U.S. GDP has grown steadily since the end of the Great Recession, and GDP per capita stands at $62,590, a record high. The best county to live in every state U.S. GDP has grown steadily since the end of the Great Recession, and GDP per capita stands at $62,590, a record high. By these benchmarks, the United States is in a period of historic prosperity. As with any single economic measure, however, this data falls short of painting a complete picture. To better capture prosperity at an individual level in a given area, the United Nations Development Program uses the Human Development Index , or HDI. The HDI is based on three core concepts: public health, education, and standard of living. To identify the best counties to live in every state, 24/7 Wall St. constructed an index of three measures inspired by the HDI: poverty, the percentage of adults who have at least a bachelor's degree, and average life expectancy at birth. Only counties with populations of at least 10,000 were considered. County equivalents like Census areas, parishes, and independent cities were all included in our analysis. Data on life expectancy is from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent population health research center at the University of Washington. We also considered April 2019 unemployment rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unlike the worst counties to live in every state , nearly all of the counties on this list have higher than average educational attainment rates, lower than average poverty rates, and longer than average life expectancy at birth. Most also contain a major city or are in close proximity to one. Cities that counties on this list are within commuting distance of include Atlanta, Boston, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. As with most desirable places to live, many of the counties on this list are prohibitively expensive for most Americans. In fact, well over half of the counties on this list also have the most expensive housing markets in the state . Click or swipe though to see the full list. Alabama: Shelby County > 5-yr. population change: +6.9% (state: +1.5%) > Poverty rate: 8.3% (state: 18.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 42.2% (state: 24.5%) > Life expectancy: 79.5 years (state: 75.7 years) In Shelby County, 42.2% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the 24.5% bachelor's degree attainment rate across Alabama as a whole. Incomes tend to rise with educational attainment, and in Shelby County, just 8.3% of the population lives below the poverty line, less than half the 18.0% state poverty rate. Additionally, with a median annual household income of $74,063, Shelby is the richest county in the state . Like most counties on this list, Shelby County is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the county's population grew by 6.9%, more than quadruple Alabama's 1.5% population growth over that time. Alaska: Juneau City and Borough > 5-yr. population change: +2.5% (state: +3.9%) > Poverty rate: 7.4% (state: 10.2%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 40.3% (state: 29.0%) > Life expectancy: 80.3 years (state: 78.4 years) The Juneau Borough is coterminous with the city of the same name, Alaska's state capital. Juneau is the only borough or county equivalent in the state where more than 40% of adults have a bachelor's degree. Joblessness is also less of a problem in Juneau than it is statewide. Only 4.6% of workers in the city are out of a job, well below the 6.5% state unemployment rate. Due in part to both a well-educated population and a relatively strong job market, serious financial hardship is not as common in Juneau as it is in the state as a whole. Just 7.4% of the local population lives below the poverty line, compared to 10.2% of Alaskans. Arizona: Maricopa County > 5-yr. population change: +8.2% (state: +6.2%) > Poverty rate: 15.7% (state: 17.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 31.4% (state: 28.4%) > Life expectancy: 80.1 years (state: 79.6 years) Maricopa County includes the city of Phoenix. The most populous county in Arizona, it is also one of the fastest growing. The county is now home to 4.2 million people, an 8.2% increase from five years prior. Over the same period, Arizona's population grew by 6.2%. The county's rapid growth may be driven in part by the strong job market and relatively high paying jobs in the country. Just 3.7% of Maricopa County's labor force is unemployed, the lowest unemployment rate in the state. Additionally, with a median household income of $58,580 a year, it is the richest county in the state . Arkansas: Benton County > 5-yr. population change: +13.4% (state: +2.1%) > Poverty rate: 10.5% (state: 18.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 31.7% (state: 22.0%) > Life expectancy: 79.4 years (state: 76.2 years) Benton County is located in the northwestern corner of Arkansas, just north of Fayetteville. By far the fastest growing county in the state, the Benton's population grew by 13.4% in the last five years, more than six times the state's 2.1% population growth. Benton County residents are more likely to have a college education and less likely to live in poverty than the typical Arkansas resident. As is often the case in counties on this list, Benton County is not a cheap place to live relative to the rest of the state. With a median home price of $193,647, according to the National Association of Realtors, Benton ranks as the county with the most expensive housing market in the state . California: Marin County > 5-yr. population change: +3.2% (state: +4.4%) > Poverty rate: 8.1% (state: 15.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 57.5% (state: 32.6%) > Life expectancy: 83.8 years (state: 80.8 years) Marin County is located on the other side of the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco. It is one of only a few dozen counties nationwide where more than 50% of adults have a bachelor's degree. Higher-paying jobs often require at least a college diploma, and in Marin County, most households have an income over $100,000 a year. High-income, highly educated populations typically report better health outcomes. With a life expectancy of 83.8 years, three years longer than life expectancy in California and nearly five years above life expectancy nationwide, Marin County ranks as the healthiest county in the state . Colorado: Pitkin County > 5-yr. population change: +4.4% (state: +7.8%) > Poverty rate: 7.1% (state: 11.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 61.2% (state: 39.4%) > Life expectancy: 86.5 years (state: 80.2 years) Pitkin County, Colorado, is located southwest of Denver in the Rocky Mountains and includes the resort towns of Snowmass and Aspen. Pitkin ranks as the best educated county in the state and one of the best educated in the country as 61.2% of adults have a bachelor's degree -- well above the 39.4% and 30.9% shares across the state and country, respectively. Pitkin is also one of the healthiest counties in the country. Life expectancy in Pitkin County is 86.5 years, over seven years longer than the life expectancy nationwide and nearly the highest in the U.S., second only to the 86.8-year life expectancy in nearby Summit County, Colorado. Connecticut: Fairfield County > 5-yr. population change: +3.1% (state: +0.6%) > Poverty rate: 8.8% (state: 10.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 46.5% (state: 38.4%) > Life expectancy: 81.8 years (state: 80.6 years) Fairfield County is located in Connecticut's southwest corner. County residents live within commuting distance of high-paying jobs in New York City, and the typical county household earns $89,773 a year, the most of any of the eight counties in the state. High income areas are typically home to well-educated populations, and Fairfield is the best educated county in the state. The bachelor's degree attainment rate among adults in Fairfield is 46.5%, well above the comparable rates of 38.4% statewide and 30.9% nationwide. Delaware: New Castle County > 5-yr. population change: +2.8% (state: +4.8%) > Poverty rate: 11.9% (state: 12.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 35.7% (state: 31.0%) > Life expectancy: 79.0 years (state: 78.7 years) New Castle County, the northernmost county of the three that make up Delaware, is the best county to live in the state. The county's 11.9% poverty rate is the lowest in the state and slightly below the 12.1% state poverty rate. New Castle is also by far the wealthiest county in Delaware, with a median annual household income of $68,336, over $10,000 higher than the median income in the state's other two counties. The county contains Wilmington, the most populous city in the state, and area residents live within commuting distance of Philadelphia. Florida: St. Johns County > 5-yr. population change: +18.3% (state: +7.4%) > Poverty rate: 9.1% (state: 15.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 43.0% (state: 28.5%) > Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 79.5 years) St. Johns County, Florida, is located just south of Jacksonville, bordered by the St. Johns River to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. With a median annual household income of $73,640, St. Johns is the wealthiest county in Florida. It is also one of only two counties in the state where fewer than one in 10 residents live below the poverty line. Higher-income Americans often have better access to quality medical care and can afford a greater range of healthy options related to diet and lifestyle, and as a result they typically lead longer, healthier lives. In St. Johns County, life expectancy at birth is 80.7 years, about a year longer than it is across the state as a whole. Georgia: Forsyth County > 5-yr. population change: +19.3% (state: +5.0%) > Poverty rate: 6.5% (state: 16.9%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 50.2% (state: 29.9%) > Life expectancy: 81.3 years (state: 77.4 years) Forsyth County, Georgia, is located just north of Atlanta. It is one of only a handful of counties in the state where life expectancy at birth exceeds 80 years, and one of only two where over half of all adults have a bachelor's degree. Like many counties on this list, Forsyth County is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the number of people living in the county spiked by 19.3%, nearly four times Georgia's 5.0% population growth over the same period. The most desirable places to live are not often cheap, and Forsyth County is no exception. With a median home value of $391,587, according to data provided by the National Association or Realtors, Forsyth has the most expensive housing market of any county in the state . Hawaii: Honolulu County > 5-yr. population change: +3.6% (state: +4.3%) > Poverty rate: 9.1% (state: 10.3%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 34.0% (state: 32.0%) > Life expectancy: 81.4 years (state: 81.2 years) Honolulu County, which includes the city of the same name, is the only county in Hawaii where more than one in every three adults have a bachelor's degree. Greater educational attainment typically leads to higher paying jobs, and it is likely no coincidence that Honolulu is also the only county in the state where most households earn over $80,000 a year. Like many other densely-populated, urban and suburban counties on this list, Honolulu has a low unemployment rate. Just 2.6% of workers in the county are out of a job, the lowest unemployment rate of any county in the state and well below the 3.6% national unemployment rate. Idaho: Teton County > 5-yr. population change: +7.7% (state: +5.7%) > Poverty rate: 8.3% (state: 14.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 42.5% (state: 26.8%) > Life expectancy: 82.1 years (state: 79.5 years) Teton County, located in eastern Idaho along the Wyoming state border, ranks as the best county to live in the state. Just 8.3% of county residents live below the poverty line, the lowest poverty rate of any Idaho county. Americans facing serious financial hardship have less access to quality health care and the available range of healthy diet and lifestyle options they can afford and often report worse than average health outcomes. Teton County's low poverty rate likely partially explains the relatively long, healthy lives of area residents. Life expectancy at birth in the county is 82 years, about three and a half years above life expectancy across the state as a whole. Illinois: DuPage County > 5-yr. population change: +1.4% (state: +0.2%) > Poverty rate: 6.8% (state: 13.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 48.0% (state: 33.4%) > Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 79.0 years) DuPage County is located just west of Chicago, well within commuting distance of the largest city in the Midwest. Partially as a result, the county's 2.9% unemployment rate is the lowest of any county in the state and well below the 3.6% national unemployment rate. DuPage residents are also more likely to lead long, healthy lives than those in other parts of the state. Life expectancy at birth in the county is nearly 82 years, about three years longer than life expectancy across Illinois. Partially as a result, DuPage ranks as the healthiest county in the state . Indiana: Hamilton County > 5-yr. population change: +12.2% (state: +2.0%) > Poverty rate: 5.0% (state: 14.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 57.5% (state: 25.3%) > Life expectancy: 81.8 years (state: 77.7 years) Located just north of Indianapolis, Hamilton County is like many others on this list in that its residents have access to jobs and entertainment options in a major city. Partially as a result, the county's unemployment rate is low at just 2.3%. Many of the jobs county residents have are high paying as Hamilton is the only county in the state where most households earn over $90,000 a year. The county's location and strong economic conditions likely make it an attractive place to live for new residents and families. In the last five years, Hamilton County's population grew by 12.2%, the largest increase of any county in the state and more than six times Indiana's 2.0% population growth over the same period. Iowa: Dallas County > 5-yr. population change: +20.7% (state: +2.3%) > Poverty rate: 5.4% (state: 12.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 49.1% (state: 27.7%) > Life expectancy: 81.5 years (state: 79.7 years) Dallas ranks as the best county to live in in Iowa. Located just west of the state capital of Des Moines, county residents live within commuting distance of jobs and cultural attractions of a major city. A relatively affluent area, Dallas County is the only county in the state where more than one in every 10 households earn at least $200,000 a year. The county is also notable for having relatively minimal financial hardship. Just 5.4% of residents live below the poverty line, less than half the 12.0% poverty rate across Iowa. Across Iowa, joblessness is relatively uncommon. Just 2.4% of workers in the state are out of a job, well below the 3.6% national unemployment rate. In Dallas County, unemployment is even less common. The county's 1.5% unemployment rate is nearly the lowest of any U.S. county or county equivalent. Kansas: Johnson County > 5-yr. population change: +6.0% (state: +1.8%) > Poverty rate: 5.6% (state: 12.8%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 54.6% (state: 32.3%) > Life expectancy: 81.7 years (state: 78.7 years) Johnson County, Kansas, is located just outside of Kansas City, one of the largest cities in the Midwest. The richest county in the state , Johnson County's median household income of $81,121 is about $25,600 greater than what the typical Kansas household earns. As is often the case in affluent communities, residents of Johnson County are generally healthy. Life expectancy at birth in the county is nearly 82 years, the highest of any county in the state and well above the 79 year life expectancy nationwide. Kentucky: Oldham County > 5-yr. population change: +7.1% (state: +1.9%) > Poverty rate: 5.6% (state: 18.3%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 40.4% (state: 23.2%) > Life expectancy: 79.6 years (state: 76.3 years) With a median annual household income of $46,535, more than $10,000 below the national median, Kentucky is one of the poorest states in the country . Not all parts of the state are poor, however. In Oldham County, located along the Ohio River just outside of Louisville, more than one in every 10 households earn at least $200,000 a year, and at least half of all households earn $92,000 or more a year. Not only the wealthiest, Oldham County is also the healthiest county in Kentucky. The county's average life expectancy at birth is nearly 80 years -- more than three years longer than it is across the state. Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish > 5-yr. population change: +6.4% (state: +3.0%) > Poverty rate: 10.8% (state: 19.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 32.5% (state: 23.4%) > Life expectancy: 77.6 years (state: 75.8 years) St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana is located directly across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Serious financial hardship is far less common in the parish than it is in much of the rest of the state as just 10.8% of residents live below the poverty line, nearly half the 19.6% state poverty rate. Louisiana as a whole ranks among the states with the lowest life expectancy . Even in St. Tammany Parish, one of the healthiest regions in the state, life expectancy is 77.6 years, about a year and a half below the national average. Maine: Cumberland County > 5-yr. population change: +2.5% (state: +0.1%) > Poverty rate: 10.7% (state: 12.9%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 45.0% (state: 30.3%) > Life expectancy: 80.4 years (state: 79.3 years) Cumberland County is by far the most educated county in Maine. Of all county adults, 45% have a bachelor's degree or higher, at least 10 percentage points above any other county in the state. Population growth in Maine has been stagnant in recent years, but Cumberland County, located in southwestern Maine, is one of only a few counties in the state to report population growth. With the city of Portland serving as the county seat, the number of people living in Cumberland County climbed by 2.5% over the last five years, the most of any of the state's 16 counties. Maryland: Howard County > 5-yr. population change: +8.3% (state: +3.6%) > Poverty rate: 5.2% (state: 9.7%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 61.2% (state: 39.0%) > Life expectancy: 83.0 years (state: 79.2 years) Largely situated in between Baltimore and Washington D.C., Howard County residents live within commuting distance of two major cities. Partially as a result, the county's 2.5% unemployment rate is the lowest of any county or county equivalent in the state and among the lowest in the country. Due in part to the concentration of government contractors in the area, including some of America's biggest defense contractors , many jobs in the Washington D.C. region pay high salaries. In Howard County, the poverty rate is far lower than average, and the typical household earns over $115,000 a year, more than in all but two other counties nationwide. Massachusetts: Middlesex County > 5-yr. population change: +5.0% (state: +3.5%) > Poverty rate: 8.2% (state: 11.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 54.1% (state: 42.1%) > Life expectancy: 81.6 years (state: 80.4 years) Massachusetts has the best-educated population of any state in the country , with a bachelor's degree attainment rate of 42.1%. In Middlesex County, which covers areas north and northeast of Boston, including Cambridge, MIT, and Harvard University, over half of all adults have a bachelor's degree or higher. Areas with better-educated populations are generally more prosperous, and serious economic hardship is relatively rare in Middlesex County. Just 8.2% of county residents live below the poverty line, well below the 11.1% state poverty rate and the 14.6% national rate. Michigan: Leelanau County > 5-yr. population change: -0.5% (state: +0.3%) > Poverty rate: 7.7% (state: 15.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 40.8% (state: 28.1%) > Life expectancy: 83.1 years (state: 78.3 years) Leelanau County is located in northwestern Michigan along the shores of Lake Michigan. With an average life expectancy of 83 years, about five years longer than life expectancy across the state, Leelanau is one of the healthiest counties in the United States. College-educated adults have a greater sense of control over their lives and tend to exhibit healthier behaviors and lifestyles than those with lower educational attainment. In Leelanau County, 40.8% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the 28.1% bachelor's degree attainment rate across the state as a whole. Minnesota: Carver County > 5-yr. population change: +8.1% (state: +3.3%) > Poverty rate: 4.0% (state: 10.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 47.5% (state: 34.8%) > Life expectancy: 82.8 years (state: 80.9 years) Located just outside of Minneapolis, Carver County, like many other counties on this list, is within commuting distance of a major city. Access to one of the largest cities in the Midwest provides job opportunities to Carver County residents, which in turn reduces the incidence of serious financial hardship. Unemployment in the county stands at just 2.6%, and the poverty rate is just 4.0%, each well below the respective 3.3% and 10.5% rates statewide. Mississippi: Rankin County > 5-yr. population change: +5.3% (state: +0.6%) > Poverty rate: 8.5% (state: 21.5%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 29.2% (state: 21.3%) > Life expectancy: 78.4 years (state: 74.9 years) With a 21.3% bachelor's degree attainment rate, Mississippi ranks among the least educated states in the country . Even in Rankin County, located just east of the state capital of Jackson, just 29.1% of adults have a bachelor's degree, a slightly smaller share than the 30.9% of American adults nationwide. Despite the lower than average educational attainment, financial hardship is far less common in Rankin County than it is nationwide. Just 8.5% of county residents live below the poverty line, well below the 14.6% national poverty rate, which itself is far below Mississippi's poverty rate of 21.5%. Missouri: Platte County > 5-yr. population change: +8.2% (state: +1.6%) > Poverty rate: 7.2% (state: 14.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 41.5% (state: 28.2%) > Life expectancy: 80.4 years (state: 77.7 years) Platte County, Missouri, is one of two counties on this list within commuting distance of Kansas City, one of the largest cities in the Midwest. The access to a major city provides greater job opportunities for county residents and reduces the likelihood of financial hardship. Unemployment in the county stands at just 2.3%, and the poverty rate is just 7.2%, each well below the respective 3.6% and 14.6% rates statewide. Platte County residents are also more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those in much of the rest of the state. The county's average life expectancy at birth is 80.4 years, nearly three years longer than the average life expectancy across Missouri. Montana: Gallatin County > 5-yr. population change: +11.5% (state: +3.9%) > Poverty rate: 13.0% (state: 14.4%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 48.8% (state: 30.7%) > Life expectancy: 82.0 years (state: 78.9 years) Gallatin County is located in southwestern Montana, sharing a border with both Idaho and Wyoming. By far the best educated county in the state, nearly half of all adults in the county have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 30.7% of adults across Montana as a whole. Better-educated adults tend to live longer, healthier lives than those with lower educational attainment. Gallatin County's average life expectancy at birth of 82 years is three years longer than the average life expectancy across the state. Nebraska: Sarpy County > 5-yr. population change: +9.9% (state: +3.6%) > Poverty rate: 5.3% (state: 12.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 39.5% (state: 30.6%) > Life expectancy: 80.5 years (state: 79.6 years) Sarpy County is located in eastern Nebraska, bordered on three sides by the Platte and Missouri Rivers, with the city of Omaha to the north. Serious financial hardship is relatively uncommon in county as just 5.3% of the population lives below the poverty line, less than half the poverty rate of 12.0% statewide. As is the case with many counties on this list, Sarpy also ranks as the richest county in the state , with a median annual household income of $75,752. The high incomes and low poverty in Sarpy County are partially attributable to a highly-educated population. Nearly 40% of adults in the county have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 30.6% of adults across the state as a whole. Nevada: Douglas County > 5-yr. population change: +1.2% (state: +6.8%) > Poverty rate: 9.8% (state: 14.2%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 27.2% (state: 23.7%) > Life expectancy: 81.1 years (state: 78.1 years) Douglas County, located in western Nevada along Lake Tahoe, just south of Carson City, ranks as the best county to live in in the state. No other Nevada county with a population of 10,000 or more has a higher life expectancy than Douglas County -- where the life expectancy at birth of 81.1 years is three years longer than the life expectancy across the state. Local residents are also more likely to be financially secure, as Douglas is one of only two Nevada counties where fewer than one in every 10 residents live below the poverty line. New Hampshire: Rockingham County > 5-yr. population change: +2.2% (state: +1.1%) > Poverty rate: 4.8% (state: 8.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 40.6% (state: 36.0%) > Life expectancy: 80.6 years (state: 80.2 years) Nearly every county in New Hampshire, a state characterized by overall low unemployment and poverty, ranks higher than the vast majority of U.S. counties as a desirable place to live. Of them, Rockingham County, located in southeastern New Hampshire and sharing a border with both Maine and Massachusetts, ranks the highest. Rockingham is the only county in the state where more than 40% of adults have a bachelor's degree. It is also the only New Hampshire county with a poverty rate below 5%. New Jersey: Somerset County > 5-yr. population change: +3.0% (state: +1.9%) > Poverty rate: 4.8% (state: 10.7%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 53.1% (state: 38.1%) > Life expectancy: 82.0 years (state: 80.0 years) Along with the best counties to live in Connecticut and New York state, Somerset County, New Jersey, is one of three counties on this list within commuting distance to New York City. Close proximity to the largest city in the United States provides county residents with access to a massive job market, and many of the available jobs are high paying. Just 2.4% of workers in Somerset County are unemployed, and over half of all households earn over $100,000 a year. Serious financial hardship is relatively rare in the county, as just 4.8% of residents live below the poverty line, less than half the 10.7% poverty rate across New Jersey. New Mexico: Los Alamos County > 5-yr. population change: +0.1% (state: +1.4%) > Poverty rate: 5.1% (state: 20.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 65.5% (state: 26.9%) > Life expectancy: 83.5 years (state: 78.4 years) Los Alamos, located in north-central New Mexico, is the best county to live in the state and one of the best nationwide. The county is bolstered by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a weapons development facility that employs nearly 12,000 people. Many jobs at the lab are high-skill, and partially as a result, 65.5% of Los Alamos County residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, by far the largest share in the state. Additionally, only 5.1% of county residents live below the poverty line, less than one-quarter of the statewide poverty rate. Los Alamos is located less than 200 miles east of McKinley County, the worst county to live in the state , where more than one in every three residents live below the poverty line. New York: Nassau County > 5-yr. population change: +1.8% (state: +2.1%) > Poverty rate: 5.9% (state: 15.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 44.4% (state: 35.3%) > Life expectancy: 82.2 years (state: 80.4 years) Nassau County is located on Long Island along the eastern border of Brooklyn and Queens. As is the case in two other counties on this list, close proximity to New York City -- the largest city in the country -- provides Nassau residents with a wide range of job opportunities. Just 2.9% of workers in the county are unemployed -- compared to 3.9% of workers across New York state. As a result of the proximity to the city and the low unemployment, the likelihood of serious financial hardship is relatively low in the county. The county's 5.9% poverty rate is less than half the 15.1% poverty rate across the state as a whole. North Carolina: Orange County > 5-yr. population change: +5.9% (state: +5.3%) > Poverty rate: 14.0% (state: 16.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 57.6% (state: 29.9%) > Life expectancy: 80.8 years (state: 77.9 years) Orange County is located in North Carolina's Research Triangle region. The region is so named due in part to the presence of three major research Universities: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and North Carolina State University. Perhaps not surprisingly, Orange County is the best educated county in the state, with a 57.6% bachelor's degree attainment rate. Orange County residents are also generally healthy. Life expectancy at birth in the county is 80.8 years, about three years longer than it is across the state as a whole. North Dakota: Burleigh County > 5-yr. population change: +12.7% (state: +10.2%) > Poverty rate: 8.5% (state: 11.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 35.1% (state: 28.9%) > Life expectancy: 81.2 years (state: 80.0 years) The county seat of Burleigh County, located in central North Dakota, is the state capital of Bismark, and the county ranks as the best to live in the state. Just 8.5% of county residents live below the poverty line, a smaller share than North Dakota's 11.0% poverty rate. Life expectancy in Burleigh County is also about a year longer than the 80 year life expectancy across the state as a whole. Like many counties on this list, Burleigh County is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the county's population increased by 12.7%, a faster growth than the 10.2% statewide population growth and the 3.8% national population growth. Ohio: Delaware County > 5-yr. population change: +10.6% (state: +0.7%) > Poverty rate: 5.1% (state: 14.9%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 53.8% (state: 27.2%) > Life expectancy: 81.4 years (state: 77.9 years) Sitting just north of Columbus, Delaware County is in close proximity to a major city. Access to the state capital and most populous city in the state provides job opportunities to Delaware County residents, which in turn reduces the likelihood of financial hardship. Unemployment in the county stands at just 2.3%, and the poverty rate is just 5.1%, each well below the respective 4.3% and 14.9% rates statewide. Delaware County is also growing rapidly. In the last five years, the county's population grew by 10.6%, more than 10 times the state's 0.7% population growth over the same period. Oklahoma: Cleveland County > 5-yr. population change: +6.8% (state: +3.9%) > Poverty rate: 12.6% (state: 16.2%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 32.1% (state: 24.8%) > Life expectancy: 78.7 years (state: 76.1 years) The state of Oklahoma does not compare favorably to most U.S. states in key socioeconomic measures like educational attainment and poverty. Even the state's best county to live in only compares slightly better than the national averages in these measures. In Cleveland County, which forms the southern part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, 12.6% of residents live in poverty, and 32.1% of adults have a bachelor's degree, compared to national shares of 14.6% and 30.9%, respectively. In the vast majority of counties on this list the bachelor's degree attainment rate is in excess of 40% and the poverty rate is under 10%. Oregon: Washington County > 5-yr. population change: +7.6% (state: +4.9%) > Poverty rate: 10.3% (state: 14.9%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 42.4% (state: 32.3%) > Life expectancy: 81.7 years (state: 79.4 years) Washington County is not only the best county to live in Oregon, but also it is the richest county in the state . The typical household in the county earns $74,033 a year, well above the median annual household income across the state of $56,119. Serious financial hardship is also less common in Washington County as just 10.3% of residents live below the poverty line, compared to 14.9% of state residents. Many of the counties on this list are within commuting distance of a major city, and, situated just west of Portland, Washington County is one of them. Pennsylvania: Chester County > 5-yr. population change: +3.0% (state: +0.7%) > Poverty rate: 6.9% (state: 13.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 51.0% (state: 30.1%) > Life expectancy: 81.2 years (state: 78.8 years) Chester County, Pennsylvania, is a wealthy suburban region west of Philadelphia. The county's poverty rate is less than half the national rate of 14.6%, and the median annual household income of $92,417 is nearly $35,000 greater than the national median. As is usually the case in affluent counties, housing is very expensive. With a median home price of $384,436 according to the National Association of Realtors, Chester County has the most expensive housing market in the state . Chester County is one of less than 50 counties with populations of at least 10,000 where more than half of all adults have a bachelor's degree. A college degree generally contributes to improved employment opportunities and job stability, and Chester's unemployment rate of 2.3% is one of the lower figures nationwide. Rhode Island: Bristol County > 5-yr. population change: -1.5% (state: +0.3%) > Poverty rate: 7.0% (state: 13.4%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 46.8% (state: 33.0%) > Life expectancy: 81.2 years (state: 79.8 years) Bristol County is a small area of only about 25 square miles just north of Newport, Rhode Island. The county has the best-educated population in the state, with 46.8% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Better-educated populations are typically more affluent, and serious financial hardship is relatively rare in Bristol County. Just 7.0% of the population lives below the poverty line compared to a poverty rate of 13.4% across Rhode Island. As is often the case in areas with a well-educated, largely financially secure population, Bristol County residents are generally healthy. Life expectancy in the county is just over 81 years, about a year longer than it is statewide and two years longer that it is nationwide. South Carolina: Beaufort County > 5-yr. population change: +10.5% (state: +5.7%) > Poverty rate: 11.9% (state: 16.6%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 39.8% (state: 27.0%) > Life expectancy: 81.6 years (state: 76.9 years) Beaufort County, South Carolina, part of the region that includes Hilton Head Island, ranks as the best county to live in the state, with above-average educational attainment and income. Higher incomes and high educational attainment both correlate with longer, healthier lives. The national average life expectancy at birth is 79.1 years. Beaufort is the only county in South Carolina that has a higher life expectancy -- and by a wide margin. Average life expectancy in the county at birth is 81.6 years. South Dakota: Lincoln County > 5-yr. population change: +18.0% (state: +4.9%) > Poverty rate: 3.0% (state: 13.9%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 41.0% (state: 27.8%) > Life expectancy: 83.0 years (state: 79.6 years) Lincoln County is located in southeast South Dakota, just south of Sioux Falls. The richest county in the state by median household income, very few county residents are struggling financially. Just 3.0% of area residents live below the poverty line, less than one-quarter of the state's poverty rate of 13.9%. Widespread financial security in the area is partially the result of a strong job market, as the county's unemployment rate of just 2.3% is well below the 2.8% statewide rate and the 3.6% national rate. Like many other counties on this list, Lincoln County is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the county's population spiked by 18.0%, more than any other county in South Dakota. Tennessee: Williamson County > 5-yr. population change: +15.2% (state: +3.8%) > Poverty rate: 4.6% (state: 16.7%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 58.1% (state: 26.1%) > Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 76.3 years) Located just south of Nashville, Williamson County is one of many counties on this list located within commuting distance of a major city. Not only does proximity to a city provide county residents with access to cultural amenities, but it also provides them with employment opportunities and therefore reduces the likelihood of financial insecurity. Wiliamson is the only county in Tennessee with a poverty rate below 5%. Williamson is also by far the healthiest county in Tennessee . The county's average life expectancy at birth is about 82 years, nearly six years longer than the average life expectancy across the state as a whole. Texas: Collin County > 5-yr. population change: +15.9% (state: +8.8%) > Poverty rate: 6.9% (state: 16.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 50.9% (state: 28.7%) > Life expectancy: 82.0 years (state: 78.5 years) Collin County, which is part of the greater Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan region and is home to the city of Plano, has a poverty rate of less than 7% and an adult bachelor's degree attainment rate of greater than 50%. Growing populations are often a sign of favorable economic and social conditions. In Collin County, the population has increased by 15.9% in the past five years. That is a large increase, even for Texas, which is one of the fastest growing states in the country . Collin's population growth is nearly double the state's population growth over the same period and more than four times the nation's population growth of 3.8% over that period. Utah: Summit County > 5-yr. population change: +8.6% (state: +8.2%) > Poverty rate: 7.5% (state: 11.0%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 53.5% (state: 32.5%) > Life expectancy: 82.4 years (state: 79.9 years) Utah's Summit County can be found east of Salt Lake City. The county extends into the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest and is home to Park City, an upscale resort community. As in other counties on this list, Summit's population is well educated. Over half of all adults in the county have a bachelor's degree or higher, the largest share in Utah. The county is also one of the more affluent, with the typical household earning about $95,000 year, also the highest median annual household income of any county in the state. Vermont: Chittenden County > 5-yr. population change: +2.7% (state: -0.1%) > Poverty rate: 11.3% (state: 11.4%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 49.6% (state: 36.8%) > Life expectancy: 81.4 years (state: 80.2 years) Chittenden County, Vermont, includes the state's most populous city, Burlington, which is home to a number of postsecondary institutions, including the University of Vermont. A high concentration of colleges and universities often coincides with higher regional educational attainment, and nearly 50% of county adults have a bachelor's degree, compared to 30.9% of adults nationwide. A college degree generally contributes to improved employment opportunities and job stability. Chittenden County's 1.3% unemployment rate is the lowest in the state and is tied with Story County, Iowa, for the lowest of any large county in the United States. Virginia: Falls Church > 5-yr. population change: +12.5% (state: +4.4%) > Poverty rate: 2.9% (state: 11.2%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 78.1% (state: 37.6%) > Life expectancy: 81.8 years (state: 79.2 years) Falls Church, Virginia, an independent city, is about a 20 minute drive west of Washington, D.C. Some of the most affluent, highly-educated places in the United States can be found in the greater D.C. region, serving as bedroom communities for the researchers, educators, and lawyers who work in the nation's capital. Close to 80% of Falls Church's adults have a bachelor's degree, more than any other county or county equivalent in the country. More than one in four households have an annual income of $200,000 or more, compared to just 6.3% of households nationwide. Washington: San Juan County > 5-yr. population change: +3.1% (state: +6.4%) > Poverty rate: 10.7% (state: 12.2%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 48.3% (state: 34.5%) > Life expectancy: 83.7 years (state: 80.0 years) San Juan County, the best county to live in Washington, is in the northwest corner of the state and is entirely located on a group of islands between the U.S. mainland and Vancouver Island, Canada. San Juan has the longest life expectancy of any county in the state and one of the longest in the country. The county's average life expectancy at birth is 83.7 years, 13th highest among U.S. counties and 4.6 years higher than the national average life expectancy. Poverty is also less common in San Juan than in much of the rest of the state. West Virginia: Jefferson County > 5-yr. population change: +4.0% (state: -0.7%) > Poverty rate: 9.9% (state: 17.8%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 30.5% (state: 19.9%) > Life expectancy: 77.8 years (state: 76.0 years) In the measures used to create this index of the best counties to live: life expectancy, poverty, and bachelor's degree attainment among adults, the state of West Virginia compares unfavorably to most of the rest of the country. Even Jefferson County, the state's best county by these measures, does not rank especially highly among all U.S. counties. Jefferson County, which is in the easternmost part of the state, has an adult bachelor's degree attainment rate of 30.5%, which is well above the state rate of 19.9% but slightly below the national share of 30.9%. Life expectancy in the county is 77.8 years at birth, which is higher than the state's 76.0 year average life expectancy but less than the national life expectancy of 79.1 years. Wisconsin: Ozaukee County > 5-yr. population change: +1.6% (state: +1.3%) > Poverty rate: 5.9% (state: 12.3%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 47.7% (state: 29.0%) > Life expectancy: 82.1 years (state: 79.8 years) Ozaukee County, the best county to live in Wisconsin, is located along the shore of Lake Michigan, just north of Milwaukee. It is one of the more affluent places in both the state and the nation as a whole. The county's median annual household income of $80,526 is about $24,000 higher than the statewide median. Just 5.9% of the county's population lives in poverty, compared to a state poverty rate of 12.3%. Life expectancy in the county is also about two years longer than the 80 year average across Wisconsin as a whole. Wyoming: Teton County > 5-yr. population change: +7.5% (state: +3.6%) > Poverty rate: 6.8% (state: 11.1%) > Adults with a bachelor's degree: 54.1% (state: 26.7%) > Life expectancy: 83.5 years (state: 78.6 years) Teton County, the best county to live in Wyoming, largely comprises federal land like Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Residents of Teton County are some of the least likely to face financial hardship. Just 1.9% of households in the area live on less than $10,000 annually -- one of the smallest shares in the country and well below the 6.7% share of households nationwide. Financial security is closely tied to educational attainment, and with a bachelor's degree attainment rate of 54.1%, Teton County's population is one of the best educated in America.


