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Rockies Journal: D-backs showing Colorado how to build a winner

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

If the Rockies want to see how to turn things around, it would behoove them to look about 900 miles to the southwest.That’s where they’ll find the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that lost 110 games in 2021 but currently leads the National League West with a 46-31 record. The Rockies (30-48) are stuck in the basement again, 16 1/2 games behind the D-backs.Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall has repeatedly said that he thought the team was another year from turning things around, but the players proved him wrong. The D-Backs look like the real deal, right now.The team from Phoenix rose from the ashes of truly bad baseball. In 2021, they finished 55 games out of first and were outscored by 204 runs. Fifth-year manager Torey Lovullo was on the hot seat, but the D-backs decided to give him a one-year, prove-it contract. They improved to 74-88 last season, showing a spark of promise.On June 4, Arizona announced that Lovullo was receiving a contract extension through 2024. The ma...

Coordinated metro area law enforcement crackdown on expired vehicle tags

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Metro area police will participate in an upcoming enforcement campaign targeting expired vehicle tags and unregistered vehicles.The campaign starts Sunday and runs through July 1, according to an Aurora Police Department news release. The Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas county sheriff’s offices will join Aurora police in conducting the program.APD is partnering w/ @AdamsCoSheriff, @ArapahoeSO & @dcsheriff on an enforcement campaign targeting unregistered vehicles and significantly expired registrations. The enforcement period begins Sunday and lasts a week.NEWS RELEASE: Aurora Police, Partner Agencies Announce… pic.twitter.com/IG4UQdq6GV— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) June 21, 2023“Officers will be on the lookout and ticketing motorists driving vehicles that are unregistered or significantly expired by more than three months,” the release said. The fine for driving on tags that are expired by 60 or more days or for driving on an expired temporary permit is $93, ac...

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Coup Targets Putin and His “Oligarchic Clan”

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, left, addresses his units withdrawing from Bakhmut, the city captured from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, on May 25, 2023.Photo: UPI/Alamy Live NewsRussian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a full-scale coup attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin late Friday and early Saturday morning, as his mercenaries took control of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, which serves as a key military hub for Russian combat operations for the war in Ukraine.Forces from the Wagner Group, Prigozhin’s private army, moved east from Ukraine, where they had been fighting alongside the Russian Army, and took over Rostov. By Saturday, they were reported to be moving north toward Moscow. There were reports of fighting between Wagner and the Russian military near the Russian city of Voronezh, which is between Rostov and Moscow. By the time this article was published, Wagner forces were moving north into the area around Lipetsk, only some 250 miles from...

Luiten cards a bogey-free 65 for a three-shot lead going into the final round in Munich

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

MUNICH (AP) — Joost Luiten carded a bogey-free 7-under 65 on Saturday to match his lowest round of the season and take a three-shot lead into the final round of the BMW International Open.The 37-year-old Luiten is in prime position at 14 under to claim his seventh European tour win – his first since 2018. Dutch compatriot Daan Huizing was his nearest challenger after a 66 in the third round.Daniel Hillier of New Zealand, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari of Italy were tied for third at 10 under.“Today was pretty much flawless,” Luiten said. “I didn’t really get into trouble that much and if I did miss the fairway I hit a great shot and still created a birdie chance. I made some nice birdies coming down the last four or five holes.“It would mean a lot to me to win but that’s not just me, that’s everybody. I need to keep my head cool.”___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Cardinals scratch Flaherty from start Sunday in London and Hicks is out with illness

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

LONDON (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty has been scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday because of hip tightness, manager Oliver Marmol said.Flaherty (4-5, 4.95 ERA) had been set to face the Chicago Cubs at London Stadium. He has made 15 starts this season.The 27-year-old Flaherty allowed 10 hits and six runs in each of his last two starts, though he got the win in the Cardinals’ 8-6 victory at Washington on Monday.Sunday’s starter was still to be determined, Marmol said Saturday.Reliever Jordan Hicks was unavailable because of illness. Hicks recorded the save in three straight wins this week.Infielder Nolan Gorman also was ill but has limited availability.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Elliott views pressure to make NASCAR playoffs as opportunity

