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State withheld crucial report before 3-year-old’s killing BY TIM POTTER
tpotter@wichitaeagle.com
For more than a year, people reported to the state that 3year-old Evan Brewer was suffering in a home of chronic methamphetamine users — that the mother’s boyfriend choked the child until he became unconscious. The grim details appear in an inch-thick stack of records released by the Kansas Department for Children and Families
to The Eagle just before 5 p.m. Friday. The department, which investigates reports of child abuse and neglect, kept collecting and compiling reports: that Evan’s mother was regularly high on meth, staying in bed and not feeding him real meals. And most disturbing: alleging that she was not protecting Evan from her abusive live-in boyfriend, who dragged her by her hair and bragged about choking her and her son. The abuse reached the point that
the boy had accidents: He feared walking to the bathroom in the morning because he would have to pass the adults’ bedroom. The child protection system never removed Evan from the hell described in the records. And the state made a mistake. A report of detailed allegations of abuse was not forwarded to a social worker investigating the case, according to the DCF records. A spokeswoman for the Brewer family said Sat-
TIMELINE OF ABUSE
urday that the May 14 report was the state’s last chance to save Evan before he was killed. Police kept going to the home. But the adults never let them in. Social workers and police who could have intervened couldn’t manage to con-
The state agency in charge of protecting children was contacted eight times about Evan Brewer in 13 months. The Department for Children and Families records provided to The Eagle are heavily redacted and appear incomplete, but they do provide some insight into how the state responded to the reports of abuse. Here is a summary of the reports made to DCF and its response: July 21, 2016 — A caller says that Evan, then 2, was previously seen on May 3, 2016, at a wedding. The caller said Evan’s mother was using methamphetamine and would blow marijuana smoke in the boy’s face to calm him. The report was unsubstantiated after a home visit. The case was closed on Aug. 25, 2016. March 20, 2017 — A caller
SEE EVAN BREWER, 10A
SEE TIMELINE, 8A
FERNANDO SALAZAR The Wichita Eagle
A memorial to Evan Brewer sits in front of the house where his body was found last week.
JAIME GREEN The Wichita Eagle
In preparation for the NCAA Basketball Tournament coming to Wichita on March 14-17, work was done last week on the railroad overpass bridge on Douglas Avenue near Union Station.
Local improvement projects set table for NCAA March Madness BY DION LEFLER
dlefler@wichitaeagle.com
Wichita and Sedgwick County have been working for more
NATION
TARIFFS COULD HURT WORKERS
The divide between metal producers, who want the tarriffs, and their customers, who don’t, slices through Trump’s base. 15A
than a year to put their best faces forward when the NCAA rolls into town with its March Madness basketball tournament. Improvement projects have involved everything from re-
modeling the entrance of the Intrust Bank Arena to cleaning the pigeon poop out from under a train overpass in Old Town. Some projects were specifically designed to improve the
Wichita experience for thousands of tourists who will flock here March 14-17 for the weekend of basketball action. Other projects were planned as quality-of-life upgrades for people
INSIGHT
SPORTS
INNOVATION BECOMES IDEA
WADE’S STAR KEEPS RISING
Properties across Wichita State’s campus can be leased to the nonprofit Wichita State Innovation Alliance and then sub-leased. 1B
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who live here, but moved up in the schedule to be done in time for the tournament. Officials hope to avoid a repeat of the last time the NCAA brought tournament play to town, in 1994. Then, to say the least, the national spotlight on Wichita did not cast a flattering reflection. The big story off the court was the remoteness and “barnyard aroma” of the Kansas Coliseum, which had hosted both a pro rodeo and the Kansas Beef Expo the week before the tourney. But the Coliseum is now a hangar for Wichita State University’s aircraft research program and the NCAA action has shifted downtown, where businesses and government have dedicated themselves to showing visitors a good time. They’re hoping the investment in projects and parties pays off and that the tournament weekend will inject more than $10 million of commerce into the economy. With about a week and a half left, here’s a look at what has and hasn’t gotten done: ARENA REMODELING Possibly the biggest upgrade for basketball fans was the expansion of the north entrance to Intrust Bank Arena. This $1.8 million project corrected a design flaw and expanded the lobby and security screening area to move fans into the building faster. That’s an especially important consideration as employees will have a short turnaround time to clear and clean the building between tournament games. The project increases weapon-screening stations from six to 10, nearly douSEE NCAA TOURNEY, 6A
Kansas State forward Dean Wade has turned himself into an All-Big 12 player and a NBA prospect with big games like Saturday. 1D
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Kansas Dems clash over who could defeat Kobach and Orman BY JONATHAN SHORMAN
jshorman@wichitaeagle.com
TOPEKA
The Kansas Democrats running for governor clashed Saturday over who can best beat a Republican — such as Kris Kobach — and independent Greg Orman. The focus on who can attract general election support comes amid the state party’s first contested primary for governor in decades. Some fear Orman will draw votes away from the Democratic candidate, allowing the Republican — whether it’s Gov. Jeff Colyer or Kobach, the secretary of state — to win. Winning the August primary requires courting the party’s core supporters. But to win the general election, the nominee will need the support of independents and some Republicans. It’s a delicate balance. Without a primary fight, Democrats have not had to choose for years how moderate or liberal their nominee needs to be. But during a party gathering in Topeka, candidates urged Democrats to consider who can best win in November. "This forum can’t be about who is more Democratic than the other. This forum has to be about who can win this election in November 2018 and build a party that can win again in 2020 and 2022," said Josh Svaty, a former state representative. Democrats must unite in order to win, said Sen. Laura Kelly, of Topeka. "I am the only candidate who can beat Kris Kobach or Jeff Colyer and Greg Orman," Kelly said. Former Wichita mayor Carl Brewer said voters are looking for a governor "that’s going to provide leadership, not someone who’s going to give you a lot of rhetoric." He can offer a clear difference to Kobach, he said. House Minority Leader Jim Ward, who represents Wichita, asked the forum audience who can beat Kobach. "Who do you want standing on that stage on September 5th defending our options? Because that’s the stakes that we face," Ward said, referring to an anticipated general election debate. None of the candidates attacked each other on stage. Much of the 90-minute forum was spent on policy, with the major candidates keeping significant policy differences to a minimum. Most expressed support for key Democratic ideas: expand Medicaid, improve infrastructure, improve the state’s welfare programs, and so on. No question was asked about gun control, where the candidates diverge. Ward has attacked Kelly’s past votes to authorize permitless conceal carry. Policy differences were more prominent among the lesser-known candidates who participated. Salina salesman Robert Klingenberg voiced support for a public healthcare system. "We can expand Medicaid as a stop gap in order to help alleviate the burden, but I believe we can have a single-payer public option in the state of Kansas, as long as we’re willing to work toward it," Klingenberg said. But Olathe physician Arden Andersen rejected the idea. He said a good system will necessarily be more complex. "It’s not as simple to say it’s a single-payer system. It’s a dual system. It’s public and private, combined — both," Andersen said. Meanwhile, high school student Jack Bergeson stressed the importance of legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. Kansas "could use that money to go into our education system," he said. SEE DEMS, 3A
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A photo caption on Page 3B of Saturday’s edition included dated information not relevant to the story.
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This plan shows the layout for the NCAA basketball Fanfest, scheduled for March 15.
Wichita’s NCAA Fanfest: b-ball, big screens, beer and bathrooms BY DION LEFLER
dlefler@wichitaeagle.com
Basketball courts, a beer tent, a gigantic TV and a “luxury trailer” bathroom suite. What else do you need to set the stage for a weekend of college playoff basketball? Those elements and more are part of the plans for Wichita’s NCAA basketball Fanfest. It’ll take place March 15, the opening day of competition in the city’s first March Madness weekend in nearly a
quarter of a century. While there will be numerous parties downtown over the tournament weekend, the Fanfest is the official one. It’s required under the terms of the city’s bid to get the NCAA tournament here. Fanfest will take place on the 100 block of St. Francis and the parking lot just south of Naftzger Park. It’s a short walk due north of Intrust Bank Arena, where the tournament games will be played. The street will be closed
and drinking allowed from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the plan that is coming before the City Council for approval Tuesday. The Fanfest wraps around Naftzger Park, but don’t expect to take your beer and sit and sip it under a tree. The park itself will be a “dry” zone and “no alcohol” signs will be posted at the park entrances. The plan shows that the DJ stage will be placed at the north end of the Lshaped celebration zone. Just to south of that will
5-year-old Lucas Hernandez has been missing for two weeks BY NICHOLE MANNA
nmanna@wichitaeagle.com
It has been two weeks since 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez was reported missing. Police searches known to the public have included five Wichita parks and the neighborhood where Lucas lived. Officer Charley Davidson said they have used police dogs, horses and drones in their efforts. Residents have started their own searches, and Davidson has asked that volunteers be careful about trespassing on private property. He also asked that people call 911 or 316-383-4661 if they see something out of the ordinary that may be asso-
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ciated with the case, which has been deemed a criminal investigation. If you find something that may be evidence, don’t disturb it, Davidson said. A search group called Texas EquuSearch said they’ll be in Wichita on Saturday. The boy’s stepmother reported Lucas missing at about 6:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, in the 600 block of South Edgemoor. She said he was last seen about 3 p.m. that day in his bedroom before she showered and fell asleep. Glass was arrested Feb. 21 and was later charged with child endangerment, involving a 1-year-old child. She remains jailed on a $50,000 bond. Investigators have said from the beginning that
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INVESTIGATORS HAVE SAID THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT LUCAS HAS BEEN ABDUCTED. THAT’S WHY AN AMBER ALERT WASN’T ACTIVATED. there was no evidence that Lucas had been abducted, which is why an Amber Alert was not activated. This week, a Wichita police captain said, “I believe Lucas just didn’t walk out of the house.” They remain hopeful that he will be found and want people to share pictures of
LOBBY HOURS 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. EAGLE EXECUTIVES Dale Seiwert, General Manager 316-268-6456 dseiwert@wichitaeagle.com Steve Coffman, Executive Editor/ VP News: 316-268-6405 scoffman@wichitaeagle.com Kirk Seminoff, Community Engagement Editor 316-268-6278 kseminoff@wichitaeagle.com Phil Schroder, Regional VP, Audience Development: 316-269-6728 pschroder@wichitaeagle.com
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be two sets of temporary basketball courts with four hoops. The southern part of the celebration will feature a Bud trailer with four TVs and a beer tent with four more. Together Wichita will have a photo backdrop where you can have your picture taken. The southwest corner will be dominated by a giant-screen TV, 18 feet across and 9 feet, 8 inches tall. It will show two games at a time, plus sponsor advertisements. Space for four food trucks has been reserved along the south edge of the festival. The southeast corner will be where the necessities are parked: trash dumpsters and the luxury bathroom trailer with four regular stalls and an ADA unit. The City Council is expected to sign off on the plans at its meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 455 N. Main, Wichita. Dion Lefler: 316-268-6527, @DionKansas
him and to contact them with information for their criminal investigation into his disappearance. Police are encouraging the community to call the tip line, 316-383-4661, with any information about Lucas. Officer Paul Cruz has urged residents to share any information linked to Lucas, no matter “how insignificant it might be.” Lucas was born Dec. 3, 2012, has brown hair and brown eyes, is about 4 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds. He was last seen wearing black sweats, white socks and a gray shirt with a bear on it. Nichole Manna: 316-269-6752, @NicholeManna
Our 146th year. Incorporating The Wichita Beacon. VOLUME 146, ISSUE 63 The Wichita Eagle (ISSN 1046-3127) is published daily by Wichita Eagle & Beacon Publishing Co. Inc., 330 N. Mead, Wichita, KS 67202. Periodicals postage paid at Wichita, Kansas. The entire contents of each issue of The Wichita Eagle are protected under the federal copyright law. Reproduction of any portion will not be permitted without our express permission. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Wichita Eagle, 330 N. Mead, Wichita, KS 67202.
