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Red Sox were smart to extend Rafael Devers early

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

This time last season so much of the discourse surrounding the Red Sox revolved around Xander Bogaerts and his looming free agency. It was like a dark cloud that hung over everything, and even when the Red Sox played well it lingered like an odor you couldn’t escape.Isn’t it refreshing how much different the conversation is now?After failing to retain Bogaerts or Mookie Betts before him, the Red Sox finally reached an agreement with one of their homegrown stars this past offseason, signing Rafael Devers to a 10-year, $313.5 million extension. The deal is the largest in Red Sox history and will ensure Devers remains the face of the franchise for the next decade.Though the extension technically doesn’t take effect until next year, it does have the short-term benefit of removing the threat of yet another superstar walking out the door. As a result fans have been able to live in the here and now, and so far Devers has looked worth every penny of that contract and more....

Chicago Cubs pitcher Drew Smyly flirts with a perfect game and settles for a combined 1-hitter in a 13-0 rout of the LA Dodgers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

Drew Smyly pitched seven perfect innings Friday in the Chicago Cubs’ 13-0 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field.Smyly’s bid for perfection was spoiled in the eighth on an infield hit that resulted in a collision between Smyly and catcher Yan Gomes. Smyly (2-1) finished with 7⅔ one-hit innings, striking out 10 with no walks in a 103-pitch outing.Smyly was attempting to become the first pitcher in franchise history with a perfect game and the 18th with a no-hitter. The left-hander was at 93 pitches entering the eighth when he fielded David Peralta’s swinging bunt leading off the inning. Gomes ran out to field it and fell on top of Smyly while trying to get out of his way, preventing a throw to first from the pitcher.Two outs later, Smyly was removed and left to a standing ovation from the Wrigley crowd.The closest a Cubs starter has come to a perfect game was Milt Pappas, who walked San Diego’s Larry Stahl on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in th...

Friday was San Diego's warmest day in nearly 4 months

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The weather in San Diego on Friday was a welcome change for many, with warmer temperatures being felt across the county.The sunny skies and warmer conditions are to the colder, gloomier "Gray-pril" conditions that the region has experienced for much of the month.Several areas across the county experienced temperatures above 80 degrees Friday, according to the National Weather Service.At the San Diego International Airport, temperatures hit 82 degrees at 11:10 a.m., NWS San Diego said in a tweet, making it the warmest day since Dec. 26. La Jolla seeks separation from San Diego Across the county, multiple areas reached 80-plus degree temperatures, including San Ysidro, Santee, Ramona, Miramar, San Marcos, Lemon Grove and Camp Pendleton.Friday is expected to be the warmest day from San Diego's coastal areas into the valleys, with Saturday forecasted to be the warmest day of the week for the desert and mountain areas.The warm conditions are not expected to last however. Te...

Cubs' Drew Smyly gets close to a perfect game in win vs Dodgers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

CHICAGO - It was a victorious day for the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday, and it was almost historic.In the end, it was a bizarre play that knocked the Cubs' starting pitcher out of the running for the first perfect game in Cubs' history.Drew Smyly was on the verge of pulling off the franchise first against the Dodgers on Friday afternoon in one of the best starts of his career. But his shot at perfection finished six outs short on what overall was a tremendous day for himself & the Cubs in a 13-0 win over the Dodgers. The starting pitcher for the Cubs retired the first 21 batters of the game going into the eighth inning but it got away when Smyly and catcher Yan Gomes collided going for an infield hit by David Peralta. He reached first base and it was ruled a hit, knocking him out of the running for the achievement. Smyly became the first Cubs pitcher to take a perfect game into the eighth inning since April 6, 1993, when Jose Guzman did so against the Braves at Wrigley Field....

Skilling: Chilly weekend ahead in Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

Chilly weekend (by April standards) ahead in Chicago.This weekend's temps are to average 22-deg cooler than last with daytime highs both Saturday and Sunday remaining in the 40s---something which 153 years of weather records indicated has happened in only 16% of days at this point in an April.The air aloft is cold—and therefore unstable. That means any daytime heating will encourage clouds and scattered "instability" showers to form. This should occur in the late morning and afternoon hours. So both Saturday & Saturday should begin with a fair amount of mixed sun only to see more widespread cloudiness to begin developing as daytime temps rise.To put Saturday's predicted temps here in perspective---the normal high and low on March 17 are 48 and 31-degrees. The forecast Saturday in Chicago is for a high of 47 and a low of 31---practically identical! That means our temps Saturday, April 22 will approximate the normal temps a month earlier on March 17.And the cool pattern is to ling...

