Summer painting projects have never looked better. Picking paint colors is a little like picking a car, or a new couch: Everyone will have his or her own opinion, and no matter what you finally pick, another type or model will be popular within a matter of months. Fortunately, perusing paint brands and comparing blue paint colors for the living room is a little more low-stakes (and affordable) than buying a car or another big-ticket item. If you hate the color, you can always repaint, and often with minimal fuss. Beyond avoiding lead paint at all costs, figuring out what is chalk paint, and making sure neutral paint colors aren't too blah, picking paint colors is relatively straight-forward, though it does take a good bit of research. You can always go to your local paint or hardware store to ask for a little guidance, or you can take the easiest route (a.k.a. the one that doesn't require leaving the house) and turn to Google, like many, many other people do. People with all sorts of design and decorating experience (or inexperience) turn to Google for inspiration, ideas, shopping info, and more, so it's no surprise that the world's biggest search engine also has a slew of info on what types of décor and home trends people are gravitating toward. Google's list of the Hottest Home Trends of the Summer breaks down everything from types of furniture to architecture trends to predict what's going to be everywhere in the coming months. The trend report uses year-over-year Google Images and Google Search data to see what has exploded in popularity since the beginning of last summer. These paint colors may not be the most popular right now, but they're the colors that people are flocking to as the weather heats up. Anyone searching for some wall colors that are popular but not so popular that everyone has them may just fall for one of these trending paint colors. Trending Paint Colors Blueprint It's no surprise that Behr's Paint Color of the Year for 2019 made the list. This cool blue paint color works as a statement color, an accent, or a full wall the possibilities are endless. Nightwatch As a moody and dark paint color, this PPG hue can bring a welcome (and unexpected) depth to any room. Liquid Kitty There doesn't seem to be an exact match for Liquid Kitty on the internet, but this gray-green shade from Benjamin Moore seems like a great choice for trim, doors, kitchen cabinets, and more. Metropolitan Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year is, ultimately, a stylish greige one with endless possibilities for making any space feel a little more sophisticated. On the Rocks This Sherwin-Williams paint color is just a splash of color away from pure white: Just enough to be interesting, but not so much that matching it to furnishings, window treatments, and more will be difficult. Manchester Tan Reminiscent of sandstone and khaki, this Benjamin Moore paint color might be a little more challenging to use well than more neutral shades, but the payoff is a room unlike anyone else's. Almond There are quite a few varieties of almond-colored paint out there, so anyone seeking a not-white (but still neutral) paint color will be sure to find the perfect shade. RELATED: These Stress-Busting House Paint Supplies Make Painting So Much Easier Gravity Light, airy, and a little galactic, this crisp gray paint color is super versatile try it in kitchens and bathrooms for an elegant look, or on trim and interior doors for an unexpected one. Rose Gold Capturing that subtle glint of rose gold may be a little tricky with a paint color, but this Joanna Gaines paint color comes pretty close. The cheery, grown-up pink may be enough to prove that pink does belong in every room of the house. Buttercream A little sweet, a little salty, and just right for a room that gets plenty of natural light, this paint color is another neutral that anyone can bring home with relative ease. Related video: 5 unexpected paint colors you're going to want to bring home ASAP


Kawhi Leonard 's free agency held up a lot of other deals as his three primary suitors, the Lakers, Clippers and Raptors, pushed for his services. The two-time NBA Finals MVP ended up choosing the Clippers after the organization managed to swing a trade for Paul George . Subsequent reports have suggested the other two teams felt that Leonard and/or his representatives led on teams during the recruitment process. On the day he and George were introduced at a press conference, a more talkative than usual Leonard set the record straight to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes. "I didn't lead anyone on," Leonard said. "I took my time in free agency, as I should, to make sure I made the best decision for myself and my family. I feel like some of the media coverage over it made it feel that way, with people saying I'm signing with Toronto 99 percent or I'm going to the Lakers 99 percent. I don't ever want to have that bad karma come back on me trying to make the Lakers miss out on players they should have gotten or vice-versa with the Raptors." With his decision, Leonard will become the first player to win an NBA Finals MVP and play for a different team the following season. Leonard's lone campaign in Toronto was a successful one as the two-time Defensive Player of the Year helped the Raptors advance to and win the first NBA championship in franchise history. However, the Riverside, California, native had long been known to be seeking to return home. The Lakers and Clippers both represented that opportunity but his childhood fandom for either team had no bearing on his decision. "Y'all kept saying that me and Paul's favorite team growing up was the Lakers. I'm not going to say [Yahoo Sports], but whatever media outlet was out there saying that Kawhi prefers the Lakers over the Clippers, or Paul loves the Lakers, was wrong," Leonard said. "I wasn't a fan of the Lakers growing up. Not saying that's why I didn't choose them, but that's not what it is. I wasn't a fan of them, and [Paul] just told you guys he was a Clippers fan." At the end of the day, Leonard said the teams in pursuit of him could have pivoted in a different direction at any time if there issues with his approach. "If they didn't want to wait for me, they didn't have to," Leonard said. "They had a big opportunity to sign me. [The Lakers] were close, but I ended up on the other side."


NORTH HALEDON   Tougher speed limits have caused a huge spike in tickets handed out to drivers on some local thoroughfares, and no one is apologizing for it. Police began cracking down in mid-February, enforcing a new ordinance that reduced speed limits on seven portions of four Passaic County roads: Belmont Avenue, High Mountain Road, North Haledon Avenue and Squaw Brook Road. According to figures provided by the Police Department through a public-records request, the number of speeding summonses on those road segments rose from 13 between Feb. 15 and June 30 last year to 148 during the same time frame this year. "I'm sorry people are getting tickets," said Mayor Randy George, "but if they would just obey the speed limits, they wouldn't have to worry about it." Find out the locations where North Haledon police issued the most speeding tickets. This article is available only to NorthJersey.com subscribers. George said the borough got permission from county officials to change speed limits on the roads in question. Ample warning was given to the motoring public, he said, before the ordinance took effect. New Jersey's motor vehicle and traffic regulations, including penalties for speeding, are dictated by a statute known as Title 39. Money that drivers must pay in speeding fines   between $85 and $420, depending on the severity of the offense   does not all go into the town's coffers. The municipality has to share much of it with the county and state. "It's not like we're doing this for revenue," said acting Police Chief Todd Darby. "The public safety factor is the most important reason to lower speed limits." Darby cited a number of serious pedestrian strikes, particularly on High Mountain Road, within the past five years. In one case, Darby said, an elderly man was hit on the road's busy stretch, between Manchester and Terrace avenues. He was hospitalized and never fully recovered, according to the acting chief. "In these accidents, the people weren't even speeding," Darby said. "But if the speed limit were lower, maybe the risk of injury wouldn't have been so great." North Haledon is not the only town that recently has introduced stiffer speed limits. Story continues below chart. Neighboring Haledon went one step further when its Borough Council adopted an ordinance in late March to lower speed limits on all of its roads to 25 mph. Haledon Lt. George Guzmán said the 1.2-square-mile borough experienced more than 200 car accidents last year. "Safety is paramount," the lieutenant said. "That's the focus of this ordinance." Guzmán said the change affected only four county roads   Belmont Avenue, Central Avenue, Pompton Road and West Broadway   because all other streets already had a speed limit of 25 mph. Officials say the reason speeding has become such an issue in Haledon and North Haledon has much to do with their geography. The towns   very close in terms of population   have no highways cutting through them. For many motorists, the county roads in question are the quickest ways to get from A to B. George said officials are not stopping with county roads, but want to start reducing speed limits on a select number of side streets, too. "Nothing's going to happen in the immediate future," the mayor said, "but it's going to happen before year-end. Enough is enough." Email: devencentis@northjersey.com More local news WAYNE NEWS: Wayne drainage work costs taxpayers more than four times the original price FOR SUBSCRIBERS: What to do if your neighborhood feels like the Indianapolis 500 This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: This NJ town reduced speed limits, and tickets spiked 1,000%


The shootings at the Gilroy Garlic Festival that killed three people and wounded 12 others prompted reaction from officials across the political spectrum including President Trump, who called the gunman "wicked." At a Rose Garden ceremony Monday to sign legislation aiding Sept. 11 first responders, Trump said the shootings Sunday were the work of "a wicked murderer" who "killed three innocent citizens, including a young child. We grieve for their families and we ask that God will comfort them with his overflowing mercy and grace." Trump added, "We will continue to work together as communities and as citizens to stop evil, prevent violence and protect the safety of all Americans." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, tweeted that "our thoughts are with the families of those lost last night in Gilroy, CA, as well as the survivors facing a tough road ahead. But thoughts are not enough   action must be taken to #EndGunViolence . Every day the Senate refuses to act is a stain on the conscience of our nation." The House passed legislation this year sponsored by Napa Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson to add background check requirements for gun purchasers to private sales, such as those conducted at gun shows. It also passed a bill extending the deadline for conducting background checks to 10 days from the current three days. Neither bill has received a hearing in the Republican-controlled Senate. Several Democrats who hope to take on Trump in the 2020 election also reacted. California Sen. Kamala Harris called the shootings "simply horrific" and said, "Our country has a gun violence epidemic that we cannot tolerate." Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted, "This violence is not normal. How many more families will have to lose a loved one before we fix our broken gun laws?" Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent-Vermont, called the Gilroy attack "sickening" and said, "Our corrupt political system, which is controlled by the gun lobby, has a lot of waking up to do. When our children are being shot in places that should be safest, we're failing. Let's get serious about gun control." Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she was "heartsick. We have a gun violence epidemic. It's our duty to act now." Among the other Democratic presidential candidates issuing statements mourning the Gilroy victims and calling for more federal action were Sens. Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Ryan, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, former Housing Secretary Julián Castro and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. Shortly after the shootings Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted a statement saying, "This is nothing short of horrific. Tonight, CA stands with the Gilroy community. My office is monitoring the situation closely. Grateful for the law enforcement's efforts and their continued work as this situation develops." Trapper Byrne is The San Francisco Chronicle's politics editor. Email: tbyrne@sfchronicle.com . Twitter: @trapperbyrne


