It's so tempting to look at the standings now. After two months of stumbling down flights of stairs and dipping expensive shoes into mud puddles, the Giants are unmistakably respectable and entertaining. Despite their loss Friday night they are just 6½ games behind the wild-card co-leaders, the Phillies and the Cubs. Take another look, though. That's a 12-team race, with only two teams to qualify, and if you believe the Giants have surged into the company of the Nationals, Brewers, Cubs and Phillies in this endeavor, you're not thinking clearly. For a team plotting major changes and getting a nice head start, it's unwise to dwell upon a postseason pipe dream. The better news: In the office of Farhan Zaidi , finally wearing a mastermind ensemble that fits, it's not about any of that. From the start, his strategy as the Giants' president of baseball operations was to build a deep, versatile team based on the future, with hopes that a few high-priced veterans could carry their weight. And that's exactly where we are now. We'll let the second half determine exactly how much prime-caliber play we get from Buster Posey and that very experienced infield. Just lately, the list of must-watch players reads more like Alex Dickerson , Mike Yastrzemski , Tyler Beede , Austin Slater , Shaun Anderson and Tyler Austin , with "hey, don't trade 'em" moments from Pablo Sandoval , Stephen Vogt and Kevin Pillar . Zaidi helped build the Dodgers into a 25-man roster rich in depth and versatility, to the point where this year's version has become the best team in baseball. The Giants are far from that caliber, but the mold has been established. The revolving-door climate has vanished. The clubhouse mood is light and self-assured. It appears no one on the bench feels buried or disparaged. In a decidedly low-key manner, this team seems to have hit on something. How's this for bucking the odds? As the Giants' outfield search progressed, they struck out on Bryce Harper . They passed on the classy Adam Jones . Hunter Pence made the American League All-Star team. Gerardo Parra became an instant mainstay with the Nationals. Cameron Maybin found a home with the Yankees (.314 before being sidelined with a calf injury). Steven Duggar , considered the best of the homegrown crop, will be in the minor leagues until further notice. And the outfield still sets up nicely, downright fun to watch. For the moment, this is very much a local story. The Giants have turned the corner, as they say, in privacy. In a recent set of ESPN.com rankings, the A's fell into the category of "Definitely Still In It." There was no sign of San Francisco among "Not Out of It, But Hopes Are Slim." They were way down at the bottom, with Seattle and Miami, in "Time to Plan Those Caribbean Vacations for October." Perhaps that's accurate, but a bit unfair. The Giants have created their own category, something along the lines of "Who Knew?" From the rubble of despair, rays of hope emerge. He won't get down Classic Pence, upon the realization that his groin injury will keep him out of the All-Star Game: "I am overwhelmed with joy. It's going to be an amazing experience," he told the Dallas Morning News, confirming that he'll be in Cleveland for the festivities. "Everything in life is a choice. You can choose to look at things in any direction you want. It's all perspective. How amazing is it, and how much can I appreciate the ability to choose whether I want to be disappointed to go to an All-Star Game when, after last year, I didn't even have a job? ... I'm going to do everything I can to enjoy getting healthy, getting strong and charging into the second half and a playoff run (with Texas) that nobody ever expected. How can I be happier than that? It's not possible." The U.S. women started seven backup players in the second game of the World Cup soccer tournament and didn't miss a beat. Carli Lloyd , one of the greatest scorers in history, routinely comes off the bench. Megan Rapinoe misses the semifinal against England and the electrifying Christen Press takes her place. There's no way a team this strong loses Sunday's final against the Netherlands. ... Let's just hope the VAR (replay) obsession doesn't affect either team. Ellen White 's tying goal for England against the U.S. was nullified because she was about a millimeter offside, and that's sadly contrary to the spirit of the game. ... Have you seen anything quite as ridiculous as qualifying for the 2020 Olympics soccer? Only 12 women's teams can participate (the men get 16), Europe is allowed just three entries, and it's totally dependent on World Cup performances. Sweden, the Netherlands and Team Great Britain (including England) made it through, but two of the best and most watchable teams in the world, France and Germany, were eliminated. Unbelievable. Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci took note that for the first time since 1969, major-league relief pitchers have a higher collective ERA than starters. This is terrific news, in the realm of warning: You can't go through a season working your bullpen to death. "If you bring four or five relievers into a game every night ... there's going to be an attrition factor," said the Braves' Freddie Freeman . "As hitters, we've gone back to the idea of, 'Let's get into their bullpen.'" Even more to the point, promising young pitchers can't be groomed into retreat, knowing they aren't trusted to face lineups the third time around. They should enter the big leagues ready to go deep in games, save those bullpen arms and build their self-esteem. We should all dread a world in which a budding Madison Bumgarner is told, "Five innings should be about right for you." ... And by all means, question the notion of young pitchers being told they can't work more than 50-odd innings beyond what they did the previous year. Juan Marichal broke into the Giants' organization in 1958 and immediately pitched 245 innings in the minors, with 24 complete games. Ten years later, he was cruising at 325 ⅔ innings and 30 complete games. And this was a man with the kind of complicated mechanics   wildly varying speeds, arm slots and repertoire   that can cause arm problems. Stop making up phony absolutes and judge people as individuals. Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: bjenkins@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Bruce_Jenkins1


Whether Tottenham Hotspur win or lose Saturday's UEFA Champions League final, 24 players, a coaching staff and an entire fanbase will be feeling the emotional weight of having gone through the wringer of the biggest, most important game in all of club soccer, but precious little will have actually changed about where the club goes from there. [ MORE: Similar paths led Klopp, Pochettino to date with destiny ] When Mauricio Pochettino was appointed to replace Tim Sherwood back in 2014, the objectives on which he would be judged were clear: stabilize the first-team squad after a period of unsettling turnover, and get the club back into the Champions League by the time the new stadium was set to open (whenever that would eventually be). As would become the calling card of Pochettino's tenure, things moved quicker than expected and he needed just two seasons to get them there, and now it's increasingly difficult to imagine the Champions League without Tottenham in it (three straight seasons with another on the horizon, and a trip to the final). In that way   and so many others   Pochettino has normalized success at a club starved of such satisfaction for the longest time, for much of its tortured existence. "Spursy" used to be finding the worst, most painful way to fail; now, it's facing up to some of the biggest clubs in the world without an ounce of fear and seeing themselves as every bit an equal   it's the most tangible way in which the team represents its manager. Win or lose, this doesn't change. [ MORE: How will Spurs, Liverpool line up for Champions League final? ] If we're all presently in agreement that Pochettino has done a masterful job to massage an already-short, then injury-ravaged, squad and guide it (somehow) to this game, that won't have changed and suddenly become untrue based on the result of 90 (or 120) minutes against. If he was on the shortlist for every managerial vacancy in the world, he'll still be there after a defeat. Having endured two straight transfer windows without signing a single player, followed by the season (and three-fourths) away from home that would never end, followed by the injury crisis brought about by the lack of transfer dealings, followed by stoppage-time deficits (or deficits that nearly were ) into the final seconds of the quarterfinals and semifinals, Spurs' season has already gone to the brink of falling apart in that cruelest, most painful way imaginable, only for Pochettino's men to drag themselves through to the other side as lilywhite heroes time and again. Win or lose, that incredible ride doesn't get erased. [ MORE: Liverpool: Spurs matches "the toughest games we've played" ] On the other hand, Spurs upsetting the applecart and knocking off Liverpool   the heavy favorites that they are   wouldn't change the fact that Pochettino's project is still just that: a project now ahead of schedule, but still with far to go. The goal was never to get to this one final, on this one day, in this one season; it was always to set the club up for long-term sustainability, so as to claim their place as one of the Premier League's elite in the same way we now think of Manchester City and Chelsea, and the way we used to think of Manchester United and Arsenal. Part of those club's present-day narratives are down to their own hilarious failings, to be sure, but another (not insignificant) part is down to being a dysfunction operation in comparison to what's been happening at White Hart Lane. Win or lose on Saturday, none of it changes. [ MORE: Report: Maurizio Sarri to be released from Chelsea contract ] It should be said, in the interest of fairness: Saturday's showpiece in Madrid does have the feeling of a crossroads moment for the club. A number key figures could very well move on in the summer. Toby Aldeweireld, who has a $31-million release clause in his contract going forward, and Christian Eriksen , who could be one of any number of stars headed to Real Madrid, are chief among them. Their theoretical departures would, of course, allow for necessitate a bit of transfer activity to breathe new life into the squad   something Spurs fans desperately crave   but with it would come a sense of tearing down and rebuilding a core group that has traced a trajectory beyond anything once thought possible. To shed the tags of "bottlers" and "sure, finishing above your rivals is nice, but you still haven't won a trophy" by winning the Champions League trophy   the trophy   at the expense of Liverpool, and before Man City or Arsenal could do it, would be the cherry on top of the ride of a lifetime. This might be as good as it ever gets for Spurs, which means one or two things has gone horrifically wrong in the future, which makes this present moment mean that much more. Follow @AndyEdMLS


Frenkie de Jong has given his first interview since arriving in Barcelona, ahead of undergoing his medical to complete the €86m move (including add-ons) to Spain that was agreed back in January. The Dutchman is set to sign a five-year deal with La Blaugrana, following three seasons with the first team at Ajax, in which he made 89 appearances across competitions, providing six goals and 13 assists.  @dejongfrenkie21  pic.twitter.com/rEVHLr5ulf   FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 4, 2019 As quoted by the club themselves on their official website , De Jong admitted: "I am very happy to be here finally. As a child it was a dream for me to play at Barça, and now I'm here so it's great. I'm really looking forward to setting foot on the Camp Nou pitch for the first time." Those first steps on the hallowed turf will also occur on Friday, following the medical and contract signing, with the usual photoshoot on the pitch before an official presentation and press conference. Speaking on the club's famed philosophy, which was pioneered by his compatriot Johan Cruyff, De Jong declared: "I like Barca's way of playing, the philosophy of Barça and Ajax are very similar, and I think I will enjoy it." 珞Welcome, @DeJongFrenkie21  pic.twitter.com/bcfTLIuzJu   FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 4, 2019 And he couldn't contain his joy at the prospect of playing alongside five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi , explaining: "I'm happy to be able to play with Messi, who I have always followed. Now my idol will be my teammate." Touching on the special connection that the Netherlands and Barca share, thanks to Cruyff, the midfielder affirmed: " Barca and Holland have always had a great, special connection, and I hope to follow in that tradition. I want to be one of the great Dutch players who have played at FC Barcelona."


