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Damian Lillard asks the Trail Blazers for a trade, team confirms

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Basketball Writer)Damian Lillard has said repeatedly that he wants to contend for a championship. After 11 years in Portland, he has decided he needs to move elsewhere to make that happen.Lillard asked the Trail Blazers for a trade, a move that will end the seven-time All-Star’s tenure with that team, two people familiar with the matter said Saturday. The team later confirmed that Lillard had made the request.Lillard is generating interest from the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets, among others, according to the people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no details were announced publicly. One of the people told the AP that Lillard’s preference is Miami — the reigning Eastern Conference champion — though that hardly guarantees the Trail Blazers will work to facilitate that specific move.“We have been clear that we want Dame here, but he notified us today he wants out and he’d prefer to play someplace...

Bo Byram extended two years by Avalanche as RFA, contract details

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Bo Byram and the Avalanche agreed to a two-year contract extension Saturday, the team announced.The average annual value of the deal is $3.85 million, a source told The Denver Post. The extension brings an end to Colorado’s most challenging negotiation with a restricted free agent this offseason.Byram, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft, is considered one of the most talented young defensemen in the league. The 22-year-old has 43 career points in 91 games, including a 10-goal output in 2022-23 despite only playing half the season.Related ArticlesColorado Avalanche | Miles Wood agrees to 6-year contract with Avalanche in free agency Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche’s Denis Malgin, Ryan Merkley to become unrestricted free agents Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche Journal: My NHL Awards ballot and grades of Colorado trades, draft picks Colorado Avalanche | Avalanche NHL draft Day 2: Avs prioritize defense in lat...

Second bus carrying migrants from Texas arrives in Los Angeles 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

The second bus carrying migrants from the Texas-Mexico border to Los Angeles arrived in L.A. on Saturday afternoon. The bus arrived at Union Station from Brownsville, Texas around 12:40 p.m.The 41 migrants, who are from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Belize and Nicaragua, were recently paroled by the Border Patrol and are voluntarily making the 1,600-mile journey, the LA Times said.According to a spokesperson for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the Mayor's Office learned of the bus yesterday, but they quickly mobilized a welcome committee made up of city and county workers alongside a coalition of nonprofit organizations and faith partners.This is the second group of migrants that has been bussed from Texas to Los Angeles; on June 14, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that a group of 42 migrants was bussed to L.A. from the city of McAllen. “Texas’ small border towns remain overwhelmed and overrun by the thousands of people illegally crossing into Te...

SF Giants’ Camilo Doval takes ‘huge’ step forward to become ‘complete closer’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK — With his go-ahead homer in the eighth inning Friday night and picture-perfect throw to second base in the ninth, rookie catcher Patrick Bailey deservedly received the bulk of the attention from the Giants’ come-from-behind win over the Mets. But not to be overlooked: Camilo Doval’s transformation into a “complete” closer, to use the words of manager Gabe Kapler.Tied for the major-league lead in saves, the 25-year-old fireballer has been arguably the best closer in baseball for the first half of this season. He already has one reliever of the month award under his belt, and he is widely seen as the Giants’ top All-Star candidate (rosters announced Sunday at 2:30 p.m. PT).But, as coach Mark Hallberg pointed out Saturday, Doval’s three-pitch mix — a triple-digit heater, a sharp-breaking sinker and a wipeout slider — is so nasty, it left him a blindspot. In addition to his duties at third-base coach, Hallberg oversees Giants’ pitchers...

Antioch landlord pleads no contest in tenant’s killing

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

MARTINEZ — An Antioch landlord has pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his tenant/roommate, and is expected to receive a 13-year prison term in August, authorities said.Marc Siegel, 46, pleaded no contest in June to killing 43-year-old Michael Moreno. The shooting occurred in May 2020, inside the Antioch home where Siegel lived and had been renting a room to Moreno.According to police, Moreno was planning to move out of the residence on the day of the shooting.Moreno was shot and killed around 8:30 a.m. on May 18, 2020, at their residence on the 1900 block of Iron Peak Court. Police said at the time that the two argued and that Siegel produced a gun and shot Moreno at least once. He died before emergency responders got there.Moreno was a military veteran who ran a martial arts studio in Pittsburg, known as the California Combat Academy. He taught self-defense techniques to adults and children.Siegel was initially charged with murder and use of a fir...