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MTYP players dedicate musical to memory of teen actress BY MATT RIEDL
mriedl@wichitaeagle.com
When the cast of Music Theatre for Young People’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” arrived for rehearsal Feb. 4, everything was different. Cast members took a seat in a large circle of chairs, most of them already aware of the somber news: Two days before, 17year-old Isabella “Bella” Baumgartel had been killed in an accident on K-254. Bella had the role of Judah, one of the title character’s brothers, in the show. Tears were shed as the cast remembered the girl who “had such a great love for theater, had a good energy and was so positive,” said Matthew
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DEMS Democrats emphasize that the primary contest is a good thing. The party hasn’t had to figure out who its primary voters are in a long time,
Hanne, director of the show. Together, the cast sang the words of a classic song from the musical “Carousel”: “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. ... Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone.” “One of the younger kids came up to me and said, ‘I just didn’t know we had so much love for each other,’” said MTYP executive director Kim Gee Vines. “It wasn’t like she was trying to be sweet. It just sort of hit her.” Once the initial shock dulled, the artistic staff at MTYP was left with an uncomfortable reality: How does the show go on? “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” will go on as scheduled this weekend — that’s
what Bella would have wanted, the artistic staff decided. 14-year-old Alyssa Linhardt, a close friend of Bella’s, will play the part of Judah. The cast will dedicate this weekend’s performances to her memory, and a full page of the program will serve as a memorial, Vines said. Alyssa said she considered Bella her closest friend at MTYP, as the
two had bonded at the company’s recent production of “High School Musical.” “That may have been one of the reasons Kim asked me to be Judah,” she said. “It’s going to be hard, obviously, but I think we can get through it. Just one more scene at a time.” The cast has formed a strong bond, Hanne said, leaning on each other through the difficult
said Chris Reeves, the state party’s national committeeman. "This really is a test of who are our voters. We’re going to be offered some very different perspectives on who our voters are, how strongly they feel about issues of choice, guns, these are the points that all
the candidates are talking about," Reeves said. “We’re going to define ourselves in a way. We’re going to see where the heck the community is. That’s good." Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, is running for secretary of state against Democrat Brian
McClendon, a former Google and Uber executive. She said the governor and secretary primary races are both contested for the first time that she can remember.
KIM GEE VINES Courtesy
Isabella “Bella” Baumgartel was killed in a car crash near Towanda last month. Her fellow castmates in Music Theatre for Young People’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are dedicating the performance to her memory.
Jonathan Shorman: 785-296-3006, @jonshorman
times. “I feel like there’s a
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kind of deeper strength, that we’re working together as a team,” he said. “Part of that is what we’ve gone through and knowing what we want to do with the show in terms of honoring her.” Vines said Bella’s parents plan to attend the show this weekend. A text from her mother — shared through Vines — described Bella as “a loving, compassionate young lady who saw the best in everyone and wanted to help make their lives better.” “She loved the arts and especially loved listening to Broadway music, and hoped to one day see a show in New York,” the text read. “She was so very excited to be a part of MTYP.” The show runs through Sunday at the Mary Jane Teall Theater at Century II. Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
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N.R.FULLER National Science Foundation
A rendering of how the first stars in the universe might have looked. Scientists have detected a signal from 180 million years after the Big Bang, when the earliest stars began glowing. The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Scientists detect signal from era when stars began BY SETH BORENSTEIN
Associated Press WASHINGTON
For the first time, astronomers have glimpsed the dawn of the universe 13.6 billion years ago when the earliest stars were just beginning to glow after the Big Bang. And if that’s not enough, they may have detected mysterious dark matter at work, too. The glimpse consisted of a faint radio signal from deep space, picked up by an antenna that is slightly bigger than a refrigerator and costs less than $5 million but in certain ways can go back much farther in time and distance than the celebrated, multibil-
lion-dollar Hubble Space Telescope. Judd Bowman of Arizona State University, lead author of a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature, said the signal came from the very first objects in the universe as it was emerging out of darkness 180 million years after the Big Bang. Seeing the universe just lighting up, even though it was only a faint signal, is even more important than the Big Bang because “we are made of star stuff and so we are glimpsing at our origin,” said astronomer Richard Ellis, who was not involved in the project. The signal showed unexpectedly cold temperatures and an unusually pronounced wave. When astronomers tried to figure
out why, the best explanation was that elusive dark matter may have been at work. If verified, that would be the first confirmation of its kind of dark matter, which is a substantial part of the universe that scientists have been searching for over decades. “If confirmed, this discovery deserves two Nobel Prizes” for both capturing the signal of the first stars and potential dark matter confirmation, said Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, who wasn’t part of the research team. Cautioning that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” he said independent tests are needed to verify the findings. Bowman agreed independent tests are needed even though his team spent two years double- and triple-checking their work. “It’s a time of the universe we really don’t know anything about,” Bowman said. He said the discovery is “like the first sentence” in an early chapter of the history of the cosmos.
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NCAA TOURNEY
bling the amount of foot traffic that can flow through the north side of the building. Status: Done. ARENA SECURITY At a cost of $238,000, the county has strategically placed bollards around the arena perimeter to prevent vehicle attacks on patrons. The county also spent $68,000 upgrading the outdoor lighting with bright LED lights to deter robbery and burglary around the arena. Status: Done. FIRST STREET IMPROVEMENTS This project is a resurfacing and general redesign of First Street in Old Town to slow traffic, better delineate street parking and create a more engaging streetscape. Status: In progress. The south half of the street is basically done. City workers will clean up and move out during the tournament and start on the rest of the project afterward. BRIDGE PAINTING In an effort to upgrade the aesthetics under railroad overpasses at First and Second streets, the city contracted with local artists to design and paint murals in the undercrossings. A design inspired by Dutch impressionist Vincent Van Gogh was selected and painting got under way before winter shut the project down. Status: Not finished, but a substantial improvement from before. NAFTZGER PARK The city had hoped to completely reconstruct
Naftzger Park, a small park near the arena, in time for the basketballthemed “Fanfest” that the city is contractually obligated to provide for the NCAA. The project envisioned flattening the site and tearing out the existing pond, gazebo and landscaping, replacing them with a dog park, pavilion and open area for outdoor events. The project was popular with residents of upscale apartments nearby, but prompted complaints from activists who saw it as a thinly veiled attempt to push homeless people out and create a “dog pee park” for neighbors. The influential Design Review Board objected to being largely excluded from the planning process and development of adjacent property that will be taxed to pay for the park reconstruction was delayed. Status: On hold. The city is still planning to rebuild Naftzger Park sometime after the tournament, but will hold the Fanfest in the street and parking lot adjacent to the park. ARENA WI-FI This may seem basic, but it became an issue at last year’s tournament weekend in Tulsa. Coverage inside the BOK Arena was inadequate for the hoard of reporters covering the event, although management was able to scramble and fairly quickly get wireless Internet to the seating bowl. Intrust Bank Arena managers who observed Tulsa’s tournament weekend vowed not to come up short on bandwidth. Status: Complete. Arena management and the
county have installed a $385,000 Wi-Fi system they say should be robust enough to handle the load for the reporters (and tweeters and Facebookers) at the games. PIGEON POOP The Douglas Avenue bridge under the BNSF railroad tracks is a key walkway linking the arena to the bars, clubs and restaurants in Old Town. Problem was, it was encrusted with years’ worth of pigeon poop. The city had hoped to make structural repairs, replace the lighting system and clean and paint the undercrossing in time for the tournament so tourists wouldn’t have to step around (or through) the mess. Status: Ongoing. The city got the railroad’s permission to work on the bridge only about month ago, so major work is out. Cleaning up the pigeon poop and temporary additional lighting are about all that’s going to get done in time for the tournament.
AT A COST OF $238,000, THE COUNTY Florida python HAS STRATEGICALLY PLACED BOLLARDS devours deer AROUND THE ARENA PERIMETER TO bigger than itself Researchers studying PREVENT VEHICLE ATTACKS ON invasive Burmese pythons PATRONS. in Florida came upon state, the city is adding dedicated left-turn lanes to the intersection to reduce a high accident rate. Status: Pending. Construction is ongoing and should be finished by the tournament if the weather holds. WATERWALK Replacing the tilework around the “dancing waters” fountain. Status: Done. COMMERCE STREET ART DISTRICT Resurfacing parking lot serving Commerce Street south of the arena. The street itself will be closed for outdoor parties on tournament game days, March 15 and 17. Status: Done.
OLD COWTOWN Project to improve drainage, install new boardwalks and improve outside lighting at the city-owned Western history park. Status: Done. BOTANICA New flooring in interior entryway. Status: Done. Sources: Sedgwick County Manager Michael Scholes, county spokeswoman Kate Flavin, Wichita City Manager Robert Layton, Wichita Public Works Director Alan King. Dion Lefler: 316-268-6527, @DionKansas
something they’d never seen before: an 11-foot python had consumed a deer weighing more than the snake itself. Biologists found the bloated python in Collier Seminole State Park, and when they moved it, the snake began regurgitating a white-tailed deer fawn. Ian Bartoszek told the Naples Daily News that the fawn weighed 35 pounds; the snake 31.5. “We were sitting there just trying to process that an animal this size could get its head around what turned out to be a deer,” he said. “It’s surreal to see that in the field.”
