It's never too early or too late to safeguard your mind against age-related decline. Here's what you can start doing today. Your brain continues to improve Think your brain is too old to learn new tricks, let alone keep cognitive decline at bay? That's faulty reasoning: Brand-new research featured in the journal Cell: Stem Cell reveals that neurons continue to form in the part of the brain where memories are processed in your 40s, 50s, and even your 90s. 'Your brain health is a lifelong investment,' says Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PhD, PT, Canada research chair in physical activity, mobility, and cognitive neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. 'The more regularly you engage in behaviors that are good for the brain, the more resilient your brain may be in the face of aging and disease.' Click through the gallery above to learn more. Start moving Put that pedometer to use: People who started walking 10,000 steps or more daily in midlife had younger brains about 2.2 years on average than people who didn't exercise, according to research in JAMA Network Open . Plus, getting fit at this age helps guard against depression as a senior, notes a 2018 study . This all occurs, in part, because exercise reduces inflammation and stimulates the release of chemicals that spur the growth of brain cells and blood vessels in the brain. 'It also promotes the sense of well-being, reduces stress, and improves sleep, all of which helps keep the brain healthy,' says Liu-Ambrose. Get greens People who consume approximately one serving of leafy greens a day are cognitively 11 years younger than those who rarely eat them, according to a report in the journal Neurology. Researchers believe lutein, a pigment found in the likes kale and spinach, could be the reason: An earlier report found that lutein helps beef up gray matter in the part of the brain associated with memory. And since the brain stockpiles lutein over your lifespan, the more you eat over a longer period of time, the more your brain benefits. Here's how to know if you're eating enough vegetables . Play Sudoku every day Or do a daily crossword. Both seem to keep minds significantly sharper, according to two recent reports in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Indeed, people who engage in these types of brain games have the problem-solving skills and short-term memory of individuals who are about eight years younger. And for those who favor word puzzles, their problem-solving abilities match those of people a decade younger. Control blood pressure You may know that elevated blood pressure can raise your risk for heart disease and stroke, but having hypertension in your 40s, 50s, and 60s also increases the risk that your mind will suffer later in life, according to the National Institute on Aging. Here are some ways you can start lowering your blood pressure today. Protect your sleep 'If you want your brain to age well, prioritize good sleep now,' says W. Chris Winter, MD, author of The Sleep Solution. Deep, restorative sleep is essential for producing growth hormone, which studies show helps preserve healthy brain processes like memory and alertness. In addition, our brains are programmed to get rid of waste, like the amino acid beta-amyloid, while we sleep. If we don't sleep well, that waste accumulates. 'A buildup of beta-amyloid is the main component of Alzheimer's plaques,' says Dr. Winter. For help getting optimal Zzs, here are 13 top tips from sleep docs. Sip smart Cheers! Moderate wine-drinking may quell brain inflammation and help the brain remove toxins, notes a 2018 study in the journal Scientific Reports . 'That's not to say people who don't drink should or need to start,' says Julie Andrews, RDN, author of The MIND Diet Plan & Cookbook . While light to moderate alcohol consumption increases the waste-removal function, higher alcohol intake impairs the same function, thus increasing inflammation. 'If you already imbibe, dial back your own consumption to one 5-ounce glass of wine a day for brain health,' she says. Avoid processed foods Filling your belly with processed foods activates immune-like cells, called glial cells, in the brain. 'This can lead to low-grade inflammation, which is a factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease,' says Emeran A. Mayer, MD, PhD, author of The Mind-Gut Connection. Moreover, a 2015 study found that a diet high in processed foods leads to a decrease in brain tissue, and that may contribute to dementia. Even if you've been a fast- and packaged-food fan your whole life, 'small healthy tweaks now can add up,' says Andrews. 'It's never too late to improve your diet to reduce your risk of developing dementia.' Check out 9 more reasons to quit processed foods today. Keep friendships strong Schedule a brunch date, walks, or plan to regularly check in with your friends, says Joel Salinas, MD, an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. 'Maintaining emotional support promotes activity in specific brain circuits that lead to the production of BDNF, a molecule that's critical for brain cell repair and the creation of new connections.' Dr. Salinas' 2017 study found that a dwindling social circle can reduce BDNF levels, which can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 'As we age, it's common for social networks to shrink, making it very important to foster what we already have,' he says. Learn 10 surprising ways to make new friends. Become a berry fan 'Berries are one of the hallmark foods of a brain-healthy diet, in part because they contain antioxidants that fight off oxidative stress,' says Andrews. Oxidative stress greatly contributes to the decline of the brain-protective omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA. 'Even consuming a few servings of berries a week can make a big impact on preserving DHA and brain function in general,' she says. In fact, enjoying just two or more helpings of blueberries or strawberries weekly can delay memory decline by two and a half years, according to research in the journal the Annals of Neurology . Learn to meditate When researchers tested the brains of 50-year-old meditators, they discovered the meditator's minds were about 7.5 years younger on average compared to people who didn't practice meditation, according to a study published in the journal NeuroImage. Even better: Every year past the age of 50 that people meditated shaved an additional one month and 22 days off the age of their brain. The researchers theorize that the mental energy required to meditate induces neural nerve cell production and the formation of synapses. Here are 8 mini-meditations that can get you started right away . Add more fish to the menu The omega-3 fatty acid called DHA seems to help keep your brain functioning normally and efficiently. 'The thing is, your body can't produce it on its own, so you must consume it,' says Andrews. 'And fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna, and sardines are brimming with DHA.' That helps explain why research has found that eating just one serving of fish a week can improve thinking skills something that even holds true for people at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Check out this guide to the best fish for your diet. Ward off diabetes People with prediabetes and diabetes tend to have worse long-term memory and more trouble problem-solving compared to those with normal blood sugar, according to a large-scale 2018 study . However, researchers note that when patients and their doctors take steps to delay and control diabetes, their brains tend to do better. Here are the steps you can take to avoid letting prediabetes slip into full-blown diabetes . Eat these nuts While all nuts are considered brain food, walnuts are especially beneficial because they're packed with the healthy omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Some ALA is converted to the omega-3 DHA. 'DHA is the most abundant fat in the brain, so consumption is very important for preserving brain function,' says Andrews. As a matter of fact, regularly eating walnuts is linked to quicker thinking, mental flexibility, and better memory, according to a 2014 study in The Journal of Nutrition. Not a walnut fan? Researchers found that people who are 55 and older who eat more than 10 grams (about two teaspoons) of nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, or peanuts daily have much sharper minds. Learn which nuts are the healthiest you can eat. Tame stress Stress itself isn't the issue it's how you react to it: A recent study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that people who react to stressful events with negativity experience worse mental focus and cognitive health than those who take stressful situations more in stride. If you fall on the negative side, start finding ways to alter your stress response now. Researchers found that people who overreact to stress as they get older (in their 70s and beyond) perform the worst on cognitive tests. To help get you to a more zen place, try one or all of these quick stress-busting strategies. Learn a new skill A 2014 study found that for people over 60, engaging in creative endeavors like painting classes or learning an instrument greatly improved their recall and processing speed. Researchers speculate that participating in these types of activities shore up the brain's defenses. But there's no reason to wait till your 60 to learn something new: According to the American Psychological Association , the amount of white matter a mix of nerve fibers and their protective covering in your brain keeps increasing until about age 50; that makes mid-life prime time for brain-building. Now, add in these genius habits into your lifestyle that your 80-year-old brain will thank you for.


