell and the wide receiving corps of Robby Anderson, Quincy Enunwa and Jamison Crowder, give Darnold an arsenal of offensive weapons he never had in his rookie season. Griffin will also be a great option in the middle of the field for Darnold to target. He caught 73 balls for 886 yards between his own team's 20- and 49-yard line over the course of his career. But they did work to solve DB Blitz in IND game, and that was why you saw the longest Ryan Griffin catch of the year. Lamar Miller's block across line of scrimmage was really nice. Texans sniffed it out and the throw was on point. pic.twitter.com/xUU7RLh7TE - Rivers McCown (@riversmccown) December 19, 2018 The signing is the perfect stop-gap for the Herndon suspension while Darnold and the rest of the team continue to learn the offense. Wesco appeared to be in line for more targets with Herndon out, but the Griffin signing signals the Jets haven't seen enough from the rookie to thrust him into a bigger role in the offense. This move is a perfect example of how new GM Joe Douglas operates given the available players. The Texans released Griffin early this offseason after he was arrested in Nashville during the NFL draft for public intoxication and vandalism. Griffin also allegedly punched out a window of a hotel, but the charges were later dropped . Douglas, realizing the Jets' lacked a player with Griffin's exact skillset, swooped in on a veteran pass-catcher the Jets needed. It's a low-risk move that fills a need and bolsters one of the more shallow positions on the Jets roster. Griffin isn't the most tantalizing player, but he could be valuable in the short-term. MORE: The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' PFF views Aaron Jones as one of NFL's top 10 running backs


GENEVA   Executions and death sentences dropped in the United States last year in another sign that support for the punishment may be on the decline, a new report from Amnesty International says. The United States remained the only country in the Western Hemisphere to carry out executions during 2014, the international human rights group says in a report to be released Wednesday. But the number of executions fell to 35 from 39 the previous year. The number of death sentences handed out also declined, to 77 from 95 in 2013, the group reported. Only seven states conducted executions, down from nine a year earlier. Four states   Texas, Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma   accounted for 89 percent of U.S. executions last year. Texas and Missouri each executed 10 people. Florida carried out eight executions and Oklahoma had three executions. Georgia had two, and Arizona and Ohio each carried out one. Chiara Sangiorgio, Amnesty International's adviser on the death penalty, told McClatchy that the number of executions in Texas marked a substantial reduction from the previous year's 16, but that Missouri's total reflected a major increase from 2013's two. Oklahoma's total was down from six. Eighteen U.S. states no longer have the death penalty, including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, New Mexico and Illinois, Amnesty said, and the number of states that have imposed moratoriums on the use of the death penalty continues to grow, including Oregon, which imposed a moratorium in 2013, Washington state, which halted use of the death penalty last year, and Pennsylvania, which ordered a moratorium in February. Colorado, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Wyoming haven't conducted executions for at least 10 years. Sangiorgio said the human rights advocacy group remained "seriously concerned" over racial discrimination in the application of the death penalty. She also cited executions that had taken an unexpectedly long time, including the case of Dennis McGuire in Ohio, who the report says took 20 minutes to die, and Clayton Lockett in Oklahoma, whose death took 40 minutes. The report singles out for criticism the executions of two people who were just over 18 at the time they committed their crimes. "Both were African-American," it notes. "Ray Jasper was tried for murder of a white man in front of all-white juries. Earl Ringo was executed on 10 September in Missouri for the murder of two white people. He was tried in front of an all-white jury." Worldwide, Amnesty estimated that there were 607 executions officially recorded in 22 countries last year, down nearly 22 percent. But the true number is no doubt far higher. Amnesty noted, for example, that Iran had officially announced 289 executions but that another 454 had taken place. The report excludes China from its statistics, noting that it executes more people than the rest of the world combined. The report says it suspects that thousands are executed in China but that the numbers are kept secret, so the true figure is difficult to determine. As of Dec. 31, around 140 countries had abolished the death penalty or had moratoriums in place on executions, the report notes.     (Zarocostas is a McClatchy special correspondent.)


