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Callahan: The Patriots’ preseason finale shouldn’t dampen a successful summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

The Patriots’ to-do list at the start of the summer was longer than a grocery list coming back from vacation.In order, those to-dos were: elevate Mac Jones. Install a new offense. Restore the trust that fractured last year across the locker room and coaching staff. Refine a defense that will face virtually every elite quarterback in the league this season. Determine whether any of the rookies can start, let alone contribute.All told, over close to 20 practices and three preseason games, most of the boxes on Bill Belichick’s list have been checked. The cupboard is largely full.It’s mission, mostly, accomplished.This summer, Jones sprayed completions all over the field during some of his best practices as a pro. He shredded defenses in Foxboro and Green Bay, where he dominated the Packers for long stretches of back-to-back joint sessions. Teammates already believe he’s “way better.”Jones is calm and confident, a stark departure from the exasperated ...

Patriots fall to Titans in preseason finale as Bailey Zappe’s tepid summer continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick entertained the possibility of a quarterback competition into training camp this summer, but backup quarterback Bailey Zappe never came close to pushing Mac Jones for the job.The lack of a QB battle was as evident as ever Friday night in the Patriots’ third and final preseason game when Zappe started and played the majority of the game while Jones chilled on the sideline with the majority of Patriots starters.Zappe needed the extra work in the Patriots’ 23-7 loss to the Titans in their preseason finale.The 2022 fourth-round pick briefly gave way to third-stringer Trace McSorley midway through the second quarter. The Patriots made a surprise move by re-inserting Zappe into the game to start the third quarter. Undrafted rookie wide receiver/quarterback Malik Cunningham took two snaps under center on the Patriots’ opening drive in the second half before Zappe once again took over at quarterback until late in the fourth quarter.Cunningham p...

Mookie Betts sparks Dodgers rally in return to Fenway as Red Sox lose 7-4

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

Mookie Betts stepped to the plate and tipped his batting helmet to the crowd, acknowledging the raucous ovation he received from the sellout Fenway Park crowd in his first at bat back in nearly four years.Then, over the next three hours, he and his new Los Angeles Dodgers teammates showed the people of Boston what they’ve been missing.Betts went 1 for 4 with a double, a walk and two runs scored in his return to Boston, sparking what wound up being a pair of three-run rallies to help the Dodgers charge past the Red Sox for a 7-4 win. He also started at second and, after moving to his more familiar position in right field, caught Connor Wong in no man’s land on the bases to cut short Boston’s best chance to mount a late rally.Freddie Freeman also put on a show, going 4 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI.Since being traded in early 2020, Betts has cast a long shadow over the Red Sox, and fairly or not Alex Verdugo has shouldered much of that weight. One of the play...

The US and allies clash with North Korea, China and Russia over failed satellite launch and tensions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its allies clashed Friday with North Korea, Russia and China over Pyongyang’s failed attempts to launch a spy satellite and who is responsible for escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.The open Security Council meeting called by the U.S., Albania, Ecuador, France, Japan and Malta to condemn the attempted launch, which used banned ballistic missile technology, was attended by North Korea’s United Nations ambassador for just the second time since 2017.Ambassador Kim Song, who also addressed the council in July, told members the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — the country’s official name — has “an independent and legitimate right” as a sovereign country to launch a satellite for “self-defense to deter the ever-increasing hostile military acts of the United States and its followers.”The North’s space agency said Thursday its reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1, failed for a second time to go into orbit, blaming an error in its...

Wildfire forces crews to retreat, threatens key hub point of Hay River, N.W.T.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Wildfires advanced closer to the transportation hub point of Hay River in the Northwest Territories Friday, forcing crews to retreat and non-essential workers to flee.“Extremely high temperatures and strong southwest winds have created a blow-up event that has overwhelmed firefighters at the north end of the fire,” fire information officer Jessica Davey-Quantick told reporters in a conference call Friday night.“There’s currently a kilometres-wide flame front moving parallel to the highway towards Hay River.”She said the fire was reported as close as seven kilometres to fireguards protecting the town, but said it has likely advanced closer than that.“Wildfire crews and aircraft have been pulled back and repositioned to a safe area,” she added.“No firefighters have left at this time. Non-essential personnel, however, are being evacuated for their own safety.”Hay River, on the south end of Great Slave Lake, is a key transportation and transshipment point for goods i...

