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Election
deniers
hanging
around
Those 2022 candidates
lay groundwork for 2024
Phillip M. Bailey
USA TODAY

If the 2022 midterms carried an

overarching message, it was that vot-
ers rejected candidates who mimicked
former President Donald Trump’s false
statements about his election loss.
Embracing those conspiracy theo-
ries proved to be a political loser for Re-
publicans in competitive races, espe-
cially in swing states where candidates
tried to win offices that oversee the
next presidential contest.
What troubles pro-democracy ad-
vocates, elected officials and experts,
however, is that many of those same
contenders are sticking around, ped-
dling lies about the 2020 contest and
laying the groundwork for more of the
same in 2024.
They have doubled down on their
false claims while pivoting to key polit-
ical positions as Trump loyalists ahead
of the 2024 election.
Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem sought
a do-over of the 2022 election after
losing last year’s battle for secretary
of state. STEVE HELBER/AP
Last December, Arizona state Rep.
Mark Finchem – who was one of the
most strident election deniers – asked
a judge to order a do-over of the 2022
election after losing last year’s battle
for secretary of state.
Finchem continued to press the is-
sue well into this year, until a judge
sanctioned the GOP legislator and his
lawyer, saying the continued legal suit
“was groundless and not brought in
good faith.”
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian
Fontes, who defeated Finchem last No-
vember, said the country ducked a na-
tional crisis in various races, but that
voters must remain vigilant.
“I’m not worried so much about
Mark Finchem anymore,” Fontes told
USA TODAY. “It’s the ones who are still
Endangered European eel found in US sushi
in the Legislature. It’s the ones who are
still peddling the lies and grifting. ...
That’s who I’m worried about.”
Who are the election deniers?
Across the country roughly 300
candidates were on the ballot last year
who parroted Trump by either ques-
tioning or rejecting the 2020 outcome.
Some ran for offices that had no
connection to federal elections, such
as state treasurer or agriculture com-
See ELECTION, Page 3A
In November 2021, Kaylie Marley, 14, was exposed to fumes at Spooner Middle School in Wisconsin and had to
be hospitalized. The fumes had escaped from a cured-in-place pipe project. PHOTOS BY THEO R. WELLING FOR USA TODAY
Popular pipeline repair
is making neighbors sick
Fume-producing lining restores aging infrastructure
Emily Le Coz and Monique O. Madan
USA TODAY
It hit Kaylie Marley in school.
A strong, epoxy-like odor that
nauseated her and dozens of class-
mates and teachers at Spooner Mid-
dle School in Wisconsin. By the time
they evacuated, Kaylie was feeling
lightheaded. She passed out and was
rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
A similar odor struck David Walsh
when he returned home from work.
It reminded him of fiberglass resin
– a strong, sickening scent that as-
saulted his nostrils and made his
head pound. His wife and two chil-
dren, who had spent the day in the
family’s home in Shoreline, Wash-
ington, complained of nausea and
headaches. They soon felt so unwell
that they packed their bags and left.
Rob Shoaff also was at home when
he detected it.
The smell, which he likened to
plastic model cement, originated in
“My baby was incoherent,
hooked up to machines. She
didn’t even recognize me,”
Lauren Marley says. She says
Kaylie still suffers recurring
headaches after being sickened
by the noxious fumes.
the basement but soon spread to
multiple floors of his three-story
house in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It
irritated his nose and gave him head-
aches that lingered even after the
smell was gone.
Dozens of similar incidents coast
to coast have not only triggered head-
aches, nausea and evacuations but
also sparked claims of lasting injuries
and even death caused by noxious
fumes from an increasingly popular
pipeline rehabilitation procedure.
Cured-in-place pipe lining creates
a new pipe inside an old one by in-
serting a soft, resin-soaked liner into
a damaged pipe, inflating it with
pressurized air, then heating it so it
hardens. It costs about eight times
less than a traditional pipe rehabili-
tation project and eliminates the
need to dig up streets, reroute traffic
or haul away debris. And it has been
used on hundreds of millions of feet
See PIPELINES, Page 6A
Organized crime could be
behind illegal exports
Elizabeth Weise
USA TODAY
Are those illegal eels in your unagi? A
study has found 44% of North American
eel samples – that’s unagi when used in
sushi – were actually from the critically
endangered European eel, whose export
has been illegal since 2010.
Eel has long been a beloved compo-
nent of Japanese cuisine. Marinated
and grilled, it is served in a donburi dish
with rice or as an ingredient in sushi,
where it’s generally listed as “unagi,”

QIJFAF-05005v(L)e
Japanese for eel.
With the popularity of Japanese cui-
©COPYRIGHT 2023 sine worldwide, eel consumption has
USA TODAY,
A division of
spiked. In 2019, 280,000 tons of fresh-
Gannett Co., Inc. water eels were produced for the con-
HOME DELIVERY Juvenile European eels, known as glass eels, are illegally traded. They can sell for
1-800-872-0001, USATODAYSERVICE.COM thousands of dollars a pound. PROVIDED BY KRISTEN STEELE/UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON See EEL, Page 2A
2A ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY
WAR IN UKRAINE NEWS BRIEFING
Witness heard bomb ‘joke’ before blast
John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz
USA TODAY
Russian military blogger Vladlen Ta-
tarsky was laughing about bombs with
his suspected assassin at an event in a
St. Petersburg cafe minutes before he
was killed by a bomb hidden inside a
statuette presented as a gift, The Mos-
cow Times reported Thursday.
Video from the event shows Daria
Trepova give Tatarsky the golden figu-
rine of himself. Marat Arnis, a local jour-
nalist who was at the event, told the
Times he heard Trepova tell Tatarsky
that security guards had blocked her
from bringing her present into the room
because they were worried it could con-
tain a bomb.
“She was laughing as she said it, so
the audience and Vladlen laughed with
her,” Arnis said. “Everyone took it as a
joke.” In response, Arnis recalled Tatar-
sky saying: “No worries, bring it here,
we’ll check it.”
Minutes later, it exploded, killing Ta-
tarsky and injuring about 40 people in
Street Food Bar No. 1, a venue popular
with pro-war activists. Trepova, 26, was
charged with terrorism but denies know-
ing the statuette contained a bomb.
Russia’s Investigative Committee
claimed supporters of jailed Kremlin
critic Alexei Navalny and the Ukrainian
secret service used Trepova to kill Tatar-
sky, a pro-war blogger who had more
than half a million online followers.
Developments:
h Diana Armenian, popular lead sing-
Eel
Continued from Page 1A
sumer market.
Unfortunately, Japan’s native eel has
been overfished and is now endangered,
so sellers have turned to the critically
endangered European eel (Anguilla
anguilla), but its population is estimat-
ed to be 5% of what it once was. To pro-
tect the species, the European Union
banned its exportation in 2010.
That’s why researchers in the United
Kingdom were stunned at what they
found when they did a DNA analysis of
unagi samples purchased in Europe,
North America and Asia.
“I was very surprised to find so much
European eel in our North American
samples – because it’s illegal to export
it,” said Andrew Griffiths, a lecturer in
biological sciences at the University of
Exeter and lead author on the study.
Those levels of European eel could
link the unagi in your sushi to global
organized crime rings depleting an
ancient species on the brink of extinc-
tion, he said.
“It’s really suggestive of some sort of
illegal sale and links to illegal trafficking
of live eels to Asia.”
What did researchers find?
Fish fraud has long been a problem,
with cheaper fish being sold as pricier
fillets. Cheap tilapia is sold as rare red
snapper. Rounds cut from skate wings
can be sold as pricey scallops.
The issue with eels is a little more
complex. Highly endangered European
baby eels are being poached in Europe
and smuggled to Asia, where they’re
grown out in fish farms and sold back to
Japan, Europe and North America –
labeled only as “eel,” according to a
March paper in the journal Trends in
Organized Crime.
This eel study actually got its start in
the San Francisco Bay Area, when one of
the authors, Kristen Steele, was work-
ing there. “I started noticing a seeming
increase in the number of Japanese res-
taurants in the Bay Area selling eel in
various forms and was surprised, dis-
mayed and intrigued,” she said.
Steele, at the University College Lon-
don, together with researchers at the
University of Exeter led a study that
gathered 114 samples of eel sold in
Europe, North America and Asia. The
eel samples mostly came from Japanese
restaurants as sushi, though a small
number were from traditional dishes
Postal information
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er of the Russian rock band Nochnye
Snaipery – Night Snipers – is being in-
vestigated for the crime of discrediting
the Russian military. She also criticized
the military when Crimea was seized in
2014.
h Two Russian conscripts who made
global headlines last year for refusing to
fight have been sentenced to three years
in prison, Russia’s Kommersant report-
ed. Video of the arrest of Yury Degtyarev
and Alexei Selivanov during a lineup
with fellow soldiers was shared widely
online.
h Greece pledged to provide Ukraine
with more artillery and small-arms am-
munition, access to Greek hospitals for
wounded military personnel and addi-
tional Soviet-era infantry fighting vehi-
cles.
h Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Belarusian President Alexander Lu-
kashenko are holding talks on expanding
their economic cooperation and bolster-
ing defense ties that include a plan to de-
ploy Russian nuclear weapons to its
neighbor.
China: US, NATO bear ‘unshirkable
responsibilities’ for Ukraine war
The U.S. and NATO “shoulder unshir-
kable responsibilities” on the Ukraine
crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes-
person Mao Ning said Thursday as
French President Emmanuel Macron
and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in
Beijing for talks centered on the war.
Mao, at a daily briefing, was respon-
Glass eels get their name from their transparency. These American juvenile eels
are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
PROVIDED BY KRISTEN STEELE/UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
sold in the United Kingdom, including
jellied, stewed and smoked eel.
The researchers did a DNA analysis of
each sample and found that 44% of the
North American samples were European
eel and 56% were American eel. There
were no Japanese eel (Anguilla rostrata)
in the samples, which came from New
York, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, San
Diego, Boston and Reno, Nevada.
In continental Europe, 35% of the
samples were Japanese eel and 65%
were American eel, which is threatened
but whose export is legal.
“It wasn’t what we were expecting,”
Griffiths said.
Massive population declines
Because of habitat destruction, pol-
lution, climate change and overfishing,
the European eel population has seen
massive declines since the 1960s and
has dropped to 5% of what it once was.
The species was declared critically en-
dangered in 2009, and in 2010 the Euro-
pean Union banned its import or export.
Because of that, there shouldn’t have
been lots of European eel ending up as
sushi in North America, Griffiths said.
“If our results are broadly repre-
sentative of sales of European eel in
North America, it is difficult to account
for all the European eel on sale via li-
censed and legal routes.”
Biology has been a mystery
Exactly how eels reproduced was a
mystery for thousands of years. Only in
the past decade was it finally unraveled.
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French President Emmanuel Macron
shakes hands with Chinese President
Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the
People on Thursday in Beijing. POOL
ding to a reporter’s question about NATO
chief Jens Stoltenberg, who a day earlier
chastised China for refusing to condemn
Russian aggression.
“History will tell who is truly standing
on the right side, upholding justice,” Mao
said. “NATO is in no position to criticize
or pressure China.”
Macron, who called for Ukraine talks,
said he and Xi found agreement.
“We need to ensure that civilians are
protected and nuclear weapons are not
used,” Xi said.
Russian children’s commissioner
defends seizing Ukraine kids
Russia’s commissioner for children’s
Fish fraud has long been a
problem, with cheaper fish
being sold as pricier fillets.
The scam with eels is more
complex and sinister.
European and American eels spawn
in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic
Ocean. The baby eels swim to coastal
areas and then upriver. Called glass eels
at this point, they are transparent and
are no longer than a pinky finger.
For millennia, no one realized glass
eels were actually the juvenile form of
adult eels; they were thought to be an-
other species entirely. When the eels
reach freshwater, they grow for a decade
or more before they head back to the
ocean to reproduce.
To this day, no one has been able to
mimic the life cycle of eels enough to
farm them the way salmon and other
fish are farmed. Instead, the tiny glass
eels are caught in rivers and then fatten-
ed up in eel farms for harvest – almost
entirely in China.
Eel farms widespread in China
There is a massive illegal trade in
European glass eels. Poachers use nets
to gather them from European rivers
and streams, then sells them to middle-
men for thousands of dollars a pound.
They are then sold to smugglers who
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NEWS
rights, accused of war crimes for deport-
ing thousands of children from Ukraine,
says Moscow is coordinating with inter-
national organizations to return them to
their families. Maria Lvova-Belova,
speaking by video link at an informal
U.N. Security Council meeting boycotted
by Western ambassadors, said the chil-
dren were taken for their safety.
The International Criminal Court is-
sued an arrest warrant last month for
Lvova-Belova and Russian President
Vladimir Putin, accusing them of ab-
ducting children from Ukraine. Russia
called Wednesday’s meeting to counter
what it claims is disinformation about
the Ukrainian children.
Bill Clinton regrets persuading
Ukraine to give up nukes
Former President Bill Clinton says he
regrets the 1994 deal that resulted in Uk-
raine giving up its nuclear weapons and
says Russia would not have “pulled this
stunt” and invaded if Kyiv still had the
deterrent. Then-Ukrainian President
Leonid Kravchuk agreed to surrender
roughly 1,900 nuclear warheads in ex-
change for security assurances from the
U.S. and United Kingdom – and a Rus-
sian commitment to respect Ukraine’s
territorial integrity.
“They were afraid to give (nuclear
weapons) up because they thought
that’s the only thing that protected them
from an expansionist Russia,” Clinton
told Irish broadcaster RTE.
Contributing: The Associated Press
either conceal them in fresh-produce
shipments or luggage to get them to
Asia.
The tiny eels generally end up in
China’s Fujian and Guangdong prov-
inces, which have more than 600 eel
farms and eel processing plants. It’s
estimated that 87% of the world’s eel
farms are in China.
According to a paper published
March 22 in the journal Trends in
Organized Crime, the glass eels are
often kept in hidden ponds in under-
ground warehouses near airports before
being shipped.
In 2022, European law enforcement
intercepted 2,755 pounds of glass eels
worth an estimated $2 million and ar-
rested 49 people on suspicion of being
involved in smuggling.
American glass eels are also harvest-
ed, though the practice is prohibited in
all states except Maine and South
Carolina. The species isn’t considered
endangered by the United States but is
so depleted that it was added to the In-
ternational Union for Conservation of
Nature’s endangered list in 2014.
While European eel was most com-
mon in samples taken in North America,
Griffiths said that worldwide, American
eel made up 66% of unagi products,
meaning possible poachers seem to be
shifting to U.S.-sourced glass eels.
The trade is lucrative. The eels can
sell for up to $2,200 a pound, said Ellen
Shell, whose book on eels, “Slippery
Beasts,” arrives next year.
“It’s a complicated and risky busi-
ness,” she said.
Should you eat unagi?
The Seafood Watch program at the
Monterey Bay Aquarium in California
has European, Japanese and American
eel all on its Red list, meaning they
should be avoided because of concerns
about the species and the aquaculture
used to raise them in Asia.
Part of the problem with eating unagi
is that it’s very difficult to pin down
which eel species you’re eating.
The U.S. government monitors only
about 45% of the seafood coming into
the United States, so “you have no idea
where your unagi came from,” said
Marla Valentine, director of the ocean
nonprofit Oceana’s Illegal Fishing and
Transparency campaign.
“Most people don’t have any idea
how complex and interconnected the
network of eel trade has become,” Steele
said, “and how easy it is for illegally
caught and traded eels to get mixed into
the legal market.”
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NEWS
Report: Thomas took GOP
donor’s gifts for decades
Justice’s nondisclosure
may have violated law
Sarah Elbeshbishi and Josh Meyer
USA TODAY
Supreme Court Justice Clarence
Thomas has accepted luxury gifts from
a prominent Republican donor for more
than 20 years without disclosing them,
possibly violating a law that requires
justices, judges and members of Con-
gress to disclose most gifts, according to
a new report.
ProPublica reported Thursday on a
series of lavish trips Thomas has taken
over more than two decades, which
have been funded by billionaire and
GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
This investigation comes as the na-
tion’s high court fends off requests for a
code of ethics, which would likely ad-
dress similar instances.
The disclosures are the latest ethics
controversy to dog Thomas.
He has faced tough questions about
his incomplete financial disclosure
forms and appearances at other politi-
cal gatherings of wealthy conservative
donors and influencers.
Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, his wife,
also has come under scrutiny for her
back-channel efforts to help former
President Donald Trump stay in power
despite losing the 2020 presidential
election to Joe Biden.
Report: Thomas accepted luxury
gifts without disclosing them
Thomas has accepted lavish gifts
from the billionaire Dallas businessman
nearly every year, which had included
vacations on Crow’s superyacht and
trips on the billionaire’s Bombardier
Global 5000 jet as well as a week each
summer at Crow’s private resort in the
Adirondacks, ProPublica reported.
It citess flight records, internal docu-
ments and interviews with Crow’s em-
ployees.
The report also found that flight rec-
ords from the Federal Aviation Admini-
stration and FlightAware suggest that
Thomas makes “regular use” of Crow’s
jet, noting that the justice used the pri-
vate plane to make a three-hour trip in
2016.
Thomas’ frequent trips to Crow’s pri-
vate lakeside resort, Camp Topridge in
the Adirondacks in upstate New York,
also have subjected Thomas to Crow’s
extensive guest list of corporate execu-
tives and political activists.
Thomas vacationed with executives
from Verizon and Pricewaterhouse-
Coopers, major GOP donors, and a
leader of the American Enterprise In-
stitute during a July 2017 trip, ProPubli-
ca said.
Election
Continued from Page 1A
missioner.
But many sought high-level offices
that would either control or influence
vital parts of the electoral process.
A Brookings Institution study last
year found 66% of those candidates
won their races, mainly because they
were seeking reelection in safe congres-
sional seats, state legislative districts
and states that Trump won.
But when the study looked at election
administration races – think governor,
attorney general and secretary of state –
contenders who pushed misinforma-
tion were “wiped out” in battleground
states.
What are election
deniers doing now?
The Trump-fueled movement that
tried to get election deniers has moved
to friendlier political territory with
many turning their attention to state
Republican Party positions.
In February, former Michigan secre-
tary of state candidate Kristina Karamo,
who made multiple unsubstantiated
claims about the 2020 election, was
able to become the first Black woman
chair of the state GOP.
Similarly, election deniers were ele-
vated to state GOP chair in Idaho, Kan-
sas and Colorado, where former state
Rep. Dave Williams, who insists Trump
won in 2020, has promised to be a “war-
time” leader.
“Our party doesn’t have a brand
problem,” Williams told supporters in
March. “Our party has a problem with
A report by ProPublica says Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
has accepted gifts from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow. JACK GRUBER/USA TODAY
What did Thomas, Crow say?
Thomas didn’t respond to ProPubli-
ca’s request for comment, but Crow in a
statement said he and his wife’s “hospi-
tality” to Thomas and his wife “over the
years is no different from the hospitality
we have extended to our many other
dear friends.”
Crow, in his statement, also empha-
sized that he has never asked Thomas
about any pending or lower court case,
nor has Thomas discussed one, adding
that “we have never sought to influence
Justice Thomas on any legal or political
issue” nor is aware of “any of our friends
ever lobbying or seeking to influence”
Thomas.
Renewed calls for code of ethics
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a long-
time advocate for more transparency
and accountability on the Supreme
Court, issued a series of tweets follow-
ing the ProPublica story saying it under-
scores why an overhaul of court ethics
laws and requirements is urgently
needed.
“A picture worth a thousand words,”
Whitehouse said, including a painting
in his tweet from the ProPublica report
that allegedly hangs at Crow’s resort. It
shows Thomas smoking cigars with
Crow and other conservatives.
Whitehouse outlined some of the
connections between those in what he
calls “the ‘cigar boys’ painting,” saying
one of them, Leonard Leo, runs a “con-
stellation of front groups” whose goal is
to secretly influence the high court.
As one example, Whitehouse said
that an organization called the Judicial
Failed Michigan secretary of state
candidate Kristina Karamo became
the first Black woman chair of the
state GOP. JUNFU HAN/USA TODAY NETWORK
feckless leaders who are ashamed of
you and ashamed of our conservative
principles.”
These party leader positions are not
as powerful as lawmaker jobs, but ex-
perts warn they give Trump loyalists a
platform that can carry influence in
terms of the election process during a
presidential election year.
The party chairs, for example, have a
significant say when it comes to recruit-
ing poll watchers.
Others highlight how victories in saf-
er state legislative districts allow mea-
sures powered by conspiracy theories to
gain traction.
A Brennan Center study released in
February found there were fewer elec-
tion interference bills introduced in
state legislatures in 2023 compared to
this time last year.
Yet it showed legislators in 10 states
have sponsored about 27 election inter-
ference bills across the country which
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 3A
Crisis Network “raised anonymous
money in checks as big as $17 million
to fund political ads for (Supreme
Court justices) Gorsuch, Kavanaugh
and Barrett.”
“The donor(s) who funded ads to
help Leo’s Judicial Crisis Network
front group pack the Court, and the do-
nor’s(s’) business or interests before
the Court, have never been disclosed,”
Whitehouse said.
“This secrecy is toxic and wrong,” he
added. “The Court should not protect it
any longer, and the Judicial Confer-
ence should look diligently and with
urgency into this mess of front group
briefs.”
Whitehouse, a lawyer and former
federal prosecutor, is a member of the
Senate Judiciary Committee, which
oversees Supreme Court nominations.
The least accountable part
of the US government?
Gabe Roth, executive director of the
nonpartisan group Fix the Court, said
the ProPublica story “leads to a con-
clusion we’ve all come to expect: the
Supreme Court is the least account-
able part of our government, and noth-
ing is going to change without a whole-
sale, lawmaker-led reimagining of its
responsibilities when it comes to basic
measures of oversight.”
Roth said the disclosures in the re-
port underscore that ‘personal hospi-
tality rules’ adopted by the judiciary
last month do not go far enough and
that Supreme Court and lower courts
need to adopt “the same, if not stricter,
gift and travel rules than what mem-
bers of Congress have.”
would, among other things, give more
partisan actors the to overturn results;
makes it easier for citizens to demand
a “forensic audit” to void an election;
and requiring hand counts of all bal-
lots 24 hours after the polls close.
Kari Lake 2.0?
Even though election deniers lost
significant contests in swing states,
there is an acknowledgement that
their misinformation tactics might be
a permanent fixture.
Look no further than former Arizo-
na gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake,
who continues to deny the fact she lost
the 2022 race to Gov. Katie Hobbs by
roughly 17,000 votes.
The Arizona Supreme Court in
March rejected most of Lake’s legal
challenges to her election loss, which
include baseless claims that tens of
thousands of ballots were “injected”
into voting machines.
Yet the former television anchor’s
name is tossed around as a potential
vice presidential pick for Trump
should he nab the nomination in 2024.
Lake has also flirted with the idea of
running for Senate next year, telling
conservative political commentator
Charlie Kirk on his podcast that she
“will seriously consider” a bid.
Norden, the Brennan Center official,
said even though many election de-
niers lost high-profile races, question-
ing an elections validity will likely con-
tinue to be something certain candi-
dates question in future campaigns.
“They are very much still present in
our political life,” he said. “And unfor-
tunately, we may see people who have
a lot of influence continue to spread
lies about our elections.”
New report
details sex
abuse by
Md. priests
At least 600 kids since
the 1940s were targeted
Jeanine Santucci
USA TODAY
More than 150 Catholic priests and
clergy members associated with the
Archdiocese of Baltimore were ac-
cused of “horrific and repeated” sexual
abuse of at least 600 children since the
1940s, according to a Maryland Office
of the Attorney General report made
public on Wednesday.
The redacted report, released dur-
ing Holy Week, listed every current or
former clergy member or employee of
the archdiocese who was ever credibly
accused of sexual abuse of a child be-
tween the 1940s and 2002. The list is
based on hundreds of thousands of
documents obtained through subpoe-
na of church records and interviews
with hundreds of victims and witness-
es, according to the attorney general.
“The incontrovertible history un-
covered by this investigation is one of
pervasive and persistent abuse by
priests and other Archdiocese person-
nel,” the report reads.
The report notes the number of vic-
tims and abusers is likely higher than
what was included due to statistics of
underreporting of sexual abuse.
“The need for disclosure
outweighs the need for secrecy.”
Judge Robert Taylor,
Baltimore Circuit Court
Abuse was pervasive and
covered up, report finds
Church abusers targeted children
who were more vulnerable to abuse
due to their shyness or problems at
home, or children who were “devoted”
to the church and participated in
church programs.
“They told their victims the abuse
was ‘God’s will’ and that no one would
doubt the word of a priest. Some
threatened that the victim or victim’s
family would go to hell if they told any-
one,” the report said.
Church officials who became aware
of abuse displayed more empathy for
the abusers than for the victims, the
report concluded. If an investigation
was conducted at all, it was done by
unqualified church officials who often
placed greater weight on an accused
abuser’s denial than the account of a
victim. The church gave no reason or a
false reason for removing a priest from
a parish, and often times relocated
priests to new parishes with no warn-
ing to parishioners, the report said.
“Church documents reveal with dis-
turbing clarity that the Archdiocese
was more concerned with avoiding
scandal and negative publicity than it
was with protecting children,” accord-
ing to the report.
Most of the priests and officials who
covered up their wrongdoings have
died, according to the report, which
does not “constitute findings of guilt.”
One priest, Joseph Maskell, was a
subject of the Netflix documentary se-
ries “The Keepers” in 2017. Maskell was
moved from two parishes in the 1960s
because of reports of his “troubling be-
havior with children, including a fasci-
nation with the sexual fantasies and
behavior of Boy Scouts,” the report
says.
Lawmakers OK abuse legislation
Maryland lawmakers on Wednes-
day also passed a bill to end the statute
of limitations for civil lawsuits related
to child sexual abuse. Baltimore Cir-
cuit Court Judge Robert Taylor said in
his ruling to make the report public
earlier this year that the report should
be taken into account in that decision.
“The need for disclosure outweighs
the need for secrecy,” Taylor said.
Currently, victims of child sexual
abuse cannot bring civil suits after
they turn 38 in Maryland. The bill will
next be sent to the governor.
Baltimore Archbishop William E.
Lori wrote in a statement released
Wednesday that he apologizes to all
survivors on behalf of the archdiocese
and pledged “continued solidarity and
support for your healing.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
4A ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

Week in review
Recapping the most important and talked about news this week from around the world – ICYMI

❚ NEWS
Trump’s indictment could
reverberate well into 2024
New York City was consumed – and the 2024 presi-
dential campaign landscape possibly upended – by
Donald Trump news as the former president and
front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination arrived
in court Wednesday in Manhattan to face 34 felony
counts related to alleged hush money payments, the
first time a former president has been criminally
prosecuted. Trump has pleaded not guilty, but his
legal travails – not inflation or the economy or crime
– could now dominate the 2024 race.

❚ OPINION
55 years after MLK’s killing,
gun violence still haunts us
Martin Luther King Jr. was shot down in Memphis,
Tennessee, 55 years ago on Tuesday. All these years
later, gun murder has traveled throughout the coun-
try and right back, just last week, to Nashville, with
the Covenant School shooting. Full circle, you could
say. To remember Dr. King is to ask: What nonvio- IMAGE
lent actions must be taken to force change, and who
should lead those actions? Politicians will do only
OF THE ❚ LIFE ❚ SPORTS
what they are made to do by the strongest forces. WEEK
Save Our Shows is NCAA champions get
❚ MONEY
Tornadoes
devastate
here to take your their day in the sun
Midwest, South TV temperature Another March Madness has come
Price of eggs could thwart A car’s shattered
This week marked the arrival of
and gone, and the winners have been
those best-laid Easter plans side mirror reveals
homes in ruins
USA TODAY’s exclusive 26th annual
crowned. For the women, LSU cruised
to a 102-85 win over Iowa to take the
Save Our Shows survey, when we
Saturday in title in the most-watched women’s
With Easter almost here, shoppers have been on open a window into the minds of TV
Whiteland, Ind., college basketball game ever, ESPN
the hunt for eggs and basket stuffers – and you can fans: Which of your favorite broad-
after an EF-3 said. For the men, UConn wrapped up
thank avian flu and inflation for the egg prices. cast shows are a lock to return, and
tornado ripped a dominant run with a 76-59 victory
According to Numerator data, 85% of consumers which are destined for the dust bin?
through the central over San Diego State. CBS’ Jim Nantz
plan to celebrate Easter this year, and 50% of cele- Sure, such hits as “Abbott Elemen-
part of the state the had his shining moment, too: The
brants plan to buy candy. Overall, shoppers plan to tary” and “NCIS” will be back, but
night before. men’s play-by-play announcer signed
spend a record $24 billion on Easter this year, what about shows hovering “on the
off for good after his 32nd and last
including $3.3 billion on candy and $7.3 billion on GRACE HOLLARS/ bubble,” like “The Good Doctor,”
tournament. Said Nance, 63: “One
food, the National Retail Federation says. One retail USA TODAY NETWORK “S.W.A.T.” and “9-1-1”? Take our poll
thing I learned through all of this is
expert’s advice: You can find white plastic dyeable and plead your case at usatoday
everybody has a dream.”
eggs for less than a carton of real eggs. .com/entertainment.

The next total solar Survey shows Florida leads US

eclipse is a year away
Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
Eclipse lovers, your moment in the
sun (or the dark) is just one year away.
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse
will cross North America, passing over
Mexico, the United States and Canada,
NASA said.
It will be the nation’s biggest eclipse
event since the Great American Eclipse
of Aug. 21, 2017, when millions of Amer-
icans were able to enjoy the cosmic
spectacle. Next year’s eclipse is the last
total solar eclipse that will be visible in
the U.S. until 2044.
States in the path of the eclipse are
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri,
Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Penn-
sylvania, New York, Vermont, New
Hampshire and Maine.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the
moon gets in the way of the sun, turning
day to an eerie twilight. People viewing
the eclipse from locations where the
moon’s shadow completely covers the
sun – known as the “path of totality” –
will experience a total solar eclipse,
NASA said. The sky will darken as if it
were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting,
people along the path of totality will see
the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere,
which is usually obscured by the bright
face of the sun.
Outside the path of totality, nearly all
of North America will get a partial solar
eclipse.
Some of the big cities in the path are
Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Cleveland,
Buffalo and Indianapolis, where prepa-
rations already have begun. Indianapo-
lis, which is calling itself the “eclipse
capital of the Midwest,” is anticipating
an influx of more than 1 million visitors
next April, according to the city’s tour-
ism bureau. There will even be a viewing
celebration at the famed Indianapolis
Motor Speedway, home of the annual
Indianapolis 500 auto race in May.
NASA reminds skywatchers to prac-
tice safe viewing before and after the to-
tal eclipse: “Except during the brief total
phase of a total solar eclipse, when the
moon completely blocks the sun’s bright
face, it is not safe to look directly at the
sun without specialized eye protection
Diamond ring effect during the solar
eclipse in Hopkinsville, Ky. in 2017.
MICHAEL CLEVENGER/USA TODAY NETWORK
for solar viewing.”
In fact, it’s never safe to view the
sun with the naked eye. The sun’s sur-
face is so bright that if you stare at any
portion of it, no matter how small, it
produces enough light to permanently
damage your retina. Length of time
doesn’t matter, either: Without proper
eye protection, you can suffer “eclipse
blindness” – a serious injury in which
the eye’s retina is damaged by solar ra-
diation – within seconds of staring at
the sun, according to the American
Optometric Association.
Folks in the Southwest will get their
own peek at a solar eclipse later this
year, though it won’t be a total one. An
annular eclipse of the sun will be
visible in the southwestern United
States on Oct. 14, NASA said.
An annular solar eclipse happens
when the moon passes between the
sun and Earth while it is at its farthest
point from Earth, according to NASA:
“Because the moon is farther away
from Earth, it appears smaller than the
sun and does not completely cover the
star.”
This creates a “ring of fire” effect in
the sky. The name “annular” comes
from the Latin word for ring, “annu-
lus,” according to TimeandDate.com.
The annular eclipse will begin in the
U.S., traveling from the coast of Ore-
gon to the Texas Gulf Coast. Weather
permitting, the annular eclipse will be
visible in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New
Mexico and Texas, as well as some
parts of California, Idaho, Colorado,
and Arizona, NASA said.
in the number of lead pipes
Michael Phillis
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry
water into homes across the U.S., with
more in Florida than any other state,
according to a new Environmental
Protection Agency survey that will dic-
tate how billions of dollars to find and
replace those pipes are spent.
The survey released Tuesday was
the first time the agency asked about
lead pipes and gave the best count yet
of how many are underground.
Florida, with an estimated 1.16 mil-
lion pipes, was a surprise to one ex-
pert. Industrial states such as Ohio,
Michigan and Pennsylvania are more
typically associated with extensive
lead pipe issues.
Illinois ranked second in Tuesday’s
survey, with 1.04 million lead pipes,
followed by Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas
and New York.
The agency’s drinking water infra-
structure survey will be used to steer
billions of dollars from the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law to upgrades such
as finding and removing lead pipes in
states that need it most. Previously, a
state’s share of lead pipe funds was
based on its general infrastructure
need and didn’t consider how many
lead pipes the state had.
Lead can cause brain damage and
the EPA says no amount is safe for chil-
dren.
The Biden administration has set a
goal to remove all of the country’s lead
water pipes. The $15 billion for lead
pipe work will help, but it won’t solve
the problem.
“Every community deserves access
to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA
Administrator Michael Regan who was
in Illinois for the announcement.
“Thanks to President Biden’s infra-
structure investments, we have an un-
precedented opportunity to revitalize
America’s drinking water systems,
support the Biden-Harris administra-
tion’s goal of removing 100% of lead
pipes across our country, and protect
communities from PFAS pollution.”
The EPA recently proposed drinking
water limits for PFAS, or per- and po-
lyfluoroalkyl substances often called
“forever chemicals,” in a push that the
agency said will save lives and reduce
illness but will require many water pro-
viders to install treatment systems.
The EPA’s survey of roughly 3,500
water providers also found the country
needs to spend $625 billion on drinking
water infrastructure over the next two
decades, an amount that’s increased
sharply in recent years. The biggest
need is upgrading water pipes that are
too old, broken, or made of lead.
On Tuesday, the EPA also announced
states, U.S. territories and tribes will
have $6.5 billion to upgrade drinking
water infrastructure, with $6 billion of
that total coming from the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law.
The lead water crisis in Flint, Michi-
gan, made lead in drinking water a na-
tional concern and demonstrated how
old pipes can quickly become an urgent
public health threat. Newark, New Jer-
sey, saw prolonged lead water problems
that led to rapid replacement of thou-
sands of lead pipes, as did Benton Har-
bor, Michigan.
Erik Olson, a health and food expert
at the Natural Resources Defense Coun-
cil, said the EPA was “trying to do the
right thing” by using its survey to direct
lead pipe funds to states that need it
most. But he called Florida’s figure “a big
surprise.” Olson said the state told his
group in 2021 that it doesn’t track lead
service lines. The NRDC’s estimate for
the state was about 200,000.
Olson said the Florida number is puz-
zling because lead pipes were most fre-
quently installed in the decades before
Florida’s population rapidly grew.
“We look forward to hearing an ex-
planation,” Olson said.
The EPA said it extrapolated from
water providers’ responses to come up
with state-level estimates. The loca-
tions of many lead pipes are still un-
known and the EPA said states such as-
Florida had a lot of lines that were either
made of an unknown material or lead.
A representative from the Florida De-
partment of Environmental Protection
did not immediately respond to a re-
quest for comment.
The Associated Press receives sup-
port from the Walton Family Founda-
tion for coverage of water and environ-
mental policy. The AP is solely respon-
sible for all content.
NEWS USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 5A

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6A ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY
Pipelines
Continued from Page 1A
of underground infrastructure – a figure
expected to grow as the nation races to
rehab its aging water and sewer lines.
Those efforts are accelerated, in part,
by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure
Bill, which is providing $50 billion to
local governments for water and sewer
improvements. Many of those dollars
already are flowing to cured-in-place
pipe lining projects.
Yet the process carries an inherent
public health risk that the industry has
downplayed, and government regula-
tors have all but ignored, even as the list
of exposures continues to grow, a USA
TODAY investigation found.
Volatile organic compounds released
during the heating process can escape
as a chemical plume traveling out of the
manholes and through the lateral con-
nections linking the main pipe to the
properties it serves.
Inside that plume can lurk styrene,
benzene, methylene chloride and phe-
nol, along with bits of uncured resin,
partially cured plastic and hazardous air
pollutants, according to research fund-
ed by the U.S. National Science Founda-
tion and cited by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
Styrene, in particular, is considered a
probable carcinogen that, when in-
haled, can irritate the eyes, nose and
throat. It can also impair the nervous
system, inducing dizziness, headaches,
slowed reaction times, loss of balance,
nausea and unconsciousness, accord-
ing to the CDC.
Several people told USA TODAY their
symptoms lasted weeks. In some cases,
they never went away. Susan Dosier
said she developed permanent hearing
loss and a ringing in her ear after stand-
ing near a pipe lining cloud by her house
in Bend, Oregon, in late 2018.
Kaylie, the middle school student, has
suffered recurring headaches since the
incident at her school in November 2021,
said her mother, Lauren Marley. Walsh
said his daughter also has frequent
headaches since their episode in 2020.
At least three workers in two pipe-
lining incidents died after exposure to
the chemicals. One was 22-year-old
Brett Morrow, who entered a pipe in
2017 to free a stuck, resin-soaked liner.
Overcome by styrene, he passed out and
drowned, his death certificate shows.
In October, a Florida woman settled a
lawsuit with a contractor she blamed for
her 71-year-old mother’s death. Nancy
Loft alleged that fumes from a 2015
cured-in-place project infiltrated her
mother’s Deerfield Beach home,
knocked her out and touched off a series
of health complications that claimed
her life a year and a half later.
Yet the cured-in-place pipe-lining in-
dustry is unregulated when it comes to
public health. No state or federal agency
actively monitors work sites or requires
safety protocols to prevent harmful
emissions from leaking into the envi-
ronment.
“It’s sort of the Wild West,” said Matt
Belcher, a Chicago-based attorney who
represented Morrow’s family in a law-
suit against several defendants, includ-
ing the liner manufacturer, that was set-
tled for $3 million in 2021. “Nobody is
policing these things.”
That leaves the industry responsible
for policing itself. And while it has
adopted voluntary guidelines to control
worksite emissions, it has vigorously
rejected evidence of widespread public
health risks.
In 2017, the National Association of
Sewer Service Companies, whose mem-
bership includes cured-in-place pipe
contractors, publicly denounced a peer-
reviewed study led by Purdue research-
er Andrew Whelton that determined the
process releases noxious emissions.
The association at the time vowed to
fund an independent study “to chal-
lenge and/or confirm” the information.”
It paid the University of Texas at Arling-
ton’s Center for Underground Infra-
structure Research and Education,
whose board includes cured-in-place
industry members, to review reports of
the process’ health risks. The group con-
cluded in 2018 that the methodologies of
those reports were flawed and their re-
sults “non-conclusive.”
Whelton said those criticisms lack
merit.
His Purdue-sponsored CIPP Solu-
tions Group website also maintains a
list of human and environmental
incidents, with more than 100 entries
across 35 states, many of them related
to schools and day care centers.
Sheila Joy, executive director of the
National Association of Sewer Service
Companies, said in an email to USA
TODAY that her group continues to fund
research evaluating health risks from
cured-in-place pipe emissions and up-
dates its safety guidelines based on
those studies.
David Walsh and his family had to flee their home in Shoreline, Wash., in late 2020
after gas from a sewer project seeped into their house. CHONA KASINGER FOR USA TODAY
Joy also pointed to a one-page docu-
ment the group created for the general
public explaining how to eliminate or
minimize fumes from such projects.
Called “What’s That Odor,” the docu-
ment says that just because you can
smell it, doesn’t mean it’s dangerous.
But Whelton said his research shows
otherwise.
“There are ways to use CIPP respon-
sibly and safely, but currently, cities,
municipalities and the industry em-
brace this dirty process for allowing
waste to leave the worksite and harm
other people,” he said. “The practice is
inherently dangerous because there are
no controls. Are you going to get a car
with a seat belt or no seat belt?”
From mushroom farm to sewer
Cured-in-place pipe lining started on
a mushroom farm.
A leaky air duct over a bed of growing
fungi didn’t easily lend itself to repair.
So English agricultural engineer Eric
Wood decided to create a new duct in-
side the old one by inserting a resin-
soaked liner, inflating it with air and
leaving it to cure.
Wood’s solution worked so well that
he patented the process and started a
company, Insituform – from the Latin
phrase “to form in place.” Its first muni-
cipal project was in 1971 in East London,
where Wood rehabilitated a 230-foot-
section of a century-old sewer for the
Thames Water utility company.
Since then, the industry has explod-
ed into a constellation of major contrac-
tors and countless mom-and-pop oper-
ations.
The process involved in these pro-
jects is largely the same, although the
specific types of resins, fabrics and cur-
ing methods can vary. The most popular
of these materials and methods,
though, are also the most prone to
harmful fumes.
That emissions don’t automatically
infiltrate every dwelling is thanks to a
plumbing feature commonly called the
P-trap. This U-shaped bend in the pipes
under most sinks and toilets is designed
to trap enough water from daily washes
and flushes to block fumes from the
sewer.
But even drains are not a fail-safe.
Some older buildings lack these U-
shaped traps. And water can evaporate
from the traps of rarely used sinks, toi-
lets and bathtubs.
Even when the traps are full, pressur-
ized steam or liquid from cured-in-place
pipe projects can blow the standing wa-
ter out of toilets and drains. That’s what
happened to Courtney Hirsch, of Har-
risburg, Pennsylvania, during a pipe re-
lining project in January 2020.
Hirsch said a “ rocket of water” would
blast from her toilet and spray water and
old toilet paper everywhere. Her house
smelled like burnt plastic for weeks, she
said, causing her severe headaches,
nosebleeds and eye irritation.
An Insituform CIPP installation crew prepares to feed a resin-soaked liner
into an old sewer pipe in Shreveport, La. STAN CARPENTER/USA TODAY NETWORK
“They told us to put water in our
drains, but that didn’t work,” she said.
“They also told us the odor was safe, but
if I’m experiencing all these symptoms, I
don’t think it’s safe.”
‘Sweep it under a rug’
Mailers, door hangers and FAQs
alerting residents to these projects tend
to omit, deny or downplay the potential
health threats, according to a USA
TODAY review of more than a dozen
such communications.
A public notice issued last year by the
Town of Canton, Connecticut, said
ahead of a sewer relining project that a
glue or fiberglass odor “may get into the
building through improper or clogged
venting, dry traps, or, in some older
homes, floor drains that are connected
to the sanitary sewer. If you detect an
odor, please ventilate your home by
opening a window.”
Then, in bolded and underlined text,
it continued, “The odor is not harmful
and will dissipate quickly.”
A door hanger left in 2015 by Insitu-
form in Deerfield Beach, Florida, ad-
vised residents to pour water into floor
drains and rarely used sinks, tubs and
toilets to prevent odors from entering
the home. If that doesn’t work, it said,
the trap may require repair.
“You may need to temporarily place
plastic bags filled with water over the
drain to prevent the backflow of odors or
open windows to allow ventilation,” the
door hanger said. “If you continue to
smell odors, please call the Insituform
representative.”
When people do call the company,
they’re typically told not to worry, said
former Insituform employee Anthony
Perez, who spent about three years on a
crew in Littleton, Colorado. He remem-
bers counseling residents there about
the chemical smell.
“We were told to tell the person that
you may get a headache, but we’re
around it every day, and we’re OK,” he
said, adding that was what the company
told its employees, too. “They basically
just said, ‘It’s safe.’ The culture seemed
to be: ‘We’re tough, we can handle it.
Don’t be the one to whine.’ ”
Since leaving the industry, though,
Perez, now 40, has developed severe
emphysema and COPD despite having
never smoked cigarettes. He said doc-
tors can’t figure out why his lungs are
visibly scarred and failing. But he be-
lieves his problems were caused by reg-
ular exposure to high concentrations of
styrene and other chemicals on the job.
“I can remember times being in the
manhole where the vapor was so thick I
couldn’t see my hand in front of my face
– in there with no respiratory protec-
tion,” he said. “The industry is like,
‘Sweep it under a rug.’ ”
Aegion Corporation, the parent com-
pany of Insituform, did not respond to
emails and voicemails seeking com-
ment for this story.
NEWS
Family told to get out of the house
Nestled along the Puget Sound just
north of Seattle, the city of Shoreline,
Washington, hired Insituform in June
2020 to repair more than a half-mile of
damaged stormwater pipe.
Five months later, on Nov. 4, a crew
appeared at a manhole outside the
Walsh residence and began blowing
steam into a polyester resin-soaked lin-
er snaking through the pipe under the
neighborhood. A strong odor soon filled
the house.
While David Wash and his wife, Eilee,
stuck it out at home, their children
couldn’t stand the smell and spent the
night at friends’ houses. The next morn-
ing, Eilee called the city, which sent an
employee. He didn’t smell anything, city
records show.
On the second day, Eilee contacted
an industrial hygienist who told her to
get out of the house. Eilee immediately
relayed the information to city project
manager Lea Bonbrake.
“Shoreline hired the work to put the
chemical into the system, the city
caused the problem, and the city should
protect our health until the odor is gone
by putting us up in another place to live,”
Eilee told Bonebrake in an email Nov. 6,
2020.
Shoreline agreed, but neither party
had anticipated the time, cost or effort it
would require to properly decontami-
nate the family’s home.
For the next two months, the Walsh-
es stayed in hotels and vacation rentals
while the city employed a variety of
methods to fully mitigate the odor.
The ordeal cost Shoreline more than
$75,000 in lodging, testing, cleaning,
consulting and legal fees, according to
city invoices. That’s on top of the nearly
$400,000 contract with Insituform.
It was the first and only time the city
had a situation like that, said Shoreline
spokesman Eric Bratton. Asked if
Shoreline has done any cured-in-place
projects since then, Bratton said no.
‘I urge you to prevent harm’
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency is responsible for protecting the
public from harmful emissions.
The EPA typically does not regulate
temporary sources of air pollution,
agency spokeswoman Melissa A. Sulli-
van told USA TODAY in an email, adding
that it’s not clear that cured-in-place
pipe processes would meet the defini-
tion of a “major stationary source,” such
as boat manufacturing.
However, Whelton urged EPA Ad-
ministrator Michael S. Regan to regulate
the industry in a pair of letters sent in
March 2021 and again in February 2022.
“I urge you to prevent harm to
bystanders and the environment,”
Whelton wrote in one of the letters be-
fore ticking off a list of styrene expo-
sures that have affected the health of
children.
Among them was the Spooner Mid-
dle School incident. Work on that
project was done by Michels Corp., a
Wisconsin-based construction compa-
ny with a global footprint.
Spooner was not the first school-
related incident linked to Michels Corp.
In October 2018, fumes from a job site
sickened two teachers at Riverview
Elementary in Vancouver, Washington,
according to an incident report. Both
sought medical treatment after feeling
lightheaded and vomiting. None of the
children reported symptoms.
When it happened three years later at
Spooner, the impact was more severe.
Sixty-four students and teachers fell
ill after the odor seeped into the building
around 9:30 a.m., triggering pandemo-
nium and ultimately an evacuation.
“So many had been taken to the hos-
pital, even across state lines, and we
weren’t told,” said Kaylie’s mother,
Lauren Marley. “When I finally located
her, my baby was incoherent, hooked up
to machines. She didn’t even recognize
me; she looked lifeless.”
Since then, several parents, includ-
ing Marley, have hired attorney Randall
Rozek to represent them against the
school, the city and the contractor for
injuries they blame on the exposure.
The city never had problems with the
procedure in the past, said Spooner Ad-
ministrator William Marx, and officials
just opened bids this week on another
cured-in-place project.
Michels Corporation did not respond
to emails and voicemails seeking
comment for this story. Spooner Area
School District Superintendent David
Aslyn declined to comment, citing the
litigation.
While the city has moved on, Marley
said she and her daughter cannot. She
said she’s upset that nothing has been
done to prevent these situations from
happening and that her daughter is pay-
ing the price.
“I’m pissed off that that she’s not OK
and still has headaches,” Marley said.
“We’re worried about the long term.”
NEWS
OPINION
Disability representation isn’t just about DEI
Melissa Ortiz
Able Americans Project
The Daily Wire’s Candace Owens re-
cently made comments that led me to
believe that she either doesn’t under-
stand why disability representation is
important or that she would like Amer-
ica to reinstate “ugly laws,” the last of
which was abolished in 1974.
Two parts of my world collided as I
listened to her speak. As a woman with
a visible disability, I understand why
representation, especially in advertis-
ing, is so important.
Candace Owens also insults
fellow conservatives like me
As a lifelong conservative, I am ap-
palled that Owens seems to see herself
as the spokeswoman on this issue for
the whole freedom movement.
Owens asked to be educated if she
was wrong, so I reached out directly via
social media with no response. The lack
of response was not shocking as each
time I have attempted to interact with
her upon crossing her path in person,
she has refused. I understand why now.
Owens and I prove that no political
leaning is monolithic in nature. Her
boldness resonates with me and many
other conservative women. But I was
Jeffrey Loria
Former Marlins owner
Baseball’s
new rules
make game
better for all
The 2023 baseball season marks one
of the biggest single-season rule
overhauls in the game’s history, and, as
a former World Series-winning owner
and a lifelong fan, I say, bring it on.
When all 30 Major League Baseball
teams took the field on Opening Day,
they were on the clock, standing in the
infield dirt, arriving sooner at the bases,
trying to drive home a “ghost runner”
and playing their positions. Topps base-
ball cards might need to unveil an “um-
pire line” because umpire discretion will
become a crucial element – a potential
wild card in how a game is lost or won.
Rule changes are a crucial part of the
growth in any sport. Baseball has
changed diamond sizes, the range of the
strike zone and the height of the pitch-
er’s mound multiple times since the first
World Series in 1903.
There were purists who resisted
Jumbotrons and batter walk-up music
too. Now, no one would think of playing
a game without them.
Creativity has taken a back seat
to proliferation of technology
The 2023 innovations are not simply
exciting for fans; they are great for play-
ers and coaches as well because they re-
turn the all-important human element
to the game.
Baseball players and managers are a
very creative group, but lately, that cre-
ativity has taken a back seat to the pro-
liferation of technology.
Every organization employs analyt-
ics specialists who run game matchups
through probability simulators to rec-
ommend batting orders and try to pre-
dict outcomes. After their turn in the
batter’s box, players sit in the dugout
hunched over electronic devices,
watching replays of their performance
rather than talking with coaches and
fellow players about what they saw.
“USA TODAY hopes to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation.” – Allen H. Neuharth, Founder, Sept. 15, 1982
Chairman and CEO President, News
Gannett Co. Editor in Chief, USA TODAY
MICHAEL NICOLE
REED CARROLL
stunned by her comments about wom-
en in wheelchairs modeling underwear,
especially her sentiment that no one
wants to see that.
It isn’t about taking inclusivity too
far; it’s about people modeling clothing
so that women with disabilities could
see whether it would work for them.
I found it helpful because, like the
models, I use a wheelchair.
Shopping for clothes
can be an ordeal for
people with disabilities
When I go to stores to try on clothes,
more often than not, the wheelchair ac-
cessible fitting room is being used for
storage (illegally, by the way) and I can-
not use it to see whether the items fit me
properly. Though it might take women
without disabilities minutes to try on a
flurry of clothing, it can be a lengthy and
frustrating ordeal for people with dis-
abilities to try on a single item.
To simplify life, many people with
disabilities have to buy the clothes, take
them home to try them on then return
what doesn’t work – adding yet another
difficult trip to the store.
All that extra effort could be avoided
if I could use the fitting room or see a
model in a wheelchair with that item of
clothing. Sometimes a skirt that looks
long enough on the hanger is too short
once I get it on my body.
Because I am seated all day and my
hips don’t function properly to help
Michael Taylor, of the Minnesota Twins, steals second base as Miami Marlins infielder Garrett Hampson covers the bag
Wednesday in Miami. JIM RASSO/USA TODAY SPORTS
Next, someone will try to put artificial
intelligence in the broadcast booth.
It’s time to make baseball about peo-
ple again.
We are never going to remove the
technical side of sports. Nonetheless,
what MLB, under the leadership of
Commissioner Rob Manfred, has smart-
ly done with these rule changes, beyond
accelerating the pace of play, is return
the focus to the people who play, call
and coach the game.
What was missing from
our national pastime
I think that’s what both diehard and
casual baseball fans were instinctively
missing from our national pastime. If
you look at each major change, it is peo-
ple-driven. It puts instinct, quick reac-
tions and human athleticism back into
the ballpark.
No algorithm can fully capture how
an individual pitcher, or a batter, will
perform under the pressure of the new
pitching clock. Both sides will have to
think and react on their feet.
The permanent addition of a ghost
runner on second base when a game
goes into extra innings adds tension and
Chief Financial Officer: Chief Content Officer:
Doug Horne Kristin Roberts
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 7A
WANT TO COMMENT?
We’re on Facebook (USA TODAY Opinion) and Instagram and Twitter (@usatodayopinion). You can also
comment directly on columns.
Conservative commentator Candace
Owens has criticized advertising for
SKIMS clothing that featured women
with disabilities. JASPER COLT/USA TODAY
keep my knees together, it’s crucial for
my dignity to make sure that the skirt is
long enough to cover my knees.
To Owens and others who follow her
line of thinking on this: Does the model
in the wheelchair make more sense
now? It’s not just about being inclusive;
it’s about practicality and the ability to
sell merchandise.
Sales make profits that pay salaries.
Of the 333 million people in America,
20% have some sort of disability. They
all spend money.
Making money to support oneself is a
conservative value. Part of how I sup-
ported myself early in my life was by
modeling. I earned college scholarship
money by competing in pageants,
The 2023 innovations are
not simply exciting for fans;
they are great for players
and coaches as well
because they return
the all-important human
element to the game.
unpredictability.
Bigger bases should mean fewer
player collisions and injuries – and,
hopefully, more base stealing.
And MLB’s move to outlaw “defen-
sive shifts” is a return to how baseball
was intended to be played. A shortstop
now has to stand between the second
and third bases with his toes at least
touching the dirt until the ball leaves a
pitcher’s hand; no more stacking the de-
fensive decks.
Moreover, teams can no longer at-
tempt to game the system and the sta-
tistics by substituting position players
as pitchers rather than using their
Vice President/Executive Editor,
News & Initiatives: Kristen Go
Vice President/Executive Editor,
Sports: Roxanna Scott
which enabled me to graduate with a
lower student loan debt.
All of this I did using crutches and
making no effort to hide my disability,
spina bifida. I didn’t go to a wheelchair
full time until 2004, two years after I
married the love of my life.
Owens’ comments, intentionally
hurtful at worst or uneducated and
thoughtless at best, were nothing more
than clickbait. No one should reward
this behavior. It makes all conserva-
tives, especially conservative women,
look bad. That is not what the freedom
movement is about, and her comments
about people with disabilities do not re-
flect conservative values.
‘Come let us reason together’
Owens stated publicly that she wants
to be educated on this topic. In an
atmosphere of mutual respect, I would
welcome the opportunity to meet with
her to discuss living with a disability
and the related policy issues.
I am the senior adviser for the Able
Americans Project at the National Cen-
ter for Public Policy Research. We fight
daily for common sense, free market,
limited government approaches to liv-
ing with a disability.
As it says in Isaiah 1:18, “Come let us
reason together.”
I’ll be waiting for her call.
Melissa Ortiz is the senior adviser for
the Able Americans Project at the Na-
tional Center for Public Policy Research.
pitching staff. Instead, you have to play
with the team you built.
Finally, under these new rules, um-
pires have been given a lot more “discre-
tion” on everything from when to start
pitching clocks to timeouts, ball
changes, catchers fiddling with gear and
assessing penalties. This means the hu-
man element will be out in fuller force –
to the delight or dismay of fans, depend-
ing on which side you are rooting for.
Great baseball players have much in
common with great artists. Both put
their talents on the line to create some-
thing truly memorable for the public. I
once asked the legendary artist Saul
Steinberg why he loved baseball. He re-
plied, “Because, at any given moment in
the game, there are endless possibilities
for what can happen.”
I hope 2023 will be remembered as
the year the endless possibilities re-
turned to baseball.
We are all craving that human ele-
ment – on and off the field. It is ripe for
rediscovery this spring.
Jeffrey Loria, a former owner of the
World Series champion Marlins, is the
author of “From The Front Row: Reflec-
tions of a Major League Baseball Owner
and Modern Art Dealer.“
Managing Editor Opinion,
Standards & Ethics:
Michael McCarter
8A ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS

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LIFE+MONEY
Higher pay has older workers
getting back on the job
Flexibility and extra cash have seniors and
USA TODAY | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SECTION B others doing jobs once filled by teens. Page 5B
K1
K1
E2

LIFELINE STREAMING

JIM WATSON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

MAKING WAVES
JOHNNY DEPP AT CANNES

The historical drama, “Jeanne du

Barry,” starring Johnny Depp as King
Louis XV, will open the 76th Cannes
Film Festival. Organizers of the
French festival announced Wednes-
day that this year’s edition will get
underway with the period film direct-
ed by and starring Maïwenn, a French
actress and filmmaker. She plays
Louis XV’s favorite courtesan, Jeanne
du Barry. The film has been billed as
Depp’s comeback following his explo-
sive trial last year with ex-wife Amber
Heard. After both Depp and Heard
accused each other of physical and
verbal abuse, a jury awarded Depp
$10 million in compensatory damages
and $5 million dollars in punitive Kathryn Hahn, right, stars with Merritt Wever in “Tiny Beautiful Things.” PROVIDED BY JESSICA BROOKS/HULU
damages. The judge reduced the

Hahn embraces ‘the

punitive damages award to $350,000
under a state cap. Heard was award-
ed $2 million in compensatory dam-
ages and no money for punitive dam-
ages. In December, they reached a

muck’ of messy roles

settlement.