With more than 49 million Americans expected to travel for Independence Day this year millions of passengers will likely experience some sort of airline related travel disruption The flight compensation company AirHelp recently crunched the numbers from July 4, 2018, and found that of the 22.7 million U.S. passengers who traveled by air, four million experienced a disruption. And those disruptions amounted to a staggering 670 days of wasted vacation time, according to AirHelp. "Last year, U.S. travelers wasted more than 16,000 hours, or 670 days, waiting for delayed flights during the Fourth of July weekend," the company said in a statement. "If travelers experience a lengthy delay or have their flight canceled when flying to the EU on an EU airline or out of the EU, they may be entitled to up to $700 in compensation from the airline under European law EC 261, and can file a claim for up to three years." With such flying related challenges in mind, AirHelp recently released data designed to inform passengers about what to expect this year, including highlighting which airports are likely to be busiest and which witnessed the most disruptions in year's past. Among the key takeaways to make note of:   Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was the most popular domestic flight route.  Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) was the most disrupted route with 67 percent of flights delayed or canceled.  Sunday, July 8 saw the largest airport crowds, when reviewing flights between June 30 and July 8 "Flight disruptions affect a lot of people during holiday weekends like Fourth of July, and unfortunately, since 92 percent of U.S. passengers don't understand their rights, airlines take advantage of uninformed travelers," said AirHelp CEO Henrik Zillmer. "We urge passengers to read up on their rights for disruptions, luggage issues, and overbooked flights to ensure that they are receiving the compensation they may be legally entitled to claim and reimbursement for plans they may have missed due to the airline's errors." Here's the full list of the most popular domestic flight routes last year in the United States, which can help inform passengers of traffic patterns for the 2019 holiday weekend:  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS)  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to New York J F Kennedy International Airport (JFK)  New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)  Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Kahului Airport (OGG)  Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Portland International Airport (PDX)  Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)  Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)   Seattle -Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)  Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Here is the full list of routes impacted by the highest number of delays, boarding denials or cancellations, along with the associated percentage of disruptions:  Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) - 67 percent  Akron/Canton Regional Airport (CAK) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) - 63 percent  Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) - 58 percent  Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Akron/Canton Regional Airport (CAK) - 56 percent  Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Elmira Corning Regional Airport (ELM) - 56 percent  Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSE) - 55 percent  Denver International Airport (DEN) to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) - 55 percent  Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) - 53 percent  Houston William P. Hobby Airport (IAH) to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - 52 percent  Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) - 52 percent In addition to EC 261, which states that if your flight is delayed by more than three hours, canceled, or if you are denied boarding, you and any other passengers in your group may be entitled to financial compensation of up to $700 per person, under U.S. national law, if you are denied boarding because too many passengers checked in for the flight, and you don't volunteer to deplane or take another flight, you can be eligible for compensation of up to $1,350, depending on the value of your ticket fare and ultimate delay in arrival to your final destination. If flying within the U.S. and you're put on a flight that arrives within one to two hours of your planned arrival, you can be compensated 200 percent of your one-way ticket fare up to $675, according to AirHelp. If the delay is more than two hours for a domestic flight, you may claim up to $1,350. If you're traveling abroad, and the delay to your destination compared to your original flight is between one and four hours, you can get compensated 200 percent of your one-way fare up to $675. For delays more than four hours, you may be entitled to 400% of one-way fare up to $1,350.