NASHVILLE   The sexual abuse crisis didn't skip Southern Baptist churches . Key leaders in the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. have spent the past year owning up to that while trying to figure out how their network of evangelical churches can do a better job of addressing and preventing sexual abuse in the future. In the wake of recent revelations illustrating how widespread the problem is , Southern Baptists will soon have a chance to enact changes that would make it easier to hold churches accountable and keep people in their pews safe. Sexual abuse in the church is expected to be front and center when thousands of representatives from the more than 50,000 Southern Baptist congregations gather next week in Birmingham, Alabama, for their big annual meeting. That focus is intentional, Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear says. Victim revelations have made it clear that Southern Baptists need to create systems that protect the vulnerable, he said. "God gave his life for them," Greear said in an interview. "How dare we not provide protection for them so when they're in the house of God they know that they're safe and that they're cared for?" Up for consideration are two changes to core Southern Baptist Convention governing documents: The first is an amendment to the Southern Baptist Convention's constitution that would explicitly state that addressing sexual abuse and racism is a part of what it means to be a Southern Baptist church. The second is a proposed bylaw change that would create a committee to assess misconduct claims, including sexual abuse, against churches. Southern Baptists not fast enough in abuse response, critics say But critics, including sexual abuse victims and advocates, think Southern Baptists are not moving quickly enough to kick out problem churches and implement safeguards. The Rev. Ashley Easter, a survivor advocate helping to organize a protest outside this year's annual meeting, also thinks Southern Baptists are hiding behind their denomination's decentralized structure. Unlike denominations with top-down authority, Southern Baptists believe in local church control. "We hoped that we would see big changes. We really don't see big changes between this year and last year. In fact, there have been some things that have concerned us," said Easter, who is ordained through the Progressive Christian Alliance. "Basically, it's just been talk." Greear, a North Carolina pastor elected convention president at last year's annual meeting in Dallas, said he understands that reaction, especially when it is coming from victims who are in pain. While he cannot answer for what happened in the past, Greear said he made addressing sexual abuse in the church one of his first priorities as convention president, including launching a sexual abuse advisory study and spending the year listening to victims, advocates and experts. But the convention meets only once a year, he said. "We want our churches to be as safe as possible as soon as possible," Greear said. "We want to know that pastors know how to follow up immediately. We also know that when you're dealing with an organization as large as the SBC that we've got a lot of layers that we're trying to work through." While Greear cannot walk into Southern Baptist churches and tell them what to do, he does think it is possible, although challenging, to get everyone on board with recognizing the importance of addressing sexual abuse in the church. Southern Baptists grappling with sexual misconduct   like last year This is the second year in a row that Southern Baptists have been faced with sexual misconduct in the church in the run-up to their annual meeting. As victims came forward last year, Southern Baptists became embroiled in months of controversy over a prominent church leader's treatment of women and how he handled years-old allegations of sexual misconduct at Southern Baptist seminaries. Media reports since then have laid out just how widespread the sexual abuse crisis is in Southern Baptist churches and the mission field. In February, a startling report from the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found sexual misconduct allegations against 380 Southern Baptists who held formal church roles. Many were convicted of sex crimes and some are still in prison, but others continued to work in churches, according to their report. More: Southern Baptists condemn abuse and stand in support of victims The report spurred Southern Baptist leaders to call for changes. At the time, Greear laid out a list of 10 recommendations   the first to come from his sexual abuse advisory study   that included the possible expulsion of churches that do not take sexual abuse prevention seriously. Soon after, the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, which handles day-to-day operations of the denomination when the convention is not in session, supported amending the constitution to make that consequence clear. A revised version of this proposal is expected to be considered in Alabama. Greear also called out 10 churches by name that had been accused in media reports for not taking sexual abuse within their walls seriously. But the executive committee quickly followed up, explaining its bylaws work group had determined that one of the 10 called out by Greear was not a Southern Baptist church and only three others warranted further inquiry, according to Baptist Press , an official Southern Baptist publication. Another annual meeting, another sexual abuse protest Critics like Easter think an outside entity is best suited to evaluate sexual abuse in the church, not internal denominational ones. That is one of the reasons she will be standing next to a millstone, like the one referenced in the Bible, outside the annual meeting Tuesday calling for change. The making of a MILLSTONE. A huge ⭐Thank You⭐ to Will Easter for imagining this, and then constructing it. It's amazing! I can't wait to see this in Birmingham at the Rally! pic.twitter.com/Rz3TW7gYPX   ForSuchATimeAsThisRally (@SBCForSuchATime) June 1, 2019 "What we're calling for is concrete actions," Easter said. She said the goals of the 2018 For Such A Time As This Rally are still relevant: mandatory training for all Southern Baptist pastors, seminary students, ministry leaders and volunteers; establishment of a clergy sex offender database in the Southern Baptist Convention; and better treatment of women within the network of churches. Jules Woodson will be there, too. The 38-year-old Colorado Springs, Colorado, woman, who is one of this year's rally speakers, was sexually assaulted as a teen by her Southern Baptist youth pastor in Texas. Woodson came forward with her story last year and eventually it spurred the pastor, Andy Savage, to resign from his post as teaching pastor of Highpoint Church in Memphis. The USA TODAY Network-Tennessee typically does name victims of sexual abuse, but Woodson hopes that being public with her story will help spur change. While she appreciates that conversations about sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches continue to be in the forefront, Woodson is frustrated to still be waiting for action. Woodson wants the pastor she says failed to act in her case taken out of the pulpit, and she wants to see meaningful changes implemented across the network of churches. "I have not seen true beneficial action in the way that they can support survivors, in the way that they can change how their system operates so that we can stop protecting people who abuse their power in the pulpit," Woodson said. What will happen in Birmingham to address sexual abuse? Greear said change is coming. Southern Baptists will leave Birmingham well aware of how important sexual abuse prevention and response is in their denomination, he said. "There have been hours and hours of meetings and conversations with victims and advocates, buy-in from all levels of the convention," Greear said. "I think you'll see in Birmingham, you'll see not talk and loud proclamations against abuse, you'll see substantive action that reduces the possibility of abuse and provides a pathway for good care and prevention." On Monday, the Executive Committee will consider the proposed constitution and bylaw changes that will help hold churches accountable for actions that go against Southern Baptist views and beliefs, including sexual abuse. If approved, they will be taken up Tuesday and Wednesday when the annual meeting is in session. The Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is also hosting a Monday night panel on sexual abuse in the church. During the annual meeting, Greear will give a report on the work his sexual abuse advisory study has done in the last year and there will be time set aside for lament and prayer. The work on addressing sexual abuse in Southern Baptist life will not end when they leave Birmingham. It can't, said Russell Moore, the president of the ERLC, which is the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. His own entity overhauled its upcoming annual conference in October to continue tackling how to keep people in Southern Baptist pews safe. "It's going to take ongoing reform, and that's the case at the local church level as well. Congregations have to not only have good policies and procedures in place, but they have to constantly be evaluating, reevaluating, updating those policies and procedures as well," Moore said. "This has to be at least a 20-year project that's constantly reevaluated. I hope that 20 years from now that we can look back and see sexual abuse in churches as something unthinkable and a long-buried horror of the past. We're a long way from that." Follow Holly Meyer on Twitter: @ HollyAMeyer This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches expected as major topic at annual meeting


The Kings will finalize a four-year, $85 million deal with free agent forward Harrison Barnes , according to Sam Amick of The Athletic ( Twitter link ). The deal will decline annually, accounting for just 14% of Sacramento's cap during the final season. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirms ( via Twitter ) that the two sides have agreed to terms. Barnes, 27, was traded from the Mavericks to the Kings at February's trade deadline in the third year of the four-year, maximum-salary contract he signed with Dallas back in 2016. For the season, he recorded 16.4 PPG and 4.7 RPG with a .420/.395/.824 shooting line in 77 games (32.9 MPG). Barnes had a player option for the 2019-20 season that would have paid him more than $25 million, but opted to turn it down . Based on his new deal, it's clear why he went in that direction   his new contract won't be quite worth $25 million annually, but it will give him substantially more long-term security than his option would have. When the Kings acquired Barnes from Dallas during the season, reports indicated that Sacramento viewed him as its answer at small forward. However, head coach Dave Joerger ended up frequently using his new acquisition at the four. Presumably, Sacramento's front office and new head coach Luke Walton are aligned on how to best use Barnes this season. Even after reaching deals with Barnes, Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon today, Sacramento still projects to have up to about $13 million in cap space, notes ESPN's Bobby Marks . However, the Kings could create that room only by renouncing Willie Cauley-Stein 's cap hold. Luke Adams contributed to this post.