Erin Jensen USA TODAY

A few months shy of a milestone birthday, Kathryn Hahn

embraces a newfound confidence. h “The ageism is (cra-
zy) in Hollywood,” says the Emmy-nominated actress, 49.
“And I’m finding myself coming into my power more and
IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY more the older I get, which is something that I did not
WHO’S CELEBRATING TODAY
expect.” Hahn’s power is much more valuable that the
Russell Crowe is 59. Jackie Chan is magic Marvel witch Agatha Harkness possesses, mainly
69. Francis Ford Coppola is 84.
because Hahn’s is real.

HOROSCOPE | SANCTUARY
More: www.sanctuaryworld.co
Aries (March 21-April 19). Seeking
splendor? Romantic Venus and drea-
my Neptune harmonize today, giving
luxurious vibes and making you extra-
sensitive to beauty!
Taurus (April 20-May 20). Venus and
Neptune harmonize today, inspiring
tender moments with friends. A new
romance has potential.
Gemini (May 21-June 21). Daydream-
ing? Make time to relax and recharge.
Give your imagination breathing room
to visualize creative ideas.
Cancer (June 22-July 22). Attending a
social outing? An ideal occasion to
connect with your crew.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). Attracting ad-
mirers? You win public approval or
business support. Others pin their
hopes on you!
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’re capti-
vated with foreign people and places
while romantic Venus harmoniously
connects to idealistic Neptune.
Libra (Sept.23-Oct. 23). Making
friends and influencing people? Your
natural charms invite business alli-
ances.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Reality is
distorted. You see someone through
rose-colored glasses!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Tender
Venus and idealistic Neptune harmo-
nize today, smoothing over relational
difficulties and emotional stressors.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Answer-
ing to your creative muse? Find joy in
life’s little moments!
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Spending
quality time with the ones you love?
Connection inspires joyful moments
with (chosen) family.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Romance
and intrigue can be found in your so-
cial networks!
Hahn, as Agatha Harkness in Disney+’s
“WandaVision,” describes filming spinoff “Agatha:
Coven of Chaos” as “a total adventure.”
PROVIDED BY SUZANNE TENNER/MARVEL STUDIOS
STREAMING PREVIEW
‘Beef ’ sizzles, seasoned with angst
Kelly Lawler
Columnist
USA TODAY
They say misery loves company.
So, apparently, does anger.
In Netflix’s delightfully deviant
new series “Beef,” two strangers are
drawn into an escalating feud after
road rage turns into forever rage.
Their wrath knows no bounds. Their
middle fingers are forever pointed up.
And nothing will deter them.
“Beef ” (now streaming, eeee) is
magnificent and maniacal, an utterly
unique story that spins the everyday
into the epic. Anchored by outstand-
ing performances by Steven Yeun and
Ali Wong as the feuding drivers who
gleefully trash their own lives in pur-
suit of revenge, “Beef ” is depraved
without being heartless. The dark
comedy is exceedingly adept at cap-
turing the anxiety- and anger-induc-
ing world that we live in, a study of
21st-century emotional extremes.
And it’s delicious to consume.
Created by Lee Sung Jin (“Dave”)
and inspired by his own (much mil-
The early days of Hahn’s career are a stark contrast to her cur-
rent in-demand status. She finds time to chat from Atlanta, while
filming a “WandaVision” spinoff, “Agatha: Coven of Chaos,” com-
ing to Disney+, and leads Hulu’s slice of life dramedy “Tiny Beauti-
ful Things,” based on Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 collection of her advice
columns. All eight episodes stream Friday.
Hahn remembers auditioning in her 20s, “trying to fit into a
mold of something that I thought casting directors wanted,” in-
stead of accepting “and loving who I was then. You want to go back
to that younger self and give her such a hug and say, ‘You’re so
perfect, and you’re so enough.’ ”
See HAHN, Page 4B
trepreneur, wife and mother who is so
terrified of losing what she has built that
she lives in a constant state of fight or
flight.
When Amy cuts off Danny in a park-
ing lot of a big-box store, what could
have been a nonevent turns into a high-
speed car chase with a side of property
damage. Danny can’t let the grievance
go and tracks Amy down for payback.
The two suddenly find themselves en-
meshed in a full-on war that escalates
from urine-based pranks to serious
criminal activity. And neither seems to
care much about any casualties they
Road rage turns even more outrageous leave along the way, in their opponent’s
in “Beef,” a black comedy from Netflix life or even among their own friends and
starring Steven Yeun as Danny, a family.
failing contractor with a chip on his “Beef ” is well-written, darkly co-
shoulder out for revenge. medic and sharply edited, but by far the
PROVIDED BY ANDREW COOPER/NETFLIX biggest draw is the two main actors.
Yeun and Wong are so fantastic, they
make every scene of the series riveting.
der) road rage, “Beef ” follows Danny Each disappears so completely into
(Yeun) and Amy (Wong), two strangers their character and manages to create
who, as the title suggests, have a beef some sympathy and likability, even as
with one another. Danny is a struggling they devolve into ever more deranged
contractor under the sway of his crimi- acts of vengeance and bravado.
nally irresponsible cousin, trying to The fury that Amy and Danny un-
scrape enough cash to support his lack- leash upon each other is toxic and out-
adaisical brother and bring his parents
back from South Korea. Amy is an en- See BEEF, Page 4B
2B ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY LIFE

WEEKEND VIEWING GUIDE

Games on: ‘Super Mario,’ Affleck’s ‘Air’

Brian Truitt USA TODAY

Who’s got better hops, the Easter Bunny or perhaps it’s Michael Jordan or Mario? h This Easter weekend, Ben Affleck directs and stars along-
side buddy Matt Damon in a sports drama with Air Jordan basketball shoes at its center while Nintendo video-game plumbers Mario and Luigi
make a big-screen splash in an animated fantasy adventure featuring Chris Pratt, Seth Rogen and Jack Black. And before you paint your Easter
eggs, check out Owen Wilson as an oddball Bob Ross type in an art comedy. h Here’s a guide to new movies that will satisfy every cinematic
taste, plus some noteworthy theatrical films making their streaming and on-demand debuts:

ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT & UNIVERSAL PROVIDED BY CHRONO/TEHILLAH DE CASTRO PROVIDED BY ALLYSON RIGGS PROVIDED BY QUIVER DISTRIBUTION

If you’re aces at ‘Mario Kart’: ‘The
Super Mario Bros. Movie’
Video-game adaptations are on the
winning streak between “The Last of
Us” and this animated adventure,
which captures the addictive whimsy
of Nintendo’s “Super Mario” world.
Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi
(Charlie Day) are plumbers
transported to a fantasy landscape of
magic mushrooms, a princess (Anya
Taylor-Joy) needing help, and a
monster turtle villain (Jack Black) with
a big crush.
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you’re into 1980s style and
basketball movies: ‘Air’
Affleck has one of his best directorial
efforts yet with this 1984-set drama,
based on Nike’s real-life pursuit of an
endorsement deal with Michael
Jordan. A top-notch Matt Damon
plays Sonny Vaccaro, the basketball
scout who sees something special in
the young NBA rookie-to-be, but to
steal him from Adidas, Sonny has to
pull out all the stops – and most
important, impress Jordan’s mom
Deloris (an outstanding Viola Davis).
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you appreciate a good twist
on the heist-film template:
‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’
An up-and-coming cast featuring
Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas
Gage and Forrest Goodluck stars in
this thriller about environmentalists
who try to explode a West Texas
pipeline in order to disrupt the oil
industry. The destruction crew
convenes from all over the country,
each with their own backstory woven
into the ambitious and impressively
nerve-wracking narrative.
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you dig Bob Ross’ whole vibe:
‘Paint’
Owen Wilson channels the famously
well-coiffed TV art instructor as Carl
Nargle, a quiet-voiced Vermont
painter known for his natural
landscapes who has dated the entire
female staff at his PBS station and
has quite an ego. His popular appeal
has begun to run dry, which causes
him problems when a younger, more
dynamic and way better artist (Ciara
Renée) shows up to take his spot in
the quirky comedy.
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you want to see Michelle
Williams co-star with a bird:
‘Showing Up’
A couple of recent Oscar nominees,
Williams and Hong Chau, share
screen time with a feathered friend
in Kelly Reichardt’s slice-of-life
dramedy. Lizzy (Williams) is a
frazzled sculptor readying for an art
show whose dealings with family and
friends distracts from her creativity
yet finds a new companion when she
takes in a pigeon with a broken wing.
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you adore complicated
romantic melodrama: ‘One True
Loves’
Have you ever watched a movie and
thought, “No one looks comfortable
here”? Get ready to join the misery:
In the woeful and tonally messy
romance, Phillipa Soo and Simu Liu
star as an engaged couple readying
for their wedding day when the
bride’s husband (Luke Bracey) –
presumed dead after going missing
after a helicopter crash for four years
– suddenly shows up.
h Where to watch: In theaters (and
via on-demand platforms April 14).
If you’re all about teen thrillers:
‘You’re Killing Me’
Melissa (McKaley Miller) is a prep
school teen waitlisted at her dream
college, so she goes to a riotous party
to get closer to a rich kid whose
parents (Dermot Mulroney and Anne
Heche) might be key to her getting in.
Well, he’s a total psycho, and Melissa
scrambles to survive a violent night
when she figures out his connection
to a missing girl. Heche embraces her
devilish side in one of her final roles in
a solidly tense thriller.
h Where to watch: In theaters.
If you like tense drama in
enclosed spaces: ‘Stalker’
The thriller stars Sophie Skelton as a
horror actress staying in a freaky hotel
during filming. She gets in an elevator
but it breaks down leaving her stuck
with a creepy camera operator (Stuart
Brennan) who seems to have an
unhealthy obsession with her.
Awkward convos give way to revealing
truths in a film that doesn’t do enough
with a good premise or a cameo from
wrestling legend Bret “Hitman” Hart.
h Where to watch: In theaters and
Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon.

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LIFE
LIFE USA TODAY ❚I FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚■ 3B

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4B ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY
TELEVISION
‘Today’ crew celebrates its TV family
Naledi Ushe
USA TODAY
Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie
have nonstop chatter between takes at
the “Today“ show like teenagers during
homeroom.
They had a lot to catch up on.
Wednesday, the co-hosts reunited after
their children’s respective spring breaks
to accept the Peabody institutional
award on behalf of the NBC television
program.
“Today” is the first daytime show to
receive the prestigious award for its im-
pact on the media sphere.
“We’re so honored and feel lucky to
be the momentary caretakers of this in-
credible institution and get to be here at
the moment to accept that honor,” Guth-
rie, 51, tells USA TODAY. “This honor be-
longs to the people that started 70-plus
years ago who had this wild idea that
people would want to watch television
in the morning.”
The institution in the case of “Today”
is the robust team in front of and behind
the camera or as they would call each
other: “family.” “Family is a great word
because it covers the terrain of emo-
tions and relationships and circum-
stances … Knowing that we have each
other’s back. Makes it all not only pos-
sible but a joy,” Guthrie says.
Touching on their support for one an-
other, Kotb, 58, says, “When things are
going well, everybody’s happy. And
when there’s a crisis with anybody, as
Savannah and I know with Al (Roker) or
with any of us, that’s when you know
who’s there for you for real.”
Kotb choked back tears as she re-
called the way Guthrie showed up for
her emotionally and physically when
her daughter Hope was hospitalized.
“(Savannah) walked through the door
and my sister said to me, ‘Aren’t you
lucky?’ And I was,” she says. “In that
time, I wasn’t thinking about the show, I
wasn’t thinking anything but (Savan-
nah) came through with a bunch of
flowers, like, ‘I’m here. We got this.’ ”
“My sister underscoring it hit me,
Clare (Kathryn Hahn, with Quentin Plair) struggles as a wife and mom in “Tiny Beautiful Things.” PROVIDED BY HULU
Hahn
Continued from Page 1B
Hahn’s words are reminiscent of
those that aspiring writer Clare Pierce,
the focus of “Tiny Beautiful Things,” has
for her younger self (played by Sarah
Pidgeon). The series toggles between
two time periods: Clare’s early adoles-
cence with her deeply loving mother
(Merritt Wever), and the present day,
depicting Clare’s struggles as a mom
and wife. Young Clare is closely mod-
eled after Strayed’s upbringing. Older
Clare is Strayed’s life as imagined by the
author if she hadn’t hiked the Pacific
Crest Trail, a healing trek that inspired
her 2012 memoir “Wild.”
Like Strayed, present-day Clare
agrees to take on the persona of advice
columnist Sugar.
“I’d say, ‘Stop worrying whether
you’re fat,’ ” Clare advises in the pre-
miere episode. “I’d also say that most
things will be OK, eventually. But not ev-
erything.”
With time, Hahn’s career became
more promising.
“I didn’t really start working working
until my late 20s,” Hahn says, “and then
nothing really happened happened till I
Sheinelle Jones, from left, Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly celebrate the “Today” show’s Peabody
institutional award. PROVIDED BY SARAH DECARO/NBC
too,” she says. “It’s not ‘Call me if you
need me,’ it’s showing up.”
Kotb was absent from “Today” from
Feb. 17 to March 6 after her youngest
daughter, 3-year-old Hope, was in the
intensive care unit “for a few days and in
the hospital for a little more than a
week,” she shared on the show upon re-
turn.
Hope is “improving,” Kotb says. “I’m a
big believer in healing and I feel like I’m
watching it in motion. The process will
be long, but it’s beautiful to witness
what’s happening.”
At the time of Kotb’s absence, tabloid
rumors of a feud resurged. Rumors of
their alleged tension first emerged last
summer.
The co-hosts pause, look at each oth-
er and chuckle before addressing the re-
ported rift. “We have no idea (where it
comes from),” Guthrie says. “You can’t
watch the show and think it for one sec-
ond because it’s just not true.”
Kotb adds, “I think it’s hilarious. …
was in my mid-30s. I still found every
piece along the journey was exactly
what led up to now. So, you just never,
ever have any idea what is in store.”
Early roles included Kate Hudson’s
clueless-in-love friend who inspired the
article at the center of “How to Lose a
Guy in 10 Days;” and a grief counselor in
six seasons of NBC’s coroner drama
“Crossing Jordan.” More recently, Hahn
shined in comedic roles in “Step Broth-
ers,” “Bad Moms,” “Transparent,” “The
Shrink Next Door,” and “Glass Onion: A
Knives Out Mystery.” She’s admired for
her commitment to embracing interest-
ing characters and making smart
choices when it comes to indie projects.
The Illinois native studied drama at
Northwestern and Yale. Her desire to be
an actress could be felt deep in her
bones, she says.
“Second to my unbelievably beautiful
family” – she and husband, actor Ethan
Sandler, have two children – “that’s the
place that I feel the most excited to be in,
is that liminal space between action and
cut, when something else is happening,
something magic is happening,” she
says. “It’s hard to predict chemistry, but
when things fall into place, it’s like my
happiest spot.”
Hahn says she isn’t looking for any
roles. “Things still seem to just find their
My sister sometimes sends (articles) to
me, with a laughing emoji.”
The “Today” co-hosts continue to
weather the storm of rumors, illness,
births, deaths and more in their per-
sonal lives but also on the air.
Kelly Ripa recently spoke to Variety
about some of the challenges, as a result
of sexism, she faced in daytime televi-
sion. The list included being kept in the
dark about co-hosts’ exits, a lack of
benefits – including maternity leave and
vacation time – and problems with pay.
Ripa, 52, only received what she
thought of as fair compensation when
she had the ability to walk away.
“I don’t think they wanted to pay me,”
Ripa said. “I think they had to pay me. I
was trying to walk out the door and
close it behind me.
“And I think they really figured out
rapidly that they had screwed up in a
major way, and it was not a good look. I
think that was really the impetus be-
hind paying me fairly. They had no
way to me.”
She signed on for “WandaVision”
“just because I couldn’t believe that I
got to play a witch, and she had a big,
fabulous reveal, and I got to play in dif-
ferent decades.”
Hahn topped the dream list of ac-
tors for “Tiny Beautiful Things,” says
Strayed, an executive producer with
Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.
“It’s like everybody wants (Hahn) to
be their best friend,” says series cre-
ator Liz Tigelaar. “Everybody thinks
they probably know her, or she re-
minds them of somebody… She has a
fearlessness that I think one needed to
take on a role like this.”
“You are going to laugh,” Strayed
says of the series. “You are going to cry,
and you have to have a woman who
can play all the complexity of that.”
“As an actor, that’s the muck and
the stew I am most interested in,”
Hahn says. “No one is just one thing.
There’s always something underneath
it.”
“Anyone that says that they’ve got
their (expletive) together, immediate-
ly, it’s hard for me to trust,” she says. “I
think, ‘Aw, come here.’ Because I don’t
know who isn’t going through some-
thing at any moment. Life is weird and
hard and also beautiful and hilarious.”
LIFE
choice.”
When asked if Kotb or Guthrie have
faced similar pushback as women in
daytime television, Kotb says she’s had
a competitive spirit since her days play-
ing basketball in high school. “I don’t
think I’ve ever viewed myself through
that lens… If the door is not open (and)
you banged on 10 times, go to another
door,” she says.
Kotb adds that she’s learned to pivot
with each rejection “as opposed to say-
ing, ‘Well, there the world goes plotting
against us because we’re women.’ … I’m
sure along that we have probably (faced
sexism), but I haven’t spent much time
thinking about it.”
“We also know that we’re the lucky
ones and we stand on the shoulders of
many women who fought those battles
for us,” Guthrie says, naming Barbara
Walters as the “primary example.”
The co-host refers to the previous
female co-anchors of “Today” as their
“foremothers.”
Beef
Continued from Page 1B
rageous, but it also is relatable to an
extreme. Both try to live the best lives
they can, while fighting systems they
see as oppressive. For Danny, that’s
everything – the banks, his customers,
his family, his own limitations – that
keeps him from the success he be-
lieves he deserves. For Amy, it’s the
corporate ladder she’s worked so hard
to climb, and at times the institution of
marriage itself, as she struggles to
communicate with a husband (Joseph
Lee) who doesn’t understand her, not
even a little.
The best stories find universals in
their specificities, and it’s hard not to
empathize with Danny and Amy’s
hopelessness and indignation. Take a
look at the headlines on any given day,
and there is so much to be angry about.
Amy and Danny’s beef may be petty,
but all that caged rage had to go some-
where, and the two are so on edge that
random rudeness is enough to open
their loosely sealed cans of worms.
Any one of us could snap in the same
way, as beaten down as we are by the
indignities of modern life.
And that’s the secret ingredient in
the “Beef ” recipe: Not just the rage of
its fictional characters but of everyone
traipsing through life. We all have
beefs; most of us just aren’t defacing
trucks or screaming at strangers.
At least not yet.
Ali Wong plays Amy, an enraged
driver in “Beef.” A businesswoman on
the cusp of massive success, her
pent-up wrath and anxiety is pointed
at Danny (Steven Yeun).
PROVIDED BY ANDREW COOPER/NETFLIX
MONEY
USA TODAY | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SECTION B
MONEYLINE
CASH APP CREATOR LEE DIES
AFTER STABBING ATTACK
Tech executive Bob Lee, Cash App
creator and chief product officer of
cryptocurrency company MobileCoin,
died after an apparent stabbing in
downtown San Francisco early Tues-
day. The San Francisco Police Depart-
ment responded to reported stabbing
at around 2:35 a.m. Tuesday – and
found a 43-year-old man “suffering
from apparent stab wounds,” accord-
ing to a news release. The man was
taken to a hospital where he later
died. Police did not identify the man
by name, but sources identified Lee to
NBC Bay Area and CBS Bay Area, and
his death was confirmed by Mobile-
Coin CEO Josh Goldbard. In addition
to working as chief product officer of
MobileCoin, Lee previously served as
the first chief technology officer of
Square, Goldbard said.
JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
OFFERS TO SETTLE LAWSUITS
Johnson & Johnson has offered to pay
up to $8.9 billion to settle lawsuits
alleging the company’s talc-based
baby powder caused cancer, quadru-
pling its initial proposal to resolve the
suits. The company’s subsidiary LTL
Management has refiled for Chapter
11 bankruptcy protection to seek ap-
proval of the plan. The proposed set-
tlement would be payable over the
next 25 years “to resolve all the cur-
rent and future talc claims,” Johnson &
Johnson said. The New Jersey-based
company denies claims that its talcum
powder products are unsafe and isn’t
admitting any wrongdoing.
STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
ARNAULT TOPS FORBES LIST
OF WORLD BILLIONAIRES
There’s a new No. 1 atop Forbes’ annu-
al World Billionaires List: Bernard Ar-
nault, owner of luxury goods brands
such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior
and Tiffany & Co. Arnault has added
$53 billion to his fortune over the past
year, according to Forbes’ 25 Richest
People in the World, released this
week. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and
SpaceX, last year topped Forbes’ an-
nual list of the 25 Richest People in
the World, but saw his fortune decline
from $219 billion last year to $180
billion. At No. 3: Jeff Bezos at $114
billion. That’s about $57 billion less
than a year ago, the largest loss of
anyone on the list, Forbes said.
MALIBU BARBIE POP-UP
RESTAURANTS PLANNED
With a live-action Barbie movie on the
way, two new pop-up restaurants will
give fans a chance to step into the
doll’s world – at least for a meal. The
Malibu Barbie Cafe, inspired by Mat-
tel’s iconic toy of the same name, will
launch in New York and Chicago later
this spring, taking inspiration from
“the groovy beachside energy of
1970s Malibu, California,” according to
a news release. Bucket Listers, which
was behind the “Golden Girls”-themed
pop-ups around the country, is
working with Mattel on the dining
experiences.
Home prices in US give off Q1 sees Ford sit atop list of
varied signals in February top-selling automakers in US
Costs fall year over year, but month-over-month Bronco takes a bite out of Jeep as company
declines end after seven months. Page 6B maintains grip on truck dominance. Page 8B
SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL
Startup
provides
measure
of safety
Greether offers guides to
avoid scary experiences
Kathleen Wong
USA TODAY
In the middle of the night, during
her first visit to Morocco, Vanessa Ka-
rel found herself stranded.
She had planned to fly into Marra-
kech for a business trip in 2020, but
the pandemic-induced flight chaos re-
routed her flight at the last minute to
Casablanca, almost three hours away
by car.
“I didn’t know anybody, it was mid-
night, and I was scared,” the San Fran-
cisco-based entrepreneur said. Karel,
32, was frantically searching on her
phone for a type of concierge service
“who can greet me and take me to my
hotel so I know I’d be fine.”
Although Karel managed to find her
way to her hotel, the experience set the
tone for the rest of her trip.
“Thankfully, I didn’t have a horror
Steve Weeks works at Anna Maria Oyster Bar in Bradenton, Fla. PROVIDED story, but I did have many scary expe-
riences,” she said. “I felt unsafe and
‘I still had
uncomfortable in some areas. As a pet-
ite woman, I was standing out. I obvi-
ously seemed confused, I didn’t know
where I was going.” Karel said she was
sometimes chased down the street by
some work
men.
She even tried to find a female tour
guide but could only find one.
That sparked an idea for a startup –
one focused on safety that would also
left in me’
empower women. Launched in No-
vember 2021, Greether is a for-purpose
travel platform that seeks to change
the way women travel while support-
ing ethical tourism. Through the plat-
form, solo female travelers are con-
Higher pay attracts older workers nected to verified local guides –
dubbed “greethers,” a play on greeters
to positions once filled by teenagers – who create an itinerary, share local
customs and safety tips, and even
meet them at the airport or hotel.
Paul Davidson USA TODAY
In the fall of 2022, Greether was ac-
cepted into Expedia Group’s first ac-
Steve Weeks, of Bradenton, Florida, was making the most of his celerator program – which launched in
5-year-old retirement, filling his days with pickleball, golf, two- February 2023.
In January, the startup was chosen
hour gym workouts and visits with his daughter and grandchil- as one of the 15 most innovative sus-
dren. h But Weeks, who was living solely on Social Security checks, tainable travel companies by the Unit-
ed Nations World Tourism
found himself scrimping on some of his cherished indulgences, like Organization.
dining out, because of a historic inflation spike. The former mat-
Solo travel as a woman
tress salesman and manager also missed the action – schmoozing
with customers at work, putting a smile on their faces. h So a cou- Despite her experience in Morocco,
Karel still enjoys traveling by herself –
ple of months ago, Weeks, 69, took a $15-an-hour, part-time job as a she’s been to about 30 countries on her
host at Anna Maria Oyster Bar, a popular local restaurant. He greets own.
“I love solo traveling, it has really
patrons at the outdoor podium, shows them to their tables and taught me about myself,” she said. “It
does “whatever it takes.” has made me a very adaptable and
flexible person.”
Karel also realized she was the only
“I still had some work left in me,” What is the current woman among her friends and family
he says. “Let’s stay at it a couple more US wage growth?
years; let’s see what I can do. … I love See GREETHER, Page 6B
talking to people.” Co-workers who Over the past year, average hourly
are decades younger “can’t keep up earnings rose 5% to $23.81 in retail
with me.” jobs, and 7.5% to $19.34 in restau-
“The extra money,” he adds, “is rants and bars as those industries
helpful.” hiked pay in response to stubborn la-
More older workers are taking jobs bor shortages, Labor Department fig-
typically filled by teenagers or young ures show. By comparison, wages
adults, such as restaurant host, fast- rose 4.6% for all industries.
food cashier and retail associate. But even with higher pay and an
While many are seniors seeking uptick in workers, shortfalls persist.
additional cash to cope with infla- Restaurants and bars are still more
tion, some workers in their 30s and than 100,000 employees below their
40s are turning to such positions for pre-COVID payrolls while retail just
more flexible, part-time hours, espe- returned to its pre-crisis level in Feb-
cially since wages in those industries ruary.
have risen sharply the past couple of Meanwhile, 27 states and 59 cities
years, according to experts and tech- and counties are lifting their mini-
nology firms that track employee hir- mum wages this year, with Connecti-
ing and scheduling. cut, Massachusetts and Washington
“What used to be low-wage, entry- joining California and New York,
level work has seen significant up- along with several dozen cities, at $15
ward pressure on hourly wage rates,” an hour.
says Oliver Staehelin, CEO of Harver, The higher pay is luring older
which makes software that helps workers and helping fill positions
companies winnow down job candi- typically populated by workers just
dates. beginning their careers. Fifty-five
The trend is helping ease worker percent of retirees who work said the Vanessa Karel, a Mexico City-born
shortages that have affected most in- main reason they do so is financial entrepreneur, started Greether after
dustries but hit restaurants and a scary solo travel experience in
shops even harder. See OLDER WORKERS, Page 6B Morocco. PROVIDED BY GREETHER
6B ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY
Home cost data shows conflicting signs
Year-over-year prices fall,
but other numbers rise
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
USA TODAY
February was an interesting month
for home prices.
It marked the first time in 131 months
that home prices fell year over year,
ending the longest price growth streak
on record.
Home prices also rose in February for
the first time after seven consecutive
month-over-month price declines.
Driven by a combination of moder-
ately declining mortgage rates earlier in
the year along with low inventory levels,
home prices rose 0.16% in February –
the strongest single-month gain since
May 2022, according to Black Knight, a
real estate analytics company.
The median home price in February
increased to $418,900 compared with
$418,200 in January, based on repeat
sales methodology that captures the
value in the home stock, whether or not
it goes on the market or gets sold, a
Black Knight spokesperson told USA
TODAY.
Greether
Continued from Page 5B
who traveled alone. When she asked
them why, they said they were “scared”
over what could happen – a common
concern among solo women travelers.
In a 2022 survey of over 5,000 wom-
en, 69% of those who have yet to travel
alone said that what’s stopping them is
their personal safety. Even for those
women who travel solo, their top con-
cern is also safety.
Women also want to stick together if
they can, even if they’re technically
traveling alone. Ninety-six percent of
the survey’s respondents said that if
they were traveling solo, they’d want to
book a women-only tour, an increase
from 68% in 2021.
It’s impossible to ignore the reality of
violence targeted at women, especially
in countries where women have less
rights or there are different cultural
norms between genders. In a 2018
survey, 2 in 5 women said they have ex-
perienced sexual harassment while
traveling on their own. More than half of
the respondents said they have felt un-
safe at one point during their solo trav-
els. And sometimes, situations turn for
the worst, which is everyone’s biggest
fear.
Karel wants to counter some of that
fear with the help of Greether.
“I don’t think instilling fear is the so-
lution, rather than empowering women
to keep fighting for safe spaces,” she
said. “... While there is gender-based vi-
olence and harassment worldwide, the
world is also filled with amazing hu-
mans, and our work is finding them and
making sure women have someone reli-
able they can count on wherever they
go. I believe that women can utilize re-
sources and tools to feel and be less vul-
nerable.”
Solo travel, in general, is on the rise,
but more and more women are ready to
explore the world without waiting for
Older workers
Continued from Page 5B
need, according to an AARP survey last
year.
The share of 30-and-older job
candidates hired in fast food increased
from 4% at the end of 2021 to 7% at the
end of last year, Harver data shows.
In retail, baby boomers (ages 59 to
77) made up 23% of all shift hours last
year, up from 20% in 2020, according to
Deputy, which makes employee sched-
uling software. Generation X (43 to 58)
employees comprised 21% of working
hours, up from 20%.
And 7% of job applicants brought on
by retailers last month were 50 or older,
up from 6% a year earlier, according to
Gusto, which handles payrolls for small
businesses.
Inflation takes steak off the menu
Weeks, the restaurant host in Flori-
da, felt squeezed by higher food costs
and was eating more hamburgers
when he dined out as rib-eye steak
prices climbed from about $15 two
years ago to $30 to $35. He also was
forgoing trips to a local gourmet coffee
roastery and putting off the purchase
The median existing-home price for
all housing types (including condo and
single-family homes) declined 0.2% to
$363,000, from February 2022
($363,700), according to data released
last month by the National Association
of Realtors, which uses home listings
data. “In many areas of the country, that
dynamic – low inventory and a modest
rise in demand – led to an uptick in
home prices,” says Andy Walden, vice
president of Enterprise Research at
Black Knight.
While Freddie Mac’s 30-year mort-
gage rate of 6.32% is down from 6.73%
earlier in the month and may be poised
to trend lower in coming weeks, it’s still
higher than the 6.26% average from
February.
In another indication that buyers
have begun returning to the market as
mortgage rates declined slightly earlier
in the year, existing-home sales re-
versed a 12-month slide in February,
registering the largest monthly percent-
age increase since July 2020, according
to the National Association of Realtors.
How are home prices doing?
All in, 39 of the 50 largest U.S. mar-
Greether guides are in more than 500 cities. PROVIDED BY GREETHER
anyone else. The rise in digital nomad-
ism helps.
“I think we can all resonate with feel-
ing like we were put on boundaries since
we were very little as women, like obsta-
cles and barriers,” Karel said. Now more
than ever, there are more women in the
workforce and millennial women are
getting married and having kids much
later in life.
How does Greether work?
In just under two years, the platform
already has local guides in over 500 cit-
ies in 97 countries, such as Seoul, South
Korea; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Tel
Aviv, Israel. New cities are being added
every day – on March 20, the first Gua-
temalan guide was slated to meet with a
traveler. If you don’t see a travel guide in
the city you want to visit, Greether will
try to find one for you.
“It’s like your local bestie wherever
you go,” Karel said. “Everything is very
tailored to you.”
The platform is inclusive too, cater-
ing also to nonbinary, transgender and
of new running shoes.
“This (job) just takes care of all these
things,” as well as high gas prices,
Weeks says, noting he brings home
about $300 after putting in a 26-hour
work week.
Just as significant are the small plea-
sures he derives from hosting.
“I’d never worked in restaurants be-
fore,” he says. “Learning something new
… that’s a lot of fun.”
At the same time, he says, “It’s no dif-
ferent than greeting people at the mat-
tress store. It’s like nothing for me.”
“Talking to people keeps you young,”
he says. “Maybe you can help someone
with just a smile. ... I think people look
at me and say, ‘He’s my age and he’s got
so much energy.’ ”
Weeks says he looks forward to a
shift as much as a pickleball game or
gym workout.
“They actually don’t need to pay me
to do this,” he says.
About 20% to 25% of job applicants
at the restaurant are in their 50s and
60s, up from 10% a couple of years ago,
says John Horne, CEO of Oysters Rock
Hospitality, owner of several Anna Ma-
ria Oyster Bar locations in Bradenton.
Jobs offer ‘fun environment’
Many workers in their 30s, 40s and
kets saw prices increase in February – in
sharp contrast to just three months ear-
lier when 48 of those 50 were experienc-
ing price declines.
Less than a year ago, all 50 major
markets had double-digit annual home
price growth rates, while as of February,
only Miami can still make that claim,
with an 11.1% increase year-over-year.
There are now 15 markets (up from 13
in January) where prices are down year
over year, with Raleigh, North Carolina,
(-0.6%) and Minneapolis (-0.3%) now
marginally below last year’s levels.
The largest year-over-year declines
occurred in San Jose, California, (-13%),
San Francisco (-12%) and Seattle (-10%),
where prices are down approximately
10% or more from the same time last
year.
Lack of housing inventory
February saw the lowest inventory
levels since May of last year, with more
than 90% of markets seeing such defi-
cits grow in February.
New listings – already trending well
below pre-pandemic levels for months –
ran 27% below those levels in February
as potential home sellers continued to
other LGBTQ+ people. Some of the
Greether guides identify as nonbinary
and transgender as well, Karel said.
Your guide will meet you at your hotel
or any other meeting place that you de-
cide on, and together, you two will ex-
plore the city via an itinerary she creat-
ed based on your interests – all the way
down to vegan restaurants, if that’s your
thing.
She’ll also brief you on safety precau-
tions, like local do’s and don’ts, how to
use public transportation and neighbor-
hoods to avoid. Your guide will check in
with you before, during and after your
trip via messaging through the website.
(The company is working on developing
an app.)
Many Greether clients are on stopov-
ers or layovers and want to know what
they should do in their limited time
frames straight from a local.
At first Greether services were free,
but since last September, its tour ser-
vices cost $55-$80 per two hours. The
price goes up if you want to add more
time or a friend to the booking. The local
guide gets about 40%-55% of the book-
50s have stayed on the sidelines of the
job market because of health and safety
concerns, says Mike Whatley, vice
president of state affairs and grassroots
advocacy for the National Restaurant
Association.
Now that the pandemic has abated,
“They do want to engage,” he says, add-
ing that many prefer the flexibility
that part-time restaurant positions of-
fer. More than 21 million Americans
voluntarily worked part time in Febru-
ary, up from 17.8 million in December
2020.
Many former white-collar workers
toiling from home miss the social dy-
namics of an office, Whatley says.
“Some of that has gone away,”
he says, adding that some of those
workers are applying for restaurant po-
sitions instead because “it’s a fun envi-
ronment. ... The social interaction is
key.”
“I think part of it is people just want
to get out of the house again,” Horne
says of older job applicants.
Older workers bring ‘soft skills’
Older workers bring more experience
and communication skills to customer-
facing roles. They “tend to be more de-
pendable, displaying higher levels of
punctuality, lower absenteeism and less
MONEY
shy away from the market.
Total active for-sale inventory is
back to 47% below pre-pandemic levels
after having recovered to within 38% of
normal levels late last year.
Without a significant shift in interest
rates, home prices or household in-
come, this is a self-fulfilling dynamic
that is quite likely to continue for some
time, says Walden.
Is home equity still rising?
Though down from $210,000 early
last year, the average mortgage holder
still has $178,000 in available equity to
borrow against while retaining a
healthy 20% equity stake in the home,
according to the report.
On a percentage basis, Seattle
(-32%), San Jose (-30%), San Francisco
(-29%) and Austin, Texas, (-31%) have
seen available equity fall more than 30%
in recent months.
Five of the top 10 market concentra-
tions of equity – San Jose ($654,000),
San Francisco ($523,000), Los Angeles
($507,000), San Diego ($430,000) and
Seattle ($289,000) – representing a
combined 25% of the national total, are
on the West Coast.
ing payment, according to Karel.
“When you’re traveling and using
Greether, you’re putting money into
women’s hands,” Karel said.
According to the United Nations
World Tourism Organization, women
tend to work the lowest-paid and low-
est-status jobs in tourism, despite mak-
ing up most of the tourism workforce
around the world. “I think there’s a lot of
money left on the table (in the tourism
industry),” Karel said. “There’s a variety
of traveler’s needs.”
Different travelers have their own
concerns around safety that isn’t always
understood by tour companies, like how
LGBTQ+ travelers feel concerned over
their safety and don’t feel comfortable
visiting some countries. Other travel
companies such as Fat Girls Travel and
Pink Girls Run the World focus on cre-
ating safe spaces for different travelers,
like plus-size travelers and Black travel-
ers. “How can they take into account
that not every single traveler is going to
have the same travel experience? There
are things you don’t think of unless
you’re in this community.”
Top safety tips for
solo female travelers
h If you’re going somewhere you’ve
never been, Karel said to plan your arriv-
al carefully. For starters, try to arrive
during the daytime. “Sometimes you’re
just booking the cheapest flight and
you’re not realizing you’re arriving at
midnight, which can be dangerous,” she
said.
h Use your hotel to your safety ad-
vantage. “If I’m traveling solo, some-
times I’ll go as far as letting the con-
cierge know you should be expecting me
at this time,” she said. “Sometimes
they’ll call me to make it back safe.” Not
all hotels might do this, but it’s worth
asking, she said.
h Be friendly to the locals, and don’t
be afraid to turn to them for help. Ask
others who have visited that place be-
fore about their experience.
inclination toward job hopping,” says
Silvija Martincevic, CEO of Deputy, the
scheduling software company.
Wyclif Kpanou, who manages several
dozen Dunkin’ Donuts franchises in the
New York City area, says he’s seeing
more job applications from workers in
their 30s, such as mothers who can’t
find affordable child care. He says he re-
cently staged a recruitment drive that
drew 300 applicants but just 25 showed
up for an interview, all older candidates,
and seven were hired.
Younger workers, he says, “don’t
really know what it is to be committed
to a job.”
Sayki, a men’s clothing chain in
the New York and Washington, D.C.,
areas, as well as Chicago, has seen a
50% spike in applications from workers
in their 30s and older the past six
months, says Managing Director Emre
Duru.
Some, he says, were laid off from the
tech or other white-collar industries;
others were Uber, DoorDash and other
gig workers seeking higher pay
But he says he has hired few of them
because many have children and can’t
work nights or weekends, or they re-
quire at least a $20 hourly wage. He’d
like to bring on others.
“They’re on time, they leave on time,
they dress nice,” Duru says.
MONEY
ALABAMA Montgomery: Children
would have to attend kindergarten or
take a test to show their “readiness”
for first grade, under legislation ad-
vanced by a state House committee.
Rep. Pebblin Warren said the goal of
her bill is to erase the academic dis-
advantage of students who enter first
grade without either attending kin-
dergarten or being worked with at
home.
ALASKA Juneau: A children’s book
illustrator was dropped by his pub-
lisher this week after authorities
allege he posted transphobic notes
threatening children.
ARIZONA Phoenix: The Arizona Su-
preme Court declined to reschedule
an execution initially set for this
week that looked unlikely to be car-
ried out after Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office
said the state wasn’t prepared to
enforce the death penalty.
ARKANSAS Little Rock: A bill that
would require parental approval for
teachers to address transgender stu-
dents by the pronouns and names
that they use was approved by law-
makers and is now headed to Gov.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk.
CALIFORNIA Santa Ana: A dermatol-
ogist is accused of poisoning her
husband by pouring liquid drain
cleaner into his tea, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the man noticed a
strange taste to his tea and installed
cameras in the kitchen, which cap-
tured video of his wife pouring a
substance on three occasions from a
bottle of drain cleaner into the tea.
COLORADO Pueblo: The world’s larg-
est wind turbine tower manufactur-
ing facility is about to get even bigger.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held
amid blustering winds to commem-
orate a new expansion that is set to
be complete in 2028. CS Wind, a
South Korean company, plans to add
850 new jobs in Pueblo by the time
the expansion is finished.
CONNECTICUT Hamden: A woman
who was seriously injured when a
police officer opened fire on her and
her boyfriend as they sat in a car
unarmed has settled a lawsuit over
the shooting for about $1.1 million.
DELAWARE Newark: A 22-year-old
man faces charges after police said
he tried to carjack two vehicles, in-
cluding an unmarked police vehicle
being driven by an off-duty officer.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washing-
ton: Stacey Abrams will join the fac-
ulty at Howard University, the next
step in her reemergence after the
Democrat lost her second bid to be
governor of Georgia last year to Re-
publican Brian Kemp. Howard, one of
the nation’s top historically Black
colleges, said it was appointing
Abrams as the Ronald W. Walters
Endowed Chair for Race and Black
Politics beginning in September.
FLORIDA Boca Raton: An appliance
delivery man was sentenced to life in
prison for beating a 75-year-old
woman to death and setting her on
fire at her home.
GEORGIA Atlanta: A group of Black
voters say it’s time for a federal judge
to redraw the electoral map for a
five-member Georgia utility regulator
commission, after state lawmakers
failed to draw their own map in the
2023 session.
HAWAII Honolulu: Two Native Ha-
waiian men sentenced to prison for a
hate crime in the brutal beating of a
white man have agreed to pay more
than $25,000 in restitution, accord-
ing to court documents. A U.S. judge
last month sentenced Kaulana Alo-
Kaonohi to six and a half years in
prison and Levi Aki Jr. to four years
and two months in prison.
IDAHO Boise: Legal limits on abor-
tion-related travel are the focus of a
new law and lawsuit, with Gov. Brad
Little signing a bill that makes it ille-
gal for an adult to help a minor get an
abortion without parental consent.
ILLINOIS Chicago: Police said SWAT
officers took one person to a hospital
after responding to a domestic in-
cident at the Trump International
Hotel and Tower. “At this time, we
believe this is an isolated incident
and there is no threat to the public,”
Chicago Police media representatives
said in a statement.
INDIANA Westville: Attorneys for a
man charged with killing two teenage
girls filed an emergency court motion
seeking to move him from a prison
where they claim his condition is
deteriorating.
HIGHLIGHT: IOWA
Professor Matthew Hill watches as Brenden Patterson and Chaleigh Gobin
measure a skull Tuesday in Ames, Iowa. NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/USA TODAY NETWORK
Ames: A skull found in 2017 in the East Nishnabotna River in Page County be-
longed to a saber-toothed cat that roamed the area about 13,500 years ago, ac-
cording to a news release from Iowa State University. Two professors, one from
Iowa State and the other from Northwest Missouri State University, studied the
skull and determined its age using radiocarbon dating. The Iowa State research-
er, Matthew Hill, an archaeology professor and animal-bone expert, said the re-
mains are evidence of a potentially viable and healthy population of cats in the
area and show there were large herbivores present for carnivores to hunt.
KANSAS Kansas City: Multiple
police officers and suspects were
shot in a gun battle during an un-
dercover fentanyl trafficking in-
vestigation, authorities said.
KENTUCKY Louisville: The National
Weather Service said it was survey-
ing damage from three EF-1 torna-
does. According to preliminary in-
formation, tornadoes hit the Plea-
sure Ridge Park and Newburg sec-
tions of Louisville, meteorologist
Brian Neudorff said.
LOUISIANA Shreveport: The Louisi-
ana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries alligator program said
there was no basis for the claims
that Caddo Lake or Cross Lake are
infested with alligators, after a re-
cent article by A-Z Animals named
them the most alligator-infested
lakes in Louisiana.
MAINE Augusta: Maine Attorney
General Aaron Frey has been in a
relationship with a worker whom he
supervised for months, and he said
his delay in disclosing it was an
“error in judgment.” Frey, a Demo-
crat, issued a statement in which he
said Chief Deputy Attorney General
Christopher Taub will supervise the
worker moving forward “as this
personal relationship continues.”
MARYLAND Ocean City: The future
of a landmark destination may be at
stake following a lawsuit in which
minority shareholders of a local
business accuse several former
board members of misappropriation
of funds, skimming cash for per-
sonal use and hiding or destroying
business records. The suit names as
defendants members of the family
who ran and operated Trimper
Rides and Amusement Park.
MASSACHUSETTS Boston: Partici-
pants in a Department of Defense
training exercise at a hotel entered
the wrong room and mistakenly
detained a guest instead of the per-
son assigned the role of the person
to be detained, according to the FBI.
MICHIGAN Detroit: A man whose
body was found in a building appar-
ently was attacked and killed by pit
bull dogs, police said. Detectives
believe the victim may have gone
into the building to help the dogs
and was attacked by them, Detroit
police Cpl. Dan Donakowski said.
MINNESOTA Minneapolis: The
former head of the Minneapolis
police union will not be allowed to
serve as a police officer in three
counties for the next decade as part
of a settlement filed over police
treatment of protesters after the
death of George Floyd.
MISSISSIPPI Laurel: A man was
fatally shot outside a church during
a confrontation with an off-duty
sheriff ’s deputy who is now on ad-
ministrative leave, authorities said.
MISSOURI Jefferson City: The
state’s top election official, Jay Ash-
croft, announced he’s running for
governor as a Republican.
MONTANA Helena: Republican
lawmakers are advancing legislation
that would alter next year’s U.S.
Senate primary in an apparent bid
to thwart the reelection of Sen. Jon
Tester, one of several Democrats on
the ballot in GOP-leaning states.
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 7B
NEBRASKA Lincoln: The director of
the Nebraska Department of Eco-
nomic Development resigned, a day
after a news report revealed a busi-
ness he owns received pandemic
relief grants from the agency he
headed.
NEVADA Las Vegas: A former elect-
ed official representing himself
against a murder charge for the fatal
stabbing of an investigative journal-
ist lost bids to have a defense at-
torney appointed to advise him
before trial and to relax jail restric-
tions so he has more time out of his
cell to do legal research.
NEW HAMPSHIRE Concord: A judge
denied a newspaper’s request for
jurors’ names in the case of a truck
driver who was acquitted of all
counts for the deaths of seven mo-
torcyclists, saying that the panel
endured harsh criticism from many,
including the governor, and feared
for their safety.
NEW JERSEY Trenton: Statewide
student test scores in math and
English were below pre-pandemic
levels, according to new data re-
leased by the state Department of
Education, which also revealed
chronic absenteeism and incidents
of violence, harassment and bully-
ing were up.
NEW MEXICO Santa Fe: Gov. Mi-
chelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill
that protects providers of abortions
from related prosecution, profes-
sional disciplinary action or extradi-
tion attempts by out-of-state in-
terests.
NEW YORK Pittsford: A scheduled
drag story hour at the Pittsford
Community Center is now at risk of
cancellation after the town required
$8,500 to cover additional event
staffing and security. The demand
to the organizer, Pittsford Comm-
UNITY, comes after dozens of peo-
ple protested the event.
NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: Demo-
cratic state Rep. Tricia Cotham an-
nounced that she is jumping to the
Republican Party, giving the GOP
veto-proof majorities in both the
state’s legislative chambers that
should make it easier to enact con-
servative policies over the opposi-
tion of Gov. Roy Cooper.
NORTH DAKOTA Bismarck: Law-
makers approved a bill legalizing
cigar lounges, sending the bill to
Gov. Doug Burgum, the Bismarck
Tribune reports. The legislation
would let licensed establishments
allow indoor smoking of cigars un-
der certain conditions, according to
the news outlet.
OHIO Chesterland: A student ac-
cused of bringing a gun and ammu-
nition to West Geauga High School
and planning to shoot others was
arrested after a bullet was found in
a bathroom and surveillance footage
helped identify him, authorities
said. The student was charged with
attempted murder, inducing panic
and weapons counts.
OKLAHOMA Carney: A magnitude
4.0 earthquake was among a series
of six tremors that struck central
Oklahoma on Thursday morning,
according to the U.S. Geological
Survey.
News from across the USA
OREGON Malheur County: A single
mother of five has filed a federal law-
suit against state officials for denying
her application to adopt foster care
siblings, she says because of her reli-
gious beliefs.
PENNSYLVANIA Erie: The Erie Bu-
reau of Police’s auto theft investiga-
tor said he hasn’t seen in his cases
any evidence of a social media prank
involving the theft of certain vehicles
playing out in the city. Nevertheless,
Detective Sgt. Chris Clement said he
decided to take advantage of an offer
from one of the affected auto makers
by obtaining some antitheft devices
and providing them at no cost to
owners of the targeted vehicles.
RHODE ISLAND Providence: A nurse
practitioner who defrauded health
insurers and Medicare out of nearly
$12 million by seeking payments for
patient services that were never per-
formed has been sentenced to seven
years in prison.
SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: The
House unanimously approved a bill
allowing teachers or other school
district staff up to six weeks of paid
leave when they give birth or adopt a
child. The bill was passed 113-0 and
faces one more routine approval be-
fore being sent to the Senate.
SOUTH DAKOTA Pierre: The South
Dakota Supreme Court ruled unani-
mously that search warrant affidavits
related to a child pornography in-
vestigation concerning billionaire
banker and philanthropist T. Denny
Sanford must be unsealed.
TENNESSEE Memphis: Nearly a
thousand students from White Sta-
tion and Crosstown high schools
walked out of class Wednesday to
protest for stricter gun legislation, a
week after six people were killed in a
school shooting in Nashville.
TEXAS Austin: The Senate gave final
approval to a proposal seeking to
remove from office any prosecuting
attorney who refuses to litigate cer-
tain crimes, sending a stern warning
to district attorney offices that are
contemplating not bringing charges
under the state’s near-total ban on
abortion.
UTAH Duchesne County: A 41-year-
old hiker died after a massive ice
column fell and trapped her, local
authorities said. The hiker managed
to shove a 21-year-old climber out of
column’s way before it fell, and
“probably saved her life,” according to
the Duchesne County Sheriff ’s Office.
VERMONT Montpelier: The Senate
gave final approval to a bill that
would raise the marriage age to 18,
which supporters say would reduce
domestic violence and unwanted
pregnancies and improve the educa-
tion and lives of teenagers. Under
existing law, Vermonters aged 16 and
17 can get married with the consent
of one parent and the child doesn’t
have to consent themselves, said Rep.
Carole Ode, a Democrat, and lead
sponsor of the legislation.
VIRGINIA Richmond: Convicted of
felony animal cruelty four years ago
after her dog was found emaciated
and later euthanized, a woman lost
her appeal after her guilty verdict
was affirmed by the Court of Appeals
of Virginia.
WASHINGTON Seattle: Prosecutors
have dropped a harassment case
against a man who had been accused
of making threats to kill four women
and a judge involved in a prior cy-
berstalking case against him.
WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: An
atheist and secular humanist is suing
multiple officials in charge of the
agency that runs the state’s jails and
prisons, accusing the state of vio-
lating his constitutional rights by
requiring Christian-affiliated pro-
gramming as a condition of release.
WISCONSIN Madison: Gov. Tony
Evers signed a Republican-backed bill
into law that clarifies when a newly
passed state constitutional amend-
ment will make it harder for defen-
dants to get out of jail on bail. The
constitutional amendment was
passed into law in the statewide elec-
tion, when a pair of ballot questions
on bail gained support from two-
thirds of voters.
WYOMING Wheatland: A bus carry-
ing contract farm workers from Texas
to Washington state crashed on a
snowy Wyoming road, sending 11
people to a hospital with injuries.
From USA TODAY Network and
wire reports
8B ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY MONEY

Phoebe Wall Howard

USA TODAY

Ford Motor Co. claimed dominance in

the first quarter of 2023 as a top-selling
brand and top-selling truck manufac-
turer in the United States, driven in part
by the popularity of its electric vehicles,
according to the company’s sales report
released Tuesday.
Total Ford vehicle sales climbed
10.7% to 456,972 vehicles in the first
quarter of 2023, compared with a year
ago. (That doesn’t include the Lincoln
brand, which dropped 1.1% to 18,934.)