It has now been more than two years since Charles Oakley was arrested and escorted from Madison Square Garden following a verbal altercation with James Dolan, but the New York Knicks legend believes the incident is still impacting the team's ability to attract top talent. Oakley joined Kimberly Jones and John Jastremski on WFAN Monday to discuss the Knicks missing out on Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and other top free agents, and he said he has spoken with players and agents who told him they are "upset about what happened two years ago." Oakley said that has factored into their decisions to pass on the Knicks. "People respect me. A lot of stuff that went on wasn't right, and from the Commissioner on down, nobody has tried to address it. But the players have seen it for themselves," Oakley said. "They're not trying to go to an environment where someone says something, and somebody is going to come talk to him with an axe, or someone is going to come and put handcuffs on him. They don't want that kind of environment." Oakley said the fans in New York will always remain loyal to the Knicks, but players "don't want to be around a bad, toxic situation." He also said he has reached out to Dolan to try to smooth things over and been turned away. There have been reports that Durant still wanted to sign with the Knicks but chose the Brooklyn Nets because he wanted to play with Kyrie Irving. Dolan would also like us to believe that it was his choice to pass on Durant , not the other way around. Of course, no one is really buying that. As for Oakley, we know there have been many prominent people who have taken his side in his ongoing feud with the Knicks. While that particular incident probably hasn't played a big role in the team missing out on superstar players, you could make the argument that the reason it became such a major issue   Dolan's massive ego   has. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


