Forget your preconceptions   concrete is capable of so much more than stark, utilitarian structures. From stylish city pads to floating jungle homes, step inside these captivating concrete properties that are anything but cold. These concrete homes are modern masterpieces Forget your preconceptions   concrete is capable of so much more than stark, utilitarian structures. With a little creativity, this underrated and cost-effective construction material can create architectural marvels that elevate modern living. From stylish city pads to floating jungle homes, step inside these captivating concrete properties that are anything but cold. Maison 0.82, Nîmes, France This modern villa in southern France combines textured concrete and warm wood to create harmony between the house and its surroundings. A considerable portion of the ground plan is dedicated to a covered concrete patio that's accessed via swiveling floor-to-ceiling glass panels in the living room. Love this? Step inside the world's most wonderful wooden homes for sale Maison 0.82, Nîmes, France A circular skylight carved into the patio canopy allows occupants to dine under the sky, while being shielded from direct sunlight. It also opens up the living room and kitchen to natural daylight, which is especially beneficial during the darker winter months. Designed by Pascual Architecte , this unique feature gives the house an unexpected twist, accentuating its modern minimalist feel. Maison 0.82, Nîmes, France Concrete is all too often associated with dark and heavy spaces but, here, a sense of lightness is created through the wood board-imprinted concrete ceiling, white plaster walls and neutral furnishings. The impressive project was completed on a reasonable budget of only $470,000 (£350k). Farm House, New South Wales, Australia This highly exposed, ocean-facing home was created using thick concrete walls supported by a steel frame. Chosen for its durability and resistance to erosion, the angular concrete structure with sloping external walls blends beautifully into the rolling rural landscape. Farm House, New South Wales, Australia The addition of extensive floor-to-ceiling glass panels creates an interplay between indoor and outdoor spaces, while showcasing panoramic views of the ocean. A central courtyard, outdoor swimming pool and external buttress supports were all created using varying shades, textures and finishes of concrete. Farm House, New South Wales, Australia Inside, a minimalist aesthetic is accentuated with the use of concrete, weathered hardwood and glass as the main building materials. Built by Join Constructions , polished concrete floors create a smooth finish that brightens up the interior, while sliding glass panels allow access to the pool area. Farm House, New South Wales, Australia An open-plan kitchen/dining room with a pale concrete ceiling elegantly slopes towards the ocean, while a combination of polished concrete and hardwood furnishings enhance the overall minimalist feel of the property. More full-length glass opens the kitchen out onto a concrete terrace. Love this? Escape to the country with these farmhouses for sale Equestrian House, Costa Esmeralda, Argentina Created by Buenos Aires architect studio Luciano Kruk , this one-story concrete house on the coastline of Costa Esmeralda combines wood board-imprinted concrete with wood, glass panels and a metal frame to form a quick-build home that's as cost-effective as it is beautiful. Equestrian House, Costa Esmeralda, Argentina Blackened wood and bronze-colored aluminum window frames blur the boundaries between the house and the surrounding acacia tree forest, while the textured concrete walls soften the overall feel and pale concrete floors create a clean aesthetic. A central wood-burning stove in the open-plan living room offers a cozy focal point for the winter months. Equestrian House, Costa Esmeralda, Argentina The master bedroom contains an en suite bathroom, yoga room and private terrace, while a built-in concrete closet provides a stylish storage solution. Additional concrete furnishings can be found in the kitchen, which contains a countertop and dining table made entirely from the industrial material. Casa Vila Matilde, São Paulo, Brazil This compact modern home was designed by architects Terra e Tuma for an elderly lady living in the Vila Matilde community in São Paulo, Brazil. Built on a budget, affordable blocks and slabs of concrete were used as the primary building material to construct this home in a particularly narrow space. Casa Vila Matilde, São Paulo, Brazil Inside, the skinny house contains a ground-floor living room, kitchen, bathroom and master bedroom. Pale gray concrete walls create a clean and modern aesthetic, while the poured concrete floors reflect natural light, brightening and accentuating what could otherwise have been a dark and restricted space. Casa Vila Matilde, São Paulo, Brazil A small green courtyard provides welcome light, ventilation and a private shaded area for residents to enjoy the outdoors. The property's upper level offers a guest room and rooftop terrace where a flourishing vegetable garden currently grows. Love this? Step inside these micro homes hiding in over-crowded cities Stratum House, Icheon-si, South Korea With its distinctive striped façade, this two-story house on the leafy outskirts of Icheon-si, South Korea proves that concrete can be used in a playful and creative way. Stretching 2,239 square feet, this unique residence was the work of innovative architects STPMJ . Stratum House, Icheon-si, South Korea The fascinating layer-cake effect was achieved by applying a number of techniques, including tweaking the water-cement ratio and the amount of pigment used in the concrete. In a process that took 22 days, the patterned walls were painstakingly cast, with a different mixture used each day. Stratum House, Icheon-si, South Korea Arranged perpendicularly, the property's separate two-story structures can house up to three families at a time. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and a spacious stone terrace enhances the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. White surfaces and wooden floors reflect the simplicity of the building's exterior. House R, Valverde, Italy This compact house in Valdere, northern Italy, was designed for a couple looking to build a cost-effective holiday home. A 45° angled roof slopes upwards towards its highest corners, creating two sleeping areas in the loft. Reinforced concrete was used as the main building material which helped to further reduce costs. House R, Valverde, Italy The concrete walls inside have purposefully been left exposed, while polished concrete floors help to spread light around a predominantly open-plan space. A double-height ceiling in the living room accentuates length and proportion, creating a light and airy environment in a compact space. House R, Valverde, Italy Wood-framed windows and sliding glass doors allow in sunlight while giving access to the private courtyard. Solid timber elements in the kitchen, living room and bathroom create a connection between the house and the surrounding forest landscape, softening and warming its cool concrete walls and floors. Love this? Check out the amazing factory and warehouse conversions for sale House R, Valverde, Italy Designed by 35a Studio , the house contains two mezzanine sleeping areas, both of which overlook the living room below. An abundance of natural light filters each room with a little help from thoughtfully-spaced loft windows. Mami House, Matosinhos, Portugal It's hard to believe, but this house near Porto in Portugal was constructed for under $113,000 (£84k). Faced with the task of building a family home on a budget, the architect chose to construct a simple cuboid property using concrete as the main building material. In doing so, the architect was able to keep structural costs low. Mami House, Matosinhos, Portugal To keep the project within budget, the interior of the property was finished with simple materials consisting of raw concrete slabs and wood furnishings. Simple floor-to-ceiling glass panels in the living room, kitchen and bedrooms allow light in while framing views of the garden. Mami House, Matosinhos, Portugal Opting for a bright open-plan layout has created the illusion of a much larger space in the compact property, yet tucked away spots such as this kitchen island and breakfast bar are designed with a cozy family-friendly feel in mind. Mami House, Matosinhos, Portugal Designed by NOARQ , the property contains three bedrooms, a master suite and two smaller rooms. All bedrooms have been kept minimal in design with raw concrete slab walls and wooden floors. Wood-framed glass panels lift the concrete walls, flooding each room with natural light. Kontum House, Central Highlands, Vietnam This single-story house in Vietnam was constructed out of concrete blocks that were molded and cast by its owners. A cost-effective solution to saving energy was created by constructing a perforated concrete façade which ventilates the property, keeping it cool in Vietnam's sun-drenched climate. Love this? Check out these passive houses that cost nothing to run Kontum House, Central Highlands, Vietnam An open-plan living room and kitchen located at the front of the property offers stylish industrial-inspired living spaces. The perforated concrete generates playful patterns of light and shadow on the walls, while the polished concrete floors help to further reflect light around the room. Kontum House, Central Highlands, Vietnam Just 246 square feet long, the property packs plenty of clever features into a small space. Using over 1,300 square blocks, the geometric screen at the front of the house flanks a wall of windows that can be opened up to allow a cool breeze to flow through the main living space. This was particularly important to Khuon Studio , the project's architects, given the home's tropical location which suffers from harsh sunlight. Casa Caja, Monterrey, Mexico Thanks to the help of S-AR Architects and the Comunidad Vitex housing project, a family of five in Monterrey, Mexico have finally realized their dream of owning their first home. Constructed out of concrete blocks, the two-story house was as affordable to build as it is stylish. Casa Caja, Monterrey, Mexico La Casa Caja, or the "Box House" consists of a series of box-like structures that have been neatly slotted beside and on top of each other. The central box offers an open-plan living room and dining area with exposed concrete block walls and raw concrete floors. Not only is concrete an affordable building material, but it also helps to keep the house cool in the hot Mexican climate. Casa Caja, Monterrey, Mexico Large glass panels create the illusion of space while allowing light to stream into the property. Charitable aid and help with construction from the local community brought the total cost of building Casa Caja down to $10,000 (£7.4k), making this an exceptionally cost-effective home that could pave the way for affordable housing projects in the future. Love this? Check out these glass door and window options for a light and bright home. Stamp House, Queensland, Australia On first glance, Stamp House looks as though it's floating on the surface of a lake in the midst of northern Queensland's tropical rainforests. In reality, the otherworldly concrete residence cantilevers out from the edge of the shoreline, creating the ultimate optical illusion. Stamp House, Queensland, Australia With a distinctive indented façade, the property resembles its namesake, particularly appropriate given the house was built for a stamp collector. While the architecture is pretty incredible, the design serves a practical function too   the durable home was built to withstand the area's powerful cyclones, while its cantilevered structure minimizes the impact of flooding. Stamp House, Queensland, Australia Designed by Wright Architects , the dwelling's interior is equally as impressive. A large open-plan living room houses the kitchen, dining zone, lounge and gym, sheltered beneath a vaulted concrete-beamed ceiling. Bedrooms flank this area in secluded wings, offering private spaces to relax and slumber. Stamp House, Queensland, Australia The residence functions completely off-grid, with solar panels generating electricity and a rainwater harvesting system recycling household water. Our favorite feature, however, has to be the swimming pool, which is nestled in the internal courtyard. Just imagine taking a dip beneath the stars! Loved this? Step inside these zombie-proof homes built like a fortress.


