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Dolly Parton Imagination Library has arrived in California and needs partners

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

(BCN) -- Dolly Parton has arrived in California ... sort of. The country music legend and philanthropist has made Dolly Parton's Imagination Library available across California. The service delivers free, age-appropriate books every month to children from birth to age 5, regardless of a family's income. The California State Library has started the process of making the program available to every child in California. The Imagination Library of California is already available in over 40 locations, including to every child in 30 counties. Newsom to double CHP deployment in Tenderloin fentanyl crackdown The Dollywood Foundation and the state library are utilizing local partners to cover specific geographical locations. The program is looking for new non-profit local partners to cover specific geographic areas in California. Parents can check a map at https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/find-my-program to see if the Imagination Library is available in their area. Select ...

Frogs raised at San Francisco Zoo released into wild

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

(KRON) -- More than 150 endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs were recently released into cool streams of Plumas National Forest to improve their declining population numbers.In 2022, biologists from the U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife collected wild tadpoles from Plumas National Forest. The tadpoles were brought to San Francisco Zoo and placed in an amphibian program that rears vulnerable tadpoles into adult frogs.Native frog populations in the Sierra Nevada have been heavily impacted by chytridiomycosis, a deadly fungal disease caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, known as "Bd" or "chytrid." This fungus is impacting amphibians worldwide.(Photo by Isaac Chellman)"After initial declines, many frog populations are persisting with the disease and rebounding, while others have been decimated when the disease first appears," said Isaac Chellman, an environmental scientist with CDFW. Once the tadpoles matured into frogs at San Francisco Zoo,...

Terry Francona returns but will not manage Guardians against Royals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Terry Francona was back inside the visitor’s office at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, two days after the Cleveland Guardians manager was briefly hospitalized, with one big caveat: That’s where he intended to stay for the first pitch.With temperatures expected to soar into the triple digits for the finale of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff convinced the 64-year-old Francona to sit out his third straight game. Bench coach DeMarlo Hale planned to handle on-the-field duties after leading Cleveland to wins in the first two games.“I think with the weather we’re going to have it was best for him to sit this one out,” Chernoff said, adding that he was thinking of asking Francona to take some time in Chicago as well given potential air quality issues from the Canadian wildfires.Francona was hospitalized following an episode of lightheadedness before Tuesday night’s game. He was released...

England cuts Australia’s lead to 138 after two days of 2nd Ashes test

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

LONDON (AP) — England slashed Australia’s first-innings lead of 416 to 138 after two days of the second Ashes test at Lord’s on Thursday.The bad news for England in comfortably scoring 278 runs was that all four wickets to fall were gifted to Australia.England batted so serenely through the middle session and to an hour past tea — without even Bazballing it — that Australia spread its fielders, vacating the slips in desperate need of a second wicket.And Australia’s fortunes worsened when Nathan Lyon, its only wicket-taker at that point and the teammate who seemingly never gets hurt, injured his right calf while running to a ball in the field and hobbled away with help. He didn’t return and the manner of his exit suggested he may not return for the rest of what is his 100th successive test.Without Lyon’s spin to wear down England, Australia changed its tactics by tempting England with the short ball.England took the bait.Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett and world No. 1...

Swiatek eases past Blinkova to reach her first grass semifinal ahead of Wimbledon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek seems to be finding her groove on grass ahead of Wimbledon.Three times a French Open winner on clay and once a U.S. Open winner on the New York hard courts, Swiatek played her first tour-level, grass-court quarterfinal on Thursday against Anna Blinkova at the Bad Homburg Open.The Polish player looked like she belonged there in a straightforward 6-3, 6-2 win that showcased her abilities on the return as Swiatek broke Blinkova’s serve to love three times.Standing between Swiatek and a first grass final is Lucia Bronzetti after the Italian won her quarterfinal match, 6-4, 6-3, against Varvara Gracheva, the Russia-born player who was playing her first tournament since switching allegiance to France.The Bad Homburg Open is a warm-up for Wimbledon, where Swiatek’s best result in three appearances was a fourth-round appearance in 2021. She was the junior Wimbledon champion in 2018. American player Emma Navarro faces either Liud...

J.J. Watt signs 3-year deal to be a studio analyst for CBS Sports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — J.J. Watt has signed a multi-year deal with CBS Sports to serve as a studio analyst. The announcement was made Thursday by CBS Sports President David Berson.Watt’s first appearance will be on “The NFL Today” during Week 1 on Sept. 9. He’ll also be an analyst for NFL shows on CBS Sports Network and online.“I love the game too much to be away from it entirely. I’m very excited to be joining CBS Sports to contribute across all their NFL shows and platforms, including working alongside and learning from JB, Coach, Boomer, Phil and Nate this fall,” Watt said in a statement. “Hopefully fans will enjoy the insights and knowledge I’ve gained over my 12 years in the NFL and if we’re lucky, we’ll share a few laughs along the way as well.”Watt was a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year and retired last season after a 12-year career in which he had 114 1/2 sacks. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft by Houston and spent 10 seasons with the Texans befo...

Pirates-Padres game delayed 45 minutes due to poor air quality from wildfires

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres was delayed 45 minutes Thursday due to poor air conditions caused by lingering smoke from wildfires in Canada.Moments before the scheduled start time at 12:35 p.m., the game was pushed to a 1:20 p.m. start. During the delay, the Pirates issued a statement stating they would continue to consider weather conditions and air quality index.The game began with the lights turned on at hazy PNC Park, and Pirates star Andrew McCutchen put on a face mask to run the bases after hitting a single in the first inning. Several thousand fans, including many children, were in attendance for the afternoon game.“After collaborative discussions between Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, our team of expert medical providers at Allegheny Health Network, our players and staff, we have made the decision to move forward with our game today,” the Pirates’ statement read. “We will continue to ...

Special counsel office still investigating Trump’s handling of documents, sources say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

Washington (CNN) — The special counsel’s office is continuing to investigate around Donald Trump’s handling of documents after his presidency ended, multiple sources tell CNN.That includes continued grand jury activity in Florida and inquiries of witnesses, though it is not yet clear what aspects of the investigation the prosecutors are still pushing toward.The historic indictment last month of Trump and his aide Walt Nauta already tells a thorough story with photos, text messages and witness accounts about how Trump allegedly held onto national defense records after his presidency.Prosecutors also accuse both men of lying to investigators and trying to conceal the records from being repossessed by the federal government by moving them throughout his Mar-a-Lago club.Trump has pleaded not guilty, and Nauta is expected to enter a plea of not guilty next week. The two men are expected to head to trial as early as this year.It’s not unheard of for investigators working a case to continu...

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, 35, dies in apparent drowning in Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

(CNN) — Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett died Tuesday in an apparent drowning off a Florida Panhandle beach, a county sheriff’s office said.First responders were called to a beach in Destin around 2:12 p.m. amid reports people in the water near a sandbar were struggling to make it to shore, the Okaloosa County agency said in a news release. Mallett, 35, went underwater and was not breathing when lifeguards pulled him out, the sheriff’s office said. He died at a hospital, it added.Authorities have been warning beachgoers as rip currents have claimed at least 11 lives in two weeks along the Gulf Coast. An alert early Tuesday predicted: “Southwest to west winds today will create a high risk of rip currents along Panhandle beaches,” according to the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee’s forecast update.Yellow flags indicating “a medium hazard, moderate surf and/or currents” flew Tuesday along Destin beaches, though “there were no rip curr...

End of an era as Knicks longtime equipment manager Mike Martinez not returning next season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:30 GMT

For the first time in over 30 years, the Knicks will start a season without Mike Martinez.The longtime equipment manager, a staple of the Knicks locker room since Pat Riley coached, won’t return for the 2023-24 campaign, the Daily News has learned.It’s unclear why Martinez is leaving.Martinez, a Long Island native and son of a Bronx detective, first joined the organization as a ballboy as a senior in high school during the 1989-90 season. He was elevated to equipment manager a couple years later and held the position for 31 consecutive seasons.“Each and every day, 24-7, 365 days a year, gave it my all,” Martinez said in a 2018 interview produced by the Knicks. “I feel like my blood isn’t red, it’s definitely orange and blue.”In 2014, Martinez was honored with the Dick McGuire Legacy Award for longtime service to the franchise. Other honorees include Walt Frazier, Herb Williams, John Andariese and longtime trainer Mike Saunders.“I...