Community pushes for peace after 2 teens killed on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

CHICAGO — A community is pushing for peace on Chicago's South Side on Friday. Father Pfleger and the Saint Sabina community started the weekend with a peace walk, which took place in the Auburn Gresham community. The peace walk comes after two teens were killed in the area last week. ‘Now he’s a real angel:’ South Side community gathers to remember slain 14-year-old boy Gun violence plaguing the city claimed the lives of the two CPS students, 17-year-old Ashuntice Wilburn, and 14-year-old RayJohn Harshaw, only a week before they were set to begin the new school year. Grandmother remembers granddaughter after fatal West Side shooting Last weekend in Chicago, 40 people were shot and seven were killed, including the two teens.

Markedly cooler, less humid conditions ahead this weekend following spell of record-breaking heat but numerous computer models hint at the potential for 90-degree-plus heat to return for the Labor Day weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

We experienced a bit of meteorological history Thursday as Chicago recorded a 100-degree official high temp in Chicago (Thursday, August 24, 2023). Here’s information which puts the benchmark 100-degree temp into historic perspective:It was the first official Chicago 100-degree temp in 12 years (since 2012) and tied the date’s record of 100-degree first set in 1947The 100-degree max was the year’s hottest temp to date and becomes the 5th latest occurring 100-degree tempThe reading was the 63rd official 100-degree temp in 153 years of official Chicago observations here17% of Chicago’s 100-degree days (11 of the 63) have occurred in the month of AugustONLY 4 of the 63 Chicago 100’s since 1871 have occurred beyond August 24thDespite the much cooler temps expected this weekend, signs of late season heat showing up for the Labor Day weekend on multiple computer modelsThursday’s heat was accompanied by an OPPRESSIVE 80-degree DEW POINT—a dew point which has only occurred 7 times in 153 ye...

FINAL: Westlake withstands Ridge Point's second-half rally to win 31-21

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of the longest field goals in Texas high school football history helped lift the Westlake Chaparrals to a 31-21 win over Fort Bend Ridge Point on Friday at Mercer Stadium in Missouri City.After missing a kick earlier in the game, Chaps kicker Spencer Barnett booted a 59-yard field goal with 6:18 left in the game to give Westlake a two-score lead, fending off a furious second-half comeback by the Panthers. REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteRidge Point had a chance to get the game back within one score, but a bobbled hold by their field goal team led to a turnover on downs with 1:56 left. Westlake was able to run the clock out after that."We've seen him do it in practice, so we knew he could it," Westlake head coach Tony Salazar said. "We had a light breeze at our back, and I knew he'd redeem himself. He was going to st...

Concert review: The Chicks take flight at outstanding Grandstand show

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

Three Gen X moms with nine kids between them showed a sold-out crowd of 13,589 how it’s done Friday night at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand.For two hours, the trio — who dropped Dixie from their name prior to the release of their 2020 album “Gaslighter” — held the audience under their spell with their still-strong voices, excellent songs and an extremely talented backing band.The last time we saw the Chicks was when they played two sold-out 2016 shows at the Grandstand. That was very much a greatest hits tour that also included some fun covers, like Beyonce’s “Daddy Lessons,” which they revisited Friday night, this time in a mash-up with their own 2002 hit “Long Time Gone.”This time around, though, the tour was very much devoted to “Gaslighter.” Despite the title, it’s not a political album, but a divorce album, specifically about Natalie Maines messy 2019 break from actor Adrian Pasdar. And she pulls no punches in the songs. Take “Tights on My Boa...

Mother wants answers from fatal Illinois police encounter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

MADISON COUNTY, Ill. - A man was found dead in the road Wednesday evening, followed up by a police description of events that is too unbelievable for the man’s mother.Kyeiree Myers, a 28-year-old and father of three, died after police say they shot him, then later ran over him. However, there’s no report that he was even a suspect for anything.“We just want answers," said Dorothy Snowden, the mother of Myers. "There are four different stories about what happened to my son.” Deputy shot in Lincoln County; suspect found dead Snowden cannot grasp the police account of how her son died. Illinois State Police are investigating the case, which they report began with a traffic stop. However, the police summary does not say whether Myers was the target of that stop.“I don’t think he was a suspect,” Snowden said.The police account says Myers was walking away, then started running when a Washington Park police officer got out of his patrol car and began fighting with him. The police account...