Scared and not knowing what may come next, many Latino parents in Morton kept their children home from school Thursday and Friday following U.S. immigration raids on multiple poultry plants in Mississippi Wednesday. Of the 500 Latino students at Morton, 153 missed school Thursday, Scott County Assistant Superintendent Chad Harrison said. On Friday, 50 of them still hadn't returned. The Canton Public School District has approximately 3,300 students, 400 of which are English Language Learners, said public relations director Beverly Luckett. Of those, 70 missed school Thursday and about 50 were out Friday, Luckett said. The Clarion Ledger reached out to the West Jasper, Leake County and Rankin County school districts but had not heard back about their attendance figures. EXCLUSIVE: Exclusive: How ICE chose the 7 Mississippi food plants to raid Churches on ICE raids: 'Mississippi didn't ask for this. It doesn't come from the people' School teachers and administers immediately went into action following the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Harrison said they visited homes and called and texted parents, doing anything they could to reassure parents that their children would be safe at school and "everything was going to be OK." On Wednesday, 680 people were detained in Mississippi in what marked the largest workplace sting in at least a decade. Authorities later released 300 of those individuals, including some for "humanitarian" reasons. The raids happened at seven food processing plants in Bay Springs, Carthage, Canton, Morton, Pelahatchie and Sebastapol. The Morton and Sebastapol plants fall within the Scott County School District. The district has 576 Hispanic students districtwide out of an approximate 4,000-student population, Harrison said. Children have 'at least one parent' tending to them, U.S. attorney says Southern District U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst on Friday said federal law enforcement is frustrated about "this narrative that families are being ripped apart." He said authorities worked diligently to make sure children were being cared for. "Within 27 hours after we raided, we could not find a single child who did not have at least one parent at home tending to them," Hurst said. Mississippi's Department of Child Protection Services said it was left scrambling Wednesday and Thursday to find out where the children were and what the needs were. A state lawmaker said several of the women detained were released so they could take care of their children. After ICE raids: How to help or get help in Mississippi In a Thursday news release, ICE said agents "made cellphones available" so those detained could make child care arrangements for their children. If a couple was detained with minor children at home, one of them would be released on "humanitarian grounds." The same was true for single parents with minor children at home, ICE said. Anxiety hits capital city's school district The Jackson Public School District posted a message on its website following the raids, saying it is "dedicated to ensuring inclusive and welcoming schools." "Recent raids and arrests by federal immigration officials in Mississippi have heightened a sense of anxiety for families and students," the message reads. "Jackson Public Schools is committed to educating children regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, country of origin, or a student's immigration status. "We are working closely with the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance (MIRA) and community partners to provide resources and supports to ensure all of our families and students feel safe in their school communities." Education takes a backseat to safety Harrison said he feels there are three main focuses in teaching children: "One, to provide a loving and caring environment. Two, to make sure those kids feel safe and three, to provide and education. Right now, number three, that's not a priority right now. We want them to know they've got a safe place to come to." The return of 100 students Friday was "a really big positive," Harrison said, but he still worries about the remaining 50 students. Harrison noted that many of those detained and released were still unable to work and their families were under an unexpected financial burden. Basic needs like "food, clothing and shelter" still have to be met. The community has rallied together, he said, and there has been an "tremendous outpouring locally and across the country." The district is helping to make sure that needs like rent, utilities and groceries are identified and provided to students and their families. "We understand the immigration policy and the laws and we're not here to debate all that," he said. "We're here to take care of the kids and, to take care of the kids, we've got to take care of the families and that's what we're here to do." This story may be updated. LOCAL JOURNALISM MATTERS Our journalists live, work and play in Mississippi. We are striving to make it a better place to live through the stories we tell. Please click here to support quality Mississippi journalism with a digital subscription.  Contact Sarah Fowler at 601-961-7303 or sfowler@gannett.com . Follow her on Facebook and Twitter .  This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: ICE raid Mississippi: Over 150 students missed school after ICE raids


Jarrett Stidham should be pretty happy about his first performance review in the professional world. The Patriots quarterback turned some heads Thursday night in the preseason opener with an impressive performance in New England's 31-3 rout of the Detroit Lions. The 2019 fourth-round pick completed 14 of 24 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, and more importantly, he checked each of the boxes head coach Bill Belichick has when it comes to evaluating quarterback play. "I think there were several plays that dawned all of the categories really," the Patriots coach said Friday on a conference call. "Quick throws where the read was clear and the receiver was open and then maybe a secondary read, and then there were a couple of times where he scrambled and extended the play. He ran a couple times and completed a pass to -- I think it might have been the tight end, (Andrew) Beck or (Ryan) Izzo -- but anyway, there was a little bit of everything there. "The most important thing for the quarterback is not to turn the ball over, make good decisions, and throw accurately, so he did all of those at times." Considering the source, that's pretty high praise. Stidham's next chance to make his mark in game action comes next weekend in Nashville after a few days of joint practices with the Titans.


For the many people who have fallen behind in their retirement savings, the prospect of part-time work in their golden years is a very real possibility. However, it may not be wise to count on those paychecks after leaving your regular 9-to-5. Recent numbers show employers may not be too keen on hiring older, part-time employees. In fact, a new study by Bankers Life shows nearly three-quarters of retired Baby Boomers currently are not working for pay. Another survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found more than half of workers in their 50s and 60s said their employers do not offer   or they are not sure they offer   benefits such as part-time work or flexible schedules to help employees who are transitioning into retirement. "It is unreasonable to expect your retirement job to be in all ways equal to your pre-retirement job," said Christopher Carosa, president of Carosa Stanton Asset Management. "Although a few succeed at this, most need to temper their expectations regarding post-retirement work." That said, Carosa adds seeking a flexible schedule or part-time work is not an unreasonable strategy   and not just because one may need money. He said many are opting for "retirement careers," because people are retiring younger and healthier than ever before and many desire to maintain the social and intellectual stimulation offered by a working environment. "The most successful people pick a post-retirement career in a field or activity they have had a lifelong passion for," Carosa said. "When retired, it's best to work at something you really love doing since the psychological benefit will be of greater value than any monetary benefit. For this reason, many will pick hobbies or some other formerly avocational activity." Paul Lewis, a financial and wealth advisor at Research Financial Strategies, said he agrees post-retirement work can be financially beneficial, but advises it to be a desire   not a need. "The problem that I discuss is that if you cannot retire without counting on part-time employment, you may not be a good candidate for retirement," Lewis said. "I assume a person thinking about retiring is in his or her peak earning years, and I explore extending to full Social Security benefit, or working a bit longer and focusing on accumulating capital." Lewis said this can sometimes mean telling clients they are not ready for retirement. "I would rather my clients have a suitable amount of assets to be financially secure and work part time if it is something they enjoy, or possibly supplement their or replace retirement income as a choice rather than a need," he added. The good news is that seems to be the case for many, with the Bankers Life survey reporting that of those currently working, 61% say they are working because they want to work, not because they have to work   adding a little cushion to their retirement. Robert Martorana, a portfolio manager at Right Blend Investing LLC, said he often runs retirement simulations for clients, and working during retirement can be a tremendous help. "I always encourage clients to keep their options open if they have the willingness and ability to work during retirement, either full time or part-time," Martorana said. "The key issue is control," he added. "Will they be able to control their hours? If it is their own business, or if it's consulting work, they may be able to work part-time at their discretion. I would strongly encourage retirees to seek income opportunities during retirement that they directly control. They cannot rely on an employer to help support their retirement dreams."


