In 2015, a 24-year-old Portsmouth man with a history of mental illness was arrested for stealing $5 in snacks from a convenience store. He spent 100 days at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail, losing 46 pounds during his detention before succumbing to heart failure and “wasting syndrome,” defined as extreme and sudden weight loss.

That tragedy should have spelled the end of the HRRJ, a correctional facility with the highest death rate in Virginia that is a danger to both officers and inmates alike. Though belated, Hampton Roads should cheer its impending closure and welcome the opportunity to forge a better, more humane path for the region’s correctional needs.

A 1937 report by the Virginia Legislative Jail Commission called the commonwealth’s correctional system “the most peculiar one in the nation” due to different jurisdictions sharing responsibility for building and operating facilities as well as the care of the inmates.

The HRRJ is a perfect example of that. Opened in 1998, the facility was developed through a partnership of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News and Hampton to address overcrowding in those cities’ jails. Chesapeake joined the consortium after its establishment.

The HRRJ was also designed to house inmates with chronic illnesses and other infirmities, with member cities sharing the expense of  health care and mental health services. But as those costs grew, the cities proved reluctant to increase spending, leading to severe staffing shortages and dangerous conditions for inmates.

Between 2008 and 2021, at least 53 inmates died while housed at the HRRJ, the highest number of inmate deaths of any facility in Virginia. Those numbers are somewhat skewed owing to the fact that cities sent their sickest inmates there, but some of those deaths suggested something far more troubling at work.

Among these, the 2015 death of Jamycheal Mitchell, described above, stands out. Following his arrest, he was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation and was housed at the HRRJ while awaiting an open bed at Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg. The initial transfer order wasn’t received and a second one, sent two months later, was stuffed in a desk drawer and forgotten.

So was Mitchell. He remained in the regional jail for 100 days, a period in which he lost 46 pounds, before he died. He was found unresponsive in a cell smeared with feces and soaked in urine.

The tragedy launched several investigations, including a civil rights investigation that resulted in the jail operating under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. It also put a spotlight on Virginia’s tattered mental health system and the need to provide effective mental health services to inmates across the commonwealth, but particularly at the HRRJ.

In the ensuing years, the HRRJ has been roiled by staffing shortages — at one point 100 of the facility’s 300 officer positions were vacant — amid arguments among members of the jail’s governing board about paying for staff and rising inmate costs. Deteriorating conditions at the jail prompted the sheriffs of Norfolk and Chesapeake to stop sending inmates there.

In 2021, state Jail Review Committee, which reports to the Board of Local and Regional Jails, recommended shuttering the HRRJ due to “an egregious lack of concern for the health and safety of all who enter” and “a significant public safety threat to inmates and correctional officers.”

At last, that day draws close.

According to an email first obtained by Channel 13 News from Portsmouth Sheriff Michael Moore to the Portsmouth City Council, the jail’s governing board will announce next month that the jail will close. The email did not specify a timeline, but Moore called for it to replace the city jail.

The HRRJ may have started as a noble experiment in shared corrections costs, but it became a liability for member communities and a danger to both inmates and officers. While there is an avenue for cities to again seek a partnership to lower costs for taxpayers, it must learn from the many mistakes at the HRRJ because those errors must not be repeated.

NORFOLK — Over a year since the city announced it was in talks with Pharrell Williams and others for a $1.1 billion redevelopment of Military Circle, only preliminary demolition of outlier parcels has taken place.

And no binding deal has been reached, according to a city statement.

“Conversations involving the redevelopment of the Military Circle mall property is ongoing,” the Friday statement said. “We are always striving to ensure the site is put to its best use for residents and taxpayers and this VA proposal is worth exploring given its potential impact on the region and city.”

Spokespersons for some of Wellness Circle’s backers, including Williams, Armada Hoffler and Westdale did not respond to emails this week asking for confirmation the project was still being considered.

“Currently, the site is not slated for any developers, nor has it previously been slated for any specific developers,” the city said. “Conversations are ongoing and nothing has been finalized at the present time.”

