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Report: Southern California region again ranks as most ozone-polluted in US

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

It’s a title nobody wants, but the Los Angeles-Long Beach metropolitan area was again the most ozone-polluted region in the nation — with Western states also continuing to outpace the East in terms of poor air quality.That’s according to an annual air-quality report the American Lung Association released on Wednesday, April 19.The Los Angeles-Long Beach region has been ranked the nation’s worst ozone-polluted area in 23 of the 24 years that the association has produced its “State of the Air” report — though the Southland got a bit of good news this time:The area improved slightly from last year in terms of unhealthy ozone days and particle pollution days, the report said.The American Lung Association puts out a new “State of the Air” report every year around Earth Day. This year, the ALA analyzed three years’ worth of air quality data captured by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitoring systems to formulate “report cards” for cities across the nation.“The majority of U.S. cou...

Umpires explain Max Scherzer’s ejection for sticky substance in Dodgers-Mets game

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer was ejected in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over the Dodgers after umpires repeatedly checked the three-time Cy Young Award winner’s hand and glove for a sticky substance.Mets manager Buck Showalter said after the game that Scherzer was ejected for having rosin on his glove and Scherzer was adamant that it was nothing more than “sweat and rosin.” Scherzer says when he was asked to wash his hand, he did so with alcohol (at least once in front of an MLB official). If deemed to have violated the MLB rule on sticky substances, Scherzer faces an automatic 10-game suspension, which the eight-time All-Star told reporters after the game he would plan to appeal.This is a postgame interview between a pool reporter and home plate umpire/crew chief Dan Bellino and first base umpire Phil Cuzzi.Regarding the initial warning:BELLINO: At the conclusion of the second inning, as he walked off the field, Phil, the first base umpire, went to p...

Goldberg: Why Fox had to settle

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. — It is deeply disappointing that Fox News settled the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems before Rupert Murdoch and his roster of celebrity propagandists had to testify. But it is not surprising. Fox News, after all, had no viable defense.On Tuesday, I arrived at Superior Court here at 7 a.m. to secure a seat for what I, like many others, hoped would be an epic trial about the falsehoods Fox aired after the 2020 election, when it accused Dominion and the voting technology company Smartmatic of perpetrating heinous voter fraud. Jury selection took all morning, and opening statements were scheduled for the afternoon.More than anything, I was curious about what Fox’s lawyers would say, because there seemed so little that they could say. Part of Fox’s sinister on-air brilliance is the way it encases its audience in a comprehensive alternative reality. But now, for once, the network would be forced to account for itself outside the right-wing bub...

Clarke: How could 21-year-old leak security data without Pentagon knowing?

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

Speaking about the recent intelligence leak of classified documents by a member of the U.S. military, President Joe Biden downplayed the significance, remarking, “There’s nothing contemporaneous that I’m aware of that is of great consequence.”While it makes sense that the president would attempt to soft-pedal the fallout, the truth is that the Biden administration, Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence community still don’t know the extent of what information is “out in the wild,” to use a term for classified information that has been put into public view. Most media organizations have access to about 50 documents, but the leak may comprise “hundreds and hundreds” of intelligence assessments, so our understanding of what happened and what is at risk may continue to evolve.When a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman named Jack Teixeira leaked these documents on Discord, an online gaming platform, he significantly compromised U.S. national security and that of ot...

Find a new home for now and forever

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

An important consideration in any home purchase is how long you plan to or hope to live in it. Is this going to be a starter home, a vacation home or a forever home?With enough foresight and planning, a new construction home could be all three; it might even serve as a home to pass down to other generations.For starters, by definition, “starter home” typically refers to the buyer’s first-time home purchase. It may also represent a couple’s first purchase of a home together, even if one person has already owned a home of their own.The buyer or buyers know from the outset that they don’t want to or cannot live in the home for more than 10, 20 or 30 years.A “forever” home represents the dwelling that the buyers plan to live in — or at least maintain ownership of — for an unlimited period of time.Whether a starter home or a forever home, new construction homes in California also include popular, contemporary features such as solar power, energy-efficient construction, technology, flexib...

Traffic incident sidelines gay footballer Jankto

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto, who recently came out as gay, is taking time off from soccer following a traffic incident.Jankto’s Sparta Prague club said he was not with the team anymore and was given time to deal with his “personal situation.” Sparta declined to give more details and asked the public and media to respect Jankto’s privacy.Jankto said in a statement that his health didn’t make it possible to continue helping Sparta in title and cup races and thanked the club and the fans for their support.Police said he was checked by officers after they were notified by another driver on Tuesday. An alcohol test was negative but Jankto refused to be tested for other drugs.According to media reports, he also didn’t have a driver’s licence, which was taken from him previously by police. Failure to have a licence was punishable by a prison term.Jankto’s future was not clear.He was playing for Sparta Prague this season on loan from Spanish club G...

S&T Bancorp: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — INDIANA, Pa. (AP) — S&T Bancorp Inc. (STBA) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $39.8 million.The Indiana, Pennsylvania-based bank said it had earnings of $1.02 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 96 cents per share.The holding company for S&T Bank posted revenue of $124.1 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $102 million, which fell short of Street forecasts._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on STBA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/STBASource

Manpower: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — MILWAUKEE (AP) — ManpowerGroup Inc. (MAN) on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings of $77.8 million.On a per-share basis, the Milwaukee-based company said it had net income of $1.51. Earnings, adjusted for restructuring costs, came to $1.61 per share.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.62 per share.The staffing company posted revenue of $4.75 billion in the period, which also did not meet Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.82 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MAN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MANSource

Webster Financial: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Webster Financial Corp. (WBS) on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings of $221 million.The Stamford, Connecticut-based bank said it had earnings of $1.24 per share. Earnings, adjusted for costs related to mergers and acquisitions, came to $1.49 per share.The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.56 per share.The holding company for Webster Bank posted revenue of $901.7 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $666 million, which also missed Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $704.2 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WBS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/WBSSource

Warriors will lean on dependable Looney with Green suspended

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:24:25 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kevon Looney takes great pride in being available game after game for the Golden State Warriors, however he is needed, whenever his name is called.The eighth-year center realizes his role is suddenly as large as ever for the defending champions with Draymond Green suspended and the Warriors on the ropes against upstart Sacramento in their first-round playoff series. It’s not the first time Golden State has leaned on the dependable Looney this season.The Warriors might have completely fractured during training camp when Green punched Jordan Poole at practice had it not been for Looney’s voice of reason and steadying hand. General manager Bob Myers and coach Steve Kerr largely credit Looney for keeping the peace after an incident that threatened to put the entire season in jeopardy for a team determined to go after another title.Now the Warriors not only need Looney’s leadership but also his reliable rebounding.The 6-foot-9 Looney will be Golden State&...