Aside from running a country and systematically silencing dissent while destroying democracy, Russian president Vladimir Putin fancies himself a hockey player. While we may never know good of a hockey player he is, as no one who values their life would dare play aggressive defense, we know he isn't the smoothest guy on the ice, as evidenced by him completely biting it when he skated over some carpet. Sliding into the weekend like Putin on carpet...wait for it pic.twitter.com/FF6QdVztFr   Busted Coverage (@bustedcoverage) May 10, 2019 In case you don't know, Vlad, you can't skate over carpet like you can ice. Putin just came off of a "dominant" performance where he "scored" eight goals in an annual exhibition match that pits Russian politicians against a team of guys who were terrified to be thrown into a gulag or Siberian work camp, including two former NHL players. Vladimir Putin Scores 8 Goals in Russian Hockey Game Against Terrified Opponents https://t.co/lugBFkhKBu   TMZ (@TMZ) May 10, 2019 Something tells me a 66-year-old man shouldn't be able to score against two former pro athletes, but maybe Putin is secretly Wayne Gretzky. Or it's fixed, one of the two. Related slideshow: Best of 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs (provided by imagn)


LOS ANGELES (AP) Hyun-Jin Ryu has been dominant for the Dodgers since the start of last season. His latest gem nearly topped them all. The left-hander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and Corey Seager hit a grand slam as Los Angeles blanked the Washington Nationals 6-0 on Sunday to split a four-game series that featured three shutouts. Gerardo Parra doubled with one out in the eighth for Washington's only hit. ''The past couple games I have been in a good rhythm,'' Ryu said through a translator. ''I just try to use their weakness, be aggressive and attack the zone. I don't think about having no-hit stuff. It was about executing the game plan.'' Ryu (5-1) struck out nine in eight innings and threw a career-high 116 pitches, 79 for strikes. He fired a four-hit shutout in his previous start Tuesday against Atlanta. It was the second time Ryu carried a no-hitter into the eighth at Dodger Stadium. He held Cincinnati hitless in 2014 until Todd Frazier led off the eighth with a double. ''To watch him work as a technician, it was masterful. He wasn't stressed at all,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Ryu has tossed 25 straight scoreless innings and is 12-4 with a major league-leading 1.71 ERA since April 10, 2018. Opponents are batting .205 against him during that span. As stingy as those numbers are, Ryu is even better at Dodger Stadium - going 7-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his last seven home starts. Seager, who drove in five runs, said he tried not to think about Ryu possibly closing in on a no-hitter, but it started to creep into his mind in the latter innings. ''Regardless, he was really special. Command, speed changes - he mixed it up and those guys were off balance,'' Seager said. Parra, who signed with Washington on Thursday, played Dodgers spoiler again. After hitting a grand slam Saturday night, he broke up Ryu's no-hit bid a day later. Parra drove Ryu's 105th pitch deep to left-center, where it bounced on the warning track and over the wall for a ground-rule double that ended up being Washington's only hit of the day. Besides that, the lone Nationals baserunner was Brian Dozier, who walked with one out in the fourth. That was Ryu's first walk at home in 59 1/3 innings. ''He used both sides of the plate and we couldn't get anything going,'' Washington manager Dave Martinez said. Seager broke the game open in the eighth with his second career slam on a fastball from Kyle Barraclough. Seager also had a sacrifice fly in the second that scored Cody Bellinger with the first run. Stephen Strasburg (3-3) didn't allow a hit until Justin Turner singled with one out in the fourth. He scored on Alex Verdugo's grounder. The right-hander yielded two runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out seven, marking the eighth time in nine starts this season he has fanned seven or more. WEB GEM Bellinger backed Ryu with an outstanding defensive play that preserved the no-hit bid in the sixth. Strasburg appeared to hit a line-drive single to right field, but Bellinger grabbed the ball on one hop and fired to first base in time to get Strasburg. ''I was just playing really shallow with Strasburg hitting. If there was a line drive at me, I was going to try to get one just because that's the only opportunity you have usually, with the pitcher. It's the perfect opportunity for it,'' Bellinger said. Washington challenged the call, but it stood after a replay review. Bellinger said when he originally watched the replay on the scoreboard, he thought Strasburg was safe. NOT TODAY The Nationals have not been no-hit since the franchise moved from Montreal to Washington in 2005, a span of 2,306 games. The last no-hitter against the club came on July 18, 1999, when David Cone pitched a perfect game for the Yankees against the Expos. STAY HOT Bellinger had three hits to raise his NL-leading batting average to .407. It was his 18th multihit game of the season. Bellinger is the first Dodgers player to carry a .400 batting average through 173 plate appearances in a season since Jackie Robinson in 1951. Robinson was at .400 through 190 plate appearances. TRAINER'S ROOM Nationals: INF Howie Kendrick was kept out of the lineup due to a stiff neck that has bothered him the past couple of days. ... SS Trea Turner (broken right index finger) did some light tossing before the game, but there is no timetable for his return. Dodgers: LHP Scott Alexander has been dealing with a sore left hip. He faced one batter Saturday and allowed a hit. UP NEXT Nationals: Start a six-game homestand Tuesday against the NL East rival Mets. RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 5.52 ERA) went 1-0 in two starts versus New York last season. Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.31 ERA) makes his 36th career start Tuesday against San Diego to open a two-game series. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Washington coach Jay Gruden said he doesn't have an official diagnosis for the injury linebacker Reuben Foster suffered at practice today, but it doesn't sound good. "He wouldn't be laying down unless something was wrong. We'll hope for the best right now until we get the results, but very concerning for sure," Gruden said after OTAs. "I'll just have to wait and see before I get too emotional about it." Gruden said the team would have an update after Foster gets some medical tests done. "He's going to get his MRI," Gruden said. "We don't have any information right now. He just ran through a gap, stepped on [guard Tyler] Catalina's foot and landed funny on his left leg." Foster was just minutes into his first practice with the team when he suffered the injury. He was acquired in November after he was released by the 49ers following a domestic violence arrest, but he wasn't cleared to practice and play with the team until this spring, when charges against him were dropped.


What is it that captivates about derelict classic cars? Is it the thrill of bringing back a rusty hunk of metal from the very edge of the scrap yard, costs be damned? If that's the core of the public fascination with so-called barn finds, this 1961 Maserati 5000 GT may be the perfect such project car. Today, it's rare for a wealthy customer to not only have a hand in developing custom bodywork for a contemporary supercar, but also to help develop a whole new model altogether. But that's exactly what happened in mid-20th-century Italy with the Maserati 5000 GT. At the time, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was what most of us aspire to be a died-in-the-wool car enthusiast with virtually unlimited spending power. When he approached Maserati about building a car for the street that used the 5.0-liter V-8 engine from one of the brand's 450S race cars, Maserati was only too happy to comply. Maserati's chief engineer at the time, Giulio Alfieri ( for whom the Maserati Alfieri was named ), began with a Maserati 3500 GT coupe chassis and reinforced it to be able to handle the significant increase in horsepower that it would be asked to endure. The 3500 GT normally came with a 3.5-liter straight-six engine making either 217 or 232 horsepower depending on specification, but the 5000 GT's V-8 would produce 325 horses in early spec. By November 1959, the resulting car debuted at the Turin auto show, and buoyed by the response, Maserati decided to do a small production run for its wealthiest clientele at some $17,000 each double the price of the 3500 GT and the equivalent of $150,000 today. At the end of production in 1965, 34 5000 GTs had been built in total and owners included American race-car builder and racer Briggs Cunningham along with Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli. The car that RM Sotheby's is auctioning in Monterey is the 18th 5000 GT, and was finished in July 1961. By now the V-8's output was up to 340 horsepower courtesy of fuel injection and a very small displacement increase (still 5.0 liters when rounded), while disc brakes were fitted at all four corners. Ordered new by Ferdinando Innocenti, the wealthy founder of Lambretta scooters in Italy, this car remains the only 5000 GT to have been bodied by Ghia. Alas, by the 1970s and after spending time with various Italian owners, the 5000 GT ended up in Saudi Arabia where it was left in outdoors and gradually decayed. When its most recent owner passed, his heirs brought the car inside to save it from degrading further, and just in time: It had already been marked as abandoned by Saudi authorities (that's the spray paint on the passenger door) and would soon have been scrapped. According to RM Sotheby's, the 5000 GT has some remaining sections of its original silver paint, as it originally came from Maserati, along with its unused spare tire and original pencil drawings by Ghia craftsmen on the inside of the driver's door. With just over 15,000 kilometers (9,300 miles) on the odometer, it's fair to say this once exotic Maserati has spent far more time sitting than being driven. As evidenced by the photos, it's also fair to say the car will need a lot of everything from mechanical work to structural repair to cosmetic surgery, but when it's finished the owner will no doubt be receiving invites to many of the world's most prestigious concours events. Of course, the total outlay will likely double the pre-sale estimate of $500,000 to $700,000 by the time this Maserati sees the road again. With a possible restored value in excess of $1 million based on previous 5000 GT sales, the new owner just might come out ahead depending on how well the car is bought.