It's not that Ryan Blaney has had a bad season, but it has become increasingly frustrating for the Team Penske driver when compared to its potential. Blaney's No. 12 Ford team has shown just as much speed and capability to win races as his teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski , who have combined to win four races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season. Blaney remains winless this year and is ranked ninth in the series standings, solidly in the playoff picture. But his season has been filled with many 'what ifs.' He's led a lot of laps at races like Phoenix and Bristol but has been unable to translate that into victories. He's also been very hit-or-miss   he has four finishes of fifth or better but also four finishes of 25 th or worse. Asked Friday at Pocono Raceway if he was feeling pressure to win, Blaney demurred and insisted his focus lies elsewhere at the moment. "I just worry about not having problems at the race. We've had so many weeks where we've had problems throughout the race and promising runs just go down the drain," he said. "We've got to fix some issues and try to clean up some things. "The wins will come if you clean up that side of it. The speed is there and the team potential is there, it's just a matter of kind of sorting some things out that we need to and just having some smooth races. "Nothing is coming together right now. We've got most of it, but the last little quarter is just not working." Blaney admitted some of the issues have caused him to get upset of his team radio during races   more out of frustration than anger. "Honestly, you try to forget about it the best you can," he said. "Right away you have to reload and reset and when something wrong does happen you just have to say, 'OK, there's nothing I can do about it now, at least not in the current moment, so let's just try to figure out how to get better.' "You just learn that everyone makes mistakes and things happen and that's just our sport. I make mistakes. I hit the fence sometimes, so things just happen. You can't really let it bug you too much." Blaney said he, crew chief Jeremy Bullins and other officials at Team Penske had several discussions in the past week in an effort to focus how the team can improve its overall performance on race day. "We've had a bunch of talks this week just about personal stuff and trying to figure out how to be better behind the wheel and be a better leader. All of that stuff will hopefully come together," he said "You're constantly working on it, but it's kind of a priority of mine because the last month or so it hasn't been to my liking just personally. It's not anyone on the team, but just personally and that's something I've tried to get better at and hopefully we've got to make strides." From the editor, also read: Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers win at Pocono in thrilling finish


Marlins righty Jose Urena is hitting the shelf for the foreseeable future, with the club announcing that he's going to the 60-day injured list. Urena is said to be dealing with a left lower back strain. It's a bit of a surprising turn of events for the starting pitcher, who had been scheduled to start on Wednesday before hitting the 10-day IL. At the time, there wasn't much indication that he'd be sidelined for a lengthy stretch. The injury is evidently more severe than is apparent from the basic description of a lower back issue. Given the timing, Urena won't be eligible to return from the IL until mid-August. That all but eliminates him as a summer trade target. The 27-year-old hadn't been in top form, with a 4.70 ERA in 74 2/3 innings, but he turned in consecutive sub-4.00 ERA campaigns in the prior two seasons. With his steady mid-to-upper nineties fastball velocity, Urena could have been an interesting swingman for the right contender. This move represents the corresponding 40-man roster transaction for the club's previously reported decision to select the contract of Yadiel Rivera . He'll help fill in for Martin Prado while the veteran infielder is sidelined.


Manny Pacquiao now has a UFC veteran helping him train ahead of his mega fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has enlisted ex- UFC fighter Dashon Johnson as the eight-division champions sparring partner as he readies himself for his May 2nd showdown with Mayweather. The 5-foot-9 Johnson has an 0-2 record in the UFC.


More than 1,000 "smart" garbage cans have been deployed around Pittsburgh. Watch the report by @SheldonWTAE in the video player above. The cans contain sensors that track how full they are. As the cans fill up, Public Works crews will know when the trash needs to be emptied. "The supervisors on any given day should be able to generate the number of cans that need to be emptied and the route that the driver should take," Public Works Director Mike Gable said. A total of $670,000 was spent on the new cans and lids with sensors. The cans were first proposed in 2017. The city's Department of Public Works said there was a need to replace hundreds of old litter cans around the city. Officials also said the smart cans will help with efficiencies and cost savings. "I believe it's going to be almost a couple million dollars savings," Gable said. According to previous reporting, Gable said the smart cans should help the city cut back on 100,000 hours workers spend each year checking 1,200 public trash cans to see if they're empty. Currently, 25 employees empty the public garbage receptacles around Pittsburgh. That number will be cut to nine because of the new technology, but the other 16 will not face layoffs. "There's maybe more lot cleanup, more getting into the catch basins, pruning trees, things that have been waylaid for years," Gable said. The Department of Public Works is talking with unions representing its workers about possibly opening a centralized litter can division and introducing expanded weekend garbage collection in Pittsburgh's business districts. READ MORE: More than 1,000 'smart' garbage cans deployed around Pittsburgh CHECK OUT WTAE: Stay in the know with the latest Pittsburgh news, weather and sports. Catch all of the day's top stories and more from the team at WTAE Pittsburgh Action News 4.


Two women were arrested after they stole a dinghy boat and took it on a joyride through Lake Tahoe, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said. Madison Riddle, 20, and Genevive Dyer, 19, were arrested and charged with grand theft after the owner of the boat spotted them while riding his bike, officials said. According to the Sheriff's Office, the women refused to row to shore until deputies showed up. By the time deputies arrived at the scene, the women were too drunk to row back, officials said. The women were eventually towed to shore by an Obexer's Harbor worker, officials said. Riddle and Dyer were booked into the Auburn Jail and have since posted bail, the Sheriff's Office said. READ MORE: Sheriff's Office: 2 women arrested after taking boat on joyride in Lake Tahoe CHECK OUT KCRA: Stay informed. Get the latest Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento news and weather from the KCRA news team.


Motorcycle racing legend Giacomo Agostini believes Valentino Rossi isn't as strong as his main MotoGP rivals anymore, but feels the Yamaha rider deserves praise for still "having fun". Agostini, who won 15 grand prix titles, eight of them in the 500cc, between 1966 and 1975, is to this day the most successful rider in the premier class. In an interview to Italian newspaper Quotidiano Nazionale , the 77-year-old was asked of Rossi who has one fewer title in the main category. Rossi has been in a slump of late, having retired in three consecutive races, and is in the middle of a winless streak that stretches back to the 2017 Assen race. Agostini reckons that the 40-year-old Rossi is finally struggling to cope with his younger rivals, and has likened him to fellow sporting legends such as footballer Diego Maradona and boxer Muhammad Ali. "Valentino does what he can, but he can't keep up and this creates problems for him," said Agostini. "Vale is doing a lot, a lot, but the years pass. For everyone. They passed for Maradona, Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali], [cycling legend] Eddy Merckx... They passed for me too, otherwise I would still be on the track today. "The years are running and at a certain point you realize it and start thinking. "We all want him to be there again, to always be number one, but I think it's clear to everyone that the opponents are much stronger. "Valentino has fun and still wants to run. Valentino wants to be in that world and even if he gets fourth, fifth and doesn't win, he enjoys himself. "He has the pleasure of running and this pushes him to face even difficult moments like this." At the same time, Agostini is confident that Rossi can turn his form around at Yamaha, as the team will rely on his directions the most due to his experience. "Valentino has been running and winning for a lifetime. He has a unique experience. "Technically I think he knows more than any other rider, so if there's something wrong with Yamaha and there's something to change, his judgment and decisions will be the best. Always."