What does summer in our city mean to you? Given that our city is actually a sprawling county that offers a Choose Your Own Adventure assortment of experiences   Beach bum! Urban hipster! Insane Scooter Posse!   summer in San Diego could mean anything from a Day at the Races to a Night at the Pops. In fact, you could do both and still have time to sneak in a beer tour. For me, the ideal San Diego summer means indulging your inner tourist with visits to the zoo and Coronado while flashing your locals badge at hometown spots that don't immediately trip the guidebook-meter. Each type of experience sparks its own kind of joy, and all of them will remind you that a day of San Diego fun is a gift that we get to open every day, all year long. From Beethoven by the bay to a delightful walk on an old-school pier, here is a guide to some San Diego adventures that will give you that summer-in-our city glow, no matter which ZIP code you call home. STARRY MUSICAL NIGHTS Go big: Bayside Summer Nights If your bucket list does not include an evening at a Bayside Summer Nights concert, you need emergency bucket-list assistance. With its ridiculously gorgeous setting next to the San Diego Bay, a dizzying collection of acts   Beethoven! Chaka Khan! "Singin' in the Rain" in concert!   and the singular sight of fireworks bursting in the balmy air, the San Diego Symphony's Bayside Summer Nights series distills everything we love about living here into one Champagne-worthy experience. Feel free to toast yourself for hitting the hometown jackpot. The seagulls won't tell. sandiegosymphony.org Get cozy: Green Flash Concerts Forget sleeping with the fishes. Since the monthly Green Flash summer concerts are held on the Tide-Pool Plaza of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, you will be singing with the fishes. And the seadragons, sharks and moon jellies. You may or may not see the famed green flash, but the view from the plaza will always include the iconic Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier and a glittering swath of La Jolla. And in addition to intimate performances from the likes of Tommy Castro (May 22), the Mother Hips (Aug. 14) and 10,000 Maniacs (Sept. 18), your ticket gives you free adults-only rein of the Birch Aquarium. Drinking a craft beer while communing with the exotic residents of the Kelp Forest? Don't mind if I do. aquarium.ucsd.edu ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS Go big: The San Diego Zoo It may have turned 103 this year, but the San Diego Zoo never, ever gets old. If you haven't visited in awhile, get thee to Africa Rocks, which opened two years ago to great fanfare and will still knock your sweaty socks off. The exhibit's eclectic collection of animals includes African Penguins and their waterfall, lemurs (as adorable in real life as they are in "Madagascar") and the ever-lively hamadryas baboons, who are an Animal Planet show in the making. You can beat the heat and the crowds when the Nighttime Zoo's extended hours and glow-in-the-dark activities kick off on June 16. zoo.sandiegozoo.org Get cozy: Living Coast Discovery Center One minute, you're trapped in traffic, the next minute, you are relaxing with the rays and communing with a kestrel and feeling miles away from anything remotely stressful. Such is the magic of the Living Coast Discovery Center. This 3-acre educational zoo and aquarium is conveniently located right off Interstate 5, but it is also located on the wide-open wilds of Chula Vista's 313-acre Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to being home to endangered sea turtles, stingrays, native shorebirds and an impressive collection of raptors, the Zen-like gem is one of the county's best unplugging stations. Amble for an hour or two, feel refreshed for many more. thelivingcoast.org BEER CRAWL Go big: North Park While it stretches from Normal Heights to South Park and includes establishments that are not technically on 30th Street, what North Park's 30th Street beer corridor lacks in geographic accuracy it makes up for in hoppy excellence. There are more than 120 breweries and beer-friendly establishments along this stretch of San Diego's sprawling Mid-City, from the perpetually packed Toronado bar to the bright and roomy Fall Brewing Company. If you can't find a beer you love in this part of town, you might want to switch to whiskey. You'll find plenty of that at Seven Grand, which is also in North Park. Explore responsibly! Get cozy: Barrio Logan Small of footprint but big in flavor, your Barrio Logan beer crawl can take you from the brew-and-food-truck haven of the Thorn Street Brewing Co. to the Mexican-beer ambassadors at Border X Brewing (Tuesday is Taco Night!) to the super-chill Iron Fist Brewing Co. in minutes. But you will want to linger in these welcoming neighborhood spots a lot longer than that. Save room for an Alta Brewing tasting and a Barrio Taco (or three) at Salud! There's beer there, too. PARK IT Go big: Balboa Park And by big, I mean 1,200 acres of gardens, museums, fountains, sculptures, jugglers, picnickers, ducks, dogs and endless opportunities to make this list even longer. Balboa Park is my favorite place in San Diego because this bustling landmark welcomes anyone and everyone to come and do anything or not much at all. It is our front porch and our backyard. It is our garden and our school. It is the jewel in the crown that we all get to wear anytime we want, and it makes us look really good. balboapark.org Get cozy: San Diego Botanic Garden At 37 acres, this Encinitas oasis is not tiny, but it feels like an