DENVER (AP) Ian Desmond hit a monster blast that brought fans to their feet but it was a manufactured run that made the difference for the Colorado Rockies. Colorado scored its first five runs on homers - including Desmond's 486-foot rocket - but Ryan McMahon delivered the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth inning, and Colorado rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 on Monday night. Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon also went deep for the Rockies, who have won nine straight at home, but Desmond's shot onto the concourse got everyone's attention. ''Some of us were in awe. He walloped that one pretty good,'' Daniel Murphy said. ''It was a good swing, good at-bat, and a big swing for us, too.'' Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber and David Bote homered for the Cubs. Bote, who grew up in Longmont, Colo., outside of Denver and made his major league debut at Coors Field in 2018, hit his first homer in Colorado. ''Coming back this summer was a little bit more enjoyable than last year,'' he said. ''My debut wasn't successful.'' The game was tied 5-all when Murphy doubled and stole third with one out in the eighth. McMahon drove him in with a single to right-center off of Steve Cishek (1-3). ''(Murphy) was causing havoc out there so maybe Cishek was thinking about him a little bit at third, probably afraid to bounce something, trying to be a little more perfect with his pitches,'' McMahon said. ''Got me something to hit''. Wade Davis got the final three outs for his eighth save and first since coming off the 10-day injured list on Friday. The teams used the long ball to put up four runs each in the third inning. Bote and Schwarber went back-to-back on consecutive pitches to score the first two, and Rizzo hit a two-run homer to center to give Chicago a 4-0 lead. Rizzo finished with three hits. Blackmon and Arenado each had a two-run homer off Yu Darvish in the bottom of the inning to tie it. Desmond gave the Rockies a 5-4 lead with his mammoth pinch-hit homer in the seventh that hit a restaurant on one bounce on the concourse. It is the longest home run in the majors this year, according to Statcast. ''As long as it goes over the fence I don't care how far it goes,'' Desmond said. The Cubs tied it in the eighth on Javier Baez's groundout off Scott Oberg (4-0) before the Rockies answered in the bottom of the inning. ''It was there for us, we just could not finish it up,'' Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. Darvish and Rockies starter German Marquez each allowed four runs in six innings. TRAINER'S ROOM Cubs: 3B Kris Bryant rolled his ankle against St. Louis on Sunday but was in the lineup. Rockies: Colorado placed RHP Seunghwan Oh on the 10-day injured with a left abdominal strain, retroactive to Friday, and purchased the contract of LHP Phillip Diehl from Triple-A Albuquerque. CARGO RETURNS Chicago outfielder Carlos Gonzalez made his first appearance at Coors Field in a different uniform. Gonzalez played 10 seasons with the Rockies, becoming a free agent after last season. He signed with the Cubs on June 1 after hitting .210 in 30 games with Cleveland. His return to Colorado was bittersweet for the three-time All-Star and 2010 NL batting champ. ''Obviously, this is home for me,'' he said before the game. ''I got a lot of memories of this place. It is what it is. I'm now on the other side.'' Colorado honored him with a video before the game and the fans gave him a 30-second standing ovation when he came to the plate in the second inning. Rockies players joined in the ovation. ''Real recognizes real. He's a heck of a player,'' Desmond said. Gonzalez, who was 0 for 3 with a walk Monday, made his Cubs debut against the Rockies in Chicago last week, two days after signing with the club. ''I was home waiting for a job and the next thing I know I'm playing couple of games in Triple-A and hours later playing against my ex-teammates,'' he said. ''It was great seeing them competing against each other.'' UP NEXT Colorado rookie right-hander Peter Lambert (1-0, 1.29 ERA) makes his Coors Field debut on Tuesday night, five days after winning his first major league start when he beat the Cubs. Chicago left-hander Jose Quintana (4-5, 3.77) took the loss in that game and is on the mound for his fourth career start at Colorado. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


GREENVILLE COUNTY, SC (FOX Carolina) - South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers say a person who was pulled over for a traffic stop in Greenville County ran away from the stop late Sunday night. SCHP says the person was pulled over sometime before 11 p.m. on White Horse Road, near Broadway Drive. Details about what the stop entailed were limited as of writing, however. We can confirm an active scene on Broadway Drive, near the Broadway Apartments. SCHP says details are still forthcoming, so stay-tuned for updates as we get them.


The Thunder have asked the Heat for more than one of Miami's most promising young players in their trade discussions for Russell Westbrook , writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald . According to Jackson, Oklahoma City is seeking the inclusion of 2019 lottery pick Tyler Herro in a Westbrook deal, but the Heat have been "very resistant" to the idea of trading away the former Kentucky sharpshooter. The 13th overall pick, who is averaging 19.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 2.8 APG in six Summer League games, has exceeded Miami's expectations so far, a source tells Jackson. After signing Herro on Wednesday, the Heat can't include him in a trade for 30 days, but that isn't expected to be an impediment if the two sides ultimately reach an agreement that includes him. Jackson also hears that the Thunder have sought at least two players from the trio of Herro, Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow . That idea doesn't appeal to the Heat, who are also high on Adebayo and opposed to dealing him. As a result of the Thunder's demands, the Westbrook trade discussions between the two teams are at a stalemate for the time being, despite the fact that Miami would love to add the star point guard, says Jackson. While Herro's status may not be a roadblock, there are a number of other obstacles that the two teams must overcome. The Thunder don't want to take on additional salary, since they'd prefer to dip under the tax line rather than increase their projected bill. However, the Heat almost literally can't take on any more salary, since they're less than $1M away from their $138.9M hard cap. Additionally, having already traded away their 2021 and 2023 first-round picks   which the Thunder now hold   the Heat don't have first-rounders available to include in a Westbrook offer, which is why OKC is seeking multiple young players in a package instead, Jackson notes. Miami could theoretically remove the lottery protections on the '23 pick, which would subsequently allow the team to trade its 2025 or 2026 first-rounder as well. However, those are all fairly distant selections, and Oklahoma City may prioritize players and picks that can help the team within the next few years. Even if the two teams could directly match salaries and the Thunder are fine with not acquiring draft picks, it's not clear if they'll see eye-to-eye on Westbrook's value. Due to the $171M owed to the former MVP over the next four years, Miami would prefer to just send out players whose contracts would help expedite a deal, many of whom likely don't have a long-term future with the Heat, says Jackson. On the other hand, the Thunder believe they deserve more compensation for a player with Westbrook's track record   he won his MVP award just two years ago, rarely misses time due to injuries and has averaged a triple-double in each of the last three seasons. If no other serious suitors emerge for Westbrook, the Heat might "dig in further" when it comes to hanging onto their top young prospects, says Jackson.


Many words can be used to explain why the Baltimore Orioles have been so darn bad over the past two seasons. But this play perfectly encapsulates it. The Orioles were in a jam. The Cleveland Indians had loaded the bases with one out and Jason Kipnis at the plate. Fortunately for Baltimore, Kipnis hit a potential double play ball. Unfortunately, the Orioles are, well … the Orioles. Um ... Baseball. ♂ #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/kVR0qkoHmU   Cleveland Indians (@Indians) May 17, 2019 We can watch a day's worth of bad Little League teams and probably not see a double play botched that badly. The infield being drawn in may have made turning a traditional double play a little challenging. But how Baltimore didn't manage to record an out anywhere is simply baffling. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