'Pivotal moment': Department of Homeland Security launches AI task force

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Department of Homeland Security is launching an artificial intelligence task force in an effort to keep up with foreign threats, but the American Civil Liberties Union says the endeavor is setting off alarm bells.Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the task force on Friday, which will work to figure out how to best use AI tools to combat threats."The pivotal moment we are now in requires that we also act today," Mayorkas said. "To advance our critical homeland security missions."Mayorkas said he wants to use AI to screen cargo for illicit drugs like fentanyl, to identify and rescue child abuse victims, and to defend against China."We must never allow ourselves to be susceptible to failures of imagination," he said. While he promised transparency, the ACLU said that's something the department has failed to do for decades."DHS has an appallingly bad track record when it comes to transparency," said Patrick Toomey, the deput...

APD, ATCEMS respond to tactical situation in Travis County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department and Austin-Travis County EMS were called to assist an agency serving a warrant in Elgin Friday, APD said.At approximately, 1:15 p.m., APD responded to a call to assist in the 17800 block of Rye Spring Drive, according to police. Photos provided to KXAN showed SWAT personnel at the scene.Medics also confirmed it responded to a tactical assist call for APD in the 13000 block of Mussel Run.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Weekend forecast brings both sunshine and rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Quiet weather returned following Thursday night's severe thunderstorms and flash flooding.We will enjoy clear, cool conditions overnight into early Saturday with sunshine to kick off the weekend. As a northwesterly flow aloft continues, however, additional storms are heading to Texas over the next 7 days.The next disturbance approaches late Saturday, increasing clouds through the afternoon and evening and potentially bringing a late-evening thunderstorm to the Hill Country. As of now, the severe weather risk is quite low.Low risk of severe storms Saturday nightThe storm system and cold front arrive Sunday, leading to a cooler, rainy second half of your weekend. Sunday looks to bring beneficial rain with another low threat of severe thunderstorms.Low risk of severe storms SundayDaily rain chances continue through Thursday, leading to a widespread 1-2" of total rainfall over the next week.Recap of Thursday's severe weather eventA complex of severe thunderstorms brough...

Homeowners frustrated with city after flood waters damage properties

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Multiple homes located on Mearns Meadow boulevard became surrounded by a rushing river during Thursday night's torrential downpour after a nearby storm culvert became clogged with dead trees and debris. Homeowners in the area are cleaning up the mess and say they are frustrated with the city for not doing more to prevent this level of flooding. Severe flooding damageRyan Albright and his wife were enjoying their first night of their month-long European trip when their alarm system kept alerting them of movement outside their house. The movement Albright's security camera picked up was not a car or intruder. It was rushing water. "Water that's knee high or higher rushing down up against your house and there's nothing you can do," Albright explained. His mom and dad drove up from San Marcos to help with the beginning efforts of cleaning up. A cleaning crew at the house gave an estimate of $7,000 to just dry the floor boards in his home. Albright's neighbor, Scott Ste...

Georgetown man sentenced to life in prison in wife's death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Georgetown man who plead guilty to murder this week in the 2021 death of his wife was sentenced to life in prison, according to court records.Travis Hall, 50, faced murder and tampering with evidence charges in the disappearance of his wife, Julie Hall. He pleaded guilty to murder Monday. The tampering charges were dismissed, documents state. Georgetown husband facing murder charge after investigation into wife’s disappearance In opening statements of the trial Monday, prosecutors said Hall allegedly beat Julie to death with a pipe wrench in their Georgetown apartment and then wrapped her body in sheets and put her into a suitcase. Prosecutors said video evidence shows Hall putting a heavy suitcase in their apartment complex's trash compactor. Williamson County prosecutor Mike Waldman said the compacted trash was taken to a Creedmoor dump where police searched but Julie's body was never found. Hall's defense acknowledged that this is not a typical case for the j...