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NFL Picks: Christian McCaffrey’s MVP case in San Francisco, Joe Flacco’s reborn and the Seahawks primed for an upset

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Around the AFCHerbert’s fading star. Oh, how the world has turned on Justin Herbert. A year ago, the Chargers quarterback received MVP votes after leading his team to the playoffs. Seven months later, he signed the richest contract in NFL history in terms of average salary ($52.5 million). Now, he’s the chic pick as the league’s most overrated QB, with critics pointing to his admittedly so-so record (30-32) as an NFL starter. Of course, the Chargers took the field without him Thursday night, and it was hard not to come away from that debacle — hello, 63-21 loss in Las Vegas — feeling like Herbert is the least of that franchise’s problems. At the top of that laundry list? How about since-fired head coach Brandon Staley, who never saw a fourth down he didn’t want to go for?Anyone wanna win this? Don’t look now, but the AFC is completely up for grabs. The defending champion Chiefs can no longer catch footballs (or line up onside). Miami just choked a...

Nuggets Journal: Denver is near top of West, and schedule is about to get much easier than Minnesota’s

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Yet again this week, the Nuggets won a road game with Nikola Jokic absent for the second half. They are 3-0 when that happens this season, once in a rest day and twice after he’s been ejected.While coach Michael Malone joked that “I’m starting to think he’s overrated” after their win Wednesday in Chicago, the Nuggets’ record in those situations is more an endorsement of their handling of setbacks and hardships this season than a comment on Jokic’s value.On Jan. 5, 2024, the Nuggets will wrap up their ninth back-to-back in the first 37 games of the season — 48.6% of their games at that point will have been within 24 hours of another game. And in six of those nine back-to-backs, their second-day opponent will have had more rest than them.Then in the last 45 games of the schedule, Denver will play only four back-to-backs.Despite a couple of road slumps early in 2023-24, the Nuggets have more than exceeded expectations under those circumst...

Broncos Journal: Why Denver players say they have two offensive line coaches and a deep bench of up-and-coming players waiting their turn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

In the midst of answering a question about second-year offensive lineman Luke Wattenberg last week, Broncos coach Sean Payton made an interesting comment.“We feel like we have a really strong, developmental group of offensive linemen,” Payton said. “They’re smart and tough, and they have the traits that we’re looking for.”Denver’s top offensive line combination through the first 13 games this year had been remarkably healthy this year until Quinn Meinerz missed the second half in Los Angeles due to a heart issue. No NFL team is going to complain about avoiding testing its offensive line depth too much during the season. But it’s also clear the Broncos have put resources into bringing the next wave along behind the scenes.One key to that: the coaching duo at the front of the room. That’s offensive line coach Zach Strief, the longtime New Orleans right tackle who played his entire career under Payton, and assistant offensive line coach Austin King.Recently, Strief told The Denver Post...

Opinion: Stop scapegoating CEQA for California’s affordable housing crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Governor Newsom recently signed a slew of bills eliminating the requirement that government agencies disclose the public health and environmental impacts of most infill housing developments in California. Infill is generally defined as development in urban centers, close to mass transit, jobs and infrastructure.The sponsors of these bills claim that eliminating environmental review will address the current shortage in affordable housing, but lawmakers’ decision to blame environmental regulation for the shortages is misinformed. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the state’s preeminent environmental law, has already been streamlined in multiple ways to spur housing development, yet still not enough affordable housing is being constructed. Our leaders must focus on other, more effective ways to promote affordable housing.Environmental regulation is not a significant barrier to housing. For example, in San Francisco, there are now over 58,000 entitled housing units that r...

Feldman: Supreme Court should make clear Trump is not above the law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Should former president Donald Trump be immune from federal criminal prosecution for his conduct in the run-up to Jan. 6? He’s argued both that his position as president should make him immune from prosecution and that because the Senate did not convict him after he was impeached, criminal charges would amount to a kind of double jeopardy.A federal district court has already thrown out those arguments. The special counsel, Jack Smith, has now asked the U.S. Supreme Court to fast track a decision.It would be unusual but not unheard of for the justices to decide the issue before the court of appeals has ruled. But the high court should agree to decide the case now — and rule quickly that no such immunity exists under the Constitution.The legal questions in this case aren’t close calls. The president is not above the law. Impeachment is not a criminal trial that would preclude subsequent prosecution. And Trump isn’t even in office, so there is no risk that his trial would disrupt...

WTOP Book Report: ‘Perfect Little Lives’ mixes murder mystery, romance and social commentary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

This story was written as part of the WTOP Book Report series authored by Terik King. Read more of that coverage. How far will a person go to find justice and truth?(Courtesy Graydon House / HarperCollins)This and many other questions confront the lead character in twin authors Amber and Danielle Brown’s new mystery/suspense novel, “Perfect Little Lives.”“The working title of this book was called ‘Closure,'” Amber Brown told WTOP.The book’s events swirl around one key theme: Is closure worth it?“Sometimes you might get that closure and not like what you get,” Amber said.In “Perfect Little Lives,” readers follow the journey of Simone, a millennial Black woman raised in New Jersey and living and working in New York City.She doesn’t tell people that she’s from New Jersey, though, “because she has some sordid things about her past that she doesn’t really want to get out there,” Amber said.Simone’s sense of order in her carefully rebuilt life is disrupted wh...

Senate not ready to give up on border deal, including Ukraine and Israel aid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)(AP/Susan Walsh) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)(AP/Susan Walsh) House members are now home for the holidays, but Senators are continuing to hammer away at an agreement on the Southern border, which would put an end to the impasse that’s holding up billions of dollars...

13 desconocidos que quedaron varados en un aeropuerto se embarcaron juntos en un viaje por carretera hace un año. Así les cambió la vida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

(CNN) — En diciembre del año pasado, tras la inesperada cancelación de su vuelo de Orlando a Knoxville, 13 desconocidos se juntaron, alquilaron una furgoneta y se pusieron en camino.Fue una decisión espontánea que una de las pasajeras, Alanah Story, relató en una serie de videos publicados en TikTok. Lo realista de la situación, junto con el entusiasta reparto de personajes, cautivó rápidamente a los usuarios de las redes sociales.Los pasajeros de la furgoneta procedían de todo el mundo y cada uno tenía un motivo diferente para viajar ese día. Carlos Cordero, que se convirtió en el conductor principal y líder de facto del grupo, y su entonces prometida, Laura Puckering, llevaban a su hija adolescente Mikayla Puckering a visitar la Universidad de Tennessee. También estaban Alanah y su madre, Renee Fortner, que volvían a casa de unas vacaciones en la playa. Mientras tanto, Michelle Miller, una influencer conocida como @thefarmbabe, tenía una ponencia en una conferencia en Knoxvi...

Services to be held for National Grid worker killed in Waltham work site crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

Family members and friends of the National Grid worker who was killed in last week’s deadly crash in Waltham gathered for his fun wake and funeral on Saturday. Roderick Jackson, 36, was killed last Wednesday along with Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey when a man in a pickup truck allegedly struck them at a worksite on Totten Pond Road. Tracey was laid to rest on Friday after his funeral in Waltham. Jackson’s funeral services are being held at St. Paul AME church in Cambridge.“Oh my God,” said Jackson’s mother, Norma Asprilla, on Friday. “I’m burying my baby. Horrific.”“He supported all of us to the fullest,” said Jackson’s brother, Manuel Asprilla-Hassan. “He didn’t just mean everything to us, he was everything to us and we lost it all.”Known as “Kito” to his siblings and mother, Jackson’s family said he had been working for National Grid for three years when he was killed. “After tomorrow, I will never get to see him again,” said Norma Asprilla. “It’s painful for all of us.”...

Wedding band, engagement ring dropped in Salvation kettle outside Waltham Market Basket

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:16 GMT

A Salvation Army worker in Waltham were surprised to find a wedding band and an engagement ring in their kettle. The rings donated outside the Waltham Market Basket were accompanied by a note: “This ring is being given in love for a second time. Like the first time, I hope this ring will bring joy and make a difference.”