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARKANSAS RIVER WALKWAY Extension of the waterfront path along the east bank of the river from the WaterWalk to the Lincoln Street Dam. Status: Delayed. The city encountered unexpected design issues and was unable to start the project in time for the tournament. DOUGLAS AVENUE, MAIN TO WASHINGTON The city has made several improvements including pedestrian safety upgrades, more clearly delineated parking and new bus shelters. Status: Done. DOUGLAS AND HYDRAULIC Using a grant from the
Wichita Doctor O"ers A New Approach to Treating
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TIMELINE reports bruising on Evan’s face. The caller says there is a history of domestic violence and that the mother uses meth. The mother told a social worker that Evan fell off a bike. A social worker saw Evan on April 5, 2017, and said he appeared healthy and clean. A social worker was unable to find the family on subsequent home visits. The case was closed May 2, 2017. March 21, 2017 — Another person called to report that Evan’s nose was injured. The report wasn’t investigated because it was similar to the report on March 20, 2017. April 22, 2017 — A caller says there is a lot of physical abuse in the home and reports the following: (Name redacted) has been dragging the mother across the home by her hair. The mother is not trying to protect the child. The child hit his “hand” on bathtub, knocking him out. The child had no pulse and had to be brought back to life. (Name redacted) “has also
made comments about take life from them and bringing them back.” It is not clear whether this was investigated. May 4, 2017 — Caller said that (name redacted) had choked Evan and used CPR to revive him. The caller reported the following: That the child is afraid of an adult and appears to be asleep so he will not be hurt. An assessment notes that there is no likelihood of serious physical harm and that the child is safe. The records provided do not show how that determination was made. It appears the state considered closing the case because it was unable to find the family. A handwritten timeline shows that DCF contacted law enforcement for help in finding the family on June 19. A detective with the Exploited and Missing Child Unit was contacted on June 23. After Evan’s body was found, a note was added to the May 4 file saying that the state did not close the case and that the
Exploited and Missing Child Unit had been contacted “as concerns regarding the child were very serious and no contact had been made with the family.” May 14, 2017 — Someone called again to report that the mother was using meth and that Evan was having accidents because he was afraid to walk past the adults’ bedroom to go to the bathroom. The mother’s boyfriend had pulled her through the house by her hair, the caller reported. (Name redacted) had bragged to someone that “he has taken them to the brink of death and brought them back using CPR.” A DCF worker wrote that there was no evidence of bruises, marks, neglect or that the child was scared of the adults. The file indicates that no action was taken. After Evan’s body was found, additional information was added to the May 14 file. It stated that the May 14 allegations were not investigated because they were similar to the report on May 4, 2017, and earlier reports. It also states that neither the regional social worker, social worker supervisor or program administrator “had
knowledge of the additional allegations.” Aug. 3, 2017 — A cryptic handwritten note indicates that a new event occurred, but had not yet been assigned for investigation. No further details were provided. Aug. 31, 2017 — A caller says that the mother has been arrested and that the father was awarded custody. The caller reported the following: That the child is made to stand in the corner for hours. An adult in the home has anger issues. (Name redacted) had hit the boy, knocking his head against the bathtub in February, leaving him unconscious. The boy was not taken to a doctor. The DCF file says the mother admitted the abuse while in jail and refused to disclose where Evan was. Sept. 2, 2017 — Evan’s body is found encased in concrete.
Gang violence in Sweden spilling out of low-income suburbs BY ELLEN BARRY AND CHRISTINA ANDERSON
The New York Times STOCKHOLM
Daniel Cuevas Zuniga was on his way home from work last month when when he spotted a spherical object lying on the ground, stopped and reached down. It was an M-75 hand grenade, used during the Yugoslav civil war of the 1990s. When Zuniga touched it, he set off the detonator. The blast killed him. Weapons from a faraway, long-ago war are flowing into immigrant neighborhoods here, puncturing Swedes’ sense
of confidence and security. The country’s murder rate remains low, and violent crime is stable or dropping in many places. But gang-related assaults and shootings are becoming more frequent, and the number of neighborhoods categorized by the police as “marred by crime, social unrest and insecurity” is rising. Part of the reason is that Sweden’s gang violence, long contained within low-income suburbs, has begun to spill out. Hospitals report armed confrontations in emergency rooms, and school administrators say threats and weapons have become commonplace.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
FROM PAGE 1A
EVAN BREWER
tact Evan’s mother and see whether the boy was OK. The reports of abuse kept coming month after month, and then Evan’s body was discovered encased in concrete in early September. The landlord found the tomb in the laundry room of Evan’s rental home and called police. The mother, Miranda Miller, and her boyfriend, Stephen Bodine, are in jail and charged with murder. The Wichita Eagle obtained the records after extensive legal efforts. Before releasing the partially redacted records Friday to The Eagle and Evan’s family, DCF staffers tried to black out every instance of Evan’s name and the boyfriend’s name in the documents, but they missed a few. Every sheet in the records says “EBrewer” at the bottom. MISTAKES WERE MADE Shayla Johnston, a Brewer family spokeswoman, said DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel and a state attorney met with her and Evan’s father, Carlo Brewer, on Friday afternoon. The state officials admitted that DCF made mistakes in handling the case and that it involved allegations of severe abuse that should have been forwarded to an investigator but were not, Johnston said. Meier-Hummel and the state attorney said a form was altered, Johnston said. The state officials told her “there was dishonesty” in the “alteration of a document.” The state also determined that no action was needed regarding Evan before he died, according to documents. In a written statement Friday, Meier-Hummel said “she shares the family’s outrage and heartbreak for the tragic loss of Evan. Changes to strengthen the system have already begun, and I vow these will continue.” Reforms will include holding employees accountable, updating and improving procedures and holding mandatory training, she said. LIVING IN FEAR At 8:20 p.m. on May 14, someone called DCF to report that Evan was having accidents because he was afraid to walk past the adults’ bedroom to go to the bathroom. The mother’s boyfriend had pulled her through the house by her hair, the caller reported. The boyfriend had bragged to someone that “he has
taken them to the brink of death and brought them back using CPR,” the caller said. The boyfriend bragged about choking a child, documents said. It said the person heard that (name redacted) “had a gash on the top of his nose about a month ago,” but it was unknown how he got the injury and if he has any current injuries. The caller “believes the adults are using meth” and fighting while under the influence. The caller said “(name redacted) can be very intimidating. … (Name redacted) has … explosive anger issues.” The person with anger issues had intentionally lost 45 pounds using drugs, the caller said. The adults were using meth, and they kept drugs in a baggie in a red backpack that the boyfriend kept on him, the caller said. The report said “several people have made reports to DCF and nothing has been done about it,” that the mother “won’t answer the door and allow law enforcement to enter the home.” “(Name redacted) was barricaded in his bedroom with mattresses against the windows” so people couldn’t see in, it said. The details went on for 41 lines. The allegations were similar to those made to the agency on May 4. In both cases, DCF initially determined that the child was safe, records show. EVAN’S LAST CHANCE When DCF found out Evan was dead, its executive team ordered a review of the way it handled the case. The review found “an existing record in the DCF data system was not in compliance with agency policy at the time when
the information was received on May 14, 2017.” DCF did not answer questions Friday evening or Saturday morning about the records. A note in the May 14 file says the record was modified to inaccurately show that the reported information was communicated to the assigned social worker and the social worker’s supervisor – when neither knew of additional allegations before Evan’s body was found. The inaccuracy was referred for possible disciplinary action. Johnston, the Brewer family spokeswoman, said the May 14 report to the state was the last one made before Evan was killed. “That’s why DCF is so concerned about their report — because it was the last time to save Evan’s life,” she said. The Brewer family thinks Evan died between May 14 – when he was last seen alive by a family friend and the landlord – and May 26. On May 26, Miller bought concrete, threaded rod and a concrete trowel at a hardware store, a police affidavit says. Evan was found buried in concrete. The May 14 report, Johnston said, “was on the eve of Evan’s imminent death.” What’s not clear is what DCF could have done to intervene, she said. But Johnston, an attorney, said, “The legal significance is that ‘imminent physical harm’ is cause for DCF to ask to get a warrant to go into the house.” EARLIER REPORTS At 4:52 p.m. May 4, 2017, someone called DCF to say that it looked as if Evan had a broken nose. The person said the last time they saw (redacted) was “through the door, because Miranda would not let them in the home.” When the person asked
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THAT’S WHY DCF IS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR REPORT — BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST TIME TO SAVE EVAN’S LIFE. Shayla Johnston, a Brewer family spokeswoman the mother what happened, “she said he fell, and then shut the door,” the report said. The person said that they called police immediately after leaving the house to see if officers could check on the boy. But when police arrived, “they did not answer the door.” The person said that she had been told that (name redacted) was bragging about choking Evan until he passed out, then giving him CPR to revive him. (Name redacted) has done time in prison in another state for choking a woman, the caller said. The person said they called police every day,
but each time officers went to the house on South Vine, nobody came to the door, the report said. It said that the (redacted) controlled Miller “in every way” and that he “got Miranda to submit to him, and he just has to beat it into (redacted) now.” Miller had become “so brainwashed that she doesn’t do anything to stop the abuse.” The person said that Evan’s father was trying to get visitation rights and custody but that Miller kept failing to appear in court. The report said the father “would have done
something sooner” but he didn’t find out that he was the father until Evan was 2. The person said they they don’t know where Evan is, “and they would like to make sure he is okay.” KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS An April 22, 2017, a DCF intake report about Miller and Evan dealt with concerns about physical abuse of Evan by Bodine, the boyfriend. “Mom isn’t doing anything to protect the child either,” the report said. It described Evan being knocked unconscious during a bath, having no pulse and being revived. Tim Potter: 316-268-6684, @timpotter59
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News
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
LOCAL OBITUARIES Bailey, Charles E. "Chuck" Bassford, Peggy Anne (Mitchell) Burkett, Esther E. (Keimig) Cravens, Mary Ann Crook, Thomas Hudson "PJ" Darlington, Daphyn Dawn (Hamilton-Elbrader) Gourley, Doris Heuer, Stephen R., SSgt, USAF Kirkpatrick, David Dean Knop, Carl Otto Livingston, Harold C. Maloney, Leon Mitchell, Deontae Dupree Myers, Henry (Hank) Norton, Barbara Jean Oneslager,, Floyd E. Pruitt, Junior Lee Rains, Lawrence Ray Rosenhamer, William J. Schemmel, Rosa Isabelle (Gresham) Snodgrass, Max Howard, Sr. Suer, James P. Weichers, Janet LaRae Wilder, Pearl Elizabeth
AREA OBITUARIES CLEARWATER-Hopkins, Phyllis Earlene (Whitesell) DERBY-Darling, William D. DOUGLASS -Downer, Shirley E. HAYSVILLE-Cantrell, Bob G. HAYSVILLE-Reece , Lawrence G HAYSVILLE-Walker, David Lee MT. HOPE-Broadhurst, Oda Lee MULVANE-Fuller, Shirley Ann MULVANE-Lander, Frank OVERLAND PARK-Sipes, Richard L. PARK CITY-Robertson, Larry E. TOPEKA-Black, Elizabeth Ann VALLEY CENTER-Botts, Lucille (Miller)
LOCAL DEATHS Rains, Lawrence 97, died February 28, 2018. No Services. Baker Funeral Home Wichita. Ruckle, Melba Mae (Barricklow), 98 , passed away Feb. 28, 2018. Per her request no services will be held. Hillside Funeral Home West. Setser, Larry D., age 73, San Jose, CA, died February 10, 2018. Graveside service pending with Old Mission/Wichita Park Mortuary. Smith, Alesice, age 48, passed away February 26, 2018. Services will be held Monday, March 5, 11am at Affinity All Faiths, 1525 N. Buckner, Derby, KS, 67037. Thorn, Jim E., 85, died Friday, March 2, 2018. Funeral Services are pending with Downing & Lahey Mortuary East Chapel. Vogt, Harold W. , 91, died Saturday, March 3, 2018. Funeral Services are pending with Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel.
