Colton Cowser fell just a triple short of the cycle Sunday as the Norfolk Tides won their third game in a row, earning a split of a six-game series at Memphis with a 6-5, 10-inning victory before 1,845 on a 96-degree day at AutoZone Park in Tennessee.
Shayne Fontana lined a single to right in the 10th, driving home automatic runner Kyle Stowers with the go-ahead run.
Cowser drove in two runs and scored two. Wandisson Charles (3-2) pitched two hitless innings of relief for the victory, striking out Matt Koperniak with a runner at third in the 10th and retiring Ivan Herrera on a weak grounder to end the game.
Tides starter Chayce McDermott struck out seven in six innings, giving up three earned runs, six hits and two walks.Memphis scored twice in the seventh off Austin Voth to pull even at 5, but relievers T.J. McFarland, Joey Krehbiel and Charles kept the Redbirds from pulling ahead.
Gomez scored twice for the Redbirds, and he and Moises Juniel Querecuto had two hits apiece.
The Tides (72-47, 24-21 in the International League’s second half), who finished 4-8 on their trip to Jacksonville and Memphis (59-61, 20-25), will return to Harbor Park for a 6:35 p.m. Tuesday series opener against Durham.
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE SECOND-HALF STANDINGS
(1H refers to a team’s first-half record)
Team, W-L, Pct., 1H
Lehigh Valley (Phillies), 28-16, .636, -, 36-37
Durham (Rays), 28-17, .622, 0.5, 40-35
Worcester (Red Sox), 27-17, .614, 1.0, 39-36
St. Paul (Twins), 26-19, .578, 2.5, 43-31
Iowa (Cubs), 25-19, .568, 3.0, 43-30
Buffalo (Blue Jays), 24-19, .558, 3.5, 34-41
Jacksonville (Marlins), 25-20, .556, 3.5, 32-42
*Nashville (Brewers), 23-20, .535, 4.5, 40-34
Scranton/W-B (Yankees), 23-20, .535, 4.5, 34-40
c-Norfolk (Orioles), 24-21, .5330, 4.5, 48-26
Gwinnett (Braves), 22-21, .512, 5.5, 33-42
Louisville (Reds), 23-22, .511, 5.5, 40-33
Indianapolis (Pirates), 22-22, .500, 6.0, 33-41
Toledo (Tigers), 22-23, .489, 6.5, 33-41
Columbus (Guardians), 20-23, .465, 7.5, 33-41
Rochester (Nationals), 20-24, .455, 8.0, 34-39
Memphis (Cardinals), 20-25, .444, 8.5, 39-36
Syracuse (Mets), 16-27, .372, 11.5, 33-41
Omaha (Royals), 14-29, .326, 13.5, 38-34
*Charlotte (White Sox), 8-36, .182, 20.0, 35-40
c-clinched first-half title and berth in best-of-three IL championship series in September.
Stunning power plays are presently possible. The fiery Sun and volcanic Pluto stumble into a quincunx at 2:07 pm EDT, goading inflated egos to confront one another. As the savvy Libra Moon squares underhanded Pluto, subtler strategies like playing the victim could be more appealing than open conflict. Luna also forms a good-natured sextile with the Sun, so we’ll ideally be able to see the drama for what it is, at least. After the Moon enters probing Scorpio, we may want to study it further.
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Expressing yourself could be a challenge at the moment. As the vibrant Sun in your personal 5th house hides from domineering Pluto in your authority sector, you may be afraid of someone who seems more powerful than you are. Even if you don’t feel like it’s safe for you to tell them off, at least knowing what’s going on should give you some comfort. Their grievances aren’t necessarily what they seem — it’s possible that they’re using emotional manipulation to get their way.
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
Your expectations could currently be making your family life harder than it needs to be. While the reputation-focused Sun in your domestic zone tangles with controlling Pluto in your philosophical 9th house, you may be upset that your personal relationships don’t function the way you think they should. Doing favors for others probably won’t successfully guilt-trip them into seeing things your way! Focus your energy on making your present environment, however imperfect it is, more comfortable, and you might get somewhere.
Gemini
May 21 – June 20
You may find yourself talking around a recent big issue in a frustratingly indirect way. As much as you might want someone else to tell the truth about what’s happening on their end, there’s ultimately nothing you can do to force them to open up. Being candid regarding your side of the story could help them feel like a fair exchange will eventually be possible. If they’re still not ready to share, though, you’ll just have to be patient!
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
A close relationship of yours could be under pressure. While the warm Sun in your finance sector grumbles at manipulative Pluto in your partnership zone, your companion may be leaning on the clout of your established connection to coerce you into sharing money or other resources with them. Don’t forget: some things belong to you, no matter how tight you are with anyone else! Inner strength might be hard to find now, but try to establish that you can love and still have limits.
Leo
July 23 – August 22
Proving yourself to others may be a high priority at present. As the proud Sun in your sign challenges intense Pluto in your hardworking 6th house, a threat to your ego might spur you to achieve something just because someone else questioned your ability to do it. Unfortunately, your intended audience isn’t guaranteed to receive the message you’re trying to nonverbally communicate. If you really want them to know that their comments crossed a line, you’ll probably need to tell them that directly.
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
Escaping from your responsibilities could be tempting at the moment. As the energetic Sun in your contemplative 12th house aggravates compulsive Pluto in your 5th House of Play, you’d possibly be better off admitting that you need a break. Otherwise, your efforts to get work done are likely to be frustrating — your focus isn’t on them! Although you may be afraid that you’ll fall behind financially if you stop to think about what you’re doing, rest can restore your crucial strategic powers.
Libra
September 23 – October 22
Being overbearing toward a friend is a risk for you now. While the powerful Sun in your social sector clashes with potent Pluto in your parental 4th house, you may feel like you know better than a buddy when it comes to running their life. Although you’ve potentially convinced yourself that you have good intentions, consider what you’re getting out of the exchange. If you’re afraid that you won’t be needed or valued otherwise, it’s time to back off and look for balance.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
You might be saying more than you mean to at this time. As the prominent Sun in your 10th House of Authority engages with subversive Pluto in your communication zone, your true opinions are in danger of leaking out in your speech. If you secretly believe that you have the right to tell others what to do, all the kind words in the world won’t succeed in covering that up. Look for the fears that are at the root of any entitled attitudes you hold.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Being a bully about your beliefs is possible now. While the blazing Sun in your dogmatic 9th house agitates aggressive Pluto in your self-worth sector, knowing all the right answers may seem urgent — especially if you feel like you don’t have much else going for you. Dominating your friends on an ideological point could potentially give you the hit of increased status that you’re craving. Honestly weigh whether an intense debate is really the best way to support the priorities you value.
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
Keeping up a balanced exchange could be a challenge for you now. As the illuminating Sun in your 8th House of Intimacy grates against withholding Pluto in your sign, you may be eager for someone else to tell you all their deepest secrets. When you’re not willing to reveal anything yourself, that’s not really fair! Don’t take advantage of the opportunity for an emotional power play — if you’re not ready to contribute on this level, take the conversation in a mellower direction.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
You may be aware of the current secrets that you haven’t shared with someone who’s significant in your life. To a certain extent, it’s unavoidable to have some separation between one person and another. If you’re not comfortable with the situation, though, consider the possibility that a fear of being tied down is driving you to keep too many things to yourself. Opening up doesn’t have to mean losing your freedom — it’s just another choice you can make when the moment’s right.
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
Peer pressure could motivate you to work harder than usual today. As the dynamic Sun in your productive 6th house looks to intimidating Pluto in your 11th House of Community, you may believe everyone else is much more accomplished than you are. Although this impression probably isn’t accurate, you’re not likely to get a straight answer if you ask for clarification — others might have their own reasons for keeping a particular story going. Just do your best until the drama blows over.
HOUSTON (AP) — Sweltering temperatures lingered Sunday in a large swath of the central U.S., causing misery from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.
Record high temperatures were recorded in Texas and other states. People were told to chug extra water while mowing lawns or exercising outdoors, and to check on neighbors to ensure air conditioning is available. The extreme heat prompted Texas’ electric power grid manager to ask residents to voluntary conserve power for three hours on Sunday night.
“These high temperatures can impact our friends, families, and neighbors who may live alone, especially if they limit their use of air conditioning,” Sarah Russell, commissioner for the St. Louis Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement. “We urge everyone to stop and visit loved ones to ensure they are healthy and well during this extreme heat.”
The Dallas-Fort Worth area was expected to reach 110 F (43.3 C) Sunday after hitting 108 F (42.2 C) Saturday, said Sarah Barnes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The record high for those dates was 107 F (41.7 C), set in 2011.
The area is not cooling off enough at night, Barnes said.
“That’s really going to contribute to an increased risk of heat-related illnesses,” Barnes said Sunday. “That’s the main concern when it comes to people and the heat.”
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, on Sunday asked the state’s 30 million residents to voluntarily reduce power use from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. CDT because of “extreme temperatures, continued high demand and unexpected loss of thermal generation.”
ERCOT’s request for voluntary power conservation was the second such request in the past three days. The agency said it was not in emergency operations. Many residents still view the power grid nervously more than 2.5 years after a deadly winter blackout.
The heat wave causing misery this weekend is just the latest to punish the U.S. this year.
Scientists have long warned that climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, by deforestation and by certain agricultural practices, will lead to more and prolonged bouts of extreme weather, including hotter temperatures.
The entire globe has simmered to record heat both in June and July. And if that’s not enough, smoke from wildfires, floods and droughts have caused problems globally.
The National Weather Service set an excessive heat warning Sunday for parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. Heat advisories or watches were also in place in parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Tourism in New Orleans often slows during the peak of summer heat, and that’s happening as temperatures approach 100 F (37.8 C).
NOLA Poboys is closing two days a week for now, said Lucas McQueen, one of the restaurant’s chefs. “I can’t wait to be complaining about being cold,” McQueen told WWL-TV.
The temperature reached a record high for the date of 104 F (40 C) Saturday in Jackson, Mississippi, as people walked between indoor and outdoor events at the Mississippi Book Festival. Volunteers distributed chilled water, and people used handheld fans while chatting with authors and shopping for books at large tents outside the state Capitol building.
Houston on Sunday added to its ongoing streak of high temperatures at or above 100 F (37.8 C). Through Sunday, the high temperature in Houston has been at least 100 F for 22 days. Sunday’s high was 108 F (42.2 C), breaking a record for the date that goes back to 1909.
The stifling heat in Texas overwhelmed people taking part in orientation for new students at Prairie View A&M University, 48 miles (77 kilometers) northwest of Houston. University officials said they were reviewing operations after 38 students were hospitalized Friday night after suffering heat-related illnesses, including dehydration. One student was taken by helicopter to a hospital in nearby College Station, while 37 were taken in ambulances to other facilities, Waller County EMS Chief Rhonda Getschman told KBTX.
“It’s very easy to overheat quickly in this Texas heat. We highly encourage everyone to stay indoors as much as possible,” Getschman said.
Much of Iowa is expected to see high temperatures in the upper 90s Sunday and Monday, followed by three days where the reading will likely top 100 F (37.8 C).
The heat was worrisome for Sunday as thousands were expected for the final day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. In a Facebook post, fair officials urged patrons to visit air-conditioned buildings, take regular breaks and stay hydrated.
Forecasters expected high temperatures to reach 99 F (37.2 C) to 103 F (39.4 C) through Friday in St. Louis, and the heat’s only part of the problem: Excessive humidity will lead to a heat index of up to 115 F (46.1 C) each day. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that if the prediction holds, it will be the worst stretch of heat in St. Louis since August 2014, when temperatures rose to about 95 F (35 C) for seven straight days.
Similar heat is expected all week in Little Rock, Arkansas, prompting the community to open several cooling centers for people who live on the streets or without air conditioning.
Last month, the Phoenix area broiled under a record-setting 31 days of daily high temperatures of 110 F (43.4 C) or above. The historic heat began blasting the region in June, stretching from Texas across New Mexico and Arizona and into California’s desert. The previous record was 18 straight days in 1974. In July, the continental United States set a record for overnight warmth, providing little relief from daytime heat for people, animals, plants and the electric grid, meteorologists said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports just 600 to 700 heat deaths annually in the United States. But experts say the mishmash of ways that more than 3,000 counties calculate heat deaths means the public doesn’t really know how many people die in the U.S. each year.
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Associated Press writers Jim Salter in St. Louis, Jackie Quinn in Washington and Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
DAMIAN DOVARGANES and JORDI LEBRIJA (Associated Press)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Deadly floodwaters inundated streets across Mexico’s arid Baja California on Sunday as Tropical Storm Hilary moved ashore carrying torrential rain into Southern California, and concerns mounted that flash floods could strike in places as far north as Idaho that rarely get such heavy rain.
Forecasters said Hilary was the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, bringing the potential for flash floods, mudslides, isolated tornadoes, high winds and power outages.
Hilary made landfall along the Mexican coast in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles (250 kilometers) south of Ensenada, on a path to hit mudslide-prone Tijuana Sunday evening, threatening the improvised homes that cling to hillsides just south of the U.S. border.
At least 9 million people were under flash-flood warnings as heavy rain fell across normally sunny Southern California ahead of the brunt of the storm. Desert areas were especially susceptible along with hillsides with wildfire burn scars, forecasters warned.
Mud spilled onto highways, water overwhelmed drainage systems and tree branches fell in places from San Diego to Los Angeles. The weather service said tornadoes were possible Sunday afternoon in eastern San Diego County.
Other Western states could be hit with once-in-a-century rains, with a good chance Hilary could break records as the wettest known tropical cyclone to douse Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. Hilary was expected to remain a tropical storm into central Nevada early Monday before dissipating.
By 2 p.m. California time, Hilary was 115 miles (180 kilometers) south-southeast of San Diego, the National Hurricane Center reported. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving northwest at nearly 25 mph (41 kph).
Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said that while Hilary had weakened from a Category 4 hurricane, it’s the water, not the wind, that people should watch out for most. He said some areas could get the amount of rain in hours that they typically get in an entire year.
“You do not want to be out driving around, trying to cross flooded roads on vehicle or on foot,” Brennan said during a briefing from Miami. “Rainfall flooding has been the biggest killer in tropical storms and hurricanes in the United States in the past 10 years, and you don’t want to become a statistic.”
Hilary is just the latest major climate disaster to wreak havoc across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Hawaii’s island of Maui is still reeling from a blaze that killed over 100 people and ravaged the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Firefighters in Canada are battling that nation’s worst fire season on record.
The Mexican cities of Ensenada and Tijuana closed all beaches and opened a half-dozen shelters at sports complexes and government offices.
One person drowned Saturday in the Mexican town of Santa Rosalia when a vehicle was swept away in an overflowing stream. Rescue workers saved four other people, said Edith Aguilar Villavicencio, the mayor of Mulege township.
Mexican army troops fanned out across Mulege, where some of the worst damage occurred Saturday on the eastern side of the Baja Peninsula. Soldiers used bulldozers and dump trucks to help clear tons of boulders and earth clogging streets and roads that were turned into raging torrents a day earlier.
Power lines were toppled in many places, and emergency personnel were working to restore power and reach those cut off by the storm.
Brennan said rainfall could reach between 3 and 6 inches (7 centimeters and 15 centimeters) in many areas. Forecasters warned it could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) — a year’s worth of rain — in some isolated areas.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it has officials inside California’s emergency preparedness office and teams on standby with food, water and other help.
In coastal Carlsbad, just north of San Diego, 19-year-old Jack Johnson and his friends kept an eye on the waves, determined to surf them at some point Sunday.
“It’s really choppy out there, not really surfable yet, but I think we can find a good break somewhere later,” Johnson said. “I can’t remember a storm like this.”
Authorities issued evacuation warnings Saturday for Santa Catalina Island, urging residents and beachgoers decamp for the mainland, and for several mountain and foothill communities in San Bernardino County. Orange County sent an alert for anyone living in a wildfire burn scar in the Santa Ana Mountains’ Silverado and Williams canyons.
Los Angeles authorities scrambled to get homeless people off the streets and into shelters, and officials ordered all state beaches in San Diego and Orange counties closed.
Across the region, municipalities ran out of free sandbags and grocery shelves emptied as people stockpiled supplies. California’s Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve were closed to keep visitors from becoming stranded by flooding.
To the north in Nevada, Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency and activated 100 National Guard troops to assist with problems from predicted flooding in western Clark and Nye counties and southern Esmeralda County. In Arizona, wind gusts neared 60 mph (97 kph) in Yuma County, where officials gave out thousands of sandbags.
“I urge everyone, everyone in the path of this storm, to take precautions and listen to the guidance of state and local officials,” President Joe Biden said.
Meanwhile, one of several budding storm systems in the Atlantic Ocean became Tropical Storm Emily on Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was located far from land, moving west in the open ocean. Also, Tropical Storm Franklin formed in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Tropical storm watches were issued for the southern coasts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
In Sept. 1939, a tropical storm that roared into California ripped apart train tracks, tore houses from their foundations and capsized many boats, killing nearly 100 people on land and at sea.
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Lebrija reported from Ensenada, Mexico. Associated Press contributors include Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida; Ignacio Martinez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Mark Stevenson in Mexico City; Eugene Garcia in San Diego; Ryan Sun and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Walter Berry in Phoenix.
After joint practices last week, the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens will meet at 8 Monday night on ESPN at FedEx Field as they become the last NFL teams to play their second preseason games.
Among the many goals Washington has, one is to end one of sports’ most unusual — if relatively meaningless — streaks. Baltimore hasn’t lost a preseason game since 2015 and has won 24 in a row, an all-time NFL record.
Earlier this season, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, ““It’s funny because in the big grand scheme of things, OK, people have their opinions, and I get it. Different things are important to different people, and I know that the guys who played in those games, the guys that made the plays to win those games in the fourth quarter – because most of those games were won in the fourth quarter with guys making plays — they’ll remember it. It’s important to them for the rest of their life, and therefore it’s important to me.”
Sam Howell, officially named Washington’s starting quarterback last week, figures to get some action, as should primary backup Jacoby Brissett and third-stringer Jake Fromm.
The Ravens recently added pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney and defensive back Ronald Darby.
Baltimore probably wants to protect standout dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson, so backups Tyler Huntley, Josh Johnson — one of the most-traveled quarterbacks in NFL history — and Anthony Brown are likely to play the bulk of the minutes.
Both teams figure to play almost all backups, and/or players around or below the “cut” lines, in their last preseason games. They will play Saturday, with the Commanders hosting Cincinnati and the Ravens visiting Tampa Bay.
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands and Denmark announced Sunday they will give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an important motivation for his country’s forces, embroiled in a difficult counteroffensive against Russia.
The promise of new fighter jets came the day after an unusually brazen Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian theater that killed seven people and wounded almost 150 others in the northern city of Chernihiv. Zelenskyy vowed stern retaliation for the attack, whose victims included a slain 6-year-old girl dead and 15 wounded children.
After months of entreaties from Zelenskyy for F-16s to bolster the Ukrainian air force, the U.S. recently gave approval for the Netherlands and Denmark to provide Ukraine the American-made jets. Zelenskyy travelled to both countries Sunday to finalize the delivery deals.
’F-16s will certainly give new energy, confidence, and motivation to fighters and civilians. I’m sure it will deliver new results for Ukraine and the entire Europe,″ the Ukrainian leader said.
Ukraine hopes the jets will give it a combat edge, after launching a counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s forces without air cover from Western aircraft, placing its troops at the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pledged 19 F-16s to Ukraine and said she hoped the first six could be handed over around New Year. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didn’t provide a number or timeframe, saying it depends on how soon Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are ready. Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel that Ukraine would get 42 jets.
“The F-16s will not help immediately now with the war effort. It is anyway a long-term commitment from the Netherlands,” Rutte said. “We want them to be active and operational as soon as possible. … Not for the next month, that’s impossible, but hopefully soon afterward.”
He and Zelenskyy inspected two gray F-16s parked in a hangar at a Dutch base in the southern city of Eindhoven.
A few hours later, Zelenskyy and his wife were received by Frederiksen, other Danish Cabinet ministers and Crown Princess Mary at the Skrydstrup air base in southern Denmark where Ukrainian pilots will receive F-16 training in coming months. The two leaders climbed into a Danish F-16 and tried out the seats.
Frederiksen said “hopefully” six fighter jets could be delivered around New Year, eight more next year and the remaining five in 2025.
“Please take this donation as a token of Denmark’s unwavering support for your country’s fight for freedom,” she said.
Zelenskyy called the Dutch and Danish donations a “huge push for other countries who were in doubt” about providing Ukraine with F-16s. Asked whether there were conditions attached to the donations, such as a commitment not to use them in Russian territory, Zelenskyy said that had not been discussed but added that defending Ukrainian territory was the “main goal.”
The Dutch and Danish governments are also spearheading a coalition that is working to train Ukrainian pilots to fly the advanced fighter jets.
Zelenskyy declined to say how many Ukrainian pilots would undergo training in Denmark and later in Romania, citing security reasons. Frederiksen said “more than 70” Ukrainian personnel were already in Denmark and getting ready to start training.
The Danish Armed Forces said the Ukrainians must pass a security review and tests of their health and language skills before the training can begin.
“The training is expected to last a minimum of six months. Exactly how long it will take to teach Ukrainians to operate the F-16 capability cannot be said precisely, as it will depend on their experience and language skills, among other things,” the Danish Armed Forces said in a statement.
Officials have previously said that Ukrainian pilots will need six to eight months of training.
Sunday’s announcements came two days after the Netherlands and Denmark said the U.S. had authorized them to deliver American-made F-16s to Ukraine in what was seen as a major boost for Kyiv.
Washington says the F-16s — like the advanced U.S. Abrams tanks — will be crucial in the long term as Kyiv faces down Russia.
During a visit to Sweden on Saturday, Zelenskyy also asked for Swedish Gripen fighter jets. Sweden has not decided on that request but has agreed to let Ukrainian pilots test the aircraft.
Ukraine has been relying on older aircraft, such as Russian-made MiG29 and Sukhoi jets. F-16s have newer technology and targeting capabilities. They are also more versatile, experts say.
Zelenskyy was set to address the Danish Parliament on Monday.
In Ukraine, the governor of the Chernihiv region, Vyacheslav Chaus, said Sunday that the number of people wounded in the theater attack Saturday had risen to 148.
“I am sure our soldiers will respond to Russia for this terrorist attack. Respond tangibly,” Zelenskyy said in a video address published in the early hours of Sunday.
In eastern Ukraine, Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Sunday that Russia was shelling the city of Kupiansk “all day long,” with an attack in the city center wounding 11 people. A man was killed in Russian shelling of Vovchansk, also in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine’s Internal Affairs Ministry.
Meanwhile in Russia, the Defense Ministry said Sunday that its air defense systems had prevented an attack by three drones on the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.
Russian air defenses also jammed a drone flying towards Moscow early Sunday, causing it to crash. Russia’s Defense Ministry called it “an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack.”
Moscow’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports briefly suspended flights, but no victims or damage were reported.
In the city of Kursk, five people were wounded when a Ukrainian drone hit a train station, regional Gov. Roman Starovoit said. Kursk is the capital of the western region of the same name, which borders Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities, who generally avoid commenting on attacks on Russian soil, didn’t say whether Ukraine had any involvement.
Drone strikes on the Russian border regions are a fairly regular occurrence. Attacks deeper inside Russian territory have been on the rise since a drone was destroyed over the Kremlin in early May. Successful strikes have exposed the vulnerabilities of Moscow’s air defense systems.
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Ritter reported from Stockholm. Elise Morton in London and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
ENSENADA, Mexico (AP) — Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall along Mexico’s Baja California coast Sunday as concerns mounted over the storm causing what could be deadly flash flooding in the border city of Tijuana, Southern California and places as far north as Idaho that rarely get such heavy rain.
Forecasters expected Hilary to make history as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, bringing flash floods, mudslides, isolated tornadoes, high winds and power outages.
Hilary hit the coast in a sparsely populated area about 150 miles (250 kilometers) south of Ensenada, Mexico. The storm has already caused flooding along the length of the Baja peninsula, and torrential rains threatened mudslide-prone Tijuana, where improvised houses cling to hillsides just south of the U.S. border.
Other western states could be hit with once-in-a-century rains, with a good chance Hilary could break all-time records as the wettest known tropical cyclone to douse Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. Hilary was expected to remain a tropical storm into central Nevada early Monday before dissipating.
As of 11 a.m. Pacific time, Hilary was located about 215 miles (340 kilometers) south-southeast of San Diego, the National Hurricane Center reported. Hilary had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) and was moving northwest at 25 mph (41 kph).
Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said that while Hilary had weakened from a Category 4 hurricane, it’s the water, not the wind, that people should watch out for most.
“Rainfall flooding has been the biggest killer in tropical storms and hurricanes in the United States in the past 10 years and you don’t want to become a statistic,” Brennan said in an online briefing from Miami.
Hilary is just the latest major climate disaster to wreak havoc across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Hawaii’s island of Maui is still reeling from last week’s blaze that killed over 100 people and ravaged the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Firefighters in Canada are battling blazes during the nation’s worst fire season on record.
The Mexican cities of Ensenada and Tijuana, directly in the storm’s path, closed all beaches and opened a half-dozen shelters at sports complexes and government offices.
One person drowned Saturday in the Mexican town of Santa Rosalia when a vehicle was swept away in an overflowing stream. Rescue workers saved four other people, said Edith Aguilar Villavicencio, the mayor of Mulege township.
Brennan said rainfall could reach between 3 and 6 inches (7 centimeters and 15 centimeters) in many areas. Forecasters warned it could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) — a year’s worth of rain — in some isolated areas.
Light rain fell across normally sunny Southern California through Sunday morning, soaking streets from Los Angeles to San Diego. Some joggers took advantage of the cool rain in San Diego’s Waterfront Park while surfers braved Orange County’s breakers ahead of the storm.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it has officials inside California’s emergency preparedness office and teams on standby with food, water and other help.
Hilary left a long string of washed-out highways and roads up and down the Baja peninsula in its wake Sunday. Some of the worst damage occurred in the coastal towns of Mulege and Santa Rosalia, on the east side of the peninsula, where a man died Saturday after his family’s vehicle was swept away by a swollen stream. Four other occupants of the vehicle were rescued. Power lines were toppled in many places, and emergency personnel were working to restore power and reach those cut off by the storm.
In California, evacuation warnings were issued for Santa Catalina Island, urging residents and beachgoers to leave the tourist destination for the mainland, and for several mountain and foothill communities in San Bernardino County. Orange County sent an alert for anyone living in a wildfire burn scar in the Santa Ana Mountains’ Silverado and Williams canyons.
Los Angeles authorities scrambled to get the homeless off the streets and into shelters, and officials ordered all state beaches in San Diego and Orange counties closed.
Across the region, municipalities ran out of free sandbags and grocery shelves emptied out as residents stockpiled supplies. California’s Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve were closed to keep visitors from becoming stranded amid flooding.
“I urge everyone, everyone in the path of this storm, to take precautions and listen to the guidance of state and local officials,” President Joe Biden said.
Meanwhile, one of several budding storm systems in the Atlantic Ocean became Tropical Storm Emily on Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was located far from land, moving west in the open ocean.
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Associated Press contributors include Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida; Ignacio Martinez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Mark Stevenson in Mexico City; and Eugene Garcia in San Diego; Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles; and Seth Borenstein in Washington.
NEW YORK (AP) — The DC superhero film “Blue Beetle” led weekend ticket sales with a modest $25.4 million opening, according to studio estimates Sunday, dethroning “Barbie” from the top spot after a record-setting run that left movie theaters colored pink for a month.
The “Barbie” phenomenon is far from over. Greta Gerwig’s film, which earlier this week became the highest grossing Warner Bros. release ever domestically, nearly managed to stay No. 1 again with $21.5 million in its fifth weekend. It’s up to $567.3 million in North America and an eye-popping $1.28 billion globally.
The other half of “Barbenheimer” also continues to perform remarkably well for a movie so far into its run.
Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” took in $10.6 million in its fifth week. With a $285.2 million domestic total, “Oppenheimer” now owns the distinction of being the biggest box-office hit never to land No. 1 at the weekend box office. The previous record-holder for that unlikely stat is 2016’s “Sing,” which grossed $270.3 million in the shadow of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Hidden Figures.”
Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer” has done even better overseas. Its global gross stands at an estimated $717.8 million through Sunday.
“Blue Beetle,” starring Xolo Maridueña, came in on the lower side of expectations and notched one of the lower debuts for a DC Comics movie. Though earlier planned as a streaming-only release, Warner Bros. elected to put “Blue Beetle,” the first DC movie to star a Latino superhero, into theaters in the late summer, a typically quiet period at the box office.
The production price tag of about $105 million was lower for “Blue Beetle” than the average superhero film. It’s one of the last releases produced under an earlier regime at DC Studios, which James Gunn and Peter Safran took the reins of last year.
The film, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, drew solid reviews – certainly better than the three previous DC releases this year (“The Flash,” “Black Adam” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”). “Blue Beetle” (76% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) is the rare comic-book film to put a Hispanic cast front and center.
But it also faced some tough luck, and not just in the unexpected staying power of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” Southern California was bracing Sunday for Hurricane Hilary — potentially dampening ticket sales in the region. (Los Angeles was still its top market.) And like recent releases, “Blue Beetle,” which added $18 million internationally, didn’t have its cast available to promote the movie due to the ongoing actors strike.
Universal’s raunchy R-rated canine comedy “Strays” showed even less bite. The film, with a voice cast including Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, landed in fifth place with $8.4 million. Comedies have generally struggled in theaters in recent years, but “Strays” had it particularly rough given that its starry cast was unavailable.
“Strays” was very narrowly bested by “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” The Paramount Pictures animated release earned $8.4 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $88.1 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
Colonial taverns in Virginia and elsewhere in the colonies were not places folks went to get drunk — although intoxication developed more than occasionally.
Taverns and ordinary enterprises were established to serve colonial travelers in the 18th century. A colonial tavern was a place to sleep, get a meal, and learn the news of the day. Taverns also served their local communities as venues for public gatherings, political discussions and entertainment.
The Three Tun Tavern that stood amid the storehouses on South Island in Great Bridge before the American Revolution was no exception. It served itinerants, local workers and residents before it perished sometime during the Revolutionary War.
An exhibit in one of the Great Bridge Battlefield Museum’s galleries depicts the interior of the Three Tun Tavern complete with a cage bar, tables and a fireplace.
Museum volunteer interpreter Louis Scott Mosier enthusiastically portrays the tavern keeper at the museum’s tavern exhibit and during special tavern-themed events at the museum. Mosier interprets local colonial history in the first person as Lewis Scott, proprietor of the Three Tun Tavern.
During his inquiry into Virginia’s colonial taverns, Mosier came to a reference in an ad in the Virginia Gazette in 1769 to a Three Tun Tavern located in Great Bridge across from a billiard hall.
“We believe the tavern existed here close to where the museum is now in the area called South Island. It was an area among all the warehouses where produce and supplies were stored for shipment to Norfolk,” Mosier said. “It was a perfect location for a tavern, separated a little way from the main part of the village with easy access to the village itself.”
The (Continental) Marine Corps came into existence in the Tun Tavern on Front Street in Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 1775. Establishing the Marine Corps was proposed less than a month before the Battle of Great Bridge took place. The U.S. Marine Corps celebrates the anniversary of the organization’s establishment on Nov. 10 every year.
The cage bar in the tavern exhibit was constructed by Kimball Thompson, a museum volunteer. The cage bar was a standard feature in 18th century taverns. The cage was locked at night to safeguard the tavern’s rum, wine and whiskey. Bob Ruegsegger/freelance
“A tun, T-U-N, was actually one of the largest barrels of the period. It was normally used for storage rather than for shipping. It was much bigger than a hogshead. It stored about 250 gallons,” explained Mosier. “A modern barrel holds only about 53 gallons. A 250-gallon barrel is very big. By advertising yourself as the Three Tun Tavern, it suggested that you have a lot of drinks to offer your patrons.”
Ale and cider were the first choices of English colonists in America. The ingredients were readily available and the beverages were simple to make. Wine, rum and hard liquors were also considered part of the usual fare.
Rattle skull was a popular alcoholic colonial potion with its blend of rum, porter or brown ale, lime juice and syrup spiced with nutmeg. Rattle skull was a sobriquet for a chatterbox or an empty-headed person. Folks who consumed too much rattle skull often lived up to the moniker inadvertently.
Bacon, ham and roasted meats were inexpensive foods that were generally included in typical tavern fare. Hot biscuits were popular too.
Card games, gambling and billiards were also popular in taverns while horse races that often began and ended in front of the local tavern encouraged wagering.
Unfortunately, Lou Mosier’s research didn’t reveal the actual name of the proprietor at the Three Tun Tavern. Mosier wanted to create a persona to portray during his tavern interpretations so he “invented” a name for the character: Lewis Scott.
Mosier anglicized his first name to “Lewis” and used his middle name “Scott” as the last name of his tavern keeper.
“I developed a character who was Scottish. I do have Scottish ancestry and I was able to use some of my Scottish ancestral story to employ as his background,” he said. “My great, great grandfather was James Scott. He was captured during the English civil war at the Battle of Worcester in the middle 1600s. King Charles decided to get rid of some of the Scottish miscreants so he sent my ancestor to Sudbury, Massachusetts, as an indentured servant.”
James Scott served out his indenture, so the story goes, bought some property and established roots in the colony. His son Lewis fled an unwanted relationship and relocated to Virginia.
When the Three Tun Tavern became available Lewis Scott bought the business from the owner who was forced to sell off some of his assets to cover his debts.
“My character would have purchased the tavern when [the owner] was having to liquidate,” said Mosier. “He got it for a good price and was able to continue on running the tavern.”
During an era when men could travel an average of 20 to 25 miles on a good day, taverns, ordinaries and inns were indispensable establishments for road weary travelers in need of food and shelter.
“You could go to a tavern, find a place to spend the night, get some food and drink, have your horse stabled and taken care of,” said Mosier. “That was the primary function of taverns for travelers.”
“If you were traveling — normally it was the men who were traveling — and you needed to spend the night at a tavern, you didn’t get your own room. You likely didn’t even get your own bed,” noted Mosier. “You had to share your bed with a couple of other men who were traveling those same hot, dusty roads, or wet, muddy roads.”
Note: There were no numbers on colonial playing cards. Colonial Virginians wagered on card games – especially at the local taverns. Card lovers could begin a card game after supper and continue playing until dawn. Card playing was high entertainment. Bob Ruegsegger/freelance
Before the American Revolution, the Village of Great Bridge had a couple dozen very nice homes, not unlike those in Williamsburg and Norfolk. The folks who lived in the village were of the merchant class. Merchants made their living by controlling the warehouses where the farm produce from Princess Anne and Norfolk counties and the timber products from the Dismal Swamp were stockpiled for transport.
“The only land access to Norfolk was across the Great Bridge itself,” said Mosier. “Farmers could continue hauling their products to Norfolk by wagon or come to Great Bridge, offload them, and sell them to the merchants here,” he said. “Then they would be shipped up the Elizabeth River to Norfolk.”
Great Bridge became a thriving commercial hub during the 18th century. The influx of people, produce, and timber brought prosperity. There were some fairly nice homes. Based upon surviving tax records and historic documents, Great Bridge was a “nice little community” according to Mosier.
“Folks who lived here were the middling sort. They weren’t quite gentlemen. They weren’t independently wealthy and able to play into politics or become lords,” said Mosier. “These people were well-to-do merchants so they lived rather well.”
Well enough to support at least two public houses — the Three Tun Tavern and Polly Miller’s ordinary.
“We know the Three Tun Tavern by name. We also know that Polly Miller, one of the residents of Great Bridge, also ran an ordinary which is another name for a tavern or inn,” Mosier said. “She’s known because took in some wounded (British) soldiers after the Battle of Great Bridge and served as their nurse,” he explained. “She was credited with saving the lives of a number of men by taking good care of them.”
No trace of the Three Tun Tavern remains today except as a recreated tavern exhibit in the museum gallery. The replicated tavern cage bar was constructed by Kimball Thompson.
The Three Tun Tavern was probably among the buildings, storehouses and homes on South Island that were burned down before the Battle of Great Bridge to clear the battlefield for action.
“Believing that the tavern was among the warehouses, we think it might have been destroyed then,” speculated Mosier. “If it survived that period, when the British came back into Great Bridge in 1781 under (General Benedict) Arnold, Colonel Simcoe built a new fort. The wood used to build the platforms in the fort came from the local buildings. That’s why we have no historic buildings in Great Bridge itself.”
Williamsburg’s Raleigh Tavern was an upscale version of Virginia’s taverns. It was among Virginia’s finest. Great Bridge’s Three Tun Tavern was likely a little more rustic. Bob Ruegsegger/freelance
Museum interpreters and docents say they enjoy working with Mosier, who helps the museum staff to host student groups and to offer museum visitors in general a memorable and meaningful experience.
“I’ve been working hand in glove with Lou for a number of years. He brings a great wealth of information concerning tavern life and colonial life to the site,” said Jon Stull, a museum docent. “I certainly appreciate the colonial recipes for tavern drinks that he has mastered in a great style. Lou’s a great friend. It was always smart to make the tavern keeper one of your best friends.”
Note: The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Museum has scheduled a Tavern Night for Saturday, Sept. 23, at the museum. Space is limited and advanced tickets are required. For more information, call 757-482-4480.
Tabb players hoist the state championship trophy to celebrate their 3-0 victory over Poquoson 3-0 in the Class 3 field hockey state championship game at Courtland High School in Spotsylvania, Virginia on Nov. 13, 2022.
Cox last season won its fifth straight Virginia High School League Class 5 state championship and 24th title overall — a VHSL record. Great Bridge captured its third consecutive crown and, in the immediacy, are Class 4 juggernauts with five titles over the past eight years. Tabb has claimed the last two Class 3 titles, increasing the Tigers’ trophy haul 10.
Composite sharpens composite
The Southside and Peninsula schools had a strong showing at the 2022 VHSL state tournament. In addition to the aforementioned winners, Nansemond River and Poquoson both made their respective class finals, while Western Branch and York advanced to the semifinals. A total of 12 teams from the 757 appeared in the tournament.
A private (school) affair
Cape Henry Collegiate lifted its eighth Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state title last fall. Norfolk Academy lost in the Division I final. Both teams look ready to make another postseason run.
Who says you can’t go home (or relatively close)
Kelsey Scherrer Jewett takes over the reins for the reigning VISAA champion Cape Henry. Scherrer Jewett, a former Cape Henry standout, will be joined on the sidelines by fellow alums Ashmore Standing and Virginia Apperson. Other first-year coaches heading up where they used to lace up are Maury’s Grace Chavez and Oscar Smith’s Catalina Jones. First-year Kecoughtan coach Jillian Burns played less than 30 minutes away at rival Woodside, while Meghan Cordner debuts on the Granby sidelines after playing at Bruton in Williamsburg.
Pass on grass
Evan Vucci/AP
Princess Anne defeated Hickory 7-0 in the Class 5 Region A Tournament quarterfinal at the Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Oct. 27, 2022.
The gameplay on artificial turf is smoother, faster and more technical since players don’t have to adjust for the random bounces that can occur on natural grass fields. Norfolk Academy and Cape Henry have paved the way with the fake stuff on their home turf, and schools such as First Colonial, Kellam, Lakeland and Nansemond River have followed suit. Maury and Granby both share the turf at Norfolk’s Powhatan Field. Scheduling practices — and possibly games — at Virginia Beach’s Regional Training Center have been key for the teams that don’t have turf but it comes at a price.
5 players under the radar
Malena Magnano, Kellam senior forward
Magnano, who moved to Virginia Beach from Argentina in 2021, was selected for the United States U18 training camp as a junior last year, but injured her knee and missed the entire season. As a sophomore, she tallied 20 goals and seven assists.
Reese Miller, Gloucester, junior forward
Miller notched 37 goals last season, totaling 54 for her career. Dukes coach Joe Dougherty said the school’s single-season and career goals records are in jeopardy of having a new owner.
Joji Purdy, Norfolk Academy, junior forward
On a team full of senior leaders, Purdy is quickly making a name for herself. Coach Mary Werkheiser said Purdy has a national team tryout invitation in December and is being scouted by a number of colleges.
Sydney Raguini, Princess Anne, junior midfielder
Raguini produced 19 goals and three assists and will be leaned on heavily by the Cavaliers.
Lily Johnson, Great Bridge junior forward
Johnson, a 2022 Class 4 first-team, all-state selection, registered 25 goals and five assists for the Class 4 defending champion Wildcats.
757Teamz Top 15
Norfolk Academy’s Booke Bettencourt, a Wake Forest signee, finished last season with 37 goals and 22 assists, en route to being named the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools Player of the Year.
1. Norfolk Academy
The Bulldogs return a wealth of talent as coach Mary Werkheiser patrols the sidelines for her 34th season in charge. Leading the way is senior captain Brooke Bettencourt. The Wake Forest signee finished last season with 37 goals and 22 assists, en route to being named the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools Player of the Year and appearing on the All-VISAA first team. She will be joined by fellow Division I prospects Lizzie Adams (Columbia), a forward who chipped in with 27 goals and keeper Mack Panko (Iowa). Senior defenders Lily Stockwell and Gretchen Scott will be called on to provide experience at the back.
2. Cox
MORT FRYMAN/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Cox players Megan Spear (3) and Sophia Burch (2) celebrate the fourth quarter goal by Burch amidst First Colonial defenders. Cox defeated First Colonial 2-1 in overtime of the Class 5 Region A championship at the Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Nov. 2, 2022.
Senior defender Megan Spear is just one of a number of stalwarts returning to anchor the five-time defending Class 5 state champion Falcons. The Dartmouth-bound Spear registered 24 goals, 23 assists and three goal-line saves last season. She will be joined by skillful veterans Sophia Burch, a senior midfielder who finished with 15 goals and 11 assists, and Isabel Pardo, a junior keeper who allowed just seven goals and recorded 13 shutouts.
3. Great Bridge
Great Bridge MacKenzie Cummins (20) passes the ball to a teammate downfield. Great Bridge defeated Maury 3-0 on Sept. 13, 2022 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Lilly Johnson returns alongside MacKenzie Cummins, who was also a first-team, all-state honoree, to lead the three-time defending Class 4 state champion Wildcats. Cummins chipped in with four goals and six assists last season. Standout freshman Bella Steckline will also be called upon to help out defensively.
4. Nansemond River
The 2022 Class 5 state runner-up Warriors return nine of 11 starters and are looking to finish this season with that all important final win. They are bolstered by a talented trio of juniors — Jordan White, Brylee Johnston and Anyia Woods — in the midfield in front of senior keeper Kirsten Carroll.
5. Cape Henry
Senior Dani Volpe will split time between attack and midfield this season. New coach Kelsey Scherrer Jewett highlighted Volpe’s speed and explosiveness as attributes to create scoring opportunities for the Dolphins.
6. Western Branch
The Bruins, who advanced to the Class 6 state semifinals, are the defending Region A champions and still a threat according to a number of rival coaches.
7. First Colonial
The Patriots return a number of upperclassmen from a team that reached the Class 5 state quarterfinals last season.
8. Tabb
Tabb player Katherine Fiest (7) is met by her teammates Carley Deaver (12) and Holle Sink (16) after Fiest scored the first of her two goals. Tabb defeated Poquoson 3-0 in the Class 3 field hockey state championship game at Courtland High School in Spotsylvania, Virginia on Nov. 13, 2022.
According to coach Wendy Williams, the two-time defending Class 3 state champions — 46-0 over the last two seasons — have a little bit of rebuilding/reloading to do after losing 14 players. Mika Hilburger, the Tigers’ second leading scorer last season, returns in a leadership role, as does defender Corinne Lombardo, the lone senior returning starter.
9. Poquoson
The Islanders are perennial contenders and should expect another deep run in the Class 3 state tournament.
10. Kellam
Kellam player Carleigh Porter (18) passes a ball to a teammate. Tabb defeated Kellam 5-0 at Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Sept. 8, 2022.
Lilly Turner, Ellis Cannon and Carleigh Porter anchor a Knights squad that was the Class 6 Region A runner-up last season. Turner, a senior and Porter, a sophomore, also earned all-state honors.
11. Gloucester
Coach Joe Dougherty has a balanced squad returning that can make some noise as they move to Class 4. Seniors Avery Watkins, Kamryn McDonough and Kiley Parker will be the core of the team, patrolling the middle in front of goal.
12. Menchville
The Monarchs return a group of upperclassmen, including seniors Ela Elliott, Makenzin Tutone and Kinsey Knapp, determined to progress further than their Class 5 Region B semifinal appearance last season.
13. Princess Anne
Mike Caudill / The Virginian-Pilot
Princess Anne Sarah Ellis (7) takes a shot at the goal. Ellis score four goals in the game. Princess Anne defeated Hickory 7-0 in the Class 5 Region A Tournament quarterfinal at the Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Oct. 27, 2022.
Coach Don Warner expects the return of as many as eight second-year players, including Sydney Raguini and Sarah Ellis, a rising senior who contributed 12 goals and two assists last season.
14. York
The Falcons are a traditional Bay Rivers District power and were Class 3 state semifinalists in 2022.
15. Grafton
The Clippers are also looking to contend amongst a crowded Bay Rivers District and look to improve from last season, which ended in the Class 4 state quarterfinals.