Looking to uncover all that Spring Branch East has to offer? Get to know this Houston neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a ramen spot to an Asian fusion eatery. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Spring Branch East, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Tamashi Ramen and Sushi Topping the list is sushi bar Tamashi Ramen and Sushi , which offers ramen and more. Located at 1106 Silber Road, Suite D1, it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 359 reviews on Yelp. This is the third location for this local franchise. Menu standouts include the Tonkotsu ramen, the sushi platter (six pieces of sushi and salmon roll) and the Shaggy Dog roll (shrimp tempura, avocado, crab meat, spicy mayo). 2. Karbach Brewing Company Next up is brewery and venues and event space Karbach Brewing Company , situated at 2032 Karbach St. With four stars out of 755 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The restaurant serves up small pub bites like poutine, crab cakes and mac & cheese, as well as entrees like burgers, pizza and tacos. Head to the biergarten (with seating on the large, dog-friendly patio) to sample mainstay, specialty and seasonal ales. The brewery also offers daily tours of the areas of production. 3. Maine-ly Sandwiches Maine-ly Sandwiches , a spot to score sandwiches and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 7620 Katy Freeway, Suite 225, four stars out of 681 reviews. This East-Texas spot offers New England-themed soups salads, sides and sandwiches. It's the local franchise's third Houston-area location. The most popular item on the menu is the lobster roll, served with mayo on a butter toasted roll. Other favorites include fried clams and homemade mac & cheese. 4. BuffBurger Check out BuffBurger , which has earned four stars out of 422 reviews on Yelp. You can find the spot to score burgers and more at 1014 Wirt Road, Suite 220. This Houston-based franchise has two other locations around the city. The menu offers burgers made from locally-sourced ingredients. Look for the blue cheese burger (Point Reyes blue cheese, caramelized red onion chutney, house smoked bacon and arugula) and the Brit (mango chutney, cheddar, bacon, arugula and curry mayo.) The restaurant also serves up salads and sides like truffle fries. 5. EurAsia Fusion Sushi Finally, there's EurAsia Fusion Sushi , a local favorite with four stars out of 357 reviews. Stop by 1330 Wirt Road, Suite B, to hit up the sushi bar and Asian fusion and Japanese spot next time you're in the neighborhood. The large menu includes salad, soup, beef, pasta and sushi. It even has a Texas maki section, with specialty rolls like the Houston roll (shrimp tempura, avocado and crab meat topped with crab stick, bacon, spicy mayo, eel and Sriracha with yuzu sauce). 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.


Cornerback Joe Haden has played nine NFL seasons. He has played one playoff game. That came in 2017 when the Steelers lost to the Jaguars in the divisional round. The Browns were 29-83 in his seven seasons there. "Every year I was here, I always felt like 'this is going to be the year.' No matter who the quarterback was, we were like, ' he's good enough to be a professional quarterback, he can make it happen for us,'" Haden said, via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. "I'm not in any way upset, but like I'm like 'damn, if I was there, that sure would've been sweet.'" The Browns opened as the favorite to win the AFC North. They have not won their division since 1989, but John Dorsey's makeover has the Browns with an improved roster and seemingly built to contend for the long haul. "Obviously with talent coming to the team, everybody understands how good they can be," Haden said. "You all got to put it together, but with Baker [Mayfield] being a young quarterback, Odell [Beckham], Jarvis [Landry], bringing great defensive pieces, Myles [Garrett], it's talent. It speaks for itself. On paper, it looks amazing. So that's the thing, just making sure that they stay together and work together as a team. That's going to be one of the biggest things. But as far as outside looking in, it looks amazing for sure." The Steelers, though, aren't conceding the division. When you have a quarterback, you have a chance, Haden said, pointing to Ben Roethlisberger as the reason the Steelers like their chances.


Newark will see a return of last week's light rainfall through Thursday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Wednesday should see the most rain, with a predicted accumulation of 0.69 inches. The next few days will also bring warm temperatures, forecast to stick around through Tuesday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 86 degrees on Wednesday. Skies will partially clear on Friday, remaining partly cloudy through Monday. Winds will continue to be light over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Friday at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Impatience has become the hallmark of this iteration of the next generation in professional golf, represented by a trio of players determined to prove that the future already has arrived. Collin Morikawa, 22, emphasized the point previously made by Matthew Wolff by birdieing the final three holes at Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno to win the Barracuda Championship in only his sixth start as a professional. Victory was still a few minutes away in this tournament that employs a modified Stableford scoring system and Troy Merritt had an eagle chip at 18 that had he made it would have won the tournament, but it slid past the hole. "Speechless," Morikawa said, explaining his reaction. "My heart was beating really fast. To be in that position is something I wanted to do all summer." He was asked what this victory that gives him a two-year PGA Tour exemption does for him looking ahead. He could have been speaking for the threesome that also includes Viktor Hovland. "I think the gates are open," he said. Morikawa turned professional in June, at the conclusion of his college season at Cal-Berkeley, and made the cut in each of his six starts. He tied for second in the inaugural 3M Open, losing only when the 20-year-old Wolff holed an eagle putt from off the green to win in his third start as a professional. Morikawa followed with a tie for fourth in the John Deere Classic in his next start, then won in Reno. RELATED: Matthew Wolff, all of 20, lives up to the hype with a 'life-changing' victory at the 3M Open Hovland, meanwhile, is the reigning U.S. Amateur champion who must wonder when his time will come. Only 21, Hovland tied for 12th in the U.S. Open, turned pro and has made the cut in each of his four PGA Tour starts and finished in the top 20 in the latter three of them. Wolff and Morikawa headline this remarkable threesome by virtue of their victories that together have allowed them to accomplish something never before done on the PGA Tour. For the first time, two college players earned PGA Tour cards in the same year without having to endure PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour qualifying. Morikawa was hovering a few points off the lead for much of the day, then elevated his game over the final five holes. He birdied the 14th by making a seven-foot putt, birdied the par-3 16th with a 237-yard 6-iron to the front fringe, then holing a 10-foot putt. On the par-4 17th, he holed a 29-foot birdie putt that gave him the lead. "When I hit it it was definitely firm, but I knew it was a good putt," he said. "I knew when I hit it was dead center. It felt good to make that putt, but obviously it wasn't over. I knew I had business to do on 18 and I hit three good shots and was able to tap in for a birdie." He won with a score of +47, three more than Merritt, the 54-hole leader. "I've been knocking on the door the past month or so and the game's felt really good," Morikawa said. "I think when I got to hole 13, the par-5, I kind of got out of my rhythm. I didn't trust my shots, and I knew I was still in it. It took me a couple holes, but once I got to 16 I hit a really good shot. Just believed in myself and was able to hit some good shots and come through." Coming through, that too is the hallmark of this, the next generation.


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)   The Illinois General Assembly commenced its spring session in January with a bold directive from new Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a balanced budget, legalized marijuana and sports betting, a revamped income tax system, and a multibillion-dollar state construction program. It enters its final week with most of that work uncompleted. It's nothing new. Illinois lawmakers, whose scheduled adjournment is May 31, invariably push their heaviest work off to the closing hours. Once, faced with a midnight end-of-session deadline on a key vote, a Capitol wall clock was stopped so that the vote could be recorded before both hands hit "12." Here's a look at the workload: BALANCED BUDGET Pritzker proposed in February a $39 billion spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1. With billions of dollars of debt serving as the aftershock to a 2015-2017 budget deadlock between Democrats who control the General Assembly and Pritzker's Republican predecessor, the incoming executive called for financial stability and new tax revenue to pay old bills and chase rising costs. Republicans say the new taxes are unnecessary and would simply fuel runaway spending. An unexpected $1.5 billion increase in April income tax revenue apparently took care of a deficit in the current budget and relieved the need for Pritzker to pursue a plan to delay some of next year's required payments to pension systems. Republicans contend that the "April surprise" and estimated increases in next year's revenue eliminate the need for any new taxes. Pritzker's plan for the 2020 fiscal year still banks on $212 million from sports gambling and $170 million in licensing fees for nascent recreational marijuana growers and retailers. Legalizing those two industries are on the list of issues awaiting action. GRADUATED INCOME TAX The governor campaigned on amending the Constitution to replace the state's flat-rate income tax   currently 4.95%   with a graduated ladder to hit wealthy taxpayers harder. He promises it will generate $3 billion more annually while most taxpayers would not pay more. The Senate this month approved the constitutional amendment , which would need voter approval in November 2020, and proposed graduated rates for the new system, but the House has yet to take up either measure. The three-fifths majority vote required by the House isn't needed for a year   ballot questions must be finalized six months prior to an election   but Pritzker says he wants it done now to give voters plenty of time to consider its impact. STATE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM Pritzker has outlined a preliminary plan for a six-year, $41.5 billion state construction program to fix and build roads, bridges, mass transit, schools and other public works. It calls for a panoply of new and increased taxes, such as doubling the gas tax to 38 cents per gallon and vehicle registration fees for the newest cars to $199 a year. Critics fear that while revenue would be enough for "horizontal" road and bridge work, proposed sources for "vertical" projects including schools, recreational facilities and sewer plants are insufficient. And the unpopularity of the taxes, such as on ride-share trips and cable, satellite and video streaming services, make approval dicey. A key Senate Republican advises reviving a proposal to expand casino gambling to shore up financing. SPORTS BETTING There's been no shortage of discussion about a proposal to legalize sports betting after the U.S. Supreme Court OK'd it outside of Nevada in a ruling last year. Legislators have heard hours of testimony on the proposal, but a final plan has yet to appear. A proposal for expanding existing gambling, likely featuring added casinos in places such as Chicago and its south suburbs, Rockford and Danville and expanding table games at horse racing racks, could be revived Monday. RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA Legalizing adult use of marijuana was another Pritzker campaign pledge and he detailed a plan this month . But it's been a slow go, with House members urging proponents to slow down, frustrating Democratic sponsors who have publicly worked on the issue for years, and pushback from law enforcement over a provision to allow people to cultivate small amounts of cannabis at home. A plan to limit home-grow to the 65,000 medical-marijuana program patients has yet to be filed.