The Seattle Seahawks played their first preseason game at home at CenturyLink Field against the Denver Broncos, which resulted in a 22-14 victory. An early lapse in the Seahawks run defense allowed Denver running back Royce Freeman to break free for a 50-yard run. Linebacker Cody Barton then stopped running back Phillip Lindsay on 2 nd and 1. Freeman proceeded to catch a screen pass from Flacco and stretch over the marker for a first down. The Seahawks defensive front did a solid job at stopping the run, with everyone getting involved. After quarterback Joe Flacco overthrew Courtland Sutton in the end zone to bring up fourth down, kicker Brandon McManus made the 25-yard field goal attempt to make the score 3-0 in Denver's favor. Keenan Reynolds then provided a strong 34-yard return on the kickoff, but Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny slipped on his first run and picked up 3 yards. On 3 rd and 11, he made up for it with a 27-yard catch and run for a first down. Rookie wide receiver D.K. Metcalf had an 8-yard catch, and then had a catch and run for a first down nullified by an illegal block in the back by fellow receiver David Moore. Moore dropped a pass on 3 rd and 9 to bring up 4 th down, which led to Jason Myers missing a 56-yard field goal wide right, giving Denver the ball with good field position. After the Broncos failed to reach the marker for three downs, Austin Calitro broke up a pass on 4 th and 2 to give the ball back to the Seahawks. The Seahawks promptly went three-and-out, and quarterback Geno Smith nearly threw an interception to defensive end Adam Gotsis, which he dropped. On the ensuing 41-yard punt by Michael Dickson, Neiko Thorpe made a solid special teams tackle for a loss of two yards. Denver had the ball at their own 41 to end the first quarter. The Seahawks forced a three-and-out, but their offense followed it with a three-and-out of their own. Barkevious Mingo had a strong special teams tackle on the punt, followed by a 10-yard penalty on the Broncos to give them the ball at their own 33. With the exception of a first down reception by tight end Troy Fumagalli, the Seahawks defense stood strong, bringing up 4 th and 1. Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock kept the ball after faking the handoff to running back Khalfani Muhammad and got a first down, picking up momentum for Denver. The Seahawks defense held in the red zone, leading to another 25-yard field goal from McManus to give the Broncos a 6-0 lead. Seattle's next possession was hamstrung by penalties until Smith completed a 23-yard pass to wide receiver John Ursua on 3 rd and 14. He followed that with a 13-yard run for another first down before the Seahawks suffered another three-and-out. Myers made a 55-yard field goal to make the score 6-3. Barkevious Mingo made the tackle at the Broncos' 20-yard line on the kickoff, and Denver kneeled the clock out to close the first half. The Seahawks received the ball to start the second half. After a few runs by Bo Scarbrough moved the chains, the Seahawks had a 40-yard gain on a Paxton Lynch pass to wide receiver Jazz Ferguson, who has impressed in training camp. They promptly went three-and-out, and Myers made a 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 6-6. Ugo Amadi had a solid open-field tackle on Muhammad on the kickoff return. The Seahawks defense forced another three-and-out, but Nick Bellore committed a 10-yard penalty to push them back. Lynch quickly moved the chains with a big completion to Wes Saxton and broke off a seven-yard run for another first down. The Seahawks got first downs on two consecutive plays after that, and Lynch threw a perfect six-yard pass to Jazz Ferguson to record the first touchdown by either team in the game and give the Seahawks the lead. After the extra point, the Seahawks led 13-6. On the Broncos' next possession, following a holding penalty that nullified a first down run by Lock, Deshawn Shead sacked Lock in his own end zone, giving the Seahawks a safety and a 15-6 lead. After receiving the free kick, Lynch quickly threw a 23-yard completion to Ferguson for a first down. Lynch ran 18 yards for another first down on the next play. Seattle had the ball in solid field position in Broncos territory by the end of the 3 rd quarter. Two minutes into the fourth quarter on 3 rd and 5, Lynch ran nine yards into the end zone for a touchdown, giving Seattle a 22-6 lead after the extra point. The Seahawks defense forced another three-and-out and a Broncos punt, receiving the ball at the five-yard line. The offense failed to get a first down but burned about two minutes off the clock. Broncos rookie tight end Austin Fort had a big reception for a first down, but injured himself on the play and was carted off the field. Denver proceeded to turn the ball over on downs, but their defense forced Seattle to punt. Lock led the Broncos on a scoring drive in which he threw a short touchdown pass to rookie Devontae Jackson and threw a successful two-point conversion pass to fellow rookie Juwann Winfree to make the score 22-14. Seattle went three-and-out and the Broncos burned their timeouts to slow the clock on the drive. After the punt, the Broncos had the ball at their own 24 with 2:40 on the clock. On 3 rd & 6, Seahawks cornerback Jamar Taylor intercepted a pass from Lock, giving Seattle the ball and allowing them to run out most of the clock. MORE: Browns mob touchdown scorer who slept outside a gym during tryouts Good, bad and ugly from Packers' preseason-opening win over Texans Antonio Brown is Up to His Old Tricks Again in Oakland Duke Johnson trade: what they're saying around the NFL D'Angelo Russell Q&A: Warriors' new backcourt is 'like a video game'


