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Willson Contreras exits early, but honors Yadier Molina in home opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

ST. LOUIS - For the first time in nearly two decades, the St. Louis Cardinals opened a season with a catcher not named Yadier Molina. That torch was officially handed to longtime Chicago Cubs backstop Willson Contreras on Thursday. "Nothing but respect for Yadi. My idol," said Contreras on the eve of Opening Day. Contreras made his Cardinals debut in the 2023 home opener, navigating five new teammates through a high-octane Toronto Blue Jays lineup before a sudden injury forced an early exit. RECAP - Blue Jays outlast Cardinals in back-and-forth Opening Day marathon Contreras suffered a right knee contusion in the eighth inning of the Cardinals' 10-9 loss to the Blue Jays. A 103-mph pitch from reliever Jordan Hicks glanced off the right knee of Contreras in a spot without much protection. He departed moments later with help from manager Oli Marmol and the Cardinals training staff. After the game, Marmol noted that initial x-rays on Contreras' knee came back negative, though he is ...

Undercover agent busts St. Louis man for attempted child sex crimes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A jury convicted a St. Louis man Wednesday who attempted to engage in sexual activity with a minor, though was busted by an undercover agent who posed as a teenage girl online. Vallie Zeller, 46, was found guilty of three felonies, including attempted enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in sexual conduct with a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Zeller used an online platform and talked online to an undercover agent who posed as a 15-year-old girl. The conversations date back to June 2020 and messages indicated that he intended to have sex with the minor. Trending: St. Charles County’s top prosecutor leaves after decade of service Investigators say Zeller drove across the Missouri-Illinois border to engage in criminal sexualactivity once the agent gave him an address in Collinsville to meet the purportedminor. In addition, during the conversation over several days,...

Planned Parenthood sues Missouri AG amid STL pediatric transgender care investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit Friday against Attorney General Andrew Bailey after his office recently launched an investigation into the St. Louis pediatric transgender center. Amid the investigation, Bailey contends that a whistleblower has accused the St. Louis Pediatric Transgender Center at Children’s Hospital of using experimental drugs on children, distributing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and giving children life-altering drugs without parental consent.Planned Parenthood says that Bailey sent a Civil Investigative Demand to its St. Louis & Southwest Missouri division that contained over 50 separate demands. Planned Parenthood adds that he pursued HIPAA-protected patient health information and every document that references “social media'' or “Tik Tok.” Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, in a news release, argues that the investigation is outside the scope of the attorney general’s power and politically motivated....

Denver police seek help to solve the murder of a 54-year-old Denver man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

Denver police on Friday appealed for public help solving a homicide after they found a 54-year-old man dead in his apartment.Police found the body of Patrick Lane in his apartment at 3440 Park Avenue West on Tuesday, according to a Denver Police Department post on Twitter.The police announced they are seeking any information about this homicide or about Lane, directing calls to an anonymous tip line at 720-913-7867.#Denver, do you have information regarding this homicide, the suspect(s) or the victim Patrick Lane? Please contact @CrimeStoppersCO at 720-913-7867 with any information. Tips can be submitted anonymously. pic.twitter.com/cXhbWeFVhL— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) March 31, 2023 

Boulder police, bomb squad investigate suspicious package found at Foothills Elementary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

Boulder police on Friday morning investigated a suspicious package found at an elementary school, closing roads in that area, then determined that it was not dangerous and reopened roads shortly after 9 a.m.A bomb squad went to the school in north Boulder,  Foothills Elementary, and X-rayed the package to determine that it was not dangerous, Boulder police said in postings on Twitter.Package has been cleared and is not dangerous. The roads are being reopened right now. Thank you for your patience #BoulderColorado pic.twitter.com/UiLT6VF1zg— Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) March 31, 2023The elementary school was empty due to spring break.We are currently investigating a suspicious package in front of Foothills Elementary at 1001 Hawthorn. No one is at the @BVSDcolorado because of Spring Break & there are no evacuations but we’ve closed part of Hawthorn to Iris & Iris to 9th. Please avoid the area for now. More… pic.twitter.com/h5gGY4d8Gp— Boulder Police Dept...

