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Mets Notebook: Jeff McNeil searching for answers, Francisco Lindor scratched

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

There was only one hitter in baseball better than Jeff McNeil last season: Luis Arraez.When Arraez was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Miami Marlins ahead of this season, a battle for the NL batting title was expected. But Arraez is running away with the title and it isn’t even very close. Freddie Freeman, who nearly beat McNeil on the final day of the regular season last year, has been about 20-25 points behind the Marlins second baseman this season.McNeil never really got out of the gate.Coming into a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, McNeil was hitting just .253, well below his 2022 average of .326 and even further below Arraez’s .369 clip. McNeil thinks he has hit into bad luck this season and his BABIP would support that. McNeil’s average on balls put in play is only .276 this season, which would indicate that he has been hitting the ball right at people.“Some of the balls he’s hitting 95-plus, but they seem to get caught,” sa...

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu weighing ordinance to ban tents at Mass and Cass

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is considering an ordinance that would strengthen the city’s ability to enforce a tent ban at Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, as part of her new approach to address escalating violence in the area.Wu said her administration is planning to finalize language for a potential ordinance “over the next couple of weeks.” This would give more teeth to the city’s existing anti-encampment policies, including the executive order that former Acting Mayor Kim Janey signed in the fall of 2021, she said.These policies proved to be ineffective the last time the mayor tried to enforce a ban on tents at Mass and Cass, at the beginning of May.“We’re really looking to codify that in an ordinance that would empower the Boston Police to have clear authority and ability to help manage what our public health outreach teams are asking for,” Wu said, “which is to help make sure that we’re not shielding and creating the opportunities for weapons and trafficking and oth...

San Diego MLS player who met Lionel Messi as a kid to face off against childhood idol

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego native Chris Hegardt will take the pitch Friday in Miami with his Major League Soccer Charlotte FC team in the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup.It's remarkable the 21-year-old is alive as more than 10 years ago, he battled liver cancer and needed a liver transplant.During this time, he became a Make-A-Wish kid, hoping to meet his idol and soccer superstar Lionel Messi. Hegardt flew to Barcelona and actually got to take the field with Messi.On Friday, the two will share the field again, now that Messi plays in the MLS with Inter Miami. Charlotte FC's Chris HegardtChris Hegardt as a child with San Diego Surf Chris Hegardt playing soccer with Lionel Messi as his wish for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "It's really cool, at that time of my life I couldn't imagine that in 11 years I'd be playing against him, so I think it's just a credit to like what I've done my life and the resilience I showed, but also him now playing in the MLS," Hegardt told FOX 5 in an interview...

Italy gets back 266 antiquities from New York seizures after collector approaches Houston museum

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

ROME (AP) — Italy celebrated the return Friday of 266 antiquities from the United States, including Etruscan vases and ancient Roman coins and mosaics worth tens of millions of euros (dollars), that were looted and sold to U.S. museums and private collectors.The returned items include artifacts recently seized in New York from a storage unit belonging to British antiquities dealer Robin Symes, officials said. In addition, the haul that arrived in Rome included 65 objects that had been offered by a collector to Houston’s Menil Collection, but were declined.The art unit of Italy’s Carabinieri paramilitary police said the owner of the collection “spontaneously” gave back the items after investigators determined they had come from clandestine excavations of archaeological sites, according to a carabinieri statement. While the carabinieri said the works had been part of the Menil Collection, the museum said they never were. The museum said a collector approached the museum in 2022 about ...

Pence signals debate plan to attack Trump and DeSantis for not pushing national abortion ban

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday he expected to call out former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during this month’s Republican presidential debate for not insisting on a national abortion ban, an issue Pence says requires federal action. “My former running mate, the governor of Florida and others are suggesting that the Supreme Court returned the question of abortion to the states,” Pence told reporters while touring the Iowa State Fair on Friday. The 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade stripped away constitutional protections for the procedure.“I truly do believe it’s vitally important that we seize the opportunity at the national level to advance protections for the right to life, and I’ll do so as president,” he added. “This is a really big issue. It will be on the stage in Milwaukee.” Pence was referring to the Republican presidential debate scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee. Pence has recommen...