In the age of streaming entertainment, it can be hard to leave the couch. But movie theaters still offer a special experience for those willing to get out of the house. Want to see what's out there? Don't miss this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Orlando. Read on for the highest rated films to catch, based on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes ' Tomatometer Score, which reflects the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics. (Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database ; showtimes via Fandango . Movie ratings and showtimes are subject to change.) The Princess Bride In this enchantingly cracked fairy tale, the beautiful Princess Buttercup and the dashing Westley must overcome staggering odds to find happiness amid six-fingered swordsmen, murderous princes, Sicilians and rodents of unusual size. But even death can't stop these true lovebirds from triumphing. With a Tomatometer Score of 97 percent and an Audience Score of 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes , this 80s throwback is a must-see. The New York Daily News's Chris Chase said , "Mandy Patinkin, an actor not known for humor, is particularly wonderful as Inigo, a Spaniard out to avenge the death of his father at the hands," while Richard Corliss of Time magazine noted , "As you watch this enchanting fantasy, feel free to be thrilled or to giggle, as you wish." Get a piece of the action at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.) through Wednesday, May 22. Click here for showtimes and tickets . Shazam! A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word. With a Tomatometer Score of 90 percent and an Audience Score of 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes , "Shazam!" has racked up generally positive reviews since its release on April 5. "For a long, glorious stretch, 'Shazam!' plays like the anti-Nolan antidote it is," noted Joshua Rothkopf of Time Out, while Salon.com's Matthew Rozsa said , "'Shazam!' is the funniest, sweetest and most innocent movie in the DC Extended Universe - a sign that it is at last ready to compete with Marvel." You can catch it at Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.) through Wednesday, May 22. Click here for showtimes and tickets . Long Shot When Fred Flarsky reunites with his first crush, one of the most influential women in the world, Charlotte Field, he charms her. As she prepares to make a run for the Presidency, Charlotte hires Fred as her speechwriter and sparks fly. With a Tomatometer Score of 81 percent and an Audience Score of 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes , "Long Shot" has proven a solid option since its release on May 3. The New Yorker's Anthony Lane said , "Clearly, Theron can turn her hand to any genre," and Tribune News Service's Katie Walsh noted , "It's 'Veep,' but less absurdly acid-tongued, and a lot more swoony. Still, the incisive cultural and political commentary cuts deep, and Theron and Rogen turn out to be a winning pair." Want to see for yourself? It's playing at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.) through Wednesday, May 22; Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive) through Wednesday, May 22; Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.) through Wednesday, May 22. Click here for showtimes and tickets . A Dog's Journey Bailey is living the good life on the farm of Ethan and Hannah. As Bailey's soul prepares to leave this life for a new one, he promises Ethan to find CJ and protect her at any cost. Set to be released on Friday, May 17, "A Dog's Journey" already has a Tomatometer Score of 67 percent on Rotten Tomatoes . Variety's Guy Lodge said , "A steady stream of corn-syrup sentiment binding what would otherwise amount to a feature-length montage of adorable doggy reaction GIFs," while Leslie Felperin of the Hollywood Reporter stated , "It quietly boosts a message of resilience and self-belief to young girl audiences, advising them that it's always a smarter move to love nice boys and dogs rather than abusive jerks and pet haters." You can catch it at Cobb Plaza Cinema Café 12 (155 S. Orange Ave.), Cinemark Artegon Marketplace and XD (5150 International Drive), Universal Cinemark at CityWalk (6000 Universal Blvd.), and Fashion Square Premiere Cinema 14 (3201 E. Colonial Drive) through Wednesday, May 22. Click here for showtimes and tickets . This story was created automatically using local movie data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Just as Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham paved the way for Cam Newton as a runner, Newton is doing the same for the next generation of dual-threat quarterbacks. According to Pro Football Focus, Newton tied Ravens rookie Lamar Jackson for the most forced missed tackles by a quarterback in 2018 with 20. However, Newton is still in a class of his own in this regard, because he did it in 56 fewer rushing attempts. Cam Newton recorded 20 forced missed tackles last season, tying Lamar Jackson for the best mark among QBs in the NFL. However, Newton attempted 56 fewer rushes than Baltimore's rookie QB. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/C2Y4vUteB0 - PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) May 24, 2019 Newton was efficient as usual as a rusher last season. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and scored four touchdowns. There was some hand-wringing about Norv Turner coming in and whether he would continue rushing Newton as a rushing weapon. Those fears were unfounded, as it turns out. Newton averaged 7.2 carries per game in 2018, not far off from his career average of 7.6. Until the day comes that Newton is no longer physically able to run effectively, the Panthers should continue to rely on his mobility. MORE: This flying-knee KO just 10 seconds into a PFL fight had the MMA world in awe Great News: Jimmy Butler Wants to be a Laker Spurs' DeMar DeRozan 'possibly could be on the trade block' to Lakers Packers DC Mike Pettine 'very encouraged' by OLB room Jon Gruden ready for Raiders, new WR corps to stretch the field


Kaare Vedvik is good enough to make an NFL roster. But maybe not the roster Justin Tucker and Sam Koch are on. Vedvik, the Ravens' Norwegian backup kicker and punter, had another solid preseason outing on Thursday night, went 4-for-4 on field goals in last night's preseason opener, with a long of 55 yards. He also had two punts, one of which went 58 yards and the other 53 yards. That continues a string of impressive preseason performances for Vedvik, who also looked very good last preseason as both a kicker and a punter. The problem for Vedvik is that the Ravens are happy with Tucker as their kicker and Koch with their punter. Last year he appeared to have a good chance of getting picked up by some team after his strong preseason in Baltimore, but he suffered a head injury when he was assaulted in Baltimore and was unable to play. A rookie who can both kick and punt, Vedvik grew up playing soccer in Norway but learned about American football and decided to see if he could earn a college scholarship with his powerful kicking leg. He did, at Marshall, and then got his shot in the NFL. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has said he expects to trade Vedvik , and given the way he has kicked, it's easy to picture some team giving up a draft pick to acquire him.


Last July, the Pittsburgh Pirates decided to trade two of their prized young players, outfielder Austin Meadows and right-hander Tyler Glasnow , to the Tampa Bay Rays for veteran righty Chris Archer . The Bucs took the gamble because they thought they were acquiring a top-of-the-rotation arm in Archer. That isn't what they've gotten, though, and the deal now looks like one of the most lopsided swaps in recent memory. Not only have Meadows and Glasnow broken out in Tampa Bay, but Archer has taken enormous steps backward in his new home. On Tuesday, in his 21st start as a Pirate, Archer yielded seven earned runs on eight hits   including five home runs   in six innings against the Braves. The Pirates lost the game, unsurprisingly, and continue to look as if they'll miss the playoffs for the second straight year with Archer on their roster. With a 5.06 ERA/5.14 FIP in 112 innings in Pittsburgh, the 30-year-old Archer has been detrimental to the team's cause. At least this season, Archer hasn't come close to resembling the pitcher who posted a 3.69 ERA/3.48 FIP in 1,063 frames as a Ray. Among 118 starters who have thrown 50-plus innings in 2019, Archer ranks last in home run-to-fly ball rate (24.6 percent), fourth worst in FIP (6.15) and walks per nine (4.53), and 11th from the bottom in ERA (5.73). While Archer has fanned 9.2 batters per nine, even that's below his 2015-18 output. Looking beyond Archer's basic production, alarming signs abound. His groundball rate, which has sat in the mid-40s for most of his career, is down to 38.6 percent. In turn, Archer's fly ball rate has climbed to a career-worst 39.2 percent. That partially explains why he's running an HR-to-FB rate nearly twice his lifetime figure. Likewise, it doesn't appear a change in repertoire has helped Archer's cause. Per Baseball Savant , Archer turned to a slider (41.7 percent), four-seam fastball (36.4), sinker (10.5) and changeup (9.9) as his primary offerings last year. That has remained the case, though his usage   slider (34.8 percent), four-seamer (27.7), sinker (22.0) and change (13.6)   now looks much different. Hitters' production against Archer's slider and change has mostly stayed the same since last year. But they're tattooing Archer's sinker, a pitch the Pirates had him resurrect , having put up a .523 weighted on-base average/.522 xwOBA against it, and abusing his four-seamer (.380/.453). Archer has lost velocity on both pitches, and his typical location has changed since a year ago (heatmaps via FanGraphs: four-seamer: 2018 , '19 ; sinker: 2018 , '19 ) As for Archer's suddenly hideous walk rate, it's easy to identify causes. After ranking 45th among 121 qualifiers in strike rate last year, he's down to 93rd out of 127 this season. He's also running his lowest chase, first-pitch and swinging-strike rates since 2016. When Archer's not doling out walks, he's surrendering damaging contact. He ranks in the league's 24th percentile or worse in hard-hit rate, expected batting average against, expected weighted on-base average against and expected slugging percentage against. While Archer's .361 wOBA against is subpar, his .379 xwOBA paints an even bleaker picture. As much as Archer has struggled this season, his pre-Pittsburgh track record earns him some benefit of the doubt. Considering what he accomplished as a Ray, it would be unwise to say Archer's never going to rebound. However, it doesn't appear his new sinker-heavy approach is working, nor does his once-bargain contract look all that appealing anymore. With $20M in team options over the next two years ($9M in 2020, $11M in '21), Archer's not going to crush the Pirates' payroll structure. However, as a low-budget team, they can't afford to have one of their most expensive players continue to falter.


The Trump administration banned group educational travel to Cuba on Tuesday, cutting off one of the main avenues for Americans to visit the Caribbean island. In a move to punish what it called Cuba's "destabilizing role" in the region, the US Treasury also banned the US export of boats and private airplanes to the country. The end to group educational travel would likely deal a heavy blow to American tourism on the island, which took off after former president Barack Obama moved to ease the half-century embargo against the communist government in 2014. "Cuba continues to play a destabilizing role in the Western hemisphere, providing a communist foothold in the region and propping up US adversaries in places like Venezuela and Nicaragua by fomenting instability, undermining the rule of law, and suppressing democratic processes," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "This administration has made a strategic decision to reverse the loosening of sanctions and other restrictions on the Cuban regime. These actions will help to keep US dollars out of the hands of Cuban military, intelligence, and security services." The Treasury move banned "group people-to-people educational travel," a structure that allowed travel agencies to organize regular American tourists into "educational groups" who, on their visit to Cuba, would spend a certain amount of time in exchanges with Cubans. After he came into office in January 2017 promising to reverse Obama's thaw with Cuba, President Donald Trump banned individual visits and in a series of moves limited commerical interactions with the country. Washington blames Cuba for propping up the besieged Venezuelan regime of President Nicolas Maduro.