You know what happens if you give a dog a bone, but what if you give a gator a bagel? Paul Fortin of Daytona Beach said Hank, the 10-foot alligator that lives in his backyard, is his good friend . Hank has been living in Fortin's backyard for three years, and Fortin said he didn't think twice when he uploaded a video of himself feeding Hank a bagel on Facebook. Turns out, that was enough to send cops knocking on Fortin's door. Police showed up at Fortin's house to issue him a citation after the video surfaced. Fortin was placed under arrest after refusing to sign the citation, but he thankfully lived to tell the tale of what happened when he gave his gator a bagel.


Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones does not think the NFL will discipline Ezekiel Elliott over an incident in Las Vegas at the Electric Daisy Carnival this past weekend. "I think that the main thing is that I don't see anything that needs supporting," he said. "As for us, his status with us has not been impacted in any way. Frankly, I know how conscientious he has been in the offseason, and that's good enough. No, I don't see that having any consequences for us." TMZ released cellphone video of the Cowboys star running back stumbling around and arguing with his girlfriend. Then Elliott is seen using his body to push a security guard causing him to fall and hit a gate. "LVMPD officers working at EDC observed from a distance an adult male, later identified at Elliott, push a security officer to the ground," said a statement from the Las Vegas Police Department. "Two officers approached and placed Elliott in handcuffs while the investigated the incident. The security guard who was the victim of the misdemeanor battery, refused to press charges and officers escorted Elliott a short distance away and he was released." RELATED: Victim refuses to file battery charges against Ezekiel Elliott Elliott's Attorney, Frank Salzano, told TMZ the security guard overreacted and it was "much ado about nothing." It's the latest in a series of high profile incidents involving Elliott. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for six games after his ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic violence in 2017. He was never arrested for that incident but after the NFL conducted its own investigation suspended Elliott for that and lifting a woman's shirt up at a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dallas. The NFL sent Elliott a stern letter warning him to stay out of trouble saying: "You must have no further adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit any additional violations of league policies. In that respect, you should understand that another violation of this nature may result in your suspension or potential banishment from the NFL." This off season Elliott has been involved in cleaning up his image by being involved in multiple charities events. He paid for the funeral of a young football player, Jaylon McKenzie, who shot and killed as he left a party in St. Louis. RELATED: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott teaches excellence at youth football camp RELATED: Ezekiel Elliott offers to pay funeral costs for 14-year-old shot and killed by stray bullet at post-prom party "I think that he's certainly has had a great offseason, had a great year last year, and I think that'll speak for itself," Jones said. "So I think that, yes, his overall career at this point is in a really positive place." Jones said the latest incident will not impact negotiations regarding Elliott's contract extension.