Start your day off right with some pictures of adorable pups near you! There are dozens of puppies up for adoption right here in Charlotte. Hoodline partnered with Petfinder , an online adoption site that lists "more than 315,000 adoptable pets from nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups" to bring you this roundup of puppies near you. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Charlotte, Australian shepherd and Australian cattle dog mix Charlotte is a charming female Australian shepherd and Australian cattle dog puppy in the care of the Animal Adoption League . Charlotte is vaccinated. Fear not: She is already house-trained. Notes from Charlotte's caretakers: Yes, she is gorgeous and her blue eyes are beautiful...but please read up on these breeds' characteristics before submitting an application. Both breeds are working dogs and they need tons of physical exercise and mental stimulation. Read more about Charlotte on Petfinder . Kit, pit bull terrier mix Kit is a winsome female pit bull terrier puppy being kept at South Of The Bully Rescue . Kit gets along well with other dogs and cats. Kit will do best in a home without small children. She has all of her shots. Kit's current caretakers say: Kit is a gorgeous, chocolate baby girl who is just about 3 months old. Read more about how to adopt Kit on Petfinder . Wyatt, German shepherd mix Wyatt is a male German shepherd puppy being cared for at North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue . Wyatt is eager to make friends   he gets along well with children, cats or dogs. No need to worry: He's already house-trained. From Wyatt's current caretaker: Super fun, always up for an adventure and he loves to cuddle, too. Wyatt and his brother, Jackson are adorable 4 month old puppies. Apply to adopt Wyatt today at Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Unai Emery has revealed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was desperate to play against Burnley so he could challenge for the Golden Boot before their 3-1 victory on Sunday. The Gunners ended their Premier League campaign with victory at Turf Moor, a victory made sweeter after Aubameyang scored a brace which saw him share the award with Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Although the win had no effect on where his side finished in the league table, Emery revealed his delight at how his team came together to help the striker win the coveted award.  @Aubameyang7 pic.twitter.com/68ZiUs0Kwu   Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 12, 2019 Speaking to BBC Sport as quoted by Metro , the Arsenal boss explained the 29-year-old was eager to catch Salah , who was two goals ahead of him at the start of the day. He revealed: " Yes [that was] another target also. "We spoke yesterday and he wanted to play today for this opportunity and the team, every player, also were with this commitment to help him if we can. "We are really very pleased for him that he reached his target and today I think today we can be happy with him." Eddie Nketiah also managed to get on the score sheet after coming on as a substitute in the second half to replace fellow youngster Joe Willock and Emery went on to stress the importance of giving youth a chance during his post match press conference. As quoted by the Islington Gazette , he said: "We need to use the young players. Aaron Ramsey started playing here when he was young and every player can first take chances and after use these chances to get improvement to be with us. "Today for example Willock and Eddie Nketiah played 60 mins and 30 mins and used the match to help us with a good match for both. Our responsibility is to give them chances and find the best performance as a team. "Young players at Arsenal in the past and present need to have the opportunity to be with us everyday in training and after they can show us if they can play with us in matches."


NASHVILLE   Logan Ryan has a daughter. Kevin Byard has one on the way. That's left both members of the Titans' secondary even more susceptible to the inspiring efforts of Toni Harris and what she's doing for women in football . So much so that they were compelled to act. Ryan, a cornerback, and Byard, a safety, paid a portion of the funeral costs for Harris' mother, who passed away last week. Football truly is family. 🙏 @ToniHarris | @KB31_Era | @RealLoganRyan | @Titans pic.twitter.com/tBmXGAteI5   NFL (@NFL) May 16, 2019 Harris, 22, is the first female to receive a full college scholarship for football as a non-specialist. In February, she signed a letter of intent to play safety for Missouri's Central Methodist University, which participates in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Harris has stated that her goal is to become the first female NFL player. Harris, along with 16-year-old Sam Gordon, another young pioneer for women in football who in 2017 won the NFL's game-changer award , connected with Ryan and Byard last month during NFL Draft week in Nashville. The Checkdown, an NFL-affiliated social media platform with over 277,000 followers on Twitter, contacted the Titans about bringing Harris and Gordon to the team facility. "So me and Logan volunteered to show them around our meeting rooms, locker room and practice fields," Byard said. "We had a little film session and a small workout with them as well." "I'll let my daughter play football if she wants." 💯 We brought @Sam_Gordon6 and @ToniHarris to the Titans facility to work out with @KB31_Era and @RealLoganRyan . pic.twitter.com/r05nARmFhD   The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) May 15, 2019 Not long after their meetup, Ryan saw on Harris' social media that her mother had passed away. In a GoFundMe campaign created by Harris to help pay for the funeral costs, she explained that her mother died from severe injuries in a car accident. Ryan reached out to Byard about it. "We thought it would be cool to pay the remaining balance she needed for the funeral," Byard said. "For a young lady in her position that's about to embark on a journey that no woman has before, I can only imagine what's she going through losing her mother. We just wanted to give her some comfort to let her know that we're rooting for her and God has a plan for her. Tough times don't last, tough women do." Byard recently shared a gender-reveal video to announce he and his wife, Clarke, were having a daughter. Ryan and his wife, Ashley, have two young children, a son and daughter. "People always ask me, 'Are you going to let your son play football?'" Ryan said to Harris and Gordon in a video posted by The Checkdown on Twitter. "Well, first of all, I'll let my daughter play football if she wants. I think you guys are a true testament of that." On Thursday, the NFL posted on Twitter a photo of the foursome at the Titans facility along with a message that shared Byard and Ryan's intent to pay for a portion of Harris' mother's funeral. "Couldn't be more grateful for these two," Harris tweeted above the photo. "Always gonna be apart of my family!" Couldn't be more grateful for these two. Always gonna be apart of my family ! ❤ https://t.co/21tKjzRGHS   Toni Harris ✨ (@ToniHarris) May 16, 2019 For someone so inspiring, Byard said lending a hand was something he and Ryan felt strongly about. "(Harris and Gordon) are most definitely inspiring a generation of young ladies who believe that no matter what, if you set your mind on a goal and you truly believe in it no matter how many people say you can't do it or you shouldn't do it, you can achieve great things," Byard said. "Logan has a daughter and I have one on the way in September. That's the kind of mentality that we want for our daughters." More: Detroit woman wants to play in NFL. Here's why you shouldn't doubt her Reach Erik Bacharach at ebacharach@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ErikBacharach. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2 NFL players help pay funeral costs for mother of Toni Harris


Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, called out Republicans for what he described as moral hypocrisy during the second night of the first Democratic presidential debates, in Miami. The conversation had turned to the border, where Donald Trump's administration has continued to separate families seeking asylum and is detaining children in facilities reportedly without soap or toothbrushes or showers. "For a party that associates itself with Christianity, to say that … God would smile on the division of families at the hands of federal agents, that God would condone putting children in cages," Buttigieg said, "has lost all claim to ever use religious language again." Under Trump, conservative Christianity has come to be singularly associated with the president. White evangelical voters brought him to the White House and continue to give his administration high approval ratings. White Catholics were arguably the swing voters who gave Trump his 2016 victories in states such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And Trump has leaned into this image as the ultimate president for religious voters. When he took office, "Americans of faith were under assault," Trump recently told evangelicals at the Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual conference. "The shameful attempt to suppress religious believers ended the day I took the oath of office." Slideshow by photo services On the debate stage, Buttigieg gave voice to a view that has become common among Democratic voters: Many of Trump's policies, along with his conduct as president, do not reflect Christian values. "The Republican Party likes to cloak itself in the language of religion," Buttigieg said. "We should call out hypocrisy when we see it." This has been a theme throughout Buttigieg's campaign. The mayor has spoken openly about his religious faith and rallied religious rhetoric to his advantage: This spring, he called out Mike Pence for his opposition to same-sex marriage, saying , "Your quarrel, sir, it is with my creator." This is a departure from the usual playbook for the Democratic Party. As Buttigieg himself pointed out, "Our party doesn't talk about [religion] as much." The reason for this, he said, is that Democrats are committed to the separation of Church and state, and that the party wants to stand for all people, regardless of their religion. But it may also be a reflection of the growing irreligiosity of the Democratic base: The party's most politically engaged voters tend not to be affiliated with any particular faith. Buttigieg's knack for speaking in the language of God makes him exceptional within his generation, but it may also be a strength in reaching the swing voters and voters of color whom Democrats so badly need. Of all the candidates onstage, he spoke most directly to the anger that many Americans seem to feel at the way religion has been co-opted by the Trump administration, at odds with the faith they deeply hold .