AREA DEATHS COFFEYVILLE-Castro, Carolyn Sue, 75, died March 1, 2018. Service 1pm Monday, March 5, at Ford-WulfBruns Chapel, interment will immediately follow at Fairview Cemetery. Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel. COFFEYVILLE-Englund, Danna J Thomas, age 77, passed away on March 2, 2018. Visitation 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel. GREAT BEND-Dewey, Flossie, 92, passed away March 2, 2018. Funeral Service 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. HOISINGTON-Brack, Ruth Elizabeth, 86, died March 2, 2018. Memorial Service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, March 10th, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home Chapel. HOLYROOD-Hurley, Terrolynn E. (Nye), 71, died March 1, 2018. Service 10 am. Tuesday, March 6, at the United Church of Christ in Holyrood. Bryant Funeral Home. MCPHERSON-Ediger, Edward E. "Poppie", 68, passed away aThursday, March 1st, 2018 . Arrangements will be announced later by Glidden-Ediger Funeral Home. MCPHERSON-Norris, Robert H. "Bob", 73, died March 1, 2018. Service at 2 PM, Tuesday, March 6, at Countryside Covenant Church. Stockham Family Funeral Home is in charge of services. PARSONS-Ladage, Curt, 89, died Friday, March 2, 2018. Graveside service 2p.m., Tuesday, March 6, at Springhill Cemetery, rural Parsons, with military honors. Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons.
Bassford, Peggy Anne (Mitchell) October 7, 1933 - February 28, 2018. Memorial Service will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. Peggy was a wonderful woman who was loved, is missed and will always be cherished. Grandma "B" she was referred to by her grandchildren, great, and great-great grandchildren. "Petey" she was referred to by her husband of 58 years. "Miss Peggy" by any other person who was blessed enough to know her. Peggy’s grandchildren were her heart and joy. There is no denying they are the ones she loved most. Never to forget a birthday or anniversary, you could always depend on a hand-written card from her. Loved ones that cleared the path for Peggy are her husband, Robert "Bob" Bassford; 13 siblings. Survived by her sister, Selma Lee Winebarger; brother, John Mitchell; sons, Thomas (Nancy) Bassford, Robert (Christi) Bassford, Kenneth (Jing) Lightfoot; daughters, Patti Bassford, Kathie (Ron) Murrell, Robbi (Jim) McGuffey; 17 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren. Memorials have been established with: American Red Cross, 1900 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67214; Botanica, 701 N. Amidon, Wichita, KS 67203. We love and miss you, Mom. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com
Bailey, Charles E. "Chuck"
View obituaries online Go to: Also, get directions to services, order flowers, donate to a charity, express condolences or share memories by signing the guest book. The Wichita Eagle offers small free death notices for Kansas or former Kansas residents. Please call for more information. Free death notices are not featured online. Families who choose to publish additional information may do so for a fee. Obituaries are written and supplied by families and mortuaries. Pricing information can be obtained through your mortuary or by calling 316-268-6508. The Wichita Eagle reserves the right to edit, alter or omit any obituary. Effective February 1, 2017, the obituary office hours will be Monday thru Saturday 8am-4pm. Deadline is 3pm. Closed Sundays & Holidays.
Kirkpatrick, David Dean passed away February 26, 2018. David is survived by his daughters Leilah (Jeff) Arnn, Kendra (Craig) Bowman, and 3 grandchildren, sister Lora Helms, brother James (Larri) Kirkpatrick, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. Celebration of life will be held on Friday March 9, 2018 at 11 am, Baker Funeral home 6100 E Central Ave in Wichita. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprentice Training, 1330 E 1st St, Wichita, KS 67214.
Knop, Carl Otto
died February 8, 2018. He was born in 1925 to Leila Talbot Knop and Carl Ludwig Knop in Griswold, Iowa. He attended Iowa State University, where he received his degree in civil Burkett, Esther E. (Keimig) engineering and played college football. died on February 8, 2018 at the age of 91 in Seattle, He remained an enthusiastic supporter of Washington. Mrs. Burkett was born the Cyclones throughout his life. He September 11, 1926 in Isabel, Kansas and married Mary B. Hugelman in 1949. spent most of her adult life in Norwich, Following college, Carl began his Kansas. Esther married Dwight E. Burkett professional career with the Army Corps of Engineers in on August 13, 1950. Esther is remembered Omaha. In 1955 he joined Portland Cement Association for her service to the Norwich United and relocated to Topeka. In 1963, he was named president Methodist Church and community of the Kansas Engineering Society. Carl became a partner organizations. She is survived by one in The Atlas Organization in Oklahoma City in 1964, brother, Gerald Keimig and three children, Sheila where his many projects included the iconic Founders Burkett-Luckey and Joseph Luckey, Evan Burkett and Tower as well as the Regency Apartments, the only Lynda, and Karen (Burkett) Simion and Oren, 13 grand neighboring structure to survive the 1995 Murrah Federal children, 18 great grandchildren and 14 great great Building bombing. In 1969, Carl was named president of grandchildren. She is preceded in death by five siblings Wichita’s Professional Engineering Consultants. During and her husband. A grave side service will be held on a his 20 year tenure as CEO, the firm grew from 50 to 150 date to be announced at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Norwich, employees and completed such projects as Century II Expo Kansas. Memorials may be made to the Red Cross Society. Hall and the Mid Continent Airport. He retired in 1991 on This obituary has also been posted online at the heels of the firm’s 25th anniversary. An ardent golfer, www.funerals.coop. Friends and family may write Carl was a long-time member of Crestview Country Club, condolences and memories in the online guestbook. where he was active in executing many course improvements. He was also an avid hunter and sportsman, Cravens, Mary Ann went to be with Our Lord, Friday, Mar 2, 2018. She was 82 instilling this enthusiasm in his sons. Carl was preceded in years old. She is survived by daughter Phyllis McDaneld death by his wife Mary, his sister Patricia Knop Parris, and (Steven), 6 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren and 2 his daughter Susan Knop Minerd. He is survived by step great-grandchildren. Rosary will be at 6:30 pm daughters Christine Knop Kallenberger and Barbara Knop Sunday, Mar 4. Funeral Mass will be at 11am. Monday, Cox, sons Carl Michael Knop and Thomas William Knop, and granddaughter Julie Minerd. No services are Mar 5 both at St. Joseph Catholic Church. scheduled. Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com Crook, Thomas Hudson "PJ" Livingston, Harold C. 52, passed away Feb. 22, 2018. A service will be held 3 p.m., Saturday at Broadway Mortuary. He age 98, ret. U.S. Mail Carrier/WWII Army Vet, passed away Tuesday, February 27, 2018. began his "Next Great Adventure" after Visitation with family present, 3-5pm, his brave battle with brain cancer. He will Sunday. Services, 10:30am, Monday, be remembered for his vast accumulation BOTH at Webb-Shinkle Mortuary, of knowledge & skills and love for OU Clearwater. Preceded by parents, Clarence Football, his salty sense of humor, & his and Ethel (Benningfield) Livingston; wife, passion for billiards & sport bikes. He is Betty Jo (Davis) Livingston; son, Glen survived by his mother, Merrily Loder; daughter, Linda Hanneman; Phelps-Mar; sisters, Aimee (John) Litch & Amanda Phelps; niece, Kimberly (Jason) Gorton; nephew John W. siblings, Ruth Houston, Leola Livingston, Pauline Mitchell, and Don Livingston. Survivors: daughters, Nancy Litch; & grandniece, Jenna Gorton. Broadway Mortuary. Livingston of Wichita, Sally (Terry) Boyce of Mt. Clemens, MI; son-in-law, Delbert Hanneman of Wichita; close friend, Inge Tibbetts; grandchildren, Greg (Sarah) Boyce, Audrey Hanneman, Veronica (Jesse) Williams, Rachel (Kerry) Hein, Ryan Loder, Brad Hanneman, Sara Beth Loder; 9 great-grandchildren. Memorials: Union Darlington, Daphyn Dawn Rescue Mission, 2800 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219. (Hamilton-Elbrader) www.wsmortuary.com age 79, passed over to the other side to be with those she loved on March 2, 2018. Born 25 July 1938. Service at Affinity All Faiths 2850 S. Seneca Wichita, KS, Friday, March 9th at 2pm. To share a memory please visit www.affinityallfaithsmortuary.com
Maloney, Leon
Gourley, Doris died 24th, Feb. 2018 after a battle with diabetes. Doris was a caring person always helping people. She loved to draw, make flower arrangements and decorate her home. Survivors, Denana, Billy and Angie Reed and one sister, Sheila Vetter. Services to honor her life held at General Assembly Church of 1st Born 3742 S. West St. Wichita, KS at 12:00 Noon dinner, 1:30 pm service.
Heuer, Stephen R., SSgt, USAF
87, passed away Saturday, February 24, 2018. He was born August 28, 1930 to Edwin and Lenora Bailey in Bucklin, KS. He was an avid sports fan and loved to bowl and bowled in several Wichita leagues through the years. Chuck was in the United States Air Force and served in the Korean War. He was a graduate of Kansas University. He was a retired engineer with Cessna. Preceded in death by his parents; brother, Merle (Rosemary) Bailey; sisters, Helen (Robert) Dunlap, Eleanor R. (Gordon) Taylor. Survived by son, Kevin (Jill) Bailey of Lafayette, LA; two grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. No services. Downing & Lahey West.
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25, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2018. He was born August 29, 1992 in Santa Barbara, CA. Stephen was an Aircraft Structural Maintenance Craftsman for the US Air Force. He was the best husband, father, and son in the world and a very talented sheet metal worker and Non-Commissioned Officer. Stephen is survived by his wife, Stephanie; daughter, Sophia Cataleya; parents, Lance and Elizabeth Heuer; sister, Sidney Heuer; and grandparents, Robert and Toni Hall. Visitation: Monday, March 5, 2018, from 3 to 9 pm. Funeral: 5 pm, Tuesday, March 6, 2018; both at the McConnell Air Force Base Chapel. www.SmithFamilyMortuaries.com
February 20, 1925 - February 26, 2018. Bartlesville, OK. Retired Don linger Construction Contractor. Navy Veteran. Family and Friends Visitation Friday March 9, 2018 , 6:00 PM at Jackson Mortuary Chapel. Funeral Service Saturday March 10, 2018, 11:00 AM at Antioch Baptist Church. Gloria Y. Gadson, Companion. Phyllis J. Morrow, Daughter. Elinor (Kenneth) Howell, Daughter. Laveda Looney, Daughter. Treva Parker - Ayodele, Daughter. Jamal (Lisa) Coleman, Son. Faye Oliver, Sister. Lovetta Morgan, Sister. Betty Jo. Morgan, Sister. Richard Maloney, Brother. Billy Jo Maloney, Brother. Jim Maloney, Jr., Brother. 11 Grandchildren, 19 Great Grandchildren. www.thejacksonmortuary.com
Mitchell, Deontae Dupree August 7, 1992 - February 24, 2018. Omaha, NE. Going Home Celebration Friday March 9, 2018 , 11:00 AM at Jackson Mortuary Chapel. Host of Family & Friends. www.thejacksonmortuary.com
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Obituaries
Myers, Henry (Hank) 86, Retired Chief Pilot for Mesa Air Group, died on February 23, 2018 in Wichita, KS. Hank proudly served his country in Korea during the Korean Crisis (1950-53), and continued to be an advocate for Korean Vets and all military veterans. Serving as Church greeter and volunteer for The Lords Diner and other Church activities gave him great joy. Born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Lindenhurst, NY. As an airline pilot he traveled the world and lived all over the country. Everyone who knew him-from every phase and all walks of life-adored him. He is survived by his wife of 8 years, Mary Berg of the home, daughters Valerie Myers of New York City and Leslie Myers (Bruce Sales) of Asheville, NC, sister Jane Keithly of Eutis, FL, 3 grandchildren, his "bonus" family includes daughters Ramona George (Steve) and Pamela Gagnon, (Randy) son Douglas Berg, 6 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his first wife of 52 years, Joan, his parents and 2 sisters. A celebration of his life will be held March 9, 2018, 1pm, at Crossroads Church (2139 S. Maize Rd, Wichita). Reception and visiting with family and friends immediately following service. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established with Crossroads Church and Kansas Honor Flight, P.O Box 2371 Hutchinson, KS 67504. Private Interment to be held at later date at Veteran’s national Cemetery, Long Island, NY.