And the city is not looking back at either of the other proposals for the site “at the current time” as talks with Wellness Circle continue, according to a Friday statement from a city spokesperson.

The proposed development backed by Williams and partners, one of three the city received, includes a 16,000-seat arena, 1,100 new housing units and a 200 room hotel across the 72-acre site, according to documents submitted to the city.

Norfolk chose to begin talks with Wellness Circle developers behind closed doors – opting not to use the typical proposal grading process, according to December reporting by The Virginian-Pilot.

___

In other news on the Military Circle redevelopment:

The developers behind the other two original proposals for the site remain dedicated to their own ideas for how to reshape the land.

The Crossroads Partnership development team is looking forward to hearing about next steps from the city, according to a spokesperson for the proposal.

Crossroads Partnership’s $925.5 million proposal includes a 15,000-seat arena, bike path, 987 multi-family housing units, a 128-room Hyatt hotel, Sentara offices and more.

The other proposal from Norfolk MC Associates, called The Well, would include a 9-acre lake with an island, a 5,000-seat amphitheater and a lawn space for a further 3,000 guests, 200-room hotel, 864 housing units, over 477,000 square feet of office space and over 159,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space. Developers involved in the proposal include Bruce Thompson’s Gold Key/PHR and The Franklin Johnston Group.

Thompson said he is not interested in a “blue sky proposal that includes an arena.”

He said his team’s plan is sustainable and financeable.

“Pharrell sold the city a pipe dream,” Thompson said by text.

___

Potential VA medical facility

A draft option for a Veterans Affairs medical facility at the site was approved by the city’s Economic Development Authority this month.

“Responses to the VA’s Request for Lease Proposal (RLP) are due August 31st, and they are required to demonstrate potential site control,” the city statement said. “As a result, the EDA Board approved a draft option agreement at the August EDA Board meeting to enable the developers to submit as a requirement for the RLP package.”

The VA is not one of the listed partners for Wellness Circle in the proposal. The land set aside for the option overlaps with land proposed in the Wellness Circle plans for the arena, light rail station, parks and plazas, according to EDA documents.

“The EDA was notified by credible federal facility developers regarding their interest in a 24-acre portion of Military Circle Mall, to potentially develop a new Veteran’s Outpatient Clinic,” the statement from the city said.

The option includes 26 acres on the southern part of the site between Polar Hall Drive and North Military Highway, according to EDA documents.

Recent documents and statements by the VA have identified a need for more VA care options on the Southside due to veteran population growth. The largest growth is expected in number of veterans living in Chesapeake, which is expected to grow by nearly 49% over the next 20 years while, while growing 34% in Portsmouth, 31% in Virginia Beach and 25% in Norfolk compared with 17% on the Peninsula.

The VA released a study in 2022 about its nationwide health care system and found roughly 50,000 of the veterans served by the VA Hampton Medical Center must cross either the Monitor-Merrimac or Hampton Roads bridge-tunnels to get there.

___

Demolition

Though some demolition of smaller properties at the site has already happened, the lion’s share has yet to begin.

The first demolition permit for Military Circle was given on May 1 with two others dated June 5 and June 30, according to city documents.

North Carolina-based East Coast Demolition and Abatement has done preliminary demolition on land valued at a combined $165,000, according to demolition permits.

“When the initial demolition process of the entire 72-acre site began, it was quickly discovered that the demolition of the main mall within the interior ring road would require additional analysis of project architects and engineers,” the city’s statement said. “As a result, the decision was made to begin the demolition of the outparcels in accordance with the EDA’s original timeline.”

The request for proposal for the demolition of the main Military Circle property has not been released yet, though it is slated for early fall, according to the city.

Ian Munro, 757-447-4097, [email protected], @iamIanMunro

Longtime game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker has died. He was 99.

The former “The Price is Right” host Barker died peacefully at home of natural causes on Saturday morning in L.A. his rep Roger Neal confirmed to The Daily News. “It is with profound sadness that we announce that the World’s Greatest MC who ever lived, Bob Barker, has left us,” Neal said.