intimate retreat created just for you. In addition to its 4 miles of trails and 29 themed gardens   everything from bamboo to Australian plants   the San Diego Botanic Garden offers bird-watching gatherings, art shows and multiple special events, including a Fairy Festival (June 22) and Insect Festival (July 20 and 21). Summer brings longer hours and Thursday Family Fun Nights, beginning June 6. Stars and flowers forever. sdbgarden.org KIDS STUFF Go big: Legoland California If you are a parent of small children, there is no escaping theme-park duty and the exhaustion, hysteria and expense that come with the deal. Fortunately, Legoland California (in Carlsbad) is the rare theme park that can keep youngsters deliriously diverted while not turning their parents into bug-eyed lunatics. Everything from the classic Fun Town Driving School to the Duplo Play Imagination Zone is scaled for little kids, leaving adults free to take photos and eat apple fries in relative peace. And if you choose to ride the Coastersaurus roller coaster, your smile will be real and your screams will be just for show. No chiropractic intervention necessary. legoland.com/california Get cozy: The New Children's Museum Sophisticated, yet stimulating. Educational, but boat-loads of fun. That's the yin-yang package deal you and your youngsters will get at the New Children's Museum. This downtown San Diego treasure gets kids thinking, creating and merrymaking with interactive installations that will have their bodies moving and their creative pistons firing. The Wonder Sound is like a tree house from Planet Art, the ingenious Desert Derby has a vroom-vroom vibe and an ecological message, and the Rain House is a magical, meditative escape for humans of all ages. thinkplaycreate.org BEACH DAY Go big: Coronado Ah, Coronado. The beachiest of all beaches. The dream stay-cation. The place you take visitors to if you want to make them love you and hate you at the same time. From the fairy-tale grounds of the Hotel del Coronado to the postcard-ready sands of the main beach and the Mayberry-esque downtown, Coronado is the beach-town of our dreams. But when we wake up, it's still right here. coronadovisitorcenter.com Get cozy: Imperial Beach So, what does one require from a beach? A pier? IB has a great pier. A beach-adjacent park with public art? Welcome to Dunes Park, with a playground, basketball court and a view of the pier. Ice cream, fish and chips, and flip-flop friendly dining? Yes, yes and heck yes. It's a no-sweat destination that will make you feel like both a smug insider and an excitable tourist. Perhaps you should get a scoop of Cow-A-Bunga ice cream for each of you. portofsandiego.org     ©2019 The San Diego Union-Tribune Visit The San Diego Union-Tribune at www.sandiegouniontribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Myles Garrett earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2018 by recording 13.5 sacks and terrorizing quarterbacks off the edge. Yet he's impressing new Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with his run defense. It's something that has stood out throughout the first few days of Browns training camp. Garrett has been a consistent problem for the offensive unit whenever they try to run the ball in team drills. Wilks has taken notice. "Myles is extremely quick off the ball,′ Wilks said Thursday. "We know he can rush the passer. I'm really impressed right now with how he's playing the run." Wilks elaborated on why that is so important to his defense. "We talk about that all the time. We've got to do a great job stopping the run first." The Browns did not take Myles Garrett No. 1 overall in 2017 to be just a great run defender, of course. But if he can make a big impact in the run game beyond being one of the NFL's best pass rushers, it takes the Browns defense to a new level. A level which Wilks would love to see… MORE: Hiker stalked by cougar says Metallica song helped her escape Winners and losers from first week of Raiders training camp Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp WATCH: Vikings WR Stefon Diggs torches CB Xavier Rhodes


Curious just how far your dollar goes in the Waterfront? According to Walk Score, this Jersey City neighborhood has excellent walkability, is bikeable and is a haven for transit riders. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in The Waterfront is currently hovering around $2,758. So, what might you expect to find with a budget of $3,400/month? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper and Apartment Guide . (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 70 Greene St. Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit over at 70 Greene St. It's listed for $3,360/month for its 803 square feet. Look for a walk-in closet, a dishwasher, a balcony and in-unit laundry in the residence. Pet owners, take heed: Cats and dogs are permitted. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. (See the complete listing here .) 155 Washington St. Here's a 1,129-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit at 155 Washington St. that's going for $3,370/month. The residence has a walk-in closet, a dishwasher, a balcony and in-unit laundry. Attention, pet owners: Your dog or cat is welcome here. Look out for a $1000 deposit. (Take a look at the full listing here .) 350 Warren St. Next, check out this 690-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that's located at 350 Warren St. It's listed for $3,321/month. The building boasts a resident lounge, a swimming pool and a fitness center. The unit also features in-unit laundry. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are allowed. (Take a look at the complete listing here .) 1 Harborside Place Located at 1 Harborside Place, here's a 740-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that's listed for $3,337/month. In the unit, expect to find a dishwasher, a balcony and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include a fitness center. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are welcome. Be prepared for a $1000 deposit. (See the complete listing here .) 200 Greene St. Listed at $2,975/month, this 736-square-foot studio apartment is located at 200 Greene St. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate garage parking, a swimming pool and a fitness center. The unit also has in-unit laundry. Good news for animal lovers: Both dogs and cats are welcome here. (Check out the complete listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The president of the United States on Sunday urged some women in Congress to go back to the countries from which they came . The problem   beyond the nasty historical overtones of such a sentiment, of course   is that three of the four women about whom he appeared to be talking were born in the United States. Trump's tweets on these kinds of things are often somewhat carefully crafted   enough to give him some plausible deniability. But it's pretty clear this one was directed at three American-born congresswomen, as well as one refugee-turned-lawmaker, otherizing them and urging them to return to countries in which they weren't born. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Here's what Trump said: "So interesting to see 'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly . . . and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run," Trump said. He added: "Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how . . . it is done. These places need your help badly, you can't leave fast enough." Then comes the key part: "I'm sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!" There's one person these tweets are obviously about, and that's Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Trump's sentiment closely echoes a controversial segment that Fox News host Tucker Carlson did last week in which he urged the Somali-born congresswoman to return to her birth country, citing her alleged "undisguised contempt for the United States and for its people." Trump appears to have seen this segment and regurgitated it, as he often does with Fox's programming. But Trump's tweets didn't refer to just one female member of Congress; they referred to "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen." So who else might he be urging to return to their country? In addition to Omar, here are the other foreign-born Democratic members of Congress, according to a list compiled by the Pew Research Center , along with their birth countries. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), India Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), Ecuador Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Vietnam Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.), Guatemala Remember how Trump ended his tweets: He said Pelosi would be glad to arrange these members' travel back to the countries from which they originally came. It's a reference to the recent infighting between her and some of the party's more liberal members   a suggestion that Pelosi would be glad to see them gone. Torres and Mucarsel-Powell, though, haven't gotten themselves involved in this, and Murphy is a moderate who has taken Pelosi's side . That leaves Jayapal as the only plausible member of the foreign-born "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen" group that he could be talking about, along with Omar. Jayapal has said Pelosi's dismissive comments about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and others were "not helpful," amid other comments . But was Trump talking about a member who was born in India? He described the governments of these members' birth countries as being a "complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world." A fair number of people might apply such labels to countries like Somalia, Ecuador and Guatemala. But India? Not according to Trump himself. Just two weeks ago, Trump said this of India while meeting with its prime minister, Narendra Modi: " India is doing very well as a country ." Trump said in late 2017 that Modi was "a great gentleman doing a fantastic job in bringing around lots of factions in India   bringing them all together. That's what I hear, and that's good news. And it really is. It's a lot of good reports coming out of India." He tweeted this in May, after Modi's electoral victory: So it's clear Trump wasn't talking about Jayapal going back to India. He was talking about Omar and someone else. The most logical interpretation is that he meant the other members of "the squad,"   the members who have clashed most directly with Pelosi in recent days: Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.). Ocasio-Cortez's family is from Puerto Rico (which is a U.S. territory), and she was born in New York. Tlaib is Palestinian American and was born in Detroit. Pressley is black and was born in Cincinnati. So not only is Trump rekindling a nasty historical talking point about immigrants, he's apparently otherizing brown-skinned members of Congress by implying they are foreigners who, as Carlson suggested, may not love this country. That's an incredible sentiment from the president of the United States, and it's pretty unmistakable.