Missed the the most recent top news in Houston? Read on for everything you need to know. Workers hurt in partial building collapse in north Houston Nine people were hurt when the roof of a hotel under construction collapsed Monday morning at 3498 North Main and I-45 in north Houston. Read the full story on ABC13 Houston . Astros' Jake Marisnick's suspension upheld by MLB; will serve 2 games vs Indians The Houston Astros will be without outfielder Jake Marisnick for the next two games after his two-game suspension and fine were upheld, according to the Major League Baseball Players Association. Read the full story on KPRC2 / Click2Houston . Deputy who plays bailiff on courtroom TV show hurt in weekend shooting that killed his wife The deputy, who also does acting work, was hurt in the shooting that killed his wife in southeast Houston. Read the full story on ABC13 Houston . Inmate wrongly accused in murder of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes found hanging in apparent suicide The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers are investigating the death of Robert Paul Cantrell, a 49-year-old inmate in the Montgomery County Jail who was wrongly accused of killing 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. Read the full story on Ivory Hecker FOX 26 . 2 tank truck workers die near Wisdom High School; hazmat monitoring for fumes The men were working on a mobile seeding tank, the Houston Fire Department stated. Read the full story on KHOU 11 News . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. It's a moment in Donald Trump's presidency that has become all too familiar: another round of bloodletting. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta had gambled that his news conference on Wednesday would appease an audience of one: Trump. But Acosta's defense of how, as U.S. attorney in Florida, he handled a sex-crimes case against the financier Jeffrey Epstein failed to dampen accusations that he had gone easy on a rich and powerful predator . Amid mounting calls for his resignation, Acosta announced yesterday he would step down. His departure gratifies critics who believed he deserved a comeuppance. Yet political advisers fear the broader tumult inside the administration could also roil Trump's reelection bid, feeding long-standing criticism that he hasn't properly vetted his appointees, nor met his promise to recruit the best people. And Acosta's fall creates a fresh vacancy in an administration that has already seen record-setting turnover. Relying on a string of officials holding jobs on a temporary basis, Trump is sitting atop a hollowed-out administration that is lacking in the permanent leadership needed to manage escalating foreign and domestic crises, good-government experts told me. Signs suggest the churn isn't about to stop. Trump has been calling friends and advisers lately about National Security Adviser John Bolton , looking for their impressions of his performance and asking whether he needs to go, according to people who have been briefed on the calls and who, like others I spoke with for this story, requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. Meanwhile, Axios , among other news outlets, reported yesterday that Trump has told confidants he wants to replace Dan Coats , the director of national intelligence, with whom the president has had an uneasy relationship. Acosta was the president's first and only labor secretary. But should Trump oust Bolton whose hawkish approach to foreign policy clashes at times with his own reluctance to use military force he'll have cycled through four national security advisers in less than three years. Predicting anyone's future in the Trump White House is chancy, in part because Trump's public demonstrations of support don't mean much. Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he felt "very badly" for Acosta and that the plea deal he struck with Epstein in 2008 shouldn't mar his reputation. (Another illuminating example: A year ago, then Chief of Staff John Kelly walked into a senior-staff meeting and said that Trump had assured him he'd be sticking around through the 2020 election. Five months later, Kelly was gone.) As for Bolton, a person familiar with the matter said his job is secure and that Trump wants him to appear more frequently on television as a surrogate, laying out the administration's foreign-policy positions. Read: [ Instead of an apology, Acosta offers Epstein's victims implicit blame ] Still, the upheaval worries both Trump partisans and good-government groups, albeit for different reasons. Trump's campaign advisers believe that high-profile firings reinforce perceptions that the administration is in upheaval, just as the 2020 election gets into full swing. And when it comes to Bolton in particular, they worry that his removal would touch off a purge within the National Security Council that Trump can't afford. "The guys who talk to Trump are looking for less, less chaos in the building," a person close to the president told me. Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, is no fan of Trump. But he told me he'd like to see Bolton stay put. "He has a different perspective from other folks in the White House, but he's a very thoughtful, very experienced person," Romney said. "While I certainly disagree with him from time to time, having a thinker who's willing to express himself is a good thing." Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida offered similar sentiments in a prepared statement yesterday: There is "no one better" to serve as national security adviser than Bolton. At the halfway point in Trump's term, many federal departments are leaderless or headed by people serving in an acting capacity, which is tantamount to a substitute teacher trying to run a classroom, said Max Stier, the president of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit group focused on the workings of the federal government. "Leaders matter, and permanent leaders matter a lot," Stier told me. "This is an unprecedented level of temporary leadership across the entire federal government, but concentrated in places that are acutely worrisome." He cited key vacancies at the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, "where there are issues at stake right now of high consequence. "It's not as if there's no one there," Stier added, "but you have folks serving in acting roles across these critical functions who are restricted in their ability to function as well as they were meant to." Replacing Acosta, for now, is Patrick Pizzella, the deputy secretary who was tapped for the top job yesterday on an acting basis. As Stier mentioned, other Cabinet members working in a similar acting capacity include Defense Secretary Mark Esper (at a time when tensions are escalating with Iran), and the Homeland Security chief Kevin McAleenan (amid reports that migrants, including many children, are being detained in squalid conditions at the southern border). Inside the White House, Mick Mulvaney remains the acting chief of staff seven months after he was named to the position. He also never relinquished his title as director of the Office of Management and Budget, which he has nominally led since 2017. Russell Vought is heading that shop on an acting basis, at a moment when the government is close to running out of money. A recurrent management problem in the administration is Trump's inability to find qualified people for top jobs and to stick with them once they're installed. His habit is to restlessly sample people of varied backgrounds. Since taking office, he has surrounded himself with military generals and civilians, campaign loyalists and political foes, conservative ideologues and apolitical technocrats, Fox News celebrities and complete unknowns. Many have washed out, and the only ones he seems to fundamentally trust are family members, even as he's mused about sending his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and daughter Ivanka Trump back home to New York. Stier's group found that just 57 percent of Trump's nominees have been confirmed by the Senate. At a comparable period in Barack Obama's presidency, the figure was 75 percent. Trump has withdrawn more than twice as many nominees as Obama had at this point in their respective presidencies. That's translated to a parade of people coming and going. Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, has studied "serial" turnover in Trump White House jobs, what she casts as a "common phenomenon." When Stephanie Grisham replaced Sarah Sanders as Trump's press secretary last month, she also took on the role of communications director the fifth person to hold that job. (Anyone in a job that involves getting Trump good press is in a precarious spot, his concern about media coverage being bottomless.) Apart from the volatility atop the NSC, five different people have served as deputy national security adviser, Tenpas noted a position crucial to coordinating foreign-policy decisions across the government. Acosta had hoped to hang on, counting on Trump's loyalty. Trump praised his performance yesterday as the two spoke with the press outside the White House. "He's Hispanic, which I so admire," Trump said, "because maybe it was a little tougher for him, and maybe not." But Acosta had other run-ins with the White House. Some officials had attended meetings with his deputies over the past year and complained that he wasn't moving quickly enough to carry out Trump's deregulatory agenda within the Labor Department, former administration officials told me. Asked for comment, Mulvaney said in a prepared statement: "I push all of the Cabinet secretaries on the deregulatory agenda, as it is a top priority of the president. That in no way should be interpreted as displeasure with any Cabinet member, including Secretary Acosta." With abuse, money, and power at the heart of the Epstein case, it's no surprise that Acosta's resignation is getting enormous coverage. But the drama surrounding high-profile administration departures obscures what's happening at lower levels of the government, whose power over people's lives is no less profound. Virtually no attention was paid to an announcement in May that a lingering hole inside Acosta's department would remain unfilled: Scott Mugno, a former FedEx official, pulled his name from consideration to be the permanent head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA doesn't deal in trivialities; its mandate is workplace safety: life and death. Mugno had been waiting more than a year to be confirmed by the Senate and wanted to move on, Bloomberg Law reported . What that means is that OSHA isn't likely to have a permanent chief for the entirety of the president's four-year term. That's never happened since OSHA opened, in 1971. "There's really no one in charge there. With the circumstances at the Labor Department being what they are, I don't know anyone at this point who would be willing to take that job," John Martin, who practices workplace-safety law at Ogletree Deakins, a labor-and-employment law firm, said in an interview. "If they're going to offer the position to someone, I would assume the person would want to know at the very least who my boss is going to be who's going to be the Secretary of Labor for the duration." That question may be unanswerable. Trump's track record is clear. Whoever gets the job probably shouldn't expect to keep it.


Recently restored and sporting a stunning green paint job. GR Auto Gallery is pleased to announce this unique 1933 Essex Terraplane pickup for sale. The Terraplane was a model built by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, between 1932 and 1938. In its first years, the car was branded as the Essex-Terraplane; in 1934, the car simply became known as the Terraplane. These vehicles were inexpensive, yet powerful and used in both town and country applications both cars and trucks bore the name. In 1933, Essex produced 430 commercial vehicles; this is believed to be the only remaining pick-up example. The one you see being offered here was treated to two frame-off restorations with documentation of both processes. This 1933 Essex Terraplane is powered by a rebuilt 327 cubic-inch V8 engine that is mated to a Muncie four-speed manual transmission. All the power is sent to the rear wheels via a Mustang rear end with 3.73 gear ratios. After the first restoration, this pickup was painted black. The most recent restoration, however, had the frame and all body components removed; everything was then painted in the current pale green color. Describing this color is extremely difficult as it is really unique and hugs every curve of this Essex Terraplane with grace. It may be a pale hue of green, but it's still eye-catching, nonetheless. The exterior features a bed cover that has hydraulic supports, as well as a bed-mounted gas tank. There is also a gas filler on the exterior of the bed, though that is purely for looks and is not operational. The interior features a cast-iron steering wheel that is unlike anything else. It's safe to say that it's the first thing occupants notice when getting into this 1933 Essex Terraplane. It really helps to set this classic apart from the rest. The cabin also includes a JVC radio with Bluetooth capabilities and custom aftermarket audio system. All gauges are original and have been refinished, except for the oil and water gauges located above the windshield. This super-rare truck has also received some custom mods that include suicide doors with power locks and power windows. Beautiful chrome helps accent the exterior and brushed aluminum trim elevates the interior. This 1933 Essex Terraplane pickup truck fires right up and drives extremely well as it smoothly shifts through all the gears. Don't miss your chance to own a one-of-a-kind truck that is sure to steal the spotlight. The current asking price is $56,900, and you can make an offer right here. Read More: Lustrous Black 1960 Chevrolet El Camino Pickup Resto Up For Grabs Super Rare, Clean Find: 1931 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup


A pastor in North Carolina was able to stop a gunman who entered the church by encouraging his congregation to pray for the man.


The Nets will officially trade Allen Crabbe to Hawks in July. In the meantime, he faces a legal issue. TMZ : we're told he blew a .08   which is EXACTLY the legal limit in California … so Crabbe was arrested and booked for misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence. If convicted of drunk driving, Crabbe would likely receive a two-game suspension   the NBA's standard punishment for that crime. But considering he appears to complete the field-sobriety test OK, breathalyzers have questionable reliability and his blood alcohol concentration tested relatively low, Crabbe has a chance to beat the charge.