Barker’s longtime friend Nancy Burnet, who has overseen his care for the past several years, is co-executor of the daytime TV icon’s estate.

“I am so proud of the trailblazing work Barker and I did together to expose the cruelty to animals in the entertainment industry and including working to improve the plight of abused and exploited animals in the United States and internationally,” Burnet said in a statement. ” We were great friends over these 40 years. He will be missed.”

For 35 years, Barker invited studio audience guests to “Come on down!” for a chance to win items ranging from automobiles to vacation packages. In 182 — a decade after taking over the program — he began closing each show by reminding viewers to help control the pet population by having their dogs and cats spayed and neutered.

Prior to moving to CBS’s “The Price is Right,” Barker spent nearly 20 years hosting the game show “Truth or Consequences.”

He wrote of both experiences in his 2009 memoir “Priceless Memories.”

Barker returned three times to host “The Price is Right” after his June 2007 retirement. His final appearance was for an April Fool’s Day segment in 2015, after which he passed the reins back to comedian Drew Carey, who preceded Barker.

Barker was born in Washington state and raised on a South Dakota reservation. He married Dorothy Jo Gideon in 1945. They stayed together until her death in 1981. They married while Barker was on leave from the U.S. Navy in 1945.

December 12 would have marked a century of life for Barker, who made his film debut punching Adam Sandler’s character in the 1996 golf film “Happy Gilmore,” which earned him an MTV Movie Award.

“I’m old, but I’m tough,” he told Entertainment Tonight while talking about that scene.

He said he studied martial arts with film star Chuck Norris for eight years, who always outfought him.

“But I got Adam!” he joked.

He also made cameos as himself on several TV shows including “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Nanny.”

A former “Price is Right” model sued the show’s star in 1994, accusing him of sexual misconduct while they were colleagues. Barker claimed he was in a consensual relationship with Playboy model turned “Barker’s Beauty” Dian Parkinson from 1989 to 1991, but denied wrongdoing. The pair worked together for 18 years.

Barker, a vegetarian, will be remembered for his animal activism, which PETA thanked him for in 2018 by naming a rescued horse in his honor.

“We love this man, but what do you give someone who has everything and gives his all to animals? The answer is a rescued horse named in his honor,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement on Barker’s 10 year anniversary of his involvement with the animal rights group.

He’s donated money and recorded an ad supporting PETA’s efforts.

In 1988, he announced his withdrawal from the Miss Universe beauty pageant he’d hosted for more than 20 years because officials insisted on rewarding fur coats to participants.

“I cannot do them (the pageants) as long as they give away fur coats,” he protested. “This involves morality.″

The pageant tweeted him a happy birthday wish in 2021. He started working with the pageant in 1967.

Barker had several health scares throughout his long life. They included a partially blocked left carotid artery, a stroke, prostate surgery and skin cancer, according to Distractify. He also required stitches after a 2015 fall outside his Los Angeles home.

Readers rated Barker TV’s second-greatest game show host in a 2023 poll, where he trailed only former “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek. Other polls reversed the order. Trebek lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in 2020 at 80 years old.

Barker announced his impending exit from “The Price is Right” in good humor in 2006, while correctly predicting he still had several good years in him.

“I will be 83 years old on December 12,” he told viewers, “And I’ve decided to retire while I’m still young.”

In this neck of the woods, folks take three things very seriously: religion, politics and barbecue.

Virginia is the first home of what would become such a revered food and foodway, and across the commonwealth there are pitmasters preparing dishes that are, well, smack-your-mama good.

Near Strawbridge, Malbon Bros. Corner Mart BBQ has been a go-to for barbecue since 1995.

Located inside a gas station/convenience store, decked out with a painting of a big pink pig face on the side of the building, the operation has ties to the original Malbon Brothers Hog Farm established here in 1923.

Pass by aisles of canned goods and coolers filled with milk and soft drinks and the restaurant is tucked in the back corner of the store, with a short row of booths nearby.

There is also a refrigerated grab-and-go case to pick up items like barbecue by-the-pound, and sides such as macaroni and cheese, slaw, and baked beans for lunches and dinners.