When a severe storm swept through the Washington area before the start of Memorial Day weekend, it didn't stop the 3rd US Infantry Regiment from placing flags at the graves of fallen soldiers, including at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier . The regiment, known as The Old Guard , is responsible for carrying out the annual military operation of planting flags at every grave in Virginia's Arlington National Cemetery before the holiday weekend. The tradition started when soldiers at Fort Myer decided to ensure every fallen service personnel had a decoration on their graves. The soldiers plant 245,000 flags every year. This year the weather tried its best to interfere in the tradition. Maj. Stephen Von Jett, public affairs director for the regiment, told CNN that some soldiers had to be ordered to stand down from planting flags Thursday so determined were they to finish their job despite the storm. But the torrential downpour didn't deter one soldier from displaying his patriotism. "With only a few watching from cover, a Tomb Sentinel approached the Unknowns with (US) flags in hand," the 3rd US Infantry Regiment said in a Facebook post. "As thunder shook the ground and rains washed down without abandon, the Tomb Sentinel pierced through the elements with breath-taking precision." His selfless display remained anonymous, Jett said, since the Tomb Sentinels don't identify themselves out of respect for the unknown soldiers. Despite the heavy rain, thunder and darkened skies, the solider in the Facebook photo appeared unfazed by the elements. "Humans have their limits, but The Old Guard has yet to meet theirs," the regiment noted in its Facebook post.


VISTA, Calif.   A 59-year-old homeless woman took the witness stand here Wednesday and refused to even look at the man she identified as her rapist   former NFL star Kellen Winslow II, who sat in front of her several feet away. After Winslow's attorney, Marc Carlos, moved behind Winslow's chair in court, the woman looked in his direction and flinched. "I don't appreciate it," she said. "What is it you don't appreciate?" Carlos asked her. "That I have to look at my rapist," she said. "I think he should be further over (out of her line of vision). No, I don't want to look at him." The woman, identified in court as Jane Doe No. 2, had just given a graphic account of her alleged rape on May 13, 2018. That's when she said Winslow offered her a ride in his Hummer to get a cup of coffee, but instead drove her to a dark place on the road and then raped and choked her on the passenger side of his vehicle. "I thought it was the end of my life," she said. This was Day 3 of "The People vs. Kellen Winslow II," a rape trial that could send Winslow to prison for the rest of his life. Jane Doe 2 is one of three woman accusing Winslow of rape and is the second accuser to testify against the former standout tight end since the trial started on Monday. On Tuesday, another woman, 55-year-old Jane Doe No. 1, had testified that Winslow picked her up as a hitchhiker in March 2018 and then raped her in a parking lot two months earlier. But unlike Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 appeared visibly upset and gave mostly consistent testimony about her alleged assault. She exhaled loudly into the microphone at times and rocked her head rapidly during questions from Carlos and San Diego County prosecutor Dan Owens. She also said she believed Winslow purposely tried to avoid leaving incriminating evidence on her by ejaculating away from her, outside the vehicle, and by choking her in way that wouldn't leave marks. "He's smart," she said. Winslow, 35, is married with children and earned millions in salary during his pro football career after being selected sixth overall in the 2004 NFL draft . He has pleaded not guilty. Besides the three alleged rape victims, two other women have accused Winslow of misdemeanor indecent exposure and lewd conduct. All are part of the same trial, and each is expected to testify against him. Wednesday's testimony from Jane Doe 2 appeared to help the government's case against him after the first accuser's credibility came into question under cross-examination by Carlos on Tuesday. "The testimony of Jane Doe 2 certainly helped prosecutors following the disastrous performance of Jane Doe 1," said San Diego criminal defense attorney David P. Shapiro , who is not involved in the case but has been monitoring it on Court TV. "Jane Doe 2's testimony was certainly not without inconsistencies, but she was considerably more credible than what jurors heard from Jane Doe 1 on Tuesday. Consider Jane Doe 2 was audibly shaken up recounting the events, which is what the jury wants to hear from a witness who says a man raped her. Jane Doe I almost seemed flippant recalling what she claimed happened to her." In his cross-examination of Jane Doe 2, Carlos focused at times on the fact that she knew her alleged assailant by the name "Kevin" and that she had met him a few times previously on a friendly basis. Carlos also noted in questions that "Kevin" drove an expensive Hummer and that she said he previously had offered her $50 for sex, which she said she declined. It follows the defense team's larger narrative, outlined on Monday, that suggests the sex was consensual , not rape, and that these accusers are opportunists who recognize signs of wealth or ways to get off the streets. "All they have to do is raise a reasonable doubt about lack of consent," said Arash Hashemi, another Los Angeles criminal defense attorney not involved in the case but monitoring it. "They are pointing out every inconsistency and forgotten moment as an opportunity to weaken Jane Doe 2's insistence that the sex was rape, even while treating her with the respect one affords a victim." At one point, Carlos asked her if she had told friends about the alleged $50 offer for sex from "Kevin" about four months before the alleged rape. "What does that have to do with the rape?" she asked Carlos. "That's what I don't understand, especially since I said no (to the $50 offer)." She testified she told Winslow "please don't do this" after he pulled over on the side of the road and Winslow told her they were going to have sex. In response, he said, "It's a done deal," according to her testimony. She also said she screamed because it was painful and that he choked her and threatened her to keep her quiet. "I just put my head down," she said. "I was just waiting for it to be over." Afterward, she said "he wouldn't even look at me anymore." She said he got back in the vehicle and dropped her off in nearby Encinitas before driving away. The next day, she said a friend persuaded her to report the incident after she sensed something was wrong. "She said she was taken somewhere," said the friend, Christina Garvey, in testimony Wednesday. "She said she was raped." Jane Doe 2 was "emotional and believable," said Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Silva Megerditchian , who also is not involved in the case but is monitoring it. "One of the most powerful parts is when she objects to having to look at her 'rapist' and asks that Winslow be seated farther away ... To jurors, this will strike at their emotions." On Thursday, the jury of eight men and four women is expected to hear testimony from Jane Doe No. 3. She was a neighbor of Winslow's in Encinitas who was gardening in her yard last year when Owens said Winslow pulled down his pants and exposed himself to her. The charge in her case is misdemeanor indecent exposure. Follow sports reporter Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer . E-mail: bschroten@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-NFL star Kellen Winslow's rape trial: Witness refuses to look at 'rapist' in court Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


After the conclusion of the Boston Celtics' disheartening season, Celtics point guard Terry Rozier has continued to be one of the most outspoken and candid players on the team. Already having told reporters that he believes he sacrificed more than any other player on the team , Rozier made an appearance on ESPN's Get Up! on Tuesday morning and the enigmatic Kyrie Irving became the primary topic of conversation. Terry Rozier sets the record straight on playing with Kyrie. (via @GetUpESPN ) pic.twitter.com/RWiQJhJzKs - The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) May 14, 2019 "He's a great guy. Great leader. You just have to adjust to his style," Rozier would say, noting the rigidity and authoritarian style that Irving adopted over the course of the season. With it being just Irving's second season in a role that sees him as the leader on a perennial playoff-contender, the 27-year-old point guard had his share of growing pains as looked to learn how to bring the best out of his teammates. Yet, Irving's struggles as a leader appeared to be related to his emotional state as at times, he's passive-aggressive or aloof and other times he's full of praise and completely engaged. Despite messages of never getting too high or too low during the regular season, Irving was much better at doling out that advice than living it. Rozier would also go into detail about Boston's tendency to practice rotations that they wouldn't utilize in-game because Celtics head coach Brad Stevens wanted to keep Irving on the floor. That would seem to point to an over-reliance on Irving by the heralded head coach as well as questionable management of the talent and egos on his team. Terry Rozier on ESPN's "Get Up!": "What we'd be talking about in practice is not what we went through in the game. It was like, all right, we're going to keep Kyrie out there and put the other guys out there with him, and we're going to figure it out." - Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) May 14, 2019 Perhaps Rozier would have performed better or seemed less disgruntled had he received more playing time, or the playing time he expected at least. That said, the Celtics would likely have played better as a team with a better balance of minutes and if Stevens stuck to the gameplan more often. It appears that, instead, the Celtics' second team had to adjust to Irving's freelancing style when they entered the game and the results weren't always ideal. Remember Rozier's discussions about how when Irving was on the court, the team would tend to stand around and watch in awe ? With Rozier's comments putting both Irving and Stevens under the microscope, it's hard to tell whether he's making benign comments or stirring the pot. However, what is clear is that all was not well with the Celtics and they had not been for a long time. MORE: NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players This video from behind the bench might be the best view of Kawhi Leonard's buzzer-beater Report: Chicago Bulls could offer top-6 pick for Lonzo Ball in trade Giants' Daniel Jones opens voluntary workouts as QB3 Roundup: Bill Nye's Comments; Seinfeld Finales Ranked; The Office's Streaming Future