For the first month of Joe Biden's presidential campaign, it was mostly smooth sailing. That ended, abruptly, over the last 24 hours. Consider the hits Biden has taken in just the last day: * His campaign acknowledged lifting language from other people and institutions in crafting his climate change proposal , which was released Tuesday. And The Washington Post reported Tuesday night that some language in Biden's education plan had been taken from other sources without attribution. No big deal in this internet age? Maybe. But remember that Biden's first run for president in 1987 was ended by plagiarism allegations. * Biden's campaign was forced to clarify that the former vice president still supports the so-called "Hyde Amendment" that keeps federal dollars from being spent on abortion services except in the cases of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at stake. A video released by the American Civil Liberties Union showed Biden seeming to express support for getting rid of the amendment in a May interview. Biden's reiteration of his support for the Hyde Amendment led to a series of blisteringly critical statements from the abortion rights community. "To support the Hyde Amendment is to block people -- particularly women of color and women with low incomes -- from accessing safe, legal abortion," said Kelley Robinson, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. * In New Hampshire on Tuesday, Biden was asked about criminal justice reform. He said this : "When I wrote the crime bill, which you've been conditioned to say is a bad bill, there's only one provision that had to do with mandatory sentences that I opposed, and that was a thing called the 'three strikes and you're out,' which I thought was a mistake, but had a lot of other good things in the bill." (The crime bill is widely regarded by Democrats as a disaster which led to the mass incarceration of black men.) Any one of those three storylines are enough to take some shine off of Biden in the race. All three together in the space of 24 hours? That amounts to the first crisis of the campaign for the 2020 frontrunner. Biden's opponents for the Democratic nomination -- and there are 22 of them -- have been looking for a way in to begin taking shots at the frontrunner for a while now. And to date, they've come up largely empty. Prior to this week, the "best" attack on Biden was that he didn't show up in person at the California Democratic Party annual convention last weekend. Which is, well, pretty weak sauce. But now Biden -- through a trio of unforced errors by the candidate/campaign -- has opened the door for his rivals to burst through. And they're already trying. "There is #NoMiddleGround on women's rights," tweeted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday. "Abortion is a constitutional right. Under my Medicare for All plan, we will repeal the Hyde Amendment." Added former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke : "No matter your income or where you live, every woman should have access to health care including abortion." The truth is, this sort of reckoning for Biden was inevitable. Even early frontrunners who eventually wind up as their party's presidential nominees always face several moments where it looks like their march to the nomination is going to be slowed or stopped. That's especially true for Biden, who has a very long voting record in the Senate -- decades and decades -- and a proven "ability" to say things that are either impolitic, inappropriate or both. There is no scenario under which Biden doesn't have to answer for things like his work on the 1994 crime bill or his stewardship of Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court nomination as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the early 1990s. There's a reason that Barack Obama in 2008 was the first sitting senator to be elected president since John F. Kennedy in 1960. You make votes in the Senate. Lots of them. And over time, the political and cultural climate in the country changes -- and you still have all those votes you have to defend. To be clear: This is a bump in the road for Biden, not the end of the road by any means. As our CNN national poll released earlier this week shows, the former vice president leads the race by double digits over Sanders, with no other candidate even cresting double digits. He is well-known and well-liked by Democrats. He has already secured a passel of key endorsements and is raising money and building out organizations in the early voting states. In short: Biden has some ground he can give in this race before he really has to worry. At the same time, however, slides can be hard to stop. Momentum is a funny thing that, once lost, is tough to get back. This is the first challenge to Biden's ongoing supremacy in this race. It won't be the last.


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.   Kurt Busch's chances for victory on a topsy-turvy Sunday at Daytona International Speedway disappeared in a flash of lightning and a split-second decision that ended his hopes. "I was just on the wrong side of a lightning bolt there," Busch said after taking 10th place. "Judgment call." RELATED: Race results | Video recap Busch and his Chip Ganassi Racing No. 1 Chevrolet team opted against pitting immediately after the Coke Zero Sugar 400's biggest crash, grabbing the lead in hopes of snatching away a rain-shortened victory with stormy weather brewing. Once it appeared the race would resume after officials gave the one-to-go signal with 33 laps remaining, Busch hit pit road for service. Within seconds of that decision, race control waived off the call for a restart when a lightning strike was reported within an 8-mile radius of the track. That forced a red flag that left Justin Haley as the leader and eventual winner after the erratic weather conditions worsened. "Well, we couldn't make it, you know what I mean?," said crew chief Matt McCall, noting the No. 1 team's status on fuel. "You wouldn't think you would throw one to go if you weren't going back green. We came here to race for the win and not racing for rain. It's easy in hindsight to stay out, right?" Busch had already had an eventful Stage 2 before the race had reached that point. He made contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s No. 17 Ford on Lap 59, then sustained minor damage 16 laps later with a wall scrape and contact with Brendan Gaughan's No. 62. Busch received the free pass to return to the lead lap at the Stage 2 break, then sidestepped the 17-car incident that set the stage for the team's fateful decision. "Yeah, I think we did pretty good to finish 10th considering everything that went on," Busch conceded. By then, the weather that hampered the race's originally scheduled Saturday night start had kept teams on high alert for the shifting radar and storm warnings Sunday afternoon. It figured into the scheduling and ultimately the strategy. "The lightning thing is hard to judge," McCall said. "I think that's probably what the biggest thing was there. The only thing you can do in the situation we were in was to wait as long as you could. In hindsight, it's pretty easy." ]]>


West Ham United host Manchester City at the London Stadium on Saturday (Watch live, 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com ) with the Hammers hoping to cause a huge shock to kick off their season. WATCH LIVE ONLINE Reigning Premier League champs Man City are the favorites to win it all once again and Pep Guardiola 's side have been clicking through the gears in preseason without many of their established stars. City have outscored West Ham 17-1 in their last four visits to the London Stadium, and have secured seven wins on the trot in all competitions against the Hammers. In team news West Ham's Lukasz Fabianski is fit to start in goal, while Sebastian Haller starts up top with Lanzini, Antonio and Anderson underneath him. Declan Rice and Jack Wilshere are in midfield. Man City keep Sergio Aguero on the bench, while Aymeric Laporte comes into the team and Riyad Mahrez starts in place of Bernardo Silva. LINEUPS Fabianski starts! 💪⚒ pic.twitter.com/aW5ggHGihQ   West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) August 10, 2019 Your first #mancity line-up of the 2019/20 @premierleague season! XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Silva (C), De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Gundogan, Aguero, Bernardo, Cancelo, Otamendi, Foden ⚽ @haysworldwide 🔵 #WHUMCI pic.twitter.com/Nb2xa8qRmF   Manchester City (@ManCity) August 10, 2019 Follow @JPW_NBCSports


Hayes Valley , Mission , Union Square I n this edition, Flour + Water readies an expansion, Union Square gets a new hotspot for omakase sushi and Hayes Valley is about to debut a new slice joint. Openings Mission Flour + Water Pizzeria (702 Valencia St.) A decade after it first opened its original location at 2401 Harrison St., pizza and pasta spot Flour + Water is ready to open its second location, also in the Mission. Unlike the original location, this outpost will focus solely on pizza, accompanied by salads, marinated vegetables, beer and wine. Expect to see five red and five white pies on the menu, with soft-serve ice cream for dessert. "Pizza has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," said chef Thomas McNaughton in a statement. Flour + Water's makeover of the former Farina Pizzeria space will keep its existing floor-to-ceiling windows, adding green Heath Ceramics tiles and a wooden bar, tables and chairs. To drink, the pizzeria will offer four beers on tap, and eight wines available by the glass or bottle. A to-go counter will serve a rotating daily "big slice," as well as soft serve in a cup or cone. Flavor options will be classic vanilla, chocolate or swirl, with toppings like rainbow sprinkles, olive oil and sea salt, Amarena cherries and Mike's Hot Honey . Union Square Sushi Nagai (125 Ellis St.) Veteran Hoodline tipster Al M. alerted us that Sushi Nagai , the city's newest omakase spot, is finally open. With a 15-course menu priced in the $200-250 range, it will be one of the most expensive restaurants in the city, according to a report in the Chronicle . (Those seeking a comparative bargain should drop in before June 4, as the restaurant is currently offering a $180 "promotional rate.") According to its website, Sushi Nagai is led by chef Tomonori Nagai, who started his career as a sushi chef in Japan in the 1990s before working in New York, Hawaii and Singapore. Nagai will import all of his fish directly from Tokyo, serving classic edomae-style nigiri with seasonal offerings like firefly squid and sea urchin. Updates Hayes Valley Gioia Pizzeria (579 Hayes St.) First announced last September, Gioia Pizzeria 's Hayes Valley outpost is now set to open in the former Two Sisters Bar & Books space early next month. After six years on Polk Street, Will and Karen Gioia decided to downsize last October , turning over their space for an expansion of Richmond pizzeria Fiorella. High rents and staffing costs in San Francisco contributed to the decision, they said at the time. At 900 square feet, their new location will be counter-service only, serving whole pies, pizza by the slice, chicken and meatball parm heroes, seasonal salads and daily specials. Everything will be available for take-out and delivery as well. "We love the edgy feel of the traditional and timeless New York-style pizzeria, elevated with premium, thoughtfully curated California ingredients," Karen Gioia said in a statement. Thanks to tipster Al M.! If you've seen something new in the neighborhood, text your tips and photos to (415) 200-3233, or email tips@hoodline.com. If we use your info in a story, we'll give you credit.


