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Chris Bassitt pitches 2-hitter to lead Blue Jays past Braves 3-0

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Chris Bassitt pitched a two-hitter, Daulton Varsho hit a solo home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves 3-0 on Friday night.Bassitt (5-2) struck out eight and walked two in the Blue Jays’ first individual shutout since Mark Buehrle accomplished the feat against Washington in 2015. Bassitt threw 70 of his 103 pitches for strikes to win his fourth straight decision. The shutout was Toronto’s sixth this season.Atlanta lost a series-opening road game for the first time this season after winning six straight to start the year. The Braves came in with a majors-best 15-3 road record.George Springer had an RBI single in the fifth to drive in the first run of the game for Toronto, which improved to 10-3 at home. The Blue Jays have won six of their past seven north of the border. Their 13 home games this season are the fewest in the majors.Varsho made it 3-0 with a solo drive off Kirby Yates in the eighth, his sixth. Varsho connected after striking out th...

Montgomery Co. Council debate school system budget as final vote approaches

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

The Montgomery County Council in Maryland approved a plan to cut nearly $25 million from the school system’s $3.2 billion budget request, with roughly $200 million placed on a budget reconciliation list for further consideration.County Executive Marc Elrich proposed a 10% increase in the county’s property tax, with the revenues going directly to the school system. But council members have been cautious about committing to Elrich’s proposal, suggesting that a plan consisting of budget “increments,” each at $22.3 million, could be voted on during the budget reconciliation process. The council is scheduled to vote on the plan Thursday.The move came after, at times, a heated discussion on Montgomery County Public School’s request for a $3.2 billion operating budget, with Superintendent Monifa McKnight urging the county not to “balance that budget on the backs of our children” and several council members responding with irritation.In the di...

Beat the heat: Select spray parks in DC to open early

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

Summer is starting early in D.C.Some spray parks across all eight wards in D.C. will open Monday to help residents cool off as temperatures rise, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Department of Parks and Recreation announced Friday.The following spray parks will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting Monday:Columbia Heights Community Center Spray Park (1480 Girard St NW)Harrison Spray Park (1330 V Street, NW)Park at LeDroit Spray Park (319 Oakdale Place, NW)Kennedy Spray Park (1401 7th Street, NW)Chevy Chase Recreation Center Spray Park (5500 41st Street, NW)Guy Mason Spray Park (3600 Calvert Street, NW)Macomb Spray Park (3409 Macomb Street, NW)Lafayette-Pointer Spray Park (5900 33rd Street, NW)Petworth Spray Park (801 Taylor Street, NW)Edgewood Spray Park (301 Franklin Street, NE)Turkey Thicket Spray Park (1100 Michigan Avenue, NE)Watkins Spray Park (420 12th St SE)Fort Davis Spray Park (1400 41st Street, SE)Marvin Gaye at Division Avenue (Division & Foote Streets SE)Marvin Ga...

16-hour power outage reported in Aurora after rainstorm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — After storms rolled through the area, some residents were left without power for hours.On Friday, Xcel Energy reported thousands without power across the state.The Moore family in Aurora said they experienced a 16-hour outage, which quickly became a matter of life or death for some of their pets: two bearded dragons."Since their light's been on for an hour now, they're both really cold to the touch still," mother Erica Moore said. Colorado rain totals top 5 inches over 3-day period Beau and Peach, the family's bearded dragons, live in an aquarium with lamps that provide their heat."When it gets too cold too, they don't eat as well," Moore said, "as they can stop their digestion. So if they have food still stuck in their stomach it can rot."Erica Moore and the family's bearded dragons, Peach and Beau (KDVR)For most of the night on Thursday and into Friday afternoon, there was no electricity at the Moores' home in Aurora."Even at 70 degrees it is really hard i...