The Eagles have had some poor defensive performances over the last 12 years, with some guys having huge individual games against the Birds defense. It happens in sports, where a guy - win or lose - is able to have monster games against one singular opponent. Pro Football Focus recently came out with a list of one "franchise killer" for all 32 NFL teams - defining the list as "the players who have played a minimum of 300 snaps against a single team and picked up the highest overall grade from PFF since 2006. For the Eagles, the pick was Atlanta Falcons all-world wide receiver Julio Jones, who's had his fair share of huge games, but not necessarily huge wins over the Eagles. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR JULIO JONES, ATLANTA FALCONS, 91.8 OVERALL GRADE Despite only amassing 202 routes run, Jones has torched the Eagles throughout his career to the tune of 45 receptions for 698 yards. Among all players, his 18 receptions of 15 or more yards rank fifth, and his 3.46 yards per route run are easily more than any other wide receiver with 25-plus targets. For some Eagles fans, that narrative is hogwash, with most people only remembering Jones for dropping a potential game-winning touchdown catch against the Eagles in the 2017 playoffs. Add into the fact that Atlanta has lost three straight to Philadelphia, and there are probably better candidates to put on the list. Jason Witten of the Cowboys has had some huge games against Philadelphia and Odell Beckham Jr. as well. Other notable names mentioned in the Twitter-verse and online include, the Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald who's got a 5-3 career record against the Birds while averaging 10.1 catches, 112 yards per outing. MORE: LaVar Ball made a tasteless mid-interview remark to ESPN's Molly Qerim NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Roundup: US Sending 1,000 More Troops to Iran; Recalls; Dallas Gunman Shot Dead Adding context to audible issue between Aaron Rodgers, Matt LaFleur Report indicates Matthew Stafford played with a broken back in 2018


Four aviation companies on Thursday submitted proposals to the state for aircraft to fly Gov. Ron DeSantis throughout Florida. The vendors met a Thursday deadline to submit bid proposals to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The deadline was extended for a week after an undisclosed vendor requested more time in the application process. The state will consider aircraft owned by Embraer Executive Aircraft Inc., Avionics Enterprise LLC, Learjet Inc. and Textron Aviation Inc. Of the four vendors, only representatives from Embraer Executive Aircraft Inc. were present at a meeting Thursday. RELATED COVERAGE: Is Ron DeSantis flying on a drug-seized plane? Unlikely. Gov. Ron DeSantis' plane makes emergency landing near St. Petersburg Grounded by Rick Scott, Cabinet members learn how to travel Florida without state plane The bidding process gives members of the public a glimpse of what the state is considering as it tries to find a plane for DeSantis. For example, the state said the aircraft will not be operated outside the United States and is expected to be flown about 400 hours a year. Also, the state plans to finance 100 percent of the aircraft's purchase price. The state budget, which DeSantis is expected to sign this week or early next week, includes $3.8 million for a plane, pilots and maintenance staff. FDLE is looking for an airplane to fly DeSantis after former Gov. Rick Scott got rid of state aircraft in 2011 to fulfill a campaign promise. Scott, the wealthiest governor in state history, used his own plane.     ©2019 the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Visit the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.) at www.tampabay.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


PHILADELPHIA   The FBI has been called in to investigate the possibility that the windshield of an Amtrak train was hit with an object shortly before the train derailed this week in a crash that killed eight people and injured about 200 more. The revelation came at a National Transportation Safety Board briefing on Friday evening, raising new questions about the accident. NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt declined to speculate about the exact significance of a projectile, but the idea raised the possibility that the engineer might have been distracted, panicked or even wounded in the moments before the train left the rails. The train sped up to twice the speed limit when it was supposed to be slowing down as it entered a sharp bend in the tracks on its way from Washington to New York. The NTSB said the FBI will focus its investigation on the windshield of the train. Sumwalt said the information about a projectile came from an assistant conductor, who said she heard Amtrak engineer and the engineer from a nearby Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority regional train talking just before the derailment. Sumwalt said she recalled hearing the regional train driver say his train had been hit by an object and then Brandon Bostian, the Amtrak engineer, say his train had been struck, too. The derailment shattered the Amtrak train's windshield. But Sumwalt said there were concentric circles on the lower left corner of the glass. The NTSB said there also was another Amtrak train   this one headed south   that had a window shattered in the same area around the same time. Investigators have been looking at why the Amtrak train that crashed hit a speed of about 106 mph in a zone where the maximum speed is 50 mph just before it flew off the tracks. On Friday, the NTSB interviewed Bostian, the 32-year-old engineer, for the first time. Sumwalt said Bostian was "extremely cooperative" but told authorities that he did not recall anything in the few minutes before the crash, the deadliest on U.S. rails in nearly six years. But Sumwalt said the engineer told investigators he was not fatigued and that he was not concerned about how the train was working. The stretch of track is not yet equipped with a positive train control system that would put the brakes on a train exceeding the speed limit. That means that for now, engineers have to rely on their knowledge of the tracks and a printed timetable rather than sophisticated signals to tell them when to slow down. Amtrak said it will have the new control system on all its tracks by the end of the year. Sumwalt said Bostian had "a very good working knowledge of territory, speed limitations, things like that." Before the news of an object possibly hitting the train, Ed Dobranetski, the NTSB's former chief railroad crash investigator, said there would be many questions for the engineer because of the abrupt speedup. "It doesn't accelerate by itself. It doesn't go into cruise control," Dobranetski said. "Somebody's got a lot of explaining to do." James Weir, a friend of Bostian's since they were teenagers in the Memphis, Tennessee, area, said he called the engineer after hearing about the wreck, but that his friend was hospitalized and could not say much. As a teenager, Bostian was a safe driver who would not go even 5 mph over the speed limit, he said. "Whenever I would drive, I'd tend to go a little over and he'd fuss at me. He'd tell me to slow down. He's just not the kind of guy that breaks the rules," Weir said. "He puts safety ahead of everything." On Friday, the first funeral was held for one of those killed in the wreck. U.S. Naval Academy midshipman Justin Zemser, 20, was laid to rest on Long Island. ___ Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and Josh Cornfield in Philadelphia and Matt Friedman in Washington contributed to this report.


Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh called Monday for the MBTA to postpone its planned July 1 rate hike until service is back to normal on the Red Line, which has been suffering delays since a derailment last week. "There should be no fare increase until the Red Line is fixed. ... The MBTA must act with urgency and it's unfair to ask riders to pay more until the Red Line is fully operational," Walsh tweeted. But officials at an MBTA board meeting later threw cold water on the idea. State Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said it was "not the correct gesture." T board chairman Joe Aiello said, "The broader fare increase, I think, is too much of a blunt instrument to roll back at this point." Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan, a board member, said after the meeting that he felt the T should make "some kind of gesture" to "give some emapthy and some recognition to the South Shore folks." "This past week was a very difficult one for residents of the South Shore" who use the train to get to and from Boston, he said. MBTA general manager Steven Poftak told the board an investigation was continuing into the incident and so far "we do not have any determination of a root cause." He said investigators were now "taking a look at the vehicle itself" after ruling out operator error, foul play, and track issues as the cause. The car that jumped the tracks and traveled nearly one-third of a mile before coming to rest was among a class of 70 that went into service in 1969. The cars are inspected roughly once a month. The car involved in the derailment was inspected on May 3, about five weeks before the incident. T officials also said they were planning to create a panel of experts, potentially as early as next week, to analyze the T's safety practices and rail operations and how they compares to best practices elsewhere. The panel would work separately from a consultant the T has hired to review derailments since 2017. Later Monday, Walsh argued that Boston residents don't have a say in the T's management despite being "most impacted by the failures" of the system. He said he was calling on the agency to "reinstate a local seat on the oversight board." "It's our residents, our workers & our commuters who feel the pain. Yet we do not have a seat at the table when decisions about the T are made," he tweeted. T passengers faced another slower-than-usual commute Monday morning, as Red Line trains continued to operate at reduced service levels because of the damaged caused by the derailment last Tuesday at JFK/UMass Station Braintree branch riders no longer needed to switch trains at JFK/UMass to get into the city, but T officials said Red Line passengers should still plan for an extra 20 minutes of travel time and expect trains to run slower than usual. "Track switches will be operated manually until signal repairs are complete, and trains will travel at reduced speeds through some stations," T officials said. The agency also urged Red Line passengers on the South Shore to use the commuter rail on Monday and Tuesday. Many T passengers have expressed frustration over the delays. T officials have said they are working hard to fix the problem. T board member Brian Shortsleeve asked T officials at the board meeting, "Do you have the money you need to fix this subway system?" Jeff Gonneville, the T's deputy general manager, said, "We have a very robust capital plan." Lily Hurley, 20, a nursing assistant at Brigham and Women's Hospital who was at JFK/UMass Station Monday morning, said the delays have lengthened her commute considerably. "I'm leaving myself more time," she said. "It took me about three hours to get home from work last Thursday, so that was frustrating because I work all day, I commute, I pay $9 to park at Braintree, I pay to take the T and I'm still taking like a five-hour commute to get there, which is really frustrating." Bryce Daugherty said that after the derailment the T "did a pretty decent job of accommodating for everybody." "You have to leave 20 minutes earlier to be able to get to work, but other than that, I've seen worse," he said. Daugherty said he hasn't been too worried about last week's derailment, but would still like to know what caused it. "I would really care if it was something intentional, or happened because of failure to do proper maintenance," he said. Rachel Recolcolin, 28, has been frustrated with the delays she's encountered on the Red Line. "There's delays. It's ridiculous. I'm getting sick and tired of it," she said. She also opposed the upcoming T fare hikes . "It's not fair," she said. "We spend so much money out of our taxpayer money for the government to pay all of this, and there's no relief. There's nothing at all. We're just sick and tired of the frustration and Boston all around should do better." "Especially during wintertime," added her father, Ruey Recolcolin, 63. Seth Vachon, 32, of Dorchester, said the trains have become too crowded. "It's been horrible," he said. "Several years ago, it wasn't always packed every day." With so many people crammed closely together, commuting to work has become a tense experience for him. "It's affecting our daily lives," he said. "That's a pretty important time in the morning for someone when they are traveling to work. That's where you gather your headspace. You might want your headphones in. And here we're shoulder to shoulder, we're human beings, there's sweat, people are bumping into each other. There's backpacks. Everybody's having a backpack sandwich for breakfast. It's crazy." Rose Marie Peacock, 48, was waiting at Savin Hill for a train to Ashmont. She had an interview at Weymouth at 9:30 a.m., and planned to get to Quincy Center by taking the 215 bus from Ashmont and then the 225 bus to Weymouth. She was nervous about whether she would make it on time. She thought about taking the commuter rail, but decided against it. "I didn't want to do that because [the train is] going to be packed, suffocated," she said. "I don't want that." "Last week it was bad, it's still kind of bad," she said. Peacock said that since fares are going up, "the services should be up to par." "With the fare increase, there should be no issues like there are now, with derails and trains not coming on time," she said. "Everything should be on time." The train that derailed June 11 damaged 200 feet of track and the third rail at JFK/UMass station, as well as power and signal systems, officials said. "Trains will continue to travel slowly through the station until repairs are complete," MBTA officials said. Until the signal system is fixed, inspectors will be manually operating track switches and sharing train location information with dispatchers at the operations control center, T officials said. "This is safe and effective, but not as efficient as automatic updates, so we can't put as many trains into service as we would during a usual weekday morning, and headway times between trains are longer," officials said. T officials tweeted that countdown clocks that show train arrival times have been turned back on at most Red Line station platforms. "We're continuing to monitor their predictions for accuracy," the agency tweeted . "Some stations may only have one side on." Emily Sweeney and John R. Ellement of the Globe staff and correspondents Annika Hom and Ysabelle Kempe contributed to this report. Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com . Follow her on Twitter @emilysweeney .