Suzuki rider Alex Rins' current "strongest point" is the lack of pressure to compete out front in MotoGP week in, week out, according to rival Marc Marquez. Rins, who has posted 11 consecutive top-six finishes in MotoGP and claimed his maiden win earlier this year in Austin, sits second in the current riders' standings, just one point behind Honda rider Marquez. Reigning champion Marquez has repeatedly spotlighted Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso as the biggest threat to his title defence, but acknowledges Rins and Suzuki can also be a factor. "I already say in Malaysia [pre-season] test that Alex will be there, because he finish in a good way the [2018] season, he start in a good way this season, he was riding in a very good way in the pre-season. "His strongest point is that he don't have pressure at the moment. For sure it will arrive. "It's true. At the moment if he finishes second, he's very happy; he finishes first, [it] is amazing; he finishes third, also he's happy. "Now is another opponent for the championship, he's ready to fight for the championship and the bike too, this is important also and it's important for the championship to have more manufacturers fighting for the title." While he has been in a rich run of form, qualifying remains a weakness for Rins, who is yet to line up higher than seventh on the grid in the first four races of 2019. "Yes, still we need to work more hard on qualifying," he acknowledged after charging from ninth to second in the Jerez race. "I would like to start always better but it's hard, this is MotoGP, trying to do a very fast lap, it's hard, but anyway I will try to improve, I will try to keep the same line. "Sincerely I don't know [what the cause is]. As I said before, we need to improve on the braking area - maybe on qualifying, if we improve this thing, maybe comes easier. "But the problem exactly I don't know. I try, I try to put the bike on the limit, but sincerely I don't know where is the problem." However, Rins didn't do any qualifying-specific work in the post-Spanish GP test day at Jerez, instead exploring solutions to make his pace even more consistent. "I don't put any soft tyre, we just keep focused on the rhythm, we try different swingarm, a lot of things on the electronic area," Rins said. "I'm quite happy, because sincerely lap by lap I did very constant [pace], was easy." Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP Photo by: Gold and Goose / LAT Images


As the crowded field of 2020 presidential candidates attempt to tackle criminal justice reform, their approaches are as varied and complicated as the problems. There's talk of decriminalizing marijuana, improving the training of American police officers and limiting the workload of full-time public defenders. Earlier this month, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro released a multi-tiered plan to reform police across the nation. When he teased the "People First Policing Plan," at the MoveOn #BigIdeas forum in San Francisco, he received a standing ovation when he referenced the arrest of Dylann Roof, who killed nine African Americans at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He was unharmed by police during his arrest, "as he should be," Castro said. (MORE: 2020 candidates double down on Iowa, increase staffing in Hawkeye State) "He murdered nine people while they were worshiping and then a couple of hours later, he was apprehended by police without incident," Castro said. "But it made me think then what about Eric Garner ? And what about Philando Castile ?" His sweeping police reform plan, which sets nationwide standards for police conduct, would require officers to exhaust all non-lethal options for subduing suspects before lethal measures are used. Another tenet of Castro's plan is to increase transparency across police departments by obligating them to report incidents of injury caused by weapon discharges or arrests. Along with the creation of a national database where cases of police decertification can be tracked, a Castro administration would investigate all cases of officer involved shootings across the nation. Following a speech at the California Democratic State Party Convention on Sunday, Castro commended police departments that are "doing good work investing in community policing, getting to know people in neighborhoods that oftentimes have been overpoliced and targeted." Castro's plan also lays out the potential for federal funding for police departments to be cut if they don't adhere to his policy. "This is not a case of a few bad apples " Castro said in a news release. "The system is broken." (MORE: 2020 Democrats flock to Iowa's Pride Fest amid heightened focus on LGBTQ rights) While Castro's hard-line stance on police addresses one aspect of the criminal justice system, others have proposed changes to the nation's sentencing laws and addressing laws that disproportionately affect people of color. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., has carved out a lane for himself as a strong advocate of criminal justice reform. In 2018, he co-sponsored the " First Step Act ," a bipartisan bill that aims to reduce the rates of recidivism for federal prisoners by expanding early-release programs. The bill modified the "three-strikes" sentencing penalty -- established in the 1994 crime bill -- from life in prison to 25 years for people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on December. In March, a month after Booker announced his run for president, he introduced the follow-up bill called, "The Next Step Act," which aims to expunge the records of nonviolent drug offenders and includes provisions to legalize marijuana at the federal level. While most 2020 candidates agree that marijuana should be decriminalized, and in some cases legalized, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., became the first candidate to propose a plan to monetize and build an economy around recreational marijuana in addition to tackling the criminal justice aspect to the drug. Gillibrand proposes legalizing marijuana for recreational use for adults and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana products. The revenue from the tax would be put into a trust fund that would support programs for communities most affected by hardline marijuana laws. Former Vice President Joe Biden has also talked in favor of decriminalizing marijuana and expunging criminal records for possession charges, but thinks each state should decide whether or not to legalize it. (MORE: Biden's key role in 1994 crime bill attacked by both Trump and Democrats) Biden's lukewarm approach to marijuana puts him at odds with other Democratic contenders, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who have each supported sweeping legislation to reform how the criminal justice system deals with the drug. Biden's previous positions on criminal justice reform has made him an outlier on several occasions among other candidates. He has been criticized at length for doubling down on his endorsement of the 1994 crime bill, often credited by those on the left for being a major driving force of mass incarceration in the United States. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act created the "three-strikes" rule , which mandated harsher sentences up to life in prison for defendants who had committed a third felony after being convicted in state or federal court of two previous felonies -- at least one of which was serious or violent. The bill also offered billions of dollars for the construction of new prisons to states that created tougher sentencing laws. At a campaign stop in Nashua, New Hampshire, Biden defended his support of the crime bill. "Folks, let's get something straight," Biden said. "This idea that the crime bill generated mass incarceration, it did not generate mass incarceration." Kara Gotsch, director of Strategic Initiatives at the Sentencing Project told ABC News that there was blame to go around to everyone. "The federal government, in the 1990s, certainly, under the Clinton administration, really prioritized the message of tough on crime," she said. "We had many years, many presidential administrations calling for tough on crime ... all our money went into police, putting more police on the ground, increasing the number of arrests, putting more communities of color, in jeopardy and putting them behind bars ... They have a much louder microphone than the people who are at and the state local level so they do share in the blame for mass incarceration." Booker's plan also calls for an increase of implicit racial bias training for officers, emphasizing deescalation and use-of-force, but he also tackles the "racially-targeted sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences by reducing it from 18:1 to 1:1." (MORE: 1-on-1 with 2020 candidate Beto O'Rourke) Sen. Kamala Harris' career as district attorney of San Francisco and later, California's Attorney General, has come under scrutiny by some on the left. Most notably, her campaign as against truancy as district attorney has been criticized as an attempt to criminalize parents whose children missed more than 30 days of schools. In an April interview on the podcast "Pod Save America," the senator expressed regret for the "unintended consequences" of her tough stance on truancy. "My regret is that I have now heard stories that where, in some jurisdictions, DAs have criminalized the parents," Harris said. "And I regret that that has happened and that, the thought that anything that I did could have led to that, because that certainly was not the intention, was never the intention." But the California senator, who has painted herself as a "progressive prosecutor" has also been an avid critic of mass incarceration and private prisons. "When this country, incarcerates more people than any other country, America must admit it has a problem of mass incarceration," Harris said at a forum hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton. In March, Harris introduced the "Ensuring Quality Access to Legal Defense (EQUAL Defense) Act of 2019. The bill would create a $250 million grant program to fund public defense. It also seeks to limit the workload for full-time public defenders, bridge the pay gap between public defenders and prosecutors within 5 years, and authorize $5 million for non-profit and government organizations to train public defenders. "All too often, our public defenders are overworked and lack sufficient resources. This makes public defense unsustainable over the long haul," Harris said. "And the thing that suffers is the integrity of our system of justice, which is supposed to be based on fairness and equality. It's wrong, and it's the opposite of justice."