Overall sales highlights

touted by Ford:

h Ford brand outsold second place

Toyota by more than 50,000 vehicles.

Ford sales climb in Q1: Which

h Ford trucks were up 19.6% to
254,023, outselling crosstown rival
General Motors’ combined truck and
van sales by approximately 27,000.
h F-Series remained the bestselling
truck in the U.S., with sales up 21.1% to
170,377 pickups – outpacing Chevrolet
Silverado by 46,000 trucks. (F-Series
total includes the all-electric Light-
ning.)
h Electric vehicle sales overall
climbed 40.1% to 10,866.
h Internal combustion engine sales
spiked 10.5% to 437,976.
h Bronco, designed to be a Jeep
Wrangler competitor, climbed 37.6% to
32,430.
h Ford Expedition surged 99.2% to
19,359.
h Explorer jumped 35.9% to 58,061 as
now the bestselling, three-row midsize
SUV.
h The classic Mustang was up 5.2%
to 14,711.
Ford vs. GM, Jeep
By contrast, General Motors reported
Monday a sales increase of 17.6% to
603,208 new vehicles sold. GM sold
20,670 electric vehicles, mostly its es-
tablished Bolt and Bolt EUV – delivering
only two of the new Hummer pickups
and 968 of the new Cadillac Lyriq SUVs.
Also Monday, Stellantis reported a
9% drop in sales to 368,327 vehicles,
with a 20% drop in Jeep and 7% drop in
Ram Trucks, offset by 24% growth in
Dodge and a 10% gain in Chrysler. Jeep
numbers were grim: Wrangler dropped
17% to 37,971; Gladiator, down 24% to
vehicles saw biggest jumps
This two-door Ford Bronco with molded-in-color hardtop is currently being made and delivered to customers. Bronco sales
climbed 37.6% in the first quarter of 2023, compared with a year ago. PROVIDED BY FORD MOTOR CO.
13,575; Jeep Grand Cherokee, 27% to
54,502. Only Jeep Cherokee sales grew,
at 31% to 13,213.
Jeep data suggests Ford has been
successful in its attempt to break the
grip Jeep has had on the off-road
market.
Bronco order banks just reopened
Bronco retail order banks reopened
March 27 with steady demand, Ford
said. The company reports a “conquest
rate” – when customers who have pur-
chased other brands then pivot to a
competitor – of 60%, with buyers most-
ly coming from Wrangler and Grand
Cherokee.
Industry analysts note that attract-
ing new buyers is more costly for auto-
makers than retaining current buyers.
The Bronco family, which includes
Bronco Sport, continues to attract a
higher mix of female buyers; “Bronco
female buyers accounted for 31% of re-
tail sales, an increase of 8 percentage
points since its introduction in 2021,
based on most recent customer demo-
graphic data through January. Bronco
Sport continues to hold strong at 51%,”
Ford said.
Mustang Mach-E
Mustang Mach-E sales dropped
19.7% to 5,407 this first quarter. The Ford
plant in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico,
which builds the SUV shut down for a
time to make changes to increase overall
production this year, Ford said.
“We do expect to see (sales) growth in
Mach-E as well as Lightning,” Andrew
Frick, vice president, sales distribution,
and trucks, told the Detroit Free Press,
part of the USA TODAY Network, on
Tuesday.
Factory changes
Ford is increasing production capac-
ity across its Ford Blue, Model e and
Ford Pro operations to meet demand.
Ford Blue builds the gasoline-powered
vehicles. Model e runs the electric oper-
ation. And Ford Pro is the business
unit.
While the electric F-150 Lightning to-
taled 4,291 pickups for the first quarter,
Ford CEO Jim Farley has assured Wall
Street that he’s on track to hit an
annual production run rate of 150,000 in
2023.
The Dearborn automaker also noted
plans to increase production of the
Bronco Sport and Maverick pickup at its
Hermosillo plant in Mexico by more
than 80,000 units later this year.
Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant
will add a third crew in April to increase
production of Transit and E-Transit ve-
hicles, which grew 86% to 32,015 vans
sold.
What’s next
“We’ve got a lot of great momentum
and we’ve got exciting launches com-
ing,” Frick told the Free Press, citing the
new Super Duty, Escape, Mustang and
Ranger.
Gasoline-powered vehicles remain
popular and play a key role in funding
the company’s transition to electric ve-
hicles. But the company is seeing
growth in gasoline-powered, electric
and commercial, Frick said. “We’re not
having ‘tradeoff ’ conversations.”
SPORTS
Perfect 10: Dolphins star Latest news, results, opinion
receiver sets retirement date 24/7 at sports.usatoday.com
Tyreek Hill plans to venture into gaming after Check out what’s going on at the Masters, plus
USA TODAY | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SECTION C completing 10 years in NFL. nfl.usatoday.com the NBA as its regular season ends Sunday
E2

Mike Freeman
Columnist
USA TODAY

Michael
Bidwill
latest NFL
bad guy
Cards owner accused of
ugly behavior in lawsuit
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael
Bidwill, before working full time for his
father’s team, worked as a federal
prosecutor from 1990 to 1996, where he
specialized in prosecuting violent
crime. In 2016 he was honored by the
local chapter of the Federal Bar Associ-
ation.
“In past years, attendees have in-
cluded a broad spectrum of notable at-
torneys in the Phoenix legal communi-
ty, and many federal judges,” the FBA
said in honoring Bidwill at a party.
“This year we are thrilled to honor Mi-
chael J. Bidwill, President, Arizona
Cardinals, and former Assistant Unit-
ed States Attorney.”
Seven years later, the former federal
prosecutor’s football team is accused
of some disturbing behavior, including
“cheating, discrimination and harass-
ment.” The Cardinals didn’t help them-
selves with an absolutely shameful re-
sponse in the arbitration case that
started all this. Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the 10th green Thursday in the Masters. He shot 74. DANIELLE PARHIZKARAN/USA TODAY SPORTS
The accusations against the Cardi-
nals and Bidwill – which he vehement-
ly denies – are part of a recent pattern
of accusations against either current
or former NFL owners. They range
from allegations of racism, corruption,
Magic eludes Tiger in
early going at Masters
sexual assault and other conduct that
sometimes seems like it’s from a
Quentin Tarantino movie. Some of the
owners accused are among the most
powerful in all of sports.
We often focus on the behavior of way through it.” old with a bum leg.
the players and this is justified. They Tiger did have a front-row seat for 25- But there are always moments for Ti-
are the face of the league. Sometimes, Christine Brennan year-old co-leader Viktor Hovland’s ger when the golf gods wake up and de-
however, the billionaire owners who Columnist scintillating 7-under 65, and Xander cide his fortunes are about to change.
employ them get a massive pass, par- USA TODAY Schauffele’s 4-under performance that When a delicate chip on the par-5 eighth
ticularly from a league office that often also found him on the leaderboard. It nestled just a few inches from the cup,
seems afraid to hold them account- was both ironic and a sign of the times Tiger collected his first birdie, and all of
able. AUGUSTA, Ga. – Frustration was that Tiger’s threesome included the a sudden, there was a bounce in that
One phenomenon with owners is Tiger Woods’ constant companion first-round co-leader and another play- lumbering, often-labored step of his.
they can use their wealth and power to Thursday at the 2023 Masters. There er near the lead, and neither was Tiger. After another bogey on 11, he rattled
bury accusations. Often the only time was pain in his rebuilt right leg, the But it all made sense. After taking off back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16,
their misdeeds become public is be- kind of pain that never goes away, Ti- nearly two months off from competitive and a quick thought flashed through
cause of investigative journalism, law- ger said. There were approach shots golf, Woods was rusty. There were bo- your mind: might he birdie in? This be-
suits or, as in the case of Bidwell, the that fell short and putts that lipped geys on No. 3, No. 5 and No. 7. All that ing 2023, not 2001 or 2002, the answer
arbitration process. out. There were too many bogeys at the early misery occurred in the first two was a definite no. He ended on 18 not
beginning, and after a burst of mo- hours on a course that he absolutely with a bang, but with one last bogey.
See FREEMAN, Page 5C mentum, one last bogey at the end. loves, and still on occasion loves him Tiger and the Masters have the most
All in all, it was not the Tiger we re- back. Perspiration beaded on his face fascinating relationship. If ever a golfer
member but the Tiger we’ve come to and soaked through his white shirt on a was made for a golf course, it’s Woods at
know. warm, humid day. This was a grind, and Augusta National. He loves it here. To
Woods finished with an unsatisfy- he knew it. him, it’s home. So when he says, as he
ing first round, 2-over-par 74, well be- “I didn’t have very good speed early,” did this week, “I don’t know how many
hind the leaders, and the nagging he said. “I had two three-putts and con- more I have in me,” meaning Masters
knowledge that he couldn’t take ad- sequently I’m a couple over par. I didn’t appearances, fans stream to him as they
vantage of Augusta National when the hit my irons close enough today. I didn’t do no one else, and many stick around
conditions were most welcoming. give myself very good looks. I need to do no matter what, gazing toward the sol-
“I just didn’t do the job I needed to a better job of that going forward to itary figure in the fairway as if they were
do to get the ball close,” Woods, a five- hopefully get myself back in this tour- looking at a masterpiece in a museum.
time Masters champion, said after- nament.” His five wins here include his most
ward. “Today was the opportune time No matter what happens or how far improbable triumph in 2019 at 43. Can
to get the round under par, and I didn’t behind he is, some things never change: he do it again? It’s highly unlikely, but
do that. Most of the guys are going low Tiger still thinks he can be in the mix with Tiger, you never want to say never.
Michael Bidwill is the owner of the today. This was the day to do it. Hope- on the weekend, which is supposed The issue for him, be it on a Thursday at
NFL’s Cardinals franchise. fully tomorrow I’ll be a little bit better, a to be rainy, cold and miserable, not
CHRIS CODUTO/GETTY IMAGES little bit sharper, and kind of inch my exactly prime conditions for a 47-year- See BRENNAN, Page 5C

2023 MLB SALARIES

Undefeated Rays banging out the wins economically

Bob Nightengale
USA TODAY
The MLB season is just over a week
old, but so far, well, money isn’t neces-
sarily translating into victories.
The New York Mets, who have a rec-
ord $353.5 million opening-day payroll,
according to USA TODAY’S annual sala-
ry report, have a losing record (3-4) and
were already 2 1⁄2 games back in the NL
East standings going into Thursday.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who have the
third-smallest payroll in Major League
Baseball at $73.2 million, are baseball’s
lone undefeated team (6-0).
The teams with the four highest play-
er payrolls this season – the Mets, New
York Yankees, San Diego Padres and
Philadelphia Phillies – were off to a
combined 11-14 start going into Thurs-
day.
The teams with the four smallest
payrolls – the Oakland Athletics, Pitts-
burgh Pirates, Tampa Bay, Baltimore
Orioles – were off to a 15-9 start.
If the trends continue for another six
months, MLB can disband its economic
reform committee – but the reality is
that the big spenders will be playing in
October. The small-market teams, well,
at least those outside Tampa and Cleve-
land, will be staying home.
“I think of it in terms of competitive-
ness, right?” Commissioner Rob
Manfred told USA TODAY Sports before
opening day. “I mean, our product is a
simple product. We sell competition,
that’s what we sell.
“And I think that for owners, it’s
not so much the ‘I can only spend
$70 (million) and somebody spending
$320 (million). But it is the perception
that’s created by that disparity that ‘My
team somehow doesn’t have a chance at
the beginning of the year.’ ”
The disparity is almost comical, with
12 players on the Mets’ opening-day ros-
ter earning at least $10 million a year, in-
cluding four in excess of $20 million, ex-
cluding released infielder Robinson
Cano’s $24 million salary.
Oakland, with a $56.9 million payroll,
doesn’t have a player earning more than
veteran pitcher Trevor May’s $7 million
salary. Mets pitchers Max Scherzer and
Justin Verlander will earn a combined
$86.6 million – $29.8 million more than
the entire A’s team.
h Salary survey money nuggets, 6C
2C ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY SPORTS

Self plans KU return after refocus on health

Jordan Guskey standpoint, a personal habit stand-
The Topeka Capital-Journal | USA TODAY Network point, that I have been very, very, very
inconsistent with my entire adult life.”
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Bill Self has no doubts that he Self made his fair share of jokes
will be Kansas men’s basketball’s head coach next sea- Wednesday, as he spoke publicly for the
son and envisions being around for many more. first time in a while. But he always came
A health scare last month did lead to him missing Self back to the seriousness of what hap-
the Big 12 Tournament and the team’s two games in the pened. He didn’t shy away from the im-
NCAA Tournament. He was under the care of the Uni- plications of it all, regardless of how much confidence
versity of Kansas Health System starting March 8, be- he had in the care he received.
fore he was discharged March 12, and according to a Initially, Self thought he could coach in the March 9
team release while there “underwent a standard heart game of the Big 12 Tournament against West Virginia.
catheterization and had two stents placed for the He also thought he could coach in the March 10 game
treatment of blocked arteries.” But he’s more resolved against Iowa State. Both times, he revealed, he was
than ever to be a part of the Jayhawks’ future. laughed at for thinking that.
However, while recognizing that, Self acknowl- There was talk about Self potentially coaching in
edged as well that he’ll go about focusing on his health the team’s first game of the NCAA Tournament on
in a way he hasn’t before, too. For so long, he’s been March 16 against Howard. But he noted that if he did
told how he needs to lose weight, eat right and exer- that, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be able to
cise. For the first time, he’s taking that advice serious- coach in the next round. Then lingering concerns
ly. about an elevated heart rate, of high blood pressure,
“I think the last several weeks I’ve been able to re- led him to missing the March 18 game against Arkan-
flect on a lot of things,” said Self, who felt fortunate sas that Kansas lost.
there was a chain of events that led him to getting Self would only have been able to coach in the NCAA
checked out. “The one thing I can tell you without Tournament if the Jayhawks got by the Razorbacks, he
question, I miss my job, I love my job and I want to do explained. But he didn’t express any dismay about the
my job for a long time. That’s what is positive. Now, for season ending there other than saying he wishes he
me to be as effective doing that, I think I have to wake was a part of it. Missing all those games, he said, was
up a little bit and maybe do some things from a lifestyle the right thing to do.
“Now, do I think, ‘Could I have helped or done this or
done that?’ ” said Self, who praised the team for win-
ning the Big 12 regular-season championship. “Well, I
think everybody would think that. I think the 13th man
on the bench would think, ‘Well, if you give me a
chance I could have helped. I could have made a play to
help us win.’ I think everybody would think that. But …
I’m OK with how the closure aspect of it, of how it end-
ed, because I knew this, that those kids, whatever their
ceiling was, they got about as close to it as they pos-
sibly could this year.”
Energy-wise, Self said he’s probably back to where
he was before the health scare occurred. So now he’s
looking to truly feeling well again. In that way, there’s
still some ways to go even though he said he isn’t lim-
ited physically at all anymore.
Self wants to continue to have an effect on the col-
lege basketball landscape. He wants to do that at a
place in Kansas where he considers basketball to be a
way of life. And he knows he won’t have the effect he
could have if he’s not feeling well.
“My goal is to take this place to a whole different
level that we’ve never been to before, and we’ve been
to a really high level,” said Self, who’s now preparing
for his 21st season leading Kansas’ program. “And I
know I need to have my energy and I need to be healthy
and feeling good in order for us to do that. And I’m be-
lieving this spring is the first step to us getting to that
level.”

Blaney raising Alzheimer’s awareness NASCAR WEEKEND AT BRISTOL

Victoria Hernandez nine 65 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Associ- Cup Series
USA TODAY ation. Despite decades of research, there is no cure. Food City Dirt Race
Even though Blaney wasn’t able to hear stories of TV: 7 p.m. EDT Sunday, Fox
Ryan Blaney is making his own name as a NASCAR Lou’s racing days directly from him because of the ef- Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman has
driver but carries the legacy of his grandfather with fects of the disease, he is grateful to have learned six top-10 finishes and leads Ross Chastain by
him. about his grandfather’s accomplishments and charac- four points in the standings. Christopher Bell is
The seven-time Cup Series race winner was in- ter from fans. Besides winning more than 200 Super 34 points behind and the top Toyota. Kevin Har-
spired to start racing because it runs in his blood. Bla- Sprint races in a span of 19 years and notching 600 to- vick is sixth and the top Ford.
ney is the son of veteran NASCAR and tal victories in his career, Lou was known for his kind-
sprint car racer Dave Blaney and grand- ness and respect. Craftsman Truck Series
son of modified dirt-track legend Lou “As a grown adult, you’ve learned to appreciate your Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt
Blaney, who was diagnosed with Alz- grandparents and your parents more, right?” the Team TV: 8 p.m. EDT Saturday, FS1
heimier’s in 2001 and died in 2009. Penske driver said. “For someone I didn’t know very Ty Majeski, who has not won in 2023, leads the
In 2018, a few years into his Cup Se- well, just because I was so young, it’s really, really neat standings by three points over two-time winner
ries career, the now-29-year-old started to be able to hear stories about that stuff from when he Zane Smith. … Four of the five races run have
Blaney the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation to was racing and how he was like and his demeanor. It been won by full-time series competitors; Kyle
help families like his. He is now part of a makes me laugh and smile.” Busch is the outlier.
campaign with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Ad Blaney, whose grandfather, father and uncle, Dale – Associated Press
Council calling for people to notice signs of the disease Blaney, are members of the National Sprint Car Hall of
in their loved ones. Blaney was a young teenager when Fame, said he gets told he’s “too nice” just like his fa-
he lost his grandfather and knows firsthand the pain of ther says Lou was. Despite what some people might
growing up with a family member whose memory think is a lack of competitive age, he takes it seriously were made as a one-off for the Alzheimer’s Association
fades. that, as a professional race car driver, he is a role model and worn just for the spring Richmond race.
“I was starting to understand what was going on for kids. The association is in the process of auctioning
when he did pass away,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “He’s taught me that by a lot of secondhand people,” them, which started once Blaney passed the check-
“Yeah, just gosh, I wish I could remember more of our Blaney said of his grandfather. “That’s how I’ve tried to ered flag Sunday, finishing in 26th place. The auction is
talks, you know, and being around him and things like mold myself around and I try my best to do that and try set to close at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday. As of early Thurs-
that before he got sick.” to be like him.” day afternoon, the highest bid was at $1,775.
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes mem- Last weekend for the Toyota Owners 400 at Rich- “That’s one of the few special things that we can
ory loss and interferes with cognitive function. About mond Raceway, Blaney wore gloves that featured the kind of do and customize on a week-to-week basis,”
6.7 million Americans have the disease, about one in purple logo of the Alzheimer’s Association. The gloves Blaney said.

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SPORTS
Toxic NBA MVP talk takes joy from play
Jeff Zillgitt
Columnist
USA TODAY
The question was asked to elicit a
certain answer from the Denver Nug-
gets two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
“Do you care if you win MVP?” the re-
porter asked.
“Yes,” Jokic said.
“Why?”
“Because the last seven times I said
no. Just to change it up,” Jokic replied.
Jokic isn’t going to lose any sleep if he
doesn’t win a third consecutive MVP
award this season, and maybe that apa-
thy will cost him.
What he doesn’t care for is the narra-
tive that surrounds the MVP discussion,
which has been a drag this season.
Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel
Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks power
forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are
the three unofficial finalists for the
award.
All will finish with great seasons and
are deserving, and whoever wins, I’m
not going to say the two others were
wronged. Voters received ballots and
have until a Monday deadline to submit
their choices for the league’s awards.
On Tuesday, Embiid, who has never
won the MVP award while the other two
have won it twice, had 52 points, 13 re-
bounds, six assists and two blocks in
the Sixers’ 103-101 victory against the
Boston Celtics in a potential second-
round Eastern Conference playoff series
preview.
After the game, Sixers coach Doc Riv-
ers called the MVP race “over,” as if one
game determines the MVP, just as Em-
biid sitting in a recent game against
Denver shouldn’t remove him from con-
sideration. It’s an all-encompassing
award over an 82-game season.
Toxic is the word used to describe
MVP talk this season. The yelling,
screaming, disagreeing and campaign-
ing from media and teams, and some-
times at the expense of great players,
are not good for the league. The MVP
should be celebrated, even in debate.
Will Bronny James reveal college choice?
Lindsay Schnell
USA TODAY
PORTLAND, Ore. – The mania sur-
rounding Bronny James has taken over
the Rose City.
James is a 6-foot-3 guard who’s the
oldest son of LeBron James, the NBA’s
all-time leading scorer and current Lak-
er. Bronny James is in Portland this
week for the Nike Hoop Summit, a
showcase event featuring some of the
world’s top high school seniors – yet all
anyone wants to know is where the
standout from California’s Sierra Can-
yon High is going to play college ball.
Before his high school career ended
last month, James was averaging 14
points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and
1.8 steals per game, according to Sports-
manor.
Though James is considerably less
imposing than his dad, who checks in at
6-foot-9, his highlights have run on
ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and his play has
impressed college scouts.
Since going straight to the NBA isn’t
an option like it was for his dad, every-
one is focused on where the next chap-
ter of James’ career will take him.
But first, he’ll play Saturday in the
Hoop Summit, where he said he’s anx-
ious to make an impression.
Will LeBron appear at Nike Hoop
Summit?
“Being here with these elite players, I
just want to show that I belong, and
what I can do,” Bronny James said, add-
ing he’s focused on how he can “play my
game, be confident when I shoot, be
smart and play defense.”
He also said the James cheering sec-
tion Saturday will be substantial.
“They’re definitely gonna be in atten-
dance, you’re going to see them and
hear them for sure,” he said, smiling.
“The whole family is going to be out
here.”
Does that mean dad might make an
appearance? James didn’t elaborate,
but the Lakers are off Saturday.
Where is Bronny going to college?
Good question. James is the only un-
signed USA player on the Hoop Summit
roster. He did not answer a question
from USA TODAY Sports about when he
76ers center Joel Embiid
CHRIS CODUTO/USA TODAY SPORTS
It’s devolved this season, taking the fun
out of the race.
Jokic was up against it from the start
of the season. Only three players have
won three consecutive MVP awards: Bill
Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry
Bird, with Bird the only one to win it
back-to-back-to-back seasons with
media voting. Players voted for Russell
and Chamberlain.
Not only was Jokic competing
against himself – he needed to have an
even better season than he had in 2021-
22 – he was up against the best players
in the game. But Jokic put together one
of his best seasons, almost averaging a
triple-double at 24.8 points, 11.9 re-
bounds and 9.8 assists per game while
shooting a career-high 63.3% from the
field and a solid 38.5% on 3s.
And unlike last season, when the
Nuggets were the sixth seed in the
Western Conference, they likely will fin-
Bronny James is playing this weekend at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland.
USA BASKETBALL
will make a decision, but there’s spec-
ulation he could make an announce-
ment Saturday after the game.
His Hoop Summit teammates are
headed to some of college basketball’s
blue-blood programs: Justin Edwards of
Philadelphia, the No. 3 player in the
2023 class according to 247 Sports, is
headed to Kentucky, along with DJ Wag-
ner of Camden, New Jersey, the No. 4
player in the 2023 class. Ron Holland of
Duncanville, Texas, is the No. 6 player in
the country and has signed with Texas.
According to 247 Sports, James has
offers from Southern Cal, Ohio State
and Memphis. He’s also expressed in-
terest in Oregon. Isaiah Collier, a 6-4
guard out of Marietta, Georgia, who is
the top prospect in the 2023 class ac-
cording to 247 Sports, signed with USC
and said he’s “definitely trying” to get
James to join him.
“ ‘Stay home,’ that’s my pitch,” Collier
said. “ ‘Why leave LA?’ ”
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 3C
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
BENNY SIEU/USA TODAY SPORTS
ish with the No. 1 seed this season. But
perhaps Jokic’s take-or-leave-it atti-
tude about the award hurts him, along
with the notion of giving someone else
the award.
Like LeBron James in seasons he
didn’t win MVP, Antetokounmpo might
be considered the best basketball player
in the world right now. Strong and with
more command of his skills, Anteto-
kounmpo averages 31.1 points, 11.8 re-
bounds and 5.7 assists and shoots
55.3% from the field. The Bucks have
the best record in the NBA and have the
overall No. 1 seed secured.
If your argument for the MVP is for
the best player on the best team, Ante-
tokounmpo is the guy. If he wins, it
would be his third.
Then there’s Embiid. This is his best
season – with career highs in points per
game (33.3), shooting percentage from
the field (54.7%) and field goals made
Players are making their
recruiting pitches to Bronny
Collier is not the only one playing re-
cruiter this weekend.
Jackson Shelstad of West Linn, Ore-
gon, is going to Oregon and is trying to
get James to be one of his college team-
mates.
“I was trying to recruit him (Wednes-
day) morning,” Shelstad said, adding
that his pitch about why the Ducks are
best for James is pretty straightforward:
“He’s boys with (Oregon signee) Mookie
(Cook), he’s signed with Nike. Me, Moo-
kie and KJ (Kwame Evans Jr.), all three
freshmen coming in love his game, we’d
love to play with him. We’re all unself-
ish, so (I) think it would be a great fit.
We’d love to have him at Oregon.”
Shelstad said there’s a lot to love
about James’ game:
“He’s a really high IQ player, he
shoots the ball well, spaces the floor
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic
GREGORY FISHER/USA TODAY SPORTS
per game (11), and has matched career
highs in free throw percentage (85.9%)
and assists per game (4.2) while averag-
ing 10.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and one
steal.
The Sixers are 52-27, in third place in
the East and considered contenders
with Embiid and James Harden.
A first-place vote for Embiid
shouldn’t be a sympathy vote because
he has never won the MVP.
Today’s voters have so many tools to
evaluate players and can parse tradi-
tional statistics with advanced stats.
And sometimes, it comes down to a vot-
er’s preference in style: Whose game do
they like more?
Voter fatigue is usually when a voter
is tired of the same player winning an
award and someone else wins. This sea-
son, voter fatigue comes from the joy
that has been stolen from the conversa-
tion.
well. He can play off the ball, on the ball,
he plays good defense.”
Shelstad laughed when asked if
James was receptive to his recruiting
pitch.
“I’m not going to say too much,” Shel-
stad said. “But (James) was giving me
some smiles. He’s into Oregon a little
bit.”
James, who said he likes Portland
and its “gloomy-type weather,” is enjoy-
ing the conversations, too.
“It’s fun times,” he said. “It’s good to
joke with them. Talking to them, talking
to coaches, it’s good to know that they
want me there with them. But at the end
of the day it’s my decision and I need to
make the right one for me.”
How did Bronny play in the
McDonald’s All American Game?
When James, a four-star prospect,
was selected to the McDonald’s All
American Game, debate ensued about if
he really belonged in one of the premier
high school basketball events in the
country, or if he was only getting an in-
vite because of nepotism.
James silenced the doubters with his
play, scoring 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting
from long distance (all of his scoring
came off made 3s). His team lost 109-
106, but James’ play impressed many,
including his dad.
What is the Nike Hoop Summit?
Now in its 24th year, the Nike Hoop
Summit is a showcase event featuring
the nation’s top high school seniors
against top players from around the
world of similar ages. The World roster
typically pulls from FIBA rosters from
Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and
Oceania.
About half of the World’s roster is
committed to play college hoops next
season. Mackenzie Mgbako (Nigeria) is
headed to Duke, Aden Holloway (Cana-
da) is scheduled to attend Auburn and
Alex Toohey (Australia) has committed
to Gonzaga, among others.
This year’s World roster also includes
Andrej Stojaković, the son of Peja Stoja-
ković, the former NBA All-Star for the
Sacramento Kings. Andrej Stojaković is
committed to Stanford. Past standouts
from previous World rosters include
Dirk Nowitzki and Nikola Jokic.
4C ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY SPORTS

Ridley ends war for golf ’s future with one shot

ters invitation criteria that would make
Eamon Lynch it tougher for LIV players to qualify – un-
Columnist surprising since LIV is dispensing sub-
Golfweek poenas in a failing effort to prove golf ’s
USA TODAY NETWORK bodies are conspiring against it.
“I’m sure there will be changes in the
future, but none beyond what I an-
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Twenty-two days nounced this morning,” he finally of-
after the governing bodies sounded the fered.
bugle in a battle for the future of golf, the Augusta National’s reverence for
cavalry arrived at Augusta National. past Masters champions makes exclu-
It was March 14 when the USGA and sion of LIV golfers impossible. Six at-
R&A proposed a modified local rule that, tended the Champions Dinner on Tues-
if adopted, would introduce a limited- day.
distance ball at the elite level. The other 12 LIV Golf League players
The timing wasn’t accidental. It ac- competing this week will find future ac-
commodated three weeks of predictable cess tougher as their world ranking
histrionics, warnings, bluster and social slips, a trend likely to accelerate due to
media carping from every constituency: an imminent – and unappealable – de-
tour players, architecture nerds, equip- cision by a sports arbitration panel in
ment manufacturers, invested observ- the UK that will effectively lock LIV
ers, armchair analysts, media partners players out of DP World Tour events.
and influential shills. That means LIV guys who want to earn
Which was just enough time for the Tiger Woods greets Augusta National Golf Club and Masters chairman Fred ranking points will need to familiarize
smoke to begin clearing before what will Ridley in the practice area Sunday. ROSS KINNAIRD/GETTY IMAGES themselves with the Asian Tour sched-
likely prove the decisive contribution in ule, where even wins yield paltry rank-
a long-smoldering and sulfurous de- ing points given the shallow talent pool
bate: arate itself further on the ball issue? Norman, the commissar of LIV Golf. It participating.
“We have been consistent in our sup- Your move, Mr. Waugh. was akin to asking grandpa why his As clearly as Ridley endorsed the
port of the governing bodies, and we re- Having every major conducted with a Thanksgiving guest list is missing a for- governing bodies’ authority to regulate
state our desire to see distance ad- modified ball will test the willingness of mer friend who promised to break the distance, he was equally direct in de-
dressed.” tour players to switch equipment from furniture, insulted the decor and an- fending the Official World Golf Ranking
Thus spake Fred Ridley, chairman of their weekly money games for events nounced plans for his friends to hold a system, which has been under a sus-
Augusta National and the Masters, on that actually define legacies. When the celebratory kegger on your lawn. tained assault by Norman and his
Wednesday. He added that while the whining is exhausted – admittedly, this Ridley replied that he wanted the fo- mealy-mouthed marionettes, who in-
club will respect the feedback period es- might take until Dec. 31, 2025 – the pro- cus to be on the Masters, not on the Sau- sist LIV tournaments must be awarded
tablished by the governing bodies (it fessional proletariat will reconcile itself di-financed civil war roiling golf (which points despite meeting almost none of
runs through Aug. 14), he left no doubt to the new reality. is considerably less deadly than the one the established criteria to be recog-
as to what position his powerful entities Without Wednesday’s unambiguous they’re funding in Yemen). He added nized.
will adopt. signal from Ridley, the future landscape that Norman has only been here twice in “It’s an objective criteria based on
“I’ve stated that we believe distance would look a lot more uncertain. His the past decade, including once while data-driven analytics, and it’s consis-
needs to be addressed,” Ridley said. “I words lend support to the governing working as an announcer. What of Nor- tently applied,” Ridley said. “I think
think the natural conclusion is, yes, we bodies, clarity to the future, and no suc- man’s recent grouse that he might never most would agree it’s a good system.”
will be supportive.” cor to the smash bros. be invited back to Augusta National? Ridley is a traditionalist’s idea of a
So when theory becomes practice – Chairman’s press conferences at Au- “It’s hard to answer that question be- company man, the type of chap who, in
on Jan. 1, 2026, when the proposed gusta National are usually divided into cause, you know, I don’t know where the the words of E.B. White, winds the clock
change would take effect – the 90th two fields: housekeeping and legacy. For world is going to be next year or two daily in a contribution toward order and
Masters will be the first major champi- Ridley, the legacy aspect concerned an years from now,” Ridley said, the kind of steadfastness. His fealty to golf ’s estab-
onship contested with a modified ball. investment in municipal golf to create equivocation that constitutes a drive- lished order and to the values of the
It will be followed that same year by pathways into the game in the city of by in the parlance of Augusta National. game in which he has spent a lifetime
the Opens, U.S. and British, since the Augusta, of which his famed club is a “I would never say never. But I told you are unshakable. It’s accepted that he’s
governing bodies who run those events part while being apart. why he had not been invited this year.” the unchallenged authority within the
have made clear they will exercise their Housekeeping matters included an- Crude translation for the flaxen- walls of Augusta National.
own option. What odds the PGA Cham- nouncing that the NCAA champion will haired finger puppet: faff around and The intent he signaled Wednesday
pionship – ever mindful of being per- receive an invitation to compete in the find out. will go some way to proving that the in-
ceived as the runt of the major litter – Masters and explaining why an invita- Nor would the chairman be drawn on fluence of his position extends over a
will diminish itself by choosing to sep- tion to attend was not extended to Greg whether changes will be made to Mas- much greater realm.

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Albany, N.Y. 50/29w 53/27s
A stalled frontal zone will Albuquerque 68/43s 69/47pc
Amarillo, Texas 64/37pc 73/46pc
lead to drenching rain and Seattle Anchorage, Alaska 34/20pc 27/9sn
heavy thunderstorms from
Olympia
54 Bangor Atlantic City, N.J. 57/41pc 46/39pc
52 Spokane
48 Augusta, Ga. 79/48t 52/44r
central and southern Texas Portland 48 Miles City
Bismarck Duluth Marquette
Salem 57
Helena
61 33 33 34 Austin, Texas 52/49t 66/52c
to the Carolinas and part of 56 58 Burlington Augusta Baton Rouge, La. 74/64t 73/59t
Boise Fargo Mpls-St. Paul 43 Montpelier
49 Billings, Mont. 61/39c 60/36c
southern Virginia into this Bend
52 Billings 36 52 Boston Birmingham, Ala. 66/51t 57/46r
52 61
Rapid City Grand Buffalo 40 58 Bismarck, N.D. 33/18c 39/28pc
weekend, before slow im- Burns
49 Milwaukee Rapids 43 Albany
Boise, Idaho 52/36sh 59/39c
49 Pierre Sioux Falls
43 51 52
Detroit
50
Hartford
provement begins from north- Eureka Idaho Falls Jackson
36 62 Cleveland 56 Buffalo, N.Y. 43/27pc 48/31s
56 45 Hole Casper
Des Moines Madison
Lansing 47 New York Burlington, Vt. 43/25pc 45/29pc
west to southeast. Rain may Reno 40 47 North Platte 54
Pittsburgh
Sacramento
56
Elko 65 50 53 60 Cedar Rapids, Iowa 62/32s 63/38pc
avoid much of Florida until 60 51 Salt Lake City 69 Chicago
Harrisburg Philadelphia
Charleston, S.C. 82/56t 58/49r
Carson City 55
Cheyenne Omaha
54 Columbus
59 60
Charleston, W.Va. 58/40pc 61/32pc
Sunday. 53 59 68 Kansas City Springfield 57 Washington Annapolis
Cheyenne, Wyo. 59/32s 61/35c

Rain and high-country

San Francisco
65 61 Indianapolis Cincinnati
61 58
Cincinnati 57/37pc 61/38pc
59 St. George Aspen
Denver
57 57 Cleveland 47/30s 51/33s
snow will affect areas from Las Vegas
69 54 66 Topeka
Charleston Richmond Columbia, S.C. 76/48t 53/43r
Fresno
74 67 Jefferson City St. Louis Louisville 58 55
Washington and Oregon to 69 Wichita 63 62 62
Knoxville Columbus, Ohio 57/32pc 61/35s
Dodge City
66 54 Raleigh Corpus Christi, Texas 62/57t 70/60t
Northern California into this Los Angeles Santa Fe 66 Memphis
Charlotte 58 Daytona Beach, Fla. 84/66pc 84/66sh

71
Palm Springs Flagstaff
64 Oklahoma 60 Nashville
65 Columbia
Des Moines, Iowa 65/38s 68/44s
weekend, before retreating 85 57 City
Tulsa
59 Duluth, Minn. 33/22pc 42/32pc
Albuquerque 69 76
northward. Much of the bal- San Diego
Phoenix 68 66 Little Rock Birmingham Atlanta Charleston
Durham, N.C.
El Paso, Texas
58/45r
70/46pc
48/38r
79/57s
66 Lubbock Dallas/Ft. Worth 61 66 74 82
ance of the nation can expect Alaska 84 66 56 Montgomery
Fairbanks, Alaska 24/3pc 20/4sn
Savannah Flagstaff, Ariz. 57/28s 58/26s
dry weather. El Paso Midland- Shreveport Jackson 81 83 Fargo, N.D. 36/21sn 43/32pc

Chilly air over the northern 70 Odessa Austin

54 61 Jacksonville
Fort Myers, Fla. 91/68pc 88/70sh
Fairbanks Hawaii 61 52 Mobile
Tallahassee
86
Fort Wayne, Ind. 56/31s 59/34s
tier of the Central states will 24 Juneau
Honolulu San Antonio
Baton Rouge 82 88 Fresno, Calif. 69/49pc 72/52pc

ease this weekend as will cool

Anchorage 42 83 55 Houston 74 New Green Bay, Wis. 41/30pc 46/34sn
34 60
Orleans Harrisburg, Pa. 59/40pc 56/35pc
air in the Northeast. Warm air 77 Tampa
Hartford, Conn. 56/32pc 54/28s
Puerto Rico
88 Indianapolis 57/37pc 62/40s
will build from the Southwest San Juan
Miami Jackson, Miss. 61/57t 67/53t

to the Midwest and Northeast Brownsville 80 85 Jacksonville, Fla. 86/65sh 82/57t

Jefferson City, Mo. 63/36pc 70/41s
next week. A tropical system 66 Kansas City 65/37s 70/44s
Key West, Fla. 84/75s 83/74sh
may brew in the Gulf of Mexico Knoxville, Tenn. 54/48r 60/43r
Lincoln, Neb. 69/39w 73/45w
next week. Little Rock, Ark. 61/51h 62/52r
Below 10 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110+ Louisville, Ky. 62/44pc 63/43pc
Manchester, N.H. 55/28w 50/28s
Memphis, Tenn. 60/50pc 64/53pc
EXTREMES SATURDAY’S HIGH TEMPERATURES Milwaukee 43/35s 54/38pc
Mobile, Ala. 82/66t 74/53t
Note: For contiguous 48 states through
Montgomery, Ala. 81/59t 60/50t
3 p.m. Thursday
Myrtle Beach, S.C. 76/51t 54/46r
HOTTEST: 93° COLDEST: -11° Seattle Nags Head, N.C. 58/48sh 53/48r
Plant City, Fla. Gould, Colo. Nashville, Tenn. 59/49pc 58/48c
Olympia
54 Bangor
56 Spokane
42
Newark, N.J. 61/39pc 53/39s
Portland 52 Miles City
Bismarck Duluth Marquette Norfolk, Va. 57/47r 54/47r
Salem 61
Helena
66 39 42 42 Oakland, Calif. 59/46sh 63/44pc
60 57 Burlington Augusta
Oklahoma City 66/43pc 71/47pc
PRECIPITATION FORECAST Boise Fargo Mpls-St. Paul 45 Montpelier
43 Omaha, Neb. 68/39s 71/46w
Bend
59 Billings 43 63 Boston
T-storms Rain Snow Ice/mix 59 60
Rapid City Grand Buffalo 39 48
Palm Springs, Calif. 85/58s 86/64s
Burns
55 Milwaukee Rapids 48 Albany Pittsburgh 53/30pc 57/32s
55 Pierre Sioux Falls
54 59 52
Detroit
53
Hartford Portland, Maine 53/25w 47/29s
Eureka Idaho Falls Jackson
43 68 Cleveland 54 Portland, Ore. 57/42r 61/45c
55 51 Hole Casper
Des Moines Madison
Lansing 51 Pittsburgh New York Providence, R.I. 59/32pc 52/31s
Sacramento
Reno
Elko 43 48 North Platte
68 61 56 57 53 Raleigh, N.C. 58/46r 49/40r
67 64 50 Salt Lake City 75 Chicago
Harrisburg Philadelphia Rapid City, S.D. 49/22s 55/32pc
Carson City 59
Cheyenne Omaha
62 Columbus
56 55 Reno, Nev. 56/36pc 64/40pc
60 61 71 Kansas City Springfield 61 Washington Annapolis
Richmond, Va. 55/46r 51/38c
San Francisco
70 66 Indianapolis Cincinnati
53 52 Rochester, N.Y. 44/25pc 46/26s
63 St. George Aspen
Denver
62 61 Sacramento, Calif. 60/45r 67/44pc
Las Vegas
74 53 69 Topeka
Charleston Richmond
Fresno
79 71 Jefferson City St. Louis Louisville 61 51
San Antonio 55/52t 73/54c
72 Wichita 70 65 63
Knoxville San Jose, Calif. 61/49sh 68/45pc
FRIDAY Dodge City
72 60 Raleigh Savannah, Ga. 83/60t 62/47t
Los Angeles Santa Fe 75 Memphis
Charlotte 49 Shreveport, La. 54/50t 65/55c
71
Palm Springs Flagstaff
67 Oklahoma 64 Nashville
50 Columbia Sioux Falls, S.D. 62/40s 68/47w
86 58 City
Tulsa
58
Albuquerque 72 53 South Bend, Ind. 55/33s 61/36s
San Diego
Phoenix 69 71 Little Rock Birmingham Atlanta Charleston
Spokane, Wash. 48/35r 52/39c
66 Lubbock Dallas/Ft. Worth 62 57 53 58
Springfield, Mo. 62/35pc 67/42s
Alaska 86 74 65 Montgomery
Springfield, Ill. 61/36s 66/39s
Savannah St. Louis 62/41pc 65/45s
El Paso Midland- Shreveport Jackson 60 62 Syracuse, N.Y. 46/27w 47/28s
79 Odessa Austin
65 67 Jacksonville Tallahassee, Fla. 88/65t 79/55t
Fairbanks Hawaii 73 66 Mobile
Tallahassee
82 Tampa, Fla. 88/72pc 87/71pc
20 Juneau
Honolulu San Antonio
Baton Rouge 74 79 Topeka, Kan. 67/36s 71/44s
Anchorage 46 83 73 Houston 73 New
Tucson, Ariz. 85/52s 84/54s
27 70
Orleans
Tulsa, Okla. 69/40pc 72/48s
76 Tampa
Wichita, Kan. 66/37s 72/44pc
SATURDAY
Puerto Rico
87 Wilmington, Del. 60/41pc 52/37pc
Miami Winston-Salem, N.C. 58/44r 48/38r
San Juan
Brownsville 82 84 pc Partly cloudy s Sunny sh Showers c Cloudy
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather Inc. ©2023 71 t Thunderstorms w Windy dr Drizzle h Haze
f Fog i Ice r Rain sf Snowflurries sn Snow
SPORTS E2 USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 5C

Rahm, Hovland, Koepka strike early lead

Adam Schupak
Golfweek | USA TODAY Network
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Jon Rahm spotted
the field two strokes, making a four-putt
double bogey at the first hole, but re-
bounded to shoot 7-under 65 at Augusta
National Golf Club and share the open-
ing-round lead at the 87th Masters with
Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka.
“If you’re going to make a double or
four-putt or anything, it might as well be
the first hole, 71 holes to make it up,”
Rahm said Thursday. “After that, it was
more, I was focused on the fact that all
the strokes were good. The reads were
good. The roll was good. Obviously the
speed was off on the first two putts, so
once I kind of accepted that there was
nothing really to look into, I just got to
work and I had 17 holes to make up.”
As he walked to the second tee, Rahm
remembered that former Masters
champion Seve Ballesteros, a fellow
Spaniard and an idol of Rahm’s, fam-
ously had four-putted once at the Mas-
ters and delivered a memorable quote.
“I remembered Seve’s quote,” Rahm
said. “Just kept thinking to myself, ‘Well,
I miss, I miss, I miss, I make.’ Move on to
the next. I carried a little bit of that neg-
ative energy into the tee shot on 2, hit it
about 10 yards further than I usually do
and moved on with my day.”
Rahm moved on to the tune of seven
birdies and an eagle at the par-5 eighth
hole. He hit 17 greens in all and at the
one he missed he chipped in for birdie at
No. 7. Rahm tied his lowest round at the
Masters in 25 career trips around Au-
gusta National.
After posting a bogey-free 65, Hov-
land was asked how he would’ve fared if
he had opened his tournament with a
four-putt double bogey?
“Is that what Jon Rahm did? That’s
pretty impressive – not the four-putt
but the remaining golf after that. I
mean, I feel like now that I have worked
on my game, and I feel very confident
about my game, I’ve done a way better
job of not letting the bad shots affect me
as much because I think if you’re a little
insecure about your game, you start off
with a double bogey, and, oh, here we go,
and it’s going to be hard to get all those
shots back. But if you feel good about
your game, you’ve just got to keep push-
ing, and that’s obviously what Jon
Rahm did.”
Hovland, 25, made an eagle at the
second hole and “before I knew it,
somehow I was 6-under through 11, and
yeah, just kind of coast in to 65. So that
was awesome.”
So was being grouped with Tiger
Woods for the first time. Hovland found
out on Tuesday while on the range from
his caddie, Shay Knight.
“When he said we were paired with
Viktor
Hovland
reacts
after his
tee shot
on the
fifth hole
during the
first round
of the
Masters.
On the
second
hole, he
recorded
an eagle
on his way
to a
7-under 65
Thursday.
KYLE
TERADA/
USA TODAY
SPORTS
Tiger, my heart kind of went a little bit Orlando tournament, he proved to be in
further up in the throat, and I just good form, making birdie on his final
thought, wow, this is going to be excit- two holes to tie for the lead.
ing. Heart rate started going up. After On a warm, mostly sunny day, the
that, I calmed myself down and majority of the field took advantage of
thought, this is going to be very exciting. the receptive greens to go low. But not
You’ve just got to embrace it. You can’t everyone did. Woods struggled to shoot
be scared or anything like that,” Hov- 2-over 74. Rory McIlroy, who is trying to
land said. “If you want to win this tour- complete the career Grand Slam for the
nament, you can’t be scared about play- ninth time, had gotten off to a slow start,
ing with Tiger. So you’ve just got to over- too, but had not yet completed his
come things like that.” round. Rain and cold weather are fore-
Hovland hadn’t shot a round in the cast for the days to come, making a good
60s in his previous 12 rounds at Augusta start doubly good.
National. “We don’t know how bad it’s going to
Koepka, the 32-year-old winner of get, but I tend to think that it’s easier to
four majors, had missed the cut at his make up some ground on the easier
last two Masters. Koepka also shot the days,” Hovland said. “It’s really difficult
lowest round of the 18 LIV golfers in the to make up that much ground if this
field. After winning last week at the LIV place is playing very difficult.”

Brennan Last year, when he staged a stunning

Continued from Page 1C
the Masters or forevermore, is not so
much the golf. It’s the leg. Over the
course of a four-round tournament, his
scores almost always get worse because
of the cumulative wear and tear his leg
suffers from walking the course.
comeback just 14 months after his Feb-
ruary 2021 car crash, his scores went the
wrong direction: 71-74-78-78.
His scores in the only other tourna-
ment he has played this year, the Gene-
sis Invitational nearly two months ago,
where he finished tied for 45th, were a
bit different, but still illustrative of the
issue: 69-74-67-73.
“I think my game is better than it was
last year at this particular time,” Woods
said earlier this week. “I think my en-
durance is better. But (the right leg)
aches a little bit more than it did last
year just because at that particular time
when I came back, I really had not
pushed it that often. … I can hit a lot of
shots but the difficulty for me is going to
be the walking going forward. It is what
it is. I wish it could be easier.”
In three years, when he is 50, he will
be eligible for the PGA Tour Champions
senior circuit, where he won’t have to
walk nearly as much.
“I’ve got three more years where I get
the little buggy (golf cart) and be out
there with Fred (Couples),” he said with
a smile, “but until then, no buggy.”
So on he walks, enduring both mis-
takes and constant pain, hoping there
might be one last slice of magic for him
at this place of all places.

Freeman sive public denial of McDo-

Continued from Page 1C
The number of NFL owners
who have recently faced ugly
accusations is extensive:
h Commanders’ Dan Snyder:
Some of the most sordid accu-
sations against any single per-
son or organization in the re-
cent history of the NFL.
h Dolphins’ Stephen Ross:
Suspended for violating the
“integrity of the game.”
h Cowboys’ Jerry Jones: Ac-
cused of sexual assault.
h Patriots’ Robert Kraft:
Charged with solicitation as
part of an anti-sex trafficking
investigation into Florida mas-
sage parlors. Charges were
eventually dropped.
h Former Texans owner Bob
McNair: Said something really
racist.
h Former Panthers owner
Jerry Richardson: Said some-
thing really racist. And sexist.
And overall did lots of awful
stuff.
h Jets’ Woody Johnson: He is
co-owner of the team and was
investigated by a State Depart-
ment watchdog after working
as an ambassador for allegedly
making a variety of racist and
sexist remarks.
h Chargers’ Dean Spanos:
Accused of misogynistic be-
havior by his sister.
And of course there was
banishing of Colin Kaepernick
by the NFL for peacefully pro-
testing police violence against
people of color.
The accusations involving
Bidwill exemplify how alleged
bad behaving owners can exist
under the radar in ways players
cannot.
Bidwill is accused of gross
misconduct, including cheat-
ing, discrimination and harass-
ment, as ESPN first reported, in
Jerry Jones, owner and general manager of the Cowboys, has
been accused of sexual assault. RAYMOND CARLIN III/USA TODAY SPORTS
an arbitration claim filed this
week by former Cardinals exec-
utive Terry McDonough to NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell.
This part from ESPN about
the grievance is among the
most disturbing of the accusa-
tions: “The grievance also said
Bidwill reduced two pregnant
women – one five months preg-
nant, the other seven months –
to tears after screaming at
them with ‘abusive and bully-
ing mistreatment.’
“McDonough said he has
proof that in 2019, the Cardi-
nals’ top brass decided to con-
duct an employee engagement
survey with all their employ-
ees, only to see Bidwill inter-
cept the results of the survey
and cancel it.
“Many of the employees
who responded to the survey
indicated they were fearful of
Bidwill on a daily basis, as a re-
sult of ... erratic and often abu-
sive interactions with them.”
Some of the accusations
track with a recent player sur-
vey from the union. The Cardi-
nals ranked next to last in over-
all score as players complained
about the team’s facilities.
nough’s accusations. Part of it
ded in the arbitration process
itself with a personal and nasty
read: “We are reluctantly attack against McDonough.
obliged to provide a public re- You have to understand how
sponse along with broader con- these arbitrations work. They
text for some disappointing are often heavily weighted in
and irresponsible actions by favor of the teams. The Cardi-
Terry McDonough. Claims he nals likely didn’t need to do
has made in an arbitration fil- such a classless move to win it.
ing are wildly false, reckless, They did it because they can.
and an opportunistic ploy for fi- They did it because they can,
nancial gain.” in many ways, is the motto of
The Cardinals also respon- some owners.
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6C ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY SPORTS

2023 MLB OPENING-DAY SALARY SURVEY

Highest-paid Angel isn’t Trout; value abounds

Bob Nightengale
USA TODAY

Here are some of the intriguing mon-

ey nuggets revealed in USA TODAY
Sports’ annual survey of the 2023 MLB
opening-day rosters.

Highest-paid Angels player

Uh, not who you think.

It’s third baseman Anthony Rendon,
who has missed 219 games the past two
seasons for Los Angeles but is actually
the Angels’ highest-paid player this sea-
son at $38.571 million.
Yes, even more than Mike Trout
($37.116 million).
And yes, Shohei Ohtani ($30 mil-
lion), too.

Most money paid for not playing

Trevor Bauer and Robinson Cano,

each of whom were released by the
Dodgers and Mets, respectively, and no
longer are in the majors, will earn a total
of $42.5 million this year.

