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Big Ten’s four new coaches took divergent paths to new-look West Division

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Luke Fickell got his first taste of leading a Big Ten program as Ohio State’s interim coach in 2011. This fall, he’s back with the more traditional title of head coach — at Wisconsin.Former Baylor coach Matt Rhule is back in the college fray, too, this time at Nebraska.They are the highest-profile members of the Big Ten’s four new coaches, all of whom took jobs with West Division teams in a league they revere.“We could take the whole time on ‘why Wisconsin,’” Fickell said on the second and final day of the Big Ten’s annual football kickoff in Indianapolis. “It has a lot to do with being back in the Big Ten. It has to do with the respect I’ve always had playing against and preparing for Wisconsin, understanding and recognizing what I assumed the culture was like from afar. It felt like something that would be really, really in my wheelhouse.”The Badgers certainly believe Fickell is the perfect fit to complete the mission Barry Alvarez...

Frances Tiafoe launches charitable fund at tennis center where he grew up

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Frances Tiafoe stood with his hands on his hips and feigned disappointment Thursday after his partner during a doubles drill dumped an overhead into the net.Moments earlier, on the same courts at the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC) where he learned the game not far from the nation’s capital, Tiafoe jokingly chastised another of his temporary teammates — all aged 10 or under — for not celebrating a good shot properly, explaining the importance of yelling and punching the air.A semifinalist at the U.S. Open last year and now ranked in the ATP Top 10, he took part in the clinic with dozens of kids after a ceremony to announce the launch of The Frances Tiafoe Fund in conjunction with the USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the sport’s national federation.“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. It’s something I’ve always been passionate about. I love people. I love helping people,” the 25-year-old Tiafoe said. “I’m a product of this place. I’m a guy who...

DC region swelters: Forecasters warn of dangerous heat, strong storms

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 7:15 p.m. for South Central Montgomery County in Maryland, and for Southeastern Loudoun County, Northern Fairfax County, Northwestern City of Falls Church and the City of Fairfax in Virginia. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 6:45 p.m. for West Central Montgomery County in Maryland, and for Central Loudoun County, North Central Fauquier County and Northwestern Prince William County in Virginia.  There’s no need to mince words — it’s hot out, and the atmosphere is just right to intensify the storms that are moving into the D.C. area Thursday afternoon.The heat wave that began Wednesday afternoon, when southerly winds and sunshine brought highs in the lower to mid 90s, will linger into the weekend, according to 7News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin.The D.C. region is under a Heat Advisory through Thursday evening due to the potential for heat indexes up to 105 degrees.“Extreme heat and humidity wil...

Jeremy Pruitt returns to alma mater as PE teacher, junior high hoops coach

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

RAINSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt is returning to his high school alma mater to teach physical education and coach junior high basketball after the NCAA imposed a six-year show cause against him for rules violations. Plain View High School principal Chris Clark said the DeKalb County Board of Education unanimously approved Pruitt’s hiring on Thursday with “no issues” in the northeast Alabama town of about 5,500. That’s less than two weeks after Tennessee was fined more than $8 million, and the NCAA issued a scathing report outlined more than 200 infractions during Pruitt’s three-year tenure before his firing in early 2021.“He’s a hometown hero,” said Clark, who was one of Pruitt’s assistant coaches at the school. “He’s made a name for himself. Even before Tennessee, he was a well-known defensive coordinator at Alabama. He’s always kept close ties to the community.“He was a great fit for what we needed and our basketball coa...

Obama’s first college is latest to end legacy admissions

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A California college where President Barack Obama started his undergraduate studies will no longer give special treatment to the children of alumni.Occidental College, a private liberal arts school in Los Angeles, is the latest school to end legacy admissions in the wake of a Supreme Court decision removing race from college admissions decisions.A campus letter from the school’s president said an applicant’s family ties to Occidental alumni “could be considered” in the past but had only “minimal impact” on decisions.“Still, to ensure we are removing any potential barriers to access and opportunity, Occidental will no longer ask applicants about alumni relationships as part of the application,” President Harry J. Elam Jr. said in a campus message on Wednesday. He cited the Supreme Court’s decision.The school of about 2,000 students is known for being the campus where Obama began his college career in 1979. Obama spent two years at Occidental before transferring to C...