Looking to add a new companion to the family? There are dozens of cuddle-hungry puppies up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Denver, so you won't have to look far to find the perfect new pal. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of puppies available for adoption near you. Read on to meet some friendly, furry locals. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Dior, boxer and hound mix Dior is a sweet female boxer and hound puppy in the care of HO-BO Care Boxer Rescue . Dior gets along well with children, dogs or cats. She is vaccinated. No need to worry: she's already house-trained. Notes from Dior's caretakers: Dior is a 4-5 month old female Boxer/Hound mix. She is a happy puppy in search of her forever home. Apply to adopt Dior today at Petfinder . Gucci, boxer and hound mix Gucci is a charming male boxer and hound puppy staying at HO-BO Care Boxer Rescue . Gucci is friendly as can be, and he'll get along great with other dogs, cats and kids. He's already house-trained. He has been vaccinated. Notes from Gucci's caretakers: Gucci is a 4-5 month old male Boxer/Hound mix. He is a happy puppy in search of his forever home. Read more about how to adopt Gucci on Petfinder . Versace, boxer and hound mix Versace is a male boxer and hound puppy currently housed at HO-BO Care Boxer Rescue . Versace gets along well with cats, dogs and kids. He has been vaccinated. He is already house-trained. From Versace's current caretaker: Versace is a 4-5 month old male Boxer/Hound mix. He is a happy puppy in search of his forever home. Read more about Versace on Petfinder . Suzie, German shepherd Suzie is a sweet female German shepherd puppy being cared for at German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies . Suzie loves other dogs. German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies, however, wants to place her in a home without small children. She has mastered her house-training etiquette. She has all of her shots. Notes from Suzie's caretakers: Suzie is a 6-month-old girl that would love a home with another sweet, playful boy dogg to grow up with. Suzie is super shy and scared of new people, places and things. But once she gets comfortable, she is a ton of fun to be with. She will need patient people who can take things slow with her to introduce her to life and all the pleasures Colorado has to offer. She is not a high energy girl and can entertain herself, but she loves her people and getting lots of attention. She has seen cats and with her mild temperament should be able to live with them. Suzie is a diamond in the ruff who will give back tenfold in love and gratitude. Apply to adopt Suzie today at Petfinder . Barry, boxer mix Barry is a male boxer puppy currently housed at Red Fern Animal Rescue . Barry will get along great with other dogs. He is already house-trained. He is vaccinated. From Barry's current caretaker: Barry is a sweet, lovable boy who is great in a house with other dogs and children. Barry has been amazing in a foster home, knows basic commands and is house trained. Barry's breed is known to be a more excitable dog who needs to get their energy out. He is very playful and needs to be taken on walks and will love to have fun with his new family. Read more about Barry on Petfinder . Lola, shepherd mix Lola is a lovable female shepherd puppy currently residing at OutPaws . Lola is the life of the party, and she loves other dogs. She already has all of her shots. Have no fear: She is already house-trained. Lola's current caretakers say: Lola is as sweet as can be. She is quick to show her humans that she wants to listen and be respectful but she also is full of all kinds of puppy energy- meaning all the wiggles. She loves to meet other dogs, after a proper introduction of course, and is enjoying playing with her foster siblings! Lola has responded very well to positive reinforcement and is learning to walk very well on a leash. She's affectionate, listens well, responds quickly to cues and respects boundaries well. Read more about how to adopt Lola on Petfinder . Max, rottweiler and black Labrador retriever mix Max is a lovable male rottweiler and black Labrador retriever puppy currently residing at OutPaws . Maxis happy to keep company with other dogs. He has been vaccinated. Notes from Max's caretakers: My name is Max. I'm a handsome Rottie/Lab mix pup. I'm about 5-months-old and I love other dogs. My favorite pastime is hugs. I'm pretty sure I'm a lap dog. I can't wait to go to puppy classes to learn lots of neat stuff. Read more about how to adopt Max on Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