___

The Eat: The Pigwich sandwich, $8.49

There’s no lack of options on the menu, including platters of brisket, chicken and pork barbecue, and ribs.

From a list of sandwiches ranging in size from Piglet to Boss Hog, I picked the Pigwich.

What’s the Pigwich? Think of a grilled cheese, but with barbecue stuffed in with all the ooey, gooey-ness.

The barbecue is smoked in-house.

Two thick slices of Texas toast are stuffed with Malbon’s signature pulled pork, slaw, and pickles, then slices of cheese. The sandwich is grilled until toasted golden brown on the outside, and the cheese melts on the inside, marrying all the flavors together.

This was a delicious sandwich. The toast was crisp on the outside, making the perfect platform for the sassy-sweet barbecue. In these parts slaw goes on barbecue, and the tangy, crunchy offering here adds both taste and texture, as does the piquant pickles. The American cheese was a wonderful foil to it all.

I made the sandwich a meal for an upcharge of $3.19 that included a fountain drink and a side dish, deeply flavored, earthy collard greens. I also added a second side dish, a rich and robust cup of baked beans.

There are a number of housemade sauces to enjoy at Malbon’s. Tilli’s is a sharp Carolina-style, and Pig Pickin’ Billy is a more sweet variety. I loved both, and alternated their use on the sandwich every couple of bites.

___

The Drink: Soft drink

Along with the meal deal I picked with the Pigwich Sandwich came a large fountain drink.

Malbon Bros. Corner Mart BBQ is at 1896 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach. Call 757-427-9607 or visit www.MalbonBrothersBBQ.com.

Patrick Evans-Hylton, [email protected]

City Council recently rezoned property near that intersection to make way for Princess Anne Village, a development of 93 dwelling units.

Lot types will be a mix of large single-family, medium single-family and cottages, in addition to 16 garage apartments, according to city planning documents. Each dwelling will have a front porch and varied rooflines, consistent with the Courthouse Historic & Cultural District Overlay.

The development will front the east side of Princess Anne Road, from North Landing Road to Holland Road. The overall site is 56.45 acres, but wetlands and a utility easement reduce the allowable buildable area to 37.15 acres.

Eric Hodies, [email protected]

With the end of August approaching and September beginning comes a flurry of performing arts events that bode well for the start of a busy season.

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

On Aug. 31, William & Mary, the city of Williamsburg and the W&M Student Assembly are sponsoring the VSO’s summer “Symphony Under the Stars” series — this one being led by guest conductor Morihiko Nakahara, the music director of the South Carolina Philharmonic and resident conductor of the Spokane Symphony.

The light fare will feature happy listening works by the likes of Mozart, Leroy Anderson, Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky, Borodin and John Williams.

The free event takes place in the beautifully-positioned amphitheater at Lake Matoaka and runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Wristbands will be required for entrance due to venue capacity limitations. Once all the wristbands have been distributed, the show will be considered sold out.

Beach chairs and blankets are welcome, but nothing that blocks the view of other guests. Also welcome are coolers and picnic baskets, but no alcoholic beverages or glass containers.

Parking is available in the garage located on Ukrop Way, adjacent to the park area, after 5 p.m. Handicap spaces will be available in the Mason School of Business parking lot, and golf carts will be available at 6 p.m. for those with mobility issues. In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled.

Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra

Michael Butterman, the WSO’s music director, kicks things off Sept. 8 with “Dinnerstein Plays Brahms” in the Williamsburg Community Chapel. Piano soloist will be Simone Dinnerstein, who broke into international awareness in 2007 with her recording of the “Goldberg Variations.” The recording topped the tops of classical charts and listings in major news publications, which led to her quickly being scheduled to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic in November of the same year.

Her demand expanded to performances with other stellar orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and London Symphony and in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House and Vienna concert hall. She’s a fan of new composers and unusual formats such as a multimedia production she conceived and directed thematically based on her father Simon Dinnerstein’s painting “The Fulbright Triptych.”

