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Civil rights icon James Meredith, 90, falls at Mississippi event but has no visible injuries

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Civil rights icon James Meredith fell outside the Mississippi Capitol on Sunday at an event marking his 90th birthday, but he suffered no visible injuries.Meredith tumbled forward onto a portable lectern as he stood to speak to about 200 people. Those around him quickly scrambled to stand him up upright and then helped him back into the wheelchair he had been using.Meredith remained at the event until it ended about 45 minutes later. An ambulance crew checked him afterward, and Meredith then left in a sport utility vehicle with friends and family.Meredith was already an Air Force veteran in 1962 when he became the first Black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, after winning a federal court order. White mobs rioted on the Oxford campus as federal marshals protected Meredith.In 1966, Meredith set out to promote Black voting rights and to prove that a Black man could walk through Mississippi without fear. On the second day of his planned walk from...

Housing, traffic, affordability on Torontonians minds as byelection day approaches

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

Voters in Toronto head to the polls Monday to elect their next mayor, with a record 102 candidates to choose from. Whoever ends up leading the city will have to deal with a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall, a housing affordability crisis and aging public infrastructure, among other issues. Eudokia Kliadres moved to Canada from Cyprus four decades ago, raised a family, worked at a Toronto hospital for years and is now retired. But the 72-year-old said she’s having a hard time making ends meet. “We can’t afford vegetables and healthy food,” she said, pointing to her grocery bag in her hand as she stood outside a shopping mall in Flemingdon Park.“I am retired, the pension that I get is not enough, not even for the rent.” Kliadres criticized politicians for not doing enough to support residents as the cost of living in the city skyrockets. She said she hoped the next mayor would take action to lower the cost of housing and groceries.She also hopes ...

US Coast Guard launches probe into Titan loss, works to gather evidence from site

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

BOSTON — The U.S. Coast Guard’s immediate priority as it launches an investigation into the implosion of a submersible that was exploring the Titanic wreckage will be the recovery of evidence from the sea floor, an official said on Sunday.Captain Jason Neubauer, who is leading the Coast Guard’s probe into the disaster that claimed five lives, told a news conference in Boston that crews “are taking all precautions on-site” to recover human remains if they encounter them.Canada’s Transportation Safety Board has also launched an investigation into the ship, the Polar Prince, which ferried the doomed Titan submersible to its dive site, and the RCMP says it is looking to determine whether a full investigation into the deaths of the five people on the sub is warranted.Neubauer says the Coast Guard’s investigation began Friday not long after it was confirmed the submersible, which had been missing since last Sunday, catastrophically failed in its explora...

Overnight storms cause destruction in Cook County near Western Suburbs

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Overnight storms swept through the Chicagoland area overnight leaving uprooted trees and flooding.A tree and utility pole landed on top of a car in Cicero during a thunderstorm warning overnight. The owner of the car reportedly slept through the storm and did not hear a crash. It was only when he stepped outside did he see the car's condition. The storm came through Cicero around about 2:00 a.m. where large trees crashed onto cars and homes. Cicero firefighters climbed onto ladders to help some residents remove debris from their homes. What you need to know about the 2023 Chicago Pride Parade Utility poles have been toppled over and tree branches have been scattered across streets. Heavy rain also caused flooding in some places. A ramp off of I-55 flooded where a vehicle got stuck in the water. The worst of the damage was reported to be in south of Ogden Avenue. ComEd reported no power outages in Cicero but a few in Berwyn. There has been no injuries reported in the sto...

Longhorns land verbal commitment from Jerrick Gibson, No. 2 RB in country

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas football team picked up another verbal commitment from a top high school running back over the weekend.Jerrick Gibson, the No. 2 ranked 2024 running back in the country according to 247Sports, said Saturday he's coming to the 40 Acres. He told the Texas coaching staff of his intentions during a visit, and then he shook hands with head coach Steve Sarkisian among cheers from everyone in the room.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersGibson, rated a 4-star recruit by 247Sports, chose the Longhorns over Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Miami. He'll be a senior at national football powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida this coming season. During his junior season in 2022, he rushed for 608 yards on 83 carries in nine games with eight touchdowns, according to stats posted on MaxPreps.It's the second top running back commitment the Longhorn...