Lonzo Ball was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft with the second overall pick. The following day, Lonzo Ball was formally introduced to the media with Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka at his side. In that press conference, Magic didn't help with the pressure that was already put on Lonzo by his outspoken father, LaVar Ball, as Magic called Lonzo the "new face of the franchise" and that he "expected" Lonzo's jersey to be hanging in the Staples Center rafters one day. We're only a few days away from the two-year anniversary of that press conference, and boy how things changed. This past Saturday, Anthony Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers with the New Orleans Pelicans receiving Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and multiple first-round picks. It remains to be seen if the Pelicans still have some moves to make. Shortly after the blockbuster trade, Adrian Wojnarowski announced that the Pelicans were going to be involved in discussions for the Lakers' former fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. This might mean that the Pelicans could have trades on the horizon involving any of the current Pelicans assets as well as the assets that were just received from the Lakers. One player almost guaranteed to be a Pelican next year is none other than projected number one overall pick, Zion Williamson. Ball isn't nearly as guaranteed to be on the roster as Zion, but it has been reported that the Pelicans "love" him . The idea of Lonzo playing with Zion can be tantalizing on first thought, but most definitely has its flaws as well. Playmaking in the Fastbreak The first thing that immediately comes to mind when thinking about the pairing of Ball and Williamson is their potential abilities on the Pelicans fastbreak. Unless you've spent the past year living under a rock, you've probably seen one of Williamson's court-splintering alley-oops while on the Duke Blue Devils. He's much like LeBron James in the fact that if you throw it up anywhere near the basket, there's a very good chance it's going to come down in an emphatic dunk. If there's an ability of Ball's that isn't questioned, it's his passing ability. The idea of those two being able to connect on fastbreaks had to have been in David Griffin's mind as he made sure to receive Ball in the blockbuster trade instead of him being optioned off to a third-team in a trade. Don't forget Lonzo can receive the alley-oop as well. Williamson is no slouch as a passer as he finished third on Duke in assists per game and could throw Ball some of those alley-oops. Defensive Ability and Versatility Another ability of Ball's that is starting to be generally accepted is his above-average defense . He gained a reputation as a pesky, full-court defender of point guards last year, even giving Jamal Murray some fits in an infamous moment of Ball's young career. More than that, he's a great team defender who can switch well with guards and can even give some forwards a hard time. Steal by Zo! #LakeShow (: @SpectrumSN & TNT) pic.twitter.com/By0KdDU9OE - Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 26, 2018 There doesn't really have to be much said about Williamson's defensive versatility and ability other than saying he's a 6'7", 285-pound monster who moves faster than most guards. He averaged 1.8 blocks per game at Duke and was rightfully named to the ACC All-Defensive team. NBA teams will definitely have some troubles playing against Ball and Williamson, and will have even more trouble if the Pelicans hold onto Jrue Holiday as he's touted as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. Three-Point Shooting One area where the two will almost undoubtedly struggle will be their shooting behind the three-point line. Ball's three-point struggles have already been well documented throughout his first two NBA seasons. The 21-year-old shot 30.5 percent on 5.7 attempts per game in his rookie year and shot 32.9 percent on 4.9 attempts per game last season. Both percentages are much less than the league average in 2018-19 , which was 35.5%. One of the only weaknesses Williamson had coming into college is still one of the only ones he has coming into the NBA: three-point shooting. Everyone knew his athleticism on the offensive end was off the charts and would provide him the ability to get basically any shot he wanted around the basket, but some were worried about his three-point shot. He actually surprised most with his shot, but still only made 33.8% of his three-point looks in his freshman year at Duke. NBA teams already know Ball's weakness as a shooter, and will surely pack the paint when Williamson is on the court. Both players will be tasked to nail some open looks, especially with Brandon Ingram on the team, traditionally working in the short-to-mid range. Those two improving their three-point shot could be the difference between entertaining a playoff berth and being a lottery team again for the Pelicans. Half-Court Offense This is more of a criticism of Ball than it is of Williamson, but the problem could be amplified for both when they're on the court together. Ball ranked in the 21st percentile as the ball handler in pick-and-rolls and wasn't even trusted as an isolation player, only averaging 0.6 possessions of isolation per game last year. Both of those numbers are not good, especially for a starting point guard in today's NBA. Williamson was a monster at Duke and was able to score in many different ways. His specialty was undoubtedly being on the fastbreak, but Williamson could still score in the half-court, sometimes simply by bullying his way to the rack. He could face some problems with this tactic being on the Pelicans. For one, as prefaced above, the Pelicans might run into some spacing issues with the current personnel on their roster. Without spacing, that clogs up the paint, which will make it hard for Williamson to get to the rack as he will almost assuredly want to. Second, to put it simply, NBA players are just bigger. Williamson will have to bang with the Draymond Greens and the P.J. Tuckers of the world once he enters the league. He didn't run into many defenders of those two players' abilities and physiques in college and will run into those specific types of defenders on a nightly basis in the NBA. The bigger question than Williamson and Ball's fit may be how well those two fit along with Holiday and the rest of the roster. It'll be interesting to see what this franchise's ceiling will be in its first year without Davis since 2012. Either way, we can definitely expect a perplexing duo of Ball and Williamson, with some electrifying, high-flying alley-oops on the way. MORE: LaVar Ball made a tasteless mid-interview remark to ESPN's Molly Qerim Roundup: US Sending 1,000 More Troops to Iran; Recalls; Dallas Gunman Shot Dead NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Adding context to audible issue between Aaron Rodgers, Matt LaFleur Josh McCown and the wasted promise of the 2006 Detroit Lions Related slideshow: Ranking the top 50 NBA draft prospects (Provided by Yardbarker)