The gift that keeps on giving Third baseman Anthony Rendon is the highest-paid Angel in 2023 at $38.571 million. DARREN YAMASHITA/USA TODAY SPORTS

The Colorado Rockies

are paying the Cardinals
$16.566 million for the
right to have third base-
man Nolan Arenado play
for St. Louis. Colorado, as
Arenado part of the original 2021
trade with the Cardinals,
agreed to pay $51 million of Arenado’s
future contract if he didn’t exercise ei-
ther of the opt-outs in his contract. Well,
Arenado elected to stay put again this
past offseason instead of opting out,
and the Rockies remain on the hook.
They are paying virtually half of Arena-
do’s 2023 salary this year. The Rockies
also are chipping in $5 million each of
the next two years to watch Arenado
play his way into the Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown.
What a difference a decade makes
It was 10 years ago that the Astros
had the lowest opening-day payroll in minimum $720,000 while the Padres years, $350 million), Fernando Tatis (13
baseball, $24.3 million, and they pro- are paying him $12.28 million this year, years, $340 million) and Xander Bo-
ceeded to lose 111 games, their third con- $12.26 million in 2024, and $12.24 mil- gaerts (11 years, $280 million) tied up
secutive season losing at least 100 lion in 2025. through 2033.
games.
These days, they have a $192 million Most budget-friendly rotation Least money on the books
payroll, fresh off two World Series
championships and four AL pennants The Reds are paying a The Orioles, Reds and Athletics don’t
the last six years. grand total of $5,562,500 have a single penny on the books after
for their entire starting the 2024 season.
Ex-World Series heroes getting rotation, with only Luis
the minimum – and more Cessa ($2.65 million) Going-away presents
earning more than
h Jason Heyward, 2016 World Series Cessa $730,000. h Miguel Cabrera: His eight-year,
champion: The Dodgers are paying the The Mets, in contrast, $248 million contract expires after this
minimum $720,000 while the Cubs are are paying $43.3 million apiece for co- season, but he is owed $8 million next
still paying him $21.28 million this year. aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlan- year once the Tigers decline his $30 mil-
h Mike Moustakas, 2015 World Series der. lion club option.
champion: The Rockies are paying the h Joey Votto: His 10-year, $225 mil-
minimum $720,000 while the Reds are Most money on the books lion contract expires after the season
paying him $17.28 million this year. and he is owed $7 million next year if the
h Eric Hosmer, 2015 World Series The Padres have $1.6 billion in salary Reds don’t pick up his $20 million op-
champion: The Cubs are paying the commitments with Manny Machado (11 tion.

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 WEEKEND EXTRA
FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SECTION D

Growing season
Bees are buzzing, and the garden is calling. Having the right tools
will help you dig in and get your yard ready. Don’t let lack of space
hold you back, though: You can grow veggies from scraps indoors.
Enjoy your bounty at the dinner table or in a decorated flowerpot.

ILLUSTRATION BY TIFFANY CLEMENS/USA TODAY; GETTY IMAGES

2D ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY WEEKEND EXTRA

Grow your green thumb

Elsie Boskamp Reviewed | USA TODAY NETWORK

April showers bring May flowers, and as temperatures rise, we can tell that the
planting season is almost here. To help you get your garden ready for flowers and
veggies, we found gardening deals on everything from shovels and gloves to wheelbarrows This customer-favorite
soil pH meter
and garden hoses. Whether you're a seasoned horticulturist or new to gardening, these
Expert gardeners will appreciate the
products are sure to help your plants blossom. Are you planting flowers or vegetables in your Sonkir soil pH meter, down from
garden this spring? You won't want to rake over these Amazon savings and products. $29.99 to just $9.99 at Amazon. The
3-in-1 soil moisture, light and pH
Find brands such as Black & Decker, Netro, Fiskars and so much more. tester can help you keep a close eye
on your plants indoors and out. The
battery-free meter features a compact
This bulk pack of our best overall gardening gloves
design and an easy-to-read scale,
Keeping your hands protected while gardening is a must. This year you can go to work with which makes it a perfect addition to
the Showa Atlas 370 gloves, our best overall gardening gloves. We love that the lightweight gloves your gardening tool collection.
feature a breathable nylon knit to keep skin cool while also protecting against water and mud.
You can get a 12-pack of the popular gloves for $35.52 at Amazon.

This compact gardening kit

Our favorite garden
tool organizer
The key to a healthy garden is an
organized toolshed – and for that
there's the Phunaya adjustable garden
tool organizer.Our favorite garden tool
organizer, we love that this adjustable
storage system is durable and made
almost entirely of metal. ($19.98)
This sprinkler controller we love
Keeping your garden watered will
help you achieve beautiful flower
beds and a fruitful harvest. With the
Netro smart sprinkler controller, you
won't have to worry about
remembering to turn on the
sprinklers or finding someone to
water your plant babies when you're
not home. This fully automatic
irrigation controller works with Alexa
and Google Assistant and ranks as
the best affordable smart sprinkler
controller we've ever tested, thanks
to its easy setup and intuitive
weather features. ($99.99)
If you love gardening but don't have
the space to do it outside, you can
bring the joys to gardening to your
apartment with a compact hydroponic
The perfect trowel garden system. In fact, our favorite –
for beginners the Rise Gardens personal garden and
starter kit – can be yours for just $269
If you're new to gardening, investing
when you click the on-page coupon at
in a handheld trowel can help make
Amazon, saving you $80. In testing we
planting seeds and prepping beds all
loved that the gardening kit was small
the easier. We love that the Fiskars
and had a comprehensive app, making
Ergo garden hand trowel has a wide
compact gardening easier than ever.
scoop, making it one of our favorite
When you buy the gardening kit on
tools for beginner gardeners. The
Amazon you'll also get eight seed
lightweight trowel features a
pods and six weeks of nutrients.
polished aluminum head that stands
up against rust and a thoughtful
design intended to reduce any hand
or wrist fatigue. Usually priced at
$12.99, you can take home the
garden essential for just $7.89 at
Amazon.

This mini garden shovel

Whether you simply want to add a few
potted plants to your porch or care for
a vegetable garden this summer, a
solid garden shovel is essential for all
of that and more. Head to Amazon to
score our favorite garden shovel for
small jobs. In testing, we found the
Black & Decker Mini D handle shovel
was lightweight and easy to use in
small areas, making it perfect for
digging in gardens and planters.
($29.54)
PHOTOS BY BETSEY GOLDWASSER/REVIEWED
Our favorite rubber garden hose
We've tested tons of garden hoses,
and the Dramm ColorStorm Premium
is hands down the best rubber
garden hose we've ever tested. It's
heavy-duty, kink-resistant and can
even handle hot water, which makes
it a great choice for novice gardeners
and experienced planters alike.
($68.02)
This rust-proof wheelbarrow
A reliable wheelbarrow is not only
convenient for gardening but also for
all your spring yard cleanup projects.
We love the Marathon green yard
rover – in testing we found it to be
lightweight, rust-proof, easy to store
and perfect for small-to-medium
loads of mulch, soil, leaves and more.
Pick up the two-tire wheelbarrow at
Amazon for just $70, a $40 savings.
This super-durable garden cart
Give your back a break by investing in
a durable garden cart you can use to
store and transport all your favorite
gardening tools. We're big fans of the
Sunnydaze utility steel garden cart.
We love that the cart comes with a
one-year warranty, has a 400 pound
weight capacity and can even convert
into a flat bed. ($159)
Prices were accurate at the time this
article was published but may change
over time. Recommendations are
independently chosen by Reviewed's
editors.
WEEKEND EXTRA
With a little patience and smarts, what would have gone into your kitchen trash can turn into a kitchen bounty. PHOTOS BY SEAN DOUGHERTY/USA TODAY
From scraps to new veggie life
Meg Muckenhoupt Reviewed | USA TODAY NETWORK
Food prices keep going up. Wouldn’t it be nice to have food that magically regrows after you eat it? Well, growing vegetables
from scraps isn’t magic, but you can save some money and enjoy growing food at home, even if you don’t have a yard. Vegeta-
bles and herbs such as lettuce to basil can be grown from kitchen scraps at home. Here’s how to do it.
How to grow vegetables from
scratch: What can I repurpose?
Placing scraps in a clear vase or bowl
with a little bit of water can kick-start a
sprouting cycle.
Globe onions and garlic
There are two ways of growing on-
ions from scraps: Removing existing
sprouts or sprouting the heart.
If your onion is already sprouting, cut
away the material around the sprouts.
Be careful. You want to keep the top
sprout(s) intact, and you want to keep
them connected to the bottom root – the
little round area with small hairs or dirt
at the bottom of the onion.
If your onion has more than one
sprout, you can either treat all the on-
ion’s sprouts as one clump or carefully
peel them apart, starting at the top of
the bulb.
Place your sprouts root-side-down in
water and wait for more roots to sprout,
then plant them in a container or out-
side.
If your onion doesn’t have sprouts,
try the same procedure with the onion’s
heart – the center section of the onion.
Just make sure you keep the bottom root
attached.
Have some sprouting garlic? Just
plant it about 1 inch into the soil, sprout
side up.
Green onions, scallions,
leeks and chives
Green onions, leeks and chives are
easy to resprout. Eat as much of the
green part as you like, then place the
white part in water, root-end down.
These should sprout new roots in a
few days on a sunny windowsill.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes will sprout if they’re
suspended in water.
Cut your sweet potato in half and
suspend it over water; plant it once
roots emerge. You can use toothpicks or
skewers to hold it over the water, or use
a hyacinth vase.
Potatoes
Resprouting supermarket potatoes
can be tricky, because they are often
treated with a sprout inhibitor. These
may also carry plant diseases that can
kill potatoes or closely related plants,
including tomatoes.
If your potatoes are already sprout-
ing, though, or you’re not going to be
planting them near other plants you
care about, give it a try.
Cut your potato intro pieces with at
least one eye (sprout) each. Plant those
potatoes in a container or in the soil, wa-
ter, and wait for the sprout to appear.
Leafy greens
You can use the same technique for
growing leafy greens from scraps, in-
cluding bok choy, cabbage, fennel and
lettuce. You can even grow celery, al-
though most people eat the celery
stems, not the leaves.
Put the bottom inch of the base and
root end of the greens in a shallow bowl
of water and change it daily. When new
leaves start to grow, move your new
plant to a permanent home in a contain-
Basil clippings er or in the ground.
from a
store-bought Pineapples
plant grow in
water until In theory, you can grow a pineapple
planted in soil. from scraps by taking the top half-inch
of the pineapple (below the leaf cluster,
plus its top) and let it dry for a few days,
Above, according to the University of Illinois
young leaves Extension.
grow from Plant it in a container in a potting mix
store-bought that drains well, water it and put it in a
Romaine lettuce sunny place. It may take two to three
scrap stems years to develop.
that were
sprouted in Avocados
water, then
planted in soil Though avocados don’t resprout, you
in a pot. can grow a new avocado tree from the
pit.
To start growth, suspend the pit in a
jar so it’s half-submerged in water. The
classic method is to stick toothpicks
into the sides that extend over the jar’s
rim. Or, you can use a hyacinth vase to
keep the bottom in water.
Over a few weeks a small shoot will
emerge; then, a shoot with small leaves;
then, the main stem.
Plant your avocado plant in soil once
the main stem emerges.
If you don’t see pineapple or avocado
trees growing outside in your climate,
you’re very unlikely to ever get pineap-
ples out of this new plant unless you in-
vest in a greenhouse or a powerful plant
light system.
Cilantro and basil
In theory, you should be able to grow
basil and cilantro from cut leaves. The
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 3D
University of Michigan extension rec-
ommends using a leaf stalk 4 to 6 inches
long.
But as anyone who has tried to keep
cut flowers fresh knows, underwater
stems can start rotting quickly if you
don’t change the water frequently. Con-
sider changing the water for these herbs
at least once a day.
Ginger root
Most imported supermarket ginger
root is treated with a sprouting inhibi-
tor, but it’s worth trying to sprout if you
can find organic ginger or if you spot it at
a seed store.
Cut a piece about 3 inches long with
three or more buds on it and let it dry for
a few days until the cut area no longer
looks wet.
Put the ginger in a pot and water it.
Keep it a little dryer than other plants,
watering just once a week until sprouts
appear, which can take several weeks.
With enough watering, light and
heat, your ginger plant will grow stems
up to 3 feet tall.
How to grow vegetables
from scratch
An easy-to-use propagation station
can be used on a kitchen counter, win-
dowsill or a desk.
The basic method for growing vege-
tables from scraps is to put either the
root or stem of the vegetable in water
and wait. Put the scraps where there is
good light and circulation in your home,
like a windowsill. A south-facing win-
dow is best. Make sure the windowsill is
high enough off the ground that inquis-
itive pets won’t be tempted to snack on
it or knock it to the floor.
Use glass jars, vases or bowls for your
vegetable scraps so you can see changes
in the water and observe when the roots
start growing. If you prefer something
more decorative, a variety of stands and
jars are available to buy.
4D ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY WEEKEND EXTRA

CUTE COOKIES WILL PUT

A SPRING IN YOUR STEP
Christina Haller Grateful

With only a few ingredients, you’ll be enjoying these festive and citrusy cookies –
flavored with Orangesicle or Orange Supreme cake mix – in just minutes. Don’t
have that flavor handy? No problem – lemon will work just as well. The kids will
have a blast helping you to decorate the cute baby chicken faces, too. They’re also
so much less expensive than store-bought cookies. (We guess you could call them
cheep.) Just press a couple of candy eyes and mini Starburst candy beaks onto
these easy-to-make, yellow-frosted cookies, and share them with co-workers,
classmates and friends. These holiday treats will surely entertain.

Spring chicken Easter cookies

Makes: 24 cookies

Ingredients
h 1 package Orangesicle Cake Mix
h 3⁄4 cup shortening
h 1⁄2 teaspoon orange extract
h 2 eggs
h Frosting
h 1 container pre-made vanilla frosting
h 4 drops yellow food coloring
h 1 package (0.88 oz) Wilton Candy
Eyeballs
h 1 package Starburst minis

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together
the cake mix, shortening, orange
extract and eggs until thoroughly
combined.
2. Using your hands, roll cookie dough
into balls about 11⁄2 inch diameter (the
The kids will love decorating these
size of large melon balls).
brightly colored cookies. GRATEFUL
3. Place on a greased cookie sheet or
use a Silpat baking mat.
yellow icing.
4. Bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges
just begin to turn brown. 7. To make the orange beak, take an
orange mini Starburst and cut it on
5. Let cool on the cookie sheet before
the diagonal most of the way through.
frosting.
Fold candy back up to form a beak.
6. To make the frosting, empty the can Place it in the middle of the cookie
of vanilla frosting into a bowl and add and then add the candy eyes above it.
the yellow food coloring. Mix well. I used other mini Starburst cut in half
Frost each cookie generously with the for the top of the chicken’s head.

BRING ZIPPY CITRUS TWIST

TO YOUR HOLIDAY DINNER
GRATEFUL Pour as much dressing as you’d like but don’t forget, you can also serve the
salad with the dressing on the side so guests can dress to their own desire.
Whether you’re hosting Easter dinner for a crowd or just serving your own family, GRATEFUL
this Meyer lemon mayonnaise roasted chicken will be a huge hit. No one says ham
is an Easter dinner requirement. In fact, I know a lot of people who aren’t fans of
pork. So we present this gorgeous, golden whole roasted chicken bursting with
tangy Meyer lemon flavors. Why Meyer lemons? You can use any lemons you’d
like, but Meyer lemons offer that zippy citrus flavor with a little less tartness, al-
APPLES ARE THE STAR
lowing the chicken to be the star of the show. First you smother the outside of your
chicken with a mixture of mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and thyme for a tender-
OF SALAD PERFECT
crisp skin. Then stuff the cavity with lemon quarters, pour a little white wine into
the pan and roast! It’s pretty simple for how elegant and beautiful this bird is. So
this year, try something different and serve up this springtime recipe from Nut-
FOR LUNCH OR DINNER
meg Nanny! GRATEFUL

Meyer lemon mayonnaise roasted chicken
Yield: 1 chicken
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients
h 1 (5 pound) whole chicken, giblets
removed
h Kosher salt
h Black pepper
h 3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
h 3 Meyer lemon, divided
h 6 fresh sprigs thyme, leaves removed
(more if desired)
h 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Remove giblets from chicken, pat
chicken dry and add to Dutch oven.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the
mayonnaise, zest and juice of one
Meyer lemon and thyme leaves.
4. Liberally sprinkle the inside of the
chicken cavity with kosher salt and
pepper. Rub the mayonnaise mixture all
over the chicken, including the cavity.
5. Sprinkle the outside of the bird
liberally with kosher salt and pepper
and quarter the remaining Meyer
lemons. Stuff the bird with quartered
lemon and additional sprigs of thyme, if
desired.
6. Pour white wine into the bottom of
This elegant entree is simple to
prepare. GRATEFUL
the pan and add to oven.
7. Cook for 25 minutes at 450°F and
then lower temperature to 375°F.
Cook for approximately an hour until a
meat thermometer register 165°F
when tested into the middle of the
thigh meat.
8. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes
before carving to ensure a super juicy
chicken.
Panera Bread is famous for its salads — and we especially love the Fuji apple chick-
en salad. When we can't buy one, we make one. So, we have a copycat recipe.
Making this salad at home starts with the base salad: a mixture of the field greens
and chopped romaine. Fuji apples, a sweet varietal, are the star of the show, but
Gala apples, also sweet, make a good substitute. If you want this salad to be less
sweet and more tart, consider a Red Delicious or Honeycrisp apple. Feta cheese
compliments the sweetness of the Fuji apple. However if you aren’t a fan of feta,
ricotta salata cheese has the same crumbly texture but isn’t as salty. Goat cheese
works, too. For those who are dairy-free, tofu cheeses can be used. This salad calls
for shredded chicken – if you want to save a step, you can pick up a rotisserie
chicken. Otherwise, season chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic pow-
der, onion powder and bake before shredding.
Copycat Panera Fuji apple chicken salad
Makes: 4 servings Instructions
1. In a medium bowl whisk the honey,
Ingredients
vinegar, and mustard together until
Dressing: smooth and creamy.
h 1⁄4 cup honey 2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and
whisk until well combined. Set aside.
h 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3. Add greens and leafy romaine to a
h 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
large platter.
h 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4. Sprinkle chicken, apples, feta, red
Salad: onion, pecans and apple chips over the
greens.
h 6 cups mixed field greens
5. Drizzle with dressing.
h 2 cups chopped leafy romaine
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
h 1-2 cups rotisserie or leftover
chicken, shredded
h 1 Fuji apple cut into matchsticks,
skin left on
h 1⁄2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
h 1⁄2 red onion, thinly sliced
h 3⁄4 cup pecans, toasted
h 1 bag (21⁄2 ounce) apple chips
h Sea salt and fresh black pepper,
to taste
WEEKEND EXTRA USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ 5D

How to make these

fabric-covered flowerpots
Materials
h Terra-cotta pot
h Fabric
h Trim: ribbon, sequin, lace, buttons
h Mod Podge
h Styrofoam block
h Artificial flowers
h Foam brush
h Craft paint

Instructions
1. Measure the fabric to the pot, leaving
an inch of fabric over both the top and
bottom.

2. Apply a generous amount of Mod

Podge to one side of the pot and begin
wrapping the pot with fabric.
3. Repeat until you’ve covered the
entire pot on all sides.

PHOTOS BY GRATEFUL

Flower power
in pretty pots 4. Turn the pot upside down and apply
Mod Podge to the bottom.
5. Press fabric to the bottom of the pot
GRATEFUL and smooth it out.

These adorable DIY fabric-covered flowerpots, inspired by Homemade Interest,

make a truly thoughtful gift for Mother’s Day or a birthday – or, really, for anyone on
any occasion. After all, while a gift of flowers always puts a smile on the lucky recipi-
ent’s face, she’ll get to enjoy them only for a week or so before they begin looking
droopy and she’ll have to toss them. Instead, give someone special a gift that will keep
on giving! They’re easy to make, and affordable, too.
She’ll be able to grow her favorite flowers, herbs or other plants in this flowerpot all
year around. It makes for a spot of cheer on the deck, a cute container for a kitchen
herb garden, or a one-of-a-kind way to tuck some green into a bare corner of the
house. (No green thumb? Fill the pots with some artificial greenery or flowers in-
stead.)
You can find terra-cotta pots at any garden or craft store at very reasonable prices
and in a variety of sizes. Some advice from experience: Buy more than one pot, be-
cause you’re going to love the finished product so much that you’ll want to make it 6. Brush Mod Podge on the top rim and
again and again. inside the pot.
While you’re stocking up on your supplies, be sure to grab some Mod Podge, a
foam brush, sequined trim or ribbon, and a few small rocks. Of course, you’ll need a
plant and potting soil, too – unless you’re going the artificial route, in which case
you’ll need a small bouquet or bunch of greenery, and a Styrofoam block or floral
foam that will fit into your pot (both of which you can easily trim to fit).
If you are a regular crafter, you might have leftover fabric pieces put away for just
this type of project. These scraps are exactly what you need to plan your design. If you
don’t have any on hand, visit a fabric store and check out the scraps and swatches. Be
creative: Mix and match colors, patterns, even fabrics. Stripes and solids, polka dots,
zigzag – the choices are limited only by your sense of style and fun.

Prep the pots alternating design.

If you’re using real plants, spray the
inside and outside of the pot with
acrylic sealer to make it waterproof.
This will prevent water from leaching
through the pot and creating water
bubbles in the fabric.
Also, consider painting the pot white
before you apply the fabric. This way,
the dark color of the terra-cotta won’t
show through if you use a light-colored
fabric. Let the paint dry completely
before applying the fabric.
Wrap the fabric and trim
You can cut the fabric to wrap around
the pot, or you can cut it into strips and
glue each vertically around it,
overlapping slightly until the pot is
covered. If you’re using fabrics with
different patterns, cutting them into
strips is a great way to create an
Once the pot is covered, finish it off by
adding a little pizzazz to the rim. Think 7. Cut two or three slits in the fabric at
sequined ribbon or a touch of lace for a the top to help it bend neatly around
bit of elegance. Or, wrap some twine the opening and prevent it from
around the rim and glue a unique bunching up.
button to the center. You might even
paint the rim in a color that
complements the fabric.
Add the greenery
For a live plant: Before potting, place
small rocks at the bottom of the pot to
allow water to drain easily. Fill in the
gaps with some more potting soil.
For an artificial plant or flowers: Trim
the foam or Styrofoam block to fit into
the pot and use it to hold them in place.
When you’re satisfied with your
8. Apply another layer of Mod Podge
arrangement, fill the pot with rocks or
around the entire outside of the pot.
fake moss for the finished look.
6D ❚ FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2023 ❚ USA TODAY WEEKEND EXTRA

Citrus seed planted 61 years ago

becomes a family’s labor of love
Kendra Meinert Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis.

I
t’s the member of the family Mark Was lets in the house only when
it gets cold outside.h Not to name names – oops, it doesn’t have
one – but it stands more than 61⁄2 feet tall, barely fits through the
door, is undeniably bottom-heavy, has been known to make a
mess in the corner and has a reputation for being a thorn in his wife’s
side. h Still, Was couldn’t love that grapefruit tree more.

He was in second grade when he and

his mom planted a seed from the half of
grapefruit he was having for breakfast
that morning. Not only did it sprout, but
When he was a child,
61 years later, the tree it grew into is still Mark Was and
with him.
It spent the first 20 years at his par- his mom planted
ents’ house, graduating from plastic a seed from half a
pots to whiskey barrels. It moved in with
him when he got his own apartment, grapefruit. More
and for the past 30 years, home sweet
home has been Was and wife Linda
than a half-century
Gendrich’s house in Wauwatosa, Wis- later, the tree it grew
consin, where it’s part of the family.
It summers out on the patio and has
into is still with him.
breezed through high winds tipping it
over, deer sampling its leaves and squir-
rels using its pot to bury treasures. In still going strong.
the fall, it rides out the Wisconsin win- It’s rootbound, but about every three
ters in a southeast corner of the house years they pull it out of the pot, cut the
with a window view and a grow light for roots back, give it fresh soil and watch it
“a little oomph.” flourish once the summer temperatures
arrive. Just as Was’ mom told him all
‘I don’t know how those years ago: “Water and sunshine,
my parents did it’ and it’ll thrive.”

Getting the nearly 100-pound tree in
the house and back out again is quite
the biannual production.
It can grow as much as a foot during
the summer, so Was usually prunes it
back in the fall. It then gets wrapped in
blankets and wrapped with bungee
cords and twine to reign in the branches
to better navigate it through the door. It
has taken him, Gendrich and a neighbor
to wrangle it, and even then somebody
or some wall still gets scratched or
poked by one of its sizable thorns.
“I don’t know how my parents did it
for the first 20 years,” Was said. “As soon
as I moved to Wauwatosa, they showed
up with it in the back of the car and it
was like, ‘Here, we don’t want it any-
more.’ ”
Gendrich has been known to share
that sentiment at times, but despite her
pleas to “get rid of the thing,” the tree is
‘I can’t get rid of it. I just can’t.’
Things were a little touch and go
about 10 years ago when the tree devel-
oped a spider mite infestation, but ad-
vice from friend and nationally known
gardening expert Melinda Myers and
the staff at the Mitchell Park Domes in
Milwaukee got it under control.
“Unfortunately, it has never bore any
fruit, and I don’t know why,” said Was,
who has long given up hope that it ever
will. “At 61, it’s well past its prime – kind
of like me.”
What it lacks in breakfast table offer-
ings, it makes up for as a conversation
piece. At every Christmas party, birth-
day party and picnic on the patio, it nev-
er fails to get people talking. When visi-
tors can’t believe it’s a grapefruit tree,
Was plucks off a leaf to rub between
their fingers so they can get a whiff of
Mark Was’ the citrusy aroma.
grapefruit tree There was a time when he considered
spends his donating it to the Mitchell Park Horti-
summers out cultural Conservatory in Milwaukee,
on the patio. known as The Domes, where it could
Come winter, live out its golden years in a spacious
however, and toasty year-round home surround-
getting it into ed by tropical friends and no more
the house takes stressful seasonal moves.
muscle and “But I can’t do that. It’s part of my
some creative childhood,” he said. “I can’t get rid of it. I
maneuvering. just can’t.”
PROVIDED BY A little piece of his mom is growing
MARK WAS with that tree. It brings back memories
of her sitting at the table going through
plant catalogs in January and February
to pick out the peppers and tomatoes
she started from seed.
She’s the love in this labor of love.
He’s pretty sure each fall and spring
when it’s time to move the tree, she’s
looking down and laughing to herself.

SPRING FLOWER MEANINGS

Grateful

What special message does a particular kind of flower send? Here are some traditional symbolic
flower meanings, representing different aspects of personality and character.

Alstroemeria Carnation Chrysanthemum Daisy Iris Gladiolus

Friendship, devotion Love, admiration, Longevity, joy Beauty, innocence Faith, hope, wisdom Strength of
gratitude character, moral
integrity

Lily Orchid Rose Snapdragon Tulip

Motherhood, virtue Rare beauty, love Love, appreciation Strength, Perfect love, charity
graciousness

PHOTOS BY ADOBE; JUNKO KIMURA/GETTY IMAGES; PROVIDED BY ELLEN PEFFLEY; ISTOCK, GETTY IMAGES; GETTY IMAGES;
LYNETTE L. WALTHER/SPECIAL TO USA TODAY NETWORK; IAN GAVAN/GETTY IMAGES; ABIGAIL DOLLINS/USA TODAY NETWORK
 NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 1NN

INSIDE
IRS pledges more
audits of wealthy,
better customer
service. 6NN

2 Dems
Military strikes Lebanon, expelled
Gaza after rocket attacks by Tenn.
House
Republican move
is retaliation after
gun control protest
Kimberlee Kruesi
and Jonathan Mattise
ASSOCIATED PRESS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In an extraordi-

nary act of political retaliation, Tennes-
see Republicans on Thursday expelled
two Democratic lawmakers from the
state Legislature for their role in a pro-
test calling for more gun control in the
aftermath of a deadly school shooting in
Smoke rises above buildings in the Gaza Strip as Israel launches airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave late Thursday. Nashville. A third Democrat was nar-
MOHAMMED ABED/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES rowly spared by a one-vote margin.
The split votes drew accusations of

ISRAEL VOWS
racism, with lawmakers ousting Reps.
Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who
are both Black, while Rep. Gloria John-
son, who is white, survived the vote on
her expulsion. Republican leadership
denied that race was a factor, however.
Banishment is a move the chamber

‘HEAVY PRICE’
Josef Federman and Fares Akram
ASSOCIATED PRESS
JERUSALEM – Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon
early Friday and resumed airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, the
Israeli military said, marking a further escalation in the re-
gion following violence this week at Jerusalem’s most sensi-
tive holy site.
The military said it targeted installations of the Palestin-
ian militant group Hamas in southern Lebanon. The Leba-
nese TV station Al Mayadeen reported explosions in the
southern port city of Tyre.
The strikes in southern Lebanon came after militants
from Lebanon fired nearly three dozen rockets at Israel on
Thursday.
Meanwhile, Gaza militants resumed rocket fire toward
southern Israel early Friday following Israeli attacks there.
The fighting comes during a delicate time – when Jews
are celebrating the Passover holiday and Muslims are mark-
ing the Ramadan holy month. Similar tensions spilled over
into an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers in
2021.
Police remove the remains of an intercepted rocket fired
from Lebanon in Shlomi, Israel, on Thursday. ARIEL SCHALIT/AP
The fighting comes during a
delicate time – when Jews are
celebrating the Passover holiday
and Muslims are marking the
Ramadan holy month.
The current round of violence began Wednesday after Is-
raeli police twice raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s
Old City. That led Thursday to rocket fire from Gaza and, in a
significant escalation, an unusual barrage of nearly three
dozen rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel.
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened
his Security Cabinet for a three-hour meeting late Thursday,
and his office put out a short statement saying a series of
See ISRAEL, Page 11NN
An Israeli soldier guides a tank on the border with
Lebanon on Thursday. ARIEL SCHALIT/AP
has used only a handful times since the
Civil War. Most state legislatures have
the power to expel members, but it is
generally reserved as a punishment for
lawmakers accused of serious miscon-
duct, not used as a weapon against po-
litical opponents.
Jones, Pearson and Johnson joined
in protesting last week as hundreds of
demonstrators packed the Capitol to call
for passage of gun-control measures. As
the protesters filled galleries, the three
approached the front of the House
chamber with a bullhorn and participat-
ed in a chant.
The protest unfolded days after the
shooting at the Covenant School, a pri-
vate Christian school where six people
were killed, including three children.
“We are losing our democracy. This is
not normal. This is not OK,” Pearson told
reporters Thursday. The three “broke a
House rule because we’re fighting for
kids who are dying from gun violence
and people in our communities who
want to see an end to the proliferation of
weaponry in our communities.”
Johnson, a retired teacher, said her
concern about school shootings was
personal, recalling a day in 2008 when
students came running toward her out
of a cafeteria because a student had just
been shot and killed.
“The trauma on those faces, you will
never, ever forget. I don’t want to forget
it,” she said.
Thousands of people flocked to the
Capitol to support Jones, Pearson and
Johnson on Thursday, cheering and
chanting outside the House chamber
loudly enough to drown out the pro-
ceedings.
The trio held hands as they walked
onto the floor, and Pearson raised a fist
during the Pledge of Allegiance.
Offered a chance to defend himself
See TENNESSEE, Page 7NN

US would bar full bans

on transgender athletes
But proposed rule allows some exceptions
Collin Binkley
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – Schools and col-
leges across the U.S. would be forbidden
from enacting outright bans on trans-
gender athletes under a proposal re-
leased Thursday from the Biden ad-
ministration, but teams could create
some limits in certain cases – for exam-
ple, to ensure fairness.
The proposed rule sends a political
counterpunch toward a wave of Repub-
lican-led states that have sought to ban
trans athletes from competing in school
More inside
Kansas OKs bill on opting kids out of
LGBTQ-themed lessons; High court says
W.Va. trans girl can run girls track. 8NN
sports that align with their gender iden-
tities.
If finalized, the proposal would be-
come enshrined as a provision of Title
IX, the landmark gender equity legisla-
tion enacted in 1972. People attend a Transgender Day of Visibility rally near the U.S. Capitol in
It must undergo a lengthy approval Washington on March 31. Schools and colleges would be forbidden from enacting
outright bans on trans athletes under a Biden administration proposal.
See ATHLETES, Page 9NN JACQUELYN MARTIN/AP FILE

SUBSCRIBER-EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL EDITION

2NN | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

In the digital e-edition, you can click anywhere on the US map to get up-to-date forecasts, radar, MinuteCast® and more.
NATIONAL SUMMARY
Rounds of rain and thun- Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation for Friday. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
derstorms will extend
from central and southern
Winnipeg
Texas to the Carolinas and 33/18
southern Virginia today. Seattle Montreal
Localized flooding can 53/43 38/23
occur. Much of Florida and Billings
southern Georgia will re- 61/39
Minneapolis Toronto
main dry. Areas of rain and 44/25
53/36
mountain snow will affect
Washington, Oregon and
Detroit
Northern California. Most
51/31
other areas across the
New York
nation will be dry. 61/38
Chicago
San Francisco 52/37 Washington
Denver 59/44
58/48 66/40
Kansas City
Los Angeles 66/39
69/51
Fairbanks
23/2
Atlanta
El Paso 73/46
Anchorage 69/47
35/20 Houston
Juneau 61/56
46/36
Honolulu Chihuahua
83/73 73/48
Miami
Hilo Monterrey 85/74
78/67 65/53
-10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Showers T-storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Cold front Warm front Stationary front

THURSDAY EXTREMES TODAY IN HISTORY WEATHER TRIVIA™

NATIONAL (for the 48 contiguous states) INTERNATIONAL (excludes Antarctica) Lightning struck an oil refinery on April 7, Q: Flowers can sprout even when the air is still
High: 93 at Plant City, FL High: 114 at N’guigmi, Niger 1926, at San Luis Obispo, Calif. The resulting cold; why?
Low: -19 at Yellowstone N.P., WY Low: -34 at Sebyan-Kyuyol, Russia fire lasted five days, scorched 900 acres and
Precip: 3.51” at Caldwell, TX Precip: 4.38” at Kochi, Japan burned more than 6 million barrels of oil.

A: Increased solar radiation warms the soil

NATIONAL CITIES FRIDAY O Denotes possible travel delays

Air Air Air Air
High/low/W Quality High/low/W Quality High/low/W Quality High/low/W Quality
Aberdeen, SD 36/21/s 37 Evansville, IN 62/40/pc 25 Levittown, PA 60/37/pc 40 Rochester, NY 42/25/pc 41
Abilene, TX 63/46/sh 40 Fall River, MA 61/32/pc 25 Lincoln, IL 61/36/s 25 Rockford, IL 58/35/s 25
Accomac, VA 53/43/r 33 Farmington, NM 67/39/s 49 Louisville, KY 61/43/pc 25 Ruidoso, NM 57/35/pc 41
Adrian, MI 52/29/s 25 O Fayetteville, NC 67/46/r 30 Lubbock, TX 66/40/c 25 Salem, OR 57/42/r 50
Akron, OH 51/29/pc 25 Fond du Lac, WI 48/35/pc 25 O Manitowoc, WI 38/32/pc 25 Salina, KS 69/37/s 48
Alamogordo, NM 69/41/pc 59 Fort Myers, FL 90/68/pc 25 Mansfield, OH 51/29/pc 40 Salinas, CA 63/52/c 25
Alexandria, VA 58/43/c 38 Fort Smith, AR 67/46/pc 45 O Marshall, NC 56/44/r 30 Salisbury, MD 55/42/c 21
Alliance, OH 52/28/pc 25 Framingham, MA 57/30/pc 25 O Marshfield, WI 48/31/pc 25 San Angelo, TX 54/46/c 37
Amarillo, TX 64/37/pc 25 Freeport, IL 56/34/s 25 Massillon, OH 53/28/pc 25 Sarasota, FL 85/68/pc 25
Ames, IA 65/35/s 25 Fremont, OH 48/30/s 40 McLean, VA 57/43/c 38 O Savannah, GA 83/58/t 41
O Anderson, SC 67/45/t 33 Fort Collins, CO 63/35/s 25 Melbourne, FL 84/68/pc 25 O Sheboygan, WI 39/35/pc 25
O Appleton, WI 44/31/pc 25 O Gadsden, AL 63/48/t 34 Memphis, TN 60/50/pc 31 O Shelby, NC 63/42/r 30
O Asheville, NC 60/42/r 30 Gainesville, FL 88/65/c 25 Middletown, NY 53/30/pc 42 Sherman, TX 63/48/c 29
Ashland, OH 50/28/pc 25 Galesburg, IL 59/32/s 25 Milford, MA 55/30/pc 25 O Shreveport, LA 53/49/t 27
O Athens, GA 72/46/t 33 O Gastonia, NC 64/44/r 30 Milwaukee, WI 42/35/s 25 Silver City, NM 66/40/s 48
O Augusta, GA 80/49/t 32 Glen Rose, TX 55/49/t 27 Monroe, MI 48/34/s 25 Sioux Falls, SD 62/36/s 26
O Austin, TX 54/51/t 25 O Gonzales, LA 74/66/t 33 O Monroe, LA 54/52/t 28 Somerset, PA 48/27/pc 17
Bartlesville, OK 68/33/pc 60 Great Falls, MT 61/36/c 46 O Montgomery, AL 80/57/t 34 Somerville, NJ 60/35/pc 35
Battle Creek, MI 53/31/s 25 O Green Bay, WI 43/31/pc 25 Muncie, IN 57/36/pc 46 South Bend, IN 55/33/s 25
Bedford, IN 59/38/pc 44 O Greenville, SC 65/42/r 33 Murfreesboro, TN 56/47/r 44 O Spartanburg, SC 64/43/r 33
Binghamton, NY 43/23/pc 44 Hackensack, NJ 59/37/pc 43 O Naples, FL 88/68/sh 25 Springfield, IL 61/35/s 25
O Bluffton, SC 80/59/t 34 Hagerstown, MD 56/37/pc 21 Nashville, TN 58/48/pc 44 Springfield, MO 61/36/pc 53
Bremerton, WA 54/41/r 34 O Hattiesburg, MS 74/62/t 23 Neptune, NJ 59/39/pc 35 St. Augustine, FL 82/68/pc 25
Brockton, MA 60/32/pc 25 Henderson, KY 60/40/pc 25 New Bedford, MA 61/32/pc 25 St. Cloud, MN 43/28/pc 50
Brownwood, TX 55/46/t 34 O Hendersonville, NC 62/41/r 30 O New Bern, NC 66/47/sh 30 St. George, UT 69/46/pc 25
Burlington, IA 61/35/s 44 Herkimer, NY 44/25/pc 42 New Philadelphia, OH 55/28/pc 25 Staunton, VA 53/37/r 35
O Burlington, NC 58/44/r 30 Hillsdale, MI 52/30/s 39 Newark, OH 57/29/pc 43 O Stevens Point, WI 47/30/c 25
Burlington, VT 43/26/pc 45 Holland, MI 44/36/s 25 Newton, NJ 55/30/pc 35 Stockton, CA 62/46/c 38
Cambridge, OH 57/31/pc 33 Hornell, NY 46/25/s 40 New York, NY 61/38/pc 43 Stroudsburg, PA 54/29/pc 35
Camdenton, MO 61/35/pc 49 O Houma, LA 79/68/t 29 Norwich, CT 59/29/pc 25 Stuart, FL 83/69/pc 25
Canandaigua, NY 43/25/pc 44 Howell, MI 49/29/s 25 Ocala, FL 90/65/pc 25 Sturgis, MI 53/32/s 25
Canton, OH 52/29/pc 25 Hutchinson, KS 67/35/s 47 Oklahoma City, OK 66/43/pc 55 O Tallahassee, FL 87/66/t 25
Carlsbad, NM 61/41/c 48 O Hyannis, MA 60/35/pc 25 O Opelousas, LA 67/60/t 29 O Thibodaux, LA 76/67/t 29
Chambersburg, PA 56/35/pc 21 Indianapolis, IN 57/36/pc 25 O Oshkosh, WI 44/33/pc 25 Topeka, KS 67/37/s 51
Cherry Hill, NJ 60/39/pc 40 Iowa City, IA 62/35/s 40 Palm Beach, FL 83/75/pc 25 O Tuscaloosa, AL 63/55/t 27
Cincinnati, OH 58/37/pc 36 Ithaca, NY 43/24/pc 44 Palm Springs, CA 84/57/s 93 Utica, NY 43/24/pc 41
Clarksville, TN 59/44/pc 44 O Jackson, MS 60/56/t 42 O Panama City, FL 81/68/t 75 Ventura, CA 60/48/s 44
Coldwater, MI 53/31/s 25 Jackson, TN 59/49/pc 22 Pekin, IL 62/36/s 25 Victorville, CA 72/44/s 77
Columbus, OH 57/32/pc 43 Jacksonville, FL 85/67/sh 25 O Pensacola, FL 81/68/t 25 Vineland, NJ 60/39/pc 35
Corning, NY 49/25/pc 44 O Jacksonville, NC 71/47/sh 30 Peoria, IL 61/36/s 25 Visalia, CA 69/48/pc 46
O Corpus Christi, TX 62/57/t 25 Kent, OH 50/27/s 25 Petersburg, VA 53/44/r 25 Washington, DC 59/44/c 38
Daytona Beach, FL 84/66/pc 25 Kewanee, IL 59/34/s 25 Phoenix, AZ 84/57/s 67 Watertown, SD 35/27/s 33
Deming, NM 70/42/s 46 Keyser, WV 56/33/pc 17 Port Huron, MI 42/25/s 40 O Wausau, WI 46/31/pc 25
O DeRidder, LA 61/54/t 29 O Kinston, NC 64/46/r 30 O Portsmouth, NH 54/29/pc 25 Waynesboro, PA 55/37/pc 21
Des Moines, IA 64/38/s 25 O Knoxville, TN 55/47/r 48 Poughkeepsie, NY 55/31/pc 42 White Plains, NY 56/33/pc 25
Detroit, MI 51/31/s 25 Lafayette, IN 60/35/s 42 Providence, RI 59/33/pc 25 Wichita Falls, TX 68/46/pc 45
Devils Lake, ND 30/21/pc 42 O Lafayette, LA 72/63/t 29 Pueblo, CO 72/37/s 25 Wilmington, DE 59/39/pc 21
Dover, NH 52/27/pc 25 Lakeland, FL 91/66/pc 25 O Quincy, MA 58/33/pc 25 O Wilmington, NC 78/48/t 30
O El Paso, TX 69/47/pc 75 Lansing, MI 49/30/s 25 O Redding, CA 56/51/sh 41 O Wisconsin Rapids, WI 50/32/pc 25
Elmira, NY 50/25/pc 44 Las Cruces, NM 71/43/s 47 Reno, NV 54/37/pc 25 Wooster, OH 49/26/pc 25
Erie, PA 43/29/s 35 Lebanon, PA 56/36/pc 35 Ravenna, OH 50/27/s 25 Worcester, MA 52/29/pc 25
Eugene, OR 57/38/r 25 Leesburg, FL 90/67/pc 25 Richmond, IN 56/33/pc 41 York, PA 57/37/pc 35
Air Quality Index: 0-50, Good; 51-100, Moderate; 101-150, Unhealthy for sensitive groups; 151-200, Unhealthy; 201-300, Very unhealthy; 301-500, Hazardous
INTERNATIONAL CITIES
Friday Saturday Friday Saturday Friday Saturday Friday Saturday
High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W High/low/W
Acapulco 87/69/s 88/69/s O Cape Town 66/56/c 67/52/pc La Paz 55/36/sh 53/34/c San Jose 84/64/sh 86/65/sh
Addis Ababa 74/54/sh 75/54/sh Caracas 88/74/t 88/74/c Lagos 91/79/t 89/79/t San Salvador 88/66/s 88/68/s
Algiers 70/40/s 74/45/s Casablanca 81/53/s 77/54/c Lima 83/74/pc 83/73/s Santiago 87/50/s 86/49/s
Amman 81/59/s 83/64/pc Colombo 90/75/pc 89/75/sh Lisbon 75/53/s 77/54/s Sao Paulo 72/65/sh 72/62/t
Amsterdam 50/42/c 57/44/pc Copenhagen 46/38/r 54/39/r London 59/38/pc 61/39/c Sarajevo 54/33/pc 53/37/pc
Ankara 52/30/t 60/42/pc O Damascus 81/48/s 83/56/pc Madrid 77/41/s 80/44/s Shanghai 65/44/s 68/45/s
Asuncion 83/64/pc 85/62/s Dublin 55/39/pc 55/44/c Manila 93/78/s 93/78/s O Singapore 85/76/sh 87/76/sh
Athens 61/47/s 63/47/pc Geneva 52/37/sh 58/37/pc Mexico City 82/55/r 82/56/sh Stockholm 41/32/pc 46/21/pc
O Auckland 72/58/pc 67/54/r Guatemala City 83/60/pc 82/59/s Milan 56/39/sh 65/44/s Sydney 73/61/t 77/60/s
Baghdad 86/58/pc 91/61/pc Hanoi 79/70/pc 72/65/r Mombasa 92/77/pc 92/78/s O Taipei 66/58/r 72/58/c
Bangkok 98/83/t 94/79/r Harare 79/56/s 83/59/s Montevideo 74/56/pc 75/55/s Tegucigalpa 87/62/pc 87/63/pc
Beijing 62/38/s 72/44/s Havana 90/65/s 88/67/sh Montreal 38/23/pc 40/27/s Tehran 77/55/s 76/58/s
Beirut 77/60/s 73/63/c Helsinki 41/31/s 43/33/s Moscow 49/30/pc 51/36/pc O Tokyo 70/60/r 67/47/sh
Belgrade 42/38/c 45/36/sh O Hong Kong 75/67/c 72/66/sh O Nairobi 81/61/pc 81/60/t Toronto 44/25/pc 44/32/s
Berlin 45/41/c 54/40/sh Jakarta 90/74/t 90/75/pc New Delhi 91/68/pc 93/66/pc Tunis 66/46/pc 71/50/s
O Bogota 63/50/sh 63/50/sh Jerusalem 79/54/s 80/61/pc Panama City 93/70/r 92/71/pc Vancouver 55/44/r 50/45/sh
Brussels 51/42/sh 56/38/sh Johannesburg 78/58/s 79/58/s Paris 57/40/pc 59/39/c Vienna 47/38/c 44/38/r
Bucharest 49/36/c 56/39/pc Kabul 65/43/s 70/46/s Port-au-Prince 90/67/sh 91/68/pc Warsaw 55/34/r 56/41/sh
O Budapest 45/37/c 46/38/r Khartoum 102/75/s 101/76/s O Rio de Janeiro 80/72/c 80/74/r O Yerevan 58/43/t 60/34/c
Buenos Aires 74/63/s 75/64/s Kyiv 55/43/c 56/44/sh Riyadh 87/66/pc 83/59/pc Zagreb 59/38/pc 50/38/sh
Cairo 93/62/s 93/74/c Kingston 86/74/pc 86/75/s Rome 61/48/s 60/43/t O Zurich 48/39/sh 55/37/sh
O Denotes possible travel delays Friday Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
©2023; forecasts and graphics provided by