Human case of West Nile virus possibly found in Weld County

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — West Nile virus has been discovered around Colorado, both in mosquitoes and at least two humans.Weld County announced Thursday it was investigating a potential case of the virus in a resident there. A human case also was detected this week in La Plata County in the southwest corner of the state, where Durango is the county seat. Why did Jeffco wait to warn about the trail predator? In Denver, health officials announced Thursday the virus had been detected among mosquitoes. But no human cases among Denverites have been detected so far, according to the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.West Nile virus has been found in seven Colorado counties so far this year, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:ArapahoeBoulderDeltaDenverLarimerPuebloWeldMosquito populations higher this yearMosquito numbers have been higher this year after heavy rainfall through the spring and summer, health officials say.In Weld County, health offi...

Colorado couple competes in Cheyenne Frontier Days chuckwagon cookoff

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KDVR) — Cheyenne Wells, is a city in Colorado with a population 600. Better make that 598, because Tammy and Michael Engelbrecht are not in Cheyenne Wells right now. They are in Cheyenne, Wyoming, they are cooking up a storm, chuckwagon style.A chuckwagon is an Old West-era kitchen on wheels. They were used for storing food and preparing food for cowboys, pioneers and anyone who needed to eat in the field. They were used in wagon trains to feed settlers as well. They were the original food trucks.It's part western heritage, part living history and a big part culinary cuisine. Cowboy grub had to be great.“Food was the only thing that they had to look forward to. Food was the only luxury they had,“ Michael Engelbrecht said. “The average age of the cowhand was about 12 years old to 14 years old and so as a very young man, he may or may not have a family, and you need to keep him on the trails,“ Tammy Engelbrecht, said.The Engelbrechts are farmers in eastern Colorado. Wh...

19-month-old boy adopted by South Florida couple after difficult and lengthy deportation battle

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

A 19-month-old boy at the center of an international deportation debate was officially been adopted by a South Florida family.After a difficult and drawn-out battle on Thursday, the toddler legally became Angel Simmons by his foster family, who will be able to keep him in the U.S. Simmons was officially adopted, in a very short but emotional ceremony at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale.His adoptive mother, Tamara Simmons, read a beautiful message to the newest member of her family.“Dear Baby Angel, I wonder if you can even begin to grasp how loved you are,” she said as she fought back tears. “You are everyone’s baby.”His adoptive father, Gerald Simmons, said it took a lot of time and effort to see this day.“We really wanted to fight for this boy,” he said.Angel has been cared for by Tamara and Gerald since late 2021, when he was just a few days old. His biological mother’s parental rights were terminated, and according ...

FBI searching for man who robbed Truist Bank in Hialeah

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

Federal authorities seek the public’s help in their search for a robber who targeted a bank in Hialeah.According to the FBI, the subject went inside the Truist Bank along the 7700 block of West 33rd Avenue, at around 1:10 p.m., Thursday.Investigators said the masked man, captured in surveillance images, demanded money from a teller and left with an undisclosed sum of cash.The bank remained closed for the remainder of the day.Officials urge anyone with information about this robbery or the subject’s whereabouts to call the FBI at 754-703-2000.

Mets Notebook: Starling Marte’s return ‘not imminent’ after migraines, Buck Showalter says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:32:21 GMT

Starling Marte was eligible to come off the injured list Thursday but the Mets are not ready to activate the right fielder. Marte is still dealing with migraine headaches and his child is due any day now, which has also complicated the matter.“Not imminent,” manager Buck Showalter said Thursday at Citi Field ahead of the series opener against the Washington Nationals. “I know they’re talking about making sure they’ve got the right diagnosis with the migraines.”Marte worked out at Citi Field over the weekend when the Mets were in Boston for a three-game series against the Red Sox. He was also with the team this week at Yankee Stadium for the Subway Series and was able to do baserunning drills ahead of Tuesday’s game in the Bronx. However, Marte has not been completely migraine-free. The 34-year-old has had more headaches this week but “on a lesser scale.”The key concern is that the headaches are occurring so closely together. Mart...