DES MOINES -- Two back-to-back debates marked a pivot point in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, earning millions of dollars and tens of thousands of new donors for leading and long-shot candidates alike -- and kicking off a new phase that begins this week in cities and towns across Iowa. Virtually all of the 25 contenders will make swings through the first-in-the-nation caucus state over the Fourth of July week, marching in parades and stumping in town halls and living room house parties. The swarm descending on Iowa reflects the state's prominent place in the presidential primary field. Though Iowa will allocate less than 1 percent of the delegates who will attend the Democratic National Convention, the caucuses bestow something even more crucial than an early lead in the hunt for delegates: momentum. While social media channels and cable news have nationalized what is normally a retail contest, and even as more states set their primaries or caucuses for Super Tuesday, the reality of the media atmosphere today has amplified Iowa's already-tremendous influence. "Everything in presidential politics comes down to momentum. The first two or three states have a supersized and profound influence over the initial trajectory of the race," said David Jacobson, a Democratic strategist in California who is not aligned with any of the presidential candidates. "It's possible Super Tuesday can manipulate and reconfigure that trajectory, but it's more likely than not that March 3 will be a reflection of the accelerating momentum among top tier candidates from the first trio of state contests." In modern history, only one Democratic candidate has ever won the party's presidential nomination without winning either in Iowa or New Hampshire -- and that candidate, former President Clinton, did not contest Iowa because home state Sen. Tom Harkin (D) was also in the race. Harkin retired in 2015. Recent years are riddled with the corpses of campaigns that sought to downplay the importance of the first two early states. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) skipped early primaries in 1976 and 1992, and saw his bids collapse. Then-Sen. Al Gore (D-Tenn.) focused on Super Tuesday during his first run, in 1988, and failed. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's (R) 2008 campaign abandoned Iowa, then New Hampshire, in hopes of winning the Florida primary; he lost. Then-Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) skipped Iowa in 2004 to focus on New Hampshire, and finished fifth, which he creatively dubbed a statistical tie for third. "If you skip or downplay early states, one or more of your opponents will do well in Iowa or New Hampshire," said Bill Carrick, who managed former House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt's (D) 1988 presidential campaign. "They will then have momentum that gives them an advantage in Super Tuesday states." This election cycle, the temptation to focus on the several massive states like California, Texas and Massachusetts that will allocate their delegates on Super Tuesday is alluring. California voters will receive their ballots the same day Iowa voters caucus, on Feb. 3. But far from being a late game-changer for a candidate who flops in early states, the massive stakes at play on Super Tuesday will elevate Iowa and New Hampshire even more than usual, Democrats said. "You can't forgo the early states. The momentum built by finishing strong or beating expectations influences how people will vote on Super Tuesday -- especially with a record number of people in the race where the vote is being split," said Stephanie Cutter, a former top official on campaigns for former President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Though the 2020 race has dominated cable news and Washington political circles, Iowa Democrats are only now beginning to seriously tune in, spurred in part by the two debates that earned sky-high ratings across the country. The viral moments that capture YouTube clicks and Twitter shares are less valuable than retail political skills in the state. "Out here in Iowa, we're used to being more one-on-one with a candidate and having a half an hour," said Mark Anderson, a Democrat from Windsor Heights. Interviews with two dozen caucus-goers this past weekend suggest the race in Iowa is wide open, and strong debate performances earned some candidates the chance to make inroads with those who are suddenly giving them a first or second look. Most activists said they were impressed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), whose place at the center of the stage in Wednesday's debate gave her a prominent platform. "It's nice to see a woman candidate, somebody who's fresh faced, somebody who handles conflict so well," Katrina Serfling, a mental health counselor in Des Moines, said of Warren. "She handles it with so much grace. It's reminiscent of Obama." Many spotlighted former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) as the candidates who stood out most on stage. "I thought Julian Castro came off pretty strong," said Mike Schaeffer, a software developer in Grinnell. Schaeffer is also considering former Vice President Joe Biden and former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who has quietly built a huge staff of organizers in Iowa. Others said the debates left them more open to a broader range of candidates than they had been before. "It's hard to know what to think at this point," said Rowan Queathen, a graduate student living in Grinnell. Those voters will have a new opportunity to see the candidates up close this week. In fact, most voters will have trouble avoiding the candidates. On Independence Day, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) will start his day with a 5K race in Cedar Rapids. Biden and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) will parade through Independence, Iowa. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will join parades in Ames, Windsor Heights and Pella. Buttigieg will parade through Storm Lake, while Harris starts her day with a house party in Indianola before moving west for a barbecue in Council Bluffs. O'Rourke caps the day at an Iowa Cubs baseball game in Des Moines. Not every voter is open to supporting every candidate. Several Iowans said they already had the impression that some candidates would be better fits for Cabinet posts than the Oval Office. "A lot of these people are running for vice president," said Paul Tjossem, a physics professor at Grinnell. "That's what this is about."


After his first two seasons, Amari Cooper looked like one of the league's most promising young wide receivers. But inconsistency followed, and the former No. 5 overall pick was never able to recapture his status as a reliable target in Oakland. Although the up-and-down pattern Cooper set in Oakland persisted during his initial run as a Cowboy, he averaged 80.6 yards per game in his Dallas games after posting 46.7 per contest in six 2018 Raider games. Cooper, during an appearance on PFT Live ( via the Dallas Morning News ), called last season's scenery change "necessary" for him to reach the heights he did in Dallas. "I don't think it was a good fit for me," Cooper said of his time in Oakland, adding that he reached this conclusion early last season. "I don't think I was really able to showcase my skills there for whatever reasons. I'll call it extenuating circumstances. But for whatever reason, I wasn't able to reach my heights and I kind of knew that I needed to be gone in order to do some of the things that I wanted to do as an NFL player." "I felt like there are things that I wanted to do out there on the field during the games, certain plays that I wanted to be called and certain routes that I wanted to run that just weren't a part of the game plan." The Raiders employed three offensive coordinators during Cooper's three-plus-season stay. Cooper put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons under Bill Musgrave in 2015-16, but just 680 in 14 games in Todd Downing's offense in 2017. He was on a similar pace in Jon Gruden's attack last season, with 10-, nine- and zero-yard outings clouding his two 100-plus-yard showings to start the year. Cooper has previously said he believed Mark Davis wanted him gone, and although a contradictory report emerged on that topic, the 25-year-old wideout said Khalil Mack 's trade made him feel less secure about his standing with the Raiders. Cooper and Mack share an agent, Joel Segal. The Raiders drafted safety Johnathan Abram with the pick acquired in the midseason Cooper trade. "After the Khalil trade, it was like here's a guy who's a very dominant player in this league and he's proven that he's one of the best players in the entire league and they traded him away," Cooper said, "so what makes anyone else feel like they're safe and they're not tradable? That was kind of the sense in the locker room." The Cowboys and Cooper are currently working on an extension, though talks hit a stalemate last month and may be on hold until Julio Jones (and possibly Michael Thomas ) help clear up what figures to be a new-look receiver market. Cooper has said he would be comfortable playing this season without an extension in place .


Sacramento is set to turn hot this coming week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will reach a high of 99 degrees on Saturday. Also, look for clear skies through Wednesday. Some clouds will appear on Thursday. Winds will remain fairly calm throughout the week, with the highest speeds on Wednesday at only 9 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Vegas Golden Knights and Fort Wayne Komets will be partners once again. The two organizations have renewed their affiliation for the 2019-20 season, giving Vegas a primary ECHL affiliate again this season. The Komets will once again benefit from receiving the Golden Knights' raw or long-shot prospects and try to continue their streak of playoff appearances. Last season saw the Komets post a 36-26-10 record in their first year with the Golden Knights, making it six consecutive seasons they had reached the postseason. That was thanks to a well-rounded attack and veteran goaltending. Former top Montreal Canadiens prospect Zach F ucale spent most of the season with the Komets, starting 34 games for the team and going 20-9-3. With Fucale now in the Syracuse Crunch organization the net will be open to other Golden Knights prospects. Dylan Ferguson , who will turn pro this season is a candidate, though it will depend what happens at the AHL level. Top scorer Justin Hodgman has also moved on, taking his talents to Germany and the DEL. The former Arizona Coyotes forward had 57 points in 50 games for the Komets last season, edging out long-time ECHL superstar Shawn Szydlowski  who will return for 2019-20 for the team lead.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday urged North Korea to refrain from further provocations after the communist country test-fired two new short-range ballistic missiles and said it still hoped for a resumption of working-level talks on North Korea's denuclearization. "We want to have diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told a news briefing when asked about the latest missile tests. "We urge no more provocations." "This administration is committed to diplomatic engagement with the North Koreans and we continue to press and hope for these working-level negotiations to move forward," she added. Ortagus said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would travel to Thailand, Australia and Micronesia from July 30-Aug. 6, but she had no meetings with the North Koreans to announce. Ortagus declined to comment when asked about a report from a diplomatic source who told Reuters that North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho had canceled a trip to a regional security forum in Bangkok next week where some had speculated he and Pompeo could have met. North Korea's missile tests came despite a meeting between its leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates South Korea and North Korea late last month, where the two men agreed to revive denuclearization talks that stalled after their failed February summit in Vietnam. "What we are hoping is that after the historic visit the president had at the DMZ with Kim Jong Un ... we can continue to move forward on the commitments made in Vietnam," Ortagus said. "What would be most productive is for Chairman Kim and his staff and for President Trump and all his staff to continue upon the path that was laid out for us both in Vietnam and at the DMZ, and that is a diplomatic resolution and the end of North Korea's nuclear weapons," she said. Ortagus stressed that the U.S. sanctions on North Korea would remain in effect until that goal was reached. The Hanoi summit collapsed after the two sides failed to reconcile differences between U.S. demands for North Korea's complete denuclearization and North Korean demands for sanctions relief. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Lesley Wroughton and David Alexander; Editing by Leslie Adler)


FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami)   Investigators are trying to figure out what caused a garage at a Lauderdale Harbors home, and the several luxury cars in it, to go up in flames. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said they got the call about the fire at the home at 1631 SE 12th Court around 9 p.m. Tuesday. The house's unusual design was built specifically for car lovers. The entire bottom floor of the home is a garage, while the living area is on the second floor. More than 50 firefighters were called in to battle the massive blaze. It took about an hour to get the fire under control. There was no one home at the time of the fire, the homeowners were on vacation. A neighbor, Barry Zimmerman, said the man who lives there is a car collector and spends the majority of his time out of town. Even from a street over, he says he saw the glow of the fire and smelled burning chemicals and rubber. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Batallion Chief Stephen Golan said they haven't figured out where exactly the fire started, but they will be concentrating on the garage where several exotic cars were parked. The garage contains lifts to stack cars on top of each other. "At this time we're doing our investigation and we've located numerous exotic cars including a Tesla and other various sports cars inside the structure," he said. Investigators will be out Wednesday morning to determine where the fire started and what may have sparked it.


Four years ago, quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota arrived in the NFL to much fanfare as the first two picks in the draft. Now, both guys are entering last-chance seasons with their respective teams, the Buccaneers and the Titans. The No. 28 storyline entering the 2019 season focuses on Mariota, and whether he'll earn that second contract (and the ongoing employment that goes along with it) in the final year of his rookie deal. At $20.8 million, Mariota will be compensated handsomely for one last crack at persuading the organization to keep him around for the long haul. But his ability to continue to earn a starter-level salary hinges on his ability to develop the kind of consistency that his game has lacked. He also needs to stay healthy. It's not a suggestion but a mandate from G.M. Jon Robinson, who recently said that he has "stressed" to Mariota the importance of the mantra, " Let's live to play another play ." "Don't take that hit," Robinson says. "It's OK to punt, we'll get another crack at it. That's the main thing, it's stressing to him   to try as best as possible, like all quarterbacks do, to avoid getting hit." If Mariota hopes to continue to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, it's not about heeding Robinson's advice but doing what Robinson wants him to do. Otherwise, the Titans will surely find another quarterback who will. They possibly already have. The trade for 2012 first-rounder Ryan Tannehill , who got far more chances to figure things out in Miami than Mariota will get in Tennessee, gives the Titans a far better backup plan than Blaine Gabbert , and Tannehill (when healthy) could perform well enough to seize the opportunity to stay on the field, if a Mariota injury gives Tannehill a chance to get on the field. Whether it's Tannehill, another veteran, or a rookie, the Titans surely will be ready to explore all options if Mariota doesn't make in his fifth year the kind of strides they'd surely hoped he'd make much earlier. And that could spark a much sooner than expected commencement of Mariota's career as a second-string quarterback.


Philadelphia will see a return of last week's light rainfall today, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Today's forecast shows the greatest possibility of rain at 98 percent, with predicted rainfall of 0.51 inches. The next few days will also see warm temperatures, expected to stick around through Tuesday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 87 degrees on Wednesday. Skies will be mostly cloudy on Thursday and clear on Saturday. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm through the week, with the highest speeds today at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Last year, the Czech Republic celebrated its 100th birthday, and Prague   the country's capital city   was named one of 2018's top destinations by the New York Times. Bisected by the Vltava River, "the City of a Hundred Spires" is known for its Old Town Square, colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and its medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show. Besides the stunning architecture, there are also enough local libations and delightful dishes to appease any traveler. Fortunately, there are plenty of relatively inexpensive flights between Atlanta and Prague on travel site Skyscanner . Here's a list of flights, hotels, restaurants and local attractions in Prague to get you started. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Flight deals to Prague Currently, the cheapest flights between Atlanta and Prague are if you leave on Sept. 30 and return from the Czech Republic on Oct. 7. Finnair currently has tickets for $562, roundtrip. There are also deals to be had earlier in September. If you fly out of Atlanta on Sept. 9 and return from Prague on Sept. 17, British Airways can get you there and back for $583 roundtrip. Top Prague hotels To plan your stay, here are some of Prague's top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction. The Mosaic House (Odboru 4) If you're looking for an all-around top recommendation, consider The Mosaic House . The hotel has a 4.9-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $110. The Sophie's Hostel (Melounova 2) There's also the 4.8-star rated The Sophie's Hostel , which has rooms for $16/night. This hotel is located near the Czech National Museum, the Czech Technical University and Wenceslas Square. The Louren Hotel (Slezska 55 Slezska 832/55) A third option is The Louren Hotel . With a five-star rating on Skyscanner, the hotel is one of the most luxurious in the city. Rooms are currently listed for $92/night. Featured Prague food and drink If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, Prague has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a few from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started. Potrefena Husa Hybernska (Dlážděná 1003/7 110 00) First things first: where to get a drink. For a popular option, check out Potrefena Husa Hybernska , which has an average of five stars out of seven reviews on Skyscanner. "This restaurant is great especially for students and backpackers and budget travelers," wrote visitor Emily. "When I was studying in Prague this was often the restaurant of choice for my friends and I." SaSaZu (Bubenske Nabrezi 306) One of Prague's most popular restaurants is SaSaZu , with 4.9 stars from seven reviews. "Both club and high-end Asian fusion restaurant, a night at stylish SaSaZu is always an unforgettable experience," wrote reviewer Clare. Cafe Imperial (Na Porici, 15) Finally, there's Cafe Imperial . "This is an absolutely stunning restaurant," wrote Louisa. "The beautiful tilework is worth a visit, even if you just pop in to take a few photos. The restaurant serves typical Czech cuisine and is a great place to try out some local favorites, including locally made wine by the glass." What to see and do in Prague Prague is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings. The Charles Bridge (Karlův most) First up is The Charles Bridge . Joining the Lesser Side with Old Town, the Charles bridge is famously the best spot for viewing the Prague Castle. Thousands of people traverse this cobbled bridge every year in search of magic, bohemia and possibly the good-luck plaque at the 16th statue (in the sequence of 30 on the bridge). Prague Castle (Prague 11908) Prague Castle is another popular destination. Perhaps the most beautiful sight east of Paris, Prague Castle was the original seat of power in bohemia, the home of Czech royalty. The former royal compound is actually a series of castles, with a cathedral and several gardens and plazas at the center. Old Town Square (Staroměstské nám.) Lastly, spend some time at Old Town Square . Aptly named for its location in the Old Town quarter of Prague, Old Town Square is the oldest and most populated square in this historic city. While there are a number of architectural styles that can be seen throughout the space, the dominating figure is the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, a massive Gothic structure completed in the 15th century. This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Video by Associated Press Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not ready to pursue impeachment yet after Robert Mueller 's brief remarks this morning. After putting out a statement this afternoon, Pelosi elaborated at a Commonwealth Club event saying that while "nothing is off the table," they want to make "such an ironclad case that even the Republican Senate, which at the time seems to be not an objective jury, will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country." She made a point of bringing up House Democrats' victories so far in certain court cases over resistance to subpoenas and acknowledged there are some House Democrats pushing for impeachment (though she said it's not the majority). "Many constituents want to impeach the president," Pelosi said. "But we want do do what is right and what gets results what gets results." She said things are different from the Nixon era and that "the case has to be very compelling to the American people," pointing again to the work they're continuing to do in the House.


Officials within the City of Seattle say they are committed to racial and social justice as they study congestion pricing. A 48-page summary report of the work done so far points out the average Seattle household spends 15 percent of its budget on transportation. However, that increases to as much as 30 percent for low-income households due to longer commute times and higher percentage of income spent on transportation costs. One issue that is fairly widely known by now is the number of people being priced out of the city, who must then drive into the city to work. Additionally, the report points out, people with hourly jobs or more than one job are disproportionately impacted by traffic patterns. Work schedules and other job requirements may also mean people aren't served by public transit. The Seattle Department of Transportation was tasked with studying congestion pricing. It's unclear exactly what it would look like in the city if it was implemented. Though when she first announced it , Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said some form of congestion pricing could be in place by the end of her first term in 2021. The city looked at 11 "pricing tools" in its initial review of options. Equity, climate and health, traffic congestion, and implementation were all considered while looking at the options. Of those 11 pricing options, the city narrowed it down to four that have a "greater potential to meaningfully influence those focus areas and their desired outcomes." Those include: Cordon pricing - Charging drivers for crossing the boundary into a zone. The city argues it will reduce trips into the tolled area. Area pricing - A type of cordon pricing that includes trips both into and within a defined area. It encourages fewer and shorter trips, requires more infrastructure than cordon pricing, but is likely to offer better transportation benefits and generate more revenue. Fleet pricing - Would target specific vehicle types, such as rideshare or commercial vehicles. It would be easy to implement and could be used in combination with other types of congestion prices, the city says. Road usage charge - Directly tied to road use and has "high potential" for reducing congestion. Technology is not yet ready to make a "rapid, full-scale implementation, and enforcement may be challenging."


