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Californians bet farming agave for spirits holds key to weathering drought and groundwater limits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — Leo Ortega started growing spiky blue agave plants on the arid hillsides around his Southern California home because his wife liked the way they looked.A decade later, his property is now dotted with thousands of what he and others hope is a promising new crop for the state following years of punishing drought and a push to scale back on groundwater pumping. The 49-year-old mechanical engineer is one of a growing number of Californians planting agave to be harvested and used to make spirits, much like the way tequila and mezcal are made in Mexico. The trend is fueled by the need to find hardy crops that don’t need much water and a booming appetite for premium alcoholic beverages since the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s attracted entrepreneurs such as Ortega, as well as some California farmers. They’re seeking to shift to more water-efficient crops and irrigation methods to avoid fallowing their fields with looming limits on how much groundwater they can ...

Victims of abusive Native American boarding schools to share experiences in Montana

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Victims of government-backed Native American boarding schools are expected to share their experiences Sunday as U.S. officials make a final stop in Montana on their yearlong tour to confront the institutions that regularly abused students to assimilate them into white society.Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, has prioritized examining the trauma caused by the schools. She was scheduled to visit Montana State University in Bozeman to wrap up her “Road to Healing” tour. For over 150 years, Indigenous children were taken from their communities and forced into the boarding schools. Religious and private institutions ran many of the schools and received federal funding as partners in government programs to “civilize” Indigenous students.The U.S. enacted laws and policies in 1819 to support the schools and some continued to operate through the 1960s. An investigative report released last year by the Interior Department identifie...

Gunmen kill 5 people in an apparent dispute over fuel theft in central Mexico, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Gunmen on motorcycles shot five men to death Saturday on the outskirts of the Mexican city of Puebla in an apparent dispute over stolen fuel, authorities said. The Puebla police department said the five victims appeared to have been guarding two gas tanker trucks when the attack occurred. The department said the attack was “presumably for fuel theft.” It said two of the victims had been arrested in October for alleged involvement in the explosion of a gas tanker truck, though it gave no specifics on their role in that incident.Puebla is just east of Mexico City and has long been plagued by gangs that drill illegal taps into government pipelines to steal fuel.Shootouts between the gangs and authorities are not uncommon.The Associated Press

Jamal Murray’s hamstring tightness is kind of injury that “can stick around for a while,” Michael Malone says.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

Collin Gillespie didn’t have any texts from family waiting for him after he scored his first career NBA points.“Honestly, my parents are probably asleep,” Gillespie said after playing almost 12 minutes in Denver’s 123-101 win over the Bulls on Saturday night. “They probably have no idea this happened. They’re back on the east coast. It’s midnight there.”Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets brings the ball down the court against the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Ball Arena on October 15, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Instead of sending his parents something about the occasion, Gillespie said he was expecting to wake up to a text  Sunday morning.“I’m just gonna let them figure it out,” he said. “They were probably like, ‘Oh, he’s not gonna play.’ Hey, they learned their lesson.”Gillespie’s five points and two assists were a heart-warming ...

CU Buffs vs. Oregon State quick hits: Making Pat Shurmur offensive play-caller doesn’t fix Buffs’ problems

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

Initial observations from the CU Buffs’ 26-19 loss to No. 16 Oregon State at Folsom Field on Saturday evening.Oregon State emphasized on running the rock: The Beavers made it clear in the first quarter that they were going to take advantage of the Buffs’ defense with the ground game. During Oregon State’s nine-play, 71-yard scoring drive, the Beavers ran the ball eight times for 56 yards. Backup quarterback Aidan Chiles ended the drive with a 23-yard rushing touchdown to take a 7-0 lead with under two minutes left in the quarter. The Beavers had 84 rushing yards on 13 attempts in the first quarter.After the Buffs held Oregon State to six rushing yards in the second quarter, the Beavers regained momentum in the run game in the third. On the Beavers’ first drive, running back Damien Martinez had 12- and 11-yard gains. Running back Deshaun Fenwick rushed for 17 yards then quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei scrambled for 15 yards before he powered into the end zone for a 1-yard score.Ore...

West Hollywood thief allegedly stole actress Lily Collins' wedding ring

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

A wanted West Hollywood thief is allegedly responsible for stealing the wedding and engagement rings of actress Lily Collins, TMZ reports.Collins is best known for her starring role on the hit Netflix series, "Emily in Paris."The suspect, Andreea Catalina Rosca, 34, also known as “Nicole Morri,” is wanted for at least two burglaries where she stole jewelry and credit cards out of lockers at a hotel spa and yoga studio, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Rosca was identified by authorities to TMZ as the thief who reportedly escaped with Collins’ jewelry while the actress was relaxing at a hotel spa in May.Collins had placed her personal items inside a spa locker, including her wedding band, engagement ring, and several electronics.Andreea Catalina Rosca, also known as Nicole Morri, is known to travel the country committing thefts, authorities said. (LASD)PARIS, FRANCE - DECEMBER 06: Stephen Brown, Kate Walsh, William Abadie, Samuel Arnold, Philippine Leroy...

Southern California woman escapes Gaza amid Israel-Hamas War

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

After several failed attempts to escape war-torn Gaza to safety in Egypt — one Southern California woman has finally made it to safety.Naela Elshorafa, a 66-year-old Camarillo resident, said although she is deeply traumatized by the war, she remains thankful to be back in the U.S. very soon after being trapped in the middle of a living nightmare that she never saw coming. “They’re bombing the area,” Naela is heard saying in a cell phone video as rumbling echoes are heard in the distance. “No electricity, no water, no nothing,” she said of their current state.Naela Elshorafa, a 66-year-old Camarillo resident. seen in a family photo.Naela Elshorafa, a 66-year-old Camarillo resident. seen in a family photo.Naela Elshorafa, a 66-year-old Camarillo resident. seen in a family photo.A large group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched in West Los Angeles on Nov. 4, 2023 calling for the end to Israel’s bombardment and occupation of Gaza. (KTLA)A large group of pro-Palestinian demonstrator...

Stanford football: Cardinal scores another road upset

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

A maligned defense led Stanford to a 10-7 upset victory at Washington State.The Cardinal had allowed more than 40 points in each of its last four games, but allowed a single scoring drive on a cold and rainy Saturday night as Stanford improved to 3-1 on the road.The Cardinal (3-6, 2-5) trailed 7-0 when Scotty Edwards intercepted a pass midway through the third quarter. On the ensuing drive, wildcat QB Justin Lamson converted a third-and-1, completed a 27-yard pass to tight end Sam Roush off of a reverse, and then scored on a 1-yard TD to tie the game with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter.Stanford QB Ashton Daniels was intercepted at his own 35 with one second left in the third quarter, but back-to-back sacks by Anthony Franklin and Mitch Leigber pushed the Cougars (4-5, 0-5) into a 43-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide left.Stanford then went on a six-minute drive to score the winning points on a 31-yard field goal by Joshua Karty with 5:56 to play, keyed by a 30-yard pas...

NASCAR-Xfinity NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Results

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

SaturdayAt Phoenix RacewayAvondale, Ariz.Lap length: 1.00 miles(Start position in parentheses)1. (7) Cole Custer, Ford, 202 laps, 40 points.2. (5) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 202, 38.3. (8) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 202, 34.4. (9) Riley Herbst, Ford, 202, 34.5. (16) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 202, 32.6. (15) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 202, 35.7. (2) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 202, 44.8. (6) Chandler Smith, Chevrolet, 202, 43.9. (1) Sammy Smith, Toyota, 202, 33.10. (24) Kaz Grala, Toyota, 202, 27.11. (20) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 202, 34.12. (18) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 202, 25.13. (14) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 202, 24.14. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 202, 0.15. (19) Brett Moffitt, Ford, 202, 23.16. (30) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 202, 21.17. (21) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 202, 20.18. (11) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 202, 19.19. (17) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, 202, 18.20. (25) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 202, 17.21. (12) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 202, 16.22. (4) Myatt Snider, Toyota, 202, 17.23. (34) ...

LSU QB Jayden Daniels suffers head injury in Alabama game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:27 GMT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was hurt on a hard hit that drew a roughing-the-passer flag in the fourth quarter and didn’t play another snap. Daniels lay face down after the hit from Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner before walking off the field in No. 13 LSU’s 42-28 loss to No. 8 Alabama. He re-entered after one play but called time out after a false start penalty and went back to the sideline. His mother came down to the medical tent to check on him.“He had a head injury and was not able to come back,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said after the game. “We obviously have to put him through more testing before I can accurately say that it was a concussion, non-concussion, things of that nature.”Garrett Nussmeier took his place both times and finished the series, including a fourth-and-10 play that didn’t get off. Kelly opted to punt after a snap infraction pushed them back 5 yards.Daniels came into the game leading the nation in total offense, aver...