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Falcons squander a chance to take control in NFC South. Now it’s a 3-way tie for first place

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons squandered a huge chance to bring a bit of clarity to the muddled NFL South.Now, their hopes of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2017 are much more convoluted heading into the final month of the season.The Falcons (6-7) find themselves in a three-way tie for the lead of the NFL’s weakest division with New Orleans and Tampa Bay after a last-minute loss to the Buccaneers. With four weeks left, a guaranteed playoff spot and first-round home game are very much up for grabs. “We’ve won some games in the clutch and we’ve lost a couple,” coach Arthur Smith said. “But this team never, never has ever had their spirit broken. Certainly, that won’t happen. We know it’s a tough challenge every week.”Atlanta was on the verge of delivering a potentially lethal blow to the Bucs’ playoff chances after Desmond Ridder led a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives for a 25-22 lead with under 3 1/2 minutes remaining.But the Falcons’ defense —...

Granada wins point in La Liga game restarted after death of fan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Granada came from behind to draw with Athletic Bilbao 1-1 in a La Liga game that was restarted on Monday, a day after a fan died in the stands.The game was suspended on Sunday after 17 minutes when Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón alerted the referee to a problem with one of the supporters at Estadio Los Cármenes.Doctors from both teams helped but the fan who suffered a cardiac arrest could not be resuscitated. The teams left the field and agreed to continue the match on Monday.Both clubs laid flowers on the fan’s seat and held a minute’s silence before kickoff in the 17th minute.Athletic was leading 1-0 thanks to a sixth-minute goal from Iñaki Williams and he almost got a second before halftime only to hit the bar.The visitors were superior throughout the first half but they paid for their profligacy 10 minutes into the second period when Granada drew level.Bilbao defender Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta tried to clear a cross but managed only to put the ball into his own goal....

Two Nashville churches, wrecked by tornadoes years apart, lean on each other in storms’ wake

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — After a March 2020 tornado destroyed the Rev. Jacques Boyd’s Nashville church, his friend, the Rev. Vincent Johnson, lent him space to worship in. Nearly four years later, Boyd has offered to return the favor for the exact same reason.“Whatever we have is available to them,” said Boyd, who leads Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, two days after a tornado ripped through Community Baptist Church. “We’re walking hand-in-hand with them as sister churches and as pastors being friends, being present with them however that presence looks.”Although the tornado struck early Saturday evening, Community Baptist was full of people attending an appreciation banquet for Pastor Johnson and his wife Donella Johnson. In a video message to the congregation posted on the church’s Facebook page Sunday, Donella Johnson said several members needed emergency surgery. Their injuries included broken hips and femurs.One of the people injured was George Presley, who suffered a hea...

Slumping Lions have quick turnaround, looking to keep edge in NFC North

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions have a short week before hosting the Denver Broncos in prime time on Saturday night.Coming off Sunday’s 28-13 loss at the Chicago Bears, the Lions (9-4) are still atop the NFC North but face a tough four-game schedule. Along with the Broncos (7-6), who have won six of their past seven, they will face the Cowboys (10-3) at Dallas and the NFC North’s Minnesota Vikings (7-6) twice in the past three games.The Lions have lost two of their past three, but are still alive in the hunt for a playoff berth, their first since the 2016 season.“Here is the most encouraging thing about what happened yesterday, some of our best players on the team did not play well,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Monday. “That’s encouraging going into this one because those are prideful guys, those are our dudes and, believe me, those guys are going to come back, no different than us as coaches. We’re going to be at our best. I know what kind of locker room, what kind of pl...

Wisconsin Republican leader stands by fake Trump elector, will keep him on elections commission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate on Monday rejected Democrats’ calls to rescind his appointment to the state elections commission, who was one of the Republicans who served as fake electors for former President Donald Trump in 2020.Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said in a statement that his appointee Bob Spindell and the other fake electors had invoked a “failed legal strategy” and “not a sinister plot to overturn an election.” For that reason, LeMahieu said he will not rescind his appointment of Spindell to the nonpartisan elections commission.Spindell was one of 10 Republicans who signed certificates in 2020 falsely stating that Trump had won Wisconsin. President Joe Biden won the battleground state. Spindell and other nine fake electors conceded in a legal settlement last week that Biden had won the state and agreed to not serve as electors in next year’s election or in any in which Trump is running. They also agreed t...