A Bergen County man was accused of impersonating someone and texting nude and sexually explicit photos of that person to someone, authorities announced. Daniel G. Pfeiffer, 29, of Old Tappan was charged with stalking, invasion of privacy, impersonation, cyber-harassment, and contempt of a stalking restraining order, said Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information in April about at least one, but as many as three, fake social media accounts on dating websites for a 29-year-old victim, Musella said. Authorities learned that Pfeiffer created the accounts, impersonated the victim, and encouraged people to contact the victim, Musella said. Pfeiffer texted nude or sexually explicit images of the victim to a stranger at least once, and arranged a sexual encounter while posing as the victim, Musella said. Pfeiffer was remaned to the Bergen County Jail pending a first court appearance. Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com


Australia's defence minister Linda Reynolds says the Morrison government is giving "very serious consideration" to a formal request from the Trump administration to join a US-led coalition to protect shipping in the Gulf from Iranian military forces. Reynolds told journalists on Sunday after annual security talks between the Australian and American foreign affairs and defence ministers that the Morrison government was deeply concerned by the heightened tensions in the region, and strongly condemned the attacks on shipping in the Gulf. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who was set to dine with Scott Morrison in Sydney on Sunday night, made it clear in his opening remarks at the Australia US Ministerial Consultations (Ausmin) press conference that America wanted Australia to join the operation to stare down Iran. Characterising the relationship between Washington and Canberra as "unbreakable", Pompeo said: "We hope Australia will partner with us [on] some of the most pressing foreign policy challenges of our time, like efforts to stabilise Syria and keep Afghanistan free of terror, and confront the Islamic Republic of Iran's unprovoked attacks on international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." The US defence secretary, Mark Esper, said the purpose of the proposed operation in the Gulf was to promote the principles of freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce and to "prevent any provocative actions that would lead to some misunderstanding or miscalculation that would lead to a conflict". Reynolds said the American request was a complex one, and a final decision had not yet been made. Australia, she said Sunday, would "decide what is in our own sovereign interests". Morrison signalled after dining with Trump before the recent G20 summit in Osaka that Australia would consider any request from the administration about intervention in the gulf "seriously and on its merits". The Australian prime minister will visit Trump in Washington in September. Related: Simon Birmingham says threat of new US tariffs on China may breach WTO rules As well as the discussion about potential intervention in the Gulf, Pompeo used his appearance on Sunday to insist that America remained engaged in the Pacific, and he declared Australia "can always rely on the United States of America". Implicitly referencing the current tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade, and the difficulties Australia faces balancing its most important security relationship with its most important economic relationship, Trump's secretary of state said the US was not in the business of "asking nations to choose between the United States and China". The secretary of state noted Australia had "courageously and independently raised the alarm about the risk of China's 5G ambitions before we caught on" and America and Australia were both concerned about China's militarisation of their manmade islands in the South China Sea. Esper's language was more forceful. On the back of Trump threatening to impose new tariffs on $300bn worth of Chinese goods (the latest sortie in the tit-for-tat trade war between Washington and Beijing that has rattled global financial markets), the defence secretary declared in Sydney the US stood against a "disturbing pattern of aggressive behaviour" by China. This behaviour, Esper said, included "predatory economics" and the promotion of "state-sponsored theft of other nations' intellectual property". "In the Indo-Pacific, power should not determine position and that should not determine destiny," Esper said. "The US will not stand by idly while any one nation attempts to reshape the region to its favour at the expense of others. "We know that our allies and partners would not either." Esper also commended Australia's Pacific step up (the Morrison government's more proactive stance on aid and development in the Pacific), which is a response to China's diplomatic courtship in the region. The US defence secretary said the step up "mirrors our own engagement in the region and together we remain committed to maintaining the openness of the global commons". Australia's foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said America's military presence in the Pacific had been a force stability for decades, and China was also a vitally important strategic partner for Australia. "It is not in anybody's interest for the Indo-Pacific to become adversarial in character, so we work closely with our key partners, with our strongest alliance partner, the US, and our key trading partner, China, to pursue those issues of stability and security and prosperity," Payne said.


Eggplants, one of the few purple vegetables you'll find in a mainstream market, aren't very popular with consumers. In fact, they don't even rank in the top 20 veggies sold in the U.S . But after reading about the nutritional benefits of eggplant, you may want to step up your intake. Here's the lowdown on this somewhat mysterious plant, and easy ways to incorporate it into your everyday eating routine. Eggplant nutrition facts One cup of cubed eggplant provides just 20 calories, but offers up some important nutrients. Anthocyanins, the pigments that give eggplants their purple hue, have antioxidant properties linked to anti-inflammation and obesity protection. Another, called nasunin, is particularly good at fending off free radicals, and protecting cells from damage that can lead to premature aging and disease. This may be especially true in the brain, making eggplant an important food for protecting against neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. Eggplant's chlorogenic acid supports immunity through its antimicrobial and antiviral activities. And a cup of eggplant also provides about 10% of the daily target for manganese, a mineral that helps produce collagen and promote skin and bone health. The veggie supplies smaller amounts of folate and other B vitamins, potassium, and vitamins C and K. RELATED: 7 Easy Recipes That Will Make Anyone Obsessed With Eggplant Eggplant benefits In addition to the antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber eggplants provide, they may offer protection against the top killer of men and women in the U.S.: heart disease. Eggplant anthocyanins have been shown to help reduce artery stiffness and central blood pressure in women . Central blood pressure, the pressure in the aorta, which sends blood from the heart out to the body, is a predictive measure of heart disease and stroke. Anthocyanins also help prevent the oxidation of "bad" LDL cholesterol, a precursor to artery hardening, which can lead to either heart attack or stroke . Carbs in eggplant Eggplant is a non-starchy, or low-carb vegetable. A one cup portion, about the size of a baseball, contains just 5 grams of carb, and just 2.5 grams net carb. In addition to supporting digestive health and bowel regularity, eggplant fiber helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and supports weight loss by boosting fullness. It also makes a great filler when cutting back on other higher carb foods. For example, serving one cup of cubed eggplant with a half cup of cooked penne pasta instead of the reverse saves about 20 grams of carb per meal. RELATED: Warm Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches The nightshade issue Eggplants are a member of the nightshade family , which also includes tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, artichokes, and okra. Tom Brady famously avoids this group, due to compounds they contain called alkaloids, which are linked to inflammation. If you have an existing inflammatory condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, avoiding nightshades may help to not exacerbate your symptoms. But there is no solid research to show that nightshades cause inflammatory conditions to develop. It's also important to know that steaming, boiling, and baking all help reduce the alkaloid content of nightshades by about 40% to 50%. In addition, you lose out on the anti-inflammatory antioxidants and other nutrients nightshades provide when you avoid the entire group. If you have chronic inflammation consider trying an experiment. Without making any other changes to your diet, cut out nightshades for two to four weeks and monitor your symptoms. If you do notice a difference, and symptoms return after adding them back to your diet, minimizing or avoiding them may be for you. RELATED: 7 Health Benefits of Brussels Sprouts Ways to enjoy eggplant When cooking eggplant , try to include the skin, which is entirely edible, as often as possible, as it contains many of the beneficial nutrients. You can quickly cube and sauté eggplant on the stovetop with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper. Eat as a side dish, add to salads , or toss with spaghetti squash paired with fresh basil. Cut eggplant into thick rounds and cook on the grill, alongside other veggies, like bell peppers and onion. Roast eggplant in the oven on a baking sheet, brushed or drizzled with a little avocado oil. When sliced in half lengthwise eggplant can be scooped out, combined with additional ingredients, like beans and herbs, and stuffed. When baked in thinner rounds eggplant slices can be used in place of noodles to make veggie lasagna. Leftover roasted eggplant can be chopped and pureed (skin and all) intro a dip made with EVOO, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, cumin, and tahini. Eggplant also makes a great addition to stirfrys. And if you're an adventurous eater, try incorporating eggplant into desserts, like eggplant cake or eggplant "bread" pudding  minus the bread. Get creative! Cynthia Sass , MPH, RD, is Health's contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a nutrition consultant for the New York Yankees. To get more nutrition and diet tips delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Real Wellness newsletter.


Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Denver. Climate activists collecting signatures for Denver carbon tax initiative The initiative proposes a tax on electricity and natural gas consumption to fund efforts to fight climate change. Read the full story on DenverWestword . Denver's bicycle superhighway on Broadway will take up to two more years to start Whether it's happening is no longer up for debate. When and how is another story. Read the full story on Denverite . To better serve black students, Denver will help community group start a school The school board directed district staff to work with the group to strengthen its application for a new high school. Read the full story on Denverite . Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warns of anti-incumbency trend Denver Mayor Michael Hancock talks about why he's in a runoff election with challenger Jamie Giellis and why he thinks its best if he continues to help lead Denver through current changes. Read the full story on CBS Denver . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Ghader Daemi Aghdam, an Iranian doctor and head of a pharmacy in the capital, Tehran, sat in his office, avoiding the chaos at the reception desk where patients were complaining that their prescriptions for medicine were not being filled. "Out of every 20 people, we have to tell at least to ten that we have run out of medications they need," Daemi Aghdam told ABC News. Since pulling out of a deal reached under the Obama administration, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump has reinstated a series of tough sanctions on Iran, with the latest , targeting Iran's supreme leader and other top officials in the the Iranian regime, being announced on Monday. While humanitarian supplies, including medicine, is technically exempt, Iranians are already facing severe shortages and inflated prices for what is in stock. (MORE: Trump announces new sanctions on Iran, including on supreme leader) "The main problem with importing medication is the restrictions in international transactions," said Bashir Khaleqi, member of the Healthcare Commission of Iran's parliament, in an interview about the medication condition in the country with the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, on Tuesday. "The artificial tear drop that my son has to use for his eye condition" has doubled in price, from the equivalent of about $2.50 to $5, said Maryam, 45, a housewife and mother of two who asked that her last name not to be used to protect the honor of her family. Another drop went from $1.50 to $8 in a year, she said. Maryam's husband, who works full time, and her daughter, a part-time secretary, bring in a combined $75 a month. "We have to cut many expenses out to afford medication for my son and for myself," Maryam said, who suffers from lung problem after years of weaving carpets. Some people have begin asking doctors to avoid prescribing foreign medications, and to instead prescribe medicines that were produced in Iran and might be more widely available. But others have voiced concerns about how sanctions have impacted the quality of medications produced domestically. Daemi Aghdam believes that the sanctions might have impacted quality control in Iran's pharmaceutical companies. "I can name companies that even the quality of their simple cold tablets has suffered after the sanctions" he said. "People understand the difference. When they see the domestic medication does not work on them, they ask for its foreign sample," he added. (MORE: Trump responds to Iranian insults with threat of 'obliteration') It is not just the long lines of complaining patients at pharmacies that have revealed the problem. In the past few months, Iranians have taken to social media to post the names of drugs they need but cannot find in pharmacies. In some cases, people have posted that they have a surplus of a given medicine and are willing to share the medication with others who need it. "Friends, this is what remained from my mother's inflation medication after her recovered. Please let me know if you need this medication, or if you know anyone who does. Please retweet so anyone who needs it can get it. Thanks," said one post. As for Maryam, she said she hopes that leaders can work out a solution. "I know absolutely nothing about politics," she said. "But I do hope politicians care more about people. All I want is my son not to lose his sight and I can breath."


A mural on Bardstown Road featuring Kentucky icons has some new paint. It appears vandals targeted the "Kentucky Rushmore" artwork which is near the Doo-Wop Shop. The mural features paintings of Abraham Lincoln, Colonel Sanders, a horse and a now-painted-on Muhammad Ali. The vandal/s only painted on top of Ali's portion of the mural, writing the words "racist," "antisemitic" and "homophobe." They used the same orange paint to fill in his eyes. Ali was just celebrated last week throughout the city, marking the anniversary of his death and commemorating his contributions as both a boxer and philanthropist. Nearby store owners told WLKY they noticed the vandalism early Wednesday morning. So far, no one has been connected to the vandalism. READ MORE: Vandals deface Muhammad Ali on 'Kentucky Rushmore' mural CHECK OUT WLKY: Live. Local. Late-Breaking. Get the top Louisville news, weather and sports from the team at WLKY   online, anytime.


Virginia forward De'Andre Hunter is a lot of things. He's a national champion, a consensus Third-Team All-American, the 2018-19 NABC Defensive Player of the Year, an All-ACC First-Team honoree and the 2018-19 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He's also heralded as one of the best and most consistent two-way prospects in this year's class, landing the Philadelphia, Penn., native among the projected lottery picks ahead of Thursday night's NBA draft . Hunter spent three seasons in Charlottesville under Tony Bennett, redshirting his first year and then earning Sixth Man of the Year honors after a standout freshman season. Slotting into the starting lineup as a sophomore, Hunter emerged as arguably the Cavaliers best weapon on both sides of the floor. Shooting at a 52.0% clip from the field and 43.8% from deep through 38 starts, the 21-year-old forward proved his worth as a selfless all-around player with the versatility to can defend a variety of positions and knock down open threes for whichever NBA team takes him. Averaging 15.2 points good for second on the team behind shooting guard Kyle Guy 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, reigning national champion poured in a career-high 27 points to go with nine rebounds on 8-for-16 shooting in the title game, completing the Cavaliers' redemption run after their infamous first-round loss which Hunter missed with a broken wrist in the 2018 NCAA tournament. Although the soft-spoken 6'7", 225-pound wing may be unassuming by nature, Hunter's breakout sophomore campaign which was capped off by a star turn at the Final Four and finished with a personal best performance in the national title game cemented the lengthy and versatile Virginia star's status as a sure-to-be early-first round selection. Sports Illustrated spoke with Hunter before the draft about the end of his college career, his draft day preparation and his NBA aspirations. This interview has been condensed for clarity. Emily Caron: You capped off a historic season with Virginia with your best personal performance to date can you tell me about what it was like to end your collegiate career like that? De'Andre Hunter: It was amazing. It was something I've dreamed about since I was a kid having that kind of game in the national championship. The aftermath of the championship, going [back] to Virginia and being able to celebrate with the fans there and my family as well was a crazy feeling. EC: Do you think that had any impact on your draft stock? Was that something that crossed your mind at all during the tournament? DH: Personally I wasn't thinking about it at all but of course after the championship game I saw things written about it. I feel like, at the least, that game definitely didn't hurt me in any way at all. EC: Out of all the things you accomplished during your college career in Charlottesville, which meant the most to you? DH: Definitely the national championship. Solely because of what happened last year [in 2018] and how people were talking about us throughout the entire year. People were still overlooking us because of what we did during the tournament last year so bouncing back and helping us win the national championship was definitely my greatest accomplishment and the greatest accomplishment of our team. EC: I know that Tony Bennett told you all throughout the season to just take it one game at a time, but what particularly did you focus on to push you through the season? DH: One game at a time, for me too. We follow [coach]. He knows what he's talking about so we all just tried to listen as best as we could. I feel like we followed his plan pretty much to a T and it worked out. EC: You were projected as a likely lottery pick most of this season after emerging as the ACC's Sixth Man of the Year during your freshman campaign, did you feel any added pressure this season knowing how high the expectations were? DH: I didn't feel any pressure from the outside really, but I have high expectations for myself. The expectations of others don't really bother me but I just tried to live up to what I know I can do and that's about it. Coming into the season I said I wanted to be a top-five pick and I said I wanted to be a national champion. Those two things may come true one did and the second one might soon. EC: Speaking of the draft, after winning the title you immediately transitioned to training for the combine and the NBA, what did you have to do to make that transition? DH: I didn't really have to do much, just playing more basketball and I've been doing that for a while. Training in a different city was the biggest change I had to make. EC: What has training looked like for you since declaring? DH: The training has been great. I've been working out almost three times a day for about two months. We've been working out with some NBA guys, working out with guys [also] trying to enter into the draft this year so we had a good group. We've all just been working really hard. EC: In terms of your game, what do you have to do to transition from Tony Bennett's system at Virginia and NCAA play to playing professionally? DH: I've been working on a lot more isolation stuff for myself, doing things more off the dribble and getting used to the NBA spacing. Those are the three things I've been working on the most. Getting used to having the ball in my hand a lot more, too. At Virginia I didn't really have the ball as much so getting used to that and being able to know what to do, making certain reads and being able to score on my own has also [been a focus.] EC: What have you gotten the most feedback on throughout this process and how have you used that? DH: I've been getting good feedback so I've just been listening and working out and trying to get better. But I feel like the feedback has been really good so far. EC: Is there anything in particular you've been trying to showcase to teams during this process? DH: I'm just trying to be myself. I'm not really trying to reinvent myself to show that I can do one thing particularly well but to show teams that I'm the same player who can still do it all and get better at that. EC: There's been talk about you being one of the best two-way prospects in this year's draft, but what would you say you bring to the table that's unique to you? DH: My versatility, for sure. I feel like I can guard a lot of positions and on offense I can play a lot of positions as well. That's what the NBA needs and I feel like I'm one of those guys that can do that. Since about high school I've been pretty good at being pretty good at every aspect of the game, that's something I take pride in not having many holes in my game. Although there are always things I can improve on, I'm just trying to play as best as I can in every area of the game. EC: If you could only tell teams one thing about your game or about you as a player, what would it be? DH: I'm a winner and I like to compete. That's two but hopefully you'll cut me some slack there. EC: This is a two-part question but in terms of the draft, what are you most excited about? In terms of playing in the NBA after that? DH: In terms of the draft I'm just excited to go through the process of hearing my name get called and being with my family and being able to celebrate with them. In the NBA I'm just excited to be part of the league and be with whatever team takes me. I'm really looking forward to being able to learn from guys who are older than me and enjoying the whole NBA experience. EC: You mentioned your family when you spoke about draft night, what does this mean to them? DH: It means a lot to them. They've helped me so much through the years and having them there with my every step of the way means as much to me as I hope it does to them. EC: Now, on draft night you'll be wearing a customized suit from JC Penney, can you give us any hints about what you might be wearing or tell us about what inspired the look? DH: We customized a pretty cool suit, a JF [J.Ferrar] suit. I don't want to give too much away but I feel like it's a nice suit and we did a pretty good job getting at my style. I'm just excited for everyone to see it. Related slideshow: Ranking the top 50 NBA draft prospects (Provided by Yardbarker)


Need more ice cream and frozen yogurt in your life? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top ice cream and frozen yogurt sources in Philadelphia, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to achieve your dreams. 1. The Franklin Fountain Topping the list is The Franklin Fountain . Located at 116 Market St. in Old City, the spot to score ice cream is the most popular ice cream spot in Philadelphia, boasting four stars out of 1,830 reviews on Yelp. 2. I Ce Ny Next up is Chinatown's I CE NY , situated at 1016-1018 Race St. With 4.5 stars out of 204 reviews on Yelp, the spot to score ice cream has proven to be a local favorite. 3. Weckerly's Ice Cream Finally, there's Weckerly's Ice Cream , a Fishtown favorite with 4.5 stars out of 212 reviews. Stop by 9 W. Girard Ave. to hit up the spot to score ice cream, ice cream sandwiches and sorbet next time the urge strikes. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) In a season full of strange twists so far, the New York Yankees turned a couple of odd hops into their latest victory. Domingo German became the majors' first seven-game winner, Gio Urshela got a key hit set up by a pair of bizarre bounces and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Friday night. The injury-filled Yankees pulled within a half-game of the AL East-leading Rays in the first of 19 meetings between the teams this season. New York has won 15 of 20 while often relying on its non-All-Stars - the team currently has a dozen players on the injured list, including Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino. ''They're focused everyday but also playing the game with some joy and having fun doing it,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ''It's a close-knit group that's playing an unselfish brand of baseball.'' German (7-1) was matched up against Tyler Glasnow (6-1), who left in the sixth inning with right forearm tightness. ''I don't really know what's going on right now,'' said Glasnow, who will have an MRI Saturday. ''I'm just going to be optimistic. It wasn't a pop or anything crazy. I just felt tightness for a couple pitches.'' Glasnow struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings. He signaled for a trainer after striking out Gleyber Torres and was pulled. German allowed three runs and five hits over five innings. Aroldis Chapman, the fourth Yankees reliever, worked the ninth for his ninth save. Home runs by Austin Meadows and Ji-Man Choi gave the Rays a 3-2 lead entering the sixth. Gary Sanchez opened the Yankees sixth with an infield single on a popup that struck the highest of four overhanging catwalks - approximately 185 feet high - and fell in the infield as Tampa Bay players scrambled to catch the carom. The park's ground rules say such balls are in play. ''Fortunately deflected far enough that we got a break there,'' Boone said. It's the fifth fair ball to hit the ''A'' ring at Tropicana Field - which opened in 1998 - and second that resulted in a hit. Clint Frazier followed with a single and Torres fanned, finishing Glasnow. Emilio Pagan relieved and Miguel Andujar hit a grounder that took a crooked hop off the mound and went for an infield single that loaded the bases. Urshela then delivered a two-run single for a 4-3 lead. ''Probably our MVP at this point,'' Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino said. On Thursday night, Urshela entered in the seventh for defense and hit a two-run single in the eighth of a 3-1 victory over Seattle. The Rays loaded the bases on two walks and a bunt single in the seventh. But Ottavino escaped by striking out Tommy Pham and getting Choi to hit a grounder off the pitcher's leg that second baseman DJ LeMahieu fielded, raced to second for an out and threw to first to complete a nifty double play. ''I was fired up,'' Ottavino said. ''It was a grind of an inning.'' Meadows, reinstated from the 10-day injured list after missing 15 games with a strained right thumb, hit a two-run homer and Choi added a solo shot two batters later off German as the Rays went up in the fifth. German had allowed just two homers overall in six previous starts. New York took a 2-0 lead in the first when LeMahieu scored on rookie Nick Ciuffo's passed ball and Torres' RBI single. Torres was hit on the right elbow by a pitch in the eighth inning but stayed in the game. ''We'll have to see what kind of swelling is in there,'' Boone said. ''But hoping that he avoided something serious.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Yankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery) will increase from 30 to 35 pitches and start incorporating curveballs in his next bullpen session Tuesday. ''I'm starting to kind of see some light at the end of the tunnel in the bullpens when I'm throwing the ball and it's going where I want it to,'' Montgomery said. ... LHP James Paxton (left knee inflammation) is playing catch. Rays: 3B Matt Duffy (left hamstring strain) is scheduled to resume a rehab assignment with Class A Charlotte Monday. CHAD'S COMING Boone said reliever Chad Green could rejoin the team from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this weekend. He was optioned April 23 to work on mechanics after going 0-2 with a 16.43 ERA in 10 games. UP NEXT Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (2-1) will go against Rays opener Ryne Stanek (0-1) on Saturday night. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


CHASKA, Minn.   Hannah Green keeps getting out of tough spots, and it's taken her to a place she has never been. Green twice escaped trouble with unlikely par saves, including one shot she holed from off the green, and made four birdies for a 3-under 69 and took a three-shot lead into the weekend at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. It's the first time she has held the 36-hole lead in her second year on the LPGA. The 22-year-old has made one bogey over 36 holes at Hazeltine National, one of the strongest tests of the year. Ariya Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion, closed within one shot until a series of misplays on the back nine. She had another 70. "Even when you play this type of golf at just a regular event, you're pretty proud of yourself, but this week especially," Green said. "I've never put myself in this position in any event, so to be doing it this week at such a great venue definitely shows things are going the right way. I've had some luck going my way. I do hope that continues." Green was at 7-under 137. Defending champion Sung Hyun Park (71) and Lydia Ko (70) were four shots behind. Fifteen players remained under par after two rounds, with the cut at 5-over 149. Michelle Wie not only made it to the tee, she played all 18 holes with a right wrist injury that doesn't seem to be getting any better. She managed only nine pars and no birdies in her round of 82. "Even on the worst day, it's still great being out here," Wie said. "I still had fun today, just stuff is hard. Hazeltine is hard. I just was overly optimistic about how I could play this week and the status of my wrist." Green thought luck was on her side when she holed a short-sided bunker shot for birdie on the par-5 seventh near the end of her opening round. Friday was even better. Full-field scores from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship She didn't notice the water right of the 12th green during practice rounds. She took a penalty drop, and with the pin on a shelf in the back left of the green, her biggest concern was getting it close without the risk of a big number. "If I landed it too far there was a possibility of it going over the back. I didn't want to leave myself with another chip to then possibly make bogey or double at worse," Green said. "I had to land it perfectly and I guess I did. I knew it was going to be close but I didn't think it had the chance of going in. I really wasn't really watching it going into the hole. I just heard the crowd roar. "I just laughed because with the hole-out on 7 yesterday and with the hole-out today, it's really going my way." After a missed chance at birdie on the par-5 15th, Green was in trouble again on the 16th hole, the signature hole at Hazeltine. Her shot took a surprising kick to the right, leaving the ball between clumps of grass. She got that up-and-down for par and was on her way. Jutanugarn hit 6-iron to 30 feet for eagle on the par-5 seventh and closed out the front nine to get to 6 under. But her chip came out heavy behind the 13th green and led to bogey, and she turned a birdie opportunity into bogey on the par-5 15th. After hammering her 3-wood, she hit a piercing 2-iron that stayed down the right edge and went into the first of two bunkers. With the pin tucked behind the next bunker, she went from sand to sand, blasted out to 12 feet and missed the par putt. ''Really tough bunker shot,'' she said. Green is in her second full year on the LPGA Tour, having won three times on the Symetra Tour in 2017 to earn her card. She had such a successful amateur career in Australia that she was awarded the Karrie Webb Scholarship in 2015, and one of the perks was coming to the U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster. The 44-year-old Webb is Australia's most prolific champion with seven majors as part of her 41 titles on the LPGA Tour. Webb, the only player to win five different LPGA Tour majors, first came to America under a similar program started by Greg Norman, and now has one in place for female amateurs. Green swam, played tennis and golf as a teen before devoting her time to golf when she was 15. She wasn't even playing golf when Webb was winning five out of eight majors, giving her the career Grand Slam at the quickest rate. About the time Green realized she might have a future in golf, Webb already was in the Hall of Fame.


Royal fans will love this B&B on the grounds of a castle in Scotland. Set on Castle Grounds If you haven't heard, Prince Charles opened a charming bed-and-breakfast called Granary Lodge in Scotland on the grounds of Castle of Mey. The property opened on May 15 to the public, inviting tourists to explore the historic castle in a whole new way: by staying in this warm and welcoming B&B. Whether you're a royal fan or you're looking for a boutique stay in Scotland, here's a look into the various rooms and spaces you'll find at Granary Lodge. Granary Lodge Granary Lodge is a 10-room bed-and-breakfast created from the Caslte of Mey's old granary building and an adjacent cottage. The exterior looks just as the name suggests   a lodge. Rooms cost between $204 and $249 per night. 10 Bedrooms There are 10 rooms at Granary Lodge, two of which are luxury suites with their own lounge areas and spacious ensuite bathrooms. There are eight rooms with super-king or king-size double beds all with their own en-suite bathrooms, too. Rooms have amenities like cozy beds, Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. One of the rooms is accessible for travelers with disabilities. Luxe Bathroom The bathrooms at Granary Lodge are as luxurious as the bedrooms. With clawfoot bathtubs in some bathrooms, guests can enjoy a long soak after a day of exploring the surrounding areas or rinse off in the sleek and modern glass showers. Historic Photographs The communal areas feature plenty of historic elements relevant to Scotland and England. One of the walls has 80 frames of clans of Scotland, while a gallery of portraits features photographs of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Lovers of decor can also admire six grandfather clocks throughout the property. Dining Area The Granary Lodge hopes to introduce evening meals during the summer of 2019 to their residents. They will source the food and ingredients from local suppliers when possible. Floral Fun and Animal Decor Granary Lodge is located in the North Highlands of Scotland , an area rich in nature and wildlife, so it makes sense that much of the decor throughout the property features floral themes and animals or sea creatures. Drawing Room Picture yourself with a cup of tea and a good book in the Granary Lodge's Drawing Room. With a fire in the fireplace, its sure to make a cozy environment that will invite conversations and great cheer among guests in the evening. Bedroom Sitting Areas The luxury suites are quite spacious and offer plenty of sitting areas for guests to spread out and relax. Victorian Charm at its Finest The rooms and common areas at Granary Lodge have a luxurious Victorian style. They sourced all of the sofas from Kingcome Sofas in London, curtain boards from Curtainwise in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, soft furnishings, lamps and cushions from Oka in London and some furniture, presumably antiques, from Georgian Antiques in Edinburgh.


Some nights, sleep comes easily. Other nights, you have to be curled into the fetal position covers between your legs just to catch a wink. "When you lie on your back, you equally distribute your weight across your frame," he explains. "In addition, your face is pointing upward, so there is no external stress on your neck." (The only exception is for those who snore, have sleep apnea or are pregnant. Then it's better to sleep on your side .) According to The National Sleep Foundation , sleeping on your back is the least popular position (only eight percent of people do it) but they agree it's the healthiest option for most people. So lie on your back , open up your postur e and stretch out. It's the best way to wake up feeling refreshed. Video: Night owl? Science says bosses shouldn't force you to be a morning bird (Provided by Buzz60)