Stacker looks at 30 startups that cost investors millions of dollars. From tech startups to hotel alternatives, the failed companies lost billions altogether, according to CB Insights. These failed companies lost billions altogether Augmented virtual reality glasses, smart luggage, high-end tea infusers, LED lights, gourmet food delivery and Wi-Fi-connected juicers are just some of the 30 startups that lost millions of investors' money. Stacker looked to CB Insights , a private company financing and angel investment database, to rank the brilliant ideas that busted after million-dollar Kickstarter campaigns had foretold otherwise. The stories behind the failed startups vary as much as the products and services themselves. New York City startup Aereo fought to stay alive, bringing its battle to the U.S. Supreme Court, which confirmed the company infringed on broadcast copyrights. Meanwhile, startup A Better Place promised to change the world with electric cars, but only managed to scare up some temporary hype. And then there is Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, a health-care startup that was busted by The Wall Street Journal for dubious blood-testing services. Stacker saw specific trends among the failing companies, with the biggest losers coming out of Silicon Valley. Another noticeable trend was the time in which it took these startups to fail. While many of them ceased business at around six years, others took only a couple of years to lose all the privately invested money. The startup at the top of this list, however, involved losing taxpayers' dollars in addition to private investor funds. The company "used the money, along with hundreds-of-millions more from private investors, to build a new facility," Fox News reported, but was forced to shut the doors of its state-of-the-art factory less than a year later. Some of these companies were before their time and weren't ready to succeed, such as RDio, the music streaming service that was seen as the future. Unfortunately for them, that future belonged to Spotify, who effectively took them off the air with its larger music library. SideCar saw Uber come along, overtake it, and stamp out its place in the market, leading the company to accuse Uber of predatory pricing practices. Click ahead to find out all about the 30 startups that lost millions of investors' money. You may also like: 20 companies that could go public in 2019 30. CastAR - Disclosed funding: $15 million When CastAR's Kickstarter campaign raised more than $1 million from a $400,000 goal in 2013, a bright future for the augmented and virtual reality glasses seemed imminent. The Magic Wand joystick allowed the controller to position objects in space and the RFID Tracking Grid let users identify, track, and augment physical objects across a surface. "It was too early, and the challenges it faced were incredible," reports VentureBeat. 29. Lily Robotics - Disclosed funding: $15 million Before it crashed and burned in 2017, Lily Robotics looked like it would fly high among the top drones in the industry. Founders Antoine Balaresque and Henry Bradlow raised $1 million in seed money for the four-rotor camera helicopter, and former NFL quarterback Joe Montana even backed the drone that had a pre-order price of $499, and some 60,000 customers. After a few delayed launches, in January 2017, all investors received an email stating they should expect a refund from the failed startup. 28. Teforia - Disclosed funding: $17.2 million Teforia could not sustain financing long enough to educate tea drinkers on the "smart kitchen space" product even after securing $5.1 million in seed funding in 2015 and another $12 million in 2016. "There may have been room for a product at the higher-income bend for tea consumers," reports TechCrunch, but paying $649 to simplify the task of brewing tea just wasn't enough. 27. Lantern - Disclosed funding: $21.5 million Lantern turned down its lights and laid most of its 25 member staff off in 2018 after having offered users tools to support them deal with anxiety and body image for six years prior. The $50 monthly service fee included a life coach who used digital cognitive-behavioral therapy to assist users. The six years Lantern lit up lives was not in vain, according to the company's website. The company's homepage now states: "That's why we founded All Mental Health, a nonprofit with a mission to deliver free and engaging mental health education." 26. Bluesmart - Disclosed funding: $27 million BlueSmart was the highest crowdfunding project for a travel device in its time before it shut down in 2018 because of a smart luggage travel ban. The carry-on suitcase, which connected to smartphones and could be controlled by a phone app, came with a digital scale, tracking system, and a built-in battery charger. BlueSmart sold its intellectual property, designs, and branding to Travelpro in 2018, according to the Verge, who reported the company had 650,000 suitcases worldwide when it was banned. 25. Cuil - Disclosed funding: $33 million Cuil search engine went live on July 10, 2008, and shut down two years later after raising $33 million in venture capital. Despite positive post-launch user metrics, the site did not see 200,000 unique monthly visitors in any month during 2009. The vice president leaving the company a month after the search engine's launch forecasted Cuil's eventual demise less than two years later. 24. Stayzilla - Disclosed funding: $33.5 million After the founders of Stayzilla got arrested for financial fraud in 2017, India's version of Airbnb got crushed like a building in the old school Godzilla films. The $33.5 million raised over four funding rounds between 2013 16 helped create a directory of 15,000 listed stays in 11,000 Indian cities, toppled when founders and college roommates Yogendra Vasupal and Sachit Singhi failed to pay loans. Vasupal launched the company under the moniker Inasra Technologies in 2005 before changing it to Stayzilla in 2010. 23. Agillion - Disclosed funding: $33.5 million After its founding in 1998, software company Agillion went through $33.5 million in a matter of three years before going belly up by 2001. "Agillion spent heavily to promote itself on the Super Bowl broadcast and sent employees on an expenses-paid trip to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico," according to the Associated Press. That would later cost six former executives who were sued by a U.S. bankruptcy trustee for their extravagant spending sprees. 22. Laguna Pharmaceuticals - Disclosed funding: $34.5 million Unspecified safety issues in the third phase of the heart drug trial shut down Laguna Pharmaceuticals. "We didn't fail. The drug failed." Bob Baltera, Laguna CEO, said in a 2015 Xconomy report of the company founded in 2006. Business Insider reports Laguna is among nine other failed health-care startups which shut down after five years, some of which cost investors hundreds of millions. 21. SideCar Technologies - Disclosed funding: $36.3 million The Series A funding for ride-hailing and business-to-business service SideCar Technologies in 2011 was $10 million; however, the great start didn't foretell the San Francisco-based company's 2015 failure. SideCar was the pioneering app that gave passengers an estimated price as well as matching carpool passengers, according to Reuters, until it was not. SideCar blamed its demise on Uber, suing the company for predatory pricing that was "designed to drive SideCar out of the market while Uber acquired a dominant market position," according to the lawsuit. 20. Doppler Labs - Disclosed funding: $41 million Wired magazine featured the audio tech company's downfall, reporting "it had the bad luck of being a hardware company at a time when the biggest players in tech   Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook   are all pouring billions into developing their gadgets." That lousy luck cost the company $41 million along the way, specifically with the noise-canceling Here Ones earbuds at a price of $300, which according to Wired reporter David Pierce was great. "Controlling the world's sound is a superpower I never imagined having, and one I don't want to lose," he wrote. 19. Navdy - Disclosed funding: $42 million A 2018 SlashGear report detailed the demise of Navdy, a GPS head-up display system that had incredible Kickstarter success of $1 million in its first crowdfunding campaign. The device failed because of its reliance on its smartphone-based service it could no longer afford. "With no current way to modify Navdy to use a different, free app, it means the units are effectively being bricked," reports SlashGear. Navdy reached its final destination when it stopped paying the subscription services, losing $42 million along the way. 18. Joost - Disclosed funding: $45 million Long before Netflix and Hulu was Joost. The internet TV service, founded by the same originators of Skype, became somewhat of a buzzword at the time; the Guardian asked: "What is this new service called Joost?" At its peak, Joost, which operated out of Luxembourg and had offices in five countries, was expected to be the new way to watch TV, commercial and schedule-restriction free. It never took off, and in 2009 Adconion Media Group announced they were buying all of Joost's assets for an undisclosed amount. 17. Hello - Disclosed funding: $52.9 million Made up of a small ball that sits at the bedside and a pill-shaped device that inserts into a pillow, Sense tracked a user's movement at night in reaction to the quality of the air and sound in the room. In the a.m., the device, which raised $2.4 million in its Kickstarter campaign, offered recommendations for sounder sleep. Before Sense made no more financial sense and shut down, it had reached a peak valuation of almost $300 million, according to TechCrunch. 16. Gridco Systems - Disclosed funding: $54 million Multiple fundraising campaigns totaling $54 million for the power electronics device, which managed electricity fluctuations and disturbances at the distribution grid level, could not keep the lights on for Gridco Systems. "Though we are disappointed with the outcome, we remain confident as to the value of Gridco's technology and IP," Naimish Patel, CEO, told Greentech Media in 2018. 15. TerraLUX - Disclosed funding: $55.6 million Colorado-based TerraLUX, the maker of LED and smart lighting, dimmed down in 2017. The company was still satisfying orders and shipping products when CFO Martin Lundie told the Denver Post the company had no more money to continue. The Denver Post reported the company had 57 employees in December 2016, before selling all assets in August 2017. 14. Sprig - Disclosed funding: $56.7 million Delivering gourmet food to San Francisco businesses for Sprig cost millions. Sourcing, cooking, and providing gourmet food including raw shredded zucchini and shrimp bowls and lemon-Parmesan kale and quinoa salad turned out to be more than CEO Gagan Biyani bargained for. "The demand for Sprig's convenient, high-quality food was always incredibly high, but the complexity of owning meal production through delivery at scale was a challenge," Biyani wrote in a final email to customers in 2017. 13. Shyp - Disclosed funding: $62 million Between 2013 2018 Shyp did just that. From pick up to packing and send off, the company transported goods for users who didn't want to do it. Then "the flat fee for pickup and packaging proved a challenge given the wide variance in size of packages that people were sending," according to Forbes. At its peak in 2015, the company's value was $250 million, but overhead fees and logistics eventually shipped Shyp into business oblivion. 12. Loyal3 - Disclosed funding: $62.4 million Loyal3 was introduced in 2008 and touted as an easy way to buy and sell stocks. The startup had a portfolio of up to 70 stock options in fractional shares that could be purchased for as low as $10. That strategy failed less than a decade from its start, with all securities and accounts transferred to FolioFirst on May 22, 2017. 11. Beyond The Rack - Disclosed funding: $95.6 million The Montreal Gazette reported Beyond the Rack, a flash-site retailer, as one of the fastest growing startups in 2014 with 13 million members. Two years later, the paper asked "What went wrong with Montreal's Beyond the Rack?" when it reported the company, which sold discounted products including clothing, electronics, and home decor to registered members, owed $44.3 million to creditors. The Quebec startup received creditor protection in 2016 and was looking to sell its assets. 10. Aereo - Disclosed funding: $97 million CEO and founder Chet Kanojia took his New York City-based startup Aereo to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he attempted to defend the service against copyright-infringement charges brought on by several broadcasters. He lost. The service, which captured over-the-air TV signals and streamed it live to customers via the internet, enabled consumers to pause and rewind live TV or save it for future viewing. His idea to change traditional television viewing cost investors and Kanojia, who filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2014, four years after he founded the business. 9. Juicero - Disclosed funding: $99.9 million The Silicon Valley Wi-Fi-connected juicer startup that sold for $400 a pop didn't last long after raising almost $100 million in funding. Bloomberg News reported users could easily squeeze the pre-packaged fruit and vegetable packets with their hands as fast, if not faster, than the expensive cold-press juicer. Additionally, a 2018 CNET report titled "Juicero is still the greatest example of Silicon Valley stupidity," reflects how media keeps the startup's failure on the forefront. 8. Defy Media - Disclosed funding: $100 million A day after the Defy Media let some of its Beverly Hills production office employees go in 2018, creditors seized the company's assets. The digital media company, which produced up to 75 original and regularly scheduled shows for ages 12 to 34, owned popular YouTube brands Smosh, Smosh Games and Clevver. Before it shut down, Defy also unloaded its video-game website, The Escapist, and entertainment property, Fandom. 7. Pets.com - Disclosed funding: $110 million Ten years after it was founded, CNET named Pets.com as one of the greatest dot-com disasters in 2008. The company's appearance in the 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 2000 Super Bowl advertising, and famous sock puppet dog that was interviewed by People magazine were all in vain after the company website only stayed live for two years from 1998 2000. 6. RDio - Disclosed funding: $117.5 million Forbes reported on RDio as recently as February "for the world of music streaming, RDio was once one of those bright new things that seemed as though it could be the future." And then came Spotify with a far greater music streaming library. RDio's attempts to survive by streaming radio in 2013 or offering a free ad-supported plan in 2014 were eventually all tuned out in 2015, when the company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 5. Amp'd Mobile - Disclosed funding: $324.5 million Amp'd was not pumped up for too long, only lasting two years in the mobile phone service sector. In 2005 it had MTV has a primary backer, and by 2007 the company had filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This was mainly due to subscribers not being able to pay their fees. Reportedly, at the time of bankruptcy, around 80,000 of the company's 175,000 customers weren't able to pay for the service. 4. Theranos - Disclosed funding: $500 million Dubious blood-testing practices put this Silicon Valley health-care startup to rest and not quietly. Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou uncovered that Theranos, which offered 240 finger prick tests that detect cholesterol to cancer, was not legitimate. CEO Elizabeth Holmes claims her company did not rush to judgment when marketing the failed product, but former lab associate and Theranos whistleblower Erika Cheung reported the company to authorities and Carreyrou, precipitating its downfall. 3. Better Place - Disclosed funding: $675.3 million Fast Company magazine calls the plan of substituting petroleum-based cars with electric ones a cautionary tale "even by the standards of world-changing startups." However, German founder and software mogul Shai Agassi had hopes in 2009 for the Renault Fluence Z.E, the only car the startup would produce. Unlike the electric vehicle, Better Place "lived fast and died young," reports the magazine, adding that despite grand visions of changing the world, a lack of focus eventually spelled doom. 2. Jawbone - Disclosed funding: $929.9 million Jawbone Health lost nearly $1 billion in a decade as a Bluetooth earpiece and wireless speaker startup, but founder Hosain Rahman just raised another $65 million to venture on with wearable fitness trackers, according to TechCrunch. Rahman touts the device has "clinical grade" quality that the Apple Watch does not. If he is not right, his new tool will only add to the nearly billion dollars of investor funds he already lost. 1. Solyndra - Disclosed funding: $1.2 billion Then U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the clean energy startup would receive $535 million in a loan guarantee program. They got their money, and it cost taxpayers millions. A 2015 Inspector General report details the actions of Solyndra stealing taxpayers funds, and a Fox News report stated the same loan guarantee program that assisted Solyndra still exists today, "and taxpayer dollars are still being shelled out to energy companies of all types."