For this opening concert, she will be performing the beautiful Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 on the WSO’s newly acquired Steinway. Heroic and passionate, the Brahms overflows with lyrical loveliness.  Also on tap is Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, a generally feel-good piece and one of Mozart’s best-liked works.

A pre-concert talk with Butterman begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the 7:30 p.m. program. For tickets, visit williamsburgsymphony.org. Single tickets for adults are $65 and $10 for students. For those wanting to livestream the performance, single tickets are $30 and $10 for students. Mastercard and VISA only.

Williamsburg Players

The Williamsburg Players opens its 66th season with Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” Sept. 8-24, in its Hubbard Lane theater.

Set in Brooklyn during the Great Depression, it essentially deals with the coming of age of Polish-Jewish American teenager Eugene and puberty, sex, self-identity, awareness and a family with personal issues and relations. It’s all about family and reflects Simon’s Jewish background and warm Jewish humor, albeit somewhat bittersweet. “Brighton” won three Tony awards and adapted into a film.

Directing is Lisa Velardi who has also served as choreographer and performer in community theaters in New Jersey and Delaware for over 40 years. For many years, she directed at the middle and high school level in Delaware, and locally, last spring, she co-directed “Something’s Afoot” for the Players.

Performances are Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. Starting Sept. 14, Thursday performances are at 8 p.m. Base tickets are $20 adults and $12 students/children. Children under 2 years old are free if they sit in the same seat as the parent. For tickets, visit williamsburgplayers.org and click on box office and then “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” and follow directions from there. Or call the box office at 757-229-0431.

Opera in Williamsburg

Opera in Williamsburg opens its season with the always popular and somewhat giddy Viennese comedy “Die Fledermaus.” This Johann Strauss II delicacy is a farce, vaudeville-inspired affair with silly things happening everywhere — mixed messages, deception, jealousy, theft and jail time. Set in Vienna on New Year’s Eve, it’s a harmless delight in which all’s well with fun and champagne.

Featured singers have graced the stage of the Met, New York City Opera, Spoleto USA and European houses, not to mention performing in operettas, musicals and solo or orchestral-vocal works. Orchestra conductor is Jorge Parodi and stage director is Adam Cioffari.

Performances are Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m. and Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Crosswalk Church auditorium in Norge. The spacious venue offers plenty of free parking and concessions by Carmen Alves (Elite Cuisine; cash preferred).

Tickets range from $15 to $59 and can be purchased at operainwilliamsburgvirginia.thundertix.com or operainwilliamsburg.org.

Coming up

Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural An Evening for the Arts fundraiser on Oct. 6 in Merchants Square. The fundraiser will take place during An Occasion for the Arts, which is in Williamsburg Oct. 7-8. The Friday event from 5-9 p.m. is a fundraiser for the AOFTA Artist in Residence Program benefitting Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools.

Tickets and VIP packages can be purchased at
simpletix.com/e/an-evening-for-the-arts-2023-tickets-110165.

Have information about the arts in the Historic Triangle? Contact John Shulson at [email protected].

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales from office on Saturday while its disciplinary committee investigates his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final, which included kissing a player without her consent.

FIFA said Rubiales is removed from soccer duties for 90 days “pending the disciplinary proceedings opened” against him Thursday.

Rubiales refused to resign from his soccer presidency Friday at an emergency meeting where he had been expected to leave under intense pressure from the Spanish government, women players plus soccer clubs and officials.

By JOSEPH WILSON (Associated Press)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Less than a week after winning the Women’s World Cup, Spain’s national team players announced Friday that they will not play any more games unless the president of the country’s soccer federation steps down for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after their victory.

Luis Rubiales, who was also chastised for grabbing his crotch after Spain’s 1-0 victory over England on Sunday, remained defiant despite immense pressure to resign. The kiss marred the title celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, and criticism has steadily mounted.

Hermoso issued a statement Friday strongly rebuking Rubiales’ characterization of the kiss as consensual, while the 46-year-old federation president cast himself as the victim at an emergency general assembly of the federation in Madrid.