These new Colorado laws go into effect in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A lot of laws were passed in 2023, and not all of them have gone into effect yet.Several new Colorado laws will go into effect at the start of 2024. So as you're celebrating the ball drop and starting work on those New Year's resolutions, there are a few new rules you'll have to follow and, in some cases, some new rights you can enjoy. When will you get your next TABOR check? The laws going into effect cover a wide range of topics, including requiring informed consent for certain medical examinations to an agricultural right-to-repair law.New Colorado laws in 2024At least one of the new laws going into effect was not passed this year.Specifically, the next phase of a law passed in 2021 to eliminate single-use plastic bags in grocery stores, as well as eliminate the use of Styrofoam in food containers, goes into effect in January.Of the laws passed in 2023, here are some that are going into effect on Jan. 1, 2024:HB23-1068: Among other things, caps pet security dep...

Many on campus show support for embattled Harvard president amid calls for her resignation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

Hundreds of university faculty members, hundreds of Black alumni and the executive committee of Harvard University’s alumni association have now voiced their support for embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay.Gay is facing growing calls to resign following her testimony on antisemitism on Capitol Hill last week. As of Monday, though, more than 700 faculty members had signed a petition to keep her on the job. More than 800 Black alumni additionally announced they are backing Gay.Late Monday afternoon, the alumni association’s executive committee expressed its unanimous support in a letter to school officials.“President Gay is the right leader to guide the University during this challenging time,” the committee said. “She is thoughtful. She is kind. She is resolutely dedicated to the growth and wellbeing of our very diverse community.”“People are mad,” said Dr. Sarah Johnstone, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. “If they fire her, Harvard faculty may leave.” Johns...

Owner of pickup truck damaged by fleeing suspect in deadly Waltham crash describes aftermath of incident

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

The owner of a pickup truck damaged in a deadly series of crashes in Waltham last week is now opening up about the incident, describing the aftermath of the moment when he said a stolen police cruiser driven by the suspect in this case crashed into his truck. The crash happened on Wednesday of last week at the end of a chain of events that started on nearby Totten Pond Road. A Waltham police officer and a utility worker were killed in one crash. Multiple other people were injured. Peter Simon, 54, of New Hampshire is now facing charges, accused of crashing his pickup truck into a utility worksite on Totten Pond Road before later stealing a police cruiser at knifepoint and leading officers on a chase. On Winter Street, where the chase ended, Nassir Sabrah told 7NEWS he was trying to clear his yard of leaves when he realized he had an emergency situation on his hands. “I’m so lucky he didn’t hit me here because I would be dead,” Sabrah said.Sabrah did not actually ...

Massachusetts lawyers move to bump Trump off ballot. Fat chance, says MassGOP

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

An effort is underway to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot in Massachusetts, according to documents reviewed by the Herald.Former candidate for attorney general and well-heeled labor lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan is apparently seeking litigants to join her effort to bump Trump from the ballot over his involvement in the events of January 6, 2021.“I left you a message earlier on your voicemail and wanted to follow up to see if you may be interested in joining litigation that we are preparing to file to keep Donald Trump off the presidential ballot pursuant to the Insurrectionist Clause of the Constitution. I expect you’ve seen the news about similar lawsuits that are underway in several states,” an email apparently sent and signed by Liss-Riordan reads, in part.The group looks to recruit “prominent Republicans as well as Democrats” to join the legal fight, according to the email.The Bay State primary is set for March 5 — “Super Tue...

Revolution acquire defender Nick Lima

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

The New Revolution’s coffers are flush with liquid assets and newly minted Sporting Director Curt Onalfo became a buyer when the MLS trade window opened for business on Monday.In the first outside acquisition of his tenure, Onalfo obtained veteran defender Nick Lima from Austin FC in a cash only transaction.The Revolution departed with $275,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money with an addition $25,000 in 2024 GAM if Lima achieves prescribed performance-based metrics. Lima is signed through the 2024 season.“Nick Lima has proven to be a dependable defender in Major League Soccer over the last seven seasons and has been a steady presence on the backline for both his previous clubs,” said Onalfo.“With the ability to play at either outside back positions, we foresee Nick making important contributions to our squad and bolstering our defensive unit in a key area for the 2024 season.”The “key area” Onalfo referred to is left back. Lima, a right-footed kicker, was brought in to fill the voi...