2 teens among 5 killed in Mo. tornado
Jim Salter and Heather Hollingsworth
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Two teenagers in love. A retiree who
would “give you the shirt off his back.” A
woman with a fondness for her dog, and
pigs. A young man who was the “life of
the party.”
Those were the lives lost in the early-
morning darkness Wednesday when a
killer tornado tore through a remote vil-
lage in a hilly area of southeastern Mis-
souri. The Missouri State Highway Pa-
trol said Thursday that all five victims
were either in the same mobile home, or
divided between the trailer and a small
camper parked next to it.
“My baby,” Stormiee Mayberry, in a
direct Facebook message, said of her 18-
year-old son, Michael McCoy, one of the
victims. “He was such a strong wonder-
ful young man he was my everything.”
“I truly cannot talk right now,” she
added. “It’s too much. Too much hurt.”
The tornado strafed a 22-mile stretch
of land and destroyed much of the tiny
rural village of Glen Allen shortly after
3:30 a.m. Wednesday. It came during a
week of violent storms and tornadoes.
In fact, another twister Wednesday
night claimed a life in Kentucky, where
three EF-1 tornadoes touched down,
with maximum winds of 110 mph.
The Missouri victims were: Glenn
Burcks, 62, who lived in the mobile
home in Glen Allen. Susan Sullivan, 57,
also lived there, along with her 37-year-
old nephew, James Skaggs. Also killed
were Sullivan’s 16-year-old grand-
daughter, Destinee Nicole Koenig of Sik-
eston, Missouri, and McCoy, her boy-
friend.
Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott
said investigators aren’t sure if any of
the victims were in the camper when
the tornado hit.
The mobile home essentially explod-
ed, leaving only scattered debris and a
rusted metal chassis. Some shards of
metal stuck to tree limbs. Tattered re-
mains of furniture sat in a field. A few
old photos, videotapes and even base-
ball cards dotted the mud near the
home’s concrete pad.
McCoy’s uncle, Rustin Kinder, said
the teenager’s dad and another uncle
hurried to the trailer once they heard
about the tornado. The uncle found Mc-
Coy badly injured in a field. Kinder said
his nephew was rushed to a hospital but
“just couldn’t hang on.”
Kinder described McCoy as charis-
In his veto message, President Joe Biden said the congressional measure would
leave Americans without a clear definition of “Waters of the United States.”
PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP
Biden vetoes resolution
that targeted water rule
Matthew Daly
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – Defending his ad-
ministration’s actions on clean water,
President Joe Biden on Thursday ve-
toed a congressional resolution that
would have overturned protections for
the nation’s waterways that Republi-
cans have criticized as overly intrusive.
Republicans – and some Democrats
– targeted an Environmental Protec-
tion Agency rule protecting thousands
of small streams, wetlands and other
waterways, labeling it an environmen-
tal overreach that harms businesses,
developers and farmers.
In separate votes, the House and
Senate used the Congressional Review
Act to enact a measure blocking the
clean water rule, which was adopted at
the end of last year.
In his veto message Thursday, Biden
said the bipartisan measure would
leave Americans without a clear defini-
tion of “Waters of the United States.” A
dispute over the term – and the breadth
NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 3NN
Residents of Glen Allen, Mo., console each other at a community prayer event Wednesday evening in the aftermath of a
deadly tornado. MEGAN BURKE/THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN VIA AP
matic and funny and said he was “young
and in love” with Koenig, calling her Mc-
Coy’s “whole world.”
“He basically had a bright future, you
know, but he didn’t even get a chance to
have a family,” Kinder said. “And, you
know, it’s just sad, really.”
Koenig was a sophomore at New Ma-
drid High School and loved animals, es-
pecially cats and dogs. Principal Justin
Poley said the school is offering help for
students dealing with the loss of their
classmate. “She did have quite a few
friends that are having a difficult time
right now,” Poley said.
Burcks was “a sweet and giving man,
and he’d give the shirt off his back for
you,” his sister-in-law, Dorothy Burcks,
said. Glenn Burcks considered Sullivan
and her relatives family.
of the landmark Clean Water Act –
stretches across at least three presi-
dential administrations.
Environmentalists and Democratic
presidents have pushed to broaden the
definition and protect more waterways
from pollution, while right-leaning
groups and the Trump administration
argued that protecting fewer water-
ways would benefit builders, farmers
and business.
“The increased uncertainty” caused
by the congressional action “would
threaten economic growth, including
for agriculture, local economies and
downstream communities,” Biden said
in his veto statement.
The Senate voted, 53-43, last week
to overturn the water rule. The Repub-
lican-controlled House approved the
resolution 227-198. A Congressional
Review Act resolution requires a simple
majority and can’t be filibustered.
In all, four Democratic senators and
one independent, along with nine
Democratic House members, voted in
favor of the resolution.
Burcks had worked at a saw mill but
was in ill health and was retired, Do-
rothy Burcks said.
“He lived out in the country all his
life,” she said. “He loved country. He
didn’t like the town life or the city life.”
Sullivan worked as a teacher for Head
Start for about 15 years, according to her
obituary. She had a fondness for her
dog, “Baby,” and for pigs.
Skaggs “loved to take pictures, have
fun and be the life of the party,” his obit-
uary stated.
A funeral service for Koenig, and me-
morial services for Sullivan and Skaggs,
will be Monday in nearby Marble Hill.
Arrangements were incomplete for
Burcks and McCoy.
In Kentucky, Jefferson County Depu-
ty Coroner Steve Moran identified the
Officials: Wildfire threat
growing as drought gets
steadily worse in Florida
Curt Anderson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The threat
of wildfires is growing in Florida over
the coming weeks as more than half the
state is experiencing severe to extreme
drought conditions likely to persist un-
til rainy season resumes around mid-
May, state and federal officials said
Thursday.
The National Weather Service’s Cli-
mate Prediction Center reported
Thursday that 55% of Florida is in the
severe to extreme drought category,
with most of the rest of the state listed
as “abnormally dry.” The driest condi-
tions are in southwest Florida, the
same region hammered by Hurricane
Ian in September.
“When you look at a drought map of
the state of Florida, you have very dry
conditions all across the state,” said Ag-
riculture Commissioner Wilton Simp-
son, whose agency includes the Florida
Forest Service. “We’ve had numerous
fires already.”
Indeed, since Jan. 1 more than 1,000
wildfires in Florida have burned over
33,000 acres, according to state statis-
tics. No evacuations, injuries or major
damage to structures have been report-
ed from the fires so far, but that could
quickly change as April temperatures
heat up without the frequent rain-
storms that occur in summer.
Rainfall totals so far this year are
well below normal in most of Florida,
agriculture department figures show.
And as climate change overall raises
temperatures around the world, in
Florida for February alone 82% of coun-
ties were hotter than the typical levels
in the 20th century – affecting an esti-
mated 19.5 million people.
Last year, more than 1,100 people
were evacuated during huge wildfires
in the Florida Panhandle, much of it the
result of dead timber and forest debris
left over from Hurricane Michael’s path
victim as Billy Corum, 30, of Louisville.
Moran said Corum was walking his dog
near his home Wednesday when high
winds knocked over a tree that struck
Corum in the head.
Preliminary findings on Thursday in-
dicated that the tornadoes struck two
areas of Louisville, meteorologist Brian
Neudorff said. The storm toppled trees
and power lines and tore the roof off an
apartment building. A separate tornado
with maximum winds of 110 mph
touched down in the Brandonburg area
of Mead County, less than an hour
southwest of Louisville, Neudorff said.
Bob Oravec, a lead weather service
forecaster, said more severe weather
was possible Thursday in an area
stretching from eastern Texas to the
mid-Atlantic states.
A wildfire burns near Panama City,
Fla., last year. State and federal
officials said Thursday that the threat
of wildfires is growing in Florida over
the coming weeks.
MIKE FENDER/NEWS HERALD VIA AP FILE
of destruction in 2018. Officials esti-
mated then that Michael, a Category 5
cyclone, left behind 72 million tons of
fallen trees in the area around Panama
City.
Two years before that, another 1,000
homes were evacuated and some de-
stroyed by another series of fires in an-
other part of the Panhandle.
Officials fear the southwest part of
the state where Hurricane Ian’s
150 mph winds downed thousands of
trees could also become a tinderbox.
It’s also the only area in Florida in the
“extreme” drought category, according
to the weather service.
“The further south you go, the drier
it is,” said Rick Dolan, chief of the state
Forest Service. “Wildfire activity in the
state is expected to increase.”
Although lightning strikes often
cause wildfires, Simpson said arson
and people losing control of backyard
or farm fires are a bigger danger. The
state Forest Service has about 1,200
employees, half of whom are certified
to fight wildfires.
“Most people who start these fires,
they’re unintentional,” he said. “This
time of the year is when we’re more
concerned.”
4NN | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
Okla. AG: Glossip should get new trial
Sean Murphy
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OKLAHOMA CITY – The conviction
and death sentence for Oklahoma death
row inmate Richard Glossip should be
thrown out and a new trial ordered, the
state’s new attorney general said Thurs-
day, as support has grown even among
death penalty supporters who say Glos-
sip is innocent.
In a filing with the Oklahoma Court of
Criminal Appeals, Attorney General
Gentner Drummond said
that although the state is
not suggesting Glossip is
innocent, the key witness
against Glossip lied to the
jury about his psychiatric
treatment and reasons
Drummond for taking the mood-sta-
bilizing drug lithium.
That information was only recently
disclosed to Glossip’s defense team af-
ter Drummond turned over a box of evi-
dence, consisting largely of prosecutors’
notes in the case, that Drummond’s
predecessor, John O’Connor, had previ-
ously designated as “work product.”
“After thorough and serious deliber-
Few details in stabbing death of app founder
Matt O’Brien and Janie Har
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO – Details of how
tech executive Bob Lee came to be fatal-
ly stabbed in downtown San Francisco
early Tuesday were scarce as friends
and family continued to mourn the man
they called brilliant, kind and unlike
others in the industry.
San Francisco police found Lee, 43,
on the sidewalk in front of a condomini-
um building with stab wounds shortly
after 2:35 a.m. Tuesday. He was taken to
a hospital, where he died. He leaves be-
hind two children.
The neighborhood where the stab-
bing occurred is near the Embarcadero
waterfront and full of tech offices, tow-
ering condominium buildings and not
much else late at night.
Lee is known for creating the widely
used mobile payment service Cash App
while working as chief technology offi-
cer of the payment company Square,
now known as Block. He was the chief
product officer for the cryptocurrency
firm MobileCoin at the time of his death.
Lee was back in San Francisco for a
visit after moving to Miami in October,
his father, Rick Lee, said on social
media. The two had been living in the
San Francisco suburb of Mill Valley.
“Bob would give you the shirt off his
back,” Rick Lee wrote. “He would never
look down on anyone and adhered to a
strict no-judgment philosophy. Bobby
worked harder than anyone and was the
smartest person I have ever known.”
San Francisco Police Sgt. Adam
Lobsinger said in a video message
Thursday that the investigation is still
early and the department would not
comment on evidence or speculate on
circumstances.
Lee defied the arrogant and self-cen-
tered “tech bro” stereotype affixed to
certain men in the San Francisco Bay
Area tech scene, and instead exuded an
“innate kindness,” said longtime friend
Tommy Sowers.
Sowers and Lee first met at a fund-
XXXTentacion’s convicted killers get life sentences
ASSOCIATED PRESS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three
men were given life sentences on Thurs-
day for the 2018 killing of star rapper
XXXTentacion, who was shot outside a
South Florida motorcycle shop while
being robbed of $50,000.
Michael Boatwright, 28, Dedrick Wil-
liams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24,
were each convicted last month of first-
degree murder and armed robbery by a
jury following eight days of delibera-
tions.
Prosecutors had not sought the death
penalty, so life in prison was the only
sentence that Broward County Circuit
Judge Michael Usan could impose for
the first-degree murder convictions.
During the month-long trial, prose-
cutors linked Boatwright, Williams and
Newsome to the June 18, 2018, shooting
outside Riva Motorsports in suburban
Fort Lauderdale through extensive sur-
veillance video taken inside and outside
the store, plus cellphone videos the men
took showing themselves flashing fist-
ation, I have concluded that I cannot
stand behind the murder conviction and
death sentence of Richard Glossip,”
Drummond said in a statement. “This is
not to say I believe he is innocent. How-
ever, it is critical that Oklahomans have
absolute faith that the death penalty is
administered fairly and with certainty.
Considering everything I know about
this case, I do not believe that justice is
served by executing a man based on the
testimony of a compromised witness.”
Glossip, now 60, was convicted of the
1997 murder-for-hire killing of his boss,
motel owner Barry Van
Treese, at two separate
trials based largely on the
testimony of his co-de-
fendant, Justin Sneed.
Sneed admitted robbing
and killing Van Treese,
Glossip but claims he only did so
after Glossip agreed to
pay him $10,000. Sneed received a sen-
tence of life in prison.
The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Ap-
peals must decide whether to vacate
Glossip’s conviction and order a new
trial. Glossip is scheduled to be execut-
ed on May 18.
A woman walks past flowers left outside an apartment building Wednesday where a technology executive was fatally
stabbed in San Francisco. ERIC RISBERG/AP
raiser in Washington, D.C., where Sow-
ers, a former Green Beret and Iraq war
veteran, was running for Congress. Lee,
newly hired at Square, was touting an
app that could help his campaign fund-
raising. Both men were from Missouri.
Lee’s two children joined the men on
hikes and dinners. It was not unusual
for Lee to be out late, said Sowers, and
he loved San Francisco.
“I’d want to go to bed at like 9. He
talked me into going someplace till mid-
night, and then he’d be like, ‘Well,
there’s another one,’ and you’d go to
that. And he’s like, ‘There’s another one.’
Trayvon Newsome, from left, Dedrick Williams and Michael Boatwright were
found guilty last month of first-degree murder in the 2018 killing of
XXXTentacion. CARLINE JEAN/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL VIA AP POOL
fuls of $100 bills hours after the slaying.
Prosecutors also had the testimony
of a fourth man, Robert Allen, a former
friend of the defendants who said he
participated in the robbery. He pleaded
guilty last year to second-degree mur-
Glossip’s attorney Don Knight said in
a statement that Drummond’s filing
states what he has long maintained,
which is that Sneed, the state’s key wit-
ness, is not credible.
“It is now clear that it would be un-
conscionable for the state to move for-
ward with Mr. Glossip’s execution when
there is so much doubt surrounding his
conviction,” Knight said.
Drummond’s motion comes on the
same day he released the findings of an
independent counsel’s review of Glos-
sip’s case. That report, conducted by
former District Attorney Rex Duncan,
raised numerous concerns about his
conviction, including uncertainty about
whether an actual polygraph exam was
administered to Glossip, evidence in the
case that was destroyed and a failure by
the state to disclose certain information
to Glossip’s attorneys.
“The state’s murder case against
Glossip was not particularly strong and
would have been, in my view, weaker if
full discovery had been provided,” Dun-
can wrote. “Given the passage of 26
years, death of witnesses, destruction
and loss of evidence, and 2023 eviden-
tiary disclosures, it is, in my view, less
He just had real boundless energy.”
Part of those late-night sessions in-
volved talking about technology, includ-
ing San Francisco’s unique role far away
from the political power in Washington
and the big money in New York.
“San Francisco is all about the idea,
and you’re as good as your current or
next idea,” said Sowers, who, with Lee’s
counsel, went on to start his own real
estate technology company and now
works for a North Carolina-based pri-
vate jet company.
Sowers said he doesn’t know the ori-
gins of the “Crazy Bob” handle Lee used
der.
His sentence was delayed until the
conclusion of the other three defen-
dants’ trial.
Allen’s sentence could be as little as
time served – meaning he could soon be
tenable today.”
A message left Thursday with Van
Treese’s family seeking comment was
not immediately returned. Drummond
said he acknowledges the pain the fam-
ily must be going through.
“My heart truly goes out to the Van
Treese family, who have been waiting
decades for a final measure of justice,”
Drummond said.
Glossip’s case attracted international
attention after actress Susan Sarandon
– who won an Academy Award for her
portrayal of death penalty opponent
Sister Helen Prejean’s fight to save a
man on Louisiana’s death row in the
1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” – took
up his cause in real life. Prejean herself
has served as Glossip’s spiritual adviser
and frequently visited him in prison. His
case also was featured in a 2017 docu-
mentary film titled “Killing Richard
Glossip.”
Republican state Rep. Kevin McDu-
gle, a death-penalty supporter, called on
the Court of Criminal Appeals to grant a
new trial last year, after he said an in-
dependent report produced by a Hous-
ton law firm suggested there were nu-
merous problems with his conviction.
on Twitter.
“But it fit. Not in a way of being reck-
less, but, he was kind of up for any-
thing.”
Lee was also generous with his time
coaching and championing fellow engi-
neers and entrepreneurs, said Wesley
Chan, co-founder of FPV Ventures. The
two met more than a decade ago when
they both worked at Google, where Lee
helped to build the Android smartphone
operating system before its 2008 re-
lease.
Sowers said it’s hard to picture what
led to Lee’s violent death.
released – or as long as life, depending
partly on how much weight prosecutors
give to his assistance.
Defense attorneys accused Allen of
being a liar who was motivated by his
desire to avoid a life sentence. They also
said prosecutors and detectives did a
poor job on the investigation and didn’t
look at other possible suspects.
XXXTentacion, whose real name was
Jahseh Onfroy, had just left Riva Motor-
sports with a friend when an SUV
swerved in front of him and blocked his
BMW.
Surveillance video showed two
masked gunmen emerging and con-
fronting the 20-year-old singer at the
driver’s window, with one shooting him
repeatedly. They then grabbed a bag
containing cash , got back into the SUV
and sped away. The rapper’s friend was
not harmed.
Boatwright was identified as the pri-
mary shooter and Newsome was ac-
cused of being the other gunman. Wil-
liams was accused of driving the SUV
and Allen of being inside the vehicle.

Mass. weighs letting judges order care
Steve LeBlanc
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON – When Ashoke and Vinita
Rampuria’s son returned home after
taking a year off from college, to com-
plete his course work, he didn’t seem
like himself.
“He was unable to complete tasks. He
was lying on the sofa,” said Ashoke
Rampuria, a resident of Acton, Massa-
chusetts. “He took some jobs, but could
not hold them.”
In 2011, his son was diagnosed with
what Rampuria described as a severe
mental illness. He soon began cycling in
and out of health care facilities, appear-
ing to get his illness under control and
then slipping back once released. In
2021, the couple said their son used a
new medication and was able to hold a
job for three months, but did not con-
tinue on the drug.
All along, Rampuria said he and his
wife lacked a crucial tool – the power of
a judge to order their now 36-year-old
son, currently at a psychiatric hospital
in Lynn, Massachusetts, into manda-
tory outpatient care.
Massachusetts, along with Connecti-
cut and Maryland, are the only states
that don’t give courts that authority.
“This is a revolving door. They will
send him to a hospital for a while, then
they will release him and if he doesn’t
take his medicine, he will be back,”
Rampuria said. “If our son could stay on
the treatment continuously for a year,
he will achieve what he wants to
achieve, to hold a job and live indepen-
dently.”
A bill before Massachusetts lawmak-
ers would let family members and men-
tal health professionals ask courts to or-
der outpatient mental health care for
adults with a persistent mental illness
and significant history of serious phys-
ical harm to themselves or others.
The court would be allowed to order a
personalized treatment plan, including
a monthly assessment by a mental
health professional to see if the person
should remain in court-ordered com-
munity treatment, according to the bill’s
author, Democratic state Sen. Cindy
Friedman. The bill is still in the very
early stages of making its way through
the Legislature.
Friedman said the legislation relies in
Catholic church in Md. slammed after report
Lea Skene
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BALTIMORE – While the Catholic
Archdiocese of Baltimore has long tout-
ed its transparency in publishing the
names of clergy credibly accused of sex-
ual abuse, a report released this week by
the Maryland attorney general’s office
raises questions about the integrity of
the church’s list.
Following the report’s long-awaited
release Wednesday, victims and advo-
cates called on the Baltimore archbish-
op to address discrepancies – their lat-
est demand for transparency in a dec-
adeslong fight to expose the church’s
coverup tactics.
They also celebrated a major step to-
ward potential legal recourse: state leg-
islation passed Wednesday that would
eliminate the existing statute of limita-
tions on civil litigation against institu-
tions like the archdiocese in cases of
child sexual abuse. Similar proposals
failed in recent years, but the attorney
general’s investigation brought re-
newed attention to the issue this legisla-
tive session. The bill has been sent to
Gov. Wes Moore, who has said he sup-
ports it.
The report reveals the scope of over
eight decades of abuse and coverup
within the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
More than 150 Catholic priests and oth-
ers associated with the archdiocese sex-
ually abused over 600 children and of-
ten escaped accountability, the investi-
gation found.
The report also names 39 people who
aren’t included on the archdiocese’s list,
which officials first published in 2002
and have continued to update since.
The Survivors Network of Those
Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, said
in a statement Wednesday that some
omissions “might be understandable,”
but called for the archbishop to “err on
the side of being more transparent” for
the sake of victims and others.
The archdiocese acknowledged the
discrepancies Thursday, saying none of
the 39 people are currently serving in
ministry in the Baltimore area, and at
least 33 have died. Archdiocese spokes-
person Christian Kendzierski said most
didn’t make the list because they are
laypeople, including deacons and
NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 5NN
Vinita Rampuria, left, and her husband, Ashoke Rampuria, show a photo of their
son at their home in Acton, Mass., on Tuesday. STEVEN SENNE/AP
part on what she called the “black robe”
effect – the idea that a treatment plan
ordered by a judge is more likely to be
followed through by the patient. She
also dismissed criticism that mental
health care should only go to those who
seek it.
“You don’t solve the not enough
treatment problem by denying people
who need treatment, treatment,” she
said. “This is about a very specific sub-
set of people who don’t know how sick
they are.”
Friedman said there can be poten-
tially tragic consequences when the
state lets the severely mentally ill fall
through the cracks. She pointed to the
2018 stabbing death of a medical stu-
dent at a public library in Winchester,
Massachusetts, by a man who had been
diagnosed with schizophrenia in high
school and was later hospitalized mul-
tiple times due to his mental illness.
He was found not guilty by reason of
insanity in 2021.
Other states have also grappled with
the issue, driven in part over concerns
about homeless people who have a
mental illness.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a
Democrat, last year signed legislation to
create new “Care Courts” aimed at forc-
ing those with mental health issues off
Kurt Rupprecht speaks about the abuse he suffered after the release of a report
on child sexual abuse in the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore on Wednesday. KIM
HAIRSTON/BALTIMORE SUN VIA AP
teachers; they were never assigned to
ministry in the Archdiocese of Balti-
more; or they were first accused posthu-
mously and received only a single, un-
corroborated allegation.
Kendzierski said the archdiocese is
reviewing its list “in light of the Attorney
General’s report” and expects to add
more names soon. The report recom-
mended expanding the list to include
non-priests, which officials are also re-
viewing.
When Cardinal William Keeler re-
leased the Baltimore list in 2002, his de-
cision earned the diocese a reputation
for transparency at a time when the na-
tionwide scope of wrongdoing re-
mained largely unexposed. But years
later, a Pennsylvania grand jury accused
Keeler himself of covering up abuse alle-
gations in the 1980s.
While Baltimore was among the first,
other dioceses across the country have
since published similar lists.
“But there’s always the concern that
even credibly accused people have been
left off these lists,” said Terence McKier-
nan, president of BishopAccountabili-
ty.org, which tracks clergy abuse na-
tionwide. “Now, in Baltimore, we have
confirmation that’s what was happen-
the street and into treatment. In Ore-
gon, some lawmakers have pushed to
expand the ability to force people into
mental health care.
In New York City, Democratic Mayor
Eric Adams announced in November
that he wanted police and city medics to
more aggressively get severely mentally
ill individuals off the streets and sub-
ways, and into treatment.
In Connecticut, Republican state
Rep. John Piscopo proposed a bill this
year that would have let probate courts
order individuals with psychiatric dis-
abilities or substance use disorders into
an involuntary medical evaluation and
assisted outpatient treatment. The bill
failed to get enough support.
“It’s a very, very small population
that would require this and I don’t un-
derstand the advocates’ opposition,”
said Piscopo.
Some individuals with mental illness
don’t have the cognitive ability to follow
through with treatment, while others
don’t recognize that they have a disabil-
ity, according to Lisa Dailey, executive
director of the Treatment Advocacy
Center, a national non-profit aimed at
eliminating barriers to treatment for
people with mental illness.
“You want someone to remain stable
a long enough amount of time to realize
ing.”
Several of the clergy members not on
the church’s list admitted to abusing
children and teens, according to the re-
port. Sometimes they were asked to
leave the ministry but often avoided se-
rious consequences.
In some cases, church officials
agreed to financial settlements with vic-
tims – actions that suggest the allega-
tions were considered credible, McKier-
nan said.
For example, one victim repeatedly
contacted church officials in the late
1990s and early 2000s to report abuse
he experienced in the 1930s at the hands
of Father Alphonsus Figlewski, who
would take altar boys on Baltimore’s
streetcars and touch them inappropri-
ately, according to the report. The dio-
cese ultimately engaged in mediation
and reached a settlement, the report
says – but Figlewski was never listed as
a credibly accused priest.
One of the church officials who re-
viewed the case, Father Michael Kolod-
ziej, was himself later accused of abuse
and included on the list.
Allegations in another case surfaced
in 1968 and Father Albert Julian admit-
ted to having an “almost uncontrollable
they do better with treatment and con-
tinue that on their own,” she said. “Re-
search shows that it takes six months to
stabilize on medication and no one is
staying anywhere near that long in a
hospital.”
But critics say forcing anyone into
mental health care can backfire. They
say the mentally ill already face a range
of risks.
There are other strategies that are
voluntary, from peer-to-peer counsel-
ing to creating spaces where people can
talk about their struggles, according to
Sera Davidow, director of the Wildflow-
er Alliance, a non-profit that opposes
mandated outpatient care.
“People who want resources can’t get
them and people who don’t necessarily
want them are being forced,” she said.
“Both of those are harmful.”
Eliot Olson, a Connecticut resident
who is also opposed to mandatory care,
said as a high school student he strug-
gled with depression and was given an
ultimatum to accept mandatory outpa-
tient care or leave school.
“I didn’t want to be there. Everyone
else I was with didn’t want to be there.
There was just a huge lack of under-
standing and empathy,” said Olson, 30,
who works for the non-profit PeerPride,
which focuses in part on addressing
homelessness in the transgender com-
munity.
Olson said he was in the program for
about six months when the school rec-
ommended he be institutionalized. His
mother refused, he said.
“I wasn’t going to participate in
something I didn’t have a choice in,” he
said.
In Boston, a voluntary treatment pro-
gram aims to help individuals with a
major mental illness, who have a pend-
ing criminal case or are on probation.
Started in 2020, the Boston Outpatient
Assisted Treatment initiative has
served 165 individuals with 33 success-
fully completing the program.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a
Democrat, said she welcomes the ongo-
ing debate about access to mental
health care.
“It’s really important that people
have access to the mental health care
that they need and also that we balance
individual rights in the process,” Healey
said.
sexual attraction toward young people
of the opposite sex” and said he “had
yielded to temptation from time to
time,” according to the report, which
cites a 1970 letter from the archdiocese
to Vatican authorities. Julian received
psychiatric treatment and was assigned
to desk work “where he would not be ex-
posed to temptation,” the report says.
He requested to leave the church in 1970
and get married.
Further allegations against Julian
came to light in 2002, but he was never
listed on the archdiocese’s list.
Yet another priest, Father Thomas M.
Kelly – whose heavy drinking, overt rac-
ism and “bad habit of pawing women”
came up during a 1971 meeting of his col-
leagues and superiors – was hospital-
ized for psychiatric treatment and al-
lowed to continue ministering, accord-
ing to the report.
In 1982, he caused a car crash that
killed another priest and escaped crimi-
nal charges. He died in 1987.
When a woman reported in 2006 that
Kelly had sexually abused her as a child
in 1971, church officials deemed her ac-
count not credible, the report says. He
also was never included on the archdio-
cese’s list.
“They talk about being transparent,
but it’s time for this diocese to take re-
sponsibility,” said David Lorenz, direc-
tor of the Maryland chapter of SNAP.
Lorenz and others advocated strong-
ly for the legislation passed Wednesday
to eliminate the statute of limitations
for civil lawsuits.
Currently, victims of child sex abuse
in Maryland can’t sue after they turn 38.
The bill, if signed into law by Moore,
would eliminate the age limit and allow
for retroactive lawsuits. However, the
measure includes a provision that
would pause lawsuits until the Supreme
Court of Maryland can determine
whether it’s constitutional.
The Maryland Catholic Conference,
which represents the three dioceses
serving Maryland, opposed the mea-
sure, contending it was unconstitution-
al to open an unlimited retroactive win-
dow for civil cases.
Several other states have passed
similar legislation in recent years, and
in some cases, the resulting lawsuits
have driven dioceses into bankruptcy.
6NN | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

BUSINESS
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE S&P 500 • STANDARD & POOR’S NASDAQ COMPOSITE RUSSELL 2000
Closing: 33,485.29 Closing: 4,105.02 Closing: 12,087.96 Closing: 1,754.46
+2.57 Change: +.0%
YTD % Chg: +1.0% +14.64 Change: +.4%
YTD % Chg: +6.9% +91.10 Change: +.8%
YTD % Chg: +15.5% +2.33 Change: +.1%
YTD % Chg: -.4%

MARKET PERFORMANCE BY SECTOR MARKET NOTEBOOK TOP 10 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS COMMODITIES
Sector Close Chg. 4wk 1 YTD 1 Issues NYSE NASDAQ ETF, ranked by volume Ticker Close Chg. % Chg %YTD Commodities Close Prev. Chg. % Chg. % YTD
Telecom 65.30 +0.85 +10.9% +19.9% Advancing 1,265 1,957 ProShs UltraPro QQQ TQQQ 27.43 +0.54 +2.0% +58.6% Cattle (lb.) 1.71 1.68 +0.03 +1.6% +10.5%
Declining 1,097 1,455 ProShs UltPro ShtQQQ SQQQ 30.21 -0.63 -2.0% -44.1% Corn (bushel) 6.44 6.53 -0.09 -1.4% -5.2%
Technology 149.07 +0.84 +7.9% +19.8%
Unchanged 79 256 Direx SOX Bull 3X SOXL 15.66 -0.26 -1.6% +61.9% Gold (troy oz.) 2,011.90 2,020.90 -9.00 -0.5% +10.6%
Consumer discret. 144.93 +0.03 +3.8% +12.2%
Total 2,441 3,668 SPDR S&P500 ETF Tr SPY 409.19 +1.59 +0.4% +7.0% Hogs, lean (lb.) .74 .73 +0.01 +1.0% -15.5%
Materials 79.63 -0.19 -0.3% +2.5% Natural Gas (Btu.) 2.01 2.15 -0.14 -6.7% -55.1%
Issues at Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ 318.05 +2.13 +0.7% +19.4%
Consumer staples 75.36 +0.06 +5.5% +1.1% Direx Biotech Bull LABU 4.97 +0.23 +4.9% -29.7% Oil, heating (gal.) 2.66 2.73 -0.07 -2.6% -20.9%
New 52 Week High 25 41
Industrials 97.77 -0.03 -3.1% -0.4% Direx SOX Bear 3X SOXS 18.94 +0.27 +1.4% -52.1% Oil, lt. swt. crude (bar.) 80.70 80.61 +0.09 +0.1% +0.6%
New 52 Week Low 32 159
Utilities 69.81 +0.49 +6.7% -1.0% SPDR Financial XLF 31.99 +0.12 +0.4% -6.5% Silver (troy oz.) 25.03 24.96 +0.07 +0.3% +4.9%
Share Volume
Health care 133.52 +0.33 +6.8% -1.7% Total 3,178,035,914 3,544,903,725 iShs iBoxx HY CpBd HYG 74.84 +0.33 +0.4% +1.6% Soybeans (bushel) 14.93 15.11 -0.18 -1.2% -1.8%
US Nat Gas Fund UNG 6.41 -0.38 -5.6% -54.5% Wheat (bushel) 6.76 6.82 -0.06 -1.0% -14.7%
Energy 84.98 -1.31 +1.5% -2.8% Advancing 1,798,420,754 2,199,780,043
Financials 31.99 +0.12 -4.6% -6.5% Declining 1,318,796,984 1,303,321,107
Unchanged 60,818,176 41,802,575 FOREIGN CURRENCIES FOREIGN MARKETS
Currency per dollar Close Prev. 6 mo. ago Yr. ago Country Close Prev. Change %Chg. %YTD
S&P 500’S BIGGEST GAINERS S&P 500’S BIGGEST LOSERS British pound .8029 .8024 .8966 .7651 Frankfurt 15,597.89 15,520.17 +77.72 +0.5% +12.0%
Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg. YTD Company (ticker) Price $ Chg . % Chg. YTD Canadian dollar 1.3471 1.3457 1.3749 1.2522 Hong Kong 20,331.20 20,274.59 +56.61 +0.3% +2.8%
Catalent Inc (CTLT) 64.95 +3.33 +5.4 +44.3 Mosaic Co (MOS) 43.67 -2.62 -5.7 -.5 Japan (Nikkei) 27,472.63 27,813.26 -340.63 -1.2% +5.3%
Chinese yuan 6.8759 6.8795 7.1160 6.3596
Fst Republic Bank (FRC) 14.03 +.59 +4.4 -88.5 FMC Corp (FMC) 116.92 -4.96 -4.1 -6.3 London 7,741.56 7,662.94 +78.62 +1.0% +3.9%
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) 128.68 -4.03 -3.0 +10.6 Euro .9149 .9167 1.0210 .9174
Alphabet Inc A (GOOGL) 108.42 +3.95 +3.8 +22.9 Mexico City 53,498.40 54,176.02 -677.62 -1.3% +10.4%
Alphabet Inc C (GOOG) 108.90 +3.95 +3.8 +22.7 Ulta Salon Cosmetics (ULTA) 520.95 -13.17 -2.5 +11.1 Japanese yen 131.77 131.11 145.07 123.78
Comerica Inc (CMA) 41.28 +1.36 +3.4 -38.2 Applied Matls (AMAT) 114.45 -2.87 -2.4 +17.5 Mexican peso 18.2350 18.3088 20.1256 20.1641 SOURCE Morningstar, Dow Jones Indexes, The Associated Press

IN BRIEF
Stocks tick higher to close out
shortened trading week

Stocks ticked higher on Wall Street

Thursday, offering a quiet end to a
shortened trading week dogged by
worries about a slowing economy.
The S&P 500 rose 14.64 points, or
0.4%, to 4,105.02. It ended with a 0.1%
loss for the week, its first down week in
the last four. The U.S. stock market will
be closed in observance of Good Fri-
day.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average
edged up by 2.57 points, or less than
0.1%, to 33,485.29, while the Nasdaq
composite gained 91.10, or 0.8%, to
12,087.96. The Russell 2000 index of
smaller companies rose 2.33 points, or
0.1%, to 1,754.46.
The stock market has remained rel-
atively resilient in the face of recession
worries, even as analysts expect the
upcoming earnings reporting season
to show the worst drop since the
spring of 2020.

Average 30-year mortgage rate

dips as spring season opens

The average long-term U.S. mort-

gage rate dipped for the fourth straight
week, a good sign for potential home
buyers and a real estate market that’s
been mostly cold since the Federal Re-
serve began raising interest rates more
than a year ago.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac re-
ported Thursday that the average on
the benchmark 30-year rate dipped to
6.28% from 6.32% the previous week.
The average rate last year at this time
was 4.72%.
The rate for a 15-year mortgage,
popular with those refinancing their
homes, rose this week to 5.64% from
5.56% last week. It was 3.91% one year
ago.
Arnault tops Forbes list of world
billionaires
There’s a new No. 1 atop Forbes’ an-
nual World Billionaires List: Bernard
Arnault, owner of luxury goods brands
such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior
and Tiffany & Co.
Arnault has added $53 billion to his
fortune over the past year, according to
Forbes’ 25 Richest People in the World,
released this week.
Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and
SpaceX, last year topped Forbes’ annu-
al list of the 25 Richest People in the
World, but saw his fortune decline
from $219 billion last year to $180 bil-
lion.
At No. 3: Jeff Bezos at $114 billion.
That’s about $57 billion less than a
year ago, the largest loss of anyone on
the list, Forbes said.
Honda recalls CR-Vs in cold
states to fix frame rust problem
Honda is recalling nearly 564,000
older small SUVs because road salt can
cause the frame to rust and rear sus-
pension parts to come loose.
The recall covers certain CR-Vs
from 2007 through 2011 that were sold
or registered in states where salt is
used to clear roads in the winter.
U.S. safety regulators say in docu-
ments posted Thursday that salt can
accumulate and cause corrosion, and
the rear trailing arm can detach. That
can cause drivers to lose control, in-
creasing the risk of a crash. Rear trail-
ing arms connect the rear axle to the
chassis. Dealers will inspect the SUVs
and install a support brace or repair
the rear frame if needed.
From wire reports
The newly released strategic operating plan lays out the specifics of how the IRS will allocate an infusion of $80 billion
through fiscal year 2031. SUSAN WALSH/AP FILE
IRS pledges more audits of
wealthy, better customer service
Fatima Hussein
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON – The IRS released
details Thursday on how it plans to use
an infusion of $80 billion for improved
operations, pledging to invest in new
technology, hire more customer ser-
vice representatives and expand its
ability to audit high-wealth taxpayers.
While some Republicans have sug-
gested without evidence that the mon-
ey from the Democrats’ landmark cli-
mate change and health care bill would
help create a mob of armed auditors to
harass middle-class taxpayers, new
IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel said
it will not include spending for new
agents with guns.
The agency’s newly released strate-
gic operating plan lays out the specif-
ics of how the IRS will allocate the
$80 billion, through fiscal year 2031,
that was approved in that legislation.
Some improvements have been
long expected, such as bringing more
paper-based systems online and an-
swering taxpayers’ phone calls
promptly. Others are more ambitious:
continuing to explore ways to create a
government-operated electronic free-
file tax return system, for example.
No hiring boost is foreseen for the
criminal investigation unit, which rep-
resents 3% of the agency’s workforce
and employed roughly 2,077 special
agents as of the 2022 budget year, ac-
cording to the IRS’ annual report.
Those are the agents who may be
armed.
There are “no plans to increase” that
division, Werfel said during a call with
reporters. “That will stay at its current
rate.”
Since President Joe Biden signed
the measure, known as the “Inflation
Reduction Act,” in August, some Re-
publicans have claimed the IRS would
IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel said
new funding for the agency will not
include spending for new agents with
guns. MARIAM ZUHAIB/AP FILE
use the new money to hire an army of
87,000 tax agents with weapons.
That claim comes from a plan the
Treasury Department proposed in 2021
to bring on that many IRS employees
over the next decade if it got the money.
At least 50,000 IRS employees are ex-
pected to retire over the next five years.
The strategic plan does not include
final numbers on long-term hiring.
During the call with reporters, Trea-
sury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo
said the plan “is heavily driven by the
fact that we need to make technology in-
vestments that will improve productiv-
ity, which will mean that over time the
number of employees and the mix of
employees at the IRS will change.”
After Congress passed the legislation
last summer, Treasury Secretary Janet
Yellen directed the IRS to develop a plan
outlining how the tax agency would
overhaul its technology, customer ser-
vice and hiring processes. Her memo
sent instructions to IRS leadership not
to increase audit rates on people making
less than $400,000 a year annually.
Officials are promising not “to raise
audit rates on small businesses and
households making under $400,000
per year, relative to historic levels.” The
report says more than half of the new
money – $45.6 billion – will be devoted
to pursuing high-wealth individuals
and companies.
“Given the size and complex nature
of these tax filings, this work often re-
quires specialized approaches, and we
will make these resources available,” the
report said. “We will use data and ana-
lytics to improve our understanding of
the tax filings of high-wealth individ-
uals.”
Treasury and IRS officials have in re-
cent months promoted the impact of the
new spending on internal processes.
Robert Nassau, director of the Low
Income Taxpayer Clinic at Syracuse
University College of Law, said he has
seen some noticeable differences.
“The phone line is amazingly im-
proved, that part of the IRS is working
amazingly better,” he said. “But I can see
the processing time of written submis-
sions is not back to pre-pandemic suffi-
ciency.”
Additional money for the IRS has
been politically controversial since
2013, when the agency during the Oba-
ma administration was found to have
scrutinized political groups that applied
for tax-exempt status. A report by the
Treasury Department’s internal watch-
dog found that both conservative and
liberal groups were chosen for close re-
view.
Erin Collins, the national taxpayer
advocate, wrote in a blog post that the
while plan focuses disproportionately
on enforcement, “for the first time in my
40 years as a tax professional, the tax
administration stars seem to be align-
ing,” with the newly released plan.
Jean Ross, senior fellow at the Center
for American Progress, said in an
emailed statement that “the funding
will more than pay for itself by ensuring
that the IRS can hold the very wealthy
and large corporations accountable.”
 NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 7NN

EPA plan takes on health risks near chemical plants

Michael Phillis
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In what could prove a significant
move for communities facing air pollu-
tion, the Environmental Protection
Agency proposed on Thursday that
chemical plants nationwide measure
certain hazardous compounds that
cross beyond their property lines and
reduce them when they are too high.
The proposed rules would reduce
cancer risk and other exposure for com-
munities that live close to harmful emit-
ters, the EPA said. The data would be
made public and the results would force
companies to fix problems that increase
emissions.
“This is probably the most significant
rule I’m experiencing in my 30 years of
working in cancer alley,” said Beverly
Wright executive director of the Deep
South Center for Environmental Justice
and member of the White House Envi-
ronmental Justice Advisory Council.
She referred to an area dense with pet-
rochemical development along the Gulf
coast.
In the past, Wright said, even when
emissions caused harm, residents
weren’t able to sue and reduce the
threat.
The proposed measure is also in-
tended to address short-term emissions
spikes when plants start up, shut down
and malfunction. If the proposal is final-
ized, it would impact roughly 200 chem-
ical plants, the agency said.
Fence line monitoring has long been a
priority of the environmental justice
movement and a number of refinery
communities have won it in recent
years. This measure would extend some
of those changes nationwide.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan
announced the plan in St. John the Bap-
tist Parish, Louisiana, home to the Den-
ka chemical plant, which makes syn-
thetic rubber and emits chloroprene,
listed as a carcinogen in California. Den-
ka is less than a half mile from an ele-
mentary school and has been targeted
by federal officials for allegedly increas-
ing the cancer risk for the nearby, major-
ity-Black community.
“For generations, our most vulnera-
ble communities have unjustly borne
the burden of breathing unsafe, pollut-
ed air,” Regan said.
A spokesperson for Denka said it is
waiting to review the proposed lan-
guage before commenting. Data show
the plant has drastically reduced its
emissions over time and it already con-
ducts fence line monitoring. In docu-
ments, however, EPA said the plant re-
mains a danger to those who live nearby.
The changes also focus on manufac-
turers of ethylene oxide, which is com-
monly used in medical sterilization
plants. Long-term exposure to that
chemical can increase the risk of lym-
phoma and breast cancer. The agency
plans to issue proposed regulations for
medical sterilization plants soon.
According to the agency, the proposal
would slash ethylene oxide emissions
nationwide by about two-thirds and
chloroprene by three-quarters from
2020 levels. Emissions that worsen
smog would be reduced as well.
The American Chemistry Council
said industry emissions have declined
over the last decade. It is concerned
about the EPA’s proposal for reducing
ethylene oxide, and says it is based on a
faulty EPA risk assessment.
“Overly conservative regulations on
ethylene oxide could threaten access to
products ranging from electric vehicle
batteries to sterilized medical equip-
ment,” said council spokesman Tom
Flanagin, adding that the EPA may be
rushing its work on significant regula-
tions.
Regan visited this same parish in
2021 on a five-day trip from Mississippi
to Texas to highlight low-income and
mostly minority communities harmed
by industrial pollution.
Then last year, the EPA said it had ev-
idence that Black residents face an in-
creased cancer risk from the Denka
chemical plant and state officials were
allowing pollution to remain too high.
The agency’s letter was part of an inves-
tigation under the Civil Rights Act of
1964, which says anyone who received
federal funds cannot discriminate
based on race or national origin.
Next, federal officials sued Denka in
February, demanding it cut its emis-
sions. Now, they’ve proposed tighter
regulations on chemical plants.
“This is a day to celebrate,” Wright
said.
AP receives support from the Walton
Family Foundation for coverage of envi-
ronmental policy. The AP is solely re-
sponsible for all content.

Tennessee
Continued from Page 1NN

before the vote, Jones said the GOP re-

sponded to the shooting with a different
kind of attack.
“We called for you all to ban assault
weapons, and you respond with an as-
sault on democracy,” he said.
Jones vowed that even if expelled, he
would continue pressing for action on
guns.
“I’ll be out there with the people ev-
ery week, demanding that you act,” he
said.
Republican Rep. Gino Bulso said the
three Democratic representatives “ef-
fectively conducted a mutiny.”
“The gentleman shows no remorse,”
Bulso said of Jones. “He does not even
recognize that what he did was wrong.
So not to expel him would simply invite
him and his colleagues to engage in mu-
tiny on the House floor.”
The two expelled lawmakers may not
be gone for long. County commissions
in their districts get to pick replace-
ments to serve until a special election
can be scheduled, and they also would Former Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, raises his fist on the floor of the House as he walks to his desk to collect his
be eligible to run in the special election. belongings after being expelled from the Legislature on Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. PHOTOS BY GEORGE WALKER IV/AP
Under the Tennessee Constitution,
lawmakers cannot be expelled for the
same offense twice.
During discussion, Republican Rep.
Sabi Kumar advised Jones to be more
collegial and less focused on race.
“You have a lot to offer, but offer it in a
vein where people are accepting of your
ideas,” Kumar said.
Jones said he did not intend to as-
similate in order to be accepted. “I’m not
here to make friends. I’m here to make a
change for my community,” he replied.
Fielding questions from lawmakers,
Johnson reminded them that she did
not raise her voice nor did she use the
bullhorn – as did the other two, both of
whom are new lawmakers and among
the youngest members in the chamber.
But she also suggested that race was
likely a factor on why Jones and Pearson
were ousted but not her, telling report-
ers that it “might have to do with the col-
or of our skin.”
That notion was echoed by state Sen.
London Lamar, a Democrat represent-
ing Memphis.
Lawmakers “expelled the two black
men and kept the white woman,” Lamar,
a Black woman, said via Twitter. “The
racism that is on display today! Wow!”
However House Speaker Cameron
Sexton, a Republican who voted to expel
all three, denied that race was at play Then-Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, raises his fists on the floor of the House to recognize his supporters before the
and said Johnson’s arguments might start of the legislative session Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. Republicans voted to oust Pearson from the House.
have swayed other members.
“Our members literally didn’t look at
the ethnicity of the members up for ex- cused on? Punishing lawmakers who
pulsion,” Majority Leader William Lam- joined thousands of peaceful protesters
berth added. He alleged that Jones and calling for action. It’s shocking, undem-
Pearson were trying to incite a riot last ocratic, and without precedent,” Biden
week, while Johnson was more sub- tweeted.
dued. Many of the protesters traveled from
After sitting quietly for hours and Memphis and Knoxville, areas that
hushing anyone who cried out during Pearson and Johnson represent, and
the proceedings, people in the gallery stood in a line that wrapped around the
erupted in screams and boos following Capitol to get inside.
the final vote. There were chants of Protesters outside the chamber held
“Shame!” and “Fascists!” up signs that said, “School zones
Lawmakers quickly adjourned for the shouldn’t be war zones,” “Muskets
evening. didn’t fire 950 rounds per minute” with a
GOP leaders told journalists after- photo of George Washington, and “You
ward that Thursday’s actions were nec- can silence a gun … but not the voice of
essary to avoid setting a precedent that the people.“
lawmakers disrupting House proceed- Before the expulsion votes, House
ings through protest would be tolerated. members debated more than 20 bills,
In Washington, President Joe Biden including a school safety proposal re-
criticized the GOP’s priorities. quiring public and private schools to
“Three kids and three officials submit building safety plans to the Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, is hugged by Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, as
gunned down in yet another mass state. The bill did not address gun con- a resolution to expel Johnson fails on the floor of the House on Thursday in
shooting. And what are GOP officials fo- trol, sparking criticism from Democrats. Nashville, Tenn. Two other Democrats were expelled.
8NN | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

Kansas OKs opting out of LGBTQ lessons

Bill gives parents
control on issue
John Hanna
ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas lawmakers

approved a bill Thursday aimed at help-
ing parents opt their children out of
public school lessons with LGBTQ-
themed materials, as a Democratic law-
maker whose vote was crucial to ban-
ning transgender female athletes from
girls’ and women’s sports faced calls to
resign.
The Republican-controlled Kansas
House voted 76-46 to approve a “paren-
tal rights” measure that would allow a
parent to place their child in an alterna-
tive to a public K-12 school lesson or ac-
tivity that “impairs the parent’s sincere-
ly held beliefs, values or principles.” The
GOP-dominated Senate approved the
measure last week, so it goes next to
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
“If there is one family who are denied
their rights, we need to address it,” said
Republican state Rep. Susan Estes, of
Wichita.
While the measure covers lessons
and materials dealing with race and
possibly even evolution, it also is in line Kansas state Rep. Marvin Robinson, D-Kansas City, explains why he voted to override a veto of a bill on transgender
with the push by Republicans in state- athletes Wednesday in Topeka, Kan. EVERT NELSON/TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL VIA AP
houses across the U.S. to roll back
LGBTQ rights, particularly transgender
rights. State Rep. Heather Meyer, a Kan- ing gender affirming care for minors. Robinson represents a heavily Dem- Kelly of lying about her record. LGBTQ-
sas City-area Democrat, called the mea- Kelly vetoed a bill last year that would ocratic district and replaced a retiring rights advocates interpreted her com-
sure a “perfect vehicle” for anti-LGBTQ have made it easier for parents to try to lawmaker who voted against overriding ment as saying men playing girl’s sports
discrimination. remove classroom or library materials. Kelly’s veto in 2022. Kansas Young wasn’t an issue because transgender
“We can see what’s been done in oth- Supporters of this year’s bill still were Democrats and the state Democratic girls and women are female.
er states across the country where they short of the two-thirds majorities in Party’s LGBTQ+ and Progressive cau- Robinson told The Associated Press
have used this as a vehicle to attack the both chambers necessary to override a cuses demanded that he step down af- that no one in the Democratic Party told
LGBTQ community,” said Meyer, who is veto. ter Wednesday’s vote. him last year that he was expected to
bisexual and has a 13-year-old trans- “What we heard in committee were Robinson also supported the parents’ vote against bills on transgender ath-
gender son. parents who not only went to their rights measure. Kansas House Demo- letes. He also said a female Democratic
The Legislature on Tuesday ap- teacher, they went to their principal and cratic Leader Vic Miller said he would be colleague that he declined to name “told
proved a broad bathroom bill and on higher up in their school district and did “pleased” if Robinson resigned. me I should die.”
Wednesday voted to override Kelly’s ve- not have their concerns addressed,” Es- “Right now, he’s voting more with the He rejected criticism that his vote is
to of the measure on transgender ath- tes said. other party than he is with ours,” Miller “hurting people’s kids.”
letes. Meanwhile, conservative Republi- said. “He ran as a Democrat, but he “Who could mistreat and look down
Kansas is the 20th state to enact such cans were able to override Kelly’s third doesn’t seem to be serving as a Demo- on anybody?” he said. “You know, ev-
a sports ban, and its law applies to club veto of a bill on transgender athletes in crat.” erybody is God’s creation.”
and school sports from kindergarten three years because of the “yes” vote Robinson told a conservative Kansas He told the radio host that friends
through college starting July 1. from a single Democrat, freshman Rep. City radio talk show Thursday morning told him: “Man, you’re up there with a
GOP lawmakers also hoped to pass a Marvin Robinson, of Kansas City. that he thought he was “on the same bunch of demons.”
bill Thursday that would require Kansas That Kansas vote came a day before page” as Kelly because of a television Meyer said “absolutely none” of Rob-
public schools to keep transgender girls President Joe Biden’s administration commercial she aired during her reelec- inson’s fellow Democrats would have
from rooming with cisgendered girls announced a proposal to bar schools tion campaign. In that ad, Kelly looked told him after the vote that he should
and transgender boys, with cisgendered and colleges from enacting outright into the camera and said: “Of course die.
boys, on overnight school trips. bans on transgender athletes but allow men should not play girls’ sports. OK, “We care about mental health and we
GOP conservatives also hadn’t given them to set some limits to preserve fair- we all agree there.” care about our colleagues, even if we
up on trying to pass a bill aimed at end- ness. At the time, Republicans accused disagree,” Meyer said.

High court: Trans girl can run girls track in WV

Mark Sherman
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court

on Thursday allowed a 12-year-old
transgender girl in West Virginia to con-
tinue competing on her middle school’s
girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a
state ban continues.
The justices refused to disturb an ap-
peals court order that made it possible
for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to
continue playing on her school’s track
and cross-country teams, where she
regularly finishes near the back of the
pack.
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence
Thomas would have allowed West Vir-
ginia to enforce its law against Pepper-
Jackson.
Pepper-Jackson is in the middle of
the outdoor track season. She had filed a
lawsuit challenging the law, the Save
Women’s Sports Act, which West Vir-
ginia lawmakers adopted in 2021. A fed-
eral appeals court had allowed her to
compete while she appealed a lower
court ruling that upheld the West Vir-
ginia law.
In an emailed statement issued by
the ACLU’s West Virginia chapter to The
Associated Press on Thursday night,
Pepper-Jackson said: “I am so happy The Supreme Court refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for a transgender girl in West Virginia
that the Supreme Court saw that this to continue competing on girls sports teams. PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP FILE
stay was not an emergency. I still get to
play with my friends and teammates on
the track team. That’s all I want to do, be West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Re- action, West Virginia Attorney General U.S. District Court Judge Joseph
with my friends and be the girl that I publican, also recently signed legisla- Patrick Morrisey said he “is deeply dis- Goodwin initially barred West Virginia
am.” tion banning gender-affirming care for appointed at the U.S. Supreme Court’s from enforcing its law and allowed Pep-
The high court announcement came minors, part of an effort in Republican- decision.” per-Jackson to compete on the girls’
the same day the Biden administration led states across the country to curb Organizations that have backed Pep- teams while the case continued.
proposed a new rule that would prevent LGBTQ+ rights this year. per-Jackson said they were “grateful.” But Goodwin ultimately found that
schools and colleges from enacting out- West Virginia’s law on schools sports “This was a baseless and cruel effort to the law does not violate the Constitu-
right bans on transgender athletes, but competition bars transgender athletes keep Becky from where she belongs – tion or Title IX, the landmark 1972 gen-
would allow certain exceptions to pro- from female teams. Signed by Justice, playing alongside her peers as a team- der equity legislation. Goodwin, an ap-
mote fairness or reduce injuries. the law defines male and female by look- mate and as a friend,” the American Civ- pointee of former President Bill Clinton,
Two weeks ago, track and field ing to the student’s “reproductive biolo- il Liberties Union, the ACLU of West Vir- ruled the law could remain in place as
banned transgender athletes from in- gy and genetics at birth.” It applies to ginia and Lambda Legal said in a joint appeals continued.
ternational competitions. West Virginia middle and high schools, as well as col- statement. Lawyers for the girl, known in the
is among 20 states that ban transgender leges. Tennis great Martina Navratilova lawsuit by the initials B.P.J., appealed. A
athletes from participating in sports Under the law, male athletes can play was among dozens of female athletes three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit
consistent with their gender identity, on male or co-ed teams and female ath- backing West Virginia at the Supreme Court of Appeals voted 2-1, without is-
according to Movement Advancement letes can play on all teams. Court, along with Republican attorneys suing any opinion, to put the law on hold
Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank. In a statement after the high court general in 21 states. while it considers the case.
 NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 9NN

People attend a Transgender Day of Visibility rally in Washington on March 31. Republican-led states have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school
sports that align with their gender identities. JACQUELYN MARTIN/AP FILE