Michael Cummins, a Tennessee suspect accused of seven homicides in the small town of Westmoreland, is now being prosecuted for allegedly killing an eighth person whose headless body was discovered by authorities last month. Cummins has been charged in the death of James Fox Dunn Jr., a Nashville-area man who was found dead on April 17, said Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley. Whitley said Dunn's headless body was discovered at a burned cabin outside of Westmoreland and his head was located nearby. Whitley said it is unknown if Dunn was decapitated during the killing or if it was separated by decomposition or another method. The killing is being investigated separately and independently from the previously discovered homicides. It is unclear how authorities have implicated Cummins in Dunn's death. Dunn, 63, was born in Starkville, Mississippi, but grew up in Nashville, where he lived most of his life, according to an obituary published by Austin Funeral & Cremation Services. The obituary states that Dunn "loved animals and the outdoors which is where he felt most at home." Background: Westmoreland was a sleepy Tennessee town. Then horror came. When asked if Dunn's death was linked to the other killings, Whitley said he could only confirm the homicides were connected by the suspect. Other Sumner County law enforcement officials did not respond to requests for comment on the case. Cummins was arrested late last month after authorities found seven bodies at two homes on the outskirts of Westmoreland, a town of about 2,000 people in Sumner County. The bodies were discovered on the weekend of April 27, a full 10 days after Cummins allegedly killed Dunn. The victims included several of Cummins' family members and a 12-year-old girl. Authorities have called the case one of the worst mass killings in state history. Cummins was shot while attempting to evade police and then spent about two weeks in the hospital. He was released into Tennessee Bureau of Investigation custody on Friday, then officially charged with six counts of first-degree murder, one county of criminal homicide, one count of attempt to commit first-degree murder and one count of theft. Charges from the Dunn case are not currently known. Cummins was then transported to be booked at the Sumner County Jail and is being held in a Tennessee Department of Corrections Special Needs Unit, according to a TBI news release. His first court appearance is set for May 29. TBI spokesman Josh Levine said that although the state agency is handling the investigation into the original seven homicides, it is not in charge of the Dunn killing. Kentucky news: Suspect in 2015 triple murder in Western Kentucky arrested Follow Brett Kelman on Twitter: @BrettKelman This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee killings: Michael Cummins charged with 8th homicide


Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron quickly became a major part of the offense both on the field and in the locker room-something that will be expected again in 2019. While Ebron helped a lot of fantasy football managers reach the playoffs and even possibly win a championship, there are many analysts that believe he's set for regression for his second season as a Colt. Among those is Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports, who listed him as a potential bust in fantasy football. "One of the best surprises in 2018 was Ebron, who signed with the Colts as a free agent and turned his career around. He finished the season as the No. 4 Fantasy tight end in PPR, finishing with 110 targets for 66 catches, 750 yards and 14 total touchdowns, which was third in the NFL among all non-quarterbacks behind only Antonio Brown. But regression is coming for Ebron this year. Jack Doyle (hip) should be healthy, and the Colts added two prominent receivers in free agent Devin Funchess and rookie Parris Campbell. Ebron's touchdowns are sure to decline, and the rest of his stat line could also be in trouble. He's still worth selecting as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end, but don't reach for him on Draft Day." There is no denying Ebron was in a perfect situation to produce as a fantasy football option in a brutal tight end landscape in 2018. That same situation is very unlikely to happen again. The return of Doyle and the additions of Campbell and Funchess will certainly have an impact. To go along with that, the Colts are hoping to utilize the run game more in 2019, which will also reduce his targets. This isn't to say Ebron won't be a useable asset in fantasy football. But, it will take some changes to keep him as a top-five option at the position in 2019, especially given how the Colts used him when Doyle was healthy. Ebron is currently being drafted in half-PPR mock drafts as the TE7-and in the middle of the sixth round. That might be a little rich for a player that faces some question marks in 2019. Whether he will be a bust remains to be seen, but Ebron does have a lot of things going against him entering the upcoming season from a fantasy perspective. MORE: Video of Kevin Durant walking to practice predictably gets analyzed by NBA fans Sleeping on Patriots WR Demaryius Thomas would be a huge mistake BOS engaged in potential trade for Clint Capela, deal for Terry Rozier Eagles safety Deiondre' Hall making waves in bid for roster spot Steelers CB Justin Layne checks all the boxes for a shutdown cornerback


American Alison Riske scored the biggest win of her career, topping world No. 1 Ash Barty 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals, 12 days before she gets married. "I couldn't be more proud of myself," Riske said on ESPN. "Just the way that I've been fighting, for me, that is what is most exciting for me. But getting to the last eight at Wimbledon isn't too bad." Riske, unseeded and ranked 55th, handed the Australian Barty her first loss since May. Riske, 29, is into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, where she will play Serena Williams or Carla Suarez Navarro , who play later Monday. Every singles player remaining is in action on Monday, including Novak Djokovic , Roger Federer , Rafael Nadal and 15-year-old Coco Gauff . WIMBLEDON: Scores | Men's Draw | Women's Draw OlympicTalk is on Apple News . Favorite us! Follow @nbcolympictalk


Wheatgrass shots have been around for so long they're often used in parodies of healthy living. But as wellness has grown in popularity, they've been joined by other "health-boosting tonics" that go down in just a few sips. These "wellness shots" are essentially condensed versions of cold-pressed juices or drinking vinegars, and they're meant to provide a quick, easy burst of lots of important nutrients. But can wellness shots really boost your health? First of all, if they're healthy shots like wheatgrass or ginger, there's definitely no harm in drinking them. And depending on the shot, you'll be getting an extra dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, no wellness shot is going to magically transform your health or make up for other poor food choices you make before or after. In other words, apple cider vinegar might have health benefits, but it won't undo the damage of eating sugary processed foods the rest of the day. I recommend eating a whole food diet and thinking of shots like you would a supplement   helpful, but extra. Ready to trade tequila for turmeric? Here are the basic nutrition facts on some of the most popular shots at your local (juice) bar. 1. Apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar contains zero calories and plenty of antioxidants, but most people drink this one for its supposed ability to jump-start weight loss. For apple cider vinegar, many studies have looked at how drinking it affects blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. Essentially, the studies suggest vinegar plays a role in the breaking down of carbohydrates, particularly starches. Over time, that could contribute to weight loss, but it's not a direct correlation and there are many other factors that would affect whether or not that happens. 2. Ginger Ginger is great for digestion, so if you have stomach issues like bloating , this could be the one for you. It also contains powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect your body from chronic diseases while also contributing to skin health. And a bonus for women: Studies have shown it may help with menstrual pain. If shots aren't your thing or you want more ways to drink it up, make a refreshing strawberry ginger limeade in the summer or a warm ginger cinnamon hot chocolate in the winter. 3. Turmeric Turmeric has a reputation as a miracle spice because it's filled with curcumin, a compound that acts as a powerful antioxidant to fight free radicals while at the same time lowering levels of enzymes that cause inflammation. That's no joke, considering inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases. Another genius way to drink turmeric? Try a yummy latte . Health & Wellness 4. Wheatgrass Like microgreens, wheatgrass is touted as a nutrient-dense plant because of it's small, young status. And in addition to chlorophyll, it is high in many beneficial nutrients, like vitamins A, C and E, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium and amino acids. It also contains the antioxidant glutathione (and vitamins C and E also act as antioxidants). Animal studies have shown it may reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar, but many of the other lofty claims people make about the plant are not yet supported by science. 5. Cherry juice Tart cherry juice is promoted for two main reasons: workout performance and sleep. Studies have shown supplementing with cherry juice may improve strength gains and aid in recovery after exercise, and many elite athletes like long-distance runners swear by it. On the sleep front, like melatonin (or even a hot cup of chamomile!), tart cherry juice shows promise as a natural sleep aid, but its efficacy isn't conclusive. Either way, cherries (whether tart or sweet) contain powerful antioxidants and have been shown to reduce markers of inflammation in the body, and that's a really good thing. For more tips from Keri, check her out on Instagram @nutritiouslifeofficial . For more diet and fitness advice, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter .


Naoki Yamamoto extended his championship lead in Super Formula with a lights-to-flag win at Sugo, as Red Bull junior Lucas Auer secured his first podium with a third-place finish. Dandelion driver Yamamoto was locked in an indirect battle with Mugen's Tomoki Nojiri for the lead, as the field split into diverging strategies for the 68-lap race. A pack of drivers led by Yamamoto started on the soft tyres, with the aim of going longer in the first stint before switching to mediums. The other group - led by Nojiri - cleared their mandatory stops on the opening lap, putting them in clean air and on the faster soft tyre. Initially, the race appeared to tilt towards Nojiri as he was lapping comfortably quicker than Yamamoto, who was also held up by backmarkers on the short 3.7 km circuit. But Yamamoto slowly but steadily upped the pace, extending what was a 37-gap to a nearly 50-second advantage by the time he pitted on lap 52. That allowed the reigning champion to return to the track still in the lead race of the race, 10 seconds clear of his rival Nojiri. All Super Formula races are streamed live and for free on Motorsport.tv . The late-stopping Auer also managed to jump Nojiri, but came under pressure from the Mugen driver soon after his pitstop. Nojiri attempted a lunge heading into Turn 1, but clipped the inside kerb, pitching himself into a spin and getting beached into the gravel. Moments after the caution ended, reigning Japanese F3 champion Sho Tsuboi spun on his own at the SP corner, necessitating another safety car. That left a three-lap dash to the flag, with Yamamoto easing to his second victory at Sugo in as many years. Auer, however, got stuck behind the lapped cars of Dan Ticktum and Kazuya Oshima, allowing Kamui Kobayashi to sneak through and take second. Third place, however, was still enough for the Red Bull junior to score his first podium in Super Formula - and the first for the new B-Max by Motopark partnership. Behind, TOM'S driver Nick Cassidy held on to fourth by just 0.099s from Nakajima Racing's Alex Palou, who took advantage of the first safety car intervention to make his pitstop. Nirei Fukuzumi finished sixth in the second of the Dandelion Racing cars, ahead of Kondo's Kenta Yamashita and Inging driver Hiroaki Ishiura, who claimed the final point in eighth. Kondo's Yuji Kunimoto and Real Racing driver Koudai Tsukakoshi completed the top 10. Red Bull junior Ticktum and Formula 2 convert Artem Markelov finished a lap down in 14th and 15th respectively, just ahead of Oshima, the last of the classified finishers. : Palou was handed a post race penalty, dropping him to 13th in the final classifications. Results: Cla#DriverTeamLapsGap 1 1 Naoki Yamamoto DoCoMo Team Dandelion Racing 68 2 18 Kamui Kobayashi carrozzeria Team KCMG 68 3.127 3 50 Lucas Auer B-MAX with Motopark 68 4.820 4 37 Nick Cassidy Vantelin Team TOM'S 68 5.621 5 5 Nirei Fukuzumi DoCoMo Team Dandelion Racing 68 8.060 6 3 Kenta Yamashita Kondo Racing 68 8.149 7 38 Hiroaki Ishiura JMS P.mu/cerumo-INGING 68 10.061 8 4 Yuji Kunimoto Kondo Racing 68 11.351 9 17 Koudai Tsukakoshi Real Racing 68 12.330 10 19 Yuhi Sekiguchi Team Impul 68 12.736 11 20 Ryo Hirakawa Team Impul 68 14.207 12 36 Kazuki Nakajima Vantelin Team TOM'S 68 15.289 13 64 Alex Palou TCS Nakajima Racing 68 40.720 14 65 Tadasuke Makino TCS Nakajima Racing 68 50.740 15 15 Dan Ticktum Team Mugen 67 1 Lap 16 7 Artem Markelov UOMO Sunoco Team LeMans 67 1 Lap 17 8 Kazuya Oshima UOMO Sunoco Team LeMans 67 1 Lap 18 39 Sho Tsuboi JMS P.mu/cerumo-INGING 58 10 Laps 19 16 Tomoki Nojiri Team Mugen 55 13 Laps 20 51 Harrison Newey B-MAX with Motopark 49 19 Laps View full results


The offensive line remains the Jets' biggest question mark on offense heading into training camp. That was the case this time last year, long before Frank Pollack was hired to Adam Gase's staff. Pollack is one of the better offensive line coaches around the NFL, but he was not retained by new head coach Zac Taylor after one season in Cincinnati. In Dallas from 2013-17, Pollack helped oversee one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Now, he has to deal with an offensive line that's certainly in need of a renovation. "Like every team I've been with, it's a work in progress. There's a lot to get better at," Pollack told the team website . "The guys are working really hard, we're right where we need to be as far as that's concerned. We're continuing to master Coach Gase's offense and increase our ability to work on our fundamentals and techniques that I'm teaching." Throughout OTAs and minicamp, Pollack has been able to see the group that he has in front of him against a talented defensive front. However, once they are finally able to put pads on and start training camp, he will be able to see who belongs on his starting unit. "You can see movement skills, you can see how they learn and how they work," Pollack said. "You get a good feel for all of that stuff, but at the end of the day, once you put the pads on, it really separates the men from the boys, if you will. You get excited about guys' movement skills, but a lot of guys go away when you put the pads on and a lot of guys rise to the occasion when you put the pads on. You get a good feel for them and how they work in the classroom, understanding the offensive processing. But pads are definitely the most important aspect of that." New York did very little to bolster what's been a consistent position of need for several years now. Previous regimes have done a reckless job of replacing former All-Pro tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and former All-Pro center Nick Mangold. Before being shown the door, Mike Maccagnan traded for All-Pro guard Kelechi Osemele, drafted Chuma Edoga and signed Tom Compton and Jonotthan Harrison as depth pieces. But, he stopped there. The Jets are returning three starters who were inconsistent for two consecutive seasons, as well as ignoring the center position in free agency and going with a career backup in Harrison. With Joe Douglas now in charge, finding offensive line help will be the top priority. He started 45 games at tackle for the University of Richmond during his playing career. The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the strongest offensive lines in the NFL, so the Jets new general manager knows that the key to a Super Bowl run is to build a competent offensive line around a young quarterback. Gang Green has to make do with what it has at the position right now. There is a large veteran presence, but the unit still has a long way to go. MORE: Poker player argues over dealer chip counting error during crucial all-in hand at WSOP Main Event Trysten Hill may be crowning point on Cowboys star-studded defense Roundup: Monica Lewinsky Fire Tweet, Richard Seymour in the Money at World Series of Poker, Robert Kraft New Girlfriend NBA Depth Charts Report: Broncos ready to draft Devin Bush before trade with the Steelers


According to a preliminary report by the New Orleans Police Department, a 9-year-old girl was shot in the leg when an argument at her home led to gunfireThursday night. The incident happened in the 3600 block of Cambronne Street. NOPD said two people were arguing at the front door when someone started to fire a gun indiscriminately. Police said the girl was struck in the leg by a stray bullet that penetrated the door. The victim was taken to an area hospital in stable condition by EMS, according to the report. READ MORE: 9-year-old girl shot in leg after argument, NOPD says CHECK OUT WDSU: Get all the New Orleans news you need. With the latest New Orleans weather, sports and stories from around the state, WDSU is your news leader.


Two months after going on the market for a list price of $1.199 million, the owner of the 120-year-old Manlove Mansion is offering anyone interested in the restored 2,800-square-foot Victorian and 2.6-acre property a unique way to buy it. "We don't want anyone to be intimidated by the price. So the owner, Cassie Decker, is accepting sealed bids with any offer," said Cara Ryan, Decker's Coldwell Banker realtor. From now until Tuesday evening, Ryan will accept sealed bids for the mansion, which is located along Trujillo Way and is tucked behind trees along Folsom Boulevard. The owner will open the bids Wednesday and could choose the most acceptable one at that time, Ryan said. During the renovation, Decker discovered a time capsule encased in a rectangular, silver box inside the chimney. Inside were old pictures, a sprig of hops and a letter dated Aug. 14, 1916. The deadline to submit a reasonable bid is Tuesday by 5 p.m. READ MORE: Manlove Mansion property offers name your own price option CHECK OUT KCRA: Stay informed. Get the latest Modesto, Stockton and Sacramento news and weather from the KCRA news team.