Saratoga crime report for the week of April 7

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

MARCH 20Grand theft: Between 4 p.m. on March 16 and 9 a.m. on March 18, someone stole a catalytic converter from a vehicle parked in the 13000 block of Regan Lane for a total loss estimated at $4,000.MARCH 22Residential burglary: Between Feb. 1 and March 22, someone entered a residence in the 19000 block of Brockton Lane using unknown means, as there were no signs of forced entry, and stole a laptop for a total loss of about $800.MARCH 23Stolen vehicle, grand theft: Between 4 p.m. on March 22 and 4:23 a.m. on March 23, someone stole a vehicle from the driveway of a residence in the 18000 block of Afton Avenue. The vehicle and its contents were valued at $10,000.DUI: At 12:52 p.m., deputies responded to a traffic collision in the 13000 block of Pierce Road. An investigation revealed the suspect was driving under the influence of alcohol. The suspect was medically released, and the case will be submitted to the district attorney’s office for issuance of an arrest warrant.MARCH 24Resid...

Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge? A’s manager Mark Kotsay picked one, then beat the other

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

OAKLAND — A few hours after A’s manager Mark Kotsay passed on the opportunity to call Shohei Ohtani the best player in baseball, Ohtani accomplished in 10 minutes what most players won’t in an entire career.In the fourth inning, he smashed a Kyle Muller fastball through the right side for a single. Exit velocity: 112 mph off the bat, the hardest-hit ball of the night.A few minutes after that, Ohtani struck out Ramón Laureano on a pitch that registered at 101 mph. It was the fastest pitch of the night.He finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate, and he threw six scoreless innings on the mound, allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out 10 in another masterful one-man performance, the likes of which baseball hasn’t seen since the early 1900s.And the Angels lost.They graciously made a pitching change in the later innings and the A’s capitalized, manufacturing two runs off Angels reliever Aaron Loup to come away with a stunning 2-1 win on Opening ...

Lawsuit: Celebrity-friendly church attended by Justin Bieber required workers to tithe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

SEATTLE  — A Seattle-area megachurch that counts celebrities such as Russell Wilson and Justin Bieber among its thousands of members has been accused in a lawsuit of requiring employees to donate some of their earnings back to the religious organization or risk being fired.Employee Rachel Kellogg alleges Churchome and its leaders “engaged in a systemic scheme of wage and hour abuse against their employees,” including the requirement that all employees tithe 10% of their gross earned wages per month, according to the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court last week.If they didn’t, the lawsuit says, they would face pressure, discipline or termination, The Seattle Times reported.Kellogg, who worked in video and production for Churchome, says she wasn’t informed of the policy until after her hiring in 2019. The lawsuit argues the practice violates the state’s Consumer Protection Act, as well as hour and wage laws.“Regardless of whether this is a church, or not a church, or a nonpro...

Opera San Jose readying all-new take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

Even as Opera San Jose is preparing to open its season-ending production of Puccini’s “Tosca” on April 15, the company under general director Shawna Lucey has announced plans for the company’s 2023-24 season.The season — Opera San Jose’s 40th — will open with “Romeo and Juliet” (Sept. 9-24, at the California Theatre), in an all-new production of Charles Gounod’s opera, directed by Lucey. It stars tenor Joshua Sanders and soprano Melissa Sondhi in the title roles; company music director Joseph Marcheso will conduct.The company will also present this fall “The Barber of Seville” (Nov. 11-26), with Rossini’s sparkling comedy sung by a cast featuring mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz as Rosina, tenor Joshua Sanders as the Count Almaviva, and bass-baritone Dale Travis as Dr. Bartolo. Marcheso conducts.The 2024 productions begin with Verdi’s “Rigoletto” (Feb. 17-March 3), directed by Dan Wallace Miller and featuring baritone Eugene Brancoveanu in the dramatic title role. “Florencia ...

Donald Trump has been indicted following an investigation into a hush money payment scheme. Here’s what we know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:06 GMT

Former President Donald Trump’s indictment by a New York grand jury has thrust the nation into uncharted political, legal and historical waters, and raised a slew of questions about how the criminal case will unfold.The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has been investigating Trump in connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election.Though the indictment — which has been filed under seal — has yet to be unveiled, Trump and his allies have already torn into Bragg and the grand jury’s decision, blasting it as “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”Here’s what we know about Trump’s indictment so far.What’s the indictment for?Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud in the indictment, CNN has reported. It remains under seal.The investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office began when Trump was still i...