Athletes
Continued from Page 1NN

process, however, and it’s almost cer-

tain to face challenges. While oppo-
nents sharply criticized the proposal,
some advocates for transgender ath-
letes were concerned that it did not go
far enough.
The proposal comes on the same day
that the Supreme Court said a 12-year-
old transgender girl in West Virginia can
continue competing on her middle
school track and cross-country teams
while legal battles over the state’s trans-
gender law continue. The law bans
transgender athletes from female
teams.
All told, at least 16 states now have
bans in effect covering at least high
school interscholastic sports. Some also
extend to intramural, club or college
sports. Enforcement of bans in at least
three states has been put on hold by
courts, and one more has adopted a ban
that doesn’t take effect until July.
Under the Education Department’s
proposed rule, no school or college that
receives federal funding would be al-
lowed to impose a “one-size-fits-all”
policy that categorically bans trans stu-
dents from playing on sports teams con-
sistent with their gender identity. Such
policies would be considered a violation
of Title IX.
Still, it leaves room for schools to de-
velop team eligibility rules that could ul-
timately result in restrictions around
trans athletes’ participation.
That would be allowed only if it
serves “important educational objec-
tives,” such as fairness in competition
and reduction of injury risks.
Any limits would have to consider the
sport, the level of competition and the
age of students. Elementary school stu-
dents would generally be allowed to
participate on any teams consistent
with their gender identity, for example.
More competitive teams at high schools
and colleges could add limits, but those
would be discouraged in teams that
don’t have tryouts or cuts.
“Every student should be able to have
the full experience of attending school
in America, including participating in
athletics, free from discrimination,” Mi-
guel Cardona, Biden’s education secre-
tary, said in a statement.
The Biden administration used “fair-
ness of competition” as criteria, which
has been part of the debate both in the
U.S. and globally. But officials offered no
specifics on how this could be done.
Of the tens of millions of high school
students in the U.S., about 300,000
youth between the ages of 13 to 17 identi-
fy as transgender, according to a 2022
study from the Williams Institute, a
think tank at UCLA focused on LGBTQ+
issues. The number of athletes within
that group is much smaller; a 2017 sur-
vey by Human Rights Campaign sug-
gested fewer than 15% of all transgender
youth play sports.
Asked about the proposal, Bobbie
Hirsch, a transgender man and sopho-
more on the Wayne State men’s fencing
team, said “anything helps” but he
feared the language in the rule would
A flag supporting LGBTQ rights decorates a desk at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka on March 28. A new law in Kansas
banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports from kindergarten through college takes effect July 1.
JOHN HANNA/AP FILE
make it easier for schools to tell trans-
gender athletes they can’t play on a
team. “That’s the direction things have
been going,” he said in a phone inter-
view.
Hirsch competed on the women’s
team in the 2021-22 season, and began
transitioning socially in high school and
medically last summer.
Eli Bundy, an 18-year-old transgen-
der resident of Charleston, South Caro-
lina, said they welcomed the proposal
but were stopping short of celebrating.
“I have a hard time feeling relief when
positive stuff happens at the national
level because there’s still so much at the
state level from the South Carolina Leg-
islature that is antagonistic and sends a
really harmful message to trans youth,”
said Bundy, who testified in 2021
against the state’s ban on transgender
students’ participation in girls’ or wom-
en’s sports at public schools and col-
leges.
Asked about the state bans now in
place, a senior Education Department
official briefing reporters on condition
of anonymity said Title IX is the law of
the land and they would work to ensure
it’s being followed in all the states.
Critics argue transgender athletes
have an advantage over cisgender wom-
en in competition. Last year, Lia Thom-
as became the first transgender woman
to win an NCAA swimming title. College
sports’ governing body, however, adopt-
ed a sport-by-sport approach to trans-
gender athletes in January 2022, which
was to bring the organization in line
with the U.S. and International Olympic
committees, though recently the
NCAA’s board decided it won’t be fully
implemented until 2023-24.
At the same time, international
sports-governing bodies are instituting
policies that ban all trans athletes from
competing in track and field and effec-
tively ban trans women from swimming
events.
Donna de Varona, a two-time Olym-
pic gold medalist in swimming and a
member of the Women’s Sports Policy
Working Group, said her hope is to find a
“nuanced approach” to finding space for
transgender athletes while allowing for
Title IX to make sure girls and women
have “fairness, opportunity and safety.”
“There’s plenty of room. … Why does
it have to be in the women’s category?
We’re already being compromised in our
reproductive rights and now we have
the other spectrum with sports,” de Va-
rona said in a phone interview.
Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal senior
attorney and director of the group’s
Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Pro-
ject, said the rule provided “critical rec-
ognition of the importance of partici-
pating in sports for transgender youth.”
At the same time she expressed concern
about whether it would eliminate dis-
crimination against transgender stu-
dents.
But an attorney for cisgender runners
decried the proposal as “as slap in the
face to female athletes who deserve
equal opportunity to compete in their
sports.”
“The Biden administration’s rewrit-
ing Title IX degrades women and tells
them that their athletic goals and place-
ments do not matter,” said Christiana
Kiefer, senior counsel at Alliance De-
fending Freedom. She represented Con-
necticut runners who sued over the par-
ticipation of two transgender girls in
track and field events.
The Biden administration has made
it a priority to bolster the rights of trans
students. Last year it proposed a sepa-
rate federal rule that for the first time
would extend Title IX rights to LGBTQ
students, broadly protecting them from
discrimination in education.
That rule – which drew sharp opposi-
tion from conservatives – is expected to
be finalized as soon as next month.
The new proposal doesn’t offer ex-
amples of acceptable limits that can be
placed on school sports, but it clarifies
that restrictions can’t be directed at
trans students only. Schools will be left
to navigate that tricky legal terrain, with
the knowledge that any violation could
bring a federal civil rights investigation
or lawsuits.
Schools that choose to impose limits
must “minimize harms” to students who
lose out on athletics opportunities, the
proposal says. If a school can achieve
objectives like fairness in ways that
cause less harm, then the school could
be deemed to be violating Title IX.
“Preventing students from partici-
pating on a sports team consistent with
their gender identity can stigmatize and
isolate them,” according to background
information provided by the admini-
stration. “This is different from the ex-
perience of a student who is not select-
ed for a team based on their skills.”
Schools that violate Title IX can face
penalties up to a compete loss of federal
funding, although no school has ever
been dealt that punishment.
The Associated Press education team
receives support from the Carnegie Cor-
poration of New York. The AP is solely re-
sponsible for all content.
10NN | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
UN: 3,300 Afghan staff protest ban
Edith M. Lederer
ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNITED NATIONS – The United Na-
tions said the 3,330 Afghan men and
women it employs stayed home for a
second day Thursday to protest the Tali-
ban’s ban on U.N. female staff working
in the country as it continued to press
for the decision to be reversed.
The U.N. Security Council held an
emergency meeting on the Taliban’s ac-
tion and pushed its calls for the ban to
be overturned.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric
reiterated the U.N.’s insistence that all
U.N. staff are needed to deliver life-sav-
ing aid to millions and stressed again
that “Afghan women will not be re-
placed by men.” He also said the United
Nations doesn’t want to get into a situa-
tion where it replaces Afghan women
with international women, who are not
banned from working in the country.
He explained that culturally it is al-
ways better to have nationals from a
country delivering aid to their local pop-
ulation. The U.N. has a staff of about
3,900 in Afghanistan, including approx-
imately 3,300 Afghans and 600 interna-
tional personnel. The total also includes
600 Afghan women and 200 women
from other countries.
At the closed U.N. Security Council
meeting on the Taliban ban, members
were briefed by the secretary-general’s
special representative for Afghanistan,
Roza Otunbayeva, who led talks
Wednesday with the Taliban’s foreign
minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to call for
a reversal of its decision.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily
Nebenzia, the current council president,
told reporters afterward that “every-
body was appalled by the decision the
Taliban made.”
“The question is how to approach it,
and we agreed to work on a product by
the council … that would be useful and
balanced,” he said.
U.S. deputy ambassador Robert
Wood said the Biden administration
sees the ban “basically as another effort
Doctors: Berlusconi has leukemia, infection
Frances D’Emilio
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROME – Former Italian Premier Sil-
vio Berlusconi is being treated for a lung
infection that is a result of chronic leu-
kemia, his doctors said Thursday, re-
vealing the latest of string of health set-
backs for the 86-year-old media mogul.
Berlusconi’s personal physician, Al-
berto Zangrillo, signed off on a medical
bulletin that said Berlusconi has had
leukemia “for some time” but that the
cancer of the blood cells was in a “per-
sistent chronic phase.”
The statement was the first official
word from doctors since Berlusconi was
admitted to Milan’s San Raffaele Hospi-
tal on Wednesday. Dr. Fabio Ciceri, who
is head of hematology, bone marrow
transplation and blood cancer at the
hospital, co-signed it.
“The current treatment strategy en-
visions treatment of the pulmonary in-
fection” as well as specialized treatment
“aimed at limiting the negative effects”
of the chronic leukemia, the bulletin
stated.
Berlusconi is a media mogul who
served three terms as Italy’s premier
and now serves in the Senate. He was
admitted to an intensive care unit at San
Raffaele Hospital on Wednesday for
treatment of what aides indicated was a
respiratory problem stemming from a
previous infection.
Earlier Thursday, a close political al-
ly, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani,
quoting Zangrillo, reported that Berlus-
coni was alert and in stable condition at
the hospital. Tajani is the coordinator of
US ambassador, Russian diplomat discuss reporter
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The U.S ambassador to Russia and a
top Russian diplomat met Thursday to
discuss a Wall Street Journal reporter
who was arrested last week on espio-
nage charges, the Russian Foreign Min-
istry said.
In the meeting with U.S. Ambassador
Lynne T. Tracy, Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Sergei Ryabkov stressed “the
serious nature of the charges” against
American journalist Evan Gershkovich,
according to a ministry statement.
“It was emphasized that he was
Afghan women protest in Kabul last year. The U.N. said its Afghan staff stayed home Thursday to protest the Taliban’s ban
on U.N. female staff working in the country. MOHAMMED SHOAIB AMIN/AP FILE
by the Taliban to erase Afghan women
and girls from society.”
The United Nations on Wednesday
called the ban an “unparalleled” viola-
tion of women’s rights, unlawful under
international law, and unacceptable to
the 193-member international organiza-
tion.
The Taliban decision drew condem-
nation from the world’s most recog-
nized organizations and on Thursday
more than a dozen U.N. experts also de-
manded the immediate reversal of the
countrywide ban on Afghan women
working with the United Nations, in-
cluding the U.N. special investigator on
human rights in Afghanistan.
Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to an intensive care unit
on Wednesday for treatment of what aides indicated was a respiratory problem.
ANDREW MEDICHINI/AP FILE
Forza Italia, the political party that Ber-
lusconi created some 30 years ago.
Zangrillo, Berlusconi’s longtime phy-
sician, is a chief anesthesiologist at San
Raffaele Hospital. The former three-
time premier and now senator had left
the same hospital a week ago after sev-
eral days of tests.
The medical bulletin didn’t specify
which treatment Berlusconi was receiv-
ing.
Berlusconi “is currently in intensive
care for the treatment of a pulmonary
infection,” the bulletin said. It noted
caught red-handed while trying to ob-
tain secret information, using his jour-
nalistic status as a cover for illegal ac-
tions,” the statement said.
The ministry added that “the hype in
the United States around this case,
which is aimed at putting pressure on
the Russian authorities and the court,
which should decide the fate of Gersh-
kovich, is hopeless and senseless.”
Gershkovich, 31, was arrested in Ye-
katerinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest
city, on March 29. He is the first U.S. cor-
respondent since the Cold War to be de-
tained for alleged spying.
Despite initial promises of a more
moderate rule than during its previous
stint in power in the 1990s, the Taliban
have imposed harsh measures since
taking over the country in 2021 as U.S.
and NATO forces were pulling out of Af-
ghanistan after two decades of war.
Girls are banned from education be-
yond sixth grade. Women are barred
from working, studying, traveling with-
out a male companion, and even going
to parks or gyms. And women must also
cover themselves from head to toe. In
December, the Taliban banned female
workers for humanitarian organiza-
tions.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N. deputy
that his leukemia was in a “persistent
chronic phase” and that tests have
found an “absence of evolving charac-
teristics of acute leukemia,” which de-
velops more quickly.
Doctors said the kind of leukemia af-
flicting Berlusconi usually appears in
people of advanced age and is charac-
terized by an increase in white blood
cells known as monocytes.
Treatment for older patients could
involve a stem cell transplant. But that
could be difficult, according to an Italian
non-profit association dedicated to
Russia’s Federal Security Service ac-
cused Gershkovich of trying to obtain
classified information about a Russian
arms factory. The Journal has denied
the accusations.
Lawyers representing Gershkovich
met with him Tuesday for the first time
since his detention, according to The
Wall Street Journal. Editor-in-Chief
Emma Tucker said the paper was en-
couraged by the visit and Gershkovich’s
family is “relieved to know we finally
have contact with Evan.”
“Evan’s health is good, and he is
grateful for the outpouring of support
special representative and humanitar-
ian coordinator for Afghanistan, said in
a statement Thursday that Afghanistan
is the world’s largest aid operation, with
a record 28.3 million people in need of
assistance this year including 20 mil-
lion facing severe hunger and 6 million
of them “one step away from famine.”
The U.N. appealed for $4.6 billion to
provide humanitarian aid for Afghani-
stan in 2023 but the appeal is less than
5% funded, receiving only $213 million
which makes it the lowest funded U.N.
aid operation globally, he said.
“The world cannot abandon the peo-
ple of Afghanistan at this precarious
moment,” Alakbarov said.
combatting leukemia. Another treat-
ment would involve controlling the
white blood cell count.
Berlusconi’s doctors said they were
aiming to “get back the pre-existing
clinical conditions.”
Without citing any sources, Italian
news agency ANSA reported that Ber-
lusconi had received chemotherapy.
Berlusconi’s party whip in the lower
chamber of the Italian Parliament, Pao-
lo Barelli, told reporters that Berlusconi
“is responding to treatment,” but Barelli
declined to specify what kind.
A statement from Forza Italia said
Berlusconi on Thursday morning had
telephoned several party officials about
political matters.
Meanwhile family members con-
tinued to visit Berlusconi. Spotted arriv-
ing at the hospital were his brother, Pao-
lo, his eldest daughter, Marina, and his
younger son, Luigi.
LaPresse news agency quoted Ber-
lusconi’s brother Paolo as saying that
the family was “relieved” and “hopeful”
amid signs of improvement in his condi-
tion.
Fedele Confalonieri, Berlusconi’s
longtime confidant and chairman of his
media empire Mediaset, told reporters
Thursday that “we’re more optimistic.”
The last years have seen Berlusconi
suffer numerous health problems, in-
cluding heart ailments and COVID-19 in
2020, which saw him hospitalized then
in critical condition with pneumonia.
He has had a pacemaker for years,
underwent heart surgery to replace an
aortic valve in 2016 and overcame pros-
tate cancer decades ago.
from around the world. We continue to
call for his immediate release,” Tucker
said in a note to the newsroom Tuesday.
Gershkovich was ordered held be-
hind bars for two months in Russia
pending an investigation. A Moscow
court said Monday that it had received a
defense appeal of his arrest; the appeal
is to be heard on April 18, Russian news
agencies reported.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blin-
kenurged Russian Foreign Minister Ser-
gey Lavrov on Sunday to release Gersh-
kovich immediately, as well as another
imprisoned American, Paul Whelan.
 R1 NATION & WORLD EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 11NN

Smoke rises from a fire after rockets fired from Lebanon struck northern Israel on Thursday. FADI AMUN/AP

Israel
Continued from Page 1NN

decisions had been made.

“Israel’s response, tonight and be-
yond, will extract a heavy price from our
enemies,” Netanyahu said in the state-
ment. It did not elaborate.
Almost immediately, Palestinian mil-
itants in Gaza began firing rockets into
southern Israel, setting off air raid si-
rens across the region. Loud explosions
could be heard in Gaza from the Israeli
strikes, as outgoing rockets whooshed
into the skies toward Israel.
The airstrikes came after militants in
Lebanon fired some 34 rockets into Isra-
el, forcing people across Israel’s north-
ern frontier into bomb shelters and
wounding at least two people.
The Israeli military said the rocket
fire on its northern and southern fronts
was carried out by Palestinian militants
in connection to this week’s violence at
the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Israeli po-
lice stormed into the building with tear
gas and stun grenades to confront Pal-
estinians barricaded inside on two
straight days. The violent scenes from
the mosque ratcheted up tensions
across the region.
The military said some 25 of the rock- Israeli self-propelled howitzers are stationed at a base in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Thursday.
ets were intercepted. But two people RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
were wounded and property was dam-
aged in several communities in north-
ern Israel. Lebanon-based Palestinian militant lant, but then backtracked as he put the nights, Palestinians barricaded them-
The rare attack from Lebanon raised group, not by Hezbollah. overhaul on hold for several weeks. selves in the mosque with stones and
fears of a wider conflagration as Israel’s Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Critics could also accuse him of trying to firecrackers.
bitter enemy, the Iran-backed militant Najib Mikati, condemned the firing of use the crisis to divert attention from his Worshippers have been demanding
group Hezbollah, holds sway over much rockets from Lebanon, adding that Leb- domestic woes. the right to pray overnight inside the
of southern Lebanon. anese troops and U.N. peacekeepers Netanyahu said that the domestic di- mosque – which authorities typically
In a briefing with reporters, Lt. Col. were investigating and trying to find the visions had no impact on national secu- only permit during the last 10 days of the
Richard Hecht, an Israeli military perpetrators. Mikati said his govern- rity and that the country would remain monthlong Ramadan holiday. They also
spokesman, said the army drew a clear ment “categorically rejects any military united in the face of external threats. have stayed in the mosque in protest
connection between the Lebanese rock- escalation” and the use of Lebanese ter- Tensions have simmered along the over threats by religious Jews to carry
et fire and the recent unrest in Jerusa- ritories to stage acts that threaten sta- Lebanese border as Israel appears to out a ritual animal slaughter at the sa-
lem. bility. have ratcheted up its shadow war cred site for Passover.
“It’s a Palestinian-oriented event,” he Hezbollah, which has condemned against Iranian-linked targets in Syria, Israel did not try to prevent people
said, adding that either the Hamas or Is- the Israeli police raids in Jerusalem, did another close ally of Iran, Israel’s arch- from spending the night in the mosque
lamic Jihad militant groups, which are not respond for a request for comment enemy in the region. early Friday – apparently because it was
based in Gaza but also operate in Leba- on the rocket fire. Both Israel and Hez- Suspected Israeli airstrikes in Syria the weekend, when Jews do not visit the
non, could be involved. But he said the bollah have avoided an all-out conflict in recent weeks have killed two Iranian compound. But tensions could re-ignite
army believed that Hezbollah and the since a 34-day war in 2006 ended in a military advisers and temporarily put Sunday when Jewish visits resume.
Lebanese government were aware of draw. the country’s two largest airports out of Israel bars ritual slaughter on the
what happened and also held responsi- Netanyahu could be constrained by service. Hecht, the military spokesman, site, but calls by Jewish extremists to re-
bility. his own domestic problems. For the past said Thursday’s rocket fire was not be- vive the practice, including offers of
The mosque – the third-holiest site in three months, hundreds of thousands of lieved to be connected to events in Syr- cash rewards to anyone who even at-
Islam – stands on a hilltop revered by Israelis have been demonstrating ia. tempts to bring an animal into the com-
Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest against his plans to overhaul the coun- In Washington, the principal deputy pound, have amplified fears among
site in Judaism. The competing claims try’s judicial system, claiming it will State Department spokesman, Vedant Muslims that Israel is plotting to take
to the site have repeatedly spilled over lead the country toward authoritarian- Patel, said, “Israel has legitimate securi- over the site
into violence over the years. ism. ty concerns and has every right to de- In this week’s violence, Israeli police
No faction in Lebanon claimed re- Key military units, including fighter fend themselves.” fired stun grenades and rubber bullets
sponsibility for the salvo of rockets. A pilots, have threatened to stop reporting But he also urged calm in Jerusalem, to evict worshippers who had locked the
Lebanese security official, who spoke on for duty if the overhaul is passed, draw- saying that “any unilateral action that doors of the building. Palestinians
the condition of anonymity because he ing a warning from Defense Minister jeopardizes the status quo to us is unac- hurled stones and fireworks at officers.
was not authorized to speak to media, Yoav Gallant that Israel’s national secu- ceptable,” he said. After a few hours of scuffles that left a
said the country’s security forces be- rity could be harmed by the divisive In Jerusalem, the situation remained trail of damage, police managed to drag
lieved the rockets were launched by a plan. Netanyahu said he was firing Gal- tense at Al-Aqsa. For the previous two everyone out of the compound.

SPORTS
NFL DRAFT
Levis among high-risk,
high-reward prospects
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
USA TODAY
Volatility is a baked-in feature of ev-
ery NFL draft.
With each pick comes a degree of
surrender to uncertainty, as the task of
projecting how any player will fare in the
transition from college to pro entails an
untold number of variables. For some
prospects, however, there’s a wider
spectrum of possible outcomes. But
while a visible gulf between a player’s
apparent potential and their demon-
strated ability might be an alluring sign
of unrealized upside to some, the same
discrepancy can prove fatal to teams if a
coaching staff assigned to bridge that
gap is unable to do so.
And just like in years past, the 2023
NFL draft class features plenty of boom-
or-bust prospects. Here’s our look at 13
THE MASTERS
Jon Rahm lines up a putt on the 18th hole during the first round of the Masters on Thursday in Augusta, Ga.
MICHAEL MADRID/USA TODAY NETWORK
Off to a flying start
Rahm, Hovland, Koepka atop electric Augusta leaderboard
Adam Schupak
USA TODAY
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Jon Rahm spotted
the field two strokes, making a four-
putt double bogey at the first hole, but
rebounded to shoot 7-under 65 at Au-
gusta National Golf Club and share the
opening-round lead at the 87th Masters
with Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koep-
ka.
“If you’re going to make a double or
four-putt or anything, it might as well
be the first hole, 71 holes to make it up,”
Rahm said. “After that, it was more, I
was focused on the fact that all the
strokes were good. The reads were
good. The roll was good. Obviously the
speed was off on the first two putts, so
once I kind of accepted that there was
nothing really to look into, I just got to
work and I had 17 holes to make up.”
As he walked to the second tee,
EXTRA
of the biggest high-risk, high-reward
players:
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
By any measure, the 6-4, 229-pound
passer is a confounding study. Levis ac-
es some feats that few others can
match, slinging off-platform throws on
point and squeezing tight-window
passes to the sideline or deep downfield.
Yet he too often botches intro-to-quar-
terbacking-level assignments with
sloppy footwork and bewildering deci-
sion-making.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Something doesn’t add up when a
6-4, 244-pound quarterback with
See DRAFT, Page 8NS
Leaderboard
Viktor Hovland ..........................................-7
Brooks Koepka ..........................................-7
Jon Rahm ....................................................-7
Jason Day ...................................................-5
Cameron Young ........................................-5
7 tied at -4
Rahm remembered that former Masters
champion Seve Ballesteros, a fellow
Spaniard and an idol of Rahm’s, fam-
ously had four-putted once at the Mas-
ters and delivered a memorable quote.
“I remembered Seve’s quote,” Rahm
said. “Just kept thinking to myself,
‘Well, I miss, I miss, I miss, I make.’
Move on to the next. I carried a little bit
of that negative energy into the tee shot
on 2, hit it about ten yards further than I
SUBSCRIBER-EXCLUSIVE SECTION
SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 1NS
Louisville defensive lineman YaYa Diaby wraps ups Kentucky quarterback Will
Levis during a game on Nov. 26. MATT STONE/LOUISVILLE COURIER JOURNAL
usually do and moved on with my day.”
Rahm moved on to the tune of seven
birdies and an eagle at the par-5 eighth
hole. He hit 17 greens in all and at the
one he missed, No. 7, he chipped in for
birdie. Rahm tied his lowest round at
the Masters in 25 career trips around
Augusta National.
After posting a bogey-free 65 on
Thursday, Hovland was asked how he
would’ve fared if he had opened his
tournament with a four-putt double-
bogey?
“Is that what Jon Rahm did? That’s
pretty impressive – not the 4-putt but
the remaining golf after that. I mean, I
feel like now that I have worked on my
game, and I feel very confident about
my game, I’ve done a way better job of
not letting the bad shots affect me as
much because I think if you’re a little
See MASTERS, Page 2NS
MLB
Batboys
under
scrutiny
amid rule
changes
Josh Peter
USA TODAY
The first week of the MLB season
produced more jitters than usual
around numbers, but not the statistics
fans crave.
Instead, the pitch clock, the timer
between batters and scrutiny of how
quickly batboys and batgirls perform
their duties, as spelled out in a Major
League Baseball memo before the sea-
son began, are the new numbers to
note.
Batboys and batgirls are on notice.
“I think it’s a little crazy,” said Tino
Vigil, 24, a batboy for the Colorado
Rockies. “I think trying to speed every-
thing up probably isn’t the best thing
in the world.”
But now it’s reality.
“ … batboys are going to be a big
deal,” New York Mets manager Buck
Showalter said during spring training.
“You better have a good batboy. A bad
batboy is going to make it tougher.”
Even before the new scrutiny, Vigil
said, batboys and batgirls faced pres-
sure.
“The whole crowd and the whole
stadium is waiting on you,” he said. “It
gets intense for sure.”
It’s about to get even more intense.
The memo
Vigil and other batboys said they
learned about the changes on social
media.
The memo, released March 22, also
instructs batboys and batgirls to have
a player’s bat ready if he’s due up to
lead off an inning.
Players and clubs brought up the is-
sue of batboy performance during
their regular discussions with MLB
over new rules, according to a person
familiar with the discussions. The per-
son spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the
condition they not be identified be-
cause they were not authorized to
speak publicly about the matter.
The person stressed the success of
the new rules during spring training
and said the issue of batboys and bat-
girls’ performance is a small facet of a
much larger picture.
Through Monday, the average time
of game was 2 hours, 38 minutes, com-
pared to 3:09 at the same point last
year. The average time of game for the
See BATBOYS, Page 4NS
2NS | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
THE MASTERS
THURSDAY’S PAR SCORES
At Augusta National
Augusta, Ga.
Yardage: 7,545; Par: 72
First Round
Viktor Hovland .................31-34—65 (-7)
Brooks Koepka .................32-33—65 (-7)
Jon Rahm...........................33-32—65 (-7)
Jason Day ..........................34-33—67 (-5)
Cameron Young ...............34-33—67 (-5)
Sam Bennett.....................32-36—68 (-4)
Sam Burns .........................31-37—68 (-4)
Shane Lowry .....................33-35—68 (-4)
Xander Schauffele ..........34-34—68 (-4)
Scottie Scheffler .............33-35—68 (-4)
Adam Scott .......................34-34—68 (-4)
Gary Woodland ................35-33—68 (-4)
Tony Finau.........................35-34—69 (-3)
Collin Morikawa ...............34-35—69 (-3)
Justin Rose .......................36-33—69 (-3)
Jordan Spieth...................32-37—69 (-3)
Keegan Bradley................35-35—70 (-2)
Matt Fitzpatrick ...............37-33—70 (-2)
Ryan Fox ............................36-34—70 (-2)
Can Woods recapture Augusta magic?
Christine Brennan
Columnist
USA TODAY
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Frustration was Ti-
ger Woods’ constant companion Thurs-
day at the 2023 Masters. There was pain
in his rebuilt right leg, the kind of pain
that never goes away, Tiger said. There
were approach shots that fell short and
putts that lipped out. There were too
many bogeys at the beginning and after
a burst of momentum, one last bogey at
the end.
All in all, it was not the Tiger we re-
member but the Tiger we’ve come to
know.
Woods finished with an unsatisfying
first round two-over-par 74, well behind
the leaders, and the nagging knowledge
that he couldn’t take advantage of Au-
gusta National when the conditions
were most welcoming.
“I just didn't do the job I needed to do
to get the ball close,” Woods, a five-time
Masters champion, said afterward. "To-
day was the opportune time to get the
round under par, and I didn't do that.
Most of the guys are going low today.
This was the day to do it. Hopefully to-
morrow I'll be a little bit better, a little bit
sharper, and kind of inch my way
through it.”
Tiger did have a front-row seat for 25-
year-old co-leader Viktor Hovland’s
scintillating seven-under 65, and Xan-
der Schauffele’s four-under perfor-
mance that also found him on the lea-
derboard. It was both ironic and a sign
of the times that Tiger’s threesome in-
cluded the first-round co-leader and an-
other player near the lead, and neither
was Tiger.
But it all made sense. After taking
nearly two months off from competitive
Masters
Continued from Page 1NS
insecure about your game, you start off
with a double-bogey, and, ‘Oh, here we
go’, and it’s going to be hard to get all
those shots back. But if you feel good
about your game, you’ve just got to keep
pushing, and that’s obviously what Jon
Rahm did.”
Hovland, 25, made an eagle at the
second hole and “before I knew it,
somehow I was 6-under through 11, and
yeah, just kind of coast in to 65. So that
was awesome.”
So was being grouped with Tiger
Woods for the first time. He found out
Tuesday while on the range from his
caddie Shay Knight.
“When he said we were paired with
Tiger, my heart kind of went a little bit
further up in the throat, and I just
thought, ‘Wow, this is going to be excit-
ing’. Heart rate started going up. After
that, I calmed myself down and
thought, this is going to be very exciting.
You’ve just got to embrace it. You can’t
be scared or anything like that,” Hov-
land said. “If you want to win this tour-
nament, you can’t be scared about play-
ing with Tiger. So you’ve just got to over-
come things like that.”
Hovland hadn’t shot a round in the
60s in his previous 12 rounds at Augusta
Tom Kim.............................34-36—70 (-2)
Chris Kirk ...........................38-32—70 (-2)
Cameron Smith ................34-36—70 (-2)
Scott Stallings..................35-35—70 (-2)
Sepp Straka.......................39-31—70 (-2)
Justin Thomas..................35-35—70 (-2)
Patrick Cantlay..................35-36—71 (-1)
Fred Couples .....................38-33—71 (-1)
Harris English ....................37-34—71 (-1)
Tyrrell Hatton ....................35-36—71 (-1)
Max Homa..........................38-33—71 (-1)
Sungjae Im .........................35-36—71 (-1)
Dustin Johnson.................36-35—71 (-1)
Hideki Matsuyama ...........34-37—71 (-1)
Phil Mickelson ...................34-37—71 (-1)
Joaquin Niemann .............32-39—71 (-1)
Patrick Reed ......................35-36—71 (-1)
Abraham Ancer..................39-33—72 (E)
Tommy Fleetwood ............35-37—72 (E)
Talor Gooch ........................36-36—72 (E)
Kevin Kisner........................36-36—72 (E)
Rory McIlroy........................37-35—72 (E)
Francesco Molinari............38-34—72 (E)
Tiger Woods reacts to his shot from the 15th fairway during the first round of
the Masters on Thursday in Augusta, Ga. DANIELLE PARHIZKARAN/USA TODAY NETWORK
golf, Woods was rusty. There were bo-
geys on No. 3, No. 5 and No. 7. All that
early misery occurred in the first two
hours on a course that he absolutely
loves, and still on occasion loves him
back. Perspiration beaded on his face
and soaked through his white shirt on a
warm, humid day. This was a grind, and
he knew it.
“I didn't have very good speed early,”
he said. “I had two three-putts and con-
sequently I'm a couple over par. I didn't
hit my irons close enough today. I didn't
give myself very good looks. I need to do
a better job of that going forward to
hopefully get myself back in this tour-
nament.”
No matter what happens or how far
behind he is, some things never change:
Tiger still thinks he can be in the mix on
the weekend, which is supposed to be
rainy, cold and miserable, not exactly
prime conditions for a 47-year-old with
National.
Koepka, the 32-year-old winner of
four majors, missed the cut at his last
two Masters. He also shot the lowest
round of the 18 LIV golfers in the field
Thursday. After winning last week at
the LIV Orlando event, he proved to be
in good form, making birdie on his final
two holes to tie for the lead and set a ca-
reer-low at Augusta National with that
65.
“I thought the course was quite get-
table today,” said Koepka, who last held
the first round lead at a major at the 2019
PGA Championship.
On a warm, mostly sunny day, the
majority of the field agreed with Koep-
ka, taking advantage of the receptive
greens to go low.
But not everyone did. Tiger Woods
struggled to shoot 2-over 74, as did Bry-
son DeChambeau. Rory McIlroy, who is
trying to complete the career Grand
Slam for the ninth time, had gotten off to
a slow start, too, and got into red figures
but finished with an even-par 72 after a
bogey-par finish.
Rain and cold weather are forecasted
in the days to come making a good start
doubly important.
“I think I might be able to squeak out
a few more holes than everybody else
before it starts dumping,” Koepka said.
“I would say that’s probably the biggest
advantage I’ve got going for me right
now.”
Harold Varner III ................34-38—72 (E)
Mike Weir ............................35-37—72 (E)
Corey Conners .................36-37—73 (+1)
Russell Henley..................36-37—73 (+1)
Billy Horschel ...................36-37—73 (+1)
Si Woo Kim........................37-36—73 (+1)
Jason Kokrak ....................38-35—73 (+1)
Adrian Meronk .................35-38—73 (+1)
Taylor Moore ....................37-36—73 (+1)
Seamus Power .................35-38—73 (+1)
Sahith Theegala...............37-36—73 (+1)
Bryson DeChambeau .....38-36—74 (+2)
Sergio Garcia....................34-40—74 (+2)
Tom Hoge .........................37-37—74 (+2)
Kyoung-Hoon Lee...........39-35—74 (+2)
Mito Pereira......................39-35—74 (+2)
Thomas Pieters ...............37-37—74 (+2)
J.T. Poston ........................37-37—74 (+2)
Charl Schwartzel .............38-36—74 (+2)
Tiger Woods.....................38-36—74 (+2)
Ben Carr ............................38-37—75 (+3)
Harrison Crowe ...............36-39—75 (+3)
Zach Johnson ..................36-39—75 (+3)
a bum leg.
But there are always moments for Ti-
ger when the golf gods wake up and de-
cide his fortunes are about to change.
When a delicate chip on the par-5 eighth
nestled just a few inches from the cup,
Tiger collected his first birdie and all of a
sudden, there was a bounce in that lum-
bering, often-labored step of his.
After another bogey on 11, he rattled
off back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 and
a quick thought flashed through your
mind: might he birdie in? This being
2023, not 2001 or 2002, the answer was
a definite no. He ended on 18 not with a
bang, but with one last bogey.
Tiger and the Masters have the most
fascinating relationship. If ever a golfer
was made for a golf course, it’s Woods at
Augusta National. He loves it here. To
him, it’s home. So when he says, as he
did this week, “I don’t know how many
more I have in me,” meaning Masters
Brooks Koepka hits his third shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the
Masters on Thursday in Augusta, Ga. ROB SCHUMACHER/USA TODAY NETWORK
Kurt Kitayama ..................38-37—75 (+3)
Bernhard Langer .............38-37—75 (+3)
Min Woo Lee ....................36-39—75 (+3)
Keith Mitchell...................37-38—75 (+3)
Vijay Singh........................38-37—75 (+3)
Adam Svensson ...............41-34—75 (+3)
Danny Willett ...................38-37—75 (+3)
Cameron Champ .............41-35—76 (+4)
M. Frnandz de Oliveira ..39-37—76 (+4)
Kazuki Higa.......................36-40—76 (+4)
Mackenzie Hughes .........39-37—76 (+4)
Louis Oosthuizen ............37-39—76 (+4)
Brian Harman ...................39-38—77 (+5)
Matthew McClean...........37-40—77 (+5)
Jose Maria Olazabal .......40-37—77 (+5)
Aldrich Potgieter ............40-37—77 (+5)
Gordon Sargent ..............39-38—77 (+5)
Bubba Watson .................40-37—77 (+5)
Alex Noren ........................41-37—78 (+6)
Larry Mize..........................38-41—79 (+7)
Sandy Lyle .........................40-41—81 (+9)
Kevin Na..................................................WD
Will Zalatoris ..........................................WD
appearances, fans stream to him as they
do no one else, and many stick around
no matter what, gazing toward the sol-
itary figure in the fairway as if they were
looking at a masterpiece in a museum.
His five wins here include his most
improbable triumph in 2019 at 43. Can
he do it again? It’s highly unlikely, but
with Tiger, you never want to say never.
The issue for him, be it on a Thursday at
the Masters or forevermore, is not so
much the golf. It’s the leg. Over the
course of a four-round tournament, his
scores almost always get worse because
of the cumulative wear and tear his leg
suffers from walking the course.
Last year, when he staged a stunning
comeback just 14 months after his Feb-
ruary 2021 car crash, his scores went the
wrong direction: 71-74-78-78.
His scores in the only other tourna-
ment he has played this year, the Gene-
sis Invitational nearly two months ago,
where he finished tied for 45th, were a
bit different, but still illustrative of the
issue: 69-74-67-73.
“I think my game is better than it was
last year at this particular time,” Woods
said earlier this week. “I think my en-
durance is better. But (the right leg)
aches a little bit more than it did last
year just because at that particular time
when I came back, I really had not
pushed it that often. … I can hit a lot of
shots but the difficulty for me is going to
be the walking going forward. It is what
it is. I wish it could be easier.”
In three years, when he is 50, he will
be eligible for the PGA Tour Champions
senior circuit, where he won’t have to
walk nearly as much.
“I've got three more years where I get
the little buggy (golf cart) and be out
there with Fred (Couples),” he said with
a smile, "but until then, no buggy.”
So on he walks, enduring both mis-
takes and constant pain, hoping there
might be one last slice of magic for him
at this place of all places.

THE MASTERS
FRIDAY’S TEE TIMES
8 a.m. — Mike Weir
8:12 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Scott Stall-
ings, a-Matthew McClean
8:24 a.m. — Sandy Lyle, Jason Kokrak,
Talor Gooch
8:36 a.m. — Fred Couples, Russell
Henley, Alex Noren
8:48 a.m. — Adrian Meronk, Kevin
Kisner, Louis Oosthuizen
9 a.m. — Larry Mize, Min Woo Lee,
a-Harrison Crowe
9:12 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Kazuki Higa,
Keith Mitchell
9:24 a.m. — Patrick Reed, Adam
Svensson, Sahith Theegala
Mickelson lost his huge, adoring crowds
Dan Wolken
Columnist
USA TODAY
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Phil Mickelson
flashed a huge smile to the crowd
around the first tee at Augusta National,
slapping hands with some of the pa-
trons who had been waiting for him to
arrive.
There was a “Go get ‘em, Phil!” here
and a “Let’s go Devils” there, a nod to his
Arizona State roots. And when he
placed his first tee shot in the fairway,
there was little more than a smattering
of polite applause.
For the 52-year-old Mickelson, it was
a thoroughly uneventful and unusually
quiet way to start his Masters. But that’s
exactly what made it so remarkable.
Mickelson is usually a happening un-
to himself — especially here at a tourna-
ment he’s won three times. Over the
course of his 30 years playing the Mas-
ters, only one player has drawn bigger,
more enthusiastic galleries.
In a fascinating bit of timing, throngs
of fans were lining up along the ninth
fairway just a few steps away in antici-
pation of that player — Tiger Woods, of
course — passing through shortly after
Mickelson’s round began.
Just a couple of years ago, the sport’s
two most popular players crossing
paths on Thursday at the Masters would
have caused a human traffic jam. But
these days, only one of them is as big of
a draw as they used to be.
It’s not that Mickelson, now the face
of LIV Golf and the existential crisis that
enveloped the sport over the last year,
was received poorly in his return to Au-
gusta after taking a hiatus last year.
It just wasn’t your typical Mickelson
gallery, even on a day where he put to-
gether something that at least vaguely
resembled a vintage Mickelson roller
coaster round of 71, including three
missed eagle putts, two trips into the
water on the back nine, a driver off pine
straw and a right-handed eight iron on
14 that he couldn’t play lefty because his
ball had nestled against a tree.
“I was actually enjoying it and appre-
ciative of the opportunity to be here,”
Mickelson said. “There was a lot of talk a
year ago guys wouldn’t be able to be
here, and I’m very grateful for the op-
portunity to play and compete here and
be a part of it.”
Slimmer Phil
Of course, the reason Mickelson
wondered if his future at the Masters
might be in doubt was readily apparent
on his chest and hat. When Mickelson
became the public ringleader for LIV,
the Saudi-backed renegade league that
was paying ridiculous amounts of guar-
anteed money to poach PGA Tour play-
ers, his corporate sponsorships disinte-
On-course interviews a change at Augusta
Doug Ferguson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta National
has taken another surprising step to-
ward modernization: The Masters al-
lowed for a walk-and-talk during the
opening round when Rory McIlroy an-
swered questions for the ESPN telecast
while playing the ninth fairway.
Then, Max Homa later joined the fun,
making a live guest appearance during
his round.
9:36 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Mackenzie
Hughes, Thomas Pieters
9:48 a.m. — Bubba Watson, Seamus
Power, a-Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira
10:06 a.m. — Abraham Ancer, Chris
Kirk, Keegan Bradley
10:18 a.m. — Tiger Woods, Viktor Hov-
land, Xander Schauffele
10:30 a.m. — Adam Scott, Patrick Can-
tlay, Kurt Kitayama
10:42 a.m. — Justin Thomas, Jon
Rahm, Cameron Young
10:54 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Cam-
eron Smith, Sungjae Im
11:06 a.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal,
Phil Mickelson takes a shot in front of the gallery on the second fairway during the first round of the Masters on Thursday
in Augusta, Ga. MICHAEL MADRID/USA TODAY NETWORK
grated.
So Mickelson is now wearing the logo
of the HyFlyers, the LIV team he cap-
tains with James Piot, Brendan Steele
and Cameron Tringale.
But let’s be real. Besides his out-of-
nowhere triumph at the 2021 PGA
Championship that gave him a sixth
major title, there’s been little reason to
take Mickelson’s golf seriously over the
last couple of years. Since making the
move to LIV, he’s had one top-10 finish in
10 events. This season, he’s finished
27th, 32nd and 41st, with just three of
nine rounds in the 60s. Both before and
immediately after his PGA win, Mickel-
son wasn’t contending for much of any-
thing.
In an attempt to turn that around,
Mickelson lost a significant amount of
weight. Though his waistline has ex-
panded and contracted at various
points over the years, he is noticeably
slimmer than he has been in a very long
time. For a 52-year-old man, he looks
terrific.
“I’ve got to be in shape to be able to
have a (swing) speed that allows me to
compete,” Mickelson said. “And also for
overall health. Everything I’m doing is
for wellness, right? I want to be healthy
and well and not have any issues and
not have any cardiac issues. I want to be
fit and be able to enjoy life, because this
is a really fun chapter right now for Amy
and I.”
So this Masters is, in a sense, golf ’s
re-introduction to the new Mickelson.
CBS, which is producing the Masters,
first broke out the technology at the
Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey
Pines. Trevor Immelman was in the
booth and held a Q-and-A with Homa as
he played the 13th hole. Homa went on
to win.
NBC also did the walk-and-talk with
a player during the six weeks leading to
the Masters.
But the Masters?
There was McIlroy, going so far as to
tell viewers his yardage and what club
SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 3NS
Cameron Champ
11:18 a.m. — Charl Schwartzel, Taylor
Moore, a-Aldrich Potgieter
11:30 a.m. — J.T. Poston, Francesco
Molinari, Bryson DeChambeau
11:42 a.m. — Bernhard Langer, Mito
Pereira, a-Ben Carr
11:54 a.m. — Danny Willett, Gary
Woodland, Brooks Koepka
12:12 p.m. — Sepp Straka, Harold Var-
ner III, K.H. Lee
12:24 p.m. — Phil Mickelson, Tom
Hoge, Si Woo Kim
12:36 p.m. — Billy Horschel, Harris
English, Ryan Fox
The question is whether it’s going to
help him win back any of the love and
admiration that has clearly been lost
over the last year.
Though Mickelson said the fans have
“been great all week” to him, they were
not the same size and fervor you’d have
found following him a few years ago.
And he denied reports of awkwardness
at the Tuesday dinner for past champi-
ons, saying it was “a really special night
and fun to be a part of.”
Maybe the relationship between
Mickelson and the wider world of pro
golf will never be normal again. But you
can imagine that just being here Thurs-
day was perhaps the most normal thing
he’s been a part of in a long while.
“I think it’s fun to be in the Masters
every year, know you’re going to be in
this tournament, know you’re going to
be a part of this regardless of how you’re
playing,” Mickelson said. “I feel like you
can play this golf course and not have to
be perfect. As long as you put it in the
correct spots, you can kind of manage
your game around and shoot a number. I
think that’s why I always enjoy playing
here is because I feel a little bit more re-
laxed, like I don’t have to be perfect.”
He certainly wasn’t on Thursday.
Mind-numbing mistakes
After draining a tricky eight-footer
for par on the first hole, he sent his tee
shot on the par-5 second well right of
the fairway bunker and into a spectator
he would be hitting into the ninth green.
McIlroy said it wasn’t a distraction
because the interview was conducted
through an earpiece rather than having
someone place a microphone in front of
him as he walked, so it felt more natural.
“It’s nice to provide the audience at
home a little bit more insight into what’s
going on out here,” McIlroy said.
He wasn’t surprised when he was ap-
proached by Masters officials earlier
this week about doing the interview.
“I think since Chairman (Fred) Ridley
12:48 p.m. — Zach Johnson, Jason
Day, a-Gordon Sargent
1 p.m. — Brian Harman, Joaquin Nie-
mann, Tyrrell Hatton
1:12 p.m. — Dustin Johnson, Corey
Conners, Justin Rose
1:24 p.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin
Morikawa
1:36 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Max
Homa, a-Sam Bennett
1:48 p.m. — Tom Kim, Rory McIlroy,
Sam Burns
2 p.m. — Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleet-
wood, Tony Finau
area where he didn’t have many options.
So in a typical Mickelson move, he
chose the one few would expect: A driv-
er that he wanted to keep under tree
branches and get back into play. But
Mickelson couldn’t avoid all the foliage,
and the ball careened to another area of
patrons on the opposite side of the fair-
way. He still got up-and-down for the
first of his six birdies.
But, also typical of Mickelson, there
were some mind-numbing mistakes. On
No. 3, he tried to bump-and-run a short
approach shot up the hill and onto the
green where the pin was in front. He
never made it and paid the price with a
bogey. He flared one into the water left
on 11 and then missed a 10-footer for bo-
gey. Then after a good birdie on 15, he
took a terrible swing on the par-3 16th
and went well left of his target into the
pond.
“I hit a lot of good shots today and
had a chance to shoot a low round,” he
said. “But this is the issue I’ve been
dealing with is I’ll make two swings and
it costs me four shots on 11 and 16. I just
need to keep working on eliminating it.
I’m hitting enough good shots to shoot
some good numbers, and I’m having fun
playing, and I’m having fun hitting the
shots again and driving it well.
“Just need to stay a little bit sharper
on one or two swings because in major
championships, the punishment for a
mis-hit is so severe.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Dan Wol-
ken on Twitter @DanWolken.
has come along, he’s really tried to push
the envelope as well,” McIlory said. “So I
think Augusta has a great balance of
blending that history and that tradition
but also making sure we’re keeping up
with the times.”
Homa, no stranger to putting himself
out there on social media, is in favor of
the move.
“It does feel like that’s a good way to
maybe gain some perspective for the
fans to enjoy golf a little bit easier,” Ho-
ma said.
4NS | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

MLB

Brewers’ new-look lineup delivers

Steve Megargee
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Brew-

ers had confidence in their rookie class
well before the start of the season.
Those newcomers wasted no time re-
warding that faith.
The Brewers have won five straight
games while fielding a lineup that often
features three rookies in outfielders
Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer and
second baseman Brice Turang. The trio
is batting a combined .321 (17 of 53) with
five homers, 13 runs and 13 RBIs through
the first six games of the season.
“I think it brings a different type of
energy when you have young guys,” said
Mitchell, whose walk-off homer
Wednesday capped a three-game
sweep of the New York Mets. “We’re go-
ing out there, and not only are we trying
to play, but we’re trying to stay here.
Nothing’s ever guaranteed in this game.
We’re working really hard, doing every-
thing to the best of our abilities and do-
ing it at a fast pace.”
Although Mitchell reached the ma-
jors late last season, Wiemer and Tu-
rang made their big league debuts last
week.
These rookies are showing that the
attention they received before the sea-
son was merited.
The Brewers spotlighted them Brewers left fielder Garrett Mitchell hits the game-winning home run in the ninth inning against the Mets on Thursday in
throughout spring training in a video Milwaukee. BENNY SIEU/USA TODAY SPORTS
series titled “The Freshmen” that aired
on social media.
“You could feel a little superstitious While it’s unrealistic to expect these off appearances. A couple of Milwau- All those new faces have helped the
that we put that out there, but we want- rookies to maintain such production at kee’s veteran newcomers also made Brewers succeed without getting big
ed to try to introduce the young guys to the plate, they’ve shown they also can quite the early statement. early contributions from some promi-
the fans, and you could see the impact contribute in other ways. Brian Anderson was nontendered by nent players.
they had on the game,” principal owner All three are quality fielders with the Miami Marlins after hitting .222 With Urías injured, the only three
Mark Attanasio said. “Especially with speed. Wiemer had an outfield assist with a .657 OPS last season. He is bat- starting position players who were with
the speed.” from right field Monday when Daniel ting .500 (9 of 18) with three homers for the team at the start of last season –
Attanasio made that comment Mon- Vogelbach attempted to stretch a single the Brewers, and his 10 RBIs put him in a Willy Adames, Christian Yelich and
day before the Brewers’ home opener. to a double and had a diving catch in tie for the major league lead. Rowdy Tellez – are hitting below .250.
The rookies spent the next three days center Wednesday. Anderson also has played both third Corbin Burnes, the 2021 Cy Young
making one heck of an impression on “The way they play, they all can do so base and right field, which has given the Award winner and 2022 NL strikeout
the home crowd. much on the field and are not one-di- Brewers flexibility they need with in- leader, has a 9.64 ERA through his first
Turang hit a grand slam in the open- mensional players,” manager Craig fielder Luis Urías out six to eight weeks two starts.
ing game of the Mets series. Wiemer de- Counsell said. “They’re players that can because of a hamstring strain. Yet the Brewers haven’t missed a
livered a three-run homer Wednesday. do a lot, and that means they can impact Jesse Winker hit just .219 during an beat, thanks in part to the spark the roo-
Mitchell homered three times, a remark- the game a lot, and that’s what they’re injury-riddled 2022 season with Seattle kies have provided.
able power surge for a guy who had just doing.” but is hitting .333 with a .409 on-base “They’re full of energy,” Burnes said.
13 homers in 557 career minor league The rookies have emerged as part of a percentage through his first six games in “They’re happy to be here. They’re play-
plate appearances. lineup overhaul the Brewers made after Milwaukee, a place where he hit well ing their butt off. It’s not like it’s just one
“We as his teammates knew,” Wiem- going 86-76 last season to end a fran- during five seasons with the Cincinnati guy shining. Every guy out there is shin-
er said. “He’s got a lot of juice in his bat.” chise-record string of four straight play- Reds. ing.”

Batboys
Continued from Page 1NS

2022 regular season was 3:03.

But there appears to be reason for
concern.

In-game adjustments

In addition to the pitch clock, there is

a timer allowing for 30 seconds between
batters. Batboys and batgirls will be ex-
pect to collect bats, protective gear and
scamper back to the dugout so as not to
slow play.
In an exhibition game between the
Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals,
a delay in collecting a bat and gear
prompted a Royals batboy to duck into
the Rangers’ dugout. The urgency: get
off the field to avoid slowing play as the
next batter prepared to hit.
“They’re like, ‘Hey, what are you do-
ing?’” recalled Tim Plummer, the batboy
who is employed by the Rangers but
works for the visiting team. (Most vis-
iting teams use batboys employed by
the home team.)
Plummer said he acted on the advice Reds bat boy Gus Bell, son of manager David Bell, jogs back to the dugout during a spring training game in 2022.
of the home plate umpire, who said it KAREEM ELGAZZAR/THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER
was best to duck inside the home dug-
out if he couldn’t make it back to the vis-
itors’ dugout without slowing play. umpires. So there’s a lot of parts and game is over,” he said. boy for the Tampa Bay Rays between
pieces that are going into it.” It’s unlikely he’ll face the prospect of 2018 and 2021, said he routinely logged
Misnomers h There are plenty of ball girls sta- losing his job after an MLB evaluation. more than 10 hours on game days. The
tioned in foul territory and scooping up Plummer said he plans to give up the job involves far more than retrieving
h There are more men than boys re- foul balls. But three current batboys and job at the end of the season to spend bats. He said he arrived as early as nine
trieving bats. one former batboy said they were not more time with his family. hours before games scheduled to start
After Dusty Baker’s three-year-old aware of any girls or women working as at 7 p.m. and stayed as late as 3 a.m.
Darren narrowly avoided disaster in the batgirls. Reality of the job There was plenty of bat retrieving dur-
2002 World Series, MLB began requir- When asked how many batgirls are ing the game, but duties also include
ing that all batboys and batgirls be at employed by teams, MLB told USA TO- It’s worth learning a few things be- packing and unpacking equipment,
least 14. DAY Sports it does not keep track of that fore you apply for the job, which pays cleaning the clubhouse and doing laun-
But clubs usually hire people old information, saying it was a club issue. roughly minimum wage, plus tips and, dry.
enough to buy not just peanuts and Even fans may have trouble keeping for the lucky few, playoff shares when Kenrick, 19, said he quit after the 2021
cracker jack but also beer. track of their team’s batboys, as they of- teams qualify for the postseason. season and started a hauling company
h Nine innings of work as a batboy ten change, sometimes game-to-game A job listing for batboy posted by the that is far more profitable. But he also
looks easier than it is. or series-to-series. Royals this year on salary.com estimat- said he has no regrets about his stint as
“You can’t be sprinting out of the dug- Regardless of doing the work, it will ed the annual salary was $39,469 to a batboy.
out the first couple of innings because take its toll, according to Plummer. He $51,435. A job listing for “bat person” “It’s a cool job, don’t get me wrong,”
then you’ll get winded,” Vigil said. “An- joined the Rangers 12 years ago and (lis- posted by the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 he said. “But, dude, I’m not going to
other thing is if you have to use the rest- ten up, MLB evaluators) said it’s as fast on salary.com estimated the average hang up someone’s laundry for the rest
room, it’s kind of tough to add that break as ever. hourly wage was $16.21 to $20.95. of my life for 10 bucks an hour.”
in there, too. Or even deliver water to the “But my legs hurt more when the Joey Kenrick, who worked as a bat- Contributing: Bob Nightengale
 SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 5NS

MLB

THURSDAY’S ROUNDUP

Duvall breaks tie with 3-run homer, Red Sox win

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT – Adam Duvall hit a tie-

breaking, three-run homer in the sixth
inning and the Boston Red Sox went on
to beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 Thursday.
Miguel Cabrera hit a two-out RBI sin-
gle in the third inning of his final home
opener to put Detroit up 3-1.
Boston, swept at home earlier in the
week by Pittsburgh, bounced back with
a run in the third and fourth before surg-
ing into the lead with a four-run sixth.
Chris Sale (1-0) gave up four hits and
three runs and three walks while strik-
ing out seven in five innings. John
Schreiber, Chris Martin, Ryan Brasier
and combined to throw three innings of
scoreless relief and Kenley Jansen
pitched the ninth for his first save with
Boston.
Spencer Turnbull (0-2) allowed five
runs and five hits and two walks over 5
2-3 innings. Jose Cisnero gave up the
three-run homer to Duvall, the first bat-
ter he faced.
Detroit catcher Jake Rogers fired up
fans – bundled up on a chilly afternoon
– by turning on an inside pitch and
sending it 414 feet to left to put Detroit
up 2-0 in the second.