Nebraska judge allows abortion limits and restrictions on gender-affirming surgery

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

A Nebraska judge on Friday rejected an effort to block a ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy and restrictions on gender-affirming surgery.Lancaster County District Court Judge Lori Maret sided with the state and allowed a law approved by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year to remain in effect.The law outlaws abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. As of Oct. 1, it also will prevent people under 19 from receiving gender-affirming surgery and restricts the use of hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors.Planned Parenthood of the Heartland had filed a lawsuit arguing legislators violated a constitutional requirement that bills not contain more than one subject. Lawmakers added the abortion ban to an existing bill dealing with gender-related care.The attorney general contended the issues didn’t violate the rule because they were both health related.“I am grateful for the court’s thorough de...

Security guard found not guilty in on-duty fatal shot reacting to gun fight by Nashville restaurant

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A jury on Friday found a security guard not guilty of murder and other charges in a fatal shooting outside the Nashville restaurant where he was working, closing a case that hinged on whether he was justified in firing at a man involved in a shootout outside the business.Nathan Glass, 29, was facing an indictment for second-degree murder in the October 2018 death of 25-year-old Deangelo Knox, who was engaged in a shootout with people in a car outside The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden, where patrons were dining.At the state court trial that began Monday in Nashville, prosecutors contended that Knox was on foot out of his vehicle, fleeing the assailants in another car and fighting for his life when Glass inched the restaurant’s door open and shot him. But Glass’ attorneys said he was following through on his duty as a security guard to protect himself and others. They argued that Knox had begun turning toward the restaurant while holding ...

Brazil’s police allege Bolsonaro got money from $70,000 sale of luxury jewelry gifts

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s federal police on Friday alleged former President Jair Bolsonaro received cash from the nearly $70,000 sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia while in office, posing another potential blow for the embattled far-right leader.Earlier in the day, officers raided the homes and offices of several people purportedly involved in the case, including a four-star army general. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing involving the gifts.A Federal Police officer said the force is seeking authoriziation to access the personal banking and financial information of Bolsonaro. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation, said the Federal Police had asked for help from the FBI.Bolsonaro’s lawyers said in a statement that he would authorize Brazil’s judiciary to have access to his banking records.“President Bolsonaro has never embezzled or misplaced any public assets,” it said.The case adds to the legal jeopardy ...

Southern California Marine charged with sex assault of girl, 14, who was found in barracks

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Marine at California’s Camp Pendleton has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who was found in a base barracks, the military announced Friday.Military prosecutors charged the Marine with sexual assault of a minor and with violating liberty restriction from an earlier, unrelated case. After a preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 17, authorities will decide whether he will face a court-martial, said a statement from Capt. Charles Palmer with the 1st Marine Logistics Group.The Marine’s identity and other details of the case, such as when and how he met the teenager and how she got onto the base, weren’t immediately released. The girl had been missing for more than two weeks when military police located her inside a barracks on June 28 at the base 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of San Diego.Her grandmother has said the girl ran away in early June. Other relatives have speculated that she was sold by a sex trafficker. She has be...

Death toll rises to 67 in Maui wildfire

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:14 GMT

Officials in the County of Maui have confirmed the wildfire death toll has risen to 67.In an update posted online Friday, the county confirmed 12 additional fatalities as of 1 p.m. local time due to the active Lahaina fire.“Thirty-six fatalities were confirmed Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Another 19 were confirmed Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023,” the county said, noting, “the Lahaina fire is not yet contained.”Officials say firefighters continue to battle the blaze, which rendered large swaths of the centuries-old town of Lahaina into ashen rubble.The update came as some residents of the community were being allowed to return home for the first time to assess the damage.Related articles: Canadians flying back from Maui on Air Canada ‘ferry’ flights share wildfire horrorsDeath toll from Maui fires rises to 53, governor saysIncinerated cars crushed by downed telephone poles, charred elevator shafts standing as testaments to the burned-down apartment buildings ...