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Column: Stench of death overwhelms Kentucky Derby

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

They came 150,00 strong for the party of the year, adorned in the gaudiest of hats and sipping on mint juleps, witnesses to what, at its best, is the most thrilling two minutes in sports.Sadly, the stench of death overwhelmed the Kentucky Derby and its magnificent athletes on Saturday.Five horses perished in the past week at Churchill Downs, again raising troubling questions about the sport of kings even before the 149th run for the roses.Then, on the Derby undercard, two more died.Seven horses gone.Just like that.“There’s something going on,” said Derby spectator Pat Murtha, who was attending the race for the first time. “They need to find out, and set some rules and regulations to protect these animals.”Seriously, if this can happen at Churchill Downs, with the eyes of the world focused on its biggest race, what’s happening when no one is looking? Is enough being done to make this sport as safe as possible for 1,200-pound thoroughbreds that can reach top speeds of 45 m...

Kwan’s first homer powers Guardians to 4-3 win over Twins

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Steven Kwan connected for his first home run since last season to snap a seventh-inning tie, sending the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.Kwan muscled a 2-1 pitch from Jorge Alcala (0-1) over the wall in center field for his first homer since Sept. 25. The surprising, 402-foot drive from their leadoff hitter was just what the Guardians needed with their offense scuffling.It was only Cleveland’s 18th homer this season and first since April 29.Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and Carlos Correa added a solo shot for the AL Central-leading Twins, who have homered in a team record 18 straight games. Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected for arguing in the fourth.Reliever Trevor Stephan (2-1) picked up the win despite allowing Correa’s tying homer in the seventh. Emmanuel Clase pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save in 14 chances.Rookie Logan Allen had another strong start for Cleveland and José Ramírez’s hustle...

Officials: Shooting at Dallas-area mall included at least eight victims between ages of 5 and 61 brought to hospitals

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

ALLEN, Texas (AP) — Officials: Shooting at Dallas-area mall included at least eight victims between ages of 5 and 61 brought to hospitals.Source

David, UCLA top Hawaii, win 20th NCAA men’s volleyball title

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Ido David had a season-high 23 kills to help top-seeded UCLA beat two-time defending national champion Hawaii 28-26, 31-33, 25-21, 25-21 Saturday to win the 20th NCAA men’s volleyball championship in program history — and the first since 2006. Alex Knight tied his career highs with 15 kills and 18.5 points for UCLA. Merrick McHenry hit .500 with 11 kills and J.R. Norris IV added eight kills on .727 hitting and a match-high five aces for the Bruins. Andrew Rowan finished with 60 and became just the sixth freshman setter in NCAA history — and first in nearly 30 years — to lead his team to a national title. UCLA (31-2) has appeared in 27 of the 53 men’s volleyball championship games, but this was just the Bruins second title match since 2006 (UCLA lost the 2018 championship to Long Beach State in five sets). Hawai‘i (29-3), which had its seven-game win streak in the NCAA Tournament snapped, set the program’s single-season wins record. Dimitrios Mou...

Police confirmed that there have been an unspecified number of fatalities in a shooting at a mall in a Dallas suburb

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

ALLEN, Texas (AP) — Police confirmed that there have been an unspecified number of fatalities in a shooting at a mall in a Dallas suburb.Source

Blue Jays star Guerrero scratched with wrist discomfort

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a late scratch from the lineup on Saturday because of left wrist discomfort prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.It marked just the fourth time Guerrero has missed a game since the start of the 2020 season. On Friday night, Guerrero went 1 for 4 with an RBI single in the Blue Jays’ 4-0 victory over the Pirates.The two-time All-Star is hitting .318 with seven home runs in 33 games this season.Guerrero was scheduled to be the designated hitter on Saturday. Instead, Brandon Belt moved from first base to designated hitter and utility player Cavan Biggio started at first.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Metro’s Yellow Line resumes service Sunday

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.Starting this Sunday, May 7, Metro’s Yellow Line service will resume across the Potomac River, following an eight-month rehabilitation project to repair the deteriorating 1970’s tunnel and bridge.The reopening, announced last month, will provide a faster, more direct connection for customers between Virginia and downtown D.C., including travel to/from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Metro said in a news release.Yellow Line trains will initially operate every eight minutes weekdays from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. for the first month between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square, and every 12 minutes all other times and on weekends, a 60% increase in train service than before the closure last fall. In June service will improve to eight minutes all day, seven days a week.“This was incredibly difficult work, with co...

Cardinals to use Contreras as primary DH for next few weeks

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Signed as Yadier Molina’s replacement, Willson Contreras won’t be spending much time behind the plate during the next few weeks.Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said before Saturday’s 6-5, 10-inning loss to Detroit that Contreras will be primarily a designated hitter and Andrew Knizner will get most of the time at catcher.“It allows for some familiarity behind the plate with our guys, which I think will help, especially in the state that we’re in,” Marmol said. “At the end of the day when you start winning ballgames. And some familiarity with our pitchers and our bullpen.”St. Louis is on an eight-game losing streak, its longest in 16 years and is a National League-worst 10-24, the Cardinals’ first time 14 games under .500 since ending the 1997 season at 73-89.Contreras agreed to an $87.5 million, five-year contract during the offseason.“We’re not losing ballgames because of Willson Contreras,” Marmol said. “This is a guy that’s putting in an amazing...

Denver weather: Chance for afternoon showers continues

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver's weather will stay in a typical spring pattern with sunshine in the morning, warmer than normal temperatures and the chance for a few afternoon showers. Weather tonight: Partly cloudy and seasonalOvernight we will stay under a partly cloudy sky. Low temperatures will be seasonal and fall to the lower 40s. Weather tomorrow:Tomorrow will start off with sunshine and a southerly breeze. Clouds will increase through the afternoon ahead of a few isolated showers and a northerly shift in wind. Looking ahead: More warm temperatures and chance for showers This spring pattern will continue next week. Denver will see a dry start to the week with sunshine and a high in the mid 70s Monday. The rest of the workweek will see warmer than normal temperatures and an increasing chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

Theft leads to shooting scare at Dadeland Mall; police say no shots fired

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:55:46 GMT

A theft at Dadeland Mall prompted a shooting scare after, police said, the subject told officers he was armed, but that was not the case.Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the shopping center located along the 7500 block of North Kendall Drive, at around 7:45 p.m., Saturday.Investigators said officers were able to determine there was no gun and no shots were fired.The mall was evacuated while police searched for a firearm..In a tweet, MDPD officials wrote, “The scene is under control and there’s no public safety concern at this time.”The incident takes place hours after an active shooter incident at an outlet mall in suburban Dallas resulted in multiple fatalities, according to authorities.