Start your day off right with some pictures of lovable kitties. There are dozens of cats up for adoption right here in Washington. Hoodline partnered with Petfinder , an online adoption site that lists "more than 315,000 adoptable pets from nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups" to bring you this roundup of cats near you. (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.) Rugelach, domestic shorthair Rugelach is an adorable male domestic shorthair cat being kept at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . He's neutered and vaccinated. He is already house-trained. From Rugelach's current caretaker: He enjoys cuddles, belly rubs and using humans as pillows. A true romantic, he'll gaze into your eyes and purr during chin scratches. Read more about how to adopt Rugelach on Petfinder . Miss Whiskers, domestic longhair and calico mix Miss Whiskers is a female domestic longhair and calico mix being kept at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . Have no fear: She's already house-trained. She has all of her shots, and she's spayed. From Miss Whiskers' current caretaker: Miss Whiskers is a sweet and pretty girl. She is new to the rescue and we can't wait to find out more about her. Apply to adopt Miss Whiskers today at Petfinder . Callie, domestic shorthair Callie is a sweet female domestic shorthair cat in the care of City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . Callie is a social animal, and she loves other cats. She's mastered her house-training etiquette. She already has all of her shots, and she's spayed. From Callie's current caretaker: Sweet, affectionate and absolutely adorable, Callie is good with people and other cats. She is also gentle and good with kids and lived with a 3-year-old boy in her foster home. She loves to play with her toys, sunbathe and follow her favorite humans around. Read more about how to adopt Callie on Petfinder . Misty, domestic Misty is a female domestic cat currently housed at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . She's already house-trained. Her vaccinations are already up to date, and she is spayed. Here's what Misty's friends at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties think of her: Misty is a sweet girl. She is new to the rescue and we can't wait to find out more about her. Read more about Misty on Petfinder . Gabriel, domestic shorthair Gabriel is a male domestic shorthair cat currently residing at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . Gabriel is already neutered and vaccinated. He's already house-trained. Gabriel's current caretakers say: Gabriel is a sweet, playful and lovable guy. His future goals include "having my very own home with a couch I can sleep on while we watch TV." Read more about how to adopt Gabriel on Petfinder . Truffle Kerfuffle, domestic Truffle Kerfuffle is a lovable female domestic cat being cared for at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . She's already house-trained. Her vaccinations are up to date, and she is spayed. From Truffle Kerfuffle's current caretaker: Truffle is the most affectionate cat her foster mom has ever encountered. From the minute she arrived, she was purring and wanted to be held and petted. When she is around people, she purrs nonstop, chirps at you and just wants to be near you. Read more about Truffle Kerfuffle on Petfinder . Merry, domestic Merry is a female domestic cat currently housed at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties . Merry will get along great with dogs and cats. No need to worry: She has already been house-trained. Her vaccinations are up to date, and she is spayed. Here's what Merry's friends at City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties think of her: Merry has just finished raising her little kittens and she's ready for life as a single mom. She's very sweet and affectionate and would love nothing more than a lap to call her own and a person to hug. Read more about how to adopt Merry 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.


A little mom-and-pop store that's been serving its community for nearly 70 years is shutting its doors. National Market in Turlock opened as an immigrant's dream for a better life. In accomplishing that mission, it brought about its own end. Don Ow has been running National Market since his dad died a decade ago. The little grocery store is locally famous for its meat counter. READ ALSO: Dimple Records closing after 45 years in Sacramento "It's really kept us in business the last, probably, 10,15 years," Ow told ABC10 on Wednesday. "We have something that we can offer that the big stores can't. We have the personalized service." Plus, he added, "everything that we make goes back into our community. The big guys can't say they do that." Ow's grandparents emigrated from China and eventually settled in Turlock, where they opened the grocery store in 1951. Ow's dad, Jing, was a teenager, so Ow literally grew up in the National Market building. "Yeah, since day one, working," Ow recalled. Ow is now 59 years old. He and his wife Debbie are at the store all day, every day. "Seven days a week," Ow said. "We open up at 9 a.m. We close at 7 p.m. now. Used to close at 8 p.m." His 85-year-old mom, Virginia, also still works at the store. Ow calls her "one of the draws here" for generations of National Market customers. "If we let her do what she wanted, she'd work here at least eight hours a day," Ow said, "but we kind of make her come a little later and make her take a little rest in the afternoon." After spending so much of his life working in   and then running   the store, Ow said it's time for him and Debbie to be done. "I remember my dad telling me when we first started, after we got married and started working here, he goes, 'You know, you only have to work half-days,'" Ow recalled with a smile on his face. "I go, 'You know, that's great!'" His dad, however, meant, "'8 to 8, seven days a week,'" Ow said. "So yeah, the 'half-days' were 12 hours!" READ ALSO: Dressbarn the latest in a string of closing Modesto businesses That hard work put him and his three siblings through college, then Ow's and Debbie's four kids through school. "My grandfather came here with nothing and, you know, what we've got out of this has been great," Ow said. "It really is the American dream." It's a dream that worked. It led to successful careers for his four daughters. It's also a dream that led to the store's end. "My kids have no interest in working here and putting the hours in," he explained. Business is a numbers game, but Ow says the most important number now is five: the fifth generation of the Ow family in the US, to be more exact. "My wife and I, we want to enjoy our new grandchild," he said. Two months ago, Ow and his wife became first-time grandparents, meaning closing the store will give them more time with their grandson. As news of National Market's impending closure has started to spread, generations of customers are coming to say goodbye. "How you doing? What are you going to do?" one customer asked Ow at the store Wednesday evening. "You're not going to sell meat no more?" "No, I'm going to give it up," Ow replied. "We're kind of retiring. Slowing down a little bit." Turlock has other grocery stores nearby but nothing quite like this. "We're kind of like the last mom-'n'-pop store. Everything else is either an ethnic store or big chain," Ow explained. "To support a store like this for all these years, that says something for the community." To that community, Don and his family say  thank you. "Thank you for all the years of support. It's really made a big impact on our family," he said. "It's supported us, it's educated us, it's given us everything we've ever wanted." Ow and his wife plan on taking some vacation after closing the store around August 10. They say they'll stay in Turlock, where Ow plans to continue to work   elsewhere   for several more years. He already has some offers, he said. "Looking forward to it," Ow said. "Next chapter." The family hopes someone will buy National Market and continue operating it as a locally-owned grocery store for the community. Continue the conversation with Becca on Facebook . WATCH ALSO: Dimple Records closing after 45 years in Sacramento


One of the most beautiful women on the planet is officially taken. Bar Refaeli's publicist confirmed that the supermodel is engaged to her boyfriend Adi Ezra. The couple met about two years ago after they were introduced through mutual friends. Adi, according to an Israeli newspaper, is a "businessman." The proposal reportedly took place while the couple was vacationing in the Caribbean last week. Bar, who was very private while she dated Leonardo DiCaprio for five years, hasn't exactly been shy about gushing about her man on social media. On March 10 she posted a photo of the two of them kissing   likely from their engagement   which she simply captioned it, "Love." It's OK, guys, you never really had a chance anyway.


Emergency dispatchers in York say one person was stabbed early Saturday morning. They say the stabbing occurred just before 4:30 a.m., in the area of East Market Street and North Broad. York City Police are investigating. READ MORE: York City Police investigate early morning stabbing CHECK OUT WGAL: Stay in the know with the top stories of the day. Get all the latest Harrisburg, Lancaster and York news, weather and sports from the WGAL News Team.


Rachel Langford's phone has been ringing nonstop since 7-11, when she gave birth to a girl at 7:11 pm, weighing 7 pounds and 11 ounces. But the most exciting call came from 7-Eleven, which celebrated the news of J'Aime Brown's birth by pledging $7,111 to her college fund. The convenience store chain previously had called to offer a gift basket with diapers and other merchandise, Langford said. The additional pledge was totally unexpected. When a company representative asked if she was interested, Langford's answer was a resounding yes. "I was completely shocked," she told CNN. "I kind of just freaked out." A representative for 7-Eleven confirmed to CNN that the company has pledged the money for J'Amie's college fund, as well as onesies, diapers and other gifts. The young St. Louis family has been in the spotlight since Langford gave birth on 7-Eleven Day, a company holiday marked each year with free Slurpees. They've enjoyed the attention, but Langford says she's mainly focused on her family. In addition to J'Aime, Langford has a 6-year-old son. She says it's not easy juggling bills and providing for her children. "It's hard for anybody to even get a trust fund for their children," she said. "To get a blessing like that, it just helps a lot." J'Aime, for her part, appears to be basking in the limelight. She mostly eats and sleeps -- no whining, says Langford. "Since the baby's been here, strangely, we've been calm, getting more stuff done," she said. "We've been feeling really good."


For Kyle Larson, the most important part of his victory in Saturday night's NASCAR All-Star Race was that he ended up in Victory Lane. in Cup Series competition since Sept. 9, 2017 at Richmond, Va. While the All-Star win doesn't count as an "official" victory, simply being able to put together everything needed to secure a win was a rewarded in an off itself for Larson this season. "A million dollars is cool, but just winning is more cool than a million bucks to me," Larson said after the victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Just winning a big race, a prestigious event means more to me than the money. "I'm all about trophies and big wins." They've been hard to come by recently for Larson and his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team. in the series standings. in the standings heading into next weekend's Coca-Cola 600. Shaking off the bad luck Not to mention, Larson wasn't even guaranteed an appearance in the All-Star Race main event. He raced in his way in, by winning one of the three stages of the preliminary Monster Energy Open (only the second driver to do so in the history of the event). "With the string of DNFs that I had and bad finishes (this season), that's what was more frustrating because I knew we were putting ourselves in a bad spot to make it to the playoffs," he said. "You have to be extremely consistent and just take what you can get from now on, where you can't be as aggressive as you could be if you had a fast car and were consistently running in the top-five and stuff like that. I feel like Kansas kind of showed it last week. "I feel like I've been like a seventh- or eighth- to kind of 12th-place car all season, but I haven't got to show for it and seventh to 12th isn't that great. A week ago or a few days ago I would say we can't win a race like that, but we proved (Saturday night) that we could." Relief in victory Both Larson and his crew chief, Chad Johnston, said the All-Star Race victory provided a feeling of "relief." "We had a couple good years there where we won a lot of races, and last year we got a lot of second-place finishes and were in contention to win, just couldn't close it off," Johnston said. "Any win is a big win. Obviously this weekend is a little bit different because it's not points racing, but still, everybody is laying everything out on the line because it's not a points race and you're racing for a million dollars." The biggest question for Larson and his team this week will be whether they can continue their momentum in solidifying a playoff spot with another strong performance in the Cup series' longest event of the year. "We've just got to continue to keep working hard and learn what we can, making our cars better and faster and more grip, more speed, everything," Larson said. "Pit crew has got to be on it, I've got to be on it if we want to continue to run up front." Read Also: Bubba Wallace: "I haven't had this much fun in a long time" Ryan Newman: Bowyer "should be embarrassed" after post-race fight