Giants 16, White Sox 6

CHICAGO – J.D. Davis hit a grand

slam in the ninth off mop-up reliever
Hanser Alberto for his third hit, Michael
Conforto had a three-run homer among
three hits and San Francisco powered
past Chicago.
Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores
each launched a two-run shot in San Red Sox center fielder Adam Duvall hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Tigers on Thursday in Detroit.
Francisco’s five-homer, 20-hit attack. RICK OSENTOSKI/USA TODAY SPORTS
Rookie catcher Blake Sabol hit the first
home run of his career and added two
singles to give him four total hits in his Josiah Gray (0-2) took the loss. The his third hit and Atlanta won its home home opener for the Diamondbacks.
first six games. Nationals have dropped four straight. opener. Arcia hit a third-inning homer May (1-0) gave up one run on just two
The Giants hit 13 home runs in the and also had a double. hits, striking out five and walking two.
three-game series on Chicago’s South Blue Jays 6, Royals 3 With two outs in the ninth, pinch-hit- The 25-year-old May – whose fast-
Side, starting with seven in a 12-3 win on ter Eddie Rosario doubled to the right- ball occasionally hits 100 mph – threw
Monday. They have 15 homers overall, KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kevin Gausman field corner off right-hander Nabil Cris- seven scoreless innings against the D-
the most in franchise history through pitched six scoreless innings, Vlad matt (0-1). Arcia followed with the single backs last week in the season’s opening
their first six games since the team Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio hit home to center field that drove in Rosario to series. The former top prospect had
started keeping records in 1901. runs and Toronto beat Kansas City for set off an on-field celebration. A.J. Mint- Tommy John surgery in 2021, which
Jakob Junis (2-0) threw four innings its third straight victory. er (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth. briefly derailed his career, but looks like
of scoreless, two-hit relief. Lance Lynn Gausman (1-1) gave up just four hits to The Padres took a 6-4 lead in the he could be one of L.A.’s best pitchers
(0-1) was the loser. the struggling Royals, striking out seven eighth. Xander Bogaerts raced home this season.
and walking two. Kansas City did not from third base on a wild pitch from Kir- The Dodgers jumped on top 1-0 in the
Rockies 1, Nationals 0 have a runner reach second base until by Yates. José Azocar followed with a second on Chris Taylor’s two-out single
the sixth inning. The Royals scored bunt that Yates fielded before throwing that brought home Max Muncy, who led
DENVER – Kyle Freeland pitched three runs in the eighth to avoid their wide of first base for an error. Cronen- off the inning with a walk.
four-hit ball over 6 2/3 innings, Jurick- fourth shutout of the season. worth scored as Azocar raced to third Los Angeles pushed ahead 3-0 in the
son Profar made several nifty catches in On Wednesday, the Royals became base. third. Freeman, who got on base with a
left field and Colorado beat Washington just the ninth team since 1901 to be shut The Braves pulled even in the bottom one-out double, scored after a throwing
in its home opener out on two hits or fewer twice within of the eighth. Arcia doubled and scored error by D-backs shortstop Geraldo Per-
Kris Bryant drove in the only run with their first six games of a season. None of on Olson’s single off Tim Hill. Travis domo. J.D. Martinez added an RBI sin-
a single in the fifth. It was the 12th 1-0 the previous eight had it happen again d’Arnaud’s single to right field drove in gle. Evan Phillips threw the ninth for his
game in Denver – the 11th at Coors Field in their seventh game. Olson for a 6-6 tie. Juan Soto’s diving second save.
– and first since July 4, 2018, when Colo- Adam Cimber earned his first save. catch of Ozzie Albies’ pop fly to shallow It was another tough outing against
rado beat San Francisco. It was a quick Jordan Lyles (0-2) took the loss. He left field ended the inning. the Dodgers for D-backs righty Merrill
game at Coors Field, too, taking 2 hours, struck out nine but gave up five runs on Matt Carpenter hit a three-run homer Kelly (0-1), who gave up four runs over 5
18 minutes. Last season’s home opener eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Five of the and Jake Cronenworth added a solo 2/3 innings, walking four and striking
lasted 3:09. eight hits were for extra bases, including shot for the Padres. out four.
Freeland (2-0), who is from Denver, a pair of homers.
struck out five and walked two before Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 2 Marlins at Mets, ppd.
turning things over to the bullpen. An- Braves 7, Padres 6 Reds at Phillies, ppd.
other Denver product, Pierce Johnson, PHOENIX – Dustin May threw six Yankees at Orioles, ppd.
pitched a perfect ninth for his second ATLANTA – Orlando Arcia singled in dominant innings, Freddie Freeman hit Astros at Twins, ppd.
save. the winning run in the ninth inning for a solo homer and the Dodgers won in the

THURSDAY’S BOX SCORES

BLUE JAYS 6, ROYALS 3 RED SOX 6, TIGERS 3 ROCKIES 1, GIANTS 16, BRAVES 7, PADRES 6 DODGERS 5, D-BACKS 2
Toronto .......................210 110 100 — 6 Boston .......................001 104 000 — 6 NATIONALS 0 WHITE SOX 6 San Diego..................000 301 020 — 6 Los Angeles ...............012 001 100 — 5
Kansas City ..............000 000 030 — 3 Detroit ......................021 000 000 — 3 Washington .............000 000 000 — 0 San Francisco...........310 222 024 — 16 Atlanta........................101 200 021 — 7 Arizona ......................000 001 100 — 2
Toronto AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Boston AB R H BI BB SO Avg. San Diego AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Los Angeles AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Bichette ss 5 1 2 1 0 1 .324 Verdugo rf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .333 Colorado....................000 010 00x — 1 Chicago .....................020 100 003 — 6 Grisham cf 4 0 1 0 1 3 .240 Betts 2b 4 0 0 0 0 3 .250
Guerrero Jr. dh 5 2 3 1 0 0 .407 Devers 3b 4 2 2 2 0 1 .323 Washington AB R H BI BB SO Avg. San Francisco AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Soto lf 4 0 0 0 1 1 .160 Freeman 1b 5 2 2 1 0 1 .385
Varsho lf 4 1 2 1 0 2 .357 Turner dh 3 0 0 0 0 0 .280 Thomas rf 3 0 1 0 1 1 .333 Wade Jr. lf 2 1 1 0 1 1 .250 Machado 3b 5 0 2 0 0 2 .280 Smith c 4 1 1 0 1 0 .391
M.Chapman 3b 4 0 1 2 0 1 .481 Yoshida lf 3 1 2 0 1 0 .250 Call lf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .214 Johnson cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .333 Bogaerts ss 3 2 0 0 2 0 .360 Muncy 3b 3 2 0 0 1 1 .130
Merrifield 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .235 Duvall cf 3 1 1 3 1 0 .458 Candelario 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .185 Flores 1b 5 2 2 2 1 0 .364 Cronenworth 1b 2 3 1 1 2 0 .217 Martinez dh 3 0 1 1 1 1 .231
Belt 1b 4 0 0 0 0 3 .053 Casas 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .130 Meneses dh 4 0 0 0 0 2 .172 Pederson dh 4 0 1 2 1 2 .217 Carpenter dh 3 1 1 3 1 1 .250 Peralta lf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .188
Jansen c 4 0 0 0 0 3 .067 Arroyo 2b 3 1 0 0 1 0 .158 Smith 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .261 b-Beaty ph-p 1 1 1 0 0 0 .500 Nola c 4 0 0 0 0 2 .188 Outman cf 3 0 2 1 1 0 .353
Biggio rf 4 1 1 1 0 2 .231 McGuire c 3 0 1 0 1 2 .308 Ruiz c 4 0 0 0 0 1 .238 Villar 2b 5 3 2 0 0 1 .273 Odor rf 2 0 0 0 0 2 .111 Taylor ss 4 0 1 1 0 1 .111
Springer rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Hernández ss 4 0 0 1 0 0 .136 García 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .150 Conforto rf 4 3 3 3 2 1 .240 a-Azocar ph-rf 2 0 1 1 0 0 .333 Heyward rf 1 0 0 0 1 0 .300
Kiermaier cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .381 Totals 31 6 7 6 4 3 Robles cf 3 0 0 0 0 1 .300 Davis 3b 6 2 3 5 0 1 .313 Kim 2b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .286 a-Thompson ph-rf 1 0 0 0 1 0 .250
Totals 38 6 11 6 0 12 Detroit AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Abrams ss 3 0 2 0 0 1 .200 Yastrzemski cf-lf 6 1 1 2 0 0 .240 Totals 33 6 7 5 7 12 Totals 32 5 7 4 6 8
Kansas City AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Vierling rf-3b 4 0 1 0 1 0 .333 Totals 32 0 6 0 2 8 Estrada ss 6 1 3 1 0 1 .409 Atlanta AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Arizona AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Witt Jr. ss 5 1 2 1 0 1 .154 Báez ss 4 0 0 0 1 1 .080 Colorado AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Sabol c 6 2 3 1 0 1 .222 Acuña Jr. rf 4 1 1 0 1 0 .355 J.Rojas 3b 4 0 1 1 0 1 .286
Melendez c 3 1 0 0 2 2 .095 Greene cf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .296 Profar lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .133 Totals 47 16 20 16 5 9 Olson 1b 4 1 2 2 1 0 .333 Marte 2b 4 0 1 0 0 2 .179
Perez dh 4 1 1 0 0 0 .261 Torkelson 1b 4 1 1 0 0 2 .222 Bryant rf 4 0 2 1 0 0 .357 Chicago AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Riley 3b 3 0 1 1 1 1 .280 Gurriel Jr. dh 4 0 0 0 0 2 .179
Pasquantino 1b 4 0 1 1 0 1 .143 Haase lf 3 0 1 0 0 2 .130 Blackmon dh 3 0 0 0 1 0 .292 Anderson ss 5 0 1 2 0 2 .276 d'Arnaud dh 5 0 1 1 0 2 .355 Walker 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .240
Olivares lf 4 0 2 1 0 1 .267 c-Carpenter ph-rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 .250 Cron 1b 4 0 0 0 0 3 .259 Robert Jr. cf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .323 Albies 2b 5 0 0 0 0 1 .250 Carroll lf-cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .222
Massey 2b 3 0 1 0 0 1 .158 Cabrera dh 3 0 1 1 1 0 .176 McMahon 2b 4 0 1 0 0 3 .192 Colás cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 .273 Murphy c 3 1 2 0 2 0 .231 McCarthy rf 4 1 2 0 0 0 .250
a-Reyes ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .077 Schoop 3b 1 1 0 0 1 0 .111 Díaz c 4 0 1 0 0 0 .182 Vaughn 1b 3 0 1 1 2 0 .273 Harris II cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .217 Moreno c 4 0 1 0 0 0 .176
Lopez 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 a-Maton ph-3b-2b 1 0 0 0 1 0 .067 Montero 3b 4 0 3 0 0 0 .333 Burger dh 2 0 1 0 0 0 .500 Hilliard cf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .250 Thomas cf 1 0 0 0 1 0 .000
Dozier 3b 3 0 0 0 1 3 .059 Rogers c 4 1 1 2 0 1 .250 Trejo 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 a-Sheets ph-dh-rf 1 1 0 0 2 0 .200 Pillar lf 3 1 1 1 1 1 .400 b-Lewis ph-lf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .133
Pratto rf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .143 Kreidler 2b 2 0 0 0 0 1 .154 Daza cf 3 0 0 0 0 1 .208 Alberto 3b-p 5 1 2 0 0 0 .333 b-Rosario ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 .286 Perdomo ss 1 1 0 0 2 1 .429
Eaton cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 b-Meadows ph-rf-lf 2 0 0 0 0 0 .238 Tovar ss 3 1 1 0 0 1 .190 Benintendi lf 5 1 1 1 0 1 .267 Arcia ss 4 2 3 2 1 0 .370 Totals 32 2 5 1 3 8
Totals 35 3 8 3 3 12 Totals 33 3 6 3 5 9 Totals 33 1 9 1 1 9 Andrus 2b 4 1 2 2 1 1 .185 Totals 37 7 13 7 7 7 a-grounded out for Heyward in the 7th. b-grounded
a-grounded out for Massey in the 8th. a-grounded out for Schoop in the 6th. b-grounded LOB: Washington 7, Colorado 9. 2B: Bryant (3), Tovar Zavala c 5 2 1 0 0 2 .375 Two outs when winning run scored. out for Thomas in the 7th.
LOB: Toronto 5, Kansas City 8. 2B: Varsho (3), out for Kreidler in the 7th. c-doubled for Haase in the (1). RBIs: Bryant (2). CS: Abrams (1). González rf-3b 4 0 1 0 0 2 .333 a-grounded out for Odor in the 6th. b-doubled for E: Perdomo (1). LOB: Los Angeles 7, Arizona 6. 2B:
M.Chapman (6), Kiermaier (1), Olivares (1). HR: Biggio 8th. Totals 39 6 11 6 5 10 Pillar in the 9th.
Runners left in scoring position: Washington 1 Freeman (2), Martinez (3), Smith (3), J.Rojas (2), Moreno
(1), off Lyles; Guerrero Jr. (2), off Lyles; Witt Jr. (1), off E: Hernández (3). LOB: Boston 3, Detroit 8. 2B: Devers (Meneses); Colorado 3 (McMahon, Cron, Tovar). RISP: a-walked for Burger in the 4th. b-singled for E: Yates (1). LOB: San Diego 7, Atlanta 12. 2B: Machado (2), Marte (3). 3B: McCarthy (1). HR: Freeman (1), off
Richards. RBIs: M.Chapman 2 (7), Bichette (3), Biggio (1), (3), Yoshida (1), Carpenter (3). HR: Devers (2), off Washington 0 for 1; Colorado 2 for 9. Pederson in the 9th. (1), Acuña Jr. (2), Olson (4), Murphy (1), Arcia (2), Rosario K.Nelson. RBIs: Taylor (4), Martinez (5), Outman (6),
Guerrero Jr. (6), Varsho (4), Witt Jr. (3), Pasquantino (2), Turnbull; Duvall (3), off Cisnero; Rogers (2), off Sale. Runners moved up: Bryant, Blackmon, Díaz. E: Estrada (1), Sabol (1). LOB: San Francisco 11, Chicago (1). HR: Carpenter (1), off Strider; Cronenworth (1), off Freeman (1), J.Rojas (3).
Olivares (3). RBIs: Hernández (4), Devers 2 (4), Duvall 3 (12), Rogers 2 Washington IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA 11. 2B: Villar (1), Wade Jr. (1), Estrada (1), Burger (1), Luetge; Arcia (2), off Snell. RBIs: Carpenter 3 (6), Runners left in scoring position: Los Angeles 4 (Smith
Runners left in scoring position: Toronto 3 (Belt, (4), Cabrera (2). SB: Yoshida (2). Gray, L, 0-2 6 8 1 1 1 6102 4.91 Benintendi (2), Andrus (1). HR: Conforto (2), off Lynn; Cronenworth (1), Azocar (1), Riley (6), Arcia 2 (4), Pillar 2, Heyward, Taylor); Arizona 3 (Carroll, Walker, J.Rojas).
Merrifield, Biggio); Kansas City 5 (Pasquantino 2, Pratto Runners left in scoring position: Boston 2 (Hernández Thompson 2 1 0 0 0 3 25 1.29 Sabol (1), off Lynn; Yastrzemski (2), off Lynn; Flores (1), (1), Olson 2 (9), d'Arnaud (5). SB: Harris II (2). SF: Riley. RISP: Los Angeles 2 for 9; Arizona 0 for 8.
2, Eaton). RISP: Toronto 3 for 8; Kansas City 2 for 10. 2); Detroit 4 (Haase, Rogers, Greene, Schoop). RISP: off Ruiz; Davis (2), off Alberto. RBIs: Conforto 3 (4), Runners left in scoring position: San Diego 3 Runners moved up: Lewis. GIDP: Freeman.
Runners moved up: Jansen, M.Chapman, Perez. Boston 1 for 6; Detroit 1 for 8. Colorado IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Sabol (1), Pederson 2 (6), Yastrzemski 2 (5), Flores 2 (2), (Bogaerts, Kim 2); Atlanta 6 (Arcia 2, Albies, Riley 2, DP: Arizona 1 (Perdomo, Walker).
Toronto IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Runners moved up: Casas, Báez. GIDP: Casas, Yoshida, Freeland, W, 2-0 62⁄3 4 0 0 2 5 86 0.00 Davis 5 (6), Estrada (3), Anderson 2 (3), Vaughn (6), Pillar). RISP: San Diego 2 for 12; Atlanta 4 for 12. Los Angeles IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Gausman, W, 1-1 6 4 0 0 2 7 86 0.00 Maton. Lawrence, H, 1 11⁄3 2 0 0 0 1 19 0.00 Benintendi (1), Andrus 2 (2). SB: Zavala (1), Andrus (2). Runners moved up: Azocar, Carpenter, Olson, Acuña May, W, 1-0 6 2 1 1 2 5 83 0.69
Bass 1 0 0 0 0 2 8 3.86 DP: Boston 1 (Casas); Detroit 2 (Báez, Torkelson; Báez, Johnson, S, 2-2 1 0 0 0 0 2 9 3.00 Runners left in scoring position: San Francisco 6 Jr.. GIDP: Bogaerts, d'Arnaud. Vesia 1
⁄3 2 1 1 0 0 15 13.50
Richards 0 2 3 3 1 0 16 13.50 Torkelson). Inherited runners-scored: Lawrence 1-0. (Yastrzemski, Pederson, Flores, Villar, Johnson 2); DP: San Diego 1 (Bogaerts, Kim, Cronenworth); Almonte, H, 1 2
⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 13 3.38
Mayza 1
⁄3 2 0 0 0 0 6 3.38 Boston IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Umpires: Home, Cory Blaser; First, Carlos Torres; Chicago 7 (Alberto 4, González, Vaughn, Zavala). RISP: Atlanta 1 (Albies, Olson). Bickford, H, 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 21 5.40
García, H, 2 2
⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 11 6.00 Sale, W, 1-0 5 4 3 3 3 7 74 11.25 Second, Jansen Visconti; Third, Ron Kulpa. San Francisco 5 for 14; Chicago 4 for 13. San Diego IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Phillips, S, 2-2 1 0 0 0 0 1 15 0.00
Cimber, S, 1-1 1 0 0 0 0 1 14 0.00 Schreiber, H, 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 17 2.25 Time: 2:18. Attendance: 48,230 (50,144). San Francisco IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Snell 32⁄3 6 4 4 4 2 88 7.88 Arizona IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Kansas City IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Martin, H, 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 15 0.00 Wood 3 6 3 1 2 3 71 3.00 Tapia 11⁄3 1 0 0 2 2 35 4.15
Brasier, H, 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 21 6.75 Junis, W, 2-0 4 2 0 0 2 4 69 1.42 Wilson 2 0 0 0 1 2 28 1.69 Kelly, L, 0-1 52⁄3 6 4 4 4 4 99 3.86
Lyles, L, 0-2 5 ⁄3 8 5 5 0 9106 4.91
2
Jansen, S, 1-1 1 0 0 0 0 0 16 0.00 Brebbia 1 0 0 0 0 2 15 3.00 Hill, BS, 0-1 1 4 2 2 0 1 22 4.91 K.Nelson 1 1 1 1 0 1 13 3.00
Garrett 1
⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 5 6.00 Beaty 1 3 3 3 1 1 22 27.00 Crismatt, L, 0-1 2
⁄3 2 1 1 0 0 17 16.20 Ginkel 11⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 12 6.75
Cuas 2 3 1 1 0 1 28 3.86 Detroit IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA C.Vargas 1 0 0 0 2 2 24 6.75
Barlow 1 0 0 0 0 1 10 0.00 Turnbull, L, 0-2 52⁄3 5 5 5 2 1 72 13.50 Chicago IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Atlanta IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Inherited runners-scored: Almonte 1-0, K.Nelson 2-0.
Richards pitched to 3 batters in the 8th Cisnero 11⁄3 1 1 1 0 1 19 9.00 Lynn, L, 0-1 41⁄3 9 8 8 3 5 99 9.00 Strider 5 4 3 3 3 9 101 2.45 HBP: C.Vargas (Betts). WP: Bickford. PB: Smith (1).
Inherited runners-scored: Bass 2-0, Mayza 2-2, García Englert 11⁄3 1 0 0 1 1 25 1.69 Ruiz 12⁄3 2 2 2 1 1 37 22.09 Luetge, BS, 0-1 1 1 1 1 1 0 24 9.00 Umpires: Home, Ramon De Jesus; First, Alfonso
2-0, Garrett 1-0. Lange 2
⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 8 3.38 Santos 2 5 2 2 0 3 33 7.36 Anderson 1 0 0 0 0 1 17 2.45 Marquez; Second, Doug Eddings; Third, Lance Barrett.
Umpires: Home, Manny Gonzalez; First, Adam Hamari; Inherited runners-scored: Cisnero 2-2, Lange 2-0. Alberto 1 4 4 4 1 0 18 36.00 Yates 1 1 2 2 2 1 21 9.00 Time: 2:43. Attendance: 48,034 (48,359).
Second, Jerry Layne; Third, Vic Carapazza. HBP: Turnbull (Turner). Inherited runners-scored: Junis 2-1. HBP: Ruiz (Wade Minter, W, 1-0 1 1 0 0 1 1 20 0.00
Time: 2:30. Attendance: 10,401 (38,427). Umpires: Home, Edwin Moscoso; First, Larry Vanover; Jr.), Santos (Villar). Inherited runners-scored: Tapia 3-0. WP: Luetge,
Second, Chris Guccione; Third, Dan Merzel. Umpires: Home, John Libka; First, Nate Tomlinson; Yates.
Time: 2:32. Attendance: 44,650 (41,083). Second, James Hoye; Third, D.J. Reyburn. Umpires: Home, Jeremie Rehak; First, Paul Emmel;
Time: 2:50. Attendance: 18,261 (40,241). Second, Chad Fairchild; Third, Nic Lentz.
Time: 3:14. Attendance: 42,803 (41,149).
6NS | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
NBA
THURSDAY’S ROUNDUP
Heat keep alive hopes of East No. 6 seed
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA – Jimmy Butler and
Tyler Herro each scored 24 points and
the Miami Heat kept alive their hopes of
avoiding the NBA’s play-in tournament
with a 129-99 victory over the Philadel-
phia 76ers on Thursday night.
Max Strus and Bam Adebayo both
added 14 points. Miami started fast,
leading 41-31 after a quarter and record-
ed 39 assists, tying the franchise record
for most in a game originally set on Feb.
15, 1997, against Philadelphia.
The Heat (43-37) would have to win
both of their remaining games (at
Washington and home against Orlando)
and have Brooklyn lose both home
games this weekend (to Orlando and
Philadelphia) to move into the No. 6 spot
and avoid the play-in round. Miami took
the Southeast Division title with the
win.
Philadelphia (52-27) has already se-
cured the third spot in the Eastern Con-
ference playoffs.
A win Thursday night would have
sealed a first-round matchup against
Brooklyn. Joel Embiid scored 21 points
despite not playing in the fourth quar-
ter. James Harden chipped in 14 in lim-
ited minutes.
Suns 119, Nuggets 115
PHOENIX – Chris Paul made a ca-
reer-high seven 3-pointers and Phoenix
won its season-best seventh game in a
row, holding off short-handed Denver.
Kevin Durant added six 3s and led the
Suns with 29 points, while Paul scored
25. Durant also had seven rebounds.
Devin Booker made just 3 of 12 shots,
but still scored 15 as he was 8 for 8 from
the free throw line. Booker also had
eight assists, while Deandre Ayton
scored 16 points and reserve Torrey
Craig had 11.
Bruce Brown led Denver (52-28),
playing without all five starters, with 31
THURSDAY’S BOX SCORES
Cleveland 118, Orlando 94
CLEVELAND (118)
Stevens 5-14 1-2 13, Wade 3-7 0-0 7, Lopez 4-4 0-0 8, Osman 7-11
1-1 19, Rubio 2-7 0-0 5, Diakite 5-7 2-2 13, I.Mobley 7-12 2-2 18,
Green 8-14 0-0 21, Merrill 2-6 0-0 6, Neto 3-6 2-2 8. Totals 46-88
8-9 118.
ORLANDO (94)
Bol 6-15 5-5 18, Okeke 1-6 0-0 2, M.Wagner 3-11 1-2 9, Houstan 3-9
0-0 8, Suggs 7-15 3-3 22, Schofield 2-6 2-2 7, Bitadze 3-7 1-2 7,
Carter-Williams 1-2 0-0 2, K.Harris 3-6 2-3 8, Scrubb 4-6 1-2 11.
Totals 33-83 15-19 94.
CLE 33 34 28 23 — 118
ORL 42 15 16 21 — 94
3-Point Goals—Cleveland 18-38 (Green 5-9, Osman 4-6, I.Mobley
2-3, Stevens 2-5, Merrill 2-6, Diakite 1-2, Rubio 1-2, Wade 1-4,
Neto 0-1), Orlando 13-39 (Suggs 5-9, Scrubb 2-2, M.Wagner 2-5,
Houstan 2-7, Schofield 1-2, Bol 1-7, Bitadze 0-1, K.Harris 0-3,
Okeke 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Cleveland 42 (Diakite
8), Orlando 39 (Bol 8). Assists—Cleveland 31 (Neto 8), Orlando 21
(Suggs 4). Total Fouls—Cleveland 21, Orlando 11. A—19,235
(18,846)
Miami 129, Philadelphia 101
MIAMI (129)
Butler 9-12 5-6 24, Strus 5-9 0-0 14, Adebayo 7-11 0-0 14, Herro
7-17 5-5 24, Vincent 2-7 0-0 5, Cain 1-1 0-0 2, D.Robinson 2-3 0-0
5, Highsmith 3-4 0-0 6, Martin 5-10 2-2 13, Love 2-7 1-2 7,
Yurtseven 2-2 0-0 4, Lowry 4-5 0-0 11. Totals 49-88 13-15 129.
Pelicans: Zion Williamson continuing rehab
Brett Martel
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS – The Pelicans have
ruled out Zion Williamson for Friday
night’s game against the New York
Knicks but have stopped short of pro-
viding a timeline for how much longer
the All-Star forward will be sidelined by
his right hamstring injury.
“After further evaluation, it has been
determined that Zion Williamson will
continue his rehabilitation and condi-
tioning regimen,” Pelicans executive
vice president of basketball operations
David Griffin said in a statement Thurs-
day evening. “We will continue to mon-
itor his progression and updates will be
provided as warranted.”
The announcement comes a day af-
ter the Pelicans clinched a spot in the
NBA postseason with a victory over
Memphis that guaranteed the team a
top-nine finish in the Western Confer-
ence – good enough for at least a play-in
spot. New Orleans (41-39) still could fin-
ish in the top six and go straight to the
playoffs if it wins its last two games and
receives help in the form of losses by
Golden State (42-38) or the Los Angeles
Clippers (42-38).
Previous updates provided by the
Pelicans said Williamson would con-
tinue his rehabilitation for multiple
weeks before a re-evaluation of his in-
Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) is defended by 76ers center Joel Embiid during the
second quarter on Thursday in Philadelphia. ERIC HARTLINE/USA TODAY SPORTS
points on 11-of-18 shooting. Reggie Jack-
son had 20 points and six assists, while
DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 11 re-
bounds.
Thunder 114, Jazz 98
SALT LAKE CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Al-
PHILADELPHIA (101)
Harris 4-8 2-2 11, Tucker 1-2 0-0 2, Embiid 9-13 2-4 21, Harden 5-12
2-2 14, Melton 1-5 0-0 3, Niang 3-7 0-0 7, Reed 1-1 0-0 2, Harrell
2-2 4-4 8, McDaniels 4-8 0-0 10, Korkmaz 3-6 0-0 8, Milton 4-7 3-3
11, House Jr. 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 39-76 13-15 101.
MIA 41 26 29 33 — 129
PHI 31 15 32 23 — 101
3-Point Goals—Miami 18-39 (Herro 5-8, Strus 4-8, Lowry 3-4, Love
2-6, D.Robinson 1-2, Butler 1-3, Vincent 1-3, Martin 1-4, Highsmith
0-1), Philadelphia 10-36 (Korkmaz 2-4, McDaniels 2-5, Harden
2-6, Embiid 1-2, Harris 1-3, Niang 1-4, Melton 1-5, Tucker 0-1,
House Jr. 0-3, Milton 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Miami
42 (Adebayo 8), Philadelphia 32 (Embiid 6). Assists—Miami 39
(Lowry 7), Philadelphia 23 (Milton 10). Total Fouls—Miami 13,
Philadelphia 18. A—21,178 (20,478)
San Antonio 129, Portland 127
PORTLAND (127)
Butler Jr. 4-11 2-2 12, Watford 7-12 2-2 16, Eubanks 9-13 2-3 23,
Mays 4-7 2-2 11, Williams 8-10 0-0 16, Knox II 9-15 3-4 24, Minaya
3-8 0-0 7, Walker 4-12 0-0 8, Harrison 3-8 4-5 10. Totals 51-96
15-18 127.
SAN ANTONIO (129)
Bates-Diop 7-11 9-10 25, Kel.Johnson 10-24 3-3 24, Collins 9-14
2-3 21, Branham 1-12 0-0 2, Jones 5-11 7-7 18, Barlow 2-4 1-1 5,
Champagnie 8-14 3-4 24, Mamukelashvili 2-8 0-0 4, Langford 2-5
0-0 4, Wesley 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 47-106 25-28 129.
POR 37 24 39 27 — 127
SAS 32 37 29 31 — 129
jury. The latest provided no such time-
line or detail. The Pelicans are sched-
uled to practice on Saturday before their
regular-season finale at Minnesota on
Sunday.
The injury-plagued Williamson has
not played since leaving a game in Phila-
delphia on Jan. 3.
But if Williamson were able to return
to form for the playoffs and remain
healthy, his addition to the lineup would
make the Pelicans a more formidable
postseason threat than their regular-
season record or seeding would other-
wise indicate.
When the 6-foot-6, 280-pound Wil-
liamson has played, he’s been among
the Pelicans’ most productive players,
averaging 26 points and seven rebounds
per game.
In the 29 games he has played this
season, New Orleans went 17-12.
Williamson has struggled to remain
reliably healthy since being selected
first overall by New Orleans in the 2019
NBA draft.
Now in his fourth year as a pro, he has
played in a total of 114 games. He ap-
peared in 61 games in his second NBA
season, but that was the only season in
which he played more than 30 games.
He played in just 24 games as a rookie
because of a knee injury and did not
play at all in his third season because of
a broken foot.
exander scored 22 points and Oklahoma
City strengthened its hopes of reaching
the play-in tournament with a victory
over short-handed Utah.
Josh Giddey had 17 points, eight as-
sists and eight rebounds, while Aaron
Wiggins scored 15 for the Thunder, who
snapped a three-game losing streak.
3-Point Goals—Portland 10-28 (Eubanks 3-4, Knox II 3-6, Butler Jr.
2-6, Mays 1-3, Minaya 1-3, Watford 0-1, Williams 0-1, Harrison 0-2,
Walker 0-2), San Antonio 10-35 (Champagnie 5-9, Bates-Diop
2-4, Collins 1-3, Jones 1-3, Kel.Johnson 1-8, Langford 0-1,
Mamukelashvili 0-2, Branham 0-5). Fouled Out—Portland 1
(Williams), San Antonio None. Rebounds—Portland 36 (Eubanks
9), San Antonio 47 (Collins 10). Assists—Portland 34 (Harrison 9),
San Antonio 29 (Jones 10). Total Fouls—Portland 22, San Antonio
12. A—16,023 (15,000)
Oklahoma City 114, Utah 98
OKLAHOMA CITY (114)
Dort 1-7 3-4 5, Jal.Williams 4-10 0-0 9, Jay.Williams 4-8 0-0 11,
Giddey 6-14 3-4 17, Gilgeous-Alexander 7-19 7-10 22, Dieng 0-2
0-0 0, Robinson-Earl 0-0 0-0 0, Waters III 4-7 0-0 10, Saric 5-10
2-2 14, Sarr 0-0 0-0 0, Butler 0-0 0-0 0, Joe 3-11 2-2 11, Mann 0-0
0-0 0, Wiggins 5-9 4-4 15. Totals 39-97 21-26 114.
UTAH (98)
Olynyk 6-10 4-6 16, Samanic 3-8 1-2 8, Azubuike 6-8 0-0 12, Agbaji
6-18 1-2 13, Dunn 9-10 2-2 22, Fontecchio 4-11 2-2 11,
Toscano-Anderson 2-9 1-2 5, Jones 2-3 0-0 4, Potter 0-0 0-0 0,
Juzang 3-6 0-0 7. Totals 41-83 11-16 98.
OKC 32 23 29 30 — 114
UTA 25 27 24 22 — 98
3-Point Goals—Oklahoma City 15-45 (Jay.Williams 3-5, Joe 3-9,
Saric 2-4, Giddey 2-5, Waters III 2-5, Jal.Williams 1-4, Wiggins 1-4,
Gilgeous-Alexander 1-5, Dieng 0-1, Dort 0-3), Utah 5-31 (Dunn
2-2, Juzang 1-3, Samanic 1-5, Fontecchio 1-6, Olynyk 0-2,
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson watches a game against the Grizzlies on
Wednesday in New Orleans. MATTHEW HINTON/AP
They are 10th in the Western Confer-
ence, a half-game ahead of Dallas with
one game remaining.
Kris Dunn had 22 points, eight as-
sists and seven rebounds for the Jazz,
who were eliminated from postseason
contention.
Cavaliers 118, Magic 94
ORLANDO, Fla. – Danny Green
scored 21 points, Cedi Osman added 19
and Cleveland beat Orlando in a game in
which both teams rested their starters.
Isaiah Mobley came off the bench
with 18 points for the Cavaliers, who had
clinched the fourth seed in the Eastern
Conference playoffs by beating the
Magic on Tuesday night.
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 22
points in their home finale. Bol Bol add-
ed 18 points and eight rebounds in his
first start since Dec. 30.
The 35-year-old Green, who signed
as a free agent with the Cavaliers on Feb.
14 after being waived by Houston,
played 26 minutes and shot 5 for 9 from
behind the arc.
Spurs 129, Trail Blazers 127
AUSTIN, Texas – Keita Bates-Diop
had 25 points, Julian Champagnie and
Keldon Johnson each added 24 and San
Antonio beat Portland in the first NBA
game in Texas’ capital city.
Tre Jones had 18 points and 10 assists
for San Antonio, which is guaranteed to
finish with one of the NBA’s three-worst
records.
Kevin Knox had 24 points to lead
Portland and Drew Eubanks added 23
points against his former team.
The Trail Blazers have lost seven of
eight.
The Spurs are playing their final two
home games at the Moody Center in
Austin as part of what the franchise has
deemed a regional outreach.
Toscano-Anderson 0-5, Agbaji 0-8). Fouled Out—None.
Rebounds—Oklahoma City 50 (Saric 10), Utah 45 (Olynyk 14).
Assists—Oklahoma City 29 (Giddey 8), Utah 24 (Dunn, Olynyk 8).
Total Fouls—Oklahoma City 17, Utah 23. A—18,206 (18,206)
Phoenix 119, Denver 115
DENVER (115)
Braun 6-11 1-2 15, Watson 1-6 1-2 3, Jordan 6-6 0-0 12, Brown 11-18
9-9 31, Jackson 7-15 4-4 20, Cancar 1-3 0-0 2, Green 4-7 3-4 14,
Nnaji 3-5 0-0 7, Smith 5-12 1-2 11. Totals 44-83 19-23 115.
PHOENIX (119)
Durant 9-18 5-7 29, Okogie 1-4 3-6 5, Ayton 7-9 2-2 16, Booker 3-12
8-8 15, Paul 9-15 0-0 25, Craig 5-8 0-0 11, Wainright 0-0 0-0 0,
Ross 3-4 0-0 8, Biyombo 1-3 2-2 4, Landale 1-1 0-0 2, Payne 1-2
0-0 2, Shamet 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 41-79 20-25 119.
DEN 25 30 31 29 — 115
PHX 27 29 33 30 — 119
3-Point Goals—Denver 8-23 (Green 3-6, Braun 2-5, Jackson 2-5,
Nnaji 1-2, Brown 0-1, Smith 0-1, Watson 0-1, Cancar 0-2), Phoenix
17-36 (Paul 7-12, Durant 6-10, Ross 2-3, Craig 1-2, Booker 1-5,
Payne 0-1, Shamet 0-1, Okogie 0-2). Fouled Out—None.
Rebounds—Denver 38 (Jordan 11), Phoenix 33 (Durant 7).
Assists—Denver 24 (Jackson, Smith 6), Phoenix 26 (Booker 8).
Total Fouls—Denver 19, Phoenix 16. A—17,071 (18,422)
 SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 7NS

NHL

THURSDAY’S ROUNDUP

Kraken playoff
bound for 1st time
after beating Coyotes
ASSOCIATED PRESS the Devils’ 50th win of the season, one
off tying the franchise record set in
SEATTLE – The Seattle Kraken 2008-09. Vitek Vanecek made 16 saves.
clinched the first playoff berth in fran-
chise history and set an NHL record for Stars 4, Flyers 1
victories in an expansion team’s second
season by beating the Arizona Coyotes DALLAS – Jason Robertson beat the
4-2 on Thursday night. first-period buzzer while scoring twice
Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Matty and Dallas beat Philadelphia to keep
Beniers and Vince Dunn scored for the pace in the tight Central Division playoff
Kraken, who earned their 44th win – the race.
most by a second-year NHL team since Joe Pavelski had a goal and two as-
the Original Six era, which ended in sists and Colin Miller scored as the Stars
1968. It’s a big turnaround for Seattle, reached 100 points.
which was 27-49-6 in its first season
and finished last in the Pacific Division. Golden Knights 5, Kings 2
Philipp Grubauer had 27 saves for Se- Kraken left wing Jared McCann, left, celebrates his goal against the Coyotes
attle, which won its third straight game. LAS VEGAS – Vegas scored four goals during the first period on Thursday in Seattle. LINDSEY WASSON/AP
Barrett Hayton and Laurent Dauphin on its first six shots and took a major
scored for Arizona. step toward clinching the Pacific Divi-
sion and the top seed in the Western Islanders 6, Lightning 1 Predators 3, Hurricanes 0
Bruins 2, Maple Leafs 1 (OT) Conference with a victory over Los An-
geles. NEW YORK – Adam Pelech, Brock NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Mark Jankow-
BOSTON – David Pastrnak scored his The third line shined for the Knights Nelson, Kyle Palmieri and Ryan Pulock ski had a goal and an assist in the first
57th goal of the season at 2:30 of over- with Phil Kessel, Ivan Barbashev and scored second-period goals, Ilya Soro- period and Nashville beat Carolina to
time to give history-chasing Boston a Chandler Stephenson each finishing kin made 29 saves and New York beat keep alive its improbable playoff hopes.
victory over Toronto. with a goal and an assist. Tampa Bay to keep pace in the Eastern Michael McCarron also scored as the
Pastrnak blasted a shot from inside Conference wild-card race. Predators won their second straight and
the left circle as the Bruins notched their Sabres 7, Red Wings 6 (SO) Simon Holmstrom and Bo Horvat third in four games after jumping out to
61st victory – one off the NHL season also scored for the Islanders. a 2-0 lead in the first.
record set by Detroit in 1995-96 and DETROIT – Tage Thompson scored
matched by Tampa Bay in 2018-19. his 45th goal of the season, Dylan Coz- Blues 3, Rangers 2 (OT) Canucks 3, Blackhawks 0
ens had two goals and Buffalo outlasted
Panthers 7, Senators 2 Detroit in a shootout. ST. LOUIS – Kasperi Kapanen scored VANCOUVER, British Columbia –
Henri Jokiharju, Zemgus Girgensons 1:16 into overtime to lift St. Louis past Thatcher Demko stopped 33 shots for
SUNRISE, Fla. – Alex Lyon set a fran- and Jordan Greenway also scored for New York. his first shutout of the season and third
chise record for saves in a regulation the Sabres, and Devon Levi made 26 Kapanen took a pass from Brayden overall in Vancouver’s victory over Chi-
game with 56 and Aleksander Barkov saves. Alex Tuch and Jack Quinn scored Schenn to score his 15th goal of the sea- cago.
scored twice and Florida beat Ottawa for in the shootout. son for St. Louis, which has won two in a Andrei Kuzmenko, Vitali Kravtsov
its fifth consecutive victory. row. and J.T. Miller – into the empty net –
Lyon surpassed the mark of 53 set by Penguins 4, Wild 1 scored and defenseman Akito Hirose
Craig Anderson on March 2, 2008. Canadiens 6, Capitals 2 had two assists to help the Canucks end
PITTSBURGH – Tristan Jarry a four-game losing streak.
Devils 8, Blue Jackets 1 stopped 27 shots and Pittsburgh beat MONTREAL – Joel Armia had his
Minnesota to keep pace in the race for second career hat trick and Montreal Avalanche 6, Sharks 2
NEWARK, N.J. – Jack Hughes scored one of the two wild-card spots in the beat Washington to snap a four-game
two goals and set up two by Timo Meier Eastern Conference. skid. SAN JOSE, Calif. – Mikko Rantanen
and New Jersey routed Columbus with Kris Letang beat Fleury, a good friend Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher and had a hat trick to lead Colorado past San
its biggest offensive output in more than who won three Stanley Cups in Pitts- Mike Hoffman also scored for Montreal, Jose.
four years. burgh before leaving in the 2017 expan- Mike Matheson had two assists and Rantanen reached 52 goals on the
Tomas Tatar, Erik Haula, Damon Se- sion draft, over the glove in the first peri- Sam Montembeault made 24 saves. season and finished with four points in
verson and Ryan Graves also scored in od for his 11th goal of the season. the game.

THURSDAY’S SUMMARIES
New Jersey 8, Columbus 1
Columbus 0 1 0 — 1
New Jersey 1 3 4 — 8
First Period—1, New Jersey, Hughes 41, 11:35.
Penalties_McLeod, NJ (Slashing), 9:26; Wood, NJ
(Roughing), 13:24.
Second Period—2, New Jersey, Tatar 18 (Hischier,
Graves), 1:20. 3, New Jersey, Hughes 42 (Hischier,
Meier), 2:20 (pp). 4, Columbus, Luoto 1 (Kuraly,
Robinson), 11:33. 5, New Jersey, Meier 39 (Bratt,
Hughes), 16:16 (pp). Penalties_Bjork, CBJ (Cross
Checking), 2:07; Sharangovich, NJ (Delay of Game),
8:46; New Jersey bench, served by Tatar (Delay of
Game), 11:33; Bjork, CBJ (Slashing), 14:51.
Third Period—6, New Jersey, Haula 12 (Boqvist,
Marino), 2:07. 7, New Jersey, Meier 40 (Marino,
Hughes), 4:40. 8, New Jersey, Severson 7 (Haula),
6:36 (sh). 9, New Jersey, Graves 8 (Marino, McLeod),
9:27. Penalties_Bahl, NJ (Clipping), 5:27; Bahl, NJ
(Misconduct), 10:47; Bahl, NJ (Roughing), 10:47;
Bjork, CBJ (Misconduct), 10:47; Bjork, CBJ
(Roughing), 10:47; Hischier, NJ (Roughing), 10:47;
Sweezey, CBJ (Roughing), 10:47; Sweezey, CBJ
(Roughing), 10:47.
Shots on Goal—Columbus 5-8-4_17. New Jersey
8-14-13_35.
Power-play opportunities—Columbus 0 of 5; New
Jersey 2 of 3.
Goalies—Columbus, Gillies 1-0-0 (11 shots-8 saves),
Columbus, Hutchinson 1-5-2 (24-19). New Jersey,
Vanecek 32-11-4 (17-16).
A—16,514 (16,514). T_2:26.
Referees—Chris Schlenker, Kelly Sutherland.
Linesmen_Ryan Gibbons, Dan Kelly.
Pittsburgh 4, Minnesota 1
Minnesota 0 0 1 — 1
Pittsburgh 1 1 2 — 4
First Period—1, Pittsburgh, Letang 11 (Guentzel,
Dumoulin), 15:02. Penalties_Dumba, MIN
(Interference), 15:31.
Second Period—2, Pittsburgh, Rakell 28 (Letang,
Guentzel), 10:53 (pp). Penalties_Brodin, MIN
(Interference), 3:47; Archibald, PIT (Interference),
8:18; Brodin, MIN (Interference), 10:35; Guentzel, PIT
(High Sticking), 12:35; Zucker, PIT (Slashing), 19:13.
Third Period—3, Pittsburgh, Zucker 27 (Rakell,
Malkin), 2:58. 4, Minnesota, Johansson 17
(Zuccarello, Boldy), 7:39 (pp). 5, Pittsburgh, Carter
13 (O'Connor, Dumoulin), 13:08. Penalties_Petry, PIT
(High Sticking), 6:48; Rust, PIT (Holding), 7:21;
Foligno, MIN (High Sticking), 15:32.
Shots on Goal—Minnesota 5-13-10_28. Pittsburgh
19-5-7_31.
Power-play opportunities—Minnesota 1 of 5;
Pittsburgh 1 of 4.
Goalies—Minnesota, Fleury 24-15-4 (31 shots-27
saves). Pittsburgh, Jarry 23-12-6 (28-27).
A—18,417 (18,387). T_2:28.
Referees—Eric Furlatt, Kevin Pollock.
Linesmen_Derek Nansen, Andrew Smith.
Boston 2, Toronto 1 (OT)
Toronto 0 1 0 0 — 1
Boston 0 0 1 1 — 2
First Period—None. Penalties_McAvoy, BOS
(Hooking), 11:33; Boston bench, served by Steen
(Instigator), 14:33; Lafferty, TOR (Fighting), 14:33;
Greer, BOS (Fighting), 14:33; Greer, BOS
(Misconduct), 14:33.
Second Period—1, Toronto, Lafferty 12
(Aston-Reese), 11:34. Penalties_Kerfoot, TOR (High
Sticking), 4:43; Schenn, TOR (Kneeing), 12:32.
Third Period—2, Boston, Coyle 14 (Carlo), 11:32.
Penalties_Marchand, BOS (Interference), 4:52;
McCabe, TOR (Tripping), 8:16.
Overtime—3, Boston, Pastrnak 57 (Coyle, Orlov),
2:30. Penalties_Rielly, TOR (Hooking), 0:24.
Shots on Goal—Toronto 7-15-10-0_32. Boston
11-11-8-3_33.
Power-play opportunities—Toronto 0 of 3; Boston 0
of 4.
Goalies—Toronto, Samsonov 25-10-4 (33 shots-31
saves). Boston, Swayman 21-6-4 (32-31).
A—17,850 (17,565). T_2:29.
Referees—Francis Charron, Tom Chmielewski.
Linesmen_Jonathan Deschamps, Jonny Murray.
Montreal 6, Washington 2
Washington 1 0 1 — 2
Montreal 0 4 2 — 6
First Period—1, Washington, Strome 20 (Ovechkin,
Jensen), 5:30. Penalties_Washington bench, served
by Ovechkin (Instigator), 10:27; Wilson, WSH
(Fighting), 10:27; Wilson, WSH (Misconduct), 10:27;
Pezzetta, MTL (Fighting), 10:27; Montreal bench,
served by Pitlick (Too Many Men on the Ice), 12:26.
Second Period—2, Montreal, Suzuki 24 (Edmundson,
Matheson), 3:42 (sh). 3, Montreal, Armia 5 (Evans,
Matheson), 7:52 (sh). 4, Montreal, Gallagher 8
(Drouin), 9:23. 5, Montreal, Armia 6 (Suzuki,
Matheson), 11:15. Penalties_Pezzetta, MTL
(Interference), 2:25; Edmundson, MTL (Hooking),
6:59; Milano, WSH (Hooking), 12:43; Milano, WSH
(Tripping), 15:45.
Third Period—6, Washington, Backstrom 7 (Strome,
Carlson), 14:27 (pp). 7, Montreal, Armia 7
(Harvey-Pinard), 16:58 (en). 8, Montreal, Hoffman 14
(Evans), 19:42. Penalties_Wideman, MTL
(Roughing), 1:02; Gallagher, MTL (Interference),
13:10.
Shots on Goal—Washington 6-8-12_26. Montreal
13-12-10_35.
Power-play opportunities—Washington 1 of 5;
Montreal 0 of 3.
Goalies—Washington, Kuemper 21-26-6 (31 shots-26
saves). Montreal, Montembeault 16-16-3 (26-24).
A—21,105 (21,288). T_2:36.
Referees—Peter MacDougall, Michael Markovic.
Linesmen_Julien Fournier, Mark Shewchyk.
Buffalo 7, Detroit 6 (SO)
Buffalo 3 1 2 1 — 7
Detroit 2 2 2 0 — 6
Buffalo won shootout 2-1
First Period—1, Buffalo, Thompson 45 (Power,
Cozens), 4:35. 2, Detroit, Czarnik 3 (Berggren,
Walman), 10:38. 3, Detroit, Larkin 32 (Raymond,
Seider), 15:05 (pp). 4, Buffalo, Jokiharju 2
(Mittelstadt, Tuch), 17:10. 5, Buffalo, Cozens 30
(Krebs, Power), 19:08 (pp). Penalties_Larkin, DET
(Interference on breakaway (Penalty Shot)), 4:00;
Walman, DET (Holding), 7:02; Peterka, BUF
(Hooking), 14:03; Skinner, BUF (Cross Checking),
17:10; Larkin, DET (Roughing), 17:10; Walman, DET
(Roughing), 17:10; Walman, DET (Roughing), 17:10.
Second Period—6, Buffalo, Girgensons 10 (Okposo,
Power), 1:33. 7, Detroit, Chiasson 6 (Larkin,
Raymond), 16:04 (pp). 8, Detroit, Edvinsson 2, 16:52.
Penalties_Okposo, BUF (Tripping), 11:11; Jokiharju,
BUF (Holding), 15:00.
Third Period—9, Buffalo, Greenway 6 (Jokiharju,
Mittelstadt), 3:20. 10, Buffalo, Cozens 31 (Dahlin,
Thompson), 4:32. 11, Detroit, Berggren 15 (Luff),
8:02. 12, Detroit, Perron 23 (Seider, Raymond),
19:00. Penalties_None.
Overtime—None. Penalties_None.
Shootout—Buffalo 2 (Thompson NG, Quinn G, Tuch
G), Detroit 1 (Raymond G, Perron NG, Larkin NG).
Shots on Goal—Buffalo 16-7-10-3_36. Detroit
8-14-8-2_32.
Power-play opportunities—Buffalo 1 of 3; Detroit 2 of
3.
Goalies—Buffalo, Levi 2-1-0 (32 shots-26 saves).
Detroit, Husso 26-19-7 (36-30).
A—19,367 (20,000). T_2:50.
Referees—Chris Rooney, Corey Syvret.
Linesmen_Ryan Jackson, Brad Kovachik.
Florida 7, Ottawa 2
Ottawa 0 1 1 — 2
Florida 2 5 0 — 7
First Period—1, Florida, Montour 15 (Tkachuk,
M.Staal), 7:59. 2, Florida, Barkov 21 (Tkachuk,
Montour), 14:03 (pp). Penalties_Kastelic, OTT
(Fighting), 2:56; Smith, FLA (Fighting), 2:56;
Brannstrom, OTT (Tripping), 13:54; Smith, FLA (High
Sticking), 14:22; Verhaeghe, FLA (Slashing), 19:24.
Second Period—3, Florida, Barkov 22 (Forsling,
Reinhart), 1:24 (sh). 4, Ottawa, Giroux 31
(Batherson), 4:25. 5, Florida, Reinhart 30 (Montour,
Barkov), 7:48 (pp). 6, Florida, Luostarinen 17 (Ekblad,
Montour), 9:25 (pp). 7, Florida, Cousins 9 (Gudas,
Ekblad), 15:38. 8, Florida, Forsling 13, 17:00.
Penalties_Tkachuk, FLA (Roughing), 3:13;
Sanderson, OTT (Roughing), 3:13; Ottawa bench,
served by Tkachuk (Unsportsmanlike Conduct),
6:31; Brown, OTT (Fighting), 6:31; Gudas, FLA
(Fighting), 6:31; Watson, OTT (Misconduct), 6:31;
Tkachuk, FLA (Fighting), 8:24; Batherson, OTT
(Fighting), 8:24; Tkachuk, OTT (Roughing), 8:24;
Tkachuk, OTT (Fighting), 8:24; M.Staal, FLA
(Fighting), 8:24; M.Staal, FLA (Misconduct), 8:24;
Tkachuk, OTT (Misconduct), 8:24; Ekblad, FLA
(Roughing), 13:27; Cousins, FLA (Holding), 13:27;
Lundell, FLA (Tripping), 18:44.
Third Period—9, Ottawa, Greig 2 (Brown,
Brannstrom), 16:18. Penalties_White, FLA
(Roughing), 8:16; Zub, OTT (Roughing), 11:25;
Kastelic, OTT (Misconduct), 11:25; Smith, FLA
(Roughing), 11:25; Smith, FLA (Roughing), 11:25;
Kastelic, OTT (Roughing), 11:25; Ottawa bench,
served by Batherson (Roughing), 12:03; DeBrincat,
OTT (Misconduct), 12:03; Tkachuk, FLA
(Misconduct), 12:03; Ottawa bench, served by
Sokolov (Bench Penalty), 13:08; Sokolov, OTT
(Misconduct), 13:08; Sokolov, OTT (Misconduct),
13:08; Smith, FLA (Misconduct), 16:18; Stutzle, OTT
(Tripping), 17:36; Mahura, FLA (Misconduct), 17:36;
Brown, OTT (Misconduct), 17:36.
Shots on Goal—Ottawa 22-19-18_59. Florida
10-12-8_30.
Power-play opportunities—Ottawa 0 of 6; Florida 3 of
6.
Goalies—Ottawa, Sogaard 7-6-2 (18 shots-14 saves),
Ottawa, Merilainen 0-1-1 (12-9). Florida, Lyon 8-3-1
(59-56).
A—16,675 (19,250). T_2:59.
Referees—Jake Brenk, Dan O'Rourke.
Linesmen_Travis Gawryletz, Matt MacPherson.
N.Y. Islanders 6, Tampa Bay 1
Tampa Bay 0 1 0 — 1
N.Y. Islanders 0 4 2 — 6
First Period—None. Penalties_Palmieri, NYI
(Slashing), 11:58.
Second Period—1, N.Y. Islanders, Pelech 6 (Pageau,
Fasching), 3:46. 2, N.Y. Islanders, Nelson 33 (Bolduc),
9:54. 3, N.Y. Islanders, Palmieri 16 (Nelson, Pulock),
10:43. 4, Tampa Bay, Kucherov 30 (Point), 16:47. 5,
N.Y. Islanders, Pulock 5 (Engvall, Nelson), 19:40.
Penalties_Perbix, TB (Tripping), 13:26.
Third Period—6, N.Y. Islanders, Holmstrom 6 (Parise,
Horvat), 15:14. 7, N.Y. Islanders, Horvat 38 (Dobson),
19:40. Penalties_Stamkos, TB (Tripping), 8:25;
Hedman, TB (Cross Checking), 19:37; Pageau, NYI
(Roughing), 19:37.
Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 3-14-14_31. N.Y. Islanders
13-15-13_41.
Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 1; N.Y.
Islanders 0 of 2.
Goalies—Tampa Bay, Elliott 11-7-2 (41 shots-35
saves). N.Y. Islanders, Sorokin 29-21-7 (31-30).
A—17,255 (17,113). T_2:30.
Referees—Frederick L'Ecuyer, Jon Mclsaac.
Linesmen_Brandon Gawryletz, Jesse Marquis.
St. Louis 3, N.Y. Rangers 2 (OT)
N.Y. Rangers 0 0 2 0 — 2
St. Louis 0 1 1 1 — 3
First Period—None. Penalties_Trouba, NYR
(Tripping), 3:12.
Second Period—1, St. Louis, Toropchenko 10, 8:00.
Penalties_None.
Third Period—2, N.Y. Rangers, Tarasenko 18
(Zibanejad, Fox), 1:55 (pp). 3, St. Louis, Pitlick 7
(Krug), 10:13. 4, N.Y. Rangers, Trocheck 21 (Panarin,
Tarasenko), 17:57 (pp). Penalties_Buchnevich, STL
(Tripping), 0:57; Faulk, STL (Slashing), 17:40.
Overtime—5, St. Louis, Kapanen 15 (Schenn, Faulk),
1:16. Penalties_None.
Shots on Goal—N.Y. Rangers 6-12-5-0_23. St. Louis
8-5-6-3_22.
Power-play opportunities—N.Y. Rangers 2 of 2; St.
Louis 0 of 1.
Goalies—N.Y. Rangers, Halak 10-8-5 (22 shots-19
saves). St. Louis, Binnington 27-25-6 (24-22).
A—18,096 (18,096). T_2:24.
Referees—Graham Skilliter, Furman South.
Linesmen_Tommy Hughes, Bryan Pancich.
Nashville 3, Carolina 0
Carolina 0 0 0 — 0
Nashville 2 0 1 — 3
First Period—1, Nashville, Jankowski 6 (Stastney),
7:47 (sh). 2, Nashville, McCarron 2 (Jankowski,
McDonagh), 10:47. Penalties_Evangelista, NSH
(Delay of Game), 6:35; Sherwood, NSH (Hooking),
11:32; Aho, CAR (High Sticking), 19:35.
Second Period—None. Penalties_None.
Third Period—3, Nashville, Fabbro 2 (Stastney), 17:16
(en). Penalties_None.
Shots on Goal—Carolina 14-13-7_34. Nashville
8-6-9_23.
Power-play opportunities—Carolina 0 of 2; Nashville
0 of 1.
Goalies—Carolina, Andersen 20-10-1 (22 shots-20
saves). Nashville, Saros 31-22-7 (33-33).
A—17,762 (17,113). T_2:26.
Referees—TJ Luxmore, Kendrick Nicholson.
Linesmen_Shandor Alphonso, Scott Cherrey.
Dallas 4, Philadelphia 1
Philadelphia 0 1 0 — 1
Dallas 1 3 0 — 4
First Period—1, Dallas, Robertson 44 (Pavelski,
Seguin), 19:58 (pp). Penalties_Heiskanen, DAL
(Cross Checking), 3:41; Suter, DAL (Interference),
13:20; Ristolainen, PHI (Tripping), 18:51.
Second Period—2, Dallas, Pavelski 26 (Heiskanen,
Benn), 1:04 (pp). 3, Dallas, Miller 6 (Dadonov,
Johnston), 8:53. 4, Dallas, Robertson 45 (Pavelski),
10:55. 5, Philadelphia, Hayes 18 (Tippett,
Ristolainen), 13:16. Penalties_Philadelphia bench,
served by van Riemsdyk (Too Many Men on the Ice),
0:50.
Third Period—None. Penalties_van Riemsdyk, PHI
(Roughing), 9:28; van Riemsdyk, PHI (Roughing),
9:28; Glendening, DAL (Interference), 9:28;
Glendening, DAL (Roughing), 9:28.
Shots on Goal—Philadelphia 7-11-7_25. Dallas
8-16-6_30.
Power-play opportunities—Philadelphia 0 of 2; Dallas
2 of 2.
Goalies—Philadelphia, Hart 21-21-10 (30 shots-26
saves). Dallas, Oettinger 33-11-11 (25-24).
A—0 (18,532). T_2:22.
Referees—Mitch Dunning, Pierre Lambert.
Linesmen_Michel Cormier, Ben O'Quinn.
Vancouver 3, Chicago 0
Chicago 0 0 0 — 0
Vancouver 1 1 1 — 3
First Period—1, Vancouver, Kuzmenko 38
(Pettersson, Hirose), 16:16. Penalties_Bear, VAN
(High Sticking), 10:23.
Second Period—2, Vancouver, Kravtsov 4 (Hirose,
Garland), 3:53 (pp). Penalties_Toews, CHI (Hooking),
2:06; Aman, VAN (Holding Stick), 12:06; Katchouk,
CHI (Tripping), 17:34.
Third Period—3, Vancouver, Miller 30 (Boeser,
Myers), 19:35 (en). Penalties_Khaira, CHI
(Interference), 5:45; Athanasiou, CHI (Roughing),
13:00.
Shots on Goal—Chicago 11-8-14_33. Vancouver
8-12-9_29.
Power-play opportunities—Chicago 0 of 3;
Vancouver 1 of 3.
Goalies—Chicago, Stalock 9-14-1 (28 shots-26 saves).
Vancouver, Demko 12-14-4 (33-33).
A—18,945 (18,910). T_2:19.
Referees—Chris Lee, Brandon Schrader.
Linesmen_Joseph Mahon, Kilian McNamara.
Vegas 5, Los Angeles 2
Los Angeles 0 2 0 — 2 Linesmen_Devin Berg, Kiel Murchison.
Vegas 4 1 0 — 5
First Period—1, Vegas, Kessel 14 (Barbashev,
Stephenson), 2:54. 2, Vegas, Barbashev 16
(Stephenson), 3:56. 3, Vegas, Stephenson 15
(Kessel, Whitecloud), 6:07. 4, Vegas, Roy 14 (Eichel,
Pietrangelo), 11:23 (pp). Penalties_Los Angeles
bench, served by Kaliyev (Boarding), 8:28; Vegas
bench, served by Amadio (Instigator), 8:28;
MacEwen, LA (Fighting), 8:28; Hague, LV (Fighting),
8:28; Hague, LV (Instigator), 8:28.
Second Period—5, Vegas, Marchessault 27, 1:02. 6,
Los Angeles, Kopitar 27 (Doughty, Kempe), 11:24
(pp). 7, Los Angeles, Gavrikov 5, 14:10 (sh).
Penalties_Barbashev, LV (Slashing), 10:55; Durzi, LA
(Hooking), 13:09.
Third Period—None. Penalties_Kaliyev, LA (Holding),
15:48.
Shots on Goal—Los Angeles 11-9-12_32. Vegas
13-14-10_37.
Power-play opportunities—Los Angeles 1 of 1; Vegas
1 of 4.
Goalies—Los Angeles, Copley 24-5-3 (22 shots-22
saves), Los Angeles, Korpisalo 16-14-4 (15-10).
Vegas, Brossoit 5-0-3 (32-30).
A—18,404 (17,367). T_2:38.
Referees—Trevor Hanson, Kyle Rehman.
Linesmen_Trent Knorr, Bevan Mills.
Colorado 6, San Jose 2
Colorado 1 4 1 — 6
San Jose 1 1 0 — 2
First Period—1, San Jose, Karlsson 23 (Labanc,
Peterson), 15:43. 2, Colorado, Rantanen 50 (Girard,
MacKinnon), 16:45. Penalties_None.
Second Period—3, Colorado, Rantanen 51
(MacKinnon, Rodrigues), 2:32. 4, Colorado,
MacKinnon 37 (Rantanen, Girard), 7:19. 5, Colorado,
Rantanen 52 (Toews, MacKinnon), 8:06. 6, San Jose,
Lorentz 9 (MacDonald, Karlsson), 8:41. 7, Colorado,
Meyers 2 (Nieto), 15:08. Penalties_Hertl, SJ
(Tripping), 2:54; Eller, COL (Hooking), 9:08.
Third Period—8, Colorado, Meyers 3 (Nieto,
Newhook), 3:12. Penalties_None.
Shots on Goal—Colorado 7-15-9_31. San Jose
6-8-9_23.
Power-play opportunities—Colorado 0 of 1; San Jose
0 of 1.
Goalies—Colorado, Georgiev 37-16-5 (23 shots-21
saves). San Jose, Kahkonen 9-19-7 (19-15), San Jose,
Reimer 12-18-8 (12-10).
A—12,772 (17,562). T_2:22.
Referees—Brandon Blandina, Justin St. Pierre.
Linesmen_David Brisebois, Justin Johnson.
Seattle 4, Arizona 2
Arizona 0 1 1 — 2
Seattle 1 2 1 — 4
First Period—1, Seattle, McCann 38 (Eberle, Beniers),
19:36. Penalties_Mackey, ARI (Cross Checking),
12:48.
Second Period—2, Seattle, Eberle 19 (McCann), 5:52.
3, Arizona, Hayton 18 (Crouse, Maccelli), 12:00.
Penalties_Oleksiak, SEA (Delay of Game), 1:30;
O'Brien, ARI (Holding), 13:14; Donato, SEA (Hooking),
16:49.
Third Period—4, Seattle, Beniers 23 (McCann,
Eberle), 3:37. 5, Arizona, Dauphin 1 (Keller), 19:20.
Penalties_Arizona bench, served by Dauphin
(Roughing), 10:30; Tanev, SEA (Fighting), 10:30;
Kelemen, ARI (Fighting), 10:30; Kelemen, ARI
(Misconduct), 10:30; Arizona bench, served by
Dauphin (Instigator), 13:55; Valimaki, ARI
(Interference), 13:55; Gourde, SEA (Roughing), 13:55;
O'Brien, ARI (Fighting), 13:55; Borgen, SEA
(Fighting), 13:55; O'Brien, ARI (Misconduct), 13:55.
Shots on Goal—Arizona 8-6-14_28. Seattle
13-6-14_33.
Power-play opportunities—Arizona 0 of 2; Seattle 0
of 4.
Goalies—Arizona, Vejmelka 18-24-5 (33 shots-29
saves). Seattle, Grubauer 16-13-4 (29-27).
A—17,151 (17,100). T_2:37.
Referees—Ghislain Hebert, Brian Pochmara.
8NS | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK
SOCCER ENGLISH PREVIEW
Interim coaches all the rage in EPL
Steve Douglas
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chelsea is days away from playing
Real Madrid in the Champions League
quarterfinals.
Tottenham is engaged in a nip-and-
tuck race for a finish in the English Pre-
mier League top four.
Leicester is in an even tighter fight to
avoid dropping out of England’s lucra-
tive top division.
All three clubs have very different ob-
jectives heading into the final weeks of
the season. Yet, in one respect, they are
in the same position.
None of them have a permanent
manager.
In a crazy eight-day span, three of
English soccer’s biggest clubs thought it
best to get rid of their widely respected
managers without having any real plan
to replace them.
No wonder so many say the business
of soccer operates in a world of its own.
So, Chelsea heads into its league
match against Wolverhampton on Sat-
urday with Frank Lampardas temporary
cover for the fired Graham Potter. The
same Lampard who wasn’t deemed ca-
pable enough to lead a team battling rel-
egation – Everton fired him in January –
and who Chelsea itself sacked two years
ago.
Tottenham goes into a huge home
game against top-four rival Brighton not
with serial winner Antonio Conte in the
dugout – he was firedon March 26 – but
instead with his former assistant, Cris-
tian Stellini, in charge. Stellini is a long-
time No. 2 who seemingly has the same
pragmatic approach as the man he has
replaced.
As for Leicester, which hosts fellow
struggler Bournemouth on Saturday, it
seems the club’s ownership believes the
team is better off under the caretaker
charge of unheralded assistant coaches
Draft
Continued from Page 1NS
4.43-second speed in the 40-yard dash
and a dazzling deep ball only completes
53.8% of his throws in his lone year as a
starter and is still considered a top-five
pick. Nevertheless, that’s the outlook
for Richardson, a sublimely gifted pass-
er whose rapid ascension seems to be
rooted primarily in his brief bursts of
brilliance.
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
A five-touchdown performance in a
win over Alabama not only served as
Hyatt’s star turn at the collegiate level,
but it also helped legitimize his NFL out-
look as well. Before recording a 4.40-
second 40-yard dash at the scouting
combine, he raced to 15 touchdowns and
an average of 18.9 yards per catch as one
of the country’s premier deep threats.
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
For better or worse, Johnston doesn’t
consistently play in the manner one
might expect from a 6-3, 208-pound re-
ceiver. To his credit, Johnston is an elec-
tric after-the-catch threat one rarely
sees in a player of his build, as he can
elude defenders in the open field with
his surprising agility and pick up yard-
age in huge chunks.
Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Even in one of the deepest and most
talented tight end classes in years, Mus-
grave stands out as the most dynamic
athlete at the position. At the Senior
Bowl, he clocked a max speed of 20.05
miles per hour, a mark more commonly
seen from a running back than a 6-6,
253-pound pass catcher. Still, he’s
much more inexperienced than many of
his peers after a knee injury limited him
to just two games in 2022.
Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
Demand always outstrips supply
when it comes to fleet-footed offensive
linemen, a phenomenon that annually
pushes up athletic players whose body
of work has been underwhelming. At
6-6 and 306 pounds with fluid move-
ment skills, Duncan fits the physical
profile of what teams seek in their pass
protectors. When he has to lock onto a
defender, though, his other gifts are of-
ten neutralized by his inability to anchor
or drive them away.
Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
There’s a literal boom to Jones’ game,
Chelsea named former great Frank Lampard interim coach on Thursday.
STEVE LUCIANO/AP
Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell – who
have no experience of managing teams
at senior level – than under the fired
Brendan Rodgers, who has previously
been manager at Liverpool and Celtic,
two of Britain’s most high-profile clubs.
How bad must things have gotten un-
der the guys who have departed? And
can clubs at the top end of this multi-
billion-pound industry really be this
chaotically run?
Twelve Premier League managers
have been fired this season already – an
unprecedented number for a single
campaign – and it might not end there.
West Ham’s David Moyes is under seri-
ous pressure for his position after a 5-1
loss to Newcastle on Wednesday left his
team out of the relegation zone only on
goal difference.
Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt catches a pass at the NFL scouting combine on March 4 in in Indianapolis. MICHAEL CONROY/AP
as the 6-8, 374-pounder can ragdoll
even the stoutest defenders to the
ground. He’s not merely a mauler,
though, as it’s not easy to get around a
player with an 87 7⁄8-inch wingspan and
exceedingly difficult to push him back.
But nimble pass rushers can get him off
balance, and there likely will be plenty
of pliable players off the edge ready to
test his subpar flexibility.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE/DT,
Northwestern
Perhaps no one else at the scouting
combine did as much to boost their
name, as Adebawore showcased his ex-
plosiveness with a 4.49-second 40-yard
dash, 37 1⁄2-inch vertical leap and 10-5
broad jump. At 6-2 and 282 pounds,
Adebawore can resemble a full-speed
bowling ball when barreling toward of-
fensive linemen. The problem: His pass-
rush plan and finishing touch often have
the same level of subtlety as that bowl-
ing ball. Playing him at defensive tackle
rather than on the edge should help
Adebawore tap into his best features,
but a dose of control and discipline will
be needed for him to become a consis-
tent playmaker.
Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt
It’s good to be an outlier when you’re
West Ham visits Fulham on Satur-
day, and another loss might spell the
end for Moyes.
Panic is spreading through the league
at both ends of the standings, mostly
because of stifling financial pressures.
Getting in the Champions League can be
worth approaching $100 million to
teams. Getting relegated, and therefore
missing out on the cash from prize mon-
ey and huge broadcasting deals offered
in the Premier League, doesn’t bear
thinking about for clubs at or near the
bottom.
The departure of Conte was perhaps
the most understandable, given the ap-
parent breakdown in his relationship
with the Tottenham players and the
board. Keeping Stellini on is confusing,
though, and the performance in a 1-1
a defensive tackle blazing a 4.67-second
40-yard dash time at the combine, best-
ing Aaron Donald’s record for the posi-
tion. But when you’re answering for a
6-1, 281-pound frame and 30 5⁄8-inch
arms – one of the shortest measure-
ments for an interior defensive lineman
in years – standing out isn’t quite as fun.
Kancey might get pushed around early
and often in the run game by heftier
guards and centers.
Will McDonald IV, OLB, Iowa State
Projecting McDonald’s NFL role re-
quires a leap of faith larger than needed
for many other prospects, mainly due to
the role he likely will serve in. The 6-4,
239-pounder is a perfect fit as a 3-4 out-
side linebacker, with a devastating spin
move and impressive blend of pliability
and rapid closing speed as an edge rush-
er. But even though he tallied 34 sacks in
five years at Iowa State, McDonald was
often played out of position along the
defensive line.
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
From chasing down ball carriers in
the open field to dropping in man cov-
erage or blowing up plays on the blitz,
Simpson has the physical tools to find
the ball almost anywhere. Now, it’s on
him to do so consistently as a pro. The
draw at Everton on Monday didn’t sug-
gest there was going to be a significant
change in playing style.
That Brighton is the opponent this
weekend is fitting, given the team from
the south coast is almost a model of how
to run a club. Brighton has also changed
managers this season but only because
Chelsea enticed Potter away in Septem-
ber.
It might have been a blessing in dis-
guise, though, with Roberto De Zerbi
gaining better results and lifting the
team up to sixth place, four points be-
hind fifth-placed Tottenham having
played two fewer games.
Brighton, an FA Cup semifinalist, has
lost just one of its 15 games in all compe-
titions in 2023 and has a genuine shot at
the top four given it still has to play
third-placed Newcastle and fourth-
placed Manchester United.
Not giving Potter until the end of the
season at Chelsea, and instead putting
Lampard at the helm, is a strange one
and adds to the sense of confusion and
chaos in the first year of the American
ownership.
The game at Wolves will mean more
to the relegation-threatened hosts, see-
ing as Chelsea is languishing in 11th
place and surely out of the running for
the top four. Expect Lampard to rotate
his team, likely keeping his most impor-
tant players fresh for the first leg against
Real Madrid in Spain on Tuesday.
There’s no sign of a permanent re-
placement for Rodgers being an-
nounced at Leicester before the arrival
of Bournemouth, so it’s down to Sadler
and Stowell again to lead the team to a
first win in eight league games.
It’s a massive match, with Leicester
in next-to-last place and Bournemouth
two points better off in third-to-last
place. They are two of nine teams sep-
arated by seven points at the bottom of
the standings.
6-2, 235-pounder is a well-rounded and
versatile piece that defensive coordina-
tors covet to combat pass-heavy at-
tacks. But Simpson’s instincts are lack-
ing, and he too often takes himself out of
plays through zone coverage gaffes or
poor pursuit angles.
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi
State
One of the most astounding mea-
surements from this year’s combine
came when Forbes tilted the scales at a
mere 166 pounds, the lowest weight for
any defensive back at the event since at
least 2000, according to Pro Football
Reference. Forbes – who was up to 170
pounds at his pro day – is battle-tested
against the best of the best in the South-
eastern Conference, and few can match
the playmaking credentials of a corner-
back with 14 career interceptions.
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
At 6-2 and 207 pounds with 4.36-
second speed in the 40, Ringo looks like
a cornerback built for an earlier era. His
size and speed allow him to match up
with the most imposing downfield
threats. Yet his struggles to change di-
rection and transition at the top of
routes leave him vulnerable against
shiftier receivers.