If fully reclining your seat is one of your guilty pleasures when flying, you may want to think twice before booking a ticket on Delta Air Lines' A320 aircraft. Last month the airline reduced the bandwidth of seat recline by two inches. You may love the reclining seats, but there are more great airplane features we bet you never even knew existed . Passengers aboard Delta's A320 aircraft have been part of the airline's test for the last month to see if cutting the seat's reclining capacity by two inches will improve personal space and overall satisfaction for the passenger experience. Seat recline for passengers in economy was decreased from four to two inches. Passengers flying in first class also experienced a two-inch decline and are only able to recline 3.5 inches. "Delta has no plans to add seats or reduce space between rows with this test," Delta spokeswoman Savannah Huddleston told CNN Travel . "It's all about protecting customers' personal space and minimizing disruptions to multitasking in-flight. As part of Delta's continued efforts to make the in-flight experience more enjoyable, Delta is testing a small change to its A320 aircraft adjusting the recline throughout to make multitasking easier." Despite this, the Atlanta-based carrier was a big winner in The Points Guy's best airlines of 2019 survey. Travelers can all agree that having the person in front of you abruptly recline a seat while you are working on a laptop, enjoying that complimentary soda, or watching a movie is more than a little annoying. It is equally unpleasant for long-legged travelers to have to assume impossible yoga positions when the person in front of them fully reclines. Delta's A320 is an ideal aircraft to perform this test as flights are typically between one to two hours so most people on the plane are upright and awake. "It's really not at all a gateway to reducing your legroom. That is not the intent here. If we were adding seats, or something else, the cynics would be correct. But this is really about more personal space," Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Delta's director of onboard product and customer experience, shared with The Points Guy . Delta Air Lines was the first U.S. global carrier to offer free mobile texting , so that's a reason to take Huddleston at her word that the company is trying to elevate the customer experience. And you can make your own flight experience better by avoiding these things you should never do on an airplane . The post The Reason Your Next Delta Flight Might Be Uncomfortable appeared first on Reader's Digest .


(Video: A look at other afternoon headlines from WXII 12 News) A Randleman teenager is accused of chasing and wounding two people with a machete on Sunday. Deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff's Office said they were responding to a home on Torch Drive on Sunday in reference to an assault when they received a call from someone who claimed that they were being chased through the woods by a person armed with a machete. As deputies approached, they said that they found a victim covered in blood and sitting in the driveway a short distance from the wood line. The victim told authorities that he had been chased by two people and one of them cut him several times with a machete. Deputies said three large wounds were visible. A second victim who was found at a different location also had visible lacerations. Both victims were taken to Moses Cone Hospital. Following an investigation, Ellijah Stone Bailey, 19, was arrested and taken to Randolph County Detention Center. Bailey is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. He is being held in lieu of $350,000 and is scheduled to make his first appearance Monday. Both victims are in stable condition at this time, deputies said. Investigators said the incident is believed to be domestic in nature. READ MORE: Randleman teen accused of chasing, wounding 2 people with machete CHECK OUT WXII: Get the latest Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem news of the day. Catch the top stories, sports and weather from the team at WXII12.