Norton, Barbara Jean 94, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Thursday, February 22, 2018. She is preceded in death by her parents; Clifford and Glenna (Gay) Coulter, husband of 71 years; Raymond E. Norton, sisters; Darlene Overstake, Aldine Johnson, son in-law; Don Fleeman, daughter in-law; Barbara Norton. She is survived by her children; Janice Fleeman, Gary Norton, Cheryl (Mike) O’Brien, Glenna (Steve) Lowe and a whole host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews other family and friends. Visitation will be Sunday, March 4, 2018 from 12:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. with family present from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. Interment services will be Monday, March 5, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. at White Chapel Cemetery in the Sermon on the Mount Garden, and a Celebration of Barbara’s Life will follow at 11:00 A.M. at Antioch Christian Church, 3741 W. 15th Street, Wichita, Kansas 67203. Memorials to Antioch Christian Church, or Good Shepherd Hospice, 7829 E. Rockhill St #403 Wichita, Kansas 67206. www.cochranmortuary.com
Oneslager, Floyd E. 74, retired Boeing Machinist, passed away Saturday, February 24, 2018 in Brownsville, TX. Visitation 6-8:00pm Monday, Broadway Mortuary. Graveside service 1:30pm, Tuesday, White Chapel Cemetery. Preceded in death by parents, Lloyd Oneslager and Jaunita Londigan; sister, Sally Retana and brother, Melvin Oneslager. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Linda; son, Billy; brother, Lloyd (Winifred) Oneslager and sister, Judy Brownie. Memorials to Bethany United Methodist Church. Share Condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com. Broadway Mortuary
Padfield, Brian 38, loving husband, son, brother and uncle died February 22 after a sixteen month hard fought battle against AML Leukemia. He was preceded in death by his brother Eric, his maternal and paternal grandparents, his Aunt Lori and cousin Jase. He is survived by his wife, Quyen Nguyen of Alexandria, VA, his parents, Karen and Ron Padfield, Rose Hill, KS, his sister, Twilia Padfield, Wichita, KS and several nieces and nephews, in-laws, aunts, uncles and his beloved dogs Tiger & Bi. While it is easy to focus on what we lost; we choose instead to focus on the time we were given to be with this remarkable person. We mourn the loss of a good man, a great friend; but we also celebrate the wonderful life he led. He lived, laughed, loved, and left us too soon. A memorial service will be held Monday, March 5, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 258 E. 2nd N, Wichita KS 67214. Memorial Contributions may be sent to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.
Pruitt, Junior Lee 81, self-employed contractor and former EW Johnson Construction Superintendent passed away on Friday, March 2, 2018. Preceded by his parents Jim and Grace Pruitt, brothers JD, George and Hooley and sister Bonnie Rogers. Survived by his loving wife of 60 years Winona, daughters Tammy Kasel and Terri Clanton, brothers Kenneth and Terry Pruitt, sister Lula Asbill, grandsonsJustin Kasel, Brandon Kasel, Cameron Kasel, Daniel Clanton, David Clanton and seven great grandchildren. Visitation with family present 4pm-6pm, Sun. March 4th at Hillside Funeral Home West. Funeral Service, 11am , Mon. March 5th at Family Church, 11135 W. Kellogg Dr., Wichita with burial to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Memorial to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or DaVita Dialysis Center, 10001 W. Grady Ave, Maize, KS 67101.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Rains, Lawrence Ray
Sturm, Alice
age 97, passed away February 28, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and Blanche Rains, his sister Margery Cleveland, and his grandson Ryan Rains. Survived by his loving wife of over 68 years, Mary Kay, son Randall, son Chris (Jonelle), grandchildren Kyle Rains, Nicole Rains, Justin Rains, and great grand children Hailee Rains and Nicholas Rains. As per his request, there will be no memorial service. Memorial donations can be made to Kansas Honor Flights.
95, passed away February 28, 2018. She was born December 2, 1922 in Fairfax, MO to William and Jessie Crawford. Alice was preceded by husband, Darrell Sturm and parents. She is survived by children, Nancy (Mark) Heding, Jon (Connie) Sturm, Brian Sturm and Greg (Michelle) Sturm; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Visistation will be 5-8 p.m. (family present 6-7:30) Thursday, March 8th and funeral service 1 p.m. March 9, 2018 both at Resthaven Mortuary. Memorials may be made to Home Health of Kansas (Hospice), 7607 E Harry St, Wichita, KS 67207. For additional information and sign online guestbook please visit www.resthavenmortuary-cemetery.com
Reynolds, Larry L. 77, architect, died February 25, 2018. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, March 5, at St. James Episcopal Church. Larry was born in McPherson, KS on January 7, 1941 and moved to Wichita at the age of 7. He loved bringing old buildings in Wichita back to life and creating beautiful ink sketches for family and friends. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Al and Jerry Reynolds and daughter, Kelly Lutz. He is survived by his wife, Sue Reynolds; daughters, Tracy (Tim) Paisley of Garden City, NY and Ashley (Brad) West of Leawood, KS; son-in-law, Shane Lutz of Overland Park, KS; and grandchildren, Mackenzie Lutz, Emma Paisley, T.J. Paisley, Sydney Lutz, Abby Paisley, Kate West, Lauren West, Will Paisley and Andrew West. Memorials have been established with the Kelly Lynn Lutz Foundation and St. James Episcopal Church. Share condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com. Services by Broadway Mortuary.
Suer, James P. Age 64, beloved husband, father, & son passed away peacefully with family on March 1, 2018. Survivors include his wife, Devin, step children, Pete Manny & Kara Hanna (Nick), & two grandchildren as well as his mother, Melitta, & sisters, Janice & Joy. He loved Jimmy Buffett, camping with friends & family, & traveling. Services to be held at First Church of the Brethren, 1103 N. Jefferson, Wichita, KS at 2 pm on Tuesday, March 6. Memorial has been established with the American Diabetes Association.
Weichers, Janet LaRae
Janet LaRae Weichers, 72, of Hutchinson, Kansas, passed away suddenly on February 24, 2018 in Rosenhamer, William J. Forney, Texas. She was born on November 90, entered into eternal life on March 1, 2018. He was born 24, 1945 in Mason City, Iowa to Harold December 11, 1927. He is survived by a and Frances (Mahlstadt) Riekens. Janet loving wife of 68 years, Melvadine grew up in the small town of Sheffield, Rosenhamer; 6 children, 15 grand-children Iowa with her mom Frances, sisters Lana and 17 great grand-children. A Rosary is and Marianna, Grandma Iva, and other scheduled for 7:00PM Monday, March 5, close family. As a child, she worked at the 2018 and a Funeral Mass for 11:00AM movie theater in Sheffield selling popcorn. She attended Tuesday March 6, 2018. Both will be held school in Sheffield up to the twelfth grade. Janet met her at St. Joseph Catholic Church 145 S. husband Bob when they were both teenagers. Bob was Millwood Ave., Wichita, Ks. 67213. In lieu of flowers, from the small town of Dumont, Iowa, just a short distance memorials can be made to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, from Sheffield. Janet was united in marriage to Robert 313 S. Market St. Wichita, Ks. 67202 or to St. Joseph Duane "Bob" Weichers on March 21, 1964 in Dumont, Catholic Church. The family has requested that you visit Iowa. They were married for 53 years. Bob and Janet had our website at www.devorssflanaganhunt.com to leave three children: Michele, born in 1964; Rob, born in 1970; your condolences and Brent, born in 1981. Janet worked most of her life in the manufacturing industry. She started working at United Hydraulics Corporation in Hampton, Iowa in 1972 doing clerical work and eventually worked her way up to become Purchasing Manager for the company. When the United Schemmel, Rosa Isabelle (Gresham) 93, passed away February 26, 2018, in Mission Viejo, Hydraulics plant closed in 1987, she began looking for California. She and her husband, Louis Charles Schemmel, another job and was hired as Purchasing Manager for had relocated from Wichita, Kansas to California in 2010 Master Machine Tools in South Hutchinson, Kansas. Janet to be closer to several of their daughters living in the worked at Master Machine Tools from 1987 to 2002. southern California area. Rosa was born in Ware Shoals, When the Master Machine Tools plant closed in 2002, she South Carolina on October 9, 1924 to Bessie Belle Hill and began working at Tru-Circle Aerospace and later TECT Claude Gresham, Sr. She had three sisters and one brother Aerospace in Wichita, Kansas. She began her and is survived by her sister Ruth Gresham Bedingfield. much-deserved retirement in late 2014. Janet loved After growing up in South Carolina, she lived in quilting, sewing, gardening, reading, traveling, decorating Washington D.C., where she worked for the CIA. She met her house, playing computer games, and spending time her husband, Louis, in Virginia Beach in 1952, and they with her family. She loved red climbing roses, hot beef married in October 1952, before moving to Chicago and sandwiches, and planning her next vacations in retirement. then to Wichita, Kansas. Rosa enjoyed a number of sports She was as dependable of a person as they come. Janet activities, including horse-back riding, tennis (she played could always be counted on to do what she thought was competitive and tournament tennis into her 70’s) and she right, whether it was in work, in family, or in life. She will competed in the Senior Olympics in swimming. She was a be dearly missed by those who loved her. Janet is survived life-long animal lover, rescued and adopted many cats and by her husband Bob Weichers of Hutchinson, Kansas; dogs over the years, and was an ardent supporter of animal daughter Michele (Steve) Chiales of Corona, California; welfare groups. Survivors include her four daughters Lou sons Rob Weichers of Kansas City, Missouri and Brent Ann Schemmel, Diane Schemmel Goostree, Nancy Weichers of Wichita, Kansas; brother-in-law Ken Rothman Schemmel Whitney, and Patricia Schemmel Terry. She is of Cincinnati, Ohio; and grandchildren Clayton Chiales also survived by four grandchildren: Levi and Jeremy and Bailey Chiales, both of Corona, California. She was Sternberg, Jonathan Schemmel Goostree and Emily preceded in death by her father Harold Riekens, her mother Gresham Terry. Memorial contributions (in lieu of flowers) Frances Fielding, and her sisters Lana Riekens and may be made to the Wichita Action Animal League at Marianna Rothman. Janet was cremated, as per her wishes. https://www.waalrescue.org . Condolences may be offered A celebration of life service will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 17, 2018 at the Hutchinson Art Center, 405 online at http://www.saddlebackchapel.com. N. Washington St., Hutchinson, Kansas. Snodgrass, Max Howard, Sr. passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Feb. Wilder, Pearl Elizabeth 16, 2018, at his home in 90, born in Guymon, OK to Esther and Clyde McDonald, died February 9th in Wichita, Ks. She went Wichita at the age of 67. to East High School. Pearl is preceded in He was born on March 1, death by her loved and loving husband 1950, in Wichita to the late William R. Wilder, and