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Yankees, Arozarena help bring big crowds to series with Rays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are off to one of the best starts in Major League Baseball history. But it took a visit by the New York Yankees to bring the big crowds to Tropicana Field.“Every time you play the Yankees, it feels like you’re playing in the World Series,” said Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz, through a translator.Tampa Bay’s 27-7 start through Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Yankees ranks among legendary World Series-winning teams like Kirk Gibson’s 1984 Detroit Tigers, Joe DiMaggio’s 1939 Yankees and the 1928 Yankees, which included Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.The first meeting this season between the AL East foes had the Rays opening up the normally closed upper deck. The attendance Saturday was 27,708, which bested the season-high 25,025 from opening day against the Tigers.The total turnout through the first two games was 52,715, lifting the 2023 home attendance average to 17,137. It ranks eighth-best in the AL, an increase from last year’s 13,927. Despite si...

‘A vehicle to share hope’: Organizations come together to donate new shoes to DC-area children

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

Children and their families gathered at the Metropolitan Police Department YFSD Gym in D.C. on Saturday. (WTOP/Cheyenne Corin)Hundreds of D.C.-based children received a new pair of sneakers Saturday, which organizers hope will lessen the burden on their families and provide hope for their futures. In total, Elevation Church’s outreach group distributed over 900 shoes in one day in the D.C. region. Its biggest event came at the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division gym in Northeast, where 500 kids received new sneakers and socks.The church — based in Matthews, North Carolina — told WTOP it partners with organizations from around the world to meet the needs of local communities.John Nichols, the organization’s outreach director, said giving kids shoes helps parents and makes children feel confident to face the world.“If we can come in and fill that fiscal and financial need for your family, that takes the burden off of ...

'There were kids down there,' survivor describes collapse at Gaylord Rockies that injured 6

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- A video showed the aftermath of an HVAC system collapse that injured six people at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Saturday morning.According to the Aurora Fire Department, the collapse happened around 9:50 a.m.Of the six people who were injured, two had life-threatening injuries and four had non-life-threatening injuries."There were kids down there," survivor describesJamie Olson, who took the video, told FOX31 her son had just gotten out of the hot tub when the system collapsed directly on top of it and the rest of the pool."We were right on the outside of the hot tub, and just kind of heard a big groan, and we looked up," she said, "and it was just like a domino effect. One side collapsed, and then it caused the other side to collapse." 6 people injured after collapse at Gaylord Rockies resort Olson said there was black sludge that poured out the ceiling, and her husband saw two kids covered in it."I think that's the scariest part was ...

Aurora PD investigating possible drive-by that injured minor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- The Aurora Police Department is investigating a possible drive-by shooting early Sunday morning that injured a minor-aged victim.Officers responded to a shots fired call at a park near the 18700 block of East Union Place at 1:32 a.m. ‘There were kids down there,’ survivor describes collapse at Gaylord Rockies that injured 6 The victim was found suffering from a nonfatal gunshot wound and taken to a nearby hospital.

Biden issues statement after deadly Texas mall shooting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

(NewsNation) — At least nine people are dead, including the suspected shooter, after the gunman opened fire at a busy mall outside Dallas, officials announced Saturday.The Allen fire department said they found seven dead upon arrival at the scene, and transported nine victims to a medical facility, fire chief Jonathan Boyd announced at a press conference. Of the nine who were taken to the hospital, two have died, three are in critical condition and four are stable.In a statement released Saturday morning, President Joe Biden lamented the latest multi-victim shooting in the U.S.“Jill and I are praying for their families and for others critically injured, and we are grateful to the first responders who acted quickly and courageously to save lives,” the statement read in part.He also called out -- though not by name -- some members of the GOP for not doing “enough.”“Too many families have empty chairs at their dinner tables. Republican Members of Congress cannot continue to meet this e...

Baseball legend Vida Blue dies at 73

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

Legendary pitcher Vida Blue passed away at the age of 73, the Oakland Athletics announced on Sunday.The cause of death wasn’t disclosed.“There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue,” the A’s said in a statement. “He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A’s Hall of Famer. Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time.”Blue played 17 seasons in the major leagues from 1969 to 1986. He started his career in Oakland, where he was a key contributor to the franchise’s three straight World Series championships from 1972-74.The left-hander was a six-time All-Star and won the Cy Young award in 1971.This is a developing story. Check back for updates. ()

‘Surprised’ Ian Hamilton relishes first save opportunity, success with Yankees

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG — Ian Hamilton notched 28 saves during his college career at Washington State and 46 more over 201 minor league contests. But the right-hander’s first major league save didn’t come until his 27th game on Saturday, when Hamilton took over the ninth in the Yankees’ 3-2 win over the Rays.Hamilton faced the bottom of Tampa Bay’s lineup after Clay Holmes — the Yankees’ usual closer coming off two rough outings — handled the heart of the order in the eighth. Still, Hamilton “definitely” felt more adrenaline pitching in a save situation, especially since he didn’t know the final frame belonged to him until the bullpen phone rang.“I was like, ‘Dang,’” said Hamilton, who worked around a Luke Raley double and struck out one. “I was surprised for sure.”Hamilton, often reserved, flashed large smiles after the game and kept the ball from his first save. He clearly enjoyed the oppo...

San Diego among cities with the most 'house poor' homeowners: study

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- According to a new study, several cities in the San Diego metro area rank within the top 20 cities with the most cost-burdened homeowners in the nation.A survey conducted and released by Chamber of Commerce in April 2023 shows four in 10 homeowners in Oceanside, San Diego and Chula Vista are considered "house poor."The expression "house poor" is used to described homeowners that are spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs, as explained in the study. Chamber of Commerce says this a popular standard for budgeting. San Diego grant program to give some families, seniors $4K; find out if you qualify For many homeowners, however, it appears this isn't an easy tactic to follow. To determine rankings of cities with the most "house poor" homeowners, Chamber of Commerce says it analyzed median household income and median monthly housing costs across more than 9 million households located in the most populated 170 census-defined places via the U.S. Census Bureau’...

Yellen: ‘No good options’ if Congress fails to act on debt

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that there are “no good options” for the United States to avoid an economic “calamity” if Congress fails to raise the nation’s borrowing limit of $31.381 trillion in the coming weeks. She did not rule out President Joe Biden bypassing lawmakers and acting on his own to try to avert a first-ever federal default.Her comments added even more urgency to a high-stakes meeting Tuesday between Biden and congressional leaders from both parties. Democrats and Republicans are at loggerheads over whether the debt limit should even be the subject of negotiation. GOP lawmakers, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, are demanding spending cuts in return for raising the borrowing limit, while Biden has said the threat of default shouldn’t be used as leverage in budget talks.Yellen, interviewed on ABC’s “This Week,” painted a dire picture of what might happen if the borrowing limit is not increased be...

Man charged in 1988 Michigan slaying dies in SC jail

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:34 GMT

THREE RIVERS, Mich. (AP) — A man who was arrested last month in the 1988 stabbing and strangulation of a Michigan woman has died in a South Carolina jail, where he was awaiting extradition to face a murder charge, authorities said.Police in Three Rivers, Michigan, said they were told Saturday about the death of Robert Waters, 53, at the detention center in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Waters was arrested April 30 after investigators used genealogical data to narrow the list of suspects to his family, authorities said. He was charged in the killing of 19-year-old Cathy Sue Swartz in Three Rivers, which is in southwestern Michigan about 136 miles (218 kilometers) southwest of Detroit.Prosecutor David Martin said Waters had waived extradition to Michigan. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating Waters’ death, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday. No other details were released.Swartz was stabbed and strangled in her apartment. Her death ...