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Chase Elliott prefers to view a very challenging season as opportunity, not pressure. The 2022 Cup Series champ who won a career-high five races last year taking the regular season title sits 27th in the points standings as NASCAR returns from the lone break in its 38-race season. Elliott has started only nine of 16 races. A leg broken while snowboarding cost him six starts, a suspension another.The Cup Series’ most popular driver five years running sits 278 points behind leader Martin Truex Jr. with time running out to qualify for the playoffs. “We’re in a tough spot, but I think it’s a good opportunity to go and have some fun and embrace the challenge,” Elliott said. “And that’s really kind of where my head’s at.”All of NASCAR — Elliott especially — should be rested up for the stretch run starting Sunday night with the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.The 27-year-old Elliott should be a bit more rested than others after serving that suspension ...

Indiana visits Las Vegas after Mitchell’s 25-point performance

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Indiana Fever (5-7, 3-5 Eastern Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (11-1, 7-0 Western Conference)Las Vegas; Saturday, 9 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Aces -16.5; over/under is 167.5BOTTOM LINE: Indiana visits the Las Vegas Aces after Kelsey Mitchell scored 25 points in the Fever’s 80-68 win against the Seattle Storm.The Aces have gone 5-0 at home. Las Vegas is the top team in the Western Conference with 40.5 points in the paint led by A’ja Wilson averaging 10.7.The Fever have gone 4-3 away from home. Indiana is 2-1 in games decided by 10 points or more.The teams meet for the second time this season. The Aces won 84-80 in the last matchup on June 4.TOP PERFORMERS: Wilson is averaging 18.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the Aces.Aliyah Boston is averaging 15.4 points, eight rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the Fever.LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 9-1, averaging 91.1 points, 33.8 rebounds, 22.4 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Th...

Sutton leads Phoenix against Seattle after 21-point game

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Phoenix Mercury (2-9, 1-6 Western Conference) at Seattle Storm (3-9, 3-4 Western Conference)Seattle; Saturday, 9 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Storm -1.5; over/under is 158.5BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix visits the Seattle Storm after Sug Sutton scored 21 points in the Mercury’s 99-79 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.The Storm have gone 3-4 against Western Conference teams. Seattle is fifth in the Western Conference scoring 76.4 points while shooting 38.7% from the field.The Mercury are 1-6 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix is sixth in the Western Conference giving up 87.6 points while holding opponents to 44.3% shooting.The teams play for the second time this season. The Storm won the last meeting 83-69 on June 14. Sami Whitcomb scored 18 points to help lead the Storm to the win.TOP PERFORMERS: Ezi Magbegor is averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.3 blocks for the Storm.Sophie Cunningham is averaging 14.5 points for the Mercury.LAST 10 GAMES: Storm: 3-7, ...

2 winners emerge from Arlington’s first-ever ranked choice voting election

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Two winners have emerged from the debut of ranked choice voting in Arlington’s Democratic primary election for county board.Maureen Coffey and Susan Cunningham were announced as the first-ever winners of ranked choice voting in Arlington County.Coffey and Cunningham received the most votes amongst a group of six candidates also including Natalie Roy, JD Spain, Tony Weaver and Jonathan Dromgoole.With ranked choice voting, the candidate receiving the least amount of votes is eliminated and their votes get reallocated to each voters’ second choice of candidate.That process then repeats until candidates gain 34% of the votes, or until there are only two candidates remaining.The county said it hopes to certify the results by Monday.The Arlington County Board approved a pilot program last year, which gave voters the opportunity to list three choices for this year’s primaries.In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly opened the floodgates for ranked choice voting as local of...

Wagner forces will turn columns back from Moscow advance, Prigozhin says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:42:49 GMT

Fighters loyal to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group will stop their advance towards Moscow to avoid a devastating civil conflict, the group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday.In a voice recording posted to his Telegram channel, Prigozhin said his troops had got within 200 kilometers of Moscow in a single day, but that they would now stand down.“During this time we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters,” he said. “Taking responsibility for the fact that Russian blood will be shed — on one side — we will turn our columns around and go in the opposite direction to field camps, according to the plan,” he said.Moments earlier, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko issued a statement claiming he held talks with the outspoken oligarch throughout the day.“As a result, they came to agreements on the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloody massacre on the territory of Russia,” the message from his office read. “Y...