“I won’t resign,” he declared four times in quick succession, to applause from the overwhelmingly male audience.

Several Spanish news media outlets reported on Thursday that Rubiales would step down. Instead, he said on Friday that he is the victim of a witch hunt by “false feminists.”

While Rubiales held his ground, federation vice president Rafael del Amo, who had been in charge of women’s soccer, announced that he was resigning, followed by at least two other federation members. Del Amo had urged Rubiales to also resign.

Among those applauding Rubiales were women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda and men’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente. Until Friday’s assembly, he had received no public support in Spain, with political parties from both the left and the right speaking out against him.

In his speech to the gathering, Rubiales said Hermoso “lifted me up” in a celebratory gesture and he asked her for “a little kiss?” and she “said yes.”

“The kiss was the same I could give one of my daughters,” Rubiales said.

The televised broadcast of the medals ceremony didn’t show the first moments when Rubiales congratulated Hermoso. But it does show that his feet were on the ground before he held her face and kissed her.

Hermoso contradicted Rubiales’ version in two statements, one issued through her FUTRPO players union and a second published on social media.

She said that she did not consent to the kiss or try to pick up the president, and that there was no conversation like the one described by Rubiales.

“I won’t tolerate anyone doubting my word and even less someone putting words in my mouth,” she said.

In a second statement, Hermoso said the kiss “left me in a state of shock.”

“I believe that no person in any workplace should be the victim of this type of nonconsensual behavior,” she added.

Hermoso also accused the federation of pressuring her and her family to speak out in Rubiales’ defense. The federation previously denied a report that it forced her to make a statement downplaying the kiss shortly after it happened.

After a full day of accusations and counteraccusations between Hermoso and Rubiales, the federation issued a statement early Saturday saying that its president did not lie and that he and the organization would take legal action against Hermoso and her union. The statement included photos that it said show Hermoso lifting Rubiales off the ground during the medals ceremony.

The FUTPRO statement signed by Hermoso, her 22 teammates, and more than 50 other Spanish players said they would no longer play for Spain “if the present leadership remains in charge.”

Rubiales said he would defend his honor in court against politicians, including two ministers, who called his kiss an act of sexual violence. One of them was acting Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, who urged the government to take “urgent measures.”

“Impunity for macho actions is over,” Díaz said. “Rubiales cannot continue in office.”

Alexia Putellas, Hermoso’s teammate and a two-time Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world, posted a message of support on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“This is unacceptable,” the Barcelona player wrote. “I’m with you, my teammate, Jenni Hermoso.”

Other teammates quickly followed, along with players from abroad.

“I’m disgusted by the public actions of Luis Rubiales,” U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan said on X. She added that winning a World Cup “should be one of the best moments in these players’ lives but instead it’s overshadowed by assault, misogyny, and failures by the Spanish federation.”

The president of Spain’s women’s league, Beatriz Álvarez, told Spanish state broadcaster RTVE that she was not surprised because Rubiales’ “ego is above his dignity.”

“What surprises and scandalizes me are his words,” Álvarez said. “Every time he speaks he shows what kind of person he really is.”

Spain’s government planned to file a lawsuit Friday alleging that Rubiales violated the country’s sports laws, according to Víctor Francos, secretary of state for sports and head of Spain’s Higher Council for Sports. If Spain’s Administrative Court for Sports agrees to hear the suit, the council will suspend Rubiales pending the court’s ruling, Francos said.

If found guilty by the court for committing sexist acts, Rubiales could be ruled unfit to hold office. Francos said he would ask the court to move its regular Thursday meeting up to Monday.

Iberia airlines, a major sponsor of the federation, said it supported the government’s initiative to “protect the rights and dignity of our athletes.”

About 100 people, mostly women, gathered Friday night in front of the Spanish soccer federation’s headquarters in Madrid to call for Rubiales’ resignation, many waving red cards used by soccer referees to expel players from games.

“What has to happen now is his resignation and the resignation of everyone who applauded him,” said 39-year-old protester Alma Doña. “The federation needs to be reformed and women’s soccer should have more support.”

Spanish soccer club Barcelona, which provided nine players for Spain’s team, said Rubiales’ behavior “was completely inappropriate.” Real Madrid said it supported the government’s decision to try to suspend Rubiales. Sevilla called for his resignation. Athletic Bilbao said it was renouncing its seat on the federation’s board and backed the government’s decisions. Osasuna slammed Rubiales, calling him “rude and sexist.” Espanyol, Valencia, and Celta Vigo also issued statements against Rubiales, as did Spanish league president Javier Tebas.

FIFA, the governing body of soccer, opened a disciplinary case against Rubiales on Thursday. Disciplinary judges can impose sanctions on individuals ranging from warnings and fines to suspensions from the sport.

The Netherlands-based FIFPRO player’s union, which had already demanded action against Rubiales, reiterated its position after his assembly speech.

The only relevant institution to remain silent has been European soccer body UEFA, for which Rubiales is a vice president. FIFPRO urged UEFA to open its own disciplinary case.

Rubiales, who led the Spanish players union for eight years before taking over as federation president in 2018, is currently heading the UEFA-backed bid to host the men’s World Cup in 2030. Spain is bidding with neighboring Portugal and Morocco, and also possibly Ukraine.

Rubiales made 339,000 euros ($365,000) in 2021 after taxes, for presiding over the federation with a budget of 382 million euros ($412 million). The federation runs Spain’s men’s and women’s national soccer teams and its semi-professional and amateur soccer leagues. It also organizes the referees for La Liga. The government maintains some oversight of the entity but it cannot name or remove its executives.

Shortly before the kiss, Rubiales grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture, with Queen Letizia of Spain and 16-year old Princess Sofía standing nearby.

He offered an apology for that, saying it was in a moment of “euphoria” and directed toward Vilda on the field.

The first members of the elite in Spanish men’s soccer spoke out against Rubiales on Thursday, when it looked like he was bowing out. Their words of reproach continued to trickle in after Rubiales’ diatribe on Friday.

“What an embarrassment,” former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas said on X. “We should have spent the last five days talking about our women players, about the joy they gave us all! About how proud we are that they gave us a title that we didn’t have in women’s soccer, instead …”

Real Betis forward Borja Iglesias, who has occasionally been called up for Spain’s national team, said he would not play for his country again “until things change.”

___

Associated Press reporter Alicia León in Madrid contributed to this report.

___

AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup

Virginia State Police are investigating a “chain-reaction” crash involving several vehicles after a tractor-trailer was not able to stop in time after reaching traffic on Thursday.

According to a release from state police, the tractor-trailer was traveling south on Route 17 and came upon stopped traffic but could not brake before crashing into a Chevrolet sedan. The impact of that crash pushed the car into the back of a flatbed trailer being towed by a pickup truck.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Ashley Chapman, 25, died at the scene. A passenger that was traveling with Chapman was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Richard E. Hutchison-Wright II, 41, of Newport News, was charged with reckless driving.

By COREY WILLIAMS and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER (Associated Press)

CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — At least seven tornadoes touched down in Michigan as part of severe storms powered by strong winds that killed five people, while downing trees, tearing roofs off buildings and leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without power, officials said.

The National Weather Service on Friday said an EF-2 tornado with a maximum wind speed of 125 mph (201 kilometers per hour) struck Lansing, the state capital, killing one person Thursday night and injuring three others.

Lansing Police Department spokesperson Jordan Gulkis said an 84-year-old woman died after a tree fell on a home. Firefighters extricated the woman from the home, but she was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The weather service also confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with winds of 90 mph (145 kph) crossed from Ingham County into the western edge of adjacent Livingston County on Thursday night.

Four other EF-1 tornadoes were reported in Belleville and Gibraltar in Wayne County, and in South Rockwood and near Newport in Monroe County.

A weaker EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 80 mph (128 kph) was on the ground for less than two miles in Wayne County’s Canton Township, west of Detroit, the weather service said. That tornado caused a tree to fall into a house, said meteorologist Sara Schultz.