The Mexican GP organisers have announced that the race is set to continue beyond the current contract, which ends after this year's event. Along with Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany, Mexico City is one of five grands prix that came up for contract renewal this year, and whose promoters have been in negotiation with the F1 organisation. The race's official Twitter feed said today: "The City of Mexico's #FIESTA will continue! Thanks for being the best fans on the planet. Stay tuned on our social channels tomorrow to know all the details." The news was confirmed in a video by Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who took over the office in December. "I want to share some good news that I just received," she said. "Formula 1 is staying in Mexico City. The FIA president is going to be here tomorrow to sign it. This is good news for the city. "I also want to tell you that this is thanks to a group of businessmen who made this possible because this time the city is not using any public funds. It's good news for the city. It brings tourism, it brings income, and it's also good for the country." The withdrawal of significant public funding had meant that the race's future was under serious threat, despite the huge crowds attracted since 2015, thanks largely to the presence of Sergio Perez. The official announcement of the deal will be made at the mayor's office on Thursday, which will coincide with Liberty's release of its latest quarterly financial results. Sources suggest that the deal is for three years, rather than the five of the previous contract. Thus far, of the five out-of-contract events, only Silverstone has been formally confirmed, so a second extended deal will allow the sport's owners to announce some good news. Italy and Spain are also both set be renewed, with Germany falling off the calendar. Read Also: The fight to cling on to an F1 calendar place


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Pittsburgh? We've rounded up the latest rental offerings via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to locating an apartment in Pittsburgh if you don't want to spend more than $1,300/month on rent. Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 5615 Hempstead Road (Squirrel Hill South) Listed for $1,216/month for its 630 square feet, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom residence situated at 5615 Hempstead Road. Garage parking is listed as a building amenity. Neither cats nor dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Walk Score indicates that this location is very walkable, is convenient for biking and has good transit options. (Take a gander at the complete listing here .) 2820 Edwards Way (Southside Slopes) Here's an 890-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit at 2820 Edwards Way that's going for $1,220/month. Expect to find a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting and a dishwasher in the unit. The building has assigned parking. Both cats and dogs are welcome. Look out for a $55 application fee. According to Walk Score, this location is friendly for those on foot, is convenient for biking and has some transit options. (See the full listing here .) 5625 Hobart St. (Squirrel Hill South) Located at 5625 Hobart St., here's a two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit that's listed for $1,235/month. The residence has a balcony and a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting. Cats and dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is quite walkable, has some bike infrastructure and offers many nearby public transportation options. (See the complete listing here .) 731 Penn Ave. (Central Business District) Listed at $1,240/month, this 602-square-foot studio apartment is located at 731 Penn Ave. The building offers a fitness center and secured entry. The listing also promises in-unit laundry and hardwood flooring in the apartment. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed. According to Walk Score, the area around this address is extremely walkable, is quite bikeable and is a haven for transit riders. (Check out the complete listing here .) Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in Pittsburgh . This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. O bstructive sleep apnea (OSA), marked by numerous pauses in breathing during sleep, can cause daytime drowsiness and boost heart failure, stroke, and dementia risks . The condition appears to be common: A new study published online in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine estimates that 936 million people between ages 30 and 69 worldwide have OSA and 425 million of the cases are thought to be moderate to severe. (The study was funded by ResMed, a manufacturer of devices to treat sleep apnea.) In terms of sheer numbers of people with OSA, the study found that the U.S., with an estimated 54 million cases 24 million of them moderate to severe is second only to China. About 24 percent of men and 9 percent of women in the U.S. show the breathing symptoms of sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). And some people with OSA don't know they have it: A 2018 study of older adults from the University of Michigan found that 56 percent of participants were at high risk for OSA, yet only 8 percent were tested for it. Risks and Symptoms Older adults may be uniquely vulnerable to OSA. "As we get older, we lose muscle tone in the structures at the back of the throat, which may play a role in OSA," says Raj Dasgupta, M.D., a pulmonary and sleep medicine specialist at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles. You may also be more likely to have OSA if you're overweight, have a large neck circumference, are male, or smoke. But many older adults with OSA don't fit this picture. For instance, two to three times as many men as women have OSA, but that gap narrows after women reach menopause. And postmenopausal women's OSA symptoms, such as insomnia and mood changes, may be different from men's. Recognizing OSA can also be challenging because you experience it while asleep. One possible sign: dozing off at inopportune times of day while having a conversation or driving says Douglas Kirsch, M.D., immediate past president of the AASM. When to Talk to Your Doctor If your partner complains that you snore loudly or have long breathing pauses followed by choking or gasping noises, make an appointment. And "tell your primary care doctor if you don't feel like you're sleeping well at night or you don't feel well-rested when you wake," says Tiffany Braley, M.D., a sleep-disorder researcher at the University of Michigan. Do the same if you notice fuzzy thinking, which can be related to poor sleep. If the doctor suspects OSA, you should be referred to a sleep specialist who may recommend an in-lab sleep study or home testing. During an in-lab study, you'll spend the night in a sleep center while technicians monitor the number of times you stop breathing. In a home test, which is less sensitive, you'll wear a small device that tracks changes in breathing patterns while you sleep. Check with your health insurer before deciding. Getting Treated for Sleep Apnea Lifestyle modifications particularly weight loss if you are obese, or changing your sleep position can help. Your doctor is also likely to recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a type of therapy that uses a mask connected to a pump that pushes air into your airway, helping to keep it open while you sleep. CPAP can cut the number of apnea episodes, lower blood pressure, improve sleep quality, and reduce daytime sleepiness if you stick with it. But a 2016 review of studies found that roughly one-third of people don't. Some find the mask uncomfortable or hard to use. If you do, start by wearing it for a half-hour during the day, increasing the time slowly over weeks until you're comfortable putting it on at night. If you still have trouble after this, tell your sleep specialist. You might need help adjusting settings, or the mask simply might not be a good fit. "It may take a few trials to find what works," Dasgupta says. Those who can't tolerate CPAP have other options. Mandibular advancement devices (mouth guards) to help keep the airway open may benefit some people with mild to moderate OSA but may be less effective than CPAP. For moderate to severe apnea, some people may find relief with a surgically implanted device that delivers electrical impulses to the nerve that controls the upper airway muscles.  Research published last year in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggested that dronabinol, a synthetic cannabis compound, relieved OSA symptoms in a small subset of people. The AASM has called for more research on the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis and any synthetic extracts for OSA, and is not recommending such therapy at this time. Editor's Note: A version of this article also appeared in the September 2018 issue of Consumer Reports On Health. The article was updated on July 10, 2019, to include new information on the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea. Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Gallery: How to Tell If a Sleep Disorder Is Causing Your Constant Exhaustion (Provided by Prevention)