A day after a relative of Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu was arrested and charged with trying to extort him , Mathieu's lawyer released a statement saying multiple family members were in on the scheme. Attorney Scott Rosenblum says Mathieu's relatives told him they would falsely accuse him of crimes if he didn't pay them. "Mr. Mathieu contacted me at the direction of his rep, Denise White, to advise and assist him as he was being victimized by malevolent family members," Rosenblum said. "Once Mr. Mathieu decided to stop assisting these individuals financially, they turned to harassment, slander and extortion in their quest to gain financially. Their slanderous comments are wholly without merit and were designed to be outrageous enough to secure their outrageous demand of $25 million. Mr. Mathieu is a victim of an unscrupulous shakedown. He is a victim of a crime which he reported to the authorities and the authorities took immediate action. He simply refused to compromise his integrity and cow tow to this criminal conduct." Mathieu contacted police on April 24 and gave them evidence that a relative named Geourvon Sears had been threatening and extorting him. Sears was arrested and released on bond yesterday.


Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has spent some time with Tom Brady this year, appearing with him in a commercial celebrating the NFL's 100th season, and then hanging out with him at the Kentucky Derby. Mayfield is trying to learn from watching Brady off the field. Mayfield said he and Brady haven't spent much time going over the finer points of quarterback play, but Mayfield still tries to learn from Brady by observing the way he conducts himself. "Just being around the greatest of all time, it's an honor just be around him," Mayfield said . "And then how he is with his teammates, the guys he's played with, how they speak so highly of him. You don't really talk about football in those situations, but just how he treats everybody, how he handles himself. I think it's just some of the better examples of how to go through life. He just, he does it all right." Eventually, Brady will retire, and Mayfield will try to assume the mantle of the best quarterback in the NFL.


LUDINGTON, Mich. - A 14-year-old girl drowned at Stearns Beach Thursday evening. According to a release from the Ludington Police Department, Albrianna Jane Huck was reported missing just before 8 p.m. by a family member who took the teen and her brother to the beach, which is located at 420 N. Lakeshore Dr. Officers and beach patrol, along with the fire department, the sheriff's department, and crews from the United States Coast Guard Ludington station, MSP, an aerial crew and more were out searching for the girl. Crews searched the entire beach and park area, as well as other areas that Albrianna's family thought she would be. It wasn't until 9:50 p.m. that the helicopter crew noticed someone on Lake Michigan's shoreline in the area of 711 N. Lakeshore Dr. waving up at them. Authorities went to the area and found a group of people had located Albrianna in the water and performed CPR until help could arrive. The teen was taken to the hospital while crews tried to revive her. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. ►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now . Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com , visit our Facebook page or Twitter .


Quick Take A meme on Facebook falsely claims that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's biggest campaign donor is a Russian oligarch. Full Story A meme is circulating online with this incorrect claim: "It turns out that the biggest donor for Mitch McConnell (R: Moscow) is none other than the Russian oligarch that the GOP just lifted sanctions on." Some versions of the meme are marked with a Twitter handle that posted the same message on Jan. 28 with a link to a story from an anti-Trump super PAC called The Democratic Coalition . That story connected McConnell   the Republican senator from Kentucky who has been the majority leader since 2015   to billionaire Len Blavatnik , a dual citizen of the U.S. and U.K., who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican and Democratic candidates and super PACs. Blavatnik began making political contributions in 1996 , when he gave $1,000 each to a Republican and a Democratic candidate, and $250 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to campaign finance data filed with the Federal Election Commission. His donations increased over the next decade, but stayed relatively balanced between Republican and Democratic candidates and committees. He gave more than $60,000 to Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee in both 2008 and 2012 . He also gave over $130,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2016 . Blavatnik's company, Access Industries , gave $5.25 million to various conservative super PACs in the 2016 election cycle   including $1.5 million to the McConnell-affiliated Senate Leadership Fund . The Democratic Coalition story doesn't mention Blavatnik's contributions to Democratic causes, but it does tie him to Oleg Deripaska   a Russian businessman who had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department. The Treasury Department in January lifted sanctions on three companies connected to Deripaska. U.S. sanctions were lifted after the companies "reduced Oleg Deripaska's direct and indirect shareholding stake in these companies and severed his control," the Treasury Department said. Deripaska was described as a "Russian oligarch" in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Deripaska allegedly received updates on then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign through Paul Manafort, who was a top campaign aide for nearly five months in 2016, according to the report. Blavatnik co-owns a company that has a 26.5 percent stake in Deripaska's aluminum company, Rusal, according to reporting from Bloomberg. In April, Rusal announced plans to open a new aluminum plant in McConnell's home state of Kentucky. So, it's true that a major contributor to a PAC associated with McConnell has business ties to an oligarch whose businesses recently have been released from sanctions. But it's a stretch to claim that "the biggest donor for Mitch McConnell (R: Moscow) is none other than the Russian oligarch that the GOP just lifted sanctions on." The biggest donor to political committees associated with McConnell appears to be conservative mega-donor Sheldon Adelson , who, along with his wife, gave $85 million to the Senate Leadership Fund in 2016 and 2018 , according to FEC records. The couple also gave McConnell's candidate committee the maximum amount ahead of his last election in 2014, when those contributions were capped at $2,600. Super PACs, such as the Senate Leadership Fund, have no such contribution limits . Another super PAC affiliated with McConnell, Kentuckians For Strong Leadership , has raised a total of $11.2 million since it was formed in 2013 and has not received donations from either Blavatnik or Adelson. Editor's note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here . Sources " OFAC Delists En+, Rusal, and EuroSibEnergo ." Press release. U.S. Department of the Treasury. 27 Jan 2019. Mueller, Robert. Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election . U.S. Department of Justice. March 2019. " Treasury Designates Russian Oligarchs, Officials, and Entities in Response to Worldwide Malign Activity ." Press release. U.S. Department of the Treasury. 6 Apr 2018. Rudnitsky, Jake. " Tangled Rusal Ownership Thwarts Easy End to Sanctions: QuickTake ." Bloomberg. 25 Apr 2018. The post McConnell's Biggest Donor Isn't Russian appeared first on FactCheck.org .


Oakland It's officially the first weekend of summer   so plan on spending it outdoors in Oakland, enjoying the sunshine at Lakefest on Lake Merritt or dancing at a day party in Jack London Square. Looking to cool off indoors? Check out a concert at the Fox Theater or a female-focused craft market. Here are our top picks for getting out this weekend around the Town. Local Natives at Fox Theater L.A.-based indie rockers Local Natives are dropping in on the Fox Theater on Friday night to support their fourth and newest album, "Violet Street," which came out in April. Australian rockers Middle Kids will open the show, and $1 from every ticket sold will benefit Youth Alive , which works to prevent violence and mentor at-risk youth. When: Friday, June 21, 8 p.m. Where: Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave. Price: $38.50 Click here for more details Lakefest Oakland Celebrate the start of summer at Lake Merritt with thousands of visitors and vendors from all over the Bay Area. This family-friendly event will feature a "kidzone" with games, obstacle courses and jump castles, a "foodzone" starring local restaurants and food trucks, a "healthzone" with wellness vendors and yoga classes, and a beer garden with wine and cocktails. When: Saturday, June 22, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Where: Lake Merritt, 568 Bellevue Ave. Price: Free admission Click here for more details Girl Gang Craft This craft fair, designed by and for women and nonbinary people, is kicking off summer with one of its biggest events yet. Shop a variety of handmade products from more than 120 artists, including ceramics, jewelry, fine art, and clothing. And be sure to pick up an enamel uterus pin from Girl Gang's own in-house line   10% of the proceeds will go to support Planned Parenthood. When: Saturday, June 22, 12 - 6 p.m. Where: Oakland Scottish Rite Center, 1547 Lakeside Dr. Price: Free admission Click here for more details 'Walk in the Wild' at Oakland Zoo This "taste of Oakland" event is one of the Zoo's biggest fundraisers of the year   and if you can afford the hefty ticket prices, you'll get to sample food from more than 100 restaurants, caterers, breweries and wineries, all while enjoying the animals and dancing to live music. VIP admission allows ticketholders to skip the lines for the main event and get a special viewing of grizzly bears. When: Saturday, June 22, 4 - 10 p.m. Where: Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd. Price: $170 - 350 Click here for more details Day party on the deck at Eve's Waterfront Celebrate summer on a deck overlooking the water at Eve's Waterfront, with a day party featuring DJs Heylove, Mario Dubbz and Wonway Posibul, plus plenty of food and drinks. Make a reservation and get there early for brunch, and admission to the day party is free. When: Sunday, June 23, 3 - 8 p.m. Where: Eve's Waterfront, 15 Embarcadero West Price: $10 advance (ends June 23 at 3 p.m.) / $20 door Click here for more details


The Eagles had terrible injury luck on defense last year, and it looks like those issues could be popping up again. They've been a bit banged up in the secondary, and now linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill has a Grade 3 MCL sprain, sources told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link ). As Garafolo notes, Grugier-Hill is a projected starter for the team, so this is a big blow. Garafolo writes that Grugier-Hill will "likely miss some regular-season time but should be back relatively early" in the season. It sounds like it could've been worse, although the Eagles will probably have to go the first few games without him. The Eagles had high hopes for him in 2019, and Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP tweets that he "was having an outstanding training camp." Grugier-Hill appeared in all 16 games for the Eagles last year, making ten starts. He finished with 45 tackles, a sack, an interception, and two passes defended. He was originally drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round back in 2016. He was waived by New England at final cuts, and claimed by the Eagles before the Pats could stash him on the practice squad. He's turned into a very nice find for Philly, and hopefully he can get back out there before too long. The Northern Illinois product is heading into the final year of his contract, so this is an especially pivotal year for him. Free agent signing Zach Brown will be even more important while Grugier-Hill is sidelined.