The weather service office in Grand Rapids, in western Michigan, said officials would be in the field Friday conducting damage surveys on a suspected tornado in Kent County.

The storms featured lightning displays erupting across the night sky and dumped multiple inches of rain on communities across the lower portion of the state.

In western Michigan, the Kent County sheriff’s office said a 21-year-old woman and two girls, ages 1 and 3, died Thursday night after two vehicles collided head-on as it was raining.

“There was two vehicles traveling toward each other. One hydroplaned on water and it was occupied by four people,” Sgt. Eric Brunner told WZZM-TV.

The sheriff’s office said a 22-year-old Gowen man who was driving the car carrying the woman and two girls was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred when his car struck an SUV. That vehicle’s driver suffered minor injuries.

In Ingham County, where Lansing is located, the sheriff’s office said Friday that one person was confirmed dead and several people severely injured as more than 25 vehicles were severely damaged along Interstate 96.

It was not immediately clear early Friday afternoon if the storm or a crash was responsible for the wrecks on the freeway.

In the north Detroit suburb of Southfield, Muqitu Berry said he was in his ranch home about 9:30 p.m. Thursday when a large part of the trunk of a neighbor’s tree came crashing down, sounding “like a train coming through.”

The tree ended up across the front of Berry’s driveway and yard and took down power lines, dropping them onto his driveway and at least one vehicle, leaving Berry and his neighbors without power.

“I can’t get out of my driveway. I can’t go anywhere,” Berry said Friday morning. “We’re out of power, and it’s very frustrating.”

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans declared a state of emergency Friday in Michigan’s largest county, which includes Detroit, due to power outages, flooding, fallen trees and power lines and storm debris.

The county also warned residents to avoid any contact with several rivers after flooding caused municipalities to discharge partially or fully untreated wastewater into various waterways.

In Macomb County, northeast of Detroit, several thousand basements in Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores were spared flooding when stormwater and wastewater were discharged to Lake St. Clair through an emergency bypass system, Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller said. The bypass has been used only three times since 2017 but twice this week.

“Apparently, these storms have become our new normal,” Miller said. “This has been like a tropical storm, and both government and residents will need to make appropriate preparations whenever possible.”

Canton Township, a community of some 100,000 people, was hit earlier this week by flooding in its downtown business district.

“Some of our parks are destroyed,” township supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak said, adding that the township received calls from 200 residents regarding flooding in their basements.

More than 390,000 customers in Michigan and over 120,000 in Ohio were without power as of about 7:15 p.m. Friday, according to the Poweroutage.us website.

Thursday night’s storms followed a round of heavy rain Wednesday that left areas in southeast Michigan with over 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain by Thursday morning, resulting in street flooding in the Detroit area, including tunnels leading to Detroit Metropolitan Airport in the suburb of Romulus, officials said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday declared a state of emergency for Wayne and Monroe counties, which makes available state resources to help with response and recovery efforts related to storm damage.

The storms pushed east across Lake Erie and into northeast Ohio, uprooting trees and leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power.

A tornado also tore through part of Cleveland late Thursday night. It’s path was about 150 yards (137 meters) wide and nearly a mile long.

No injuries were reported, but several buildings were severely damaged, including the 143-year-old New Life at Calvary Church that lost its roof. Church leaders asked members to stay away from the building.

“2 Timothy 4:17 says, the Lord stood with me and gave me strength,” Pastor Kellie Sullivan said in a press release. “Our church has faced major loss and we praise God that no one was hurt. Please pray for our church as we start to rebuild.”

Parts of the western United States have been deluged in recent weeks with rain from Tropical Storm Hilary, and much of the central U.S. was beaten down by deadly sweltering heat. In Hawaii and Washington, emergency crews battled catastrophic wildfires.

Scientists say that without extensive study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change, but that climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme events such as storms, droughts, floods and wildfires. Climate change is largely caused by human activities that emit carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, according to the vast majority of peer-reviewed studies, science organizations and climate scientists.

_____

Associated Press reporters Rick Callahan and Ken Kusmer in Indianapolis and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this story.