Jordan Westburg’s time finally arrives as Orioles reportedly promote No. 4 prospect to majors

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias often speaks of his desire to see prospects “graduate Triple-A” in terms of performance before promoting them to the majors. Jordan Westburg’s cap and gown will at last come Monday.After more than a year of strong performances with Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles are calling up Westburg, a 24-year-old infielder Baseball America ranks as the No. 4 prospect in the organization and No. 46 in the sport, ESPN reported late Sunday afternoon. Baltimore will need to make a corresponding move on both its active and 40-man rosters before Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.In 158 games with the Tides across the past two seasons, Westburg hit .283/.366/.533 with 36 home runs and 128 runs driven in. Promoted to Norfolk alongside eventual top overall prospect Gunnar Henderson early last June, Westburg had to wait much longer for his first opportunity in the majors. Westburg had 714 Triple-A plate ap...

Ezequiel Tovar lifts Rockies to redemptive win over Angels

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

The kid delivered for the Rockies on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Coors Field, putting Saturday night’s debacle to rest.Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, 21, hit a solo home run in the fifth and drove in another run with a single in the seventh to lift the Rockies to a redemptive 4-3 victory over the Angels.The win took some of the sting out of Colorado’s 25-1 loss to the Angels on Saturday night — the worst loss in franchise history.Of course, nothing comes easy for these Rockies. Eduardo Escobar hit a two-out triple in the ninth off of closer Justin Lawrence and scored on Mickey Moniak’s single. Lawrence intentionally walked Matt Thaiss before getting pinch-hitter Luis Rengifo to grounded out to third baseman Ryan McMahon.The Angels’ 25 runs and 28 hits set franchise records on Saturday, but their bats were quieter Sunday when they had eight hits. The Rockies had just five hits but they delivered when they had to.Related ArticlesColorado Rockies | ...

SF Giants come up short of sweep against Arizona

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants will have to be content with a good homestand as opposed to a great one.Ketel Marte hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning and the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a sweep Sunday with a 5-2 win over the Giants before a crowd of 35,766 at Oracle Park.In finishing a seven-game homestand against San Diego and Arizona at 5-2, the Giants fell to 44-34 in the N.L. West, 2 1/2 games the Diamondbacks, who improved to 47-32.Marte’s home run came against reliever Tristan Beck, who took over for Anthony DeSclafani after the Giants starter pitched well for six innings but fell to 4-7. Ryne Nelson (4-4) was the winner for Arizona, giving up just three hits and one run in seven innings.It was Marte’s 14th home run of the season. It brought home Jake McCarthy, who led off the inning with a walk against reliever Tristan Beck.The Giants got within 4-2 in the eighth on a two-out RBI single by J.D. Davis against reliever Scott McGough, who had ...

Stanford sensation Rose Zhang makes run at LPGA major

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

Stanford sensation Rose Zhang made a run at more golf history Sunday, charging over the front nine at Baltusrol to join the leaders in the Women’s PGA Championship tournament.Three weeks after becoming the first LPGA player since 1951 to win their pro debut, Zhang was one stroke off the lead heading to the 16th tee. A bogey at 16 dropped her two strokes back and she finished three behind the winner, Ruoning Yin, who carded a final-round 67 for a four-day total of 276.Yuka Saso finished second at 277, followed by a group of five players at 278. Zhang, who shot 67 Sunday, was tied for 8th at 279.Of her Top-10 finish, Zhang said: “Safe to say, I’ll take it… I wish a couple more putts would have dropped, but it’s all good.”Zhang, 20, had started the day 6 strokes back, but birdied the first two holes Sunday and also birdied Nos. 7 and 8. The birdie at 11 was her fifth of the round.“Today was the best ball-striking I’ve felt in the last cou...

San Francisco Pride celebrates love and resilience amid surging anti-LGBTQ+ laws

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:41:36 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Logan Oretl had known he was gay for as long as he could remember. But as the 20-year-old stood by Market Street — in the thick of waving rainbow flags, dancing drag queens and a flurry of bubbles — on Sunday, he said he’d never felt more accepted.“I’m not used to seeing so much open love, and to finally be able to walk around without feeling afraid,” said Oretl, who had flown — for the very first time — from his small town in Ohio to attend San Francisco’s 53rd pride parade. “It’s nice to be able to just be happy.”Oretl was just one of an expected million attendees at the parade, which flooded down Market Street Sunday morning. Politicians gave out hugs to attendees soaked in glitter; people in inflatable unicorn costumes chatted with members of the city’s rainbow-clad fire department. San Francisco’s streets were bursting with people — all there despite an increasingly hostile political climate and a pandemic that has hit the city hard.Today, ther...