They woke up each morning in a New York City homeless shelter, but they didn't let adverse circumstances block their path to success. Last Thursday night, the city's Department of Homeless Services honored more than 100 high school graduates who made it through school while homeless. The teens are now heading to college, including Cornell, New York University and Stony Brook University. "The strength and resilience of these young people is inspiring," New York Deputy Mayor Herminia Palacio said in a news release. "And it is this same strength and resilience that has prepared them for anything and will propel them forward as they join our next generation of future leaders." From homeless shelters to college dorms Each of the students received a laptop and a duffel bag full of college essentials. One of the honorees, Alexus Lawrence, was her high school's valedictorian and plans to attend Brooklyn College next year. She dreams of becoming a pediatrician. "I'm just thinking of how far I've come," Lawrence told CNN affiliate WABC . "You have your head down because it's shameful; some people may bully you if they knew you lived in the shelter system." Lawrence's father, Henry, is a chef for a local hospital but was forced to move the family into a homeless shelter when their rent rose. "They're homeless because of the economics, the gap between rents and income," NYC Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks told WABC. Data shows that 114,658 students are homeless in New York City, according to the New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students. With 1.1 million students attending schools in the city, that means 1 in 10 is homeless, enough to fill Yankee Stadium twice, the group says. New York City has been taking steps to curb homelessness, particularly among students. Last year, the Department of Education announced that it was investing an additional $12 million into programs supporting students living in temporary housing, which included hiring school-based community coordinators to help students with housing instability.


BEIRUT, Lebanon   Two American women and six children affiliated with the Islamic State have been sent back to the United States from Syria at the request of the American authorities, American officials and local forces in northeastern Syria said Wednesday. The transfer was one of the few repatriations of ISIS-linked women or children from Syria to Western countries since the group lost the last of its territory in March. The eight Americans were part of a Cambodian-American family from the Seattle area that had traveled to Syria to join the militants, according to one of the American officials, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. They had not yet arrived in the United States on Wednesday, the official said. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter The group includes four sisters who were taken to Syria by their parents, according to Kimberly Polman, an American-Canadian woman who was detained with the family in Syria. She said that the sisters' parents were killed there. The other four Americans are young children born to the two older sisters, Ms. Polman, who also traveled to Syria to join ISIS, said in an interview in February. Her account was confirmed by a person close to the family. The family was among the roughly 12,000 foreign women and children whom local Kurdish authorities have been holding in detention camps scattered across northeastern Syria, along with about 1,000 foreign fighters and at least 60,000 Syrians and Iraqis. All were in custody after being captured or having surrendered to United States-backed Kurdish-led forces as the Islamic State's so-called caliphate in Syria crumbled. Now, amid urgent questions about what should happen to ISIS followers marooned in overcrowded camps and prisons in Syria and Iraq, the authorities who run them are releasing some of them to return home or to face trial in Iraq   a slow, halting process that still leaves many thousands stranded in miserable conditions without any resolution of their fate. In the face of security concerns and public opinion that is firmly against repatriating people who are viewed as potential threats, few governments have retrieved their citizens from the camps. Most of those who have been brought back have been children, sometimes accompanied by their mothers. About 900 Syrian female relatives and children of Islamic State fighters were freed this week under the auspices of local Arab tribal leaders, said Mostapha Bali, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces, the American-backed Kurdish-led force. Norway recently agreed to take back five orphans whose parents were ISIS followers. Within the last month, Kazakhstan, one of the few countries repatriating substantial numbers of people from Syria, brought back 469 people, mostly women and children. Iraq, where thousands more foreign ISIS followers are being held, has sent a little less than half of the 1,060 foreign children it was holding back to their home countries. Of those repatriated, 188 children of Turkish women who joined the Islamic State, as young as 1 and as old as 16, were returned to Turkey last week. Iraq has sentenced some of their mothers to death for their membership in the group. The Americans repatriated from Syria this week wanted to go back and did so "without any pressure or coercion," Abdulkarim Omar , a senior official with the Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria, said in a statement. He did not identify the Americans or provide any other details. It was not clear whether they would face prosecution when they came back to the United States, or what would happen to them. Ms. Polman said the Americans had originally been a family of seven: a mother, father and five daughters, who were still children when they went to Syria. The parents and eldest daughter were killed in Syria, she said, leaving four younger daughters, two of whom married ISIS fighters and had children. The four surviving sisters and four children are now being repatriated. The Islamic State, which once controlled territory the size of Britain across Iraq and Syria, lost its last scrap of territory in late March, after a four-year military campaign to defeat it. As the Syrian camps overflowed last winter and the Kurdish authorities and humanitarian groups alike struggled to shelter, feed and care for thousands of ISIS followers and their families, foreign governments were forced to weigh the futures of their citizens with new urgency. Apart from the security concerns, there are logistical, moral and legal dilemmas. Prosecuting ISIS suspects at home can be difficult because of unwieldy laws and uneven battlefield evidence. When it comes to women, whose roles in the group were fluid, and children, who were given no choice about joining but may have received training or been coerced into violence, it can be hard to pinpoint who may pose a risk and who may not. Some countries, like Britain and Australia, have chosen to strip their ISIS-linked nationals of citizenship. A few, including Kosovo, Russia, Kazakhstan and Indonesia, have repatriated large numbers. Others are allowing Iraq to prosecute their citizens, despite well-publicized concerns about its disregard for due process rights, reliance on confessions obtained under torture and use of the death penalty. The Trump administration has pushed other countries to take back their citizens, but it is unclear how many Americans the United States has repatriated. Only a small number of Americans went to join the Islamic State, with many more from European, Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Though it has brought back and prosecuted a handful of the few American fighters who joined the Islamic State, the administration has sought to bar Hoda Muthana, an American woman accused of spreading propaganda for ISIS, over a technical question about her citizenship. A State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the government was working to verify the citizenship of people claiming to be American in conflict zones on a case-by-case basis. Eric Schmitt and Charlie Savage contributed reporting from Washington, Rukmini Callimachi from Vancouver, Alissa Rubin from Baghdad, and Hwaida Saad from Beirut.


PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Paul Goldschmidt sure likes hitting in Pittsburgh. Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, powering the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh 6-3 on Thursday. He drove in nine runs and had four of the Cardinals' 12 home runs during a four-game sweep of the Pirates. BOX SCORE: CARDINALS 6, PIRATES 3 ''He's an impressive guy,'' Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. ''We're seeing what he's capable of consistently. We're not surprised.'' With St. Louis ahead 2-1 in the fourth, Goldschmidt drove a changeup from Joe Musgrove (7-9) for his 22nd home run. He has one homer in each of his past five games against Pittsburgh. ''We've been finding some holes,'' Goldschmidt said. ''We've been hitting extra-base hits.'' Kolten Wong homered later in the fourth and Dexter Fowler hit a two-run drive for a 6-1 margin in the fifth as the Cardinals won for the 11th time in 14 games since the All-Star break, including their last five. Pittsburgh was outscored 30-19 in the series and has lost 11 of 13. ''We haven't played winning baseball,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. ''I know that's an overstatement, but it's a statement, and it's true. We haven't played winning baseball. We haven't connected the dots.'' Miles Mikolas (7-10) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. ''I felt good to have a couple games in a row getting into the sixth and close to the seventh,'' Mikolas said. ''Thought I had everything working today. Maybe not my best fastball, but I thought I had good control of the slider and the other off-speed stuff.'' Musgrove matched his season high by giving up six runs - five earned - and seven hits in five innings. He faulted his slider. ''I thought they were kind of able to eliminate that pitch,'' he said. "I threw a lot of really good ones just right off the edge. I couldn't get them to chase.'' Jose Martinez hit an RBI single in the first and scored on Paul DeJong's sacrifice fly. Bryan Reynolds's sacrifice fly cut the Cardinals' lead to 2-1 in the third. Right-hander Alex McRae, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, followed Musgrove and gave up one walk in 1 2/3 innings. To make room on the 25-man roster, right-hander Luis Escobar was optioned to Indianapolis. Starling Marte extended his hit streak to six games with a double in the sixth that cut Pittsburgh's deficit to 6-2, and later scored on a groundball from Colin Moran for the 6-3 final. While Marte has been consistent, Pirates first baseman Josh Bell continues to struggle. Bell, who was 1 for 3 with one walk Thursday, has seven hits in 38 at bats with two RBIs since the All-Star break. After hitting 27 home runs before the break, he has yet to homer since. ''I feel like I just have to focus on, I guess, being more selective for the time being,'' Bell said. ''Seeing the last series or so, how guys are attacking me, I'm just going to try to go from there and hunt my pitch, and try not to miss it. See if that helps me get back on the right track.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Cardinals: INF Matt Carpenter, returning from a bruised right foot, was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in six innings at third base on Wednesday night in his second injury rehabilitation game for Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday night. UP NEXT Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-6), seeking his first win since May 14, starts Friday against Houston. He has given up two runs in 18 1/3 innings in his past three starts. Pirates: RHP Dario Agrazal (2-0) starts Friday at the New York Mets. The 24-year-old rookie has allowed eight runs - seven earned - in 28 innings over five starts. --- More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and www.twitter.com/AP-Sports Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