oldest, much Max Walter and Neloise missed, daughter Judith A. Daniel. She is (Smith) Snodgrass. He is survived by twin daughters Janet Patterson survived by his wife Linda and Janice Brown. Grandchildren Robert (Pickering); his five sons, (Barb) Daniel, Cindy Daniel, Jay (Valerie) Max Jr., Alex, Douglas, Travis, and Shawn Brown, Allen Brown, and Angie Patterson. Her Snodgrass; his sister great-grandchildren, Grant and Gabe Daniel, Porter and Katherine Snodgrass; and his nine grandchildren. Max Ruby Brown. Memorial service will be held at 2pm, March graduated from Bell Carter School in Wichita and became 6, at Grace Presbyterian Church in the chapel, 5002 E. a home builder, having built several homes in South Douglas, Wichita, KS 67208. Central Kansas, and then a commercial construction Civil Wong, Kim Suey Superintendent, working on many large projects around the Wong, Kim Suey, 89, retired co-owner of Georgie Porgie country. You could always count on Max for a laugh, for Pancake Shoppe; passed his no-nonsense observations, and for his generosity and away on February 27, warmth. He will be dearly missed. A memorial service will 2018. Visitations will be be held on Friday, March 9, 2018, 11:30 a.m., at St. Paul’s held Friday March 2nd United Methodist Church, 1356 N. Broadway St. in 4-8PM and Saturday Wichita. In lieu of flowers, please donate to "His Helping March 3rd 1-5PM with the Hands", 1441 E. 37th Street N., Wichita, KS, 67219, or funeral service on Monday https://ccc.onlinegiving.org/donate. March 5th 11AM at Old Mission Mortuary, 3424 E. Sturm, Alice 21st Street. Kim Wong is survived her by husband, Wayne Wong, of 72 years. Daughter Linda. Son David (Lillian). Daughter Wilma (late husband, Ronnie Yee). Son Edward (Shawna Kerns) his children: Erik, Kimberly, and Kevin Wong and their mother Jean. Shawna’s children: Curtis and Brandon. In lieu of flowers, family is asking to donate to Kim Suey Yee Wong Endowed Library fund 610128 Wichita State University 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita. Ks, 67260-0002
Obituaries
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
CLEARWATER-Hopkins, Phyllis Earlene (Whitesell)
HAYSVILLE-Reece , Lawrence G
84, formerly of Haysville, died February 19, 2018. He was born in Van Buren, AR. Larry was a 1974 age 90, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2018, in graduate of Wichita State University and Austin, Texas. She was born to Clarence retired from Reece Real Estate. He is and Dorothy (Bechtel) Whitesell on preceded in death by his parents, 8 January 12, 1928, in Clearwater, Kansas. siblings and 1 grandchild. He is survived Phyllis grew up on a wheat farm and by his wife, Geri, children Jean (Mark) graduated from Clearwater High School in Alft, Larry (Linda), Pam (Gary) 1945. She received her Teachers’ Wheatcroft, Mark (Sharon), Chris Certificate from Emporia State Teachers College in 1947, and taught school for (Denise), Mary (Leo), Vince (Gretchen), Joe (Mary Anne), several years. She completed additional coursework at 19 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren. Services have Friends University and received a Bachelor of Science been held. Memorials may be sent to Kindred Hospice, degree from Sam Houston State University in 1971. In 1819 Main Street, Parsons, KS 67357. HAYSVILLE-Walker, David Lee addition to teaching, Phyllis worked numerous office management positions over the course of her career, and David passed peacefully while in the loving company of family on February 18, 2018 in Wichita, owned and operated a day care center. She completed her Kansas; after his battle with cancer, age career by working with the Internal Revenue Service for 21 65. David was born on January 24, 1953 years, retiring in 2008 at the age of 80. On October 21, to Merle and Mary Ellen Walker of 1951, Phyllis married Donald Roy Hopkins. The family Waldron, Kansas. David graduated from relocated to Texas in 1960, eventually settling in Austin in Chaparral High School in 1971, and 1969. Phyllis led a busy life managing the household and attended Coffeyville Community College raising four children, in addition to working full-time. She where he earned his Associate degree. maintained a positive outlook through difficult times and was an inspiration to her children. Phyllis loved meeting David then went on to Kansas State University to continue people and charmed them with her caring and comfortable his studies. David worked in his early career in sales, demeanor. She enjoyed yardwork and "digging in the dirt." research and development of seeds, and as a volunteer When her health prevented that outlet, she contented firefighter. Most of his career was spent as a safety herself bywatching nature through her patio window. She consultant in agribusiness, construction, and as an was an avid reader,enjoyed working jigsaw and word instructor and proctor for those hoping to attain their search puzzles,and was delighted to share her interest in commercial driver’s license. David married Margo J. crocheting, knitting, and sewing with her daughter and Russell on February 14, 1999. David was a loving and granddaughter. Survivors include sons, Daniel Hopkins, selfless family man who went out of his way to help others, David Hopkins, and Donn Hopkins; daughter Debbie and enjoyed spending his leisure time with his entire Standridge and husband Gerry; grandchildren, Allison family. He enjoyed the outdoors, being involved in the Hopkins Thompson, Chris Hopkins, Ben Standridge, community, and actively served in the church in a variety Taylor Standridge, and Analissa Standridge Hays; of capacities. David also spent time volunteering at the great-grandchildren, Cade, Everly Rose, Shane, Marilyn, American Legion Post 401, Wichita, Kansas and as an Isabella, Kaden, Kaleb, and Kolton; brother, Clarence American Legion Rider. He had a passion for tractors, Whitesell and wife Marilyn; sister-in-law, Doris Tracy; farming, hard work, mowing, Ariat boots, motorcycles, and friend and caregiver, Linda Thomas. Visitation will be held family. He also had a passion for traveling and at 1:00 PM Monday, March 5, 2018, with the memorial photography, particularly in the southwest and Route 66. service immediately following at 2:00 PM in Beck Funeral He spent many vacations with Margo, enjoying and Home, 15709 Ranch Rd. 620, Austin, Texas. Interment photographing adobe and pueblo missions, historical will be in Clearwater, Kansas at 10:00 AM on March 7, churches and the sites along Route 66. David retired 2018. Arrangements by Beck Funeral Home, November 1, 2017. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Ellen Walker and sister, Kathy Scraper. (512)244-3772. David is survived by his wife, Margo J. Walker; children DERBY-Darling, William D. 54, passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer Amanda and Michael Kennedy-Angel, John and Sarah on Sunday, February 25, 2018, in the Walker, Joe Walker, Mike Russell; father - Merle and Pat presence of his family. He was born to Walker; sister - Susan and Greg Bryant; grandchildren William "Bill" and Beverly Darling on Luke Walker, John Collin Walker, Casey Walker, Isabella September 18, 1963. Derrick is a graduate Kennedy-Angel, Harper Kennedy-Angel, Andrew Russell, of Derby Senior High School class of Jessica Steven and Randy Mohika, Mikayla Russell, Justin 1982. An entrepreneurial of many trades, Leis; and great-grandchildren - Xavier Mohika, Kaulin avid collector of Dallas Cowboys Mohika, Mavrik Mohika. Memorial service will be held at memorable, NASCAR fan, music 11:00 am, March 9, at First Presbyterian Church, 324 N. enthusiast, and sports cards collector. He is preceded in Baltimore, Derby, KS 67037; led by Pastor Ben Ray. death by his father, William V. Darling; grandparents Memorials to: First Presbyterian Church, Derby. MT. HOPE-Broadhurst, Oda Lee Loren and Viola Lunsford, and Wilber and Villa Darling. Derrick is survived by his mother, Beverly A. Darling; 92, died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 at Via Christi St. Teresa. She was born June 29, 1925 in sisters, Darlene Knight and Donna Lee (Bennie); brother, Geneseo, Ks, the daughter of Walter and David Darling (Cassie), and "Reggee" his dog and faithful Cora (Workman) McCurry. The family friend; and many neices and nephews. Visitation 1-8pm, moved to Mt. Hope-Bentley area in 1935. family greeting 5-7pm Friday evening; Funeral 2pm Oda Lee attended Prairie View School, a Saturday, March 3rd both at Smith Mortuary - Derby, 1415 one room school house then graduated N. Rock Rd. www.SmithFamilyMortuaries.com. from Bentley High School in 1943. She was a member of the Mt. Hope United Methodist Church where she held many positions, her last DOUGLASS -Downer, Shirley E. being Church Treasurer for over 20 years. On July 15, Age 71, homemaker, passed away Monday, February 26, 1945, she married Richard L. Broadhurst. She was 2018. Shirley married John Downer on August 20, 1966 in preceded in death by her parents, brothers J.W. (infant), Concordia, KS. Private Services will be held. Preceded in A.J. McCurry, her husband Richard. Survivors include son, death by her parents, Kenneth & Betty Wilkening. Don (Susan) Broadhurst, daughter Deb (Leonard) Hein, Survivors include her husband, John of the home; son, Joel both of Mt. Hope, grandchildren Chris (Shani) Porter, (Shana) Downer of Douglass, KS; brother, Steve (Janet) Hillard, OH, Lisa (Chris) Dunitz, Olathe, Ks, J.R. (Becky) Wilkening of Yukon, OK; 2 grandchildren, Wylie & Broadhurst, Burrton, Ks. Courtney Hein, Mt. Hope, Matt Bailey. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established (Stephanie) Hein, Wichita. Great-grandchildren, Delaney with the Alzheimer’s Association and American Lung and Carlie Porter, Hayley and Zac Dunitz, Jenna and Association. To sign a guest book or leave a condolence Jordyn Broadhurst, Brooklyn and Caden Hein, and for the family, go to www.cochranmortuary.com. Emmarie and Easton Hein. Surviving brothers include: Dale, Bob and Cecil (Sandra) McCurry of Mt. Hope, and Odell (Eileen) McCurry of Burrton. and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Sunday from noon to 8:00 p.m HAYSVILLE-Cantrell, Bob G. at Wulf-Ast Mortuary Chapel, with the family present from age 87, U.S. Army/Oklahoma National Guard Veteran, ret. Boeing Experimental Flight Mechanic, 5-7. Services will be Monday, March 5, at 10:00 a.m., at passed away Wednesday, February 28, Mt. Hope Methodist Church. Memorials have been 2018. No Services. Preceded by parents, established with the Church, Mt. Hope Ambulance Fund Clour and Lois (Cue) Cantrell. Survivors: and the Mt. Hope Community Development. wife of 67 years, Velma Jean (Walters) Cantrell; son, Larry (Bridget) Cantrell; daughter, Carolyn Cantrell, all of Andover; siblings, Ted Cantrell of Dardanelle, AR, Donald (Doris) Cantrell, Betty Davis, Doyle Cantrell, all of Wagoner, OK, Lynn (Mike) Borum of Muskogee, OK; granddaughter, Ashley (Chris) Matthews; great-grandchildren, Isabella and Sterling Smithson, Regan, Bishop, and Titan Matthews. In lieu of flowers, Memorial: Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202. Webb-Shinkle Mortuary, Clearwater. www.wsmortuary.com
Ex-Trump adviser sold stock ahead of tariff news Billionaire investor Carl Icahn sold nearly 1 million shares of stock in a company tied to the steel industry leading up to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose costly tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Icahn was an unpaid adviser to Trump before
