Associated Press stories, Page 1817
Mark Few’s unusual approach puts Gonzaga on cusp on unbeaten seasonVideo
INDIANAPOLIS — The weight of the line, not the lure, unspools the reel. The timing, the rhythm whisk the fly back and forth before it lands in the desired spot. The physical act takes a mental approach, of knowing the type of hatch for the season, the riffles where the...
Injuries, opt-outs, upsets mark underdog UCLA’s ride to Final FourVideo
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — As he basked in the glow of a win over Michigan, UCLA coach Mick Cronin was asked whether he thought he had the kind of team in his second season in Westwood to make a Final Four run. Cronin thought for a moment about five-star prospect Daishen...
Los Angeles County detectives won’t reveal cause of Tiger Woods crashVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County sheriff said detectives determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details Wednesday, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star. Woods suffered serious injuries in the Feb. 23 crash when he struck...
Pittsburgh tourist charged in fatal Hawaii vacation rental fight
HONOLULU — A tourist from Pittsburgh has been charged with manslaughter after a deadly fight in a Hawaii vacation rental, police said. A second tourist from Boston who had been arrested was released with no charges filed, police on the Big Island said Wednesday. Police were called to a Kailua-Kona...
Covid-19 pushed total U.S. deaths beyond 3.3 million last year
The covid-19 pandemic pushed total U.S. deaths last year beyond 3.3 million, the nation’s highest annual death toll, the government reported Wednesday. The coronavirus caused about 375,000 deaths, and was the third leading cause of death in 2020, after heart disease and cancer. Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. now top...
USA Football recommends 8 procedures for youth safety
USA Football has introduced eight procedures to enhance safety and health for youth players, with all of those methods endorsed by some major medical organizations. USA Football’s Athlete Health & Wellness Recommendations for youth football play have been supported by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Athletic...
France to close schools, ban domestic travel as virus surges
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a month-long domestic travel ban, as the rapid spread of the virus ramped up pressure on hospitals. In a televised address to the nation, Macron said new efforts are needed as “the epidemic is accelerating.”...
Naomi Osaka’s 23-match win streak ends in Miami Open quarterfinalsVideo
MIAMI — As Naomi Osaka’s 23-match winning streak neared an end Wednesday, she paused before serving to crane her neck and stare at the sky, as if seeking intervention from above. Then she carried on, and so did No. 23-seeded Maria Sakkari, who upset Osaka, 6-0, 6-4, in the quarterfinals...
WR Tyler Lockett stays with Seahawks on 4-year dealVideo
SEATTLE — Tyler Lockett is sticking around with the Seattle Seahawks, and likely as Russell Wilson’s favorite target, for the foreseeable future. The Seahawks and Lockett agreed to a four-year contract extension that includes $37 million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to...
Cubs agree to deal with former Pirates catcher Tony Wolters
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs agreed to a one-year deal with catcher Tony Wolters and designated right-hander James Norwood for assignment Wednesday. Wolters, who figures to back up Willson Contreras, signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates last month and was released March 29. He is a career...
Missing film designer found dead under garbage in NYC home
NEW YORK — An Emmy-winning production designer who was known to be a hoarder has been found dead under a pile of garbage in her New York City home. Evelyn Sakash, 66, was found Tuesday lying on her kitchen floor buried under garbage, a police spokesperson said. Sakash was found...
The last perfect team: Recalling Indiana’s 1976 title run
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana Hoosiers sat quietly inside their locker room on March 22, 1975. They knew what the first and only loss that season signified — one perfect quest ended while another began. Minutes after losing 92-90 to archrival Kentucky in the Mideast Region championship, the underclassmen vowed...
‘My soul is lighter’: Serial killer’s death brings closure
SPOKANE, Wash. — Serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan III died in U.S. prison recently, having admitted to slaughtering seven people — including five children — in Idaho, Washington state, Montana and California. Some question whether Duncan, whose victims included four members of a single family, killed even more people. Following...
2 views of George Floyd onlookers: Desperate to help or angry mob
To the prosecution, the witnesses who watched George Floyd’s body go still were regular people — a firefighter, a mixed martial arts fighter, a high school student and her 9-year-old cousin in a T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Love” — going about their daily lives when they happened upon the...
Scientists: Grizzlies expand turf but still need protection
BILLINGS, Mont. — Grizzly bears are slowly expanding the turf where they roam in parts of the northern Rocky Mountains but need continued protections, according to government scientists who concluded that no other areas of the country would be suitable for reintroducing the fearsome predators. The Fish and Wildlife Service...
NFL planning to remove restrictions for vaccinated personnel
The NFL has plans to eliminate some restrictions from its current covid-19 protocols for vaccinated players, coaches and personnel. In a memo sent to the 32 teams Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press, the league detailed potential amendments to the protocols used throughout the 2020 season and current offseason....
NCAA President Mark Emmert promises WBCA he will work to fix ‘stark’ inequities
SAN ANTONIO — NCAA President Mark Emmert promised the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association he will work with coaches to fix the “stark difference” between the Division I men’s and women’s tournaments. While Emmert noted that a major hurdle was trying to hold both basketball tournaments in kind of identical format...
New York is latest state to legalize recreational marijuana
New Yorkers over the age of 21 can now possess and use up to 3 ounces of cannabis in public under a legalization bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, while sales of recreational-use marijuana won’t become legal for an estimated 18 months until the state draws up regulations. Advocates...
Board OKs $1.5 million renovation of governor’s offices in Pennsylvania Capitol
HARRISBURG — The group that oversees maintenance and construction in the Pennsylvania Capitol voted unanimously Wednesday to spend nearly $1.5 million to renovate the governor’s suite. The Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee authorized an overhaul of the 10-room suite that is expected to be finished by year’s end. The work will...
Ohio’s lieutenant governor digs in heels on ‘Wuhan virus’ tweet
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s lieutenant governor dug in his heels Wednesday on a tweet in which he referred to covid-19 as the “Wuhan virus,” even as advocates warn such rhetoric is a driving force behind violence against Asian Americans, including the recent attacks in Georgia and New York. Republican Lt....
Sports cards have gone virtual, and in a big way
SILVER SPRING, Md. — Maybe the Luka Doncic rookie basketball card that recently sold at auction for a record $4.6 million was a bit rich for your blood. Perhaps you’d be interested in a more affordable alternative — say, a virtual card of the Dallas Mavericks forward currently listed for...
Indians not allowing headdresses, painted faces at games
CLEVELAND — While moving forward with a plan to change their name, the Cleveland Indians said they will not permit fans inside Progressive Field wearing Native American headdresses or face paint. The team announced the fan dress policy for the 2021 season on Wednesday in advance of Monday’s home opener...
Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down governor’s mask mandate
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate Wednesday, stripping the governor of one of his last remaining tools to curb large-scale spread of covid-19 as the state stands on the precipice of another surge in infections. The conservative-leaning court ruled 4-3...
Wall Street ticks higher, led by tech and smaller stocks
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are drifting higher in morning trading on Wednesday, as investors wait to hear the details about Washington’s next mammoth push for the economy. The S&P 500 was up 0.6%, ahead of a speech later in the day where President Joe Biden is expected to discuss...
Holy days arrive for the faithful as pandemic eases in U.S.
For Christians across the United States, Easter services on Sunday will reflect an extra measure of joy as the nation experiences rising optimism after a year of pandemic. Even if still observing restrictions, many churches may draw the largest numbers of in-person worshippers in months. It’s a season of major...