Heat back to the NBA’s final four, top Knicks 96-92 for 4-2 series win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 24 points, Bam Adebayo added 23 and the Miami Heat are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals after topping the New York Knicks 96-92 on Friday night.Max Strus scored 14 points and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and nine assists for the eighth-seeded Heat, who won the semifinal series 4-2 to go to the conference finals for the 10th time overall and the third time in the last four years.Miami became the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to make the conference finals — joining the Knicks, who pulled it off in 1999. The Heat will visit Boston or Philadelphia in Game 1 on Wednesday. The Celtics and 76ers play Game 7 of their series Sunday.Jalen Brunson was spectacular for New York, scoring 41 points on 14-for-22 shooting. But his teammates combined for only 51 points — Julius Randle had 15 and RJ Barrett 11 on 1-for-10 shooting. Josh Hart also had 11 points for the Knicks.It was dicey at the end, but Miami survived. Gabe Vincent was called for a flagrant-...

No injuries reported in US outbreak of small tornadoes; more storms possible

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

(AP) — Storms in parts of the southern Plains produced about two dozen small tornadoes but no reports of deaths or injuries, according to the National Weather Service, and more severe weather is possible Friday.Nearly 15 tornadoes were reported Thursday in northwestern Kansas, southwestern Nebraska and eastern Colorado, according to weather service meteorologist Ryan Husted in Goodland, Kansas.Damage was reported to the roof, windows and football stadium at the high school in the unincorporated community of Weskan in western Kansas, near the Colorado border, Husted said, but other twisters did little to no damage.“All were weak or small … brief and shorter lived, most of them stayed out across our agricultural lands,” Husted said.As many as 10 tornadoes were reported in central Oklahoma, according to weather service meteorologist Scott Curl.Homes and businesses were damaged in the Oklahoma towns of Noble, Newcastle and Tuttle, as well as Cole, where a tornado on April 19...

DeSantis signs House bill regulating class start times for middle, high school students

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

Believing children who are well rested will perform better academically, Florida Gov. DeSantis has signed into law House Bill 733.The new law prohibits Florida’s middle schools from starting earlier than 8 a.m. High schools will no longer be allowed to start earlier than 8:30.The changes are scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2026.

Search underway for 13-year-old girl reported missing in Pembroke Pines

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

Police seek the public’s help in their search for a 13-year-old girl who was reported missing in Pembroke Pines.According to Pembroke Pines Police, Kayla Chung was last seen at her home in an unspecified part of the city, at around 4:15 p.m., Friday.Chung stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs around 105 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes.She was last seen wearing a shirt of an unknown color and baggy blue jeans.Officials urge anyone with information on her whereabouts to call Pembroke Pines Police at 954-431-2200.

Moose spotted in Westford, relocated to new home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

Crews in Westford were able to help get a moose to a new home Friday after the moose was spotted in town, according to the Westford Fire Department. Fire officials said local firefighters worked with police, animal control officers and state officials to help a “moose in distress” on North Main Street Friday afternoon. Officials said personnel sedated the moose and were able to safely relocate her, keeping her cool during the process using water. “Good luck, Ms. Moose. Safe travels,” the fire department said in a post on its Facebook page. The moose population in Massachusetts began rebounding in the 1980s, according to MassWildlife, with moose now found in most of western and central Massachusetts. MassWildlife officials say occasional sightings have also been reported in eastern Massachusetts.

Column: José Abreu returns to the scene of his prime looking for answers — just like the Chicago White Sox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:31 GMT

José Abreu didn’t have much to say about the sad state of the Chicago White Sox in his return to the South Side with the Houston Astros.He knew better than to wake a sleeping dog.“It kind of stinks to see what they’re going through, but it’s part of the game,” Abreu said a raindrops fell on the visitors dugout before Friday’s game. “It’s a very tough game that we all play, and I think I’ve been going through a lot more struggles than the White Sox have, and it’s part of the challenge. Got to fight through them, and try to move on.”The Abreu homecoming Friday was delayed by rain at Guaranteed Rate Field. But he received his video tribute and a salute from appreciative Sox fans, who were denied the opportunity to say goodbye in October when Abreu asked interim manager Miguel Cairo not to play in the final regular-season game.Abreu’s departure after nine years with the Sox was not surprising, but what has happ...