EL PASO   After 22 people were shot to death at a Walmart in El Paso over the weekend, a Florida retiree found herself imagining how her grandchildren could be killed. A daughter of Ecuadorean immigrants cried alone in her car. A Texas lawyer bought a gun to defend his family. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter For a number of Latinos across the United States, the shooting attack in El Paso felt like a turning point, calling into question everything they thought they knew about their place in American society. Whether they are liberal or conservative, speakers of English or Spanish, recent immigrants or descendants of pioneers who put down stakes in the Southwest 400 years ago, many Latinos in interviews this week said they felt deeply shaken at the idea that radicalized white nationalism seemed to have placed them   at least for one bloody weekend   in its cross hairs. "At least for Latinos, in some way, it's the death of the American dream," Dario Aguirre, 64, a Mexican-American lawyer in Denver and a registered Republican, said about the impact of the killings on him and those around him. Mr. Aguirre moved to San Diego from Tijuana when he was 5, and was raised by his grandmother in poor Mexican neighborhoods. He enlisted in the Air Force, and later became an immigration lawyer   a classic American success story. "Many clients tell me, 'We're the new Jews, we're just like the Jews,'" Mr. Aguirre said. "It's quite a transition from being invisible to being visible in a lethal way. It's something new to my community. We are used to the basic darkness of racism, not this." There are now about 56.5 million Latinos in the United States, accounting for 18 percent of the population   nearly one in five people in the country. That's up from 14.8 million in 1980, or just 6.5 percent of the population, according to the Pew Research Center. Nearly two-thirds of Latinos were born in the United States. From Miami to Los Angeles, many said in interviews that evidence of racism had become much more prevalent since President Trump was elected pledging to end what he called "an invasion" across the southern border of people he often characterizes as violent criminals. But the seeds of anti-Hispanic sentiment have been apparent in the country for years, they said. [From Pittsburgh to Christchurch, and now El Paso, white men accused of carrying out deadly mass shootings have cited the same paranoid fear: the extinction of the white race. ] Daniel Alvarez, 66, who was born in Cuba but has lived in the United States since he was 13, said that talking about the shooting took him back to when he was in high school and he tapped a young woman, another student, on the shoulder. He had not yet learned that some people in the United States can be uncomfortable with being touched unexpectedly. "The woman turned around and said, 'Get your dirty hand off me, you goddamn spic,'" recalled Mr. Alvarez, now a senior instructor in religious studies at Florida International University. His voice caught and he paused as he choked back tears. "I was totally paralyzed, because I could not fathom what had just happened," he said. "I could not figure out why somebody would refer to me in such ugly language, and I'm 66 and this happened so long ago, and it still gets me." Here in El Paso, a border city of about 680,000 that is about 80 percent Hispanic, the massacre has felt uniquely personal. Chris Grant, 50, a witness to the El Paso attack who was wounded by the gunman, told The El Paso Times that he had seen the gunman allowing white and African-American shoppers out of the Walmart but was spraying Latinos with bullets. In an online post, the attacker complained about a "Hispanic invasion of Texas." Residents now talk about how it feels dangerous to go out to eat or to the movies. Gun shops in the city are bustling with customers, many of them Latino. "It's basically out of the instinct of not wanting to be a victim," said Zachary Zuñiga, 32, a lawyer in El Paso who signed up for a shooting course and is planning to buy his first gun. "I want to be able to protect my family if people like this are going to come here thinking they can shoot up places where my family and friends go," said Mr. Zuñiga, who grew up in a home where his parents never had guns. G. Cristina Mora, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in immigration and race politics, said the attack was likely to have generated a deep sense of unease for Hispanic Americans no matter how long they or their families have lived in the country. "This has impact beyond the first generation, the immigrant generation," Professor Mora said. "It reverberates. It doesn't have to be you who crossed the border. It just has to be you who are not Anglo." Suzanna Bobadilla, 28, learned about the shooting while she was on vacation in Connecticut with friends from college. She tried to avoid reading about the episode in detail for the first couple of days because it was too devastating, but could not avoid the story any longer when it surfaced on her social media accounts. Ms. Bobadilla's father came to the United States from Mexico as a graduate student in the 1980s and married her white American mother. Since open hostility toward Latinos has grown more common over the past few years, she said she spent a lot of time avoiding the news in order to look out for her own mental health. She either reads or listens to the president's statements, but avoids watching him on TV because it is too upsetting, and even scary, to see crowds of people chanting behind him when he talks about immigrants. "As a child of the '90s, I was taught that if we just share and come together and be collaborative, we'll have this harmonious society," said Ms. Bobadilla, who has worked for Google in San Francisco since she graduated from Harvard University. But lately, she said, that has begun to feel like "really hard work that is exhausting." In Los Angeles, Kenia Peralta, 18, has been glued to Twitter and news sources reading about the shooting. It has prompted her to question her own identity as an American. "If this is what America is supposed to be, only white, then I guess I am not American," said Ms. Peralta, the daughter of immigrant parents from El Salvador. She and her 15-year-old brother live with their parents in a one-bedroom apartment near downtown Los Angeles. "I will always be seen first as Hispanic, no matter if I was born here," said Ms. Peralta, who will enroll at the University of California, Irvine, this fall. Bertha Rodriguez, a 73-year-old retiree who was born in Cuba and grew up in the Midwest and in Mexico, where her father worked as a jockey, said she had a hard time talking about the El Paso shooting without breaking into tears. "I live in this terror for my grandkids," said Ms. Rodriguez, who now lives with her mother in Century Village, a large retirement community in Pembroke Pines, Fla. She said two of her grandchildren happened to be at a Walmart in Louisiana when the El Paso massacre unfolded. "This is not the United States that I grew up in," she said. In Connecticut, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, 30, said she felt physically sick when she learned that the gunman in El Paso had seemed to have targeted Latinos. She and her parents came to the United States from Ecuador without papers when Ms. Cornejo Villavicencio was 5. She is temporarily protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and is applying for a green card through her spouse, but her parents are still undocumented. Now finishing up a Ph.D. at Yale in American Studies, Ms. Cornejo Villavicencio was out to dinner with her partner when she heard the news about the attack in El Paso. She briefly cried in the car but then stopped herself. Crying is considered a sign of weakness in her family and she was scolded for doing it as a child. To her, the shooting felt like the culmination of a lifetime of fear, one that used to be about her parents getting deported, but now included the possibility that they could be targeted in a terror attack. "It's really hard to be alive as an immigrant right now and to not be sick and exhausted," she said. "It feels like being hunted." Simon Romero reported from El Paso, Caitlin Dickerson from New York, Miriam Jordan from Los Angeles and Patricia Mazzei from Miami. Erin Coulehan and Arturo Rubio contributed reporting from El Paso.