resigning last August. A regulatory filing disclosed Icahn sold $31.3 million worth of stock in crane manufacturer Manitowoc Co. last month. Manitowoc could be hurt by Trump’s tariffs, and its shares have dropped by 9 percent to $26.93. Icahn sold his Manitowoc stock at prices ranging from $32.47 to $34.31 from Feb. 12 to Feb. 22. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Florida Senate rejects ban on assault weapons BY MARY ELLEN KLAS, STEVE BOUSQUET AND LAWRENCE MOWER
Miami Herald TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
The emotional fault lines that have divided Florida since the school shootings in Parkland were on display in the Florida Senate Saturday as
lawmakers passionately debated an assault weapons ban and then rejected it along primarily party lines. A 20-17 vote defeated the ban. Supporters included two Republicans who joined 15 Democrats. The vote came in a rare weekend floor session as the Senate spent the day
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MULVANE-Fuller, Shirley Ann retired Registered Nurse, age 69, passed away Friday, March 2nd, 2018. Heaven has gained another beautiful angel and loving soul, who was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend. She is preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Patricia Mazur; sister, Adeline Mazur. Shirley is survived by her husband, Bob; children, Kris (Marc) Weaver, Brenda (Allen) Stone, Mike (Cheryl) Fuller; grandchildren, Kourtney Bell, Blake (Seth) Gunter, Sydney Weaver, Garrett Weaver, Amy Stone, Amber (Nick) VanDeest, Matthew (Danielle) Shively, Joshua (Alex) Shively, Tiffany Fuller; great-grandchildren, Willow Gunter, Taylor Stone, Payten Hutson. As per her wishes, a private family gathering will be held at a later date. Shirley dedicated her life to care for all her patients, especially for her AIDS/HIV patients therefore, in lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Positive Directions,150 N. Cleveland, Wichita, KS 67214 and the American Heart Association, 1861 N. Rock Road #380 67206. View and send condolences at www.SmithFamilyMortuaries.com.
MULVANE-Lander, Frank 75, Beech Aircraft retiree and avid bicyclist, passed away Thursday, March 1, 2018. He was born January 26, 1943 to Frank and Ada (Bland) Lander in Alva, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents. Frank is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sandy; children, Debra Hansard and Wade (Terrie) Lander; grandchildren, Aaron Lyon, Amber Kirk, Rylee Lander, and Courtlynn Lander; great-grandchildren, Austin Kirk, Krystal Kirk, Karen Kirk; and sister, Jeanette (Mallory) Seevers. Visitation: Monday, March 5, 2018, from 3 to 8 pm. Funeral Service: 10 am, Tuesday, March 6, 2018; both at the Smith Family Mortuary Mulvane Chapel, 501 SE Louis Blvd., Mulvane, KS 67110. Interment to follow at Mulvane Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Prairie Travelers, Inc., P.O. Box 781033, Wichita, KS 67278-1033. www.SmithFamilyMortuaries.com
OVERLAND PARK-Sipes, Richard L. 72, of Overland Park, KS passed away on Monday, February 26, 2018. Visitation will be from 6-8 pm, Thursday, March 1st at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS. Funeral service will be 11 am on Friday, March 2nd at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel. Graveside service with Military Honors will be 10 am on Monday, March 5th at Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, KS. Memorial contributions are suggested to Kansas Special Olympics, 5280 Foxridge Drive, Mission, KS 66202.
PARK CITY-Robertson, Larry E. Age 79, retired Cessna Aircraft maintenance supervisor passed away Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Memorial service, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, 2018 at the Kechi United Methodist Church, 4533 E. 61st St. N. To read an extended obituary and sign a guest book, go to www.cochranmortuary.com.
TOPEKA-Black, Elizabeth Ann 36, Registered Nurse, passed away on Friday, February 23, 2018, after a courageous fight with metastatic breast cancer. Memorial Service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 10, at Broadway Mortuary Chapel. She was preceded in death by father Tom Black. Survivors include parents, Ann and Dave Jester; sister Mary (Elliott) Loftis; step-brothers, Nick (Angel) and Josh Jester; and numerous family members, friends and co-workers. Memorials have been established with Victory in the Valley and Allied Health Career Training Scholarship Program In Memory of Elizabeth Black. Share condolences and view extended obituary at www.CozineMemorial.com. Broadway Mortuary.
VALLEY CENTER-Botts, Lucille (Miller) 97 years, passed away on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Survived by her daughter Darlene (Marvin) Richards, son Howard (Joyce) Botts, daughter Kathy Baker; 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandsons, brother Robert Miller. Preceded by her parents William & Isabelle Miller, husband Raymond, son Bill and brother Jack. Memorials in her memory to First United Methodist Church Valley Center or the Valley Center Historical Society, PO Box 173, Valley Center, KS 67147. Visitation 5-7 p.m. Monday, March 5, and Service 10:00 a.m., Tuesday March 6, both held at the First United Methodist Church, Valley Center. www.bakerfhvc.com
on legislation aimed at responding to the Feb. 14 Parkland attack. The bill would inject millions of dollars into mental health and school safety programs that lawmakers have long ignored and do something unseen in Florida for decades: impose new limits on gun access. “If anything has come out of that tragedy, it is the realization that we have not done enough to this point comprehensive-
ly to have mechanisms in place … to prevent this from occurring,” Republican state Sen. Bill Galvano said as he introduced a new draft of the Senate plan. The Senate had planned to take up its version of the legislation Friday, but with dozens of amendments drafted by Democrats, Senate leaders decided to spend much of Saturday debating the issue.
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News
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Once banned, ‘America’s rifle’ is fiercely loved, hated BY ALI WATKINS, JOHN ISMAY AND THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF
The New York Times
Jeff Swarey bought his AR-15 rifle five years ago after shooting guns in video games. Jessie K. Fletcher, a former Marine sniper, was given one by his platoon after he stepped on a bomb in Afghanistan that blew off his legs. Jessica Dorantes, a Texas police officer, will not go on patrol without hers. Their shared communion is a firearm that has in recent decades become a staple of American gun culture. Its iconic silhouette is immediately recognizable – and polariz-
ing. The AR-15 won its place in American culture through a confluence of circumstances, described in interviews by more than 15 gun industry professionals, hobbyists, lawyers and gun owners. They pointed to 2004, when the AR-15 re-entered the gun market after the end of the federal assault weapons ban, at a time of heightened interest in the military. It was popularized by the rise of a video game culture in which shooting became an accessible form of mass entertainment, and it was marketed as accessible and easy to personalize. For those who love the
rifle, it is seen as a testament to freedom – a rite of passage shared between parents and children, a token to welcome soldiers home, a tradition shared with friends at the range. But in its relatively short life span, the AR-15 has also become inextricably linked with tragedy and has been vilified as the weapon of mass murder. Nineteen-year-old Nikolas Cruz confessed to gunning down 17 people last month at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in which an AR-15 was used, the latest mass shooting to prompt a new round of the intractable gun debate. Whether beloved or
Hundreds of districts already keep firearms in their schools BY ERICA L. GREEN AND MANNY FERNANDEZ
New York Times SIDNEY, OHIO
The 8-by-11-inch box sits atop a bookshelf in the district headquarters. Inside is a semiautomatic Glock handgun that education leaders say will prevent this district from suffering the next schoolhouse tragedy. Dispersed throughout the seven school buildings in this rural Ohio district outside Dayton are dozens of biometric safes, only accessible to a designated staff member whose fingerprint can open the box. A
bulletproof vest is nearby. “We can’t stop an active shooter, but we can minimize the carnage,” said John Scheu, superintendent of Sidney City Schools. After the latest mass shooting, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla,, last month, President Donald Trump amplified calls to train and arm educators, roiling the teaching profession and infuriating gun control advocates who see yet another inappropriate – and potentially disastrous – duty being heaped on teachers. For all the outcry, though, hundreds of
school districts across the country, most of them small and rural, already have. Officials like those here in Sidney do not see the weaponry scattered through their schools as a political statement, but as a practical response to a potent threat. The push for others to follow their lead has almost instantly ignited a backlash. A hashtag emerged on social media, #ArmMeWith, followed by a litany of suggestions from teachers other than guns: books, science equipment, computers and better pay. A cartoon depicting a teacher strug-
reviled, the AR-15 is more than just a gun for much of the United States. Light, precise and with little recoil, the Colt Armalite Rifle-15 Sporter hit the market in the early 1960s as the first civilian version of the military’s M16 rifle. What set it apart was, much like its military counterpart, inventor Eugene Stoner’s patented gas operating system, which allowed for rapid fire and reloading. The weapon could easily handle a 20-round magazine, was easy to disassemble and was marketed, in one of Colt’s early advertisements, to hunters, campers and collectors. Billed as “America’s
gling underneath the weight of her responsibilities – social worker, drug detector, disciplinarian – was shared on social media more than 100,000 times. But the Trump administration has elevated the issue to something of an educational mission. The president insisted that he personally would charge into a school, even unarmed, to challenge a gunman. Frank Brogan, a former Florida lieutenant governor who has been nominated for assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, carries an unusual credential: When he was an assistant principal, Brogan chased down an armed teenager, talked him into lowering his weapon, then
rifle” by the National Rifle Association, the AR-15 is less a specific weapon than a family of them. When Stoner’s rights to the gas system expired in 1977, it opened the way for dozens of weapons manufacturers to produce their own models, using the same technology. The term AR-15 has become a catchall that includes a variety of weapons that look and operate similarly, including the Remington Bushmaster, the Smith & Wesson M&P15 and the Springfield Armory Saint. Over the ensuing decades, as the U.S. military modified the M16’s exterior to allow for accessories such as sights, grips and flashlights, the civilian market followed. Today, gun enthusiasts consider the AR-15 the Erector Set of firearms. Online message boards, video games and advertisements all provide how-to guides for customizing the rifle.
