Lucas Giolito on veteran leadership and “very talented” new teammate Vaughn Grissom

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Lucas Giolito on veteran leadership and “very talented” new teammate Vaughn Grissom Lucas Giolito won’t get to bond with the newly-traded Chris Sale about swapping White Sox for Red Sox, but he’s already gotten to know one of his new teammates.“I met him last offseason, and he’s a very talented kid,” Giolito said, when speaking to reporters over Zoom on Wednesday evening.He was talking about none other than Vaughn Grissom, the infielder acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the shocking Sale trade on Dec. 30. The veteran starting pitcher and the barely-out-of-rookie-eligibility infielder are both represented by the same agency. Said agency put together a slew of workouts and events in Los Angeles, so Grissom flew out to partake. “(We) worked out together for a few days and I think we went to, like, a Lakers game or something like that,” Giolito recalled. “Looking forward to getting to know him better.”Grissom made his Major League debut at Fenway Park – and hit his first career home run over the Green Monster – wh...

With 2 interceptions, Chicago Bears rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was named the NFC defensive player of the week

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

With 2 interceptions, Chicago Bears rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was named the NFC defensive player of the week After Tyrique Stevenson intercepted Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco on Dec. 17, the Chicago Bears cornerback returned to his locker to find “like 30 missed calls” from his mom, some accompanied by messages of her yelling into her phone with excitement.When the rookie came up with two interceptions in a game for the first time Sunday in the 37-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field, his mom sent him a video she made.“She was talking about, ‘Two interceptions, whoop, whoop!’” Stevenson said. “I’m like, ‘C’mon mom.’”He hadn’t looked at his phone yet after practice Wednesday at Halas Hall, but he expected to find another excited response, this one for becoming the first Bears player to win NFC defensive player of the week since Eddie Jackson in 2018.Stevenson was given the award for his performance against the Falcons, in which he also had five tackles and four passes defended to go with his ...

Defense carries undefeated Westwood past Norwood, 48-39

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Defense carries undefeated Westwood past Norwood, 48-39 WESTWOOD — Whether it was in man-to-man or zone, the Westwood boys basketball team’s defense was not going to allow much against Norwood on Wednesday night.With a suffocating effort on that end of the floor, and just enough on the other, Westwood (6-0) stayed perfect with a 48-39 victory.“(We want to play like that) every night,” Westwood coach Ryan Douglass said. “That’s our identity. We know we have plenty of firepower on offense. We’ve got guys who can come off the bench and score for us. What really matters is what we do on the defensive end.”Norwood (4-2) only scored two points in the first quarter. Westwood only allowed six points in a pivotal third quarter. The Mustangs only made their first 3-pointer of the game with 2:03 to play. It was a defensive clinic, and bodes well for a Westwood team that wants to make a deep tournament run in Division 2.Offensively, junior Eli Ifrah scored 16 points, including two treys. Senior forward Andre...

New California law requires more businesses donate, not toss, excess food

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

New California law requires more businesses donate, not toss, excess food SAN DIEGO -- California Senate Bill 1383 just expanded on Jan. 1 to require more businesses and events to donate excess food to food recovery organizations.Data estimates that nationally there are 44 million people who are food insecure, and locally it's estimated there are more than 300,000 people food insecure in San Diego. Experts are hoping this expanded law will mean more food on the table for Californians experiencing food insecurity, and less food in the trash."This bill does two things, its a win-win, it's keeping food out of the landfill that will then turn into methane and .its also feeding people," Feeding San Diego COO Patty O'Connor said.The law first went into affect in 2022 and impacted businesses including supermarkets, grocery stores, wholesale food vendors, etc.Now that the law is expanded, it impacts:Restaurants: Restaurant with 250 or more seats, or a total facility size equal to or greater than 5,000 square feet.Hotels: Hotel with an on-site food facility a...

Truck driver killed in North County crash on New Year's Day

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Truck driver killed in North County crash on New Year's Day SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- A man was killed on New Year's Day when the truck he was driving crashed into a traffic signal pole in San Marcos, authorities said. The collision occurred around 6 a.m. near South Santa Fe Avenue and North Rancho Santa Fe Road, Sgt. Charles Morreale with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said in a news release Wednesday.When first responders arrived on scene, they found a white truck with only a driver inside, according to law enforcement. The victim did not survive his injuries. First snow of winter in San Diego County blankets highest peaks The truck was traveling north on North Rancho Santa Fe Road when he tried to turn onto South Santa Fe Avenue and hit a traffic signal pole, Morreale said.The cause of the crash is uncertain at this time.Authorities have not released the identity of the driver pending the Medical Examiner's Office examination, as well as notification of his family.Anyone with information about the crash can call the Sheriff's Dep...

Idaho man arrested after flying stolen plane from North Las Vegas into California

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Idaho man arrested after flying stolen plane from North Las Vegas into California NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — An Idaho man was arrested after stealing a plane from a North Las Vegas hangar, flying it over 100 miles into a southern California airport and eventually running into a desert area after officers inquired about the aircraft.The man, who is currently in custody in San Bernardino County, faces charges of possession of a stolen airplane and taking stolen property across state lines from the incident, which occurred on Saturday, according to the county sheriff’s department. There could be additional charges in Nevada, according to KSNV-TV.North Las Vegas officials said the man could also be behind attempted airplane burglaries in the three previous days before his arrest, according to the station.The aircraft was valued at about $80,000, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.The Associated Press

Unsealed court records offer new detail on old sex abuse allegations against Jeffrey Epstein

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Unsealed court records offer new detail on old sex abuse allegations against Jeffrey Epstein NEW YORK (AP) — Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating that the documents would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”There was no such list. The initial collection of around 40 documents made public largely contained material that had been released previously, or exhaustively been covered in nearly two decades’ worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books about the Epstein scandal.Still, the records — which included transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims — included reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.They included mentions of Epstein’s past f...

US calls for urgent UN action on attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

US calls for urgent UN action on attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States called on the U.N. Security Council Wednesday to take urgent action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels for attacking ships in the key Red Sea trade route and warned their longtime financier Iran that it has a choice to make about continuing to provide support to the rebels.U.S. deputy ambassador Christopher Lu told an emergency council meeting that the Houthis have carried out more than 20 attacks since Nov. 19 — and despite losing 10 fighters in a confrontation with U.S. forces after trying unsuccessfully to board a cargo ship on Sunday, the rebel group announced Wednesday morning they had targeted another container ship.The Houthis, who have been engaged in a civil war with Yemen’s internationally recognized government since 2014, have said they launched the attacks on ships in the Red Sea with the aim of ending Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel....

New Mexico regulators reject utility’s effort to recoup some investments in coal and nuclear plants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

New Mexico regulators reject utility’s effort to recoup some investments in coal and nuclear plants ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Regulators rejected on Wednesday an effort by New Mexico’s largest electric utility to recoup from customers millions of dollars of investments made in a coal-fired power plant in the northwestern corner of the state and a nuclear power plant in neighboring Arizona. The Public Regulation Commission’s decision means Public Service Co. of New Mexico customers will not have to bear some costs associated with PNM’s stake in the Four Corners Power Plant near Farmington or in the Palo Verde Generating Station outside of Phoenix. Commissioners said those investments were not prudent.Overall, residential customers will see a decrease in rates instead of the 9.7% increase that the utility was seeking.The commission said in a statement that PNM still will be able to collect a reasonable return on its investments while providing reliable service to more than 500,000 customers around the state.PNM filed a request for its first rate hike in years in late 2022, sayi...

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear calls for unity in GOP-leaning Kentucky to uplift economy, education

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:39:55 GMT

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear calls for unity in GOP-leaning Kentucky to uplift economy, education FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear reached across the partisan divide Wednesday night to urge a unified effort with Republican lawmakers to uplift education, health care and the economy, saying Kentucky has an opportunity to assert itself as an “economic and a moral leader.”Beshear, who raised his national profile by winning reelection last year in the GOP-leaning state, renewed his pitch for higher salaries for teachers, state-backed pre-K education for every 4-year-old, increased funding for roads and bridges and efforts to meet the state’s health needs.Touting a record pace of economic development, the governor said Kentucky has an unprecedented opportunity to build a top 10 economy offering the security of good-paying jobs. Noting that he’s now term-limited, the governor said it’s a chance to set politics aside. It’s an acknowledgement that he needs support from GOP legislative supermajorities to pass his priorities.“This is our chance to ...