• All Bets Are On: The Tucson Weekly Has a Sports Podcast Now!

    Tucson Weekly sportswriter Christopher Boan is teaming up with longtime ad rep Tyler Vondrak on the paper's newest podcast, All Bets Are On. The podcast, which will air each Friday, discusses the latest University of Arizona men's basketball information, along with NFL and NBA tidbits with an eye on the gambling angles for each contest.…
  • Trudeau says China not respecting diplomatic immunity

    TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says China is not respecting the diplomatic immunity of one of the Canadians detained in China last month.
    China arrested former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on vague national security allegations.
    The arrests came after a top Chinese executive was arrested in Canada on Dec. 1 at the request of Washington, which wants Meng Wanzhou extradited to face charges that she misled banks about the company&rsqu
  • Tigers’ minor leaguer Soto suspended 20 games

    DETROIT (AP) — Tigers minor league pitcher Gregory Soto has been suspended 20 games without pay by Major League Baseball under a provision of the sport’s collective bargaining agreement allowing discipline for conduct detrimental or prejudicial to the sport.
    The 23-year-old left-hander’s suspension resulted from an agreement with the players’ association, a person familiar with the discipline told The Associated Press on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because
  • Rangers agree to 1-year deals with Mazara, DeShields

    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have agreed to one-year contracts with Nomar Mazara and Delino DeShields, avoiding arbitration with both outfielders.
    Mazara gets $3.3 million, a big raise over the $563,560 he made last season. DeShields receives a $1.4 million deal after earning $561,500 last year.
    Mazara made his major league debut in 2016 at age 21 and has hit 20 home runs in each of his three seasons. The right fielder batted .258 with 77 RBIs in 128 games last year, when he m
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  • Raul de Tomas scores 3 as Rayo wins 3rd straight league game

    MADRID (AP) — Forward Raul de Tomas scored a hat trick to lead Rayo Vallecano to a 4-2 win over Celta Vigo on Friday, boosting its chances of escaping the Spanish league’s relegation zone.
    After he curled in a free kick in the fourth minute, Celta equalized through defender Nestor Araujo and took the lead in the 18th through striker Maxi Gomez’s penalty.
    De Tomas made it 2-2 in the 37th, after a video review overturned an initial offside call, and then volleyed home a pass in t
  • Racism charges prompt university to review Greek community

    NOFOLK, Va. (AP) — A large university in Virginia is reviewing its entire Greek community after members of a sorority were accused of using racist language online and belittling a black member.
    The Virginian-Pilot reports that Old Dominion University made the announcement in a letter on Friday.
    ODU president John Broderick said he was “repulsed to learn” of alleged racist behavior and that it “goes against everything for which the Monarch community stands.”
    The univ
  • Lawmakers try to fix legislation meant to honor Army captain

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Lawmakers are working to correct legislation intended to honor a fallen U.S. Army captain whose Muslim father spoke out against candidate Donald Trump.
    The Daily Progress reports that former Rep. Tom Garrett meant to rename a Charlottesville post office in honor of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, but he says the bill Trump signed into law last month renames a privately owned facility instead.
    Garrett says a bill with an amended location passed out of committee, but flo
  • Suspended Russell, Cubs agree at $3.4M, $200,000 raise

    CHICAGO (AP) — Suspended shortstop Addison Russell and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a $3.4 million, one-year contract, a relatively small $200,000 raise for a player whose relationship with the team appeared strained after a domestic violence suspension.
    Russell accepted a 40-game suspension last October for violating baseball’s domestic violence policy following allegations made by his ex-wife. He missed the final 11 regular-season games plus the wild-card playoff loss and will b
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  • Penguins sign goalie DeSmith to 3-year contract extension

    PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith’s impressive play has earned him a three-year contract extension.
    The deal, announced Friday, begins in the 2019-2020 season and carries an average annual value of $1.25 million.
    The 27-year-old DeSmith is 12-7-4 with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage for the Penguins. DeSmith began the season as the backup behind Matt Murray but played regularly during November and December while Murray dealt with a
  • AP Source: Kubiak not returning to Broncos staff

    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the breakdown in talks tells The Associated Press that Gary Kubiak won’t return to run the Denver Broncos’ offense for new head coach Vic Fangio as had been expected.
    The person, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation, said the two longtime NFL veterans couldn’t agree on scheme, philosophy and staffing.
    The surprising development leaves Fangio, who will serve as defensi
  • ‘There’s no money’: Shutdown freezes HUD funds for low-income senior citizens

    The government shutdown means that the long-leaking roof of San Jose Manor II Apartments won’t be replaced anytime soon, says Alma Ballard, who oversees the building for low-income senior citizens in Jacksonville, Florida.
    “That’s definitely not going to happen,” said Ballard, executive director of the nonprofit Family Housing Management, who said that water has at times dripped into some residents’ rooms.Shirley Henderson, 69, is worried about the impact of the shu
  • The Latest: US House may review disputed N Carolina election

    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on a North Carolina congressional race where a winner hasn’t been finalized while an absentee ballot fraud investigation continues (all times local):
    5:30 p.m.
    A U.S. House committee is signaling that Congress may ultimately resolve the nation’s last undecided congressional race.
    The head of the House Administration Committee on Friday asked North Carolina elections officials to preserve all original notes, recordings or documents used in investi
  • Jayme Closs: Everything we know about Wisconsin teen’s abduction and escape

    Nearly three months after police discovered Jayme Closs’ parents shot to death in their Wisconsin home — and no sign of Jayme — the teen was found alive Thursday, about 70 miles from where she vanished.
    A suspect, identified Friday as Jake Patterson, 21, was taken into custody shortly after a Douglas County resident found the teen. He has been charged with kidnapping Jayme and killing her parents.Missing teen, Jayme Closs, has been found. Courtesy: NBC.Here&
  • Georgia promotes James Coley to offensive coordinator

    ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — James Coley has been promoted to offensive coordinator at Georgia, taking over after Jim Chaney left for Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee.
    Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart made the announcement Friday. Coley served as co-offensive coordinator this past season, handling the quarterbacks while Chaney called plays and worked with the tight ends.
    Coley came to Georgia with Smart in 2016 and oversaw the wide receivers for two seasons. He previously worked as the offensive co
  • Rangers OFs Mazara, DeShields avoid arbitration with deals

    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have avoided arbitration with outfielders Nomar Mazara and Delino DeShields by agreeing to 2019 contracts.
    Mazara, the 23-year-old slugger already with three 20-homer seasons, will make $3.3 million and DeShields will get $1.4 million. Both made about $550,000 last season.
    The Rangers haven’t had to go to a salary arbitration hearing since 2000 with first baseman/designated hitter Lee Stevens.
    Mazara hit .258 with 20 homers and 77 RBIs in 128
  • Elven Sports doesn’t want Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia

    LONDON (AP) — European broadcaster Eleven Sports has asked for the Italian Super Cup not to be played in Saudi Arabia next week, blaming the kingdom for hosting streaming services that pirate live sports feeds to undermine a Qatari state network.
    The beoutQ channels allegedly being broadcast out of Saudi Arabia are a sign of how the Saudi-led economic and diplomatic boycott of Qatar has extended its reach into television rights.
    Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports holds key live rights to
  • Original 1774 newspaper, found at Goodwill, heads to library

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An original 1774 Philadelphia newspaper that was discovered at a New Jersey Goodwill is heading to a Philadelphia philosophy society founded by Benjamin Franklin.
    NJ Pen reports The American Philosophical Society has acquired the frayed Dec. 28, 1774, edition of the Pennsylvania Journal and the Weekly Advertiser. The newspaper has the iconic “Unite or Die” snake design on the masthead and boasts three items signed by John Hancock, who pleads for the Colonies
  • Researcher: Calf born to endangered Pacific Northwest orcas

    SEATTLE (AP) — Researchers say there’s a new calf among the population of critically endangered killer whales that live in the waters between Washington state and Canada.
    Ken Balcomb, founding director of the Center for Whale Research, told The Seattle Times that staff first saw the calf Friday at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    He said the youngster looks healthy, but survival rates for baby orcas are only about 50 percent.
    The whales have been starving amid a dearth
  • Political Purity Tests Make Me Crazy. Take TUSD, For Instance.

    Here's what happened at the TUSD board meeting Tuesday. Mark Stegeman was voted board president.…
  • Mnuchin: Next round of trade talks with China this month

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the next round of trade negotiations with China will likely occur later this month in Washington.
    Mnuchin told reporters that Vice Premier Liu He was expected to lead a delegation to Washington “later in the month.”
    The Treasury secretary says that the partial government shutdown “would have no impact” on the efforts to reach a trade deal by March 1.
    The Trump administration has suspended the imposition of pla
  • Cardinals avoid arbitration with Wacha, Ozuna and Leone

    ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cardinals and right-hander Michael Wacha avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $6.35 million contract, a raise of $1.05 million.
    St. Louis also agreed to one-year deals with outfielder Marcell Ozuna at $12.25 million and right-hander Dominic Leone at $1.26 million.
    Wacha’s 2018 season was interrupted by a strained muscle in his left side. Limited to 15 starts for St. Louis, he went 8-2 with a 3.20 ERA.
    He was injured on June 20 and placed on the 10-day disabled li
  • Corruption trial urged for former French PM Fillon and wife

    PARIS (AP) — A French judicial official says the financial prosecutor’s office has asked that former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and his wife be sent to trial on corruption charges.
    Fillon’s 2017 presidential bid unraveled over allegations he paid his wife Penelope and two of their children more than 1 million euros ($1.1 million) over many years for jobs as parliamentary aides that involved no sustained work.
    An official in the financial prosecutor’s office con
  • Russia’s anti-doping agency welcomes lab data progress

    MOSCOW (AP) — The head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency has welcomed an apparent breakthrough in a standoff over data sealed in a Moscow laboratory that could implicate numerous Russian athletes in past drug cases.
    Russian authorities failed to meet a Dec. 31 deadline to hand over the data but the Russian Sports Ministry said Thursday a WADA team had begun work to copy data from the lab.
    The World Anti-Doping Agency contentiously lifted a suspension on the Russian anti-doping agency, know
  • Last migrant teenagers leave large detention camp in Texas

    TORNILLO, Texas (AP) — The nonprofit group running what once was the largest U.S. detention camp housing migrant teenagers says the last children have left the facility.
    The federal grantee that operated the tent city in Tornillo, Texas, said the center is shutting down beginning Friday. BCFS Health and Human Services’ spokeswoman Krista Piferrer said everything would be removed from the site by the end of January.
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services oversees the care of
  • Indian guru in prison for rape is convicted of murder

    NEW DELHI (AP) — A popular and flamboyant spiritual guru in India, who is serving 20 years in prison for raping two female followers, was convicted Friday of murdering a journalist 16 years ago in another case.
    Judge Jagdeep Singh convicted the guru, who calls himself Dr. Saint Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim Insan, and three other people and will sentence them on Jan. 17.
    All four could face death sentences in the killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati after he published a letter in his ne
  • WWII vet who got degree delayed by nearly 7 decades has died

    TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A funeral home and a family friend say a World War II veteran from Ohio who received his college degree last spring nearly 70 years after he last sat in a classroom has died.
    Newcomer Funeral Home in Toledo says Bob Barger died Wednesday. He was 97. Barger was honored in June at the University of Toledo’s commencement ceremony, where he received an associate’s degree and a standing ovation.
    A review last year of his transcripts from the late 1940s showed he
  • Judge orders reinstatement of girls prep basketball player

    MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama judge has temporarily reinstated the eligibility of suspended girls prep basketball player Maori Davenport.
    Pike County Circuit Judge Sonny Reagan on Friday issued an order stopping the Alabama High School Athletic Association from disqualifying Davenport until the court rules on a complaint filed by the teen’s parents.
    Davenport, a senior at Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama, and a Rutgers signee, was suspended for her final season by
  • Ex-officer gets 3-12 months in jail for drag racing death

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former Philadelphia police officer was ordered to serve 3 to 12 months in county jail for killing a man while drag racing with another officer two years ago.
    The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Adam Soto fought back tears Friday while begging for forgiveness from the victim’s family during his sentencing.
    Soto, who was fired shortly after the Jan. 31, 2017, crash, pleaded guilty in October to a felony charge of homicide by vehicle and a misdemeanor charge of invol
  • Prison guard gets 3 years in prison in Turkey-related case

    NEW YORK (AP) — A New York prison guard who admitted accepting over $25,000 in cash bribes to smuggle cellphones, alcohol and food to a wealthy Turkish gold trader has been sentenced to three years in prison.
    Federal Judge Richard Sullivan said Friday that he wanted the public, prison employees and prisoners to understand the seriousness of Victor Casado’s crime.
    Casado pleaded guilty in August , admitting that he accepted cash to make deliveries to the trader, Reza Zarrab. Zarrab la
  • Longtime USTA CEO Gordon Smith to retire at end of year

    WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — Gordon Smith, longtime CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association, will retire at the end of the 2019 after 12 years on the job.
    USTA chairman Patrick Galbraith said Friday that Smith “brought our sport to new levels” and “represented American tennis with class and dignity around the world.”
    Under Smith, the national governing body finished the five-year, $600 million transformation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tenni
  • Mexico deploys 4,000 troops, choppers against pipeline theft

    MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has ordered helicopters and 4,000 troops to guard the nation’s pipelines and fuel depots in an offensive against massive fuel theft.
    The helicopters are watching for organized gangs that drill illegal taps into underground ducts carrying gasoline and diesel.
    Long lines continued at gas stations in Mexico City and outlying states Friday as tanker trucks struggled to supply fuel normally delivered through pipelines.
    Most
  • Maduro foe says he’s ready to replace the president

    CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The head of Venezuela’s opposition-run congress says he’s prepared to step into the nation’s presidency to replace Nicolas Maduro, whose inauguration has been rejected as illegitimate by most countries in the hemisphere.
    National Assembly President Juan Guaido made the statement to an energized crowd in Caracas on Friday, a day after Maduro’s inauguration to a second term.
    But Guaido said he’d need support from the public, the armed f
  • Venezuela’s congress leader challenges Maduro’s right to presidency, says prepared to assume power himself

    CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s congress leader challenges Maduro’s right to presidency, says prepared to assume power himself.
    The post Venezuela’s congress leader challenges Maduro’s right to presidency, says prepared to assume power himself appeared first on KVOA.com.
  • Tennessee scientists weighed response to anti-vax politician

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — What should a state health department do when its newly elected congressman gets a rush of social media attention challenging the science behind vaccines?
    Department of Health officials in Tennessee struggled on the best way to respond after Republican Rep. Mark Green told a town hall meeting last month, without citing evidence, that vaccines cause autism. Green also claimed that the federal government was hiding information about the negative side effects of vaccin
  • John Loose promoted to defensive coordinator at West Point

    WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — John Loose has been promoted to defensive coordinator at Army.
    He had been a defensive assistant and succeeds Jay Bateman, who became North Carolina’s defensive coordinator after the regular season. The move was announced Friday by coach Jeff Monken.
    Loose was the interim coordinator during Army’s 70-14 victory over Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl last month. The Black Knights had 10 sacks.
    Loose served as defensive coordinator for 14 seasons at Lafayet
  • Limited Edition Bobblehead Alert: Nick Foles

    Did you not quite get what you wanted for the holidays and are in the mood to treat yourself to something special?Well, Wildcats fans, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum just unveiled a limited edition bobblehead of Nick Foles in his University of Arizona Wildcats uniform. This FOCO manufactured bobblehead is the only one that features Foles in his Wildcat jersey.In 2018 Foles lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl title, but before making it in the NFL, Foles stood
  • Court refuses Alabama officer’s immunity claim in killing

    MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court is rejecting a Montgomery police officer’s claim that he’s immune from prosecution in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man.
    The decision released Friday means a murder case will move forward against 25-year-old Aaron Cody Smith. He’s awaiting trial in the fatal shooting of 58-year-old Greg Gunn nearly three years ago.
    But the court also granted the officers’ request for a new judge based on claims of possible b
  • 4 Alabama players announce they are declaring for NFL draft

    Four Alabama players are skipping their final seasons to enter the NFL draft, including All-America left tackle Jonah Williams and Outland Trophy-winning defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.
    Those projected first-rounders announced their intentions on Friday, along with versatile tailback Josh Jacobs and tight end Irv Smith Jr.
    Jonah Williams and Quinnen Williams were unanimous All-Americans rated as potential Top 10 picks.
    Quinnen Williams is a third-year sophomore who won the Outland Trophy as
  • Gabbiadini leaves Southampton for Sampdoria

    SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Southampton has sold Manolo Gabbiadini to Italian team Sampdoria, ending the striker’s two-year spell in the English Premier League.
    The 27-year-old Gabbiadini, who scored 12 goals in 60 appearances for Southampton, fell out of favor at the south-coast club.
    Southampton announced the transfer on Friday without disclosing a fee.
    Sampdoria is in seventh place in the Italian league.
    ___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_S
  • Bolton hires longtime adviser as deputy

    WASHINGTON (AP) — White House national security adviser John Bolton has selected a new deputy.
    Bolton announced Friday that Charles Kupperman, a longtime colleague dating back to the Reagan administration, would serve as President Donald Trump’s new deputy national security adviser.
    Bolton says in a statement that Kupperman has been an adviser to him for more than 30 years. He adds, “Charlie’s extensive expertise in defense, arms control and aerospace will help further Pr
  • Houston 3B Alex Bregman has minor elbow surgery

    HOUSTON (AP) — Houston third baseman Alex Bregman will be limited to start spring training after having minor surgery on his right elbow on Friday.
    The Astros say Bregman is expected to be healthy for the start of the regular season after having arthroscopic surgery.
    The 24-year-old was named to his first All-Star game in 2018 and was selected MVP after his home run lifted the American League to a win.
    He set career highs in almost every category last season by hitting .286 with an AL-lead
  • Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign paid $1,500 fine to NY state

    ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The campaign of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been fined $1,500 for not having the required workers’ compensation for a month last year.
    A spokeswoman for the New York state Workers’ Compensation Board, Melissa Stewart, said Friday that Ocasio-Cortez’s Democratic campaign lacked coverage from March 31 to April 30.
    She says the fine, first reported by the New York Daily News, has been paid.
    Stewart says the coverage is “vital to ensuring
  • Police in search of armed robbery suspect

    TUCSON –The Tucson Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying an armed robbery suspect.
    Police say that on Dec. 11, 2018, the suspect entered a Circle K store, located at 2332 N. Oracle Rd and “implied he was armed.”Good Morning Tucson!Detectives are asking for help in identifying this armed robbery suspect.On December 11, 2018 suspect entered the Circle K at 2332 N. Oracle and implied he was armed. Suspect left the store with cigarettes. If you have
  • US flu season appears milder, one year after brutal one

    NEW YORK (AP) — It’s early, but officials say the current flu season is shaping up to be gentler than last winter’s unusually brutal one.
    In most parts of the country right now, the flu strain causing the most illness is a somewhat milder virus. It tends not to cause as many hospitalizations and deaths as the kind of flu that dominated a year ago. Flu vaccines also work better against it.
    Flu usually takes off after Christmas and peaks around February.
    The Centers for Disease C
  • Greek state school teachers clash with riot police in Athens

    ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Protesting Greek school teachers have clashed with police in central Athens during a demonstration against government plans for hiring new teachers.
    Riot police fired tear gas to stop protesters from forcing their way past a cordon outside parliament, and later when demonstrators tried to push away a barrier near Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ office.
    No arrests or injuries were reported.
    About 1,500 people took part in Friday’s demonstration. Teachers&rsq
  • Sheriff says investigators believe suspect killed Wisconsin couple because he wanted to abduct their teen daughter

    BARRON, Wis. (AP) — Sheriff says investigators believe suspect killed Wisconsin couple because he wanted to abduct their teen daughter.
    The post Sheriff says investigators believe suspect killed Wisconsin couple because he wanted to abduct their teen daughter appeared first on KVOA.com.
  • Florida pardons 4 black men accused of 1949 rape

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the independently elected Cabinet granted a pardon to four African-American men accused of raping a white woman nearly 70 years ago.
    The posthumous pardons were granted Friday for the men known as the Groveland Four.
    The Lake County men were accused of the 1949 rape under dubious circumstances. One was hunted down by a posse of about 1,000 men and shot more than 400 times.
    Three others were convicted. After the U.S. Supreme Court order
  • Sheriff IDs suspect in abduction of Wisconsin teen and killing of her parents as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson

    BARRON, Wis. (AP) — Sheriff IDs suspect in abduction of Wisconsin teen and killing of her parents as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson.
    The post Sheriff IDs suspect in abduction of Wisconsin teen and killing of her parents as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson appeared first on KVOA.com.
  • Claytoon of the Day: No

    Find more Claytoonz here.…
  • Florida has granted posthumous pardons to four African-American men accused of raping a white woman nearly 70 years ago

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has granted posthumous pardons to four African-American men accused of raping a white woman nearly 70 years ago.
    The post Florida has granted posthumous pardons to four African-American men accused of raping a white woman nearly 70 years ago appeared first on KVOA.com.

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