Mexican anti-cartel vigilante leader buried and with him, an armed citizens’ movement

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

LA RUANA, Mexico (AP) — One of the last leaders of Mexico’s anti-gang citizens’ movement was buried Saturday alongside two of his faithful followers, and any hope of reviving armed civilian resistance to drug cartels probably died with them.“Self defense” vigilante leader Hipolito Mora had long since ceased to pose an armed threat to the cartel that dominates western Mexico’s Michoacan state, as was clear from the overwhelming, deadly, multipoint ambush in which he and three followers were slain Thursday.While some angry relatives talked of reviving the 2013-2014 armed farmers’ movement that kicked out one cartel — only to see it replaced by others — many doubted that heroic, tragic chapter could ever be repeated.“I think it’s not a question of reviving the past,” said the Rev. Gilberto Vergara, one of the priests who officiated the funeral Mass for Mora and his followers Calixto Alvarez and Roberto Naranjo. The third follower was buried elsewhere.“The circumstance...

Plum, Wilson help the Aces rout the Sun 102-84 in a matchup of the WNBA’s top teams

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kelsey Plum scored 25 points and A’ja Wilson added 23 points and 12 rebounds to help the Las Vegas Aces rout the Connecticut Sun 102-84 on Saturday in a matchup of the top teams in the WNBA.It was the eighth straight victory for the Aces (15-1), who avenged their only loss of the season. Connecticut (12-5) was able to win that game because of a career-high and franchise-record 41 points by DeWanna Bonner. Las Vegas hasn’t lost since thanks in big part to the play of Wilson, the league’s reigning MVP. She had another strong game one day after signing a two-year contract extension.Just as they did against New York two days earlier, the Aces blew open the game at the start of the third quarter. Las Vegas scored the first 17 points of the period to turn a 11-point advantage to 76-48. The Sun finally ended the run with DiJonai Carrington’s 3-pointer with 4:31 left in the third quarter. Things got worse for Connecticut a minute later when Tiffany H...

Legal recreational weed hits Md. dispensary shelves

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Rise Dispensary celebrates the start of legal recreational weed in the state of Maryland. (WTOP/Luke Lukert) Rise Dispensary celebrates the start of legal recreational weed in the state of Maryland. (WTOP/Luke Lukert) Recreational marijuana dispensaries throughout Maryland opened their doors to curious and excited customers for the first time Saturday, many of whom said it was about time they could buy legal cannabis.Milton Sorrel lined up about an hour before the RISE Dispensary in Silver Spring opened and told WTOP his wait was much longer than just that morning.“Had to wait a long time,” Sorrel said. “When the laws got passed in D.C.I thought ‘oh it is going to get here anytime now.’ But it to...

Soto, Machado and Tatis combine for 10 RBIs, Padres beat Reds 12-5 and stop 6-game skid

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — Juan Soto hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the sixth inning, Manny Machado followed three pitches later with the first of his two home runs and the San Diego Padres stopped a six-game losing streak with a 12-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday,Soto had four RBIs and Machado and Fernando Tatis three each for the Padres, who have not lost seven in a row since Sept. 24 to Oct. 1, 2021. “It’s nice after getting stymied a little bit early on to break out for as couple of innings,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin.Soto hit his 140th home run in his 700th game, joining Ted Williams and Frank Thomas as the only players with 140 homers and 500 walks in their first 700 games.Tatis had an RBI double in the third, a run-scoring single in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the eighth, giving him 40 RBIs in 63 games since returning from an 80-game drug suspension.Michael Wacha (8-2), pitching on his 32d birthday, won his third straight decision. Wacha allowed one r...

June’s greatest Sho: A look back at Ohtani’s best month in the majors

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s walkup music most of last season was the theme to “The Greatest Showman.”After the Los Angeles Angels star’s June, he should consider returning to it.The Japanese two-way phenom has amazed fans, teammates and opponents since coming to the majors in 2018. June, though was “The Greatest Sho” at the plate.“I’m in a good spot right now,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara when asked if he was pitching and hitting at his best. “Hitting-wise, I feel like it is up there for sure.”Ohtani hit 15 home runs, the most in a month in Angels history. He became the first player in 10 years to reach 30 homers before July 1.Ohtani reached that milestone and tied the AL record for most homers in June with a majestic 493-foot drive in Friday night’s loss to Arizona. Mike Trout, who was on the on-deck circle, did a double take when he heard it coming off the bat.The power numbers, though, are only part of the story of a dominant month. Ohtani’s .3...