Citywide San Francisco temperatures will reach the mid-60s today and tomorrow, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will turn warmer on Friday, climbing to a high of 74 degrees. The coming days will also see partly cloudy skies, forecast to persist through Monday. Skies will become mostly cloudy beginning on Tuesday. Winds will reach a modest high of 16 mph on Tuesday, with daily top speeds over 10 mph for the rest of the week. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Warriors have reached an agreement to trade Andre Iguodala to the Grizzlies, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski ( via Twitter ). Memphis will also receive a 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected) in the deal, according to Wojnarowski. Moving Iguodala became a virtual necessity for Golden State once the Warriors agreed to acquire D'Angelo Russell from the Nets in a sign-and-trade deal. The Warriors will pay Russell the maximum salary of $27MM+ in 2019-20. After taking into account Russell's salary, Klay Thompson 's new max deal and the rest of the Warriors' commitments, Golden State was in danger of surpassing the $138.9 milliion tax apron, which isn't permitted   when a team acquires a player via a sign-and-trade, it becomes hard-capped at that figure, so shedding salary became a must. It appears likely that Shaun Livingston and his partially guaranteed $7.7 million salary will be on the way out as well. ESPN's Bobby Marks breaks down the Dubs' financial situation more thoroughly via Twitter , but it seems safe to say that the club won't be able to bring back several of its own free agents, including Kevon Looney . As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes ( via Twitter ), the Grizzlies will be able to take on Iguodala's $17 million-plus salary using the $25 million-plus trade exception they'll create when they officially send Mike Conley to Utah. The Grizzlies should still be able to retain Delon Wright without going into the tax, but bringing back Avery Bradley appears unlikely, Herrington adds. Kyle Korver seems unlikely to remain in the picture in Memphis either. It's not clear whether Iguodala will stick with the Grizzlies. David Aldridge of The Athletic ( Twitter links ) suggests that Memphis would like to have Iguodala act as a veteran mentor to the team's young players, but cautions that he wouldn't rule out the possibility of a buyout. If the veteran swingman is bought out, he wouldn't be eligible to re-sign with the Warriors in 2019-20. Whether or not the Grizzlies retain Iguodala, it's clear that the 2024 first-rounder is the prime asset in the deal. That pick will become top-one protected in 2025 if it doesn't convey in 2024, according to Woj, who adds that it would be unprotected in 2026 if it doesn't convey in either of the first two years. Iguodala, who joined the Warriors in 2013, was a key part of Golden State's run of success over the last several years. He won three titles with the club, earning the NBA Finals MVP in 2015.


Craving Thai food? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Thai restaurants around Santa Ana, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges. 1. Bangkok Taste First is Bangkok Taste , situated at 2737 N. Grand Ave. With four stars out of 369 reviews on Yelp, the Thai spot has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for a budget-friendly option. Customer favorites include chicken pad Thai, pad see ew, lard nah, yellow curry with chicken and crab fried rice. 2. Thai Way Riverview West's Thai Way , located at 648 S. Harbor Blvd., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the affordable Thai spot four stars out of 271 reviews. Thai Way features curry, rice, noodles, soups, salads, appetizers and a wide variety of dinner entrees; and the daily lunch special includes a side salad, a wonton and jasmine rice. 3. Somboon Thai Food Finally, Somboon Thai Food , a Thai spot in Mid - City, is another inexpensive go-to, with four stars out of 190 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1180 S. Bristol St., Suite 103 to see for yourself. In addition to a wide selection of Thai specialties, ranging from curry and noodles to soups and salads, this spot also offers a limited American menu of hamburgers, chicken tenders and french fries. 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.


Newark will see a return of last week's light rainfall this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 100 percent, while the most rainfall is predicted on Thursday at 0.92 inches. Also look for warm temperatures today and tomorrow. Temperatures will reach a high of 82 degrees on Sunday, and remain warm on Monday. Skies will be mostly cloudy tomorrow. Winds should reach a modest high of 16 mph on Friday, with daily top speeds over 10 mph for the rest of the week. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Caitlyn Jenner has opened up about her skincare routine and how it has changed since she transitioned from a man to a woman   while admitting she recently had to undergo multiple procedures to remove cancerous spots as a result of poor sun protection. The 69-year-old reality star came out as transgender in 2015, thus starting her journey towards becoming a woman. And during her transition, Caitlyn learned how adopting a skincare routine was beneficial as she continued to age. "Honestly, back in the old days, the skin was not as important as it is today and now I'm playing catch-up," Caitlyn candidly said in a video with beauty influencer Jade Chapman , who films a skincare series called Complexions. The video sees Jade performing a facial on Caitlyn using only products from Kylie Skin   a skincare company run by Caitlyn's youngest daughter, Kylie Jenner. Caitlyn confessed during the facial she previously avoided sun protection because of what little was known about the benefits of using SPF. But her perspective towards sun protection has changed in recent years following numerous cancerous spots forming on her face. "The biggest problem have is I have had tremendous exposure to the sun over the years," Caitlyn said during the facial, adding: "Back then, when I was growing up in the '60s and '70s, no one talked about really good sun protection. So unfortunately I'm paying the price now." Caitlyn then detailed the three cancerous spots on her face   one on her cheek, forehead and nose   doctors removed. The nose was a particularly difficult area to remove and originally left a 10 millimeter hole in Caitlyn's face before a plastic surgeon was able to fix the spot. "[The plastic surgeon] took all the skin on my nose and then reattached it to cover up that little hole," she said. Now Caitlyn prioritizes skincare products with SPF included to prevent future cancerous spots from growing on her face. "Over the last five years, I've had a few changes, just a few, and living life wonderfully now," Caitlyn said. "But because of those changes, your skin care becomes a lot more important so I've been trying to do everything I can to, you know, find products and take care of my skin better." Jade agreed with Caitlyn's sentiments and advised her YouTube followers to focus on how they spend their money when it comes to beauty products. "A lot of people spend a lot more money on their makeup when they should be spending more on their skincare," Jade said. ' She then asked Caitlyn if she ever used beauty products from any of the Jenner or Kardashian women. "In the old days I used to literally go around at night and see what everybody was using and then steal a little bit,' Caitlyn said. 'I was dipping into everybody's skincare stuff. Because, you know those girls, they only get the best." After the transition, Kim Kardashian then helped Caitlyn alter her eyebrows by informing her about a doctor who performed hair transplants on the area using strands from the back of the neck. Caitlyn underwent the hair transplant to fix her brows to be more feminine at the advice of Kim. The conversation at the end of the facial video then took a more serious turn after Jade asked Caitlyn if she had anything left she wanted to unveil to the viewers. "Once I was able to come out and live my life authentically, people think, 'oh my gosh your life must be so complicated now.' But to be honest with you, my life is so simple today," Caitlyn said. "I don't have to lie to anybody, I don't have to sneak around. I wake up in the morning and just be myself all day. My life is so much simpler today."


The Ravens may be without their primary backup quarterback, at least for a little while. Robert Griffin III banged his hand against a helmet during a practice at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. Via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, Griffin said that he injured his thumb . He declined to comment on the severity of the injury. Hensley adds that Griffin said he's already had an X-ray , but that he'll leave it to the team to announce the results of it. Ryan Mink of the team's official website adds that coach John Harbaugh said to "say a prayer" for Griffin. Other than Lamar Jackson , the Ravens have only one other quarterback on the roster: Rookie Trace McSorley , whom the team intends to use as a jack of many trades. If Griffin is out for a while, they'll need another quarterback to distribute the ball during practice and the preseason. With former 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman running the offense in Baltimore and given that the Ravens considered signing Colin Kaepernick a couple of years ago, it could make sense for the team to consider him. But for the fact, of course, that the NFL's teams have decided to shun Kaepernick in order to remind him and all future players that the owners, not the players, are in charge of the league.