But the guns were taken off shelves after President Bill Clinton signed a law in September 1994 banning what Congress called “assault weapons.” Prompted by a string of mass shootings – including one in 1989 in Stockton, California, in which five children were killed and 32 wounded in a schoolyard – the legislation stopped production of civilian rifles like the AR-15, and introduced the term “assault weapons” to the public. The number of assault weapons recovered by police in crimes and reported to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives dropped sharply after the ban was carried out, according to a Justice Department report. But it stops short of directly tying the ban to a decrease in gun violence, and the ban’s broader effect remains in dispute.
grabbed his arm and wrestled it away. But even many educators who have faced off with a school gunman oppose the president’s idea. Every day for 51⁄2 years, Jesse Wasmer said, he has thought about the moment that he tackled a student who had just fired a shotgun into the back of a classmate in the cafeteria of a suburban Baltimore high school. “Never have I thought, ‘I wish I’d had a gun,’” Wasmer said. Wasmer, who was a guidance counselor at Perry Hall High School when a student opened fire there in 2012, called the president’s assertions “simplistic and misguided.” “I think as educators
we’re trained to nurture kids and foster kids, and our first instinct is to not shoot or harm them,” he said. “What we need is more caring adults in these kids’ lives, not more guns.” Officials in Sidney, Ohio, a town of 20,000, do not swagger. “I agree with those folks who say teachers should teach and cops should be cops, but we got a mess on our hands,” said Sheriff John Lenhart of Shelby County, who gave up his National Rifle Association membership in the 1990s. “If I have to wait on state officials, on the federal government, on psychologists to figure out why people hurt one another, we would have nothing in our school system.”
Nation & World
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
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Man dies after shooting himself at White House A man standing alone amid a crowd of more than 100 people shot himself along the north fence line of the White House midday Saturday, according to witnesses. The man died of his injuries, according to Associated Press reports. Authorities held back the man’s name until his relatives could be notified. One video posted on Twitter showed hundreds of people sprinting away as sirens blared in the background. No one else was injured, according to the Secret Service. President Donald Trump was at his Mar-aLago resort in Florida at the time of the shooting. — WASHINGTON POST TODD SPOTH NYT
Trump gets first jab in before press corps gala Donald Trump decided to mingle with the media he loves to lash out against, and his presidential debut Saturday at Washington’s annual Gridiron dinner was certain to be watched closely to see how he handled the ribbing. At the dinner, journalists in costume perform song parodies before politicians from both parties give speeches. The Gridiron’s motto?: “Singe, don’t burn.” The president got an early start, tweeting from Florida before his return to Washington: “Mainstream Media in U.S. is being mocked all over the world. They’ve gone CRAZY!”
An operator welds coil ends together on Friday at the Insteel Industries factory in Houston. With the prospect of higher steel prices, the company fears losing business to foreign competitors paying less for raw materials.
‘America first’ policy creates blue-collar winners and losers BY NATALIE KITROEFF AND ANA SWANSON
New York Times
President Donald Trump’s announcement that he planned to impose steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum delighted some blue-collar industries he had championed. “Enthusiastic and gratified are probably un-
derstatements,” said Michael A. Bless, the president of Century Aluminum. Behemoth steel buyers like Boeing and General Motors weren’t as pleased. Their shares fell on the news, and the most obvious aluminum dependents – the brewing giants Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors – warned about the risk of job losses.
But it is people like H.O. Woltz III who feel most vulnerable. Woltz is the chairman and chief executive of Insteel Industries, which operates 10 plants from Arizona to Pennsylvania producing steel wire products for concrete reinforcing. He has about 1,000 workers, most without college degrees.
Now his business calculus is being upended. A levy on imports also allows domestic steel and aluminum producers to charge higher prices, affecting manufacturers across the United States. As industrial America sorts out the tariffs’ prospective impact, one thing is clear: The divide between the metal producers and their customers slices directly through Trump’s blue-collar constituency. Trump argues that free trade has hollowed out America’s industrial base. He has promised to recover lost ground with an “America first” trade policy. But putting America first may not put all American workers ahead. “There are more losers
than winners,” said Monica de Bolle, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “If the point is to protect American jobs, if the point is to protect small and medium-sized businesses, this is exactly the wrong way to do things.” The mills and smelters that supply the raw material, and would directly benefit from the tariffs, have been shrinking for years. Today, those industries employ fewer than 200,000 people. The companies that buy steel and aluminum employ more than 6.5 million workers, according to a Heritage Foundation analysis of Commerce Department data. Woltz counts himself among hundreds of specialized businesses that will bear the brunt of the tariffs. The wire product he makes is not unique, though, and he fears that if he has to charge commercial builders more, he will lose business to foreign competitors paying much less for their raw materials. Right now, he pays around $600 per ton of steel wire rod. The impact of a 25 percent tariff would add $150 to that price. He makes only $40 in profit per ton, so the math would destroy his balance sheet. For now, the mood at Century Aluminum is jubilant. The tariff on aluminum, prospectively 10 percent, would allow Bless to restart some production of aluminum for military use at Century’s plant in Hawesville, Kentucky, which it partly shut three years ago, he said. He plans to hire 300 people this year on top of the 1,850 he already employees and invest more than $100 million in the smelting operation.
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
Preconditions for talks rejected by North Korea North Korea said Saturday that it would be willing to begin a dialogue with the United States on “issues of mutual concern” but that it would not accept any preconditions for starting such talks. The statement came days after President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration could enter talks with North Korea, but “only under the right conditions.” That meant North Korea must first commit to denuclearization, U.S. officials have said. North Korea, however, on Saturday said that talks needed to be based on “an equal footing between states.” — NEW YORK TIMES
Turkey tightens grip on Syrian Kurdish enclave Turkey’s prime minister said Saturday that Turkish troops have captured a strategic village in the Kurdish-held enclave in northwestern Syria, tightening its grip on Kurdish militia in the sixth week of its offensive on the area. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the Kurdish Afrin district has been “surrounded.” “We have cleared all areas near our borders of terror nests,” he said at a rally in the central province of Konya. Turkish troops and allied Syrian fighters have been attacking Afrin from the north, west and east, and have formed a crescent around the district. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beijing takes a cautious approach to US metal tariffs BY KEITH BRADSHER
New York Times
President Donald Trump’s decision to impose broad tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum has drawn condemnation from the European Union, Canada and Brazil. But the intended target of Trump’s action, China, has been fairly cautious. China’s commerce and foreign ministries have publicly criticized the decision, and the Commerce Ministry raised the possibility Friday that China might retaliate. But the threat was carefully calibrated to say that any retaliation would be based on the direct effects of the United States’ actions on China’s own interests. Those direct effects could be limited. China represents only a little more than 2 percent of U.S. steel imports, and just 0.1 percent of China’s overall steel production. China also exports only a very small share of its raw aluminum production to the United States. China uses most of its aluminum to manufacture everything from auto parts to solar panel frames, although many of these are then exported all over the world. The Trump administration tariffs are expected to focus on shipments of raw or barely processed metal. The broader message from Beijing since Trump’s announcement Thursday has been that Chinese officials still hope to keep talking to the United States and head off
broader disputes over trade and investment. Liu He, a Chinese Politburo member who has clearly emerged this winter as President Xi Jinping’s top personal adviser on economic policy, met at length with senior administration officials in Washington on Thursday and Friday. Those talks are being portrayed in China as productive even though Trump himself did not meet with Liu. Beijing’s focus has been on two much broader issues. Chinese officials want to maintain the broader trade relationship, which produced a record $375 billion trade surplus for China last year and created millions of jobs in China while providing huge volumes of inexpensive goods for U.S. consumers. And Chinese officials want to preserve the overall ability of Chinese companies to continue investing in the United States. Those investments have allowed China to acquire considerable technology and manufacturing expertise that might be hard to develop independently. The Trump administration has been working with senior members of Congress on legislation, strongly opposed by Beijing, that would considerably tighten scrutiny of Chinese investments in the United States. Economists generally agree that the steel and aluminum tariffs will be inconsequential to China unless they lead to broader trade restrictions.
CITY OF MOUNT PLEASANT TNS
James Eric Davis Jr.
Disturbed student killed parents with his father’s gun, police say BY RICK CALLAHAN
Associated Press MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH.
A 19-year-old student suspected of fatally shooting his parents at a Central Michigan University dormitory had been acting so strangely the day before the killings that campus police talked to his mother and then took him to a hospital for suspected drug abuse, authorities said Saturday. University police Chief Bill Yeagley told reporters that James Eric Davis Jr.’s parents had just picked him up from that hospital and brought him to his dorm to pack up for spring break when Friday’s shooting happened. He said the gun used in the shooting belonged to Davis’ father, James Davis Sr., a part-time police officer in the Chicago
suburb of Bellwood. Yeagley would not say whether the father had brought the gun to the university’s campus in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, when picking up his son, but he noted that Davis Jr. can be seen on video in the dorm’s parking lot with the gun before he entered the residence hall where his parents were shot around 8:30 a.m. The university is considered a gun-free zone, and Yeagley said it would have been a violation of campus policy for Davis Sr. to bring a gun on campus. “We can make a lot of assumptions, but I’m not going to make those assumptions. But I can tell you for sure that the gun came from outside, in the parking lot, with (Davis Jr.) through the building,” Yeagley said. Yeagley would not say
what type of gun was used or whether it was Davis Sr.’s service revolver. He also declined to say whether drugs were found in Davis Jr.’s system. Davis Jr. was arrested without incident shortly after midnight following an intensive daylong search that included more than 100 police officers, some heavily armed in camouflage uniforms, authorities said. Authorities found him after someone aboard a train spotted a person along railroad tracks in Mount Pleasant, and called police, Yeagley said. Yeagley said Davis Jr. was under guard at a hospital Saturday and would be moved to the Isabella County jail when he’s discharged. Mount Pleasant is about a 285-mile drive from the family’s hometown of Plainfield, Illinois. The shooting occurred on a day when parents were arriving to pick up students at the university for the beginning of a weeklong spring break. Yeagley said witness statements and video indicate that at the time they were shot, Davis Jr.’s parents were in the dorm “simply packing up for spring break.” He said police had first come into contact with Davis Jr. on Thursday morning when he came running into a community police officer’s office in his dorm “very frightened” and but “not making a lot of sense.” “He said someone was out to hurt him, someone was going to harm him, and the officer calmed him down and tried to gain more information about what was going on. … Mr. Davis was very vague and he kept talking about someone having a gun,” Yeagley said.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Storm leaves deaths, floods and wreckage in its wake BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR. AND AMY B WANG
Washington Post DUXBURY, MASS.
For 48 hours, a deadly nor’easter turned a thousand-mile stretch of the East Coast into a wind