Looking for family-friendly events to keep the kids busy this week? From basketball training to bowling, there's plenty to do when it comes to opportunities for learning and fun. Read on for a rundown of what to do this week. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. WBT's SkyShow 2019 From the event description: We're taking over Mint Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in front of BB&T Ballpark starting at 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. for the SkyShow Street Party. When: Thursday, July 4, 2 p.m. Where: 324 S. Mint, Charlotte, NC 28202 Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Up to 58% Off Athletic Training From the Elite Athlete Training Academy deal description: Experienced trainers help athletes take their basketball skills to the highest level. Where: 6150 Old Pineville Road, Montclaire South Price: $59 (58% discount off regular price) Click here for more details, and to take advantage of this deal Up to 53% Off Attractions for Kids and Parents at BounceU From the BounceU deal description: An indoor playground facility for parents and children offering attractions such as slides, bouncy rooms, games, private parties and more. Where: 10624 Metromont Parkway, Northlake Price: $17 (53% discount off regular price) Click here for more details, and to take advantage of this deal Up to 91% Off Adult Fitness Classes From the Pro Speed Sports deal description: Former pro athlete and other fitness experts help exercisers burn calories and build lean muscles during physical-training workouts. Where: 8626 Hankins Road, Henderson Circle Price: $18 (88% discount off regular price) Click here for more details, and to get this deal Summer Games Passport at Bowlero, Bowlmor, AMF and Brunswick Zone From the Bowl Every Day This Summer at Bowlero, Bowlmor, AMF and Brunswick Zone deal description: Summer Games Passport is a pay-one-time pass that gives holders three games of bowling each day throughout the summer. A great deal on summer fun! Where: 4501 South Blvd., Price: $43.95 Click here for more details, and to nab this deal This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Of those on last year's preseason list of coaches on the hot seat, 10 of the 20 were fired, one left his job for another one and four are back on this year's list. One, Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury, was fired and ended up as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. So just because you start out on a hot seat doesn't necessarily mean you can't have a big season...of course you may need one to keep your job though. As we enter the 2019 season, there is a new crop of head coaches who are feeling the heat to turn around their programs' fates. There are some coaches who survived last year's round of firings and are back on the hot coals once again. Some are pressured to win big   bigger than what they had been doing   while others are taking over tough situations where it is time to deliver. Most just flat out have to get it done now. So here are the 20 coaches who are on the hot seat heading into the 2019 season. Of those on last year's preseason list of coaches on the hot seat, 10 of the 20 were fired, one left his job for another one and four are back on this year's list. One, Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury, was fired and ended up as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. So just because you start out on a hot seat doesn't necessarily mean you can't have a big season...of course you may need one to keep your job though. As we enter the 2019 season, there is a new crop of head coaches who are feeling the heat to turn around their programs' fates. There are some coaches who survived last year's round of firings and are back on the hot coals once again. Some are pressured to win big   bigger than what they had been doing   while others are taking over tough situations where it is time to deliver. Most just flat out have to get it done now. So here are the 20 coaches who are on the hot seat heading into the 2019 season. Chris Ash, Rutgers Ash is a regular on this list but has gotten a bit of a pass since the Scarlet Knights program was in such disarray when he took the job and has been overmatched since joining the Big Ten. We are now entering the fourth season in the Ash era, and Rutgers has gone just 7-29 and has lost 24 of 27 conference games (some by obscenely large margins). It is a difficult job to turn it around, but another winless Big Ten slate could mean it is time for someone else to try. Brent Brennan, San Jose State The Spartans have been horrible in Brennan's two seasons in San Jose, amassing a 3-22 mark with the only wins being over Cal Poly, Wyoming and UNLV. Brennan is a nice guy who has the perfect optimistic demeanor to helm a complete rebuilding project, but San Jose State just isn't good. The program isn't without talent, but it isn't doing anything to indicate it's going in the right direction. Another double-digit loss season and Brennan is gone. Bob Davie, New Mexico Davie is entering his eighth season in Albuquerque and aside from a decent two-year stretch in 2015 and 2016, it hasn't gone very well. The Lobos are coming off consecutive 3-9 seasons in which they won just one Mountain West game each year. He was suspended in February 2018 for mishandling off-field incidents involving some of his players. It's been a tough eight years that isn't paying off with on-field success anymore. Another 3-9 season could see Davie out. Dana Dimel, UTEP Hey, UTEP won a game last year! After an 0-12 season in 2017, the Miners beat Rice for their only win in 2018   Dimel's first season in El Paso. It may be a stretch to think his seat is extremely hot, but the Miners can't go for another one-win or winless season. Randy Edsall, UConn Edsall has been a mainstay on hot seat lists for a couple of years since returning to Connecticut. The Huskies have gone just 4-10 in his two seasons, and he's had some controversy involving his coaching staff. Add in the fact that the Huskies are heading to an uncertain future with the university leaving the American Athletic Conference after this season (or the next), and they aren't a desirable option for any other conference. Shawn Elliott, Georgia State Georgia State has been around for less than a decade and has struggled for much of it. After taking the Panthers to the Cure Bowl in his first season, Elliott's bunch fell to a 2-10 mark last year. The defense was horrible, and the team had some really bad losses (ahem, Texas State). Injuries were a factor last year, but if Georgia State continues to slide then this could be it. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech It's always tough to replace a legend, and that's what Fuente did when he took over for Frank Beamer in 2015. After making a nice splash by winning the ACC's Coastal Division in the first season, the Hokies have slipped a bit. Last year the Hokies lost to Old Dominion and had to schedule an extra game against Marshall just to qualify for the Military Bowl. Tech fans aren't used to this and don't want to be. If this keeps trending downward then Fuente may be run out of town. Clay Helton, USC USC has struggled to find consistency in the decade since Pete Carroll left for the NFL. Helton did get to the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl with Sam Darnold as his quarterback but fell to 5-7 season last year without him. Now Helton is on a scorching hot seat, with fans and alumni dreaming of talking Urban Meyer out of retirement again to take over the Trojans. A big buyout likely bought him this season but anything less than a run at a Pac-12 title (and maybe more) could force a change. Matt Luke, Ole Miss Luke took over in 2017 when Hugh Freeze was forced out and earned the full-time gig after a 6-6 season. Last season the Rebels went 1-7 in SEC play and had one of the worst defenses in the country. The defensive coordinator was fired and the offensive coordinator left, so Luke is reassembling the coaching staff and the SEC isn't a league that allows for long-term turnarounds. If Luke can't get Ole Miss back into the mix and winning games in October and November than the team will be in the market for a new coach. Gus Malzahn, Auburn First off, hot seat doesn't always mean you are close to being fired. Malzahn's high buyout keeps his job a bit safer than most. Still, the natives are restless in Alabama, and their anger is focused on the head coach. The Tigers followed up an appearance in the SEC Championship game with a lackluster 3-5 conference mark and were destroyed by rival Alabama. That's been Auburn in the Malzahn era: inconsistency. Meanwhile, the big bad Tide across the state continue to rack up playoff appearances, and Malzahn keeps frustrating Tiger fans. Doug Martin, New Mexico State Martin has been the head coach in Las Cruces since 2013 and has only once produced a winning season (7-6 mark in 2017). New Mexico State has lost at least nine games in each of the other seasons, including last year's 3-9 record. Granted, Martin led the Aggies to their first bowl game in 60 years in 2017, so there is some leeway granted to Martin. But as an independent program now, it needs to have something for fans to believe in. Philip Montgomery, Tulsa After reaching a bowl in his first two seasons, Montgomery's Golden Hurricane have gone just 5-19 since. There was some promise as Tulsa hung with Texas in Austin (it lost, 28-21) but that was just the beginning of a seven-game losing streak. Montgomery has been sort of safe despite the two ugly seasons, but that could heat up considerably with another stinker. Chad Morris, Arkansas Morris' first season in Fayetteville was bad. Really bad. The Razorbacks went 2-10, which marked the most losses in school history. Their lone wins were over Tulsa and Eastern Illinois, and one of their losses was to 3-9 Colorado State. Now Morris is trying to overhaul the offense from a power running scheme to a passing one, so there will be some growing pains. He's in the second year of a six-year contract, so it may take another horrendous season for the school to pull the plug on this. Will Muschamp, South Carolina Muschamp took over a South Carolina program that was a bit in flux. He inherited Steve Spurrier's recruits, who weren't as top-of-the-line as usual, so there was some patience given to the new head coach. We are in the fourth year now when a coach is putting a stamp on the program. The Gamecocks have been 12-12 in SEC play and just 22-17 overall. They went 7-6 overall last year, but that included wins over Coastal Carolina, Chattanooga and Akron. Getting blown out by Virginia (28-0) in the Belk Bowl stings a lot and puts some heat on Muschamp in 2019. By the way, the Gamecocks may have the toughest schedule in the nation, with Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Texas A&M on tap. Mike Neu, Ball State It is Year 4 for Neu, and it's time to show some real improvement in Muncie. The Cardinals have gone 10-26 in his first three seasons and have lost 20 of 24 MAC games. The former Ball State quarterback has taken an interesting path to the head job at his alma mater, but it hasn't resulted in success. There was some improvement shown last season with three conference wins (Ball State totaled just one in Neu's first two years), but it may take a bowl appearance for him to make it past this year. Tony Sanchez, UNLV Sanchez was already on a bit of a hot seat when he was hired away from Bishop Gorman High School and has stayed on it, as he has yet to have a winning season in four years in Vegas. He is 16-32, but he has actually been positive at raising money for facilities and the energy around the program has been its best in years. Is that improvement more important that what happens on the field? Maybe. But Sanchez needs to break through to keep the momentum going. Kalani Sitake, BYU Sitake took his name off the hot seat last season due to wins over Arizona and Wisconsin early in the season and reaching the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Still, the Cougars offense is one of the worst in the FBS, and they lost several close games. If Sitake can straighten out the offense (the defense has done well) and figure out how to win some of those close games then he'll be fine. Another ugly offensive season filled with tough losses could force BYU to revisit his job status. Lovie Smith, Illinois Smith's time to resurrect the Illini is running out. In three seasons he's won just four of 27 Big Ten games and has finished last in the West Division the last two seasons. Sure, this was a major rebuild and patience was needed, but Illinois' defense was brutal last season, giving up over 45 points per game in Big Ten play. This is an extremely young team that is adding a good recruiting class. If the Illini show they can be competitive in league play and can find a way to get to a bowl game, Lovie could survive the season. If not, it may be time to move on. Kevin Sumlin, Arizona Sumlin was on the hot seat at Texas A&M his entire time there, and it has followed him to Tuscon. It figures, as the Wildcats entered the season with high hopes and a Heisman hopeful in Khalil Tate but crashed and burned to an uninspiring 5-7 record last year. This was a fan base that was sick and tired of 8-5 and 7-6 seasons. The Pac 12 South is wide open and the Wildcats should be...should be...in the thick of the race. Sure, it has been one season, but down the road Herm Edwards has reenergized Arizona State in his first season. If Arizona flails around again, then Sumlin could be out. Willie Taggart, Florida State Yes, Taggart has been in Tallahassee for only one season, but he's already on an extremely hot seat. The 'Noles limped to a 5-7 season last year and missed a bowl game for the first time since 1981. Quarterback Deondre Francois was kicked off the team with no top recruit waiting in the wings. Florida State is watching Clemson win national championships while it has lost its championship coach to Texas A&M and fallen off the national map. Taggart is tasked with quickly turning that around or FSU may need to go after a big-name coach.