TENNIS
Top-seeded Pegula rallies to reach quarterfinals
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Top-seeded
Jessica Pegula lost 10 straight games
and trailed 4-0 in the final set before ral-
lying Thursday to reach the Charleston
Open quarterfinals.
Pegula, an American ranked No. 3 in
the world, led the top four seeds includ-
ing No. 4 seed and defending champion
Belinda Bencic, into the round of eight
in the season’s first clay-court tourna-
ment.
No match was the equal of Pegula’s
fight with Irina-Camelia Begu, who was
down 4-0 in the second set and two
games away from a quick exit until find-
ing her game.
Begu, the 15th seed, strung together a
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Georgia leads schools in football recruiting spending
Adam Sparks
USA TODAY
Georgia’s football recruiting budget
skyrocketed under coach Kirby Smart
en route to back-to-back national titles
while counterpart Nick Saban has kept
Alabama atop recruit rankings despite
stagnant spending.
It’s two paths to a similar result in the
ultra-competitive SEC, which spends
more than any conference on recruiting
by a wide margin.
Georgia spent $4.51 million on foot-
ball recruiting during the 2022 fiscal
year. Its budget almost doubled from
the $2.27 million spent in 2017, the first
fiscal year under Smart. The compari-
son is not adjusted for inflation.
That data was revealed in NCAA fi-
nancial reports obtained by USA TODAY
Sports Network in response to open rec-
ords requests and compiled in partner-
ship with the Knight-Newhouse Data
project at Syracuse University.
Georgia’s spending far exceeded any
other Power 5 public university. In fact,
its recruiting budget was at least double
that of 45 of the 51 other public schools
in Power 5 conferences.
Smart spared no expense while uti-
lizing charter flights and helicopters to
visit recruits. His aggressive recruiting
approach landed seven consecutive
top-four signing classes in the
247Sports Composite rankings. Georgia
utilized that talent to win the past two
national championships and overtake
Alabama as the premier program in col-
lege football.
Recruiting expenses cover transpor-
tation, lodging and meals for recruits,
additional personnel for official and un-
official visits, phone charges and post-
age for pursuing recruits and the value
of schools’ vehicles and planes or those
used by the school for recruiting. Com-
pensation for coaches and recruiting
support staff is not included in the
recruiting expenses. Varying account-
ing systems for athletics departments
and/or university can result in a lack of
uniformity in how these numbers are
compiled for financial reports. USA TO-
DAY Sports Network obtained recruit-
ing expenses for Power Five public uni-
versities for the past six years.
Here are the other key takeaways.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
LSU women’s team honored with parade
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU star for-
ward Angel Reese sat in the back of an
orange convertible Corvette, waving to
thousands of fans lining the roadside –
and also waving her hand in front of her
face from time to time, repeating a ges-
ture that caused a stir at the end of the
national championship game.
The Tigers paraded across campus
and into the Pete Maravich Assembly
Center on Wednesday night for cere-
monies to honor their first NCAA wom-
en’s national championship, captured
Sunday with a 102-85 victory over Iowa
in Dallas.
“I’m trying not to cry,” said coach Kim
Mulkey, a Louisiana native who left be-
hind the three-time national champion
powerhouse she’d built at Baylor two
years ago to take over at LSU.
“This is my home,” she said, noting
that her mother was in the arena.
Reese was not among the players
who spoke at the event. But she has
been outspoken on several topics this
10-game win streak to turn things
around. Pegula dug in to win the final six
game and the exhausting match.
That was a pretty crazy match,” Peg-
ula said.
No doubt. Pegula will try to find more
consistency against 12th-seeded Paula
Badosa, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Diana
Snaider, for a spot in Saturday’s semi-
finals.
Others moving on with No. 2 seed
Ons Jabeur, No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina
and Bencic, who topped Jabeur to win
last year’s event on the Charleston’s
green clay.
Jabeur topped Caroline Dolehide 6-3,
7-5; Kasatkina defeated Bernarda Pera
6-3, 7-6 (3); and Bencic bounced back
after losing to opening set to oust Shelby
Georgia coach Kirby Smart speaks with Alabama’s Nick Saban before the first
half of the SEC championship game in December. BRYNN ANDERSON/AP
Alabama, Ohio State got bang for
the buck
Alabama has slipped behind Georgia
on the field. But Saban has held his own
in recruiting while spending less money.
Alabama’s signing classes have
ranked in the top two in six of the past
seven years. But its recruiting budget
has remained virtually unchanged
while competitors have increased their
spending.
From 2018 to 2020, Alabama was No.
2 in recruiting expenses, averaging
$2.36 million per year. It dropped to No.
7 in 2022 while still spending $2.32 mil-
lion. Alabama’s 2023 class ranked No. 1,
slightly ahead of Georgia, according to
247Sports Composite.
Ohio State has stretched a dollar
even further. The Buckeyes ranked No.
21 in average recruiting expenses since
2017. But they signed a top-five class in
every year except one in that period.
SEC dominance will grow when
Texas, Oklahoma join
In the 2022 fiscal year, the SEC’s 13
public schools spent an average of $1.75
million on football recruiting.
The ACC’s eight public schools aver-
aged $1.27 million. The Big 12 spent $1.24
million per school. The Big Ten averaged
week.
She was unapologetic when ques-
tioned about waving her hand in front of
her face while staring down Caitlin
Clark during the game. Clark, The Asso-
ciated Press Player of the Year, made a
similar gesture to no one in particular
during Iowa’s victory over Louisville in
the Elite Eight.
Reese also has said she would not ac-
cept an apology from First Lady Jill Bi-
den for suggesting that both LSU and
runner-up Iowa be invited to the White
House.
President Joe Biden did not follow
through on that idea, inviting only LSU
and men’s national champion Connecti-
cut.
LSU star guard Alexis Morris, an out-
going senior who aspires to play in the
WNBA, was among the players who ad-
dressed the crowd inside the arena.
“LSU, thank you. I appreciate your
love, your unwavering support and for
believing in us,” she said. “I just want
you all to know I love you with all my
heart.”
SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | 9NS
Rogers 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Pegula didn’t totally understand how
things went so wrong, then turned right
again.
“What was going through my mind is,
‘I can’t believe I’ve lost six games in a
row, seven games in a row, eight, nine,
10,’” she said.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve
been up like that and consecutively lost
like that many games as well,” she con-
tinued, “so I was just frustrated, but was
able to relax and played a pretty good
game (down 4-0 in the third).”
Pegula thought is she could stop Be-
gu’s winning streak, she could come
back. “And then it just switched really
quickly,” Pegula said.
Jabeur will take on Anna Kalinskaya,
$1.19 million, and the Pac-12 averaged
$1.06 million.
The exclusion of successful pro-
grams at private schools like Southern
Cal, Miami, Notre Dame and TCU skew
the figures a little. But the SEC still
reigns supreme, and that’s not surpris-
ing.
In 2022, five SEC schools were in the
top 10 in recruiting expenses: No. 1 Geor-
gia ($4.51 million), No. 3 Texas A&M
($2.98 million), No. 4 Tennessee ($2.92
million), No. 7 Alabama ($2.32 million)
and No. 10 Florida ($1.64 million).
But the SEC will add two top-10
spending teams in 2024. Oklahoma
($2.63 million) and Texas ($2.44 mil-
lion) ranked No. 5 and No. 6, respective-
ly, in 2022 recruiting expenses.
Tennessee spent a lot and got
NCAA investigation
Only Georgia and Alabama spent
more on recruiting than Tennessee over
the past six years. But the Vols didn’t
have much to show for it except an
NCAA investigation that alleges 18 Level
1 recruiting violations under former
coach Jeremy Pruitt.
From 2017-22, Tennessee averaged
$1.79 million in recruiting expenses per
year. Georgia ($2.75 million), Alabama
($1.91 million), Clemson ($1.66 million)
LSU guard Alexis Morris throws beads into the crowd as the national champion
basketball team paraded across campus in Baton Rouge, La., on Wednesday.
HILARY SCHEINUK/THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE VIA AP
who defeated two-time Australian
Open champion Victoria Azerenka 6-4,
7-6 (5).
Jabeur, who reached the finals at
Wimbledon and the U.S. Open a season
ago, likes where her game early in the
run up to Roland Garros next month.
“I’m getting used to the clay more,”
she said. “And I’m just … the most im-
portant thing (is) I’m enjoying myself on
the court and hopefully, it will continue
to be better and better.”
Kasatkina will next play past
Charleston winner, ninth-seeded Madi-
son Keys, who got past No. 8 seed Mag-
da Linette 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
Bencic will face Ekaterina Alexan-
drova, who defeated Julia Grabher 6-4,
6-2.
and Texas A&M ($1.57 million) rounded
out the top five during that period.
But Tennessee didn’t sign a top-10
class until a No. 9 ranking in 2023 under
coach Josh Heupel.
Some schools haven’t bounced
back from pandemic
About one-third of Power 5 schools
saw their recruiting expenses decrease
in 2022 compared to 2019, the last fiscal
year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools like Penn State, UCLA and
Colorado experienced minor drops.
But LSU had a staggering 54% reduc-
tion in recruiting expenses from $1.61
million in 2019 to $742,713 in 2022. The
Tigers had a top-15 recruiting budget for
five years until ranking No. 45 in 2022.
Florida State recruiting expenses
dropped 40% from pre-pandemic
spending. That continues the Semi-
noles’ slide to No. 36 in 2022 spending
since touting the largest recruiting bud-
get in college football in 2017.
Arkansas dropped 37% from pre-
pandemic spending, and Nebraska
dropped 25%.
Oklahoma State, Iowa, Wisconsin
among surprises
There were some head scratchers in
the reports.
In 2022, Rutgers was No. 11 nationally
and No. 2 in the Big Ten in recruiting ex-
penses. Only five SEC schools spent
more than the Scarlet Knights, who
haven’t had a winning season since
2014. Rutgers has almost doubled its
recruiting budget to $1.61 million since
Greg Schiano returned for his second
stint as coach.
Conversely, Oklahoma State, Iowa
and Wisconsin have routinely played
into the Top 25 polls during the season
despite being among the thriftiest
spenders in recruiting.
Wisconsin averaged $392,723 in
recruiting expenses over the past six
years, the least among Power 5 public
schools. Iowa and Oklahoma State
spent only $459,128 and $473,500 per
year, respectively, while outplaying pro-
grams that spent much more.
Contributing: Steve Berkowitz of USA
TODAY
10NS | FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 | SPORTS EXTRA - USA TODAY NETWORK

COLLEGE HOCKEY FROZEN FOUR

Quinnipiac beats Michigan to reach title game

ASSOCIATED PRESS Logan Cooley added two empty-net
goals to reach 22 on the season.
TAMPA, Fla. – Jacob Quillan had a The five-time national champion Go-
two-goal game for the second time dur- phers (29-9-1) seek their first title since
ing the NCAA Tournament, Yaniv Perets 2003 against Quinnipiac on Saturday.
posted 29 saves and Quinnipiac beat Minnesota has outscored its opponents
Michigan 5-2 on Thursday night in the 19-5 in the NCAA Tournament.
Frozen Four. Minnesota took a 2-1 lead late in the
Quinnipiac (33-4-3), which set a pro- first period on back-to-back goals in 50
gram record for wins, advances to its seconds by Mike Koster and Rhett Pit-
third national title game in program his- lick.
tory against Minnesota on Saturday. Koster scored his sixth goal of the
The Bobcats seek their first title after year on a blast from the circle to extend
losing in 2013 and ‘16. Cooley’s point streak to 16 straight
Both of Quillan’s goals came in the games. Pitlick finished a between-the-
first period. He opened the scoring with legs pass from Aaron Huglen.
14:41 left on a bank shot from behind the Minnesota appeared to take a 3-1 lead
net that went off goaltender Erik Portil- with 44.5 seconds to go in the second
lo. Quillan added another on a break- period on Cooley’s rebound, but it was
away at 8:39 for his 18th goal of the sea- taken away after a challenge for goal-
son – and fourth of the tournament. tender interference.
Quinnipiac nearly scored again mo- Boston University (29-11-0) had its
ments later on a two-man breakaway, Quinnipiac forward Jacob Quillan passes the puck ahead of Michigan nine-game winning streak, dating to
but Portillo stretched to deny it with his defenseman Steven Holtz (24) during the second period on Thursday in Tampa, Feb. 24, snapped. The Terriers were
left pad. Fla. CHRIS O'MEARA/AP seeking their first national title since
Quinnipiac scored on another bank 2009.
shot early in the third period for a 3-2 BU entered unbeaten at 21-0-0 when
lead when freshman Sam Lipkin sent a his 30th goal of the season to tie Jason two-and-a-half minutes and top- scoring the game’s first goal. And the
rebound off the skate of Portillo. Polin of Western Michigan for the NCAA ranked Minnesota beat Boston Univer- Terriers led 1-0 when Sam Stevens sent
Zach Metsa, the Quinnipiac captain, lead. Fantilli one-timed a no-look pass sity 6-2 on Thursday night in the open- in a rebound for his eighth goal of the
scored on a long-range shot with seven from Luke Hughes to tie it at 2-all mid- ing game of the NCAA Frozen Four. season.
minutes left in the third for a two-goal way through the second period. Mittelstadt gave Minnesota a 3-2 BU tied it at 2-all on Jay O’Brien’s de-
lead and Ethan de Jong iced it at 1:45 lead on a power play with 18:20 left in flection in front of the net for the lone
with an empty-netter. Minnesota 6, Boston U 2 the third period and his second came goal of the second period.
Michigan (26-12-3) was seeking its from the same spot at the left circle for It was the fifth meeting between the
10th NCAA championship. TAMPA, Fla. – Freshman Luke Mittel- his fifth goal of the season – and third in two programs in the national semifinals
Michigan star Adam Fantilli scored stadt scored two third-period goals in the NCAA Tournament. and first since 1995.

SCOREBOARD
Seattle (Gilbert 0-1) at Cleveland (Civale Tenn. Wednesday's Games Scoring Average Augusta, Ga.
1-0), 4:10 p.m. Dec. 15 — International signing period N.Y. Rangers 6, Tampa Bay 3 1, Jon Rahm, 68.903. 2, Scottie Scheffler, April 13-16 — RBC Heritage, Hilton Head,
Chicago White Sox (Giolito 0-0) at closes, 5 p.m. EST. Calgary 3, Winnipeg 1 69.105. 3, Jason Day, 69.488. 4, Max S.C.
Pittsburgh (Hill 0-1), 4:12 p.m. Edmonton 3, Anaheim 1 Homa, 69.512. 5, Tony Finau, 69.675. 6, April 20-23 — Zurich Classic of New
Kansas City (Keller 0-1) at San Francisco Thursday's Games Rory McIlroy, 69.701. 7, Tyrrell Hatton, Orleans, New Orleans
(Cobb 0-0), 4:35 p.m. NBA New Jersey 8, Columbus 1 69.761. 8, Patrick Cantlay, 69.894. 9, Viktor April 27-30 — Mexico Open at Vidanta,
Oakland (Waldichuk 0-1) at Tampa Bay Pittsburgh 4, Minnesota 1 Hovland, 69.921. 10, Maverick McNealy, Vallarta, Mexico
(Eflin 1-0), 6:40 p.m. EASTERN CONFERENCE 69.935. May 4-7 — Wells Fargo Championship,
W L Pct GB Boston 2, Toronto 1, OT
Odds available as of print deadline. Toronto (Bassitt 0-1) at L.A. Angels z-Milwaukee 58 22 .725 — Montreal 6, Washington 2 Driving Distance Charlotte, N.C.
MLS (Sandoval 1-0), 9:38 p.m. y-Boston 55 25 .688 3 Buffalo 7, Detroit 6, SO 1, Rory McIlroy, 326.6. 2, Brandon May 11-14 — AT&T Byron Nelson,
Saturday Saturday’s Games x-Philadelphia 52 28 .650 6 Florida 7, Ottawa 2 Matthews, 320.4. 3, Cameron Young, McKinney, Texas
Favorite SpreadO/U ML Underdog Houston at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m. x-Cleveland 51 30 .630 7½ N.Y. Islanders 6, Tampa Bay 1 315.8. 4, Matti Schmid, 315.1. 5, Cameron May 18-21 — PGA Championship,
Philadelphia 1.0 2.5 - CINCINNATI Kansas City at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. x-New York 47 33 .588 11 St. Louis 3, N.Y. Rangers 2, OT Champ, 315. 6, Jon Rahm, 314.1. 7, Rochester, N.Y.
Columbus 1.0 2.5 - DC UNITED Texas at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m. Brooklyn 44 36 .550 14 Nashville 3, Carolina 0 Jhonattan Vegas, 313.7. 8, Wyndham May 25-28 — Charles Schwab Challenge,
NY RED BULLS 1.0 2.5 -140 San Jose Boston at Detroit, 4:10 p.m. Miami 43 37 .538 15 Dallas 4, Philadelphia 1 Clark, 313. 9, Gary Woodland, 312.7. 10, Fort Worth, Texas
NY CITY FC 1.0 2.5 -105 Atlanta Oakland at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m. Atlanta 41 39 .513 17 Vancouver 3, Chicago 0 Trevor Cone, 312.2. June 1-4 — the Memorial Tournament
FC Dallas 1.0 2.5 - MIAMI Seattle at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m. Toronto 40 40 .500 18 Vegas 5, Los Angeles 2 presented by Workday, Dublin, Ohio
LA FC 1.0 2.5 -180 Austin FC Chicago 38 42 .475 20 Driving Accuracy Percentage
Chicago White Sox at Pittsburgh, 6:35 Colorado 6, San Jose 2 June 8-11 — RBC Canadian Open, Toronto
NASHVILLE 1.0 2.5 -145 Toronto FC Indiana 34 46 .425 24 1, Russell Henley, 72.00%. 2, Satoshi
p.m. Seattle 4, Arizona 2 June 15-18 — U.S. Open, Los Angeles
SPORTING KC 1.0 2.5 -115 Colorado Orlando 34 46 .425 24 Kodaira, 70.24%. 3, Collin Morikawa,
N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. June 22-25 — Travelers Championship,
CHICAGO 1.0 2.5 -114 Minnesota Washington 34 46 .425 24 Friday’s Games 70.09%. 4, Tom Kim, 69.74%. 5, Ryan
Toronto at L.A. Angels, 9:07 p.m. Cromwell, Conn.
LA Galaxy 1.0 2.5 - HOUSTON Charlotte 26 54 .325 32 No games scheduled Armour, 68.45%. 6, Brian Harman, 67.88%.
June 29-July 2 — Rocket Mortgage
RL SALT LAKE 1.0 2.5 - Charlotte National League Glance Detroit 16 64 .200 42 Saturday’s Games 7, Ryan Moore, 67.75%. 8, Aaron Rai,
Classic, Detroit
Saint Louis 1.0 2.5 -140 SEATTLE East Division WESTERN CONFERENCE Carolina at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m. 67.34%. 9, Sebastian Munoz, 67.15%. 10,
VANCOUVER 1.0 2.5 -105 Portland July 6-9 — John Deere Classic, Silvis, Ill.
W L Pct GB W L Pct GB Pittsburgh at Detroit, 1 p.m. Joel Dahmen, 66.96%.
July 13-16 — Genesis Scottish Open, North
MLB Atlanta 6 1 .857 — z-Denver 52 28 .650 — Vegas at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. Greens in Regulation Percentage Berwick, United Kingdom
Miami 3 4 .429 3 y-Memphis 50 30 .625 2 Edmonton at San Jose, 4 p.m. 1, Scottie Scheffler, 73.77%. 2, Kevin Yu,
Friday New York 3 4 .429 3 July 13-16 — Barbasol Championship,
y-Sacramento 48 32 .600 4 Anaheim at Arizona, 5:30 p.m. 73.49%. 3, Jon Rahm, 72.80%. 4, Brendan
Favorite Spread O/U ML Underdog Philadelphia 1 5 .167 4½ x-Phoenix 45 35 .563 7 Nicholasville, Ky.
METS 1.5 8 -155 Marlins Florida at Washington, 7 p.m. Steele, 71.84%. 5, Patrick Cantlay, 71.79%. July 20-23 — The Open Championship,
Washington 1 6 .143 5 L.A. Clippers 42 38 .525 10 Montreal at Toronto, 7 p.m. 6, Collin Morikawa, 71.35%. 7, Dean
CUBS - - -120 Rangers Golden State 42 38 .525 10 Hoylake, United Kingdom
Yankees 1.5 8.5 -125 ORIOLES Central Division N.Y. Rangers at Columbus, 7 p.m. Burmester, 70.74%. 8, Will Gordon, July 20-23 — Barracuda Championship,
W L Pct GB L.A. Lakers 41 39 .513 11
PHILLIES 1.5 7.5 -200 Reds New Orleans 41 39 .513 11 Nashville at Winnipeg, 7 p.m. 70.66%. 9, Tony Finau, 70.59%. 10, Akshay Truckee, Calif.
TWINS 1.5 8 -125 Astros Milwaukee 5 1 .833 — Tampa Bay at Ottawa, 7 p.m. Bhatia, 70.51%.
Pittsburgh 4 2 .667 1 Minnesota 40 40 .500 12 July 27-30 — 3M Open, Blaine, Minn.
GUARDIANS 1.5 7 -115 Mariners Oklahoma City 39 42 .481 13½ Philadelphia at N.Y. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. Total Driving Aug. 3-6 — Wyndham Championship,
White Sox 1.5 8 -135 PIRATES Cincinnati 3 2 .600 1½ New Jersey at Boston, 8 p.m.
Chicago 2 3 .400 2½ Dallas 38 42 .475 14 1, Keith Mitchell, 29. 2, Patrick Cantlay, 52. Greensboro, N.C.
GIANTS 1.5 8 -160 Royals Utah 36 44 .450 16 St. Louis at Minnesota, 8 p.m. 3, Scottie Scheffler, 53. 4 (tie), Brent Grant Aug. 10-13 — FedEx St. Jude
RAYS 1.5 7.5 -220 Athletics St. Louis 2 4 .333 3 Calgary at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Portland 33 47 .413 19 and Kevin Yu, 66. 6, Hayden Buckley, 69. 7, Championship, Memphis, Tenn.
BREWERS 1.5 8.5 -150 Cardinals West Division San Antonio 21 59 .263 31 Chicago at Seattle, 10 p.m. Shane Lowry, 70. 8, Viktor Hovland, 73. 9,
ROCKIES 1.5 11 -130 Nationals Aug. 17-20 — BMW Championship,
W L Pct GB Houston 20 60 .250 32 Colorado at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.
ANGELS 1.5 9 -115 Blue Jays Brendan Steele, 76. 10, Tyrrell Hatton, 93. Olympia Fields, Ill.
Los Angeles 52 .714 — x-clinched playoff spot
Dodgers 1.5 8.5 -210 D-BACKS San Francisco 3 3 .500 1½ SG-Putting Aug. 24-27 — TOUR Championship, Atlanta
Arizona 3 4 .429 2 y-clinched division 1, Maverick McNealy, 1.334. 2, Ben Crane,
Colorado 3 4 .429 2 z-clinched conference SOCCER 1.290. 3, Sam Ryder, 1.204. 4, Taylor TRANSACTIONS
San Diego 3 4 .429 2 Wednesday's Games Montgomery, 1.197. 5, Harry Hall, .907. 6,
Brooklyn 123, Detroit 108 MLS Glance Ben Taylor, .787. 7, Anders Albertson, .753. Thursday’s Transactions
Odds are subject to change. Tipico Wednesday's Games Eastern Conference BASEBALL
New York 138, Indiana 129 8, Aaron Wise, .729. 9, Andrew Putnam,
Sportsbook does not offer lines for New Miami 5, Minnesota 2 W L T Pts GF GA
Milwaukee 105, Chicago 92 .724. 10, 2 tied with .719. Major League Baseball
Jersey-based college sports teams. N.Y. Yankees 4, Philadelphia 2 Cincinnati 4 0 2 14 8 4
Boston 97, Toronto 93 Birdie Average American League
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Atlanta 134, Washington 116 1, Jon Rahm, 5.21. 2, Patrick Cantlay, 5.15. BOSTON RED SOX — Assigned RHP Garrett
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Dallas 123, Sacramento 119 Nashville 3 2 1 10 6 2 Cameron Young, 4.75. 6, Scottie Scheffler, assignment.
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L.A. Clippers 125, L.A. Lakers 118 New York City FC 222 8 6 7 4.69. 7, Tom Hoge, 4.58. 8, Will Zalatoris, LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Assigned RHP
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For the latest picks and expert analysis, go Friday’s Games Western Conference ATLANTA BRAVES — Recalled LHP Jared
Miami at Washington, 7 p.m. W L T Pts GF GA All-Around Ranking
to sportsbookwire.com Miami (TBD) at N.Y. Mets (Megill 1-0), 1:10 Shuster from Gwinnett (IL). Placed RHP
Orlando at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. Saint Louis City SC 5 1 0 15 15 5 1, Jon Rahm, 189. 2, Viktor Hovland, 221. 3,
p.m. Collin McHugh on the 15-day IL.
Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. Seattle 4 1 1 13 12 3 Keith Mitchell, 227. 4, Max Homa, 277. 5,
Scan for latest odds Texas (Eovaldi 1-0) at Chicago Cubs MIAMI MARLINS — Sent RHP Jeff Lindgren
Toronto at Boston, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles FC 3 0 2 11 9 3 Patrick Cantlay, 291. 6, Sungjae Im, 309. 7,
(Stroman 1-0), 2:20 p.m. outright to Jacksonville (IL).
Memphis at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. Minnesota United 3 0 2 11 6 3 Justin Rose, 313. 8, Tom Kim, 319. 9, Tom
Cincinnati (Greene 0-0) at Philadelphia NEW YORK METS — Claimed RHP Edwin
See up-to-the- New York at New Orleans, 8 p.m. San Jose 3 2 1 10 6 7 Hoge, 324. 10, Kevin Yu, 325.
(Wheeler 0-1), 3:05 p.m. Eceta off waivers from Pittsburgh and
Chicago at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. FC Dallas 222 8 8 7
minute lines and Chicago White Sox (Giolito 0-0) at LPGA Tour Statistics optioned him to Syracuse (IL).
Golden State at Sacramento, 10 p.m. Austin FC 22 1 7 6 7
compete in Pittsburgh (Hill 0-1), 4:12 p.m. Houston 2 30 6 5 7 Through April 3 Transferred RHP Sam Coonrod from the
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
Kansas City (Keller 0-1) at San Francisco Vancouver 1 2 3 6 10 7 Scoring 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
Daily Ticket (Cobb 0-0), 4:35 p.m. Saturday’s Games
Denver at Utah, 3:30 p.m. Portland 1 3 2 5 6 11 1, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, 66.75. 2, SAN DIEGO PADRES — Sent RHP Joe
free-to-play games San Diego (Martinez 0-1) at Atlanta (TBD), Real Salt Lake 1 4 0 3 3 13 Ruoning Yin, 67.875. 3, Georgia Hull, Musgrove to El Paso (PCL) on a rehab
7:20 p.m. Minnesota at San Antonio, 4 p.m. LA Galaxy 023 3 3 6
Portland at L.A. Clippers, 4 p.m. 68.188. 4 (tie), Jin Young Ko and Lilia Vu, assignment.
St. Louis (Flaherty 1-0) at Milwaukee Sporting Kansas City 033 3 2 7 68.375. 6, Atthaya Thitikul, 68.438. 7, Hyo ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Assigned SS Paul
(Woodruff 0-0), 8:10 p.m. Colorado 033 3 2 8 Joo Kim, 68.5. 8, Nelly Korda, 68.7. 9, Hae DeJong to Palm Beach (FSL) on a rehab
Washington (Gore 1-0) at Colorado
All times Eastern (Ureña 0-1), 8:40 p.m. NHL NOTE: Three points for victory, one point
for tie.
Ran Ryu, 68.875. 10, Charley Hull, 69. assignment.
L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 1-0) at Arizona Driving Distance BASKETBALL
EASTERN CONFERENCE Saturday, April 8 1, Emily Kristine Pedersen, 287.25. 2,
MLB (Bumgarner 0-1), 9:40 p.m.
Atlantic Division Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. Manon De Roey, 286.5. 3, Lexi Thompson,
National Basketball Association
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS — Waived G
Saturday’s Games GP W L OT Pts GF GA Columbus at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. 286. 4, Bailey Tardy, 282.38. 5, Perrine
American League Glance Dereon Seabron.
Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 4:05 p.m. z-Boston 78 61 12 5 127 288 167 Austin FC at Los Angeles FC, 7:30 p.m. Delacour, 281.25. 6, Celine Herbin, 281. 7,
East Division Kansas City at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m. x-Toronto 78 46 21 11 103 263 215 FOOTBALL
FC Dallas at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, 280.88. 8,
W L Pct GB Texas at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m. x-Tampa 79 45 28 6 96 271 243 National Football League
CF Montréal at New England, 7:30 p.m. Maude-Aimee Leblanc, 280.69. 9,
Tampa Bay 6 0 1.000 — Miami at N.Y. Mets, 4:10 p.m. Florida 79 41 31 7 89 281 263 ARIZONA CARDINALS — Announced DT
New York 4 2 .667 2 San Jose at New York, 7:30 p.m. Madelene Sagstrom, 279.71.
Chicago White Sox at Pittsburgh, 6:35 Buffalo 77 38 32 7 83 278 284 Atlanta at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. Corey Peters to retire.
Toronto 4 3 .571 2½ p.m. Ottawa 79 37 35 7 81 248 261 Greens in Regulation BUFFALO BILLS — Signed DT Jordan
Baltimore 3 3 .500 3 Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. 1, Manon De Roey, .81%. 2 (tie), Jin Young
St. Louis at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m. Detroit 78 35 33 10 80 237 259 LA Galaxy at Houston, 8:30 p.m. Phillips.
Boston 3 4 .429 3½ Montreal 79 31 42 6 68 225 291 Ko and Hae Ran Ryu, .80%. 4 (tie), Hyo Joo CHICAGO BEARS — Signed DL Rasheem
San Diego at Atlanta, 7:20 p.m. Colorado at Sporting KC, 8:30 p.m.
Central Division L.A. Dodgers at Arizona, 8:10 p.m. Kim and Atthaya Thitikul, .79%. 6 (tie), Green to a one-year contract.
Metropolitan Division Toronto FC at Nashville, 8:30 p.m.
W L Pct GB Washington at Colorado, 8:10 p.m. GP W L OT Pts GF GA Perrine Delacour and Anna Nordqvist, DETROIT LIONS — Signed WR Marvin
Cleveland 5 2 .714 — Charlotte FC at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m. .78%. 8 (tie), A Lim Kim and Jodi Ewart
MLB Calendar x-Carolina 78 50 19 9 109 251 201 Saint Louis City SC at Seattle, 10:30 p.m. Jones.
Minnesota 4 2 .667 ½ x-N Jersey 79 50 21 8 108 279 218 Shadoff, .77%. 10, Jennifer Kupcho, .76%. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Signed C Will
Chicago 3 4 .429 2 April 28-29 — San Diego vs. San Francisco Portland at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m.
at Mexico City. x-Rangers 79 46 21 12 104 269 213 Putts per GIR Clapp.
Detroit 2 5 .286 3 Islanders 79 40 30 9 89 233 215 NWSL Glance 1 (tie), Maddie Szeryk, Natthakritta NEW YORK GIANTS — Signed C J.C.
Kansas City 1 6 .143 4 June 13-15 — Owners’ meeting, New York. Pittsburgh 79 39 30 10 88 253 255 W L T Pts GF GA
June 24-25 — Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis at Portland 200 6 8 1 Vongtaveelap and Ruoning Yin, 1.61. 4 Hassenauer.
West Division Washington 78 34 35 9 77 242 249 (tie), Muni He and Yaeeun Hong, 1.63. 6 NEW YORK JETS — Signed QB Tim Boyle to
London. Philadlphia 78 29 36 13 71 210 261 San Diego 200 6 6 3
W L Pct GB Washington 10 1 4 3 2 (tie), Yan Liu and Pavarisa Yoktuan, 1.67. 8, a one-year contract. Signed DL Quinton
Los Angeles 4 2 .667 — July 8 — Amateur draft, Seattle. Columbus 78 24 46 8 56 206 315
July 9 — Futures Game, Seattle Houston 10 1 4 2 1 3 tied with 1.68. Jefferson.
Texas 4 2 .667 — WESTERN CONFERENCE OL Reign 1 10 3 2 1 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Signed DB
Houston 3 4 .429 1½ July 11 — All-Star Game, Seattle. Birdies
July 23 —Hall of Fame induction Central Division Angel City 1 10 3 3 3 1, Nelly Korda, 99. 2, Atthaya Thitukul, 82. Ryan Neal.
Oakland 2 4 .333 2 Gotham FC 1 10 3 2 3
Seattle 2 5 .286 2½ ceremonies, Cooperstown, N.Y. GP W L OT Pts GF GA 3, Jennifer Kupcho, 81. 4 (tie), A Lim Kim HOCKEY
July 31 — Last day during the season to x-Colorado 77 47 24 6 100 262 212 North Carolina 1 10 3 2 3 and Paula Reto, 78. 6, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, National Hockey League
Wednesday's Games x-Dallas 78 43 21 14 100 271 214 Louisville 002 2 2 2 77. 7 (tie), Moriya Jutanugarn, Leona
trade a player. Chicago 020 0 3 5 ANAHEIM DUCKS — Assigned G Olle
Miami 5, Minnesota 2 Aug. 1 — Deadline for drafted players to x-Minn 78 44 24 10 98 233 213 Maguire and Yuka Saso, 76. Eriksson Ek to San Diego (AHL).
N.Y. Yankees 4, Philadelphia 2 Winnipeg 78 43 32 3 89 235 218 Kansas City 020 0 1 5
sign, except for players who have Orlando 020 0 1 6 Eagles BOSTON BRUINS — Recalled C Oskar Steen
Tampa Bay 7, Washington 2 Nashville 78 40 30 8 88 219 227 from Providence (AHL).
exhausted college eligibility, 5 p.m. EDT. St. Louis 79 37 35 7 81 258 290 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point 1 (tie), Moriya Jutanugarn, Frida Kinhult,
Pittsburgh 4, Boston 1 Aug. 20 — Philadelphia vs. Washington at DETROIT RED WINGS — Recalled G Alex
Texas 5, Baltimore 2 Arizona 79 27 39 13 67 218 286 for tie. Nelly Korda and Jennifer Kupcho, 4.
Williamsport, Pa. Chicago 78 25 47 6 56 190 283 Sand Save Percentage Nedeljkovic from Grand Rapids (AHL).
Houston 8, Detroit 2 Oct. 1 — Regular season ends. Sunday, April 2 NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Recalled F Zach
Chicago White Sox 7, San Francisco 3 Pacific Division Angel City 2, Orlando 1 1, Sarah Kemp, 1.00%. 2, Natthakritta
November TBA — Last day for club to Vongtaveelap, .86%. 3, Celine Boutier, Sanford from Milwaukee (AHL).
Cleveland 6, Oakland 4, 10 innings GP W L OT Pts GF GA Friday, April 14 Reassigned D Kevin Gravel to Milwaukee.
make a qualifying offer to an eligible .80%. 4, Annie Park, .78%. 5, Sofia Garcia,
L.A. Angels 4, Seattle 3 x-Vegas 79 49 22 8 106 264 225 Houston at Portland, 10:30 p.m. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Reassigned D
former player who became a free agent, .75%. 6, Minami Katsu, .71%. 7, 4 tied with
Toronto 3, Kansas City 0 x-Edmontn 79 47 23 9 103 312 257 Mason Millman to Reading (AHL) on loan.
fifth day after World Series, 5 p.m. EST. x-LA 79 45 24 10 100 269 250 .67%.
Thursday's Games November TBA — Last day for player to PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Reassigned D
Boston 6, Detroit 3 Seattle 78 44 26 8 96 276 245 Rounds Under Par
accept a qualifying offer, 10th day after Calgary 79 37 27 15 89 256 246 GOLF Peter Diliberatore to Wheeling (ECHL)
Toronto 6, Kansas City 3 World Series, 5 p.m. EST. 1, Nelly Korda, .90%. 2, Jodi Ewart from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).
Vancouver 78 35 36 7 77 266 290 Shadoff, .80%. 3, Lilia Vu, .94%. 4, Mina
San Francisco 16, Chicago White Sox 6 Nov 7-9 — General managers meetings, San Jose 78 22 40 16 60 228 301 PGA Tour Statistics Recalled LW Alexander Nylander from
N.Y. Yankees at Baltimore, ppd. Scottsdale, Ariz. Harigae, .88%. 5 (tie), Moriya Jutanugarn Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Anaheim 78 23 45 10 56 196 320 Through April 3 and Leona Maguire, .70%. 7 (tie), Georgia
Houston at Minnesota, ppd. Nov. 17 — Last day for teams to offer 2024 ST. LOUIS BLUES — Assigned D Matthew
NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for FedExCup Season Points Hall and Atthaya Thitikul, .88%. 9, Yuka
Friday’s Games contracts to unsigned players on their overtime loss. Top three teams in each 1, Jon Rahm, 2,031. 2, Max Homa, 1,787. 3, Kessel to Springfield (AHL). Recalled D
Texas (Eovaldi 1-0) at Chicago Cubs 40-man rosters. Saso, .78%. 10 (tie), Celine Boutier, Dmitri Samorukov from Springfield.
division and two wild cards per Scottie Scheffler, 1,770. 4, Keegan Hannah Green, Charley Hull, Megan
(Stroman 1-0), 2:20 p.m. Dec. 3 — Hall of Fame Contemporary conference advance to playoffs. Bradley, 1,111. 5, Kurt Kitayama, 1,040. 6, SAN JOSE SHARKS — Recalled LW Adam
N.Y. Yankees (TBD) at Baltimore (Kremer Baseball/Managers-Umpires-Executives Khang and Jin Young Ko, .81%. 15, Maja Raska from San Jose (AHL).
x-clinched playoff spot Rory McIlroy, 1,010. 7, Chris Kirk, 982. 8, Stark, .72%.
0-0), 3:05 p.m. Committee vote announced, Nashville, y-clinched division Seamus Power, 961. 9, Sam Burns, 953. 10, WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS —
Houston (Urquidy 0-0) at Minnesota Tenn. z-clinched conference PGA Tour Schedule (Winners) Loaned D Chris Ortiz to Wheeling (ECHL).
Tony Finau, 939. April 6-9 — Masters Tournament,
(Gray 1-0), 4:10 p.m. Dec. 4-7 — Winter meetings, Nashville,