Mesa is set to turn hot over the next few days, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will reach a high of 108 degrees on Sunday. The immediate forecast also has clear skies in store for today. Some clouds will appear on Tuesday, remaining partly cloudy through Wednesday. Winds will stay somewhat calm throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Thursday at only 11 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


HARTFORD, CT   Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed three bills and signed off on more than 200 this legislative session. The state legislature could overturn the vetoes with a two-thirds majority vote by the state House and Senate. Gov. Dannel Malloy vetoed seven bills in his final legislative session in 2018 and the legislature overturned none of them. Here are the bills Lamont vetoed and his reasoning behind the vetoes. An Act Requiring a Study of Workforce Training Needs in the State Lamont said the bill makes significant policy changed to the rights of workers to a fair wage and that there was not enough debate and input from affected stakeholders. Current state regulations spell out what happens if a worker acts in a hybrid fashion switching between roles that are typically tip-oriented and not tip-oriented. For example, a person who acts as both a waiter and a cook. An employer can pay the lower minimum wage during hours worked as a waiter, but must pay the state minimum wage for other hours worked. The bill would line up that part of Connecticut wage law with federal law, which typically allows employers to pay the lower minimum wage. Part of the bill would repeal state regulations retroactively, which could affect ongoing lawsuits. "This retroactive attempt to extinguish a worker's right to recover wages in an amount lawfully required and earned is patently unfair to the affected workers," Lamont wrote in his veto message. "It also raises serious due process and other constitutional concerns." An Act Concerning Disclosures by Real Estate Brokers And Salespersons The bill would have removed protections that require selling real estate agents to disclose who they represent to potential buyers before negotiations begin. The bill would have mandated the disclosure before a purchase contract or lease is signed, but not at the beginning of the process. "The proposed weakening of this common-sense consumer protection could create confusion and uncertainty for consumers in the residential real estate market, especially those who believe, incorrectly, that a seller's agent is acting solely as the buyer's representative or as a neutral broker, with no commission at stake for completing the sale." An Act Concerning the Theft of Waste Vegetable Oil or Animal Fats The bill would classify the theft of certain cooking products as a fourth-degree larceny regardless of their value. Typically the degree of larceny an alleged thief is charged with is directly related to the value of the item or items stolen and 4th-degree larceny covers thefts from $1,000 to $2,000. "A person who steals $35 worth of waste vegetable oil should not face the prospect of a prison sentence four times greater than that faced by a person who steals $35 worth of gasoline," Lamont wrote. Lamont's Explains Why He Issued The Vetoes "In issuing these three vetoes, I did so only after careful consideration and deliberation about not only the underlying cause of concern, but also in understanding the message that this action would send. "In all three cases, my veto pen was used on behalf of the workers and consumers in this state who don't have lobbyists to mount a campaign against the special interests that too often try to determine our legislative agenda and focus. "In particular, on the issue of restaurant workers, this bill deprives these individuals of their day in court and the earned wage to which they may be entitled. It is an attempt by the legislature to go back in time to change the law which governed the wages these workers earned at the time they performed their work. This type of retroactive maneuver is unfair and constitutes a dangerous precedent for workers and employers across our state. Further, it's important to note this bill was passed without debate or public hearings at the eleventh-hour on the last day of the legislative session. "As a small business owner myself, I uniquely understand the impact these types of lawsuits could have on business operations and productivity. But this is not the way to solve for this concern. The idea that government can seize someone's property or wages on a whim is wholly un-American and most likely unconstitutional. That's not pro-business, that's not smart business, that's bad business." Major Bills Passed Many life-changing bills passed during this legislative session. Connecticut drivers won't have to renew their licenses or car registrations as often, the minimum wage will eventually increase to $15 an hour and a major paid family and medical leave bill passed.


Say what you want about Chelsea's recruitment, but you can't deny that they're amongst the best at selling players for huge fees. The brains behind the Chelsea machine, director Marina Granovskaia, has faced plenty of criticism over the years, but always redeems herself with her ability to extract value from a deal, even when a player clearly isn't worth it. She has done that plenty of times in the past, and here are six of Chelsea's most impressive sales ever. Alvaro Morata Sold to: Atletico Madrid Fee: £58m For Chelsea , the Alvaro Morata nightmare is over. After his £60m move in 2017, he was one of the most underwhelming strikers in Stamford Bridge history (and that's saying something). Yet somehow, when you factor in Atletico Madrid 's initial payment to sign him on loan, Chelsea have actually got their money back. How? £58m for a striker who managed just 24 goals in 72 games for Chelsea. £58m for a striker who only netted six times in 17 games for Atletico. That's just crazy. They threatened to cut his loan short, and managed to bag themselves a crazy amount of money. Now that's what I call business. Eden Hazard Sold to: Real Madrid Fee: £90m (rising to £150m) Don't get it twisted, Eden Hazard is worth every penny of that potential £150m, and then some. However, when he only had one year remaining on his contract and would have almost certainly signed for free in just 12 months time, is he really worth that kind of money? Chelsea knew Real Madrid wanted him badly, so they made Los Blancos pay up, knowing that one wrong move could cost the club an enormous amount of money. But there were no wrong moves, and Chelsea are far richer because of it. Players often sell for a fraction of their value when they approach the end of their contract, but Chelsea paid no attention to history. They wanted money, and they got it. Diego Costa Sold to: Atletico Madrid Fee: £57m Do Madrid sides just not understand negotiations, or are Chelsea that good? Back in 2017, Atletico wanted to sign Diego Costa , who was banished from Chelsea after clashing with manager Antonio Conte. He was a great striker, but Atletico still had all the power in the discussions, knowing that Costa would be little more than an expensive burden to the Blues if they didn't sell. Chelsea were desperate to sell, which normally means a player's value drops even further. But, as we've seen, Chelsea don't play by the rules. They dug their heels in, and walked away with £57m. That sale effectively paid for Morata, which was some incredible work from Chelsea (even if the signing of Morata was a calamity in itself). David Luiz Sold to: Paris Saint-Germain Fee: £50m When David Luiz became the world's most expensive defender in 2014, people lost their minds. After all, this was a centre-back who was more famous for doing anything other than defending. With £50m, Paris Saint-Germain had the kind of money to bring in almost any defender they wanted, and they settled on Luiz. Chelsea didn't want to lose him, so they played hardball, and ended up on the winning end. Again. He returned a few years later as a better defender than ever before, which is just another positive from this whole deal. Papy Djilobodji Sold to: Sunderland Fee: £8m Where do we even start with this one? Chelsea opted to spend £2.7m on Papy Djilobodji from Nantes in 2015, only to instantly omit him from their Champions League squad. He saw one minute of action, and surely had to be worth nothing when he left the following summer. So, how Chelsea managed to convince Sunderland to part with £8m to sign him is anyone's guess. They tripled their investment in just one year, despite doing everything they could to drag his value down. From a purely footballing perspective, Djilobodji's Chelsea career was atrocious. However, when you look at it from a business side of things, it was a stroke of genius. Tore Andre Flo Sold to: Rangers Fee: £12m Even before Granovskaia's arrival at Chelsea, the Blues still managed to pull off the occasional miracle in the transfer market, and Tore Andre Flo's £12m move to Rangers in 2000 is a perfect example. At the time of the move, Flo could not hold down a position in the lineup, having seen his place firmly taken by both Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen. As a result, he submitted a transfer request, which usually drops a players value even further, but not if you're a Blue. Chelsea forced Rangers to pay a Scottish record to sign him, which they had no right to do at all. But, as we've learned, Chelsea do things their own way, and it usually works out pretty well.


A Georgia teen was sentenced to life in prison for murder after strangling his sister in a fight when he changed the wifi password to knock others at home off the internet. Kevon Watkins, then 16, wanted to block anyone else from logging on at his family's Macon home so that it wouldn't slow down the service while he played video games. When his mother protested and it appeared he might hit her, Kevon's 20-year-old sister, Alexus, stepped in   and Kevon grabbed Alexus by the throat and put her in a chokehold that lasted an estimated 15 minutes, according to the prosecutor . Only after his panicked mom called 911 and arriving officers ordered him to let go did Kevon do so, causing Alexus to drop to the floor. "Get up off the floor," Latoya Watkins told her daughter. She didn't. "I started screaming," Latoya testified last week in Bibb County Superior Court, reports the Macon Telegraph . The responding officers launched into CPR but couldn't save Alexus. She died of strangulation at the hospital hours later, on February 3, 2018. Found guilty of murder, Kevon, now 18, was sentenced Friday by Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin, reports Atlanta TV station WSB . "I'm sorry," Kevon said through tears as he was led from the courtroom, according to the outlet. "He couldn't really explain to me why he didn't release her," Bibb County sheriff's investigator Marcus Baker testified during Kevon's two-day trial, reports the Telegraph . When Baker told Kevon his sister was dead and arrested him for murder, "He cried. I cried too," Baker testified, according to the newspaper. "It's a sad situation." • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Latoya Watkins said that, on the day of the incident, her 13-year-old son had complained to her that Kevon had changed the password so no one else could use it. She testified that she responded by unplugging the router and taking it to her room. Kevon "came in my room and started grabbing something, it might have been a cord off the Internet box," she testified, according to the Telegraph . "My daughter ran in there, she grabbed him … He acted like he was going to hit me." Alexus hit Kevon and a struggle between the two began on the bed and then moved to the floor. "I thought it was a normal brother-sister fight because they always fuss and fight like this," said Latoya. But when she couldn't stop it   and after the 13-year-old boy also tried and failed to push his older brother off his sister   the mom called for help. The judge   who was asked by Kevon's defense attorney to decide the case, rather than a jury   cited the 13-year-old's efforts in ruling that Kevon was guilty of murder and not a lesser charge of manslaughter, reports WSB. "I never intended to kill her at all," Kevon testified in tears during his trial, according to the Telegraph . "She taught me most everything I know." District Attorney David Cooke said in a statement: "This act of violence resulted in an unspeakable tragedy for this family. I hope this verdict and sentence closes the door on this chapter of their lives and that they will be able to begin to heal."


ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP)   Lionel Messi was suspended from Argentina's first qualifying march for the 2022 World Cup and fined $1,500 by South American soccer's governing body. CONMEBOL said its decision Tuesday resulted from Messi's red card during Argentina's 2-1 win over Chile on July 6 in the third place match of the Copa America. Messi was ejected in the 37th minute after an altercation with Chile's Gary Medel, who also received a red card. South American qualifying starts in March. The decision does not mention Messi's attacks against the Copa America organization. Messi said there was corruption in the tournament and that the tournament was set up for Brazil to win. Messi later apologized to CONMEBOL for his comments. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports