A military plane crash-landed in a southeast Oklahoma City field on Thursday, with one motorist capturing the plane on video as he was driving in the area.In the video provided by Matthew Topchian, the plane, identified as an Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II, can be seen coming down just above the tree line before partially landing on a roadway.Oklahoma National Guard officials said the crash happened near Southeast 119th Street and South Sooner Road and that two crew members were on board. One of the crew members was a civilian contractor and the other an active-duty U.S. Air Force member.Neither were injured in the incident.Officials said the plane and the crew were assigned to the 492d Special Operations Wing that operates out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. They were on a training mission at the time of the crash-landing.
OKLAHOMA CITY —
A military plane crash-landed in a southeast Oklahoma City field on Thursday, with one motorist capturing the plane on video as he was driving in the area.
In the video provided by Matthew Topchian, the plane, identified as an Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II, can be seen coming down just above the tree line before partially landing on a roadway.
Oklahoma National Guard officials said the crash happened near Southeast 119th Street and South Sooner Road and that two crew members were on board. One of the crew members was a civilian contractor and the other an active-duty U.S. Air Force member.
Neither were injured in the incident.
Officials said the plane and the crew were assigned to the 492d Special Operations Wing that operates out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. They were on a training mission at the time of the crash-landing.
A San José-based tech company that sells roof shingles with built-in solar panels is the latest to announce plans to leave the Golden State for Texas.
GAF Energy will relocate its headquarters to Georgetown, Texas, on Dec. 13, the company announced in a notification document filed with state officials. The company said its decision was motivated by better market opportunities in Texas, rather than an unfavorable business environment in California.
The company will lay off 138 California-based employees, including technicians, engineers and managers.
The San José headquarters, which is currently used for research, development and solar panel manufacturing, was opened in 2021. Both in-person and remote employees will be affected by its closure, the notice said.
Required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN, the notice must be issued by a company 60 days before a mass layoff.
GAF Energy, which is owned by Standard Industries, opened a manufacturing facility in Texas last year. The company plans to consolidate its operations at a new headquarters in the state, President Martin DeBono said.
“In light of ongoing changes in the solar industry, we are aligning our business and our team to focus on key markets where solar is most compelling for builders and homeowners,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “This decision was not taken lightly. We are grateful to our employees in San Jose for their contributions to the business and are committed to assisting those impacted through this transition.”
GAF Energy advertises a more practical approach to rooftop solar energy by embedding solar panels directly into shingles, rather than installing them on top of a roof.
The consolidation to a Texas headquarters will help the company “drive efficiencies, foster stronger collaboration and partnership amongst teams, and better serve customers,” the spokesperson said.
Though Silicon Valley is known as a premier tech hub and incubator for young companies, many firms have left the state in recent years, complaining of strict regulations, high taxes and costly labor.
Bed Bath & Beyond’s chief executive, Marcus Lemonis, recently took aim at California and announced that the company would not reopen stores in the state, writing on X that “California has created one of the most overregulated, expensive, and risky environments for businesses.”
Economists said the state remains the fourth-largest economy in the world, boasts a diverse pool of talent and is a hub of technological innovation.
GAF Energy did not point to faults in California’s business environment as a reason for moving operations to Texas. However, the company will suspend all operations in the Golden State.
CRIME STOPPERS. WELL, THEY’RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRES TODAY. THEY’RE DELIVERING PIZZA. DOMINO’S PIZZA TEAMS UP WITH THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROMOTE FIRE SAFETY. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S PETE CUDDIHY WENT ON THE DELIVERY ROUTE AND FOUND OUT THEY WERE BRINGING MORE THAN JUST YOUR FAVORITE SLICE. WHEN CUSTOMERS IN PAPILLION ORDERED THEIR DOMINO’S TODAY, THEIR DELIVERY CAME WITH A SURPRISE VISIT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A CHECK ON THEIR SMOKE DETECTORS TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. A NORMAL DAY IN DOMINO’S KITCHEN IS FILLED WITH SPRINKLING GARLIC KNOTS WITH PARMESAN, CUTTING UP PIZZAS INTO SLICES AND FOLDING THEIR FAMOUS BOXES UP READY FOR DELIVERY. BUT SUNDAY WAS NO ORDINARY DAY FOR DOMINO’S PAPILLION STORE. THE PIZZA CHAIN TEAMED UP WITH THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, ADDING A NEW VEHICLE TO THEIR DELIVERY TEAM. NOW FOLLOWING BEHIND THEIR FAMOUS DELIVERY CARS MARKED WITH THE RED AND BLUE GAME PIECE WAS A PAPILLION FIRE ENGINE TEAMED UP WITH DOMINO’S PIZZA THIS YEAR. TO CHECK RESIDENTS FOR SMOKE DETECTORS IF THEY HAVE WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS. CREDIT TO THEM, THEY GOT A FREE PIZZA WHILE EMPLOYEES IN THE KITCHEN PRESSED THE DOUGH AND LAID THE TOPPINGS. FIREFIGHTERS BRIAN O’SHEA AND TODD CREWS WAITED FOR THEIR MOMENT TO DELIVER CUSTOMERS ORDERS WITH A SIDE OF SAFETY. GIVE US ABOUT 15 MINUTES. WHEN EVERYTHING WAS BAGGED, IT WAS TIME FOR PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ROLL OUT. HI. HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? NOT TOO BAD. IS THAT FOR YOU? THANK YOU. HELLO. HI. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WORKING SMOKE DETECTOR. YEAH. FIRE THE DELIVERY. RESULTING IN A WIN WIN SCENARIO. WORKING ALARMS. IT’S GOOD. MEANING? FREE PIZZA FOR THE CUSTOMER. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. A POSITIVE DAY TEAM LEAD AT DOMINO’S JONATHAN GLENN IS HAPPY HE WAS A PART OF. I GREW UP HERE MY WHOLE LIFE, SO BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY YOU GREW UP IN IS ALWAYS SPECIAL. TO DO AN EVENT, REWARDING THE COMMUNITY FOR TAKING PRECAUTIONS. ONE FREE PIZZA AT A TIME. WE APPLAUD PEOPLE FOR TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR HOMES SAFE. THE PAPILLION FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A WORKING SMOKE DETECTOR OR IF YOU NEED ONE REPLACED, YOU CAN CONTACT THE MAYOR’S HOTLINE AND THEY’LL COME OUT AND INSTALL ONE FOR YOU. REPORTING FROM PAPI
Fire department in Nebraska teams up with Domino’s to deliver fire safety
When customers in Papillion, Nebraska, ordered their Domino’s Sunday afternoon, their delivery came with a surprise visit from the Papillion Fire Department and a check on their smoke detectors to ensure their safety.A normal day in a Domino’s kitchen is filled with sprinkling garlic knots with parmesan, cutting up pizzas into slices, and folding their famous boxes up ready for delivery. But Sunday was no ordinary day for the Domino’s store in Papillion, which is a suburb of Omaha.The pizza chain teamed up with the Papillion Fire Department for Fire Prevention Week, adding a new vehicle to their delivery team. Now following behind their famous delivery cars — marked with the red and blue game piece — was a Papillion fire engine.”Teamed up with Domino’s Pizza this year to check residents for smoke detectors. If they have working smoke detectors, credit to them — they got a free pizza,” said Battalion Chief of Papillion Fire Department Brian Oshey.While employees in the kitchen pressed the dough and laid the toppings, firefighters Brian Oshey and Todd Groose waited for their moment to deliver customers’ orders with a side of safety. When orders were bagged, it was time for the Papillion Fire Department to roll out, knocking at the door with pizza in hand, ready to check the customer’s smoke alarms.The delivery resulted in a win-win scenario: working alarms meant free pizza for the customer — a positive day.Team lead at Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn, is happy he was a part of it.”I lived in Papillion my whole life, so doing this is really cool,” said team lead at Papillion Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn.Rewarding the community for taking precautions, Oshey said, “We applaud people for taking steps to make sure they’re keeping their family and their home safe.”
PAPILLION, Neb. —
When customers in Papillion, Nebraska, ordered their Domino’s Sunday afternoon, their delivery came with a surprise visit from the Papillion Fire Department and a check on their smoke detectors to ensure their safety.
A normal day in a Domino’s kitchen is filled with sprinkling garlic knots with parmesan, cutting up pizzas into slices, and folding their famous boxes up ready for delivery. But Sunday was no ordinary day for the Domino’s store in Papillion, which is a suburb of Omaha.
The pizza chain teamed up with the Papillion Fire Department for Fire Prevention Week, adding a new vehicle to their delivery team. Now following behind their famous delivery cars — marked with the red and blue game piece — was a Papillion fire engine.
“Teamed up with Domino’s Pizza this year to check residents for smoke detectors. If they have working smoke detectors, credit to them — they got a free pizza,” said Battalion Chief of Papillion Fire Department Brian Oshey.
While employees in the kitchen pressed the dough and laid the toppings, firefighters Brian Oshey and Todd Groose waited for their moment to deliver customers’ orders with a side of safety.
When orders were bagged, it was time for the Papillion Fire Department to roll out, knocking at the door with pizza in hand, ready to check the customer’s smoke alarms.
The delivery resulted in a win-win scenario: working alarms meant free pizza for the customer — a positive day.
Team lead at Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn, is happy he was a part of it.
“I lived in Papillion my whole life, so doing this is really cool,” said team lead at Papillion Domino’s, Jonathan Glynn.
Rewarding the community for taking precautions, Oshey said, “We applaud people for taking steps to make sure they’re keeping their family and their home safe.”
WELCOME BACK. I’M DEL RODGERS. AFTER LAST NIGHT’S HOME VICTORY, THE SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC SECURED THEIR 11TH PLAYOFF BERTH IN 12 SEASONS AND ARE ONLY THREE POINTS AWAY FROM FIRST PLACE IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS. KCRA 3 MICHELLE DAPPER SHOWS US HOW SACRAMENTO IS ALSO PLAYING FOR THE FIRST PLACE TROPHY IN THE USL. JAGERMEISTER CUP FINAL. IT’S A BIG OCCASION. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT BECAUSE THEY DON’T COME AROUND OFTEN. THE REPUBLIC FC, SET TO PLAY IN THEIR THIRD FINAL MATCH IN OVER A DECADE. AS A CLUB, THAT’S WHAT YOU PLAY FOR AS PLAYERS. THAT’S WHAT WE LIVE FOR, YOU KNOW WE WANT TO PLAY AND WIN AND AND LIFT TROPHIES. FROM THE INAUGURAL USL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2014, WITH FINALS MVP RODRIGO LOPEZ TO WITNESS ANOTHER FINAL AT HOME. IT’S GOING TO BE TRULY SPECIAL TO THE U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL IN 2022 AGAINST ORLANDO. I THINK YOU HAVE TO PUT IT RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE OPEN CUP FINAL BECAUSE IT’S AT HOME AND IT’S GOING TO BE SUCH A BIG OCCASION FOR THE CITY. SACRAMENTO NOW LOOKS TO ADD SOME SILVERWARE IN THE USL JAGERMEISTER CUP CHAMPIONSHIP. IT’S EVERYTHING WE COULD HAVE WISHED FOR AT THE START OF THE SEASON. IF YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WE’LL PLAY IN THE FINAL AT HOME, WE’D HAVE SNAPPED YOUR HAND OFF IN GROUP PLAY. SACRAMENTO FINISHED THREE OF FOUR WITH GOALKEEPER JARED MAZZOLA ALLOWING JUST ONE GOAL. TOURNAMENTS ALLOW PLAYERS TO COME IN AND PLAY, YOU KNOW AND AND HE’S BEEN ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. THEY THEN SURVIVED TWO PENALTY SHOOTOUTS IN THE KNOCKOUT ROUNDS. I THINK WHAT SETS THIS GROUP APART IS THAT EVERYONE YOU KNOW IS ROWING TOWARDS THE SAME DIRECTION. ONE COMMON GOAL CLAIMING THEIR SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY. YOU’VE GOT HARTFORD FIRST TIME PLAYING FOR A TROPHY. YOU GOT SACRAMENTO. LAST TIME THEY PLAYED FOR ONE WAS IN THE OPEN CUP, BUT THIS IS AT HOME RIGHT. IT’S GOING TO BE ENTERTAINING. IT’S GOING TO BE AMAZING. AND I KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE ELECTRIC. IN SACRAMENTO. MICHELLE DAPPER KCRA THREE NEWS. THANK YOU MICHELLE. SO THIS SATURDAY AT HEART HEALTH PARK INSIDE OF CAL EXPO WITH THE JAGERMEISTER CUP FINAL BETWEEN VISITING HARTFORD, ATLANTIC AND YOUR HOME TEAM, THE SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC. KI
Sacramento Republic FC prepares for USL Jägermeister Cup final at home
Sacramento Republic FC is set to play in the USL Jägermeister Cup Championship final at home, marking their third final match in over a decade and aiming to secure their second championship trophy.”It’s a big occasion. You have to make the most of it because they don’t come around often,” said Republic FC defender, Lee Desmond.Rodrigo Lopez, the finals MVP from the inaugural USL Championship in 2014, expressed the significance of playing for trophies. “As a club, that’s what you play for as players. That’s what we live for. You know, we want to play and win and, and lift trophies,” Lopez said.Witnessing another final at home is expected to be truly special for the team and the city. Sacramento previously reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 2022 against Orlando, and this upcoming match is anticipated to be just as significant. “I think you have to put it right up there with the Open Cup final because it’s our home and it’s going to be such a big occasion for the city,” said Desmond.Sacramento Republic FC aims to add more silverware to their collection in the USL Jägermeister Cup Championship. The team finished third in group play, with goalkeeper Jared Mazzola allowing just one goal, and survived two penalty shootouts in the knockout rounds. “This tournament allows players to come in and play, you know, and he’s been absolutely unbelievable,” said Republic defender, jack Gurr about Mazzola’s performance.The team is united in their pursuit of claiming their second championship trophy. “I think what sets this group apart is that everyone, you know, is running towards the same direction,” said Lopez.The match promises to be entertaining and electric, with Sacramento playing at home for a trophy, a scenario last seen in the Open Cup. “It’s going to be entertaining. It’s going to be amazing. And I know it’s going to be electric,” said Lopez.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento Republic FC is set to play in the USL Jägermeister Cup Championship final at home, marking their third final match in over a decade and aiming to secure their second championship trophy.
“It’s a big occasion. You have to make the most of it because they don’t come around often,” said Republic FC defender, Lee Desmond.
Rodrigo Lopez, the finals MVP from the inaugural USL Championship in 2014, expressed the significance of playing for trophies. “As a club, that’s what you play for as players. That’s what we live for. You know, we want to play and win and, and lift trophies,” Lopez said.
Witnessing another final at home is expected to be truly special for the team and the city. Sacramento previously reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 2022 against Orlando, and this upcoming match is anticipated to be just as significant.
“I think you have to put it right up there with the Open Cup final because it’s our home and it’s going to be such a big occasion for the city,” said Desmond.
Sacramento Republic FC aims to add more silverware to their collection in the USL Jägermeister Cup Championship. The team finished third in group play, with goalkeeper Jared Mazzola allowing just one goal, and survived two penalty shootouts in the knockout rounds.
“This tournament allows players to come in and play, you know, and he’s been absolutely unbelievable,” said Republic defender, jack Gurr about Mazzola’s performance.
The team is united in their pursuit of claiming their second championship trophy. “I think what sets this group apart is that everyone, you know, is running towards the same direction,” said Lopez.
The match promises to be entertaining and electric, with Sacramento playing at home for a trophy, a scenario last seen in the Open Cup.
“It’s going to be entertaining. It’s going to be amazing. And I know it’s going to be electric,” said Lopez.
The Athletics (76-86) played their final game of the 2025 season on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, but they gave Sacramento fans something to look forward to for next year.The team teased gold jerseys to be worn in 2026 with “Sacramento” displayed on the front in green font. Although their 2025 uniforms have a Tower Bridge sleeve patch on them, this is the first jersey since the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park to say Sacramento on it. Each Saturday home game next season will be part of “Sacramento Saturdays,” according to a release from the Athletics. Players will wear the new gold jerseys every Saturday, while also having the option wear them for other home games and on the road.The A’s are not expected to relocate to Las Vegas until 2028 as stadium construction is still underway. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Athletics (76-86) played their final game of the 2025 season on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, but they gave Sacramento fans something to look forward to for next year.
The team teased gold jerseys to be worn in 2026 with “Sacramento” displayed on the front in green font. Although their 2025 uniforms have a Tower Bridge sleeve patch on them, this is the first jersey since the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park to say Sacramento on it.
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Each Saturday home game next season will be part of “Sacramento Saturdays,” according to a release from the Athletics. Players will wear the new gold jerseys every Saturday, while also having the option wear them for other home games and on the road.
The A’s are not expected to relocate to Las Vegas until 2028 as stadium construction is still underway.
What are foursomes, who is playing, and why on earth is that rather inebriated spectator cosplaying as George Washington? The Ryder Cup can be a dizzying beast to wrap your head around if you’re not a seasoned golf enthusiast.In such headspinning circumstances, it’s helpful to start with the basics.Video above: Golf fans celebrate Ryder Cup victory in 2021So without further ado, here’s a drive through the format so you can get up to speed before tee off at New York’s Bethpage Black Golf Course on Friday.What is the Ryder Cup?Launched in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament that pits the best golfers from the United States and Europe against each other in a battle for bragging rights and a shiny gold trophy.That wasn’t always the setup: for the first 50 years, it was strictly Team USA versus Team Great Britain (renamed Great Britain & Ireland between 1973 and 1977). The problem was, it wasn’t much of a spectacle, with the U.S. winning all but four of the first 22 tournaments.To even the odds, the Great Britain and Ireland selection pool was expanded to include the wider continent from 1979. It worked: Team Europe have won 12 of the 22 tournaments held since, losing nine times and tying once (more on that shortly).Hosting privileges rotate each time, with Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, the arena for the 45th edition of the tournament after Rome’s Marco Simone Golf Club staged the 2023 contest.Winning away is no easy feat. Team USA’s defeat in Italy extended their winless run across the pond to a minimum of 34 years, while Team Europe have not tasted victory on American soil since a comeback for the ages in Illinois back in 2012.How do you win?Like most team sports, the side with the most points at the end wins. Sounds straightforward enough, but Ryder Cup scoring is a little more nuanced.While regular season events like The Masters run according to stroke play – whereby the player who navigates the course in the fewest number of ball hits triumphs – the Ryder Cup is a three-day match play competition.That means players are competing to “win” individual holes, rather than shoot the lowest overall score across the course. Win more holes than your opponent across an 18-hole match and you score a point for your team. If the match ends in a tie, each team receives half a point.With 28 total points up for grabs – eight apiece for foursomes and fourballs sessions across the first two days, and 12 for each Sunday singles matchup – the first team to nudge past the 14-point mark is crowned champion.In the rare event of an overall tie, the trophy is retained by the previous champion. Only twice in Ryder Cup history has this occurred, with the U.S. and Europe each retaining their crown in 1969 and 1989, respectively.What are foursomes?Friday and Saturday morning will be the time for foursomes, a format in which teams of two take alternate shots of the same ball until each hole is complete.For example, Scottie Scheffler could tee off, but his American playing partner would be the one playing from wherever the world No. 1’s drive landed. Teammates alternate hitting tee shots, so Scheffler’s partner would begin the next hole.Whichever pair finds the cup in the fewest strokes wins that hole, with the hole tied if both teams manage it in the same number of strokes. The winner of the most holes clinches the match and a point for the overall scoreboard, with a tied match rewarding each side with half a point.You may see results listed like “won 4&3,” which would – in that case – mean a pair was four holes up with three holes to play and, as a result, could not be caught.Scheffler and Brooks Koepka made unwanted history in Italy two years ago when they were obliterated 9&7 by Scandinavian duo Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, the largest margin of victory for any 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history.What are fourballs?The first two afternoons belong to the fourballs.Again, this is played in pairs and scored like foursomes, but this time players strictly hit their own ball as opposed to alternating shots: four balls are in play at the same time. The player with the lowest score wins that hole for his team.It is up to the home captain to decide which format will be played first, with new US lead Keegan Bradley opting to kick off proceedings with foursomes for the third successive tournament.Captains also have the critical power to choose which players to pair together, an intricate dance of team chemistry and opposition matchup that can make or break a Ryder Cup bid.European captain Luke Donald, retaining the armband after leading his side to triumph in Rome, has an advantage in that sense, with just one change to his champion roster: Rasmus Hojgaard in for his twin Nicolai.By contrast, only six players from that defeated Team USA lineup return: Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.What are singles matches?Sunday is dedicated solely to the singles matches, 12 tense shootouts contested by one member of each team.Usual match play rules apply, with the player who scores lowest on each hole taking that hole in the race to secure crucial late points.Expect drama aplenty, with Sundays staging many of the greatest moments in Ryder Cup history, from The Battle of Brookline in 1999 to The Miracle of Medinah in 2012.It is worth noting that, in match play, players have the option to “concede” a hole. This almost exclusively happens around putts, typically very short ones, whereby a player can concede to his opponent and allow them to pick up the ball and win the hole.The most legendary such instance occurred in 1969, when Jack Nicklaus conceded a short putt to Tony Jacklin, confirming the first tie in Ryder Cup history. “The Concession” has since been heralded as a display of supreme sportsmanship, though US captain Sam Snead was not best pleased.”When it happened, all the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt,” Snead would later remark. “We went over there to win, not to be good ol’ boys.”Who is playing?Six players qualify automatically for each team based on ranking points accumulated through seasonal performances, with wins at the four majors giving out the most points.The remaining six slots on either side are left to the captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.Team USACaptain: Keegan BradleyAutomatic qualifiers: Scottie Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, Bryson DeChambeauCaptain’s pick: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam BurnsTeam EuropeCaptain: Luke DonaldAutomatic qualifiers: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Tommy Fleetwood (England), Justin Rose (England), Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark), Tyrrell Hatton (England)Captain’s picks: Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Sepp Straka (Austrian), Viktor Hovland (Norway), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Matt Fitzpatrick (England)What happened last time?Look away now, American readers.A spirited Sunday fightback proved too little too late as Team USA fell to a 16.5 – 11.5 defeat in Italy, the hosts tearing out of the blocks to avenge a record-breaking 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.American captain Zach Johnson had faced criticism before a ball had even been struck at Marco Simone, with none of his six captain’s picks ultimately registering a winning record in Rome.Some Saturday evening drama did seem to spark an American response, with McIlroy having been incensed by the celebrations of US caddie Joe LaCava following a key putt for Cantlay.It led to an angry confrontation in the course parking lot and, although resolved over text, provides a juicy subplot heading into the next chapter of a storied rivalry this week.
CNN —
What are foursomes, who is playing, and why on earth is that rather inebriated spectator cosplaying as George Washington? The Ryder Cup can be a dizzying beast to wrap your head around if you’re not a seasoned golf enthusiast.
In such headspinning circumstances, it’s helpful to start with the basics.
Video above: Golf fans celebrate Ryder Cup victory in 2021
So without further ado, here’s a drive through the format so you can get up to speed before tee off at New York’s Bethpage Black Golf Course on Friday.
What is the Ryder Cup?
Launched in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament that pits the best golfers from the United States and Europe against each other in a battle for bragging rights and a shiny gold trophy.
That wasn’t always the setup: for the first 50 years, it was strictly Team USA versus Team Great Britain (renamed Great Britain & Ireland between 1973 and 1977). The problem was, it wasn’t much of a spectacle, with the U.S. winning all but four of the first 22 tournaments.
To even the odds, the Great Britain and Ireland selection pool was expanded to include the wider continent from 1979. It worked: Team Europe have won 12 of the 22 tournaments held since, losing nine times and tying once (more on that shortly).
Hosting privileges rotate each time, with Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, the arena for the 45th edition of the tournament after Rome’s Marco Simone Golf Club staged the 2023 contest.
Winning away is no easy feat. Team USA’s defeat in Italy extended their winless run across the pond to a minimum of 34 years, while Team Europe have not tasted victory on American soil since a comeback for the ages in Illinois back in 2012.
How do you win?
Like most team sports, the side with the most points at the end wins. Sounds straightforward enough, but Ryder Cup scoring is a little more nuanced.
While regular season events like The Masters run according to stroke play – whereby the player who navigates the course in the fewest number of ball hits triumphs – the Ryder Cup is a three-day match play competition.
That means players are competing to “win” individual holes, rather than shoot the lowest overall score across the course. Win more holes than your opponent across an 18-hole match and you score a point for your team. If the match ends in a tie, each team receives half a point.
With 28 total points up for grabs – eight apiece for foursomes and fourballs sessions across the first two days, and 12 for each Sunday singles matchup – the first team to nudge past the 14-point mark is crowned champion.
In the rare event of an overall tie, the trophy is retained by the previous champion. Only twice in Ryder Cup history has this occurred, with the U.S. and Europe each retaining their crown in 1969 and 1989, respectively.
What are foursomes?
Friday and Saturday morning will be the time for foursomes, a format in which teams of two take alternate shots of the same ball until each hole is complete.
For example, Scottie Scheffler could tee off, but his American playing partner would be the one playing from wherever the world No. 1’s drive landed. Teammates alternate hitting tee shots, so Scheffler’s partner would begin the next hole.
Whichever pair finds the cup in the fewest strokes wins that hole, with the hole tied if both teams manage it in the same number of strokes. The winner of the most holes clinches the match and a point for the overall scoreboard, with a tied match rewarding each side with half a point.
You may see results listed like “won 4&3,” which would – in that case – mean a pair was four holes up with three holes to play and, as a result, could not be caught.
Scheffler and Brooks Koepka made unwanted history in Italy two years ago when they were obliterated 9&7 by Scandinavian duo Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, the largest margin of victory for any 18-hole match in Ryder Cup history.
What are fourballs?
The first two afternoons belong to the fourballs.
Again, this is played in pairs and scored like foursomes, but this time players strictly hit their own ball as opposed to alternating shots: four balls are in play at the same time. The player with the lowest score wins that hole for his team.
It is up to the home captain to decide which format will be played first, with new US lead Keegan Bradley opting to kick off proceedings with foursomes for the third successive tournament.
Captains also have the critical power to choose which players to pair together, an intricate dance of team chemistry and opposition matchup that can make or break a Ryder Cup bid.
European captain Luke Donald, retaining the armband after leading his side to triumph in Rome, has an advantage in that sense, with just one change to his champion roster: Rasmus Hojgaard in for his twin Nicolai.
AP
Europe’s Rasmus Højgaard chips to the green during a practice round at the Ryder Cup golf tournament
By contrast, only six players from that defeated Team USA lineup return: Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns and Justin Thomas.
What are singles matches?
Sunday is dedicated solely to the singles matches, 12 tense shootouts contested by one member of each team.
Usual match play rules apply, with the player who scores lowest on each hole taking that hole in the race to secure crucial late points.
Expect drama aplenty, with Sundays staging many of the greatest moments in Ryder Cup history, from The Battle of Brookline in 1999 to The Miracle of Medinah in 2012.
It is worth noting that, in match play, players have the option to “concede” a hole. This almost exclusively happens around putts, typically very short ones, whereby a player can concede to his opponent and allow them to pick up the ball and win the hole.
The most legendary such instance occurred in 1969, when Jack Nicklaus conceded a short putt to Tony Jacklin, confirming the first tie in Ryder Cup history. “The Concession” has since been heralded as a display of supreme sportsmanship, though US captain Sam Snead was not best pleased.
“When it happened, all the boys thought it was ridiculous to give him that putt,” Snead would later remark. “We went over there to win, not to be good ol’ boys.”
Who is playing?
Six players qualify automatically for each team based on ranking points accumulated through seasonal performances, with wins at the four majors giving out the most points.
AP
United States captain Keegan Bradley points on the 16th hole during a practice round at the Ryder Cup golf tournament.
The remaining six slots on either side are left to the captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.
Captain’s pick: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns
Team Europe
Captain: Luke Donald
Automatic qualifiers: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), Tommy Fleetwood (England), Justin Rose (England), Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark), Tyrrell Hatton (England)
Captain’s picks: Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Sepp Straka (Austrian), Viktor Hovland (Norway), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Matt Fitzpatrick (England)
What happened last time?
Look away now, American readers.
A spirited Sunday fightback proved too little too late as Team USA fell to a 16.5 – 11.5 defeat in Italy, the hosts tearing out of the blocks to avenge a record-breaking 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.
American captain Zach Johnson had faced criticism before a ball had even been struck at Marco Simone, with none of his six captain’s picks ultimately registering a winning record in Rome.
Some Saturday evening drama did seem to spark an American response, with McIlroy having been incensed by the celebrations of US caddie Joe LaCava following a key putt for Cantlay.
The Sacramento Republic FC will have the chance to raise a cup before the season ends.The club will compete in the final of the USL Jägermeister Cup against the Hartford Athletic at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park on Oct. 4. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday. The USL Cup began in 2024, featuring USL League One teams, which is a division below the Republic’s USL Championship. This year, all USL Championship teams joined the inter-league competition. For the Republic, the final will represent the first championship opportunity in Sacramento since the team won its league cup a decade ago in its inaugural season. Sacramento also made the final of another inter-season tournament, the U.S. Open Cup in 2022. That tournament featured the Republic besting three higher division Major League Soccer teams before losing in Orlando in the final. Captain Rodrigo “RoRo” López has been with Sacramento Republic FC for all three milestone moments. “We have the best fans in the league,” he said. “This is the best organization in the league and to be able to host the cup final is just very special for me, in particular. I’ve been here since the beginning and I was able to lift the cup and so many years have gone by and this club deserves more.” The Republic’s run in the USL Jägermeister Cup this year has succeeded in large part due to the performance of backup goalkeeper Jared Mazzola, who provided key saves in the last two matches, including when both went to penalties. “It’s been really, really fun being able to step into the role that is laid out for me,” Mazzola said. “So being able to do my part and help the team get to the final is really important and something that I hold in a high regard.” Meanwhile, the Republic remain in second place in their Western Conference in league play with just seven matches left in the regular season.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Sacramento Republic FC will have the chance to raise a cup before the season ends.
The club will compete in the final of the USL Jägermeister Cup against the Hartford Athletic at Cal Expo’s Heart Health Park on Oct. 4. Tickets went on sale on Tuesday.
The USL Cup began in 2024, featuring USL League One teams, which is a division below the Republic’s USL Championship. This year, all USL Championship teams joined the inter-league competition.
For the Republic, the final will represent the first championship opportunity in Sacramento since the team won its league cup a decade ago in its inaugural season.
Sacramento also made the final of another inter-season tournament, the U.S. Open Cup in 2022. That tournament featured the Republic besting three higher division Major League Soccer teams before losing in Orlando in the final.
Captain Rodrigo “RoRo” López has been with Sacramento Republic FC for all three milestone moments.
“We have the best fans in the league,” he said. “This is the best organization in the league and to be able to host the cup final is just very special for me, in particular. I’ve been here since the beginning and I was able to lift the cup and so many years have gone by and this club deserves more.”
The Republic’s run in the USL Jägermeister Cup this year has succeeded in large part due to the performance of backup goalkeeper Jared Mazzola, who provided key saves in the last two matches, including when both went to penalties.
“It’s been really, really fun being able to step into the role that is laid out for me,” Mazzola said. “So being able to do my part and help the team get to the final is really important and something that I hold in a high regard.”
Meanwhile, the Republic remain in second place in their Western Conference in league play with just seven matches left in the regular season.
FLOOD MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE. WELL, HAPPENING TODAY, BIG MACHINERY IS GOING TO BE ROLLING INTO THE RAILYARDS AS CREWS ARE STARTING TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NEW SOCCER STADIUM TO TRANSFORM A LONG NEGLECTED AREA. EXCITING TIME. MELANIE WINGO IS LIVE AT THE RAILYARDS NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE UPDATED TIMELINE ON THIS PROJECT. GOOD MORNING. WE’RE SEEING SIGNS THAT WORK IS GOING TO BE GETTING UNDERWAY TODAY. TAKE A LOOK. THEY’VE OPENED THE GATE HERE JUST AS THE SUN IS STARTING TO RISE. WE’RE POINTED TOWARD THE EAST. HERE AT THE RAILYARDS. THE GROUNDWORK, YOU COULD SAY, IS BEING LAID FOR THAT NEW SOCCER STADIUM. AS THE TEAM ANNOUNCED THAT GROUND PREPARATION HERE AT THE RAIL YARDS IS GOING TO GET UNDERWAY THIS MORNING. SAC REPUBLIC FC SAYS THE FIRST PIECES OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT ARE SET TO ARRIVE HERE ON SITE IN JUST ABOUT A HALF HOUR. THAT EQUIPMENT WILL BE UNLOADED, SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE CLUB TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON ITS NEW HOME. YOU MAY RECALL OUR MIKE TESELLE WAS OUT HERE IN AUGUST AS REPUBLIC FC CELEBRATED WHAT IT CALLED A HISTORIC GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. THIS PROJECT AND VISION REALLY HAS BEEN 12 YEARS PLUS IN THE MAKING. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, THINGS REALLY GETTING INTO HIGH GEAR WITH PLANS AND RENDERINGS FOR THE NEW STADIUM BEING RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. WHEN ALL IS COMPLETE, THE STADIUM SHOULD HOLD AROUND 12,000 FANS, WITH OF COURSE, POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION. ACCORDING TO THE TEAM. THE TEAM TELLING KCRA THREE THE JOURNEY TO GET HERE HASN’T BEEN EASY, BUT IT IS ALL GOING TO BE WORTH IT IN THE END. AND BACK OUT HERE LIVE. REPUBLIC FC SAYS THAT VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION ON THE STADIUM ITSELF IS SET TO BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING OF 2026. SO WE’RE JUST A COUPLE MONTHS AWAY FROM THAT. AGAIN, THAT HEAVY EQUIPMENT SET TO ARRIVE AT ABOUT 630. SO SET YOUR WATCHES 20 MINUTES FROM NOW. WE’LL SEE THOSE BIG PIECES COMING IN. REPORTING LIVE IN THE RAILYARDS THIS MORNING. MELANIE WINGO KCRA. THERE ARE PEOPLE THA
Ground preparation starting at Republic FC stadium site
Heavy equipment moving into Railyards area Friday.
Work to get a soccer stadium in Sacramento is one step closer to becoming a reality as Sacramento Republic FC announced ground preparation is going to happen at the Railyards area starting Friday morning.The first pieces of heavy equipment are set to arrive at the Railyards, according to the team, and then the machinery will be unloaded at the site — setting the stage for the club to begin construction on its new home.In August, Republic FC celebrated what the team called its historic groundbreaking ceremony.This is a project and a vision more than 12 years in the making with things moving into high gear over the past year with plans and renderings for the new stadium being released publicly.When all is complete, the stadium should hold around 12,000 fans with the potential for expansion.The team told KCRA 3 in recent weeks that the journey to get here hasn’t been easy, but that it’s all going to be worth it.Republic FC said it expects vertical construction on the stadium to begin in early 2026.The team has said its goal is for play to begin at the new stadium as early as the 2027 season.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Work to get a soccer stadium in Sacramento is one step closer to becoming a reality as Sacramento Republic FC announced ground preparation is going to happen at the Railyards area starting Friday morning.
The first pieces of heavy equipment are set to arrive at the Railyards, according to the team, and then the machinery will be unloaded at the site — setting the stage for the club to begin construction on its new home.
This is a project and a vision more than 12 years in the making with things moving into high gear over the past year with plans and renderings for the new stadium being released publicly.
When all is complete, the stadium should hold around 12,000 fans with the potential for expansion.
The team told KCRA 3 in recent weeks that the journey to get here hasn’t been easy, but that it’s all going to be worth it.
Republic FC said it expects vertical construction on the stadium to begin in early 2026.
The team has said its goal is for play to begin at the new stadium as early as the 2027 season.
Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in the dead of the night in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government.The 6.0 magnitude quake late Sunday hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province, causing extensive damage.The quake at 11:47 p.m. was centered 17 miles east-northeast of Jalalabad, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was just 5 miles deep. Shallower quakes tend to cause more damage. Several aftershocks followed.Footage showed rescuers taking injured people on stretchers from collapsed buildings and into helicopters as people frantically dug through rubble with their hands.The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at a press conference Monday that the death toll had risen to at least 800 with more than 2,500 injured. He said most of the casualties were in Kunar.Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood. Many are poorly built.One resident in Nurgal district, one of the worst-affected areas in Kunar, said nearly the entire village was destroyed.“Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble,” said the villager, who did not give his name.“We need help here,” he pleaded. “We need people to come here and join us. Let us pull out the people who are buried. There is no one who can come and remove dead bodies from under the rubble.”Homes collapsed and people screamed for helpEastern Afghanistan is mountainous, with remote areas.The quake has worsened communications. Blocked roads are forcing aid workers to walk four or five hours to reach survivors. Dozens of flights have operated in and out of Nangarhar Airport, transporting the injured to hospital.One survivor described seeing homes collapse before his eyes and people screaming for help.Sadiqullah, who lives in the Maza Dara area of Nurgal, said he was woken by a deep boom that sounded like a storm approaching. Like many Afghans, he uses only one name.He ran to where his children were sleeping and rescued three of them. He was about to return to grab the rest of his family when the room fell on top of him.“I was half-buried and unable to get out,” he told The Associated Press by phone from Nangarhar Hospital. “My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out.”It felt like the whole mountain was shaking, he said.Rescue operations were underway and medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital Kabul have arrived in the area, said Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry spokesman.Zaman said many areas had not been able to report casualty figures and that “the numbers were expected to change” as deaths and injuries are reported. The chief spokesman, Mujahid, said helicopters had reached some areas but road travel was difficult.“There are some villages where the injured and dead haven’t been recovered from the rubble, so that’s why the numbers may increase,” he told journalists.The tremors were felt in neighboring PakistanFilippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the earthquake intensified existing humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan and urged international donors to support relief efforts.“This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries,” Grandi wrote on the social media platform X. “Hopefully the donor community will not hesitate to support relief efforts.”A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2023, followed by strong aftershocks. The Taliban government estimated at least 4,000 people perished in that quake.The U.N. gave a far lower death toll of about 1,500. It was the deadliest natural disaster to strike Afghanistan in recent memory.The latest earthquake was likely to “dwarf the scale of the humanitarian needs” caused by the disaster of 2023, according to the International Rescue Committee.Entire roads and communities have been cut off from accessing nearby towns or hospitals and 2,000 casualties were reported within the first 12 hours, said Sherine Ibrahim, the country director for the aid agency.“Although we have been able to act fast, we are profoundly fearful for the additional strain this will have on the overall humanitarian response in Afghanistan,” said Ibrahim. ” Global funding cuts have dramatically hampered our ability to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.”Sunday night’s quake was felt in parts of Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad. There were no reports of casualties or damage.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened by events in Afghanistan. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are ready to extend all possible support in this regard,” he said on the social platform X.Pakistan has expelled tens of thousands of Afghans in the past year, many of them living in the country for decades as refugees.At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan so far this year, according to a June report by UNHCR.
KABUL, Afghanistan —
Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in the dead of the night in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government.
The 6.0 magnitude quake late Sunday hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province, causing extensive damage.
The quake at 11:47 p.m. was centered 17 miles east-northeast of Jalalabad, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was just 5 miles deep. Shallower quakes tend to cause more damage. Several aftershocks followed.
Footage showed rescuers taking injured people on stretchers from collapsed buildings and into helicopters as people frantically dug through rubble with their hands.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at a press conference Monday that the death toll had risen to at least 800 with more than 2,500 injured. He said most of the casualties were in Kunar.
Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood. Many are poorly built.
One resident in Nurgal district, one of the worst-affected areas in Kunar, said nearly the entire village was destroyed.
“Children are under the rubble. The elderly are under the rubble. Young people are under the rubble,” said the villager, who did not give his name.
“We need help here,” he pleaded. “We need people to come here and join us. Let us pull out the people who are buried. There is no one who can come and remove dead bodies from under the rubble.”
Homes collapsed and people screamed for help
Eastern Afghanistan is mountainous, with remote areas.
The quake has worsened communications. Blocked roads are forcing aid workers to walk four or five hours to reach survivors. Dozens of flights have operated in and out of Nangarhar Airport, transporting the injured to hospital.
One survivor described seeing homes collapse before his eyes and people screaming for help.
Sadiqullah, who lives in the Maza Dara area of Nurgal, said he was woken by a deep boom that sounded like a storm approaching. Like many Afghans, he uses only one name.
He ran to where his children were sleeping and rescued three of them. He was about to return to grab the rest of his family when the room fell on top of him.
“I was half-buried and unable to get out,” he told The Associated Press by phone from Nangarhar Hospital. “My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out.”
It felt like the whole mountain was shaking, he said.
Rescue operations were underway and medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital Kabul have arrived in the area, said Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry spokesman.
Zaman said many areas had not been able to report casualty figures and that “the numbers were expected to change” as deaths and injuries are reported. The chief spokesman, Mujahid, said helicopters had reached some areas but road travel was difficult.
“There are some villages where the injured and dead haven’t been recovered from the rubble, so that’s why the numbers may increase,” he told journalists.
The tremors were felt in neighboring Pakistan
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the earthquake intensified existing humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan and urged international donors to support relief efforts.
“This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries,” Grandi wrote on the social media platform X. “Hopefully the donor community will not hesitate to support relief efforts.”
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2023, followed by strong aftershocks. The Taliban government estimated at least 4,000 people perished in that quake.
The U.N. gave a far lower death toll of about 1,500. It was the deadliest natural disaster to strike Afghanistan in recent memory.
The latest earthquake was likely to “dwarf the scale of the humanitarian needs” caused by the disaster of 2023, according to the International Rescue Committee.
Entire roads and communities have been cut off from accessing nearby towns or hospitals and 2,000 casualties were reported within the first 12 hours, said Sherine Ibrahim, the country director for the aid agency.
“Although we have been able to act fast, we are profoundly fearful for the additional strain this will have on the overall humanitarian response in Afghanistan,” said Ibrahim. ” Global funding cuts have dramatically hampered our ability to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.”
Sunday night’s quake was felt in parts of Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened by events in Afghanistan. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are ready to extend all possible support in this regard,” he said on the social platform X.
Pakistan has expelled tens of thousands of Afghans in the past year, many of them living in the country for decades as refugees.
At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan so far this year, according to a June report by UNHCR.
More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s eastern region on Sunday, according to state-run media.Rescue workers have been mobilized in several districts of the mountainous region, near the Pakistan border, but there are fears the death toll could rise further.Relief teams have struggled to reach some of the more remote communities and their progress has been hampered by landslides, reported the Taliban’s state-run Bakhtar News Agency (BNA).The earthquake hit just before midnight, 27 kilometers (16.77 miles) north-east of Jalalabad, a city of about 200,000 people in Nangarhar Province, and at a depth of 8km (4.97 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).On Monday, local officials said at least 250 people had been killed and more than 500 others injured in several districts of the mountainous northeastern Kunar province, BNA reported.”The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.Nearly half a million people likely felt strong to very strong shaking, which can result in considerable damage to poorly built structures, according to the USGS.Ahmad Zameer, 41, a resident in Kabul, told CNN the earthquake was strong and jolted his neighborhood more than 100 miles from the epicenter. He added that everyone from the nearby apartment buildings rushed to the street in fear of being trapped inside.”Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has had human casualties and financial damages in some of our eastern provinces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X.”Right now, local officials and residents are making all the efforts to rescue affected ones. Support teams from the capital and nearby provinces are also on their way. All available resources will be used for the rescue and relief of the people,” he added.The earthquake was also felt in several cities in neighboring Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said in a statement.The region was hit by at least five aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.2-magnitude in the hours after the initial quake, according to USGS.An orange alert was issued by the USGS PAGER system, which predicts economic and human loss after earthquakes.”Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,” it said.Afghanistan has a long history of earthquakes, many of which happen in the mountainous Hindu Kush region that borders Pakistan. In October 2023, more than 2,000 people died after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan – one of the deadliest quakes to hit the country in recent years.This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN —
More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s eastern regionon Sunday, according to state-run media.
Rescue workers have been mobilized in several districts of the mountainous region, near the Pakistan border, but there are fears the death toll could rise further.
Relief teams have struggled to reach some of the more remote communities and their progress has been hampered by landslides, reported the Taliban’s state-run Bakhtar News Agency (BNA).
The earthquake hit just before midnight, 27 kilometers (16.77 miles) north-east of Jalalabad, a city of about 200,000 people in Nangarhar Province, and at a depth of 8km (4.97 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
On Monday, local officials said at least 250 people had been killed and more than 500 others injured in several districts of the mountainous northeastern Kunar province, BNA reported.
“The number of casualties and injuries is high, but since the area is difficult to access, our teams are still on site,” health ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman said in a statement, according to Reuters news agency.
Aimal Zahir/AFP/Getty Images
An injured Afghan man receives treatment at a hospital after an earthquake in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad on September 1, 2025.
Nearly half a million people likely felt strong to very strong shaking, which can result in considerable damage to poorly built structures, according to the USGS.
Ahmad Zameer, 41, a resident in Kabul, told CNN the earthquake was strong and jolted his neighborhood more than 100 miles from the epicenter. He added that everyone from the nearby apartment buildings rushed to the street in fear of being trapped inside.
“Unfortunately, tonight’s earthquake has had human casualties and financial damages in some of our eastern provinces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid posted on X.
“Right now, local officials and residents are making all the efforts to rescue affected ones. Support teams from the capital and nearby provinces are also on their way. All available resources will be used for the rescue and relief of the people,” he added.
The earthquake was also felt in several cities in neighboring Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said in a statement.
The region was hit by at least five aftershocks, the strongest measuring 5.2-magnitude in the hours after the initial quake, according to USGS.
An orange alert was issued by the USGS PAGER system, which predicts economic and human loss after earthquakes.
“Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,” it said.
Afghanistan has a long history of earthquakes, many of which happen in the mountainous Hindu Kush region that borders Pakistan. In October 2023, more than 2,000 people died after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan – one of the deadliest quakes to hit the country in recent years.
August Wildfire Ready special: Evacuation tips, fire simulation programs and detecting lightning
New fires starting every day. These winds are flowing out of the west. They’re pushing the flames away from the fire as lightning strikes in the foothills are sparking more fire concerns, and your family needs to be ready. There’s some nerves about evacuation response in the Tahoe Basin. KCRA 3 meteorologists are. Conditions outside fire behavior. If this fire is hot enough, it can push that cloud even higher. How to protect your property? But you just want to braided it so that it’s attached to their hair. Take time now to think about what’s most important to you that you want to take with you in an instant, and brand new tools that could save lives. We will implement that seek and destroy mission in *** KCRA 3 wildfire ready special. Welcome and thank you for joining us for our KR 3 wildfire ready special. We’re in the heart of wildfire season in Northern California, and so far it’s been *** quiet year, but we all know that the next big fire could ignite any day. The entire KCRA 3 weather team is here with the information you and your loved ones need to know, and we know, Heather, fires can start anytime, anywhere. Do you know how to get alerts for evacuations? Well, here’s some important tips. Each county in California has an alert program. You can sign up for if you work in one county but live in another, you should sign up for both. Scan the QR code for the list of alert programs. Another good thing to do is during *** fire, check your county sheriff and Office of Emergency Management social media pages. How about in the middle of the night? And what if your power goes out? Coming up later, I’ll show you *** tool that could provide *** life saving alert. Right now, fuels in the foothills in the Sierra are as dry as they can be. And when monsoon moisture comes up from the south, we get the risk for lightning fires. Lightning is the only natural cause of wildfire in California, but it can also cause the fires that are the hardest to put out. According to the National Science Foundation, 70% of all the acreage burned in the West is because of *** lightning fire. Coming up in *** few minutes, I’m going to show you the brand new sensors that were just installed in the Tahoe area that can help fire agencies detect *** lightning fire in seconds. Even without lightning, weather has *** big influence on our fire risk. Every day our team looks at wind, humidity, and fuel moisture to help you prepare for that risk with our fire threat index. The QR code on your screen will take you to that index at KCRA.com. One thing you can do right now is plan your evacuation route, and if you have young drivers at home, make sure they know the turns without using navigation and make sure that your go bag is ready with everything you and your animals need. Some of the things included in that list. Make sure you have *** 3 day supply of food and water. Make sure that you have *** first aid kit and make sure you have all of your prescriptions and medications. If you want to see the full list, we’ve got that online on our wildfire ready guide, and you can use our app to learn about fires burning near you. So far this year, more than 354,000 acres have burned on state and federally managed land. That is higher than the. 5 year average for this same time period and this year started off with two of the three most destructive fires in state history, showing just how severe that ongoing threat can be. Coming up, I’ll show you how wildfire simulations are helping Cal Fire learn about past fires, battle current ones, and prevent future blazes. Now to the Tahoe area where experts are using *** new network of lightning sensors to help prevent destructive fires. Lightning fires start in some of the most remote spots in California, so it can take days to see smoke. By then, *** fire could be out of control. Now the Tahoe Basin is home to *** network of sensors that can detect *** lightning strike within 100 ft and then alert firefighters in less than *** minute. This is one of those sensors positioned at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. There are 2 metal plates. It’s one of 9 keeping watch for high risk lightning in the Tahoe Basin. Basically, lightning will disturb this electromagnetic field, and it’ll be able to pinpoint where it was based off of that. It was developed by the Fire Neural Network team. The group got its start in Florida, the lightning capital of the United States. Its purpose is based on one big idea. Not all lightning is created. FNN’s Caroline Cummo says that *** strike lasting just 0.2 million. lids, the blink of an eye is enough to ignite *** wildfire. The strike is touching the ground 1000 times longer than normal strikes. FNN sensors single out those lightning strikes, then use data on fuel type in recent weather to predict the potential for an ignition. The data end up here in *** color coded dashboard. These big red dots are considered the high risk strikes. Cal Fire will get alerts and coordinates to within 100 ft for any high risk strikes. That’s going to be substantial on us, not only fire suppression efforts, but stocking that response up appropriately. Battalion Chief Nathan Ment says it’s the randomness of lightning that creates the biggest challenges. Lightning doesn’t. To land next to *** road necessarily right it’s that access. FNN sensors can alert them of *** threat in just 40 seconds. That alert process happens and then the human element can come in at that point, validate, verify, send resources if need be, instead of waiting for smoke, which could take days. Snow Lab lead scientist Dr. Andrew Schwartz says that’s exactly why he wanted to help bring the. And sensors to the region. Hopefully the sensor network gets away from that waiting game and becomes we can become *** little bit more proactive. Cal Fire says it uses every tool at its disposal to fight these remote lightning fires, but it’s always on the public to be aware of the risk and to be ready this time of year. If you are informed or if you gather intel or information that there is *** lightning fire. Uh, don’t wait for the evacuation warning or order to come. If *** fire starts nearby, you may need to leave at *** moment’s notice, but how can you make sure you get the warning, especially if it happens *** fire overnight. Take *** look at this important tool that could save lives. If *** fire starts in the middle of the night, do you know where to get your warning information? Sure, *** phone, that’s *** great tool, but what happens if your phone, it’s in silent mode, it’s turned off, or worse yet, Your power goes out. This NOAA weather radio is going to be one of your best tools to stay informed during *** wildfire. If there was an active alert, you would hear it out of the radio here. Right now, of course it’s just delivering *** forecast, but if there was an active alert, it would be followed with information from the National Weather Service for your region or your county on ***. Exactly what to do and where to go next. If you are deaf or hard of hearing or have *** low or reduced vision, there are two other great options to alert you, especially when you need information quickly. The strobe light, which attaches to the alerts issued from the NOAA weather radio, this would flash brightly to alert you to wake up and get out if you needed to. Then there’s also the pillow shaker, which is *** great option, which you can actually put under your pillow, and this would shake to let you know that an alert has been issued for your county. Getting access to vital information, this is going to be one of the best ways to do it through the NOAA weather radio. This is good to go to give you all of the access to updates and information, especially when *** wildfire is threatening. Earlier we mentioned those important things that you should pack in your go bag, but there may be other important heirlooms that you want to keep safe. Kelly Curran shows us how to make sure your family memories are preserved here at KCRA. We know *** thing or two about digitizing videos. We’re currently in the process of uploading our archives. It’s certainly time consuming, but there are services available to do it for you. I. It can be very costly and time consuming, so that’s why *** lot of people would just bring it here, let us take care of it for them, take away that that hassle and headache. Mike’s camera in Midtown Sacramento sees customers requesting to digitize every day, and it’s not just photos. We do digitize photographs like physical photos. We can digitize slides, negatives of all sizes, video tapes, VHS, reels, um, many DBs. You can organize your photos and negatives or just. Throw them all in *** box and deal with it later. We do offer *** service called *** Gather box for photographs, so that’s *** box that you buy from us. You fill it all up as much as possible, um. Sometimes you can fit up to like 1000 4x6s in there. Bring that back to us and we can have that done for you in about 3 to 4 days. Typically customers request flash drives. You can get more than one to share with family or friends for safekeeping or skip the hard copy entirely so you won’t waste time looking for it in an emergency. We can send things through email so you can save them into your cloud in case you can’t find the physical flash drives or CDs, Kelly Curran, KCR 3 News. Prices for digitizing photos in one of the gather boxes provided by Mike’s camera can range from $250 to $350 depending on the quality. When we come back, how agencies are using simulation programs to better prepare for fires, plus those huge clouds you see during fires, we’re going to explain what those are and how they form. Playing with fire, it’s *** new way to fight it. Fire management agencies are relying more on simulation programs to better understand fire behavior. Meteorologist Ophelia Young sits through *** simulation with fire officials in Tahoe. I’m in Golden Bear, South Lake Tahoe, *** subdivision of 150 to 200 homes. There’s one way in and one way out. What could happen if *** fire were to spark right there. You’re showing up. You got 8 acres. What are you thinking right now? Battalion Chief Brett Swingen is thinking one of three things that’s life, property, or environment. In this fire. There’s *** lot of homes, *** lot of people in that area, *** lot of life. So our number one priority is evacuations and getting people out, right? Life before property. Now where to evacuate this area down here is not really. Threatened. I’m not gonna maybe do evacuation orders down there more so up here and forecasting where this is gonna go. He plugs three main factors into this simulation program fuel, topography, and weather. The fuels are shrubs, grasses, needle cast. This is really receptive for embers and ember casts and things like that that can really impact control efforts in the fire. The topography kind of come in this uh to the north northeast already and then the wind pushing that that way as well. And speaking of those winds right now this has *** 60 mile an hour wind on it. Very bad day to have *** fire in that area. Assistant Chief Brian Newman says this simulation helps determine their next steps. Where are we going to be able to organize and direct resources? Trucks. Bulldozers And or aircraft. Is the amount of resources that we have arriving at scene and responding, is that enough? And where to position them? Who will position them? Just this fire alone you would have Lake Valley Fire District, the city, South Lake Ta Fire and Rescue. Uh, Tahoe Management unit or the US Forest Service and Cal Fire would all have *** piece on this fire. Now 7 hours, 700 acres still burning northeast. These streets all have multiple homes on them. But then this is heading towards heavenly, and now this fire is burning into the mountains. The strategy changes and. So does the conversation. Now *** new challenge. So there are no roads up here. It’s very steep terrain, heavy fuels, and as you get in this upper elevations, the wind starts to impact it more so the rates of spread increase the intensity of the fire. They may need *** new simulation. They’ve got one in seconds. multiple simulations over and over. Before these plug and play fire simulation programs, Chief Newman would use *** sandbox to physically model *** fire. It took *** lot of math and time they often didn’t have. Now Chief Newman and Sweringen produce simulations regularly for evacuations. Leadership and teamwork exercises to planning where to reduce fuels, whether *** fire sparks right there, right now or later. No fire is the same, no incidents the same, right? Evacuation orders are always going to be different, different areas, fire is gonna burn differently from South Lake Tahoe, Ophelia Young, KCRA 3 News. Fire chiefs look forward to the next step in wildfire simulation technology, which is integrating artificial intelligence and real-time satellite images that will happen in the next few years. Now we often talk about weather and how it can influence *** wildfire, but sometimes the most intense fires create weather of their own. Meteorologist Dirk Ver Dorn joins us now to explain pyrocumulonimbus clouds and the erratic conditions that come with them. The making of *** pyro cumulonimbus cloud. The source is going to be *** little different here of lift, and that’s where the pyro part comes in. You have the fire that’s associated with this cloud. cumulo means the heap, and then you have nimbus, which means the rain that’s associated with it. So we have our fire. That’s going to be the source of lift. You have the air that’s being pulled up. You have all these gasses and smoke that are rising up because they’re warmer than the surrounding air, so you get the column of smoke associated with this. Now if this fire is hot enough, it can push that cloud even higher and it develops into, well, you have the water vapor that’s in the surrounding air that starts to lock on to all those particulates, and there’s *** lot of particulates to lock onto when you have *** column of smoke, but still it cools, it condenses, and it can even get to the point. If the fire is strong enough where you, you can have some rain associated with this, and again, even the possibility of some lightning associated with this that can actually create thunderstorms. Now the good thing about this, and there’s been cases where this has happened where the rain has actually helped to put out the fire. The problem though is if you have lightning, that can actually be *** problem because it could cause more fires to start. Now here we have *** pyrocumulus cloud and you can see the column of smoke from the fire rising up to *** point where the air. starts to cool and the smoke starts to dissipate in different directions, but there’s *** hot spot that has created enough lift where we’re getting this cauliflower looking cloud on top. That’s the pyrocumulus cloud, the cloud that’s caused by fire. Now this is not *** pyro cumulonimbus cloud. There’s no rain associated with it. It’s just *** pyro cumulus cloud. I wanted to show you that. Also what I wanted to talk about was *** change that’s been made. Now in 2017, the World Meteorological Organization. In their international cloud atlas they chose the term cumulonimbus Flamagenitus cloud to describe flame created rain clouds. So let’s go ahead and take *** look at this Flama means fire. Genitis means created. So this is then *** heaped up rain fire created cloud. Well, that’s *** mouthful, but it is descriptive. Coming up, protecting large animals in case of *** fire, the best ways to make sure horses and other animals are safe in some of our rural areas. Evacuating ahead of *** wildfire, it’s stressful, but evacuating with large animals that can make it even more complicated. Certainly can. KCR meteorologist Kelly Kern visited all about equine Animal Rescue to learn some tips on how to get your horses out safely. We see the footage every fire season, horse owners fleeing with full trailers and even horses being set loose to run for their lives. Mary Beth Brown, *** horse owner and volunteer with All About Equi Animal Rescue, is no stranger to evacuating. Always evacuate early. So my recommendation is always, even if you’re in *** warning area. That’s the time to evacuate just like you would do with your family or smaller animals, you want to have *** go bag. If there’s any medications or grains or feed, you wanna make sure that those are packed and ready to go. So again, you know, you kind of just want to make sure that you are prepared. So if you have *** trailer, you can keep that packed, keep that stock and practice. You definitely want to practice at home because when it’s not an emergency, if you’re having problems, it’s guaranteed you will have problems when the emergency arises because you’re stressed, they’re stressed, they don’t know what’s going on. And know where you’re going before fire season line up, find *** friend, find *** boarding stable, find somewhere that you know if you have to pick up in the middle of the night. You can call on your way. Unfortunately, wildfires can move faster than you can evacuate. Time for Plan B. Set them loose. There’s many reasons that you may not. Be able to remove the animal from the situation. In that case, while you still have control of the animal, you, you want to put identifiers on him. So the best case scenario would be ahead of time get your horse microchipped just like you would *** cat or *** dog. You can also use *** Sharpie to write your phone number on their hoof or use livestock paint markers to identify your horse. You can any type of tag, so *** key ring. Um, cattle ear tags, which you can get at your local feed store, but you just want to braid it in so that it’s attached to their hair, and then you can use the rubber band, you can use athletic tape, whatever it is to, to tie it off. Freeze brands like these can be used to identify your. when it’s located after the fire. Brown says no matter what, the horse community in California has each other’s backs. The community is here for you, especially in times of need, because everybody knows it could be them at some point. Kelly Curran, KR 3 News. If you must set your horse loose, remove halters and tack that could snag on trees, as well as nylon halters and fly masks that could melt in the heat. Also have copies of ownership documents as well as photos of your horses to prove they’re yours. Thank you for joining us for our wildfire ready special. Remember we have important evacuation information plus *** list of what to bring in *** go bag on the KCRA 3 app. Have *** good night.
While the Summer is drawing to a close it’s still important to be aware of the dangers of wildfires in California. Some fire officials would argue wildfire season has become year-round for the state, making preparedness more urgent. KCRA 3’s team of meteorologists put together a guide with tips on how to be ready for fires before they happen. The team has also spoken to agencies about developments in technology meant to help with fire prevention and response efforts. Having a ‘Go Bag’ readyA big part of wildfire preparedness is knowing what to take with you if you’re in the area of a burn and having those things readily available. Kelly Curran talked to Cal Fire about what they recommend to have in your ‘Go Bag.’ Some things, such as a first aid kit and water, may seem self explanatory, but there are plenty of other things officials recommend you pack. When it comes to food, deciding what to include can be confusing. You want to look for items that are shelf stable, nutritious and require minimal preparation. Granola bars and canned goods are a great option, but don’t forget to include a can opener in your kit.You also want to have an evacuation route and a map. For more ‘Go Bag’ tips, click here. Tracking lightning capable of starting firesLightning fires are some of the hardest for firefighters to attack directly because they often start in remote areas. It may take days for these fires to be visible. By the time crews reach the head of a fire, it may be too large to quickly contain.Heather Waldman spoke with the Fire Neural Network, the team behind a new network of sensor technology in the Lake Tahoe area that detects lightning capable of starting wildfires. The technology can report the hazard to firefighters in less than a minute. Each of the nine sensors in the Tahoe and Donner summit area can pinpoint a lightning strike to within 100 feet. Once a strike is detected, a built-in computer analyzes its duration along with recent weather and fuel moisture information. AI uses the data collected to determine a level of fire risk, according to FNN. One of the sensors is stationed at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.”I thought it would be an ideal place to put these lightning sensors in the hopes that we can address wildfires before they got too big in the Tahoe Basin,” said Dr. Andrew Schwartz, who helped lead the process of bringing the technology to the region.Read the full story here. Playing with fire to save lives A rapidly advancing technology is becoming an essential tool in understanding and forecasting fire behavior. Cal Fire Amador–El Dorado Unit Battalion Chief Bret Swearengin walked KCRA 3’s Ophelia Young through a wildfire simulation demonstration, explaining how these programs help firefighters quickly make life-saving decisions.The program took the variables and, through an algorithm, simulated a wildfire spreading toward the mountains. This output helps crews decide which neighborhoods to evacuate first and what tactical steps to take next.Read the full story here. Ensuring valuable memories aren’t lost in a fire Safety is always first, and during a wildfire evacuation, you may not have time to grab many family photos on your way out. Digitizing family photos and videos and uploading them to flash drives or into the cloud ahead of fire season can give you peace of mind during an evacuation.One place you can do that: Mike’s Camera in Midtown Sacramento. They can digitize photographs of all sizes, slides, negatives, video tapes and reels.”We do offer a service called a ‘gather box’ for photographs, so that’s a box that you buy from us, fill it all up as much as possible. Sometimes you can fit up to 1,000 4x6s in there. Bring that back to us and we can have that done for you in about three to four days,” Sarah Sheldon, store manager of Mike’s Camera, told Kelly Curran. Read the full story here. | MORE | A 2025 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California | Northern California wildfire resources by county: Find evacuation info, sign up for alertsCal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.Keeping informed when you’ve lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans’ QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.
While the Summer is drawing to a close it’s still important to be aware of the dangers of wildfires in California.
Some fire officials would argue wildfire season has become year-round for the state, making preparedness more urgent.
KCRA 3’s team of meteorologists put together a guide with tips on how to be ready for fires before they happen. The team has also spoken to agencies about developments in technology meant to help with fire prevention and response efforts.
Having a ‘Go Bag’ ready
A big part of wildfire preparedness is knowing what to take with you if you’re in the area of a burn and having those things readily available.
Kelly Curran talked to Cal Fire about what they recommend to have in your ‘Go Bag.’ Some things, such as a first aid kit and water, may seem self explanatory, but there are plenty of other things officials recommend you pack.
When it comes to food, deciding what to include can be confusing. You want to look for items that are shelf stable, nutritious and require minimal preparation. Granola bars and canned goods are a great option, but don’t forget to include a can opener in your kit.
You also want to have an evacuation route and a map.
Lightning fires are some of the hardest for firefighters to attack directly because they often start in remote areas. It may take days for these fires to be visible. By the time crews reach the head of a fire, it may be too large to quickly contain.
Heather Waldman spoke with the Fire Neural Network, the team behind a new network of sensor technology in the Lake Tahoe area that detects lightning capable of starting wildfires. The technology can report the hazard to firefighters in less than a minute.
Each of the nine sensors in the Tahoe and Donner summit area can pinpoint a lightning strike to within 100 feet. Once a strike is detected, a built-in computer analyzes its duration along with recent weather and fuel moisture information.
AI uses the data collected to determine a level of fire risk, according to FNN.
One of the sensors is stationed at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
“I thought it would be an ideal place to put these lightning sensors in the hopes that we can address wildfires before they got too big in the Tahoe Basin,” said Dr. Andrew Schwartz, who helped lead the process of bringing the technology to the region.
A rapidly advancing technology is becoming an essential tool in understanding and forecasting fire behavior.
Cal Fire Amador–El Dorado Unit Battalion Chief Bret Swearengin walked KCRA 3’s Ophelia Young through a wildfire simulation demonstration, explaining how these programs help firefighters quickly make life-saving decisions.
The program took the variables and, through an algorithm, simulated a wildfire spreading toward the mountains. This output helps crews decide which neighborhoods to evacuate first and what tactical steps to take next.
Safety is always first, and during a wildfire evacuation, you may not have time to grab many family photos on your way out.
Digitizing family photos and videos and uploading them to flash drives or into the cloud ahead of fire season can give you peace of mind during an evacuation.
One place you can do that: Mike’s Camera in Midtown Sacramento. They can digitize photographs of all sizes, slides, negatives, video tapes and reels.
“We do offer a service called a ‘gather box’ for photographs, so that’s a box that you buy from us, fill it all up as much as possible. Sometimes you can fit up to 1,000 4x6s in there. Bring that back to us and we can have that done for you in about three to four days,” Sarah Sheldon, store manager of Mike’s Camera, told Kelly Curran.
This Saturday marks Lee Corso’s final appearance on College GameDay, as the longtime broadcaster and Lake Mary resident retires after three decades.His final broadcast will be on Aug. 30, which is Week 1 of the 2025 college football season.Seminole County leaders are proclaiming Tuesday as “Lee Corso Day,” honoring his legacy both on and off the field.Corso, who is now 90, started his broadcasting career in 1987. He spent 28 years as a coach in both college and professional football before moving into broadcasting. During his coaching tenure, he spent 15 years at the collegiate level, working with teams at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois.The Seminole County celebration is starting at 9:30 a.m. WESH 2 will stream the address using the video player above. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This Saturday marks Lee Corso’s final appearance on College GameDay, as the longtime broadcaster and Lake Mary resident retires after three decades.
His final broadcast will be on Aug. 30, which is Week 1 of the 2025 college football season.
Seminole County leaders are proclaiming Tuesday as “Lee Corso Day,” honoring his legacy both on and off the field.
Corso, who is now 90, started his broadcasting career in 1987.
He spent 28 years as a coach in both college and professional football before moving into broadcasting.
During his coaching tenure, he spent 15 years at the collegiate level, working with teams at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois.
The Seminole County celebration is starting at 9:30 a.m. WESH 2 will stream the address using the video player above.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta accused real estate agent Iman Shaghyan this week of increasing the price of a Beverly Hills rental by more than 30% in the days after the Jan. 7 fires. It’s the fourth charge Bonta has filed since price-gouging rules went into effect that prohibit rent hikes of more than 10% after a natural disaster.
“Profiting off Californians’ pain through price gouging is illegal and I will not stand for it,” Bonta said in a news release.
In the weeks after the fires, city officials vowed to crack down on violators as thousands of complaints poured in, with some organizers even compiling spreadsheets documenting the skyrocketing rents. Bonta enlisted teams of lawyers to evaluate complaints, and his office has primarily targeted real estate agents.
But some critics claim that government officials aren’t doing enough to address the rampant price gouging that appeared across the region in the wake of the fires, saying that the charges filed represent only a small fraction of the complaints submitted to the city and state.
“More needs to be done,” said Chelsea Kirk, co-founder of the activist organization the Rent Brigade. “It’s been de-prioritized, and all discourse from elected officials and the press around rent gouging has ended.”
Kirk’s organization checks Zillow for examples of price gouging and said there are currently more than 10,000 active listings that qualify. Her team submits weekly reports to government officials but said transparency is a problem since no one knows exactly what is being investigated.
As a result, her team worked with L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez to draft a motion that, if passed, would require L.A. City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto to produce monthly reports detailing the total number of price-gouging complaints received, response times and enforcement actions. The motion has been introduced but not yet placed on the agenda.
“There’s an utter lack of urgency,” Kirk said.
In addition to Shaghyan, Bonta filed charges in January against La Cañada Flintridge agent Mike Kobeissi and Glendale agent Lar Sevan Chouljian. In February, he charged Hermosa Beach agent Willie Baronet-Israel as well as Edward Kushins, the landlord of the property.
All of the cases are active. If convicted, the maximum penalty for the misdemeanor is a year in prison and a fine of $10,000.
In addition to the charges, state Department of Justice officials said they have sent out more than 750 warning letters to hotels and landlords accused of price gouging. The department also is investigating fraud, scams and low-ball offers on burned properties.
Bonta is investigating on behalf of the state and Feldstein Soto is filing lawsuits on behalf of the city. So far, she’s been targeting more than just real estate agents.
In February, Feldstein Soto’s office sued rental giant Blueground, citing more than 10 cases of price gouging. In one instance, Blueground allegedly jacked up the rent of a downtown L.A. apartment by 56% on Jan. 7, the day of the fires.
In March, Feldstein Soto’s office sued a group of homeowners and companies for $62 million, citing not only price-gouging violations but also violations of the city’s short-term rental ordinance, which places restrictions on rentals such as Airbnbs. The group of defendants included four homeowners and five limited liability companies: Akiva Nourollah, Micah Hiller, Haim Amran Zrihen, Rachel Florence Saadat, Hiller Hospitality, Hiller Hospitality Group, 1070 Bedford, Red Rock and Coastal Charm.
The Times reached out to all the individuals charged with price gouging or short-term rental violations — except for Zrihen and Saadat, whose contact information could not be located — and did not receive any on-the-record responses.
In the first few weeks after the fire, Feldstein Soto’s office issued more than 250 cease-and-desist letters to owners, landlords and property management groups based on price-gouging tips.
It was more than 60 years ago this month that the Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox and won their first World Series in front of more than 90,000 baseball fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
At the time, the Coliseum lit its torch to honor the team’s win, and now, after the Dodgers won their eighth World Series Championship, the Coliseum has once again lit its torch. And for the next two nights, the Coliseum’s peristyle will be illuminated in blue light.
Ever since the Dodgers’ miraculous comeback victory Wednesday night, some of L.A. County’s best-known buildings and attractions have been finding ways to celebrate the Boys in Blue, from the Pacific Wheel on Santa Monica’s Pier to L.A. City Hall.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose father, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, helped bring the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958, called for the Coliseum torch to be lit.
“I thought it would be fitting to light the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s torch in celebration of the Dodgers’ victory at the venue the team played their first World Series winning season,” Hahn said. “We love our team.
“Every corner of Los Angeles is celebrating today,” she said.
Up in the hills of Griffith Park, the letter “D” on the Hollywood sign was lighted in blue.
In Inglewood, a spokesperson for SoFi Stadium said the building’s rooftop Thursday night will display “2024 World Series Champions L.A. Dodgers” in blue lighting. A similar message was already on display on its Samsung infinity screen inside the stadium.
As the organization plays its opening season in the newly completed Intuit Dome, a new complication has arisen: A lawsuit filed Thursday by a former trainer alleges unsafe treatment of the franchise’s star player.
Randy Shelton was the strength and conditioning coach at San Diego State and worked closely with Leonard during the player’s time with the Aztecs. The lawsuit says the Clippers began their pursuit of Leonard — using Shelton as an intermediary — in 2017, two years before Leonard joined the team.
Following a devastating ankle injury for Leonard during the Western Conference finals in 2016, Clippers assistant general manager Mark Hughes emphasized discretion as he sought out the San Antonio Spurs star’s private health information through Shelton, the lawsuit states.
Hughes and Shelton spoke around 15 times by phone and seven times in person, Shelton says. The offer: a job as the Clippers’ strength and conditioning coach if the team could persuade Leonard to join.
The team got its wish, with Leonard and Shelton joining in the 2019 offseason. From there, Shelton was relegated to the sidelines as a new assistant coach, Todd Wright, took over his responsibilities, the lawsuit says.
Shelton’s remaining job was to take care of Leonard, a task that the suit claims deliberately was made more difficult as the team excluded Shelton from meetings and “withheld necessary medical treatment and information that impacted Leonard’s training and health.”
Leonard’s health woes continued. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the 2021 playoffs, and Shelton set a recovery target of two years — a timetable the Clippers were unwilling to accept, he says.
Upon Leonard’s return for the 2022-23 season, the team promised a minutes restriction and that the forward would not play back-to-back games but failed to uphold that promise, Shelton claims. After the first two games, Leonard complained of knee swelling and inflammation, and an MRI revealed cartilage damage.
The lawsuit says Leonard was “given biologics to band-aid the problem” instead of allowing the player the necessary time to heal. Less than a month later, in November 2022, Leonard returned to play and suffered two ruptured ligaments in his ankle within a week.
Again, Shelton claims, the team demanded productivity, circumventing Shelton’s advice and withholding information from him. Shelton says the team began to force him out shortly thereafter.
As Leonard battled through these injuries and the team’s record suffered, his minutes per game increased from 32 in December 2022 to 35 in January and 38 in February.
This heavier load, which included one set of back-to-back games in March and April 2023, helped lead the team to a playoff berth. In the first round against Phoenix, Leonard tore his meniscus and suffered cartilage damage on his repaired ACL, requiring another surgery.
After the injury, Shelton complained to the team. He said, according to the lawsuit, that “the mishandling of Kawhi Leonard’s injury and return-to-play protocol has been mind-blowing,” and that “the disregard for his recovery process is unacceptable.”
The Clippers conducted an internal investigation, which concluded in June 2023 and found no wrongdoing. In July, President Lawrence Frank fired Shelton without cause, according to Shelton.
Last season, Leonard again suffered a breakdown that necessitated another surgery. Shelton blames the team for pushing Leonard too hard.
“The Clippers place revenue and winning above all else, even the health and safety of their ‘franchise’ player in Leonard,” the lawsuit says.
Leonard missed the Olympics and is out to start the season. His return date is unclear.
The Clippers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement provided to Chris Haynes, the NBA reporter who first reported on the lawsuit, the Clippers said: “Mr. Shelton’s claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honored Mr. Shelton’s employment contract and paid him in full. This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.”
It was early in the morning when Ben Smith drove his SUV to the top of Mountain High ski resort and looked south. Miles away and across a valley, he could see the ominous red glow of the Bridge fire amid the dark green pines of the Angeles National Forest.
By Smith’s estimate, the fire wouldn’t reach the resort for at least another day.
Then, the fire exploded.
By 6:30 that evening, the resort’s general manager would be racing east down Highway 2 past the town of Wrightwood as flames closed in on the road from both sides.
Smith had done everything he could to save the resort. He was the last to flee after his staff activated a battery of snow cannons to douse the ski area in water.
Now, there was just one thought running through his head: “Hopefully I make it out of here,” Smith recalled as he leaned against a wooden post at the resort’s Big Pines Lodge recently.
The fact the lodge and most of the nearby resort escaped the hellish firestorm is a testament to the work of Smith’s team and firefighters.
“When I left out of here … I expected to come back to everything gone,” he said.
Now, roughly one month later, tree removal crews and electrical trucks crisscross the property. Mountain High operators are optimistic that the resort will open by Thanksgiving.
“Come wintertime — when the snow comes — you won’t even know there was a fire here,” said Damaris Cand, guest services manager.
The Mount Baldy ski lifts are shrouded in smoke from the Bridge fire in Mount Baldy on Sept. 12.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The Bridge fire began Sunday, Sept. 8, in the early afternoon, 11 miles south of the resort. By Monday, the fire was on Smith’s radar as it slowly inched closer.
On Tuesday, the fire would “explode” — engulfing tens of thousands of acres in a matter of hours, increasing in size tenfold.
At the resort’s staff meeting that early Tuesday morning, the mood was calm. The sky still was clear, and painted with the pinks and oranges of sunrise.
But Smith, who is the vice president and treasurer of the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council, saw potential for calamity, as winds were forecast to pick up.
He directed the team to start placing snowmaking guns strategically along the perimeter of the resort. Some 50 employees — enlisted from a wide range of departments — moved around the resort as the skies grew increasingly dark with smoke.
Trees around Mountain High ski resort were left scorched by the Bridge fire.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
By early afternoon, Smith could no longer see more than 100 feet in front of him. There was no way to directly monitor the fire anymore.
Ash and debris — still on fire — started falling from the sky. At one point, a burning stick about a foot long hit the ground.
Employees started leaving, worried about safety and air quality.
“I got out of here about 2 o’clock, and the sky was black,” said John McColly, vice president of sales and marketing at the resort. “A lot of smoke was being whipped up, and it had this reddish hue to it. … Just for the sake of my lungs, I probably need to get out of here,” he recalled thinking.
Then, around 4:30 p.m., the nightmare scenario that was unfathomable just a few hours earlier became reality. A wall of flames over 300 feet tall by Smith’s estimate crested the ridge, roaring with the sound of a jet engine and blasting the resort with superheated wind and debris.
What had started as cautious fire protection preparations had suddenly became a fight for survival.
Workers at Mountain High ski resort used snow fan guns to battle the flames of the Bridge fire.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
Smith directed staff to evacuate nearby campers. The team started pulling time sheets to make sure every employee was accounted for.
Smith sent another team member racing toward the snowmaking control center to activate the giant water system.
The team had stationed about 100 of their roughly 500 snow guns to defend the resort. While they could start about three quarters of them with the push of a button, the rest had to be turned on by hand.
As the majority of the staff evacuated, Smith and a handful of employees remained and raced around the property activating snow guns.
McColly monitored the fire’s progress via the resort’s live camera feed — which is intended to provide skiers a look at snow and weather conditions. He and countless others who had tuned in via social media beheld the flames with awe as they silhouetted a seemingly doomed ski lift terminal.
Smith had alerted fire crews, whom he knows personally through his role with the fire safety council and past wildfires, but they wouldn’t arrive for hours still.
A Mountain High ski resort crew works on a chairlift recently.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
At multiple points, massive explosions shook the ground, accenting the roar of the fire.
The upper elevations of the resort lost power first. By 5:30 p.m., the base area went dark as well. Without electricity, the water pumps for the snow guns fell silent. Now, the guns were powered only by gravity, which sent water rushing downhill from the 500,000-gallon reservoirs and out the guns’ nozzles.
As the fire burned through telephone poles, phone service went down.
The number of employees left at the resort dwindled to three. Then, two. Then, one: Smith.
At this point — 6:30 p.m. — fire flanked both sides of the resort. Realizing there was nothing left he could do, Smith made his escape.
“I wasn’t trying to be a hero,” he said. “I’ve got a wife and family.”
It wasn’t until night that firefighters were able to get to the scene.
Burnt trees from the Bridge fire dot the landscape in Wrightwood.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
Smith arrived back at Mountain High the next morning to assess the damage and assist firefighters. The fire continued to rage on — still with hundred-foot flames, just not fanned by violent winds.
“I came up through Wrightwood, and before you get up to our East Resort, … you’re like, ‘hey, everything’s gone,’” Smith said. “But then you hit the East Resort and start seeing green trees, and you see buildings, and you’re like, ‘Well, damn, that ain’t so bad.’”
Not only was the majority of the resort standing, but the snowmaking guns were still pouring water onto the edge of the resort.
In all, the resort had one, unessential ski lift damaged, while a few ski patrol and maintenance shacks burned down.
“I’m very proud of my team,” Smith said. “A lot of what’s still standing here is because of them.”
When the resort isn’t a victim of the fires in Angeles National Forest, it frequently provides firefighters with an invaluable operations hub. Its buildings serve as a command center, its parking lot becomes a helipad, and its water reservoirs are essential resupply stations.
“Through the years, through the fires, through the fire safe council — just having the partnerships with all those groups and to be able to have all those contacts at your fingertips is amazing,” said Smith.
It took nearly a month to secure the resort and restore power, allowing the full team of employees to safely return.
By early October, crews worked to repave Highway 2, which was left cracked and scarred from the fire and the efforts to fight it.
A sign in Wrightwood thanks emergency crews in the wake of the Bridge fire.
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
In Wrightwood, residents have adorned the city with homemade signs.
A piece of plywood, fixed to the Wrightwood city line sign, with black spray-painted letters read “Thank you for saving us.” A colorful hand-painted sign with a firetruck cartoon hung next to the fire station. “We [heart sign] you,” it read.
McColly had returned to his office in a historic cabin, which now smelled like wet rags and old cigarettes.
He turned his computer screen to show a season pass special offer for the resort’s 100th anniversary. Customers would receive a special hat and pin commemorating the season. And the resort would donate $25 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
The Red Cross was onsite after the fire, supporting relief efforts, McColly said. Partnering with the Red Cross is a way to say thank you and pass the help forward.
“They were great to work with,” said McColly. “They really helped us out a lot.”
TOMBALL, Texas — For Ranard Hardman, its shoe contact before eye contact.
“People always pay attention to shoes. For me personally, I look at your shoes before your face,” Hardman said.
Sneakers have always been a passion for Hardman. He also loves art and found a way to combine the two. Ten years ago he launched Nard Got Sole.
“I started off doing different Joran color waves,” Hardman said. “Then it gradually went into sports.”
Hardman added he has done many Astros designs through the years, “my regular clients get a new pair every year and also we have those clients getting ready for the playoffs, it’s a thing.”
TOMBALL, Texas — For Ranard Hardman, its shoe contact before eye contact.
“People always pay attention to shoes. For me personally, I look at your shoes before your face,” Hardman said.
Sneakers have always been a passion for Hardman. He also loves art and found a way to combine the two. Ten years ago he launched Nard Got Sole.
“I started off doing different Joran color waves,” Hardman said. “Then it gradually went into sports.”
Hardman added he has done many Astros designs through the years, “my regular clients get a new pair every year and also we have those clients getting ready for the playoffs, it’s a thing.”
It was almost 10 years ago when Andrew Thorpe received a text from the crew flying overhead in a small aircraft: They had spotted a new methane hot spot.
Thorpe drove along winding dirt and mountain roads in an unwieldy rental SUV near the Four Corners region of the southwestern U.S. When he arrived at the spot relayed from the plane, he pulled out a thermal camera to scan for the plume. Sure enough, methane was seeping out of the ground, likely from a pipeline leak.
He found a marker sticking out of the desert with the phone number for a gas company, so he gave them a call. “I had the most confused individual on the other side of the phone,” Thorpe said. “I was trying to explain to them why I was calling, but this was back many years ago when there really weren’t any technologies that could do this.”
Over the years, the work has gotten Thorpe some unwanted attention. “I did some driving surveys in California .… A rent-a-cop was very suspicious of me and tried to scare me off,” said Thorpe. “If you set up a thermal camera on a public road and you’re pointing it at a tank beyond the fence, people are going to get nervous. I’ve been heckled by some oil and gas workers, but that’s par for the course.”
Today, Thorpe is part of a group that is at the forefront of greenhouse gas monitoring at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. For over 40 years, the Microdevices Laboratory at JPL has developed specialized instruments to measure methane and carbon dioxide with extreme precision.
The instruments, called spectrometers, detect gases based on which colors of sunlight they absorb. Earlier this year, a team of researchers from JPL, Caltech and research nonprofit Carnegie Science was selected as a finalist for a NASA award to put the technology into orbit.
JPL technicians work on an Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, or AVIRIS, that will be installed in an airplane to search for methane and other greenhouse gases.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
If chosen for the satellite mission, the team’s carbon investigation, called Carbon-I, would launch in the early 2030s. Over the course of three years, Carbon-I would continuously map greenhouse gas emissions around the globe and take daily snapshots of areas of interest, allowing scientists to identify sources of climate pollution, such as power plants, pipeline leaks, farms and landfills.
While there are already multiple satellites monitoring these gases, Carbon-I’s resolution is unprecedented and would eliminate any guesswork in determining where the gas was emitted. “There’s no denying it anymore — once we see a plume, there’s no other potential source,” said Christian Frankenberg, co-principal investigator for Carbon-I and a professor of environmental science and engineering at Caltech.
Caltech professor Christian Frankenberg, co-principal investigator for the proposed space-based Carbon-I emission-monitoring system, peers into an AVIRIS monitor under construction in a JPL lab.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Carbon-I’s finest, 100-foot resolution “is a very high resolution from space. That’s an incredible resolution to be able to get,” said Debra Wunch, a professor at the University of Toronto who studies Earth’s carbon cycle and is not involved in the Carbon-I proposal. “It would be able to give us much more insight into exactly the source of emissions .… This would be groundbreaking. You would be able to see individual stacks, individual parts of landfills, even.”
Historically, monitoring the release of greenhouse gases from individual emitters has been challenging — both carbon dioxide and methane are colorless and odorless. So scientists have often had to rely on adding up self-reported values from companies and estimates from research. For example, to estimate the amount of methane cows produce, scientists would have to determine how much methane one cow releases and multiply it by the total number of cows on Earth.
“If you look at international policies … currently they’re all based on these bottom-up inventories,” said Anna Michalak, co-principal investigator for Carbon-I and the founding director of the Carnegie Climate and Resilience Hub at Carnegie Science. “We need to get to a point where … we actually have an independent way of tracking what the emissions are.”
Carbon-I’s resolution will also give scientists new access to the atmosphere of the tropics, where clouds currently obscure most forms of satellite surveillance. “It’s their Achilles’ heel,” said Frankenberg.
Since tropical and subtropical forests absorb roughly a quarter of the CO2 humanity produces by burning fossil fuels, accurate data from this region of the globe is badly needed.
Satellites currently orbiting Earth with lower resolution can’t see through small gaps in the cloud coverage. They only see a blurred average of the cloudy and clear spots in the sky for each pixel. Carbon-I, with each pixel’s area almost 50 times smaller than that of most other satellites, can see the clearings and take measurements through them. In an April 2024 paper, Frankenberg, Michalak and their collaborators estimated that Carbon-I would be able to see past the clouds in the tropics anywhere from 10 to 100 times more frequently than its predecessors.
Carbon-I “is going to see things where people don’t know what’s going on,” said Thorpe, who has moved on from his graduate school days pointing thermal cameras at gas leaks and now works as a research technologist with the Microdevices Laboratory. “It’s going to open a whole new realm of science.”
JPL’s airborne greenhouse gas-monitoring program goes back decades, but the field of space monitoring is still fairly new. Near the start of 2016, NASA headquarters contacted the JPL team. There was an ongoing massive blowout at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility near Porter Ranch, and NASA wanted the team to check it out.
The team flew over the site in a variant of a 1960s-era spy plane on three days over the course of a month while the Southern California Gas Co. fought to contain the blowout. At the same time, NASA’s Goddard Flight Center in Maryland pointed the NASA Earth Observing spacecraft’s Hyperion spectrometer at the leak.
Hyperion was designed to make observations of the Earth’s surface and filter out noise from the atmosphere. Now, they were trying to observe the atmosphere and filter out the surface, and for the first time, scientists observed a human-made point source of methane from orbit.
“The Hyperion result was pretty noisy, but you could still see the plume,” said Thorpe. “This was really a proof of concept that we could do it from space.”
Even if Carbon-I launches, it doesn’t mean the team will stop putting instruments on planes. From aircraft, the team is able to monitor areas of interest in even sharper resolution and for consecutive days at a time. Right now, a leaner, meaner version of the spectrometers that observed the Four Corners leak and Aliso Canyon blowout is flying a series of missions to monitor the emissions of offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.
The twin-engine King Air plane used by JPL to conduct greenhouse gas-monitoring flights in its hangar at Hollywood Burbank Airport.
(Noah Haggerty/Los Angeles Times)
Plane missions also give the team an opportunity to try out new and improve spectrometers. “You can fix them, and you can upgrade them,” said JPL engineer Michael Eastwood, who’s worked with the spectrometers for over three decades and regularly flies with them. “You can take more risks, as opposed to spacecraft that need really mature, really well-known, high reliability — we’re not constrained like that.”
The air team is nimble, too. Typically, two crew members sit in the second row of a King Air twin-propeller aircraft looking at a stack of laptops and instruments with enough buttons to rival the plane’s cockpit. On the screens, they can look at real-time GPS data and spectrometer results and coordinate a flight plan with the pilots. The spectrometer — called AVIRIS, short for Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer — sits in the third row, looking down through a window cut out in the floor.
The NASA program for which Carbon-I was selected as a finalist aims to fund space-based Earth science that will benefit society. The team was awarded $5 million to sharpen its project proposal before a final NASA review in 2025. There are three other finalists, and two will be selected for the launch.
This two-step process for selecting missions is new for NASA’s Earth science programs and requires JPL to compete with the rest of the scientific community, independent of their association with the space agency.
“If we’re talking about grocery money, [$5 million] seems like a lot of money, but it’s really a bargain,” said Michalak. “If you think about the fact that you’re committing $300 million toward a mission, spending 1.5% of that to really make sure it’s going to be fabulous and successful is extremely smart.”
In the meantime, the Carbon-I team is focused on showing NASA that it has the technical know-how to execute the project on time and under budget.
“I think all four of the missions in the current phase are absolutely worthwhile scientific missions,” said Michalak, “and 50% odds are not bad odds for a satellite mission.”
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation may launch a criminal probe into possible fraud allegedly surrounding a now-blocked foreclosure sale of Elvis Presley’s famed Graceland mansion, according to TMZ and Radar.
The outlets reported Wednesday that the FBI had contacted actor Riley Keough‘s team and Graceland officials on Tuesday, allegedly expressing interest in Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC, the company seeking to auction off the building.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation told The Times via email that it had not received a request to “investigate from the district attorney general in Shelby County, which would be the mechanism for our potential involvement.”
Representatives for Keough did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for confirmation and comment.
Keough filed a lawsuit against Naussany Investments last week, alleging that the company had presented fraudulent documents stating that her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, had borrowed $3.8 million from the company and “gave a deed of trust encumbering Graceland as security.”
The “Daisy Jones & the Six” star stated in her lawsuit — which asked a judge to block the auction of Graceland and to declare that the documents were fraudulent — that “Lisa Marie Presley never borrowed money from Naussany Investments and never gave a deed of trust to Naussany Investments.”
A Tennessee judge awarded Keough a temporary injunction against the sale on Wednesday. The court also said it would move forward with the fraud case, citing a lack of appearance by Naussany Investments representatives at Wednesday’s hearing and the need for additional evidence from Keough’s lawyers.
After the ruling, a person purporting to be a Naussany Investments representative submitted a statement that said the company would drop its claims on Graceland, the Associated Press reported.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the Presley estate, told The Times in a statement Wednesday that business would continue as usual.
“As the court has now made clear, there was no validity to the claims,” the statement read. “There will be no foreclosure. Graceland will continue to operate as it has for the past 42 years, ensuring that Elvis fans from around the world can continue to have a best in class experience when visiting his iconic home.”
Keough’s lawsuit, which was reviewed by The Times, said Naussany Investments presented a deed of trust for Graceland and a standard promissory note to the estate via the Los Angeles County Superior Court in September.
The deed of trust contained the signature of Florida notary Kimberly Philbrick, who submitted an affidavit May 8 saying she had no involvement with the documents.
“I have never met Lisa Marie Presley, nor have I ever notarized a document signed by Lisa Marie Presley,” Philbrick’s affidavit read. “I do not know why my signature appears on this document.”
Keough was formally named the sole trustee of her mother’s estate — and, by extension, of Elvis’ estate — in November after settling a legal dispute with grandmother Priscilla Presley, Elvis’ widow.