DAYTON, Ohio, Aug 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump met in Ohio on Wednesday with victims and first responders from one of last weekend's two deadly mass shootings, while protesters chanting "Do Something!" and "You are why" accused him of inflaming tensions with anti-immigrant and racially charged rhetoric. Trump visited Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where the wounded were treated after nine people and the suspect were killed in a rampage early on Sunday, one of two mass shootings 13 hours apart that shocked the country. Crowds of protesters outside the hospital and in downtown Dayton held signs reading, "Hate not welcome here," and "Stop this terror." White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said on Twitter that Trump stopped by hospital rooms and met with patients while thanking the medical staff for their work. "You had God watching. I want you to know we're with you all the way," she quoted Trump as saying at the hospital. Slideshow by photo services Later in the day, Trump will visit the Texas city of El Paso, on the border with Mexico, where 22 people were killed at a Walmart store on Saturday by a 21-year-old man who had posted an anti-immigrant manifesto online. The back-to-back massacres have reopened the national debate over gun safety. As he left the White House, Trump said he wanted to strengthen background checks for gun purchases and make sure mentally ill people did not carry guns. He predicted congressional support for those two measures but not for banning assault rifles. "I can tell you that there is no political appetite for that at this moment," Trump told reporters at the White House. "But I will certainly bring that up ... There is a great appetite, and I mean a very strong appetite, for background checks." In Dayton, Trump was greeted at the airport by a bipartisan group of state and local officials, including Democratic Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. They told reporters afterward that they urged Trump to call on Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to bring the Senate back from its summer recess to work on a House-passed bill that expands background checks on gun buyers. Brown said he asked Trump to promise he would sign that bill. "He only said that we will get things done," Brown said, adding the president had been "comforting" to the victims. Video by Associated Press Whaley said she agreed with Trump's decision not to visit the district where the shooting occurred given the high emotions in the community. "A lot of people that own businesses in that district are not interested in the president being there," she told reporters. "A lot of the time his talk can be very divisive and that's the last thing we need in Dayton." Democrats say Trump's anti-immigrant, racially charged language at rallies and on Twitter has done much to fan racist, white nationalist sentiments, creating a political climate more conducive to hate-based violence. 'RACIAL HARMONY' The El Paso massacre is being investigated as a hate crime and the FBI said the Dayton shooter had explored violent ideologies. An open letter to Trump on Wednesday in the El Paso Times described the border city as having "a deep tradition of racial harmony" whose people came together after the tragedy. It admonished Trump for calling El Paso one of the country's most dangerous cities in his February State of the Union address. Authorities have said they are investigating Saturday's shooting spree in the predominantly Hispanic city as a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism. They cited a racist manifesto posted online shortly before the shooting, which they attributed to the suspect. On Monday, Trump gave a speech focusing on mental health reforms, tighter internet regulation and wider use of the death penalty. Democrats accuse Trump of hiding behind talk of mental illness and the influence of social media rather than committing to laws they insist are needed to restrict gun ownership and the types of weapons that are legal. In Iowa, Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden planned to say in a campaign speech, "We have a president with a toxic tongue who has publicly and unapologetically embraced a political strategy of hate, racism, and division." In a sign of higher tensions after the shootings, a motorcycle backfiring on Tuesday night in New York's Times Square sent crowds running for fear of another gun attack. 'SINISTER IDEOLOGIES' Trump, in his televised White House speech on Monday, condemned "sinister ideologies" and hate. His supporters say Democrats unfairly blame him for the behavior of criminals. U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose congressional district includes El Paso, declared that Trump "is not welcome here." She said on Twitter on Tuesday she declined a White House invitation to join Trump in El Paso after being told he was too busy to speak with her by phone in advance. "I refuse to be an accessory to his visit," Escobar later told CNN. Former Texas congressman and El Paso native Beto O'Rourke, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, said Trump "helped create the hatred that made Saturday's tragedy possible" and thus "has no place here." In an apparent answer to his criticism, Trump said on Twitter late on Tuesday O'Rourke "should respect the victims & law enforcement - & be quiet!" Not everyone agreed that Trump should stay away. "This is not a political visit," El Paso Mayor Dee Margo told reporters. "He is president of the United States. So in that capacity, I will fulfill my obligations as mayor of El Paso to meet with the president and discuss whatever our needs are in this community." (Additional reporting by Nandita Bose, Rich McKay, Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu in Washington, Barbara Goldberg in New York; Editing by Howard Goller and Alistair Bell)


A 53-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed in Orange County late Friday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. An Orlando man was attempting to cross East Colonial Drive near Avalon Park Boulevard around 11:50 p.m. when he was struck by the front of a 2009 Toyota Matrix traveling in the eastbound lanes of Colonial, according to an incident report. The driver, Siever Silalahi, 27, of California, was not injured in the crash, the report states. The crash remains under investigation. No other information was available. Paola Pérez can be reached at paoperez@orlandosentinel.com or on Twitter @pdesiperez .