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Chicago Cubs recall Hayden Wesneski to start against the St. Louis Cardinals as Drew Smyly tries to get on track

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

As the Chicago Cubs try to find the best ways to deploy left-hander Drew Smyly in the rotation, they have optimized matchups the last two turns through.Twice Smyly was lined up to start against a right-handed-heavy St. Louis Cardinals lineup, and amid his struggles over his last two outings, the Cubs opted to start a righty and piggyback Smyly in relief. That meant reliever Michael Fulmer serving as a two-inning opener Saturday versus the Cardinals at Wrigley Field and Hayden Wesneski getting the call Friday at Busch Stadium.The Cubs recalled Wesneski from Triple-A Iowa and optioned reliever Michael Rucker before the game.“Trying to get the best pitchers as a whole, get our best arms up here,” manager David Ross said of the move. “He’s been throwing the ball really well and we’ve had some some taxing innings on the bullpen a little bit so, just giving (Michael) Fulmer or whoever we would have started today a little bit of a breather before we go to Drew...

A Bay Area man fatally stabbed a woman and posted video of it on Facebook, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — A man allegedly stabbed a woman to death in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday and then posted a video of the slaying to Facebook, authorities said.The footage helped police track down the suspect, who was later identified as 39-year old Mark Mechikoff. He was arrested about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of where the victim was found dead in a San Mateo apartment complex.“While the motive for stabbing the victim is still under investigation, we do know Mechikoff mercilessly filmed the last moments of the victim’s life and posted the video to Facebook, then fled the area,” San Mateo police said in a statement.Prosecutors identified the victim as Claribel Estrella. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office on Friday charged Mechikoff with a single count of murder with enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury and the use of a knife.He appeared in court but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed for a...

Mets’ clubhouse playing through uncertainty of trade deadline: ‘We can’t really control what’s going on in the front office’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

The dust has started to settle in Queens, but these next few days are set to bring more uncertainty and more than likely, more player movement. At some point, it will be time to unpack what comes next for the organization, but right now, with the trade deadline only a few days away, the only thing the Mets can do is continue to play baseball.After trading closer David Robertson just around midnight Thursday, the mood inside the locker room was a mix of shock, disappointment and relief. What the future holds for the team is unknown. There seemed to be some surprise at the fact that the return for Robertson was two teenagers instead of prospects who are knocking at the door of the big leagues, but ultimately, the Mets understand that it’s out of their hands.“We can’t really control what’s going on in the front office,” said first baseman Pete Alonso. “The only thing we can control is winning ballgames. We want to win as many games as we can through ...

Rent control to hit November 2024 California ballot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- In the 2024 election, Californians will have a chance to vote on rent control. The measure gathered enough signatures to be eligible for a ballot item.  The rent control measure means voters can have a say in whether to repeal a 1995 law to allow cities to expand rent control and put new restrictions on how much landlords can hike up the rent.  “People are getting gouged, and the working class is hurting,” said Rafael Bautista, the director of the San Diego Tenants Union. Coming November 2024, Californians can vote to repeal the 1995 Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which has prevented cities and counties from setting annual rent caps on apartments and single-family homes that are built in after 1995.  “The reality in San Diego once people are evicted it's very hard to find another place to move into. Rent control can help people stay inside their homes,” Bautista explained.This is the third time the Los Angeles-based “AIDS Healthcare Foundation” has tried to...

Man killed in East County motorcycle crash identified

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

LAKESIDE, Calif. — A man killed in a motorcycle crash earlier this month in the Lakeside area has been identified, local medical officials said.Stephen John Corbin, 65, of Yucca Valley, was identified as the deceased, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said on its website.The collision occurred on July 16 on northbound State Route 67 near Slaughterhouse Canyon Road, according to California Highway Patrol. Fatal crash prompts road closures along I-805, SR-52 connector Authorities say Corbin was traveling on SR-67 when for unknown reasons he laid his motorcycle down before striking the center divider.The man and motorcycle slid along the roadway about 300 feet away from the collision point with the center divider, per CHP.A passerby then provided lifesaving measures on Corbin until deputies arrived. First responders later pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

4 air crew members are missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched off the Queensland coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Four air crew members were missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched into waters off the Queensland state coast during joint military exercises with the United States, officials said Saturday.The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter went down near Hamilton Island, a Great Barrier Reef tourist resort, at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, Defense Minister Richard Marles said.A search was underway to find the crew, and their families had been notified, officials said.A rescue helicopter reported spotting debris Saturday morning near Dent Island in the Whitsunday Islands group.The Taipan was taking part in Talisman Sabre, a biennial joint U.S.-Australian military exercise that is largely based in Queensland. This year’s exercise involves 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel.Marles said the helicopter ditched, which refers to an emergency landing on water. He said it was taking part in a mission that involved a second helicopter, which immediately started a ...

The UFO congressional hearing was ‘insulting’ to US employees, a top Pentagon official says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world. Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs. Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of th...

Federal judge halts Montana ban on drag performances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

(The Hill) — A federal judge in Montana issued a temporary restraining order on Friday, blocking the state from enforcing a law that bans certain drag performances, writing in an order that the law likely suffers from “constitutional maladies.”Montana’s House Bill 359, passed by the state’s majority Republican legislature and signed into law by GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte in May, prohibits schools or libraries that receive state funding from hosting a drag story hour or “sexually oriented performance.” Performances are also prohibited from taking place in public or in the presence of a minor. Trader Joe’s recalls falafel and broccoli cheddar soup for possible rocks, insects A group of 10 plaintiffs challenged the law in federal court earlier this month, arguing that the bill is “breathtakingly ambiguous and overbroad.” Plaintiffs include Adria Jawort, a transgender and two-spirit author whose lecture at a public library in Butte was canceled last month after officials determined that ...

Mayor Watson talks $65M to fight Austin homelessness, 'Death Star' litigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

Part of the mission of KXAN News is to foster a more informed and engaged community. We deliver in-depth coverage on topics like affordability, safety and mobility that affect the daily lives of Central Texans. And we explore sustainable solutions to economic, systemic and social problems. One way to achieve those goals is providing direct and consistent access to leaders who make decisions that shape local policy — seeking to understand their stances, holding them accountable for promises and asking tough questions when needed. This series of interviews with City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is designed with that in mind.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following his announcement of $65 million in state funding to combat homelessness, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson sat down with KXAN's Daniel Marin on Friday to discuss how the money will be spent and how soon it could help those living on the streets. PREVIOUS: Mayor Kirk Watson discusses new $5.5 billion city budget, what it means for Austin The two al...

Biden nominates Minnesota appellate judge to federal bench

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:17 GMT

President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jeffrey Bryan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the White House announced Thursday.Bryan, 47, currently serves on the Minnesota Court of Appeals after being appointed in 2019 by Gov. Tim Walz. Before that, he presided over civil and criminal cases on the Ramsey County District Court following his 2013 appointment by Gov. Mark Dayton. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Minneapolis for six years and a civil litigation attorney for the Minneapolis law firm Robins Kaplan. A native of El Paso, Texas, Bryan is a graduate of the University of Texas and Yale University Law School.President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jeffrey Bryan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the White House announced July 27, 2023. Bryan, 47, currently serves on the Minnesota Court of Appeals after being appointed in 2019 by Gov. Tim Walz. Before that, he presided over civil and criminal cases on the Ramsey...