Associated Press stories, Page 2148
Experts worry politics might guide voters’ virus precautions
WASHINGTON — Laura Herd says she sleeps better because her state’s governor, Michigan Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, imposed one of the nation’s strictest stay-at-home orders to combat the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump’s actions are another story, in her mind. “His goal is to get the economy back up so he...
‘Holy Fire’ ceremony held in empty Jerusalem church
JERUSALEM — A small group of Christian clerics celebrated the Holy Fire ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Saturday as the coronavirus pandemic prevented worshippers from taking part in the ancient ritual. They entered the Edicule, a chamber built on the site where Christians believe...
Draft capsule: Browns eyeing left tackle with No. 10 pick in NFL DraftVideo
10. CLEVELAND (6-10) LAST SEASON: Picked to compete for playoff spot, Browns were one of league’s biggest disappointments, undermined by continued drama, injuries and sabotaged by unrealistic expectations. Quarterback Baker Mayfield regressed in his second season, coach Freddie Kitchens was fired after one, and general manager John Dorsey departed after...
Pandemic costs youth sports millions across U.S.
DALLAS — Less than a month ago, AAU president Roger Goudy watched membership in the long-running youth sports organization drop from 20,000 ahead of last year’s pace to about 3,000 behind in a week. For now, he hopes a girls volleyball tournament he helped turn into one of the world’s...
Florida restaurant finds NY man’s wedding ring 3 years later
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Three years ago, a New York couple was enjoying a meal by the water at a South Florida restaurant when the man’s wedding ring slipped off his finger, through the wooden floorboards, apparently lost forever. Recently, Coconuts restaurant manager Ryan Krivoy decided to replace the wooden...
Draft capsule: Ravens enter with 9 picks and few holes to fillVideo
28. BALTIMORE RAVENS (14-3) LAST SEASON: With NFL MVP Lamar Jackson directing offense that led league in scoring and set NFL record for yards rushing, Ravens took 12-game winning streak, league-best 14-2 record and 13 Pro Bowl players into playoffs before losing at home to Tennessee. FREE AGENCY: Fortified DL...
With no school, child abuse in the home can too often go unreported
HELENA, Mont. — With schools closed and teachers unable to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect, child welfare agencies have lost some of their best eyes and ears during a stressful time for families who have lost jobs and are locked down together during the coronavirus pandemic. April is...
Horse racing gets more TV time with other sports on hold
Socially distanced crews in New York and California are keeping horse racing on television in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic. Horse racing is one of the few sports ongoing, albeit in a limited capacity at a handful of empty tracks, but its TV presence has expanded because of the...
Walk, run or surf — but don’t sunbathe on Florida beaches
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Kevin Sweeny took his 2-year-old daughter on St. Augustine Beach on Saturday for the first time in weeks. It was something that used to be routine. He lives a short bike ride from the shore, and he and his family like to enjoy it as often as...
Vice President Mike Pence delivers Air Force Academy commencement address
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — In a symbolic show of normalcy, Vice President Mike Pence delivered a commencement address to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 2020 graduating class on Saturday — a trip aimed at showing the country is on course to gradually reopening after weeks of the coronavirus shutdown. Making...
New N.Y. virus deaths below 550 for first time since April 1
NEW YORK — New York’s daily toll of coronavirus deaths hit its lowest point in more than two weeks, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned Saturday that the state isn’t ready to ease up on shutdowns of schools, businesses and gatherings. As the closings take a growing toll on residents’ lives...
Governors feel heat to reopen from protesters, president
Stores in Texas can begin selling merchandise with curbside service, and hospitals can resume nonessential surgeries. In Florida, people are returning to beaches and parks. And protesters are clamoring for more. Governors eager to rescue their economies and feeling heat from demonstrators and President Donald Trump are moving to ease...
Foreign ski workers stranded by virus get helping hand
MARSHFIELD, Vt. — They were far away from home — young adults from Latin America, working seasonally at U.S. ski resorts. Then the coronavirus arrived, even before the snows departed. Though some made it home, others were stranded. But they were not abandoned. The resorts have stepped up to support...
10 years after BP spill: Oil drilled deeper; rules relaxed
NEW ORLEANS — Ten years after an oil rig explosion killed 11 workers and unleashed an environmental nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico, companies are drilling in deeper and deeper waters, where payoffs can be huge but risks are greater than ever. Industry leaders and government officials say they’re determined...
Judge: Tennessee can’t prevent abortions during coronavirus
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A federal judge Friday night ruled that Tennessee has to continue allowing abortions amid a temporary ban on nonessential medical procedures that’s aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman said the defendants didn’t show that any appreciable amount of personal protective equipment,...
Racial toll of virus grows even starker as more data emerges
As a clearer picture emerges of COVID-19’s decidedly deadly toll on black Americans, leaders are demanding a reckoning of the systemic policies they say have made many African Americans far more vulnerable to the virus, including inequity in access to health care and economic opportunity. A growing chorus of medical...
Sabrina Ionescu goes No. 1 in WNBA Draft; Hopewell’s Walker-Kimbrough traded againVideo
NEW YORK — Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, as expected. When she will play for the New York Liberty is unclear. With sports on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was a draft Friday night like no other with players in...
Judge extends deadline for zookeeper ‘Joe Exotic’ to challenge convictions
OKLAHOMA CITY — A former Oklahoma zookeeper who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a murder-for-hire plot and federal wildlife violations has been granted an extra month to argue why his lawsuit challenging the convictions shouldn’t be dismissed. Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” filed a federal...
Trump consults faith leaders on phased-in reopening
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump held a call with faith leaders on Friday that included discussion about a phased-in return to broader in-person worship after weeks of religious services largely shifting online in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Trump’s call with faith leaders came one day after the White...
Bears release veteran tight end Trey Burton, re-sign Pitt product HoltzVideo
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears released veteran tight end Trey Burton after his injury-riddled season on Friday. Burton dealt with a groin injury all last season and went on injured reserve in November after hurting his calf in a win over Detroit. He had 14 receptions for 84...
NBA players to receive 25% less in paychecks starting May 15Video
NBA players will see 25% of their paychecks taken out starting May 15, the first direct hit to their salaries because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was finalized Friday in a board of governors meeting and was done in concert with the National Basketball Players Association. Players will be...
Column: When nightmare is over, a chance for sports to resetVideo
While sports is on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, there are surely lessons to be learned. When normality does return to our stadiums and arenas, maybe we can put them to use. Certainly, this unprecedented shutdown has changed life — and sports — in ways we never expected. But maybe,...
DeAndre Hopkins not surprised by trade, ready to help CardinalsVideo
Most of the NFL world was stunned when the Arizona Cardinals pulled off a trade last month to land elite receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans for running back David Johnson. One of the few people unfazed by the deal? Hopkins. “No, I wasn’t surprised at all,” the three-time...
Sheriff: Off-duty officer shot 14-year-old outside Louisiana home
METAIRIE, La. — An off-duty Louisiana police officer shot and wounded a 14-year-old boy after he found several people in his front yard early Friday morning, authorities said. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said the boy was hospitalized in critical condition Friday afternoon, news outlets reported. Lopinto said the officer...
Georgia high school students expelled after posting racist video
CARROLLTON, Ga. — Two high school students in Georgia have been expelled after they posted a racist video on a social media site. Carrollton City Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Albertus, in a statement Friday, said the students “behavior was unacceptable and is not representative of the district’s respect for all...