DUBLIN, Ohio   David Lingmerth didn't crack over the final two hours Sunday at the Memorial, outlasting Justin Rose with a par on the third playoff hole at Muirfield Village to win for the first time on the PGA Tour. Showing great resolve and little emotion, Lingmerth gave a soft fist pump when his putt just inside 5 feet on the 10th green dropped. He earned every bit of that handshake with tournament host Jack Nicklaus. "I can't believe it," the 27-year-old Swede said. "I'm so happy right now I don't know where to go." RELATED: Tiger humbled, but not in panic, over in 85 He'll be going to the Masters next year for the first time   but not the U.S. Open in two weeks. Lingmerth moves to No. 71 in the world and still has to qualify Monday. It was the longest playoff in 40 years of the Memorial, and it could have ended much earlier   or been avoided   if not for so many clutch moments. Rose overcame a shank from a bunker on the 18th hole in regular and hit a 55-yard pitch out of deep rough to 3 feet to save par for an even-par 72 to force the playoff. On the 18th in the playoff, Rose holed a 20-foot par putt that went in from the right side of the cup. That looked as if it might be a winner until Lingmerth calmly sank a 10-foot putt to match his par. On the 18th on the second extra hole, Lingmerth got up-and-down from a bunker. It ended on the 10th hole when Rose when into deep rough, hit a fairway metal into the gallery, chipped 18 feet by the hole and missed his par putt. Lingmerth two-putted from 45 feet. Lingmerth closed with a 69. So strong was his performance that he didn't make worse than par over his final 11 holes. Masters champion Jordan Spieth closed with a 65 and wound up two shots behind in a tie for third with Francesco Molinari of Italy, who was tied for the lead until hitting into the water on the 16th for a double bogey. He shot 71. Tiger Woods showed improvement   it was hard not to after a career-worst 85 on Saturday. He shot 74 and finished last, 29 shots behind, with his worst 72-hole score (302) in his PGA Tour career. Spieth was nine shots behind going into the final day and could not have imagined having to spend an extra three hours in Ohio. He chipped in twice   for birdie on the par-5 seventh and for eagle on the par-5 15th   and closed with a birdie. He posted at 13-under 275 and stuck around all afternoon to see if it would be enough. Lingmerth made sure it wasn't with a solid finish   a short birdie on the 15th to reach 15 under, and pars the rest of the way to reach 15-under 273. Rose had the wild finish. He was playing a tough bunker shot on the 14th when a fan yelled in his swing. Rose hit the shot to the fringe and made bogey, and then bounced back with an up-and-down from the bunker for a birdie on the 15th to make it a three-way tie. That's where his thrills began. Rose hammered his first putt on the 16th some 10 feet past the hole and made bogey. He bounced back with a bending 12-foot birdie putt to rejoin Lingmerth in the lead, only to hit his tee shot on the 18th in a bunker. Needing par to force a playoff, he hit a shocker off to the right, into the gallery and off the head of a spectator. The man was fine. The lie was not. Buried in deep rough, Rose came out with perfect touch and watched it roll past the cup to 3 feet for a par and a playoff. Spieth at least was headed to Chambers Bay   after a week at home in Dallas   feeling good about his game. "Today I gained a lot of momentum going into the U.S. Open no matter what happens," Spieth said. In a strange way, so did Woods. It's far better to have the last round before a U.S. Open be a 74 than an 85. Woods said he felt the swing he has been working on at the range was the one he used much of the final round. He still can't avoid big numbers, though, such as pair of double bogeys over the last four holes that ruined an otherwise decent round. He still heads to Chambers Bay thinking about another major. "I did not win, and I wasn't even close," Woods said. "So hopefully in two weeks' time, things will be a lot better and I'll be ready to try to win a U.S. Open." DIVOTS: Patrick Rodgers earned special temporary membership with a tie for 40th, meaning he gets unlimited exemptions the rest of the way. But it wasn't easy. He made bogey on the 15th and triple bogey on the 16th, only to finish birdie-birdie to lock it up. ... Kevin Kisner withdrew from the U.S. Open qualifier on Monday because he tweaked his back on the range Thursday. He felt better Sunday, closed with a 70 and tied for eighth. That moved him to No. 57 in the world, and if he can stay in the top 60 after next week, he'll be in the U.S. Open.


Aaron Froelicher remembers the moment a bull threw his body in the air. Then everything went black. He landed on his head and regained consciousness surrounded by police and medics in Pamplona, Spain. Froelicher quickly stood up, insisted he was fine, but soon realized a bull's horn had impaled his hamstring six inches deep. "I ain't never been hit by a 2,000-pound bull so I guess I learned my lesson there," said 23-year-old Aaron Froelicher. Andrew Froelicher, 26, looked back and realized his little brother was hurt   badly. The brothers traveled to Pamplona to participate in the running of the bulls. Every summer, the bulls are let loose on a sectioned-off portion of the town's streets as part of a festival. Aaron Froelicher was one of two Americans who were injured during the run this year. "I thought 'oh no, mom's not gonna like this,'" said Andrew Froelicher. He needed to call his parents who were back in Florence, Kentucky, running their usual Sunday afternoon errands. He ran over to his little brother. Before he made the call, he wanted to know enough information to be able to tell his parents that Aaron was safe. Blood seeped out of Aaron Froelicher's thigh. His head wound needed attending too, so the brothers went to the hospital. His brother went into surgery for two hours, Andrew Froelicher recalled. The surgeon told him it was a simple procedure to clean the wound of bacteria that might have been on the bull's horn. Bulls are known to stick their horns in manure before runs. The head wound was taken care of with two staples. As Andrew Froelicher waited for his brother, a reporter from a Pamplona, Spain, newspaper found him in the hospital and asked if he had seen "the pictures." In the first picture Aaron Froelicher is smiling, thinking all the bulls had passed him. The next one shows him on the ground in a "total state of surprise," right after he was gored, Andrew Froelicher said. He didn't want his parents to see those pictures before he called. He knew it was time. "Before I tell you anything   everything is okay," Andrew Froelicher told his parents. Their mom started to cry. Their dad, Florence city council member Duane Froelicher, said his mind went to the worst case scenario. "We warned those guys," said Duane Froelicher. Their boys had been planning the trip for six months. Duane and his wife kept telling them they needed to practice extreme caution. Aaron Froelicher said right before he was impaled, he saw six or seven bulls pass him. That's how many are usually let out at once, so he thought he was in the clear. He had enough excitement and decided it was time to get out of the path of the bulls. Then he strained his neck to look behind him. "He was right behind me," Aaron Froelicher said. Aaron Froelicher has been in the hospital since Sunday. He keeps his Cincinnati Reds baseball hat with him, his brother said. Aaron was supposed to be on a plane home on Wednesday but doctors want to keep him on an antibiotic drip until Friday. As he sat in his hospital bed on Tuesday, he said he would like to come back to Pamplona for the festivities. Participating in the bull run again, though, will not happen. "You never you really plan for something like this to happen," said Aaron Froelicher. Julia Fair is the new Northern Kentucky government reporter through the Report For America program. Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at jfair@enquirer.com and follow her on twitter at @JFair_Reports. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Florence man gored by bull in Pamplona, Spain


LOS ANGELES - A third horse has died in nine days at Santa Anita when Kochees could not be saved by surgery on Sunday morning after sustaining an injury Saturday during the sixth race. He was vanned off the course and a splint was applied. He stayed overnight in his stall in the hope of stabilizing his condition. Since the injury to his left front leg was not a compound fracture, surgery was an option. It would have ended his career but saved his life. However, when surgeons discovered the horse had lost blood flow to the leg the decision was made to euthanize. Kochees, a 9-year-old gelding, was running in his 49th race, a $10,000 claiming race over 5 1/2 furlongs. He was pulled up by jockey Mario Gutierrez while leaving the far turn and entering the top of the stretch. His career started on Jan. 4, 2013, at Santa Anita and he had won 11 races. It was the 26th death at Santa Anita in either racing or training since the meeting opened on Dec. 26. It was the third horse death for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. The Hall of Fame trainer had the first death on Dec. 30 when Psychedelicat, a 4-year-old gelding, was injured and later euthanized in a $16,000 claiming race. The fatalities turned into a national referendum on horse safety after the 18th death, that of Breeders' Cup winner Battle of Midway, who was injured in a timed workout on Feb. 23. Battle of Midway was also trained by Hollendorfer. Hollendorfer, who was also part owner of Kochees, could not immediately be reached for comment. It appeared that Santa Anita had turned the corner on equine fatalities for almost six weeks after Arms Runner was euthanized March 31 following a fall on the dirt portion of the downhill turn course. The next fatality was May 17 when Commander Coil was injured during a gallop on the training track. Spectacular Music, an unraced 3-year-old gelding, was pulled up on the backstretch on May 19 and vanned off after sustaining a pelvis injury. There was the hope the horse could be saved but the next morning his condition had worsened and he was euthanized. The sport has spent the last two months in a desperate attempt to repair its image. Protesters have shown up sporadically at the track, including on Sunday. Belinda Stronach, president and chief executive of the Stronach Group, proposed safety reforms at the company's two California tracks - Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields. It included a reduction in race-day Lasix and eliminated the use of the riding crop except in situations where safety was concerned. She wanted to extend those rules to other TSG tracks in Florida and Maryland but so far has been unsuccessful. The reform measures did not have a direct correlation to the breakdowns but were designed to gain public confidence and demonstrate the sport is moving forward and is serious about horse and rider safety. "We're going to be judged over the short term," Stronach told the Los Angeles Times in Baltimore before the Preakness Stakes on May 18. "All eyes are on us. And we will continue to be judged about how we continue safety reforms. That's definitely our goal to do everything we can when it comes to horse and rider welfare." In addition, TSG, Churchill Downs Inc., the New York Racing Association and many independent tracks such as Del Mar, Los Alamitos and Keeneland, also announced a series of reform measures that included no Lasix for 2-year-olds starting next year, and all stakes races in 2021 will be run without race-day Lasix, including the Triple Crown races. "The good news is there is an awakening in our industry that the status quo is not good enough," Stronach said. "I think the industry sees this as an opportunity ... to move our industry forward. There are some in our industry that do not want to see change. But, quite frankly, they need to wake up because change has to come or we may not have a sport in 10-15 years." Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com