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Coach who lost his job for praying on field kneels again in first game after years of legal battles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — An assistant high school football coach in Washington state who lost his job during a controversy over his public post-game prayers was back on the field Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court held his practice was protected by the Constitution.Joe Kennedy strode alone to midfield, knelt and prayed for about 10 seconds after his Bremerton High School football team beat visiting Mount Douglas Secondary School 27-12 Friday night.Kennedy was not joined by any athletes or others on the nearly empty field. There was scattered applause from the modest crowd at Memorial Stadium.Police and private security guards were on hand but there didn’t appear to be any problems or interruptions during or after the event.Kennedy had fought to be rehired for seven years but seemed more anxious than triumphant about his return. “Knowing that everybody’s expecting me to go do this kind of gives me a lot of angst in my stomach,” Kennedy said before the game. “People are going to...

Delegation of Australian ministers to visit China in further sign of improving ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

CANBERRA (AP) — A delegation of Australian federal ministers will attend a high-level dialogue in Beijing next week in a further sign of a warming of relations after a years-long chill.Delegates will discuss trade and investment, people-to-people links and regional and international security at the Sept. 7 gathering.“This is the first time the dialogue has been held since early 2020 and it represents another step towards increasing bilateral engagement and stabilizing our relationship with China,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Saturday.The resumption of the talks was one of the outcomes of a meeting the minister held with China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, in Beijing in December. “It provides an opportunity for representatives from both countries to discuss our perspectives and how we can grow our cooperation in areas of shared interest,” Wong said. The resumed dialogue comes a month after China lifted a stifling 3-year-old tariff on Australian barley — in a ...

Riverside girl recalls terrifying moment man snuck into her home and touched her

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

A mother recalls the terrifying moment a man snuck into her Riverside home and touched her 12-year-old daughter.The suspect, Daveon Alvarez, 28, is a convicted felon and a transient on parole for auto theft, Riverside police said.Alvarez entered the home through an unlocked door where the victim, 12-year-old Jeffie Guitron, was asleep on the couch.“He walked straight into the living room, stood in front of my daughter as she was asleep and touched her face with his hand,” said Laura Guitron, the victim's mother.Alvarez then sat across from the girl and just stared at her, Laura said. Maintaining her composure, the girl calmly walked over to her older sister’s room while Alvarez followed behind.“He asked for the time and I tell him,” Jeffie recalled. “Then he asked for my age which was very confusing to me. I was just very nervous and tense.”Police say Daveon Alvarez snuck into a home and touched a 12-year-old girl on the face. Aug. 28, 2023. (Riverside Police)Daveon Alvarez is seen ...

Opening statement: McClymonds flattens Bellarmine to begin its season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

SAN JOSE — This time, there would be no overtime.This time, McClymonds overpowered Bellarmine on the stat sheet and the scoreboard, making the storied Oakland school’s season-opening trip to San Jose City College a one-sided affair.Final: McClymonds 40, Bellarmine 0.One year after needing OT at home to edge Bellarmine by three points, Mack finished with seven sacks — many swarming — and held the Bells to minus-15 yards rushing and 27 yards passing.The visitors led 14-0 at halftime and put the score out of reach with a dominant third quarter as running back Ta’Jir Golden carved up the Bells behind a punishing and veteran line that longtime coach Michael Peters said would be the key moving forward.Golden, who played wide receiver last season, ran for 186 yards and three touchdowns in 22 carries, and Sharky Tamale added 62 yards and a touchdown.Mack finished with 280 yards on the ground and 91 through the air. The game ended with a running clock.“I&#...

Juvenile killed in Vallejo collision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

(FOX40.COM) -- A juvenile who was in the passenger's seat of a 2005 Toyota Tundra was killed Friday morning after the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a center median, according to the Vallejo Police Department. On Sept. 1 at approximately 6:32 a.m. Vallejo PD said they received a call regarding a solo injury collision near Columbus Pkwy and Redwood Pkwy. After impact the vehicle rolled over and came to rest in the opposite lane of traffic. Pedestrian fatally struck by suspected intoxicated driver in Fairfield Police say the juvenile driver was transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. The juvenile passenger was declared deceased at the scene. The decedent’s name is withheld due to their age.The driver of the Tundra is cooperating with the investigation and drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a factor, police reported. ‘California Forever:’ Company behind land purchases in Solano County launches website, offers new information Vallejo PD...

Tatis and Soto hit consecutive home runs and the Padres beat the Giants 7-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. lofted a ball to right field, watched it just clear the wall and then raised his arms, almost in relief as much as celebration.Tatis, who has driven a number of balls to the wall or the warning track at Petco Park this season, and Juan Soto hit consecutive home runs in the first inning, and the San Diego Padres beat San Francisco 7-3 on Friday night to drop the Giants into a tie with Arizona for the final NL wild card.“I hit it and said, ‘I don’t know,'” Tatis said of his two-run shot. ”I don’t know, man. I hit balls 109, 108 (mph) to the warning track, and I’m just glad that one went out. “Oh my God, it was amazing,” he said. “It’s baseball and you’ve got to keep grinding.”San Francisco had won four of five coming in, including 7-2 in the opener of this series Thursday night. Arizona beat Baltimore 4-2.Michael Wacha (11-2) held the Giants to two runs and six hits in six innings, with six strikeouts and two walk...

Asesinato a sangre fría de una osa desata la indignación en Italia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

(CNN) — El asesinato a sangre fría de una osa madre conocida como Amarena ha enfurecido a los grupos defensores de los animales y a los políticos locales en Italia.La osa parda fue abatida por un vecino de San Benedetto dei Marsi, a las afueras del parque nacional de los Abruzos, en el centro de Italia, según confirmó el parque el viernes.Su osezno Juan Carrito, de 4 años, saltó a los titulares internacionales en 2021 cuando irrumpió en una panadería local y devoró cientos de galletas.“El veterinario del parque intervino en el lugar con el equipo de emergencia, que sin embargo solo pudo constatar la muerte de la osa dada la gravedad de la herida”, dijo el parque en su página de Facebook.Amerana era una osa parda de Marsella, especie en peligro de extinción en Italia, donde quedan menos de 60 ejemplares vivos. Su muerte se investiga como un delito grave.El hombre de 56 años que le disparó fue entregado a la policía local.“El episodio es muy grave y causa un en...

Toronto catcher Danny Jansen fractures finger in the Blue Jays’ 13-9 win over the Rockies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Initial X-rays showed Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen fractured his right middle finger in a 13-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, manager John Schneider said.Jansen was struck by a foul ball on his right hand during Nolan Jones’ at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Alejandro Kirk pinch hit for him in the seventh. “It’s a pretty freak injury, and it seems like those are coming in bunches right now,” Schneider said. Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and third baseman Matt Chapman went on the injured list early this week. ”We’ll see how Jano is tomorrow,” Schneider said. “It’s an initial X-ray, and there is going to be more in-depth stuff done tonight and tomorrow.” Jansen, who homered earlier in the game, is hitting .228 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs this season.Triple-A Buffalo catcher Tyler Heineman is the likely replacement.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBSource

Acuña homers and steals another base, Fried stifles Dodgers and Braves win 5th in a row, 6-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Newlywed star Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 31st homer and stole his 63rd base, Max Fried tossed seven shutout innings and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 on Friday night for their fifth straight win.The Braves (89-45) lead the Dodgers (83-51) by six games for the best record in the majors and potential home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Atlanta pounded out 14 hits in sending the Dodgers to a second consecutive loss for the first time since the end of July.Acuña was at it again one night after he got married during the day and in the evening became baseball’s first player with 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in the same season. He went deep leading off the third inning against Julio Urías (11-8), flexing his muscles as the 418-foot shot landed beyond the center-field fence. In the fifth, Acuña doubled leading off, stole third and scored on Austin Riley’s RBI double off the bullpen gate in right.For the second straight g...

Gelof hits 2-run double, Ruiz 2-run homer to help A’s pound new-look Angels 9-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:46 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Kotsay acknowledges the many challenges from his first two seasons guiding the Oakland Athletics, and never likes to focus on himself.He celebrated his team’s continued fight and spirit Friday night, not his 100th managerial victory.“It’s just a start, hopefully,” he said. “… This is a group that we’ve been through a lot of challenges this year and the mindset that we all have, that we’ve created, is that we’re going to grind ‘til the end and we’re going to work ‘til the end and we’re going to utilize this time to form a culture and identity with these younger players to hopefully hit the ground running next spring training, and I think they’ve bought in.” Zack Gelof had a two-run double to highlight a decisive five-run fourth inning to help JP Sears end a four-game losing streak, Esteury Ruiz hit a late two-run homer, and the last-place A’s pounded the new-look Los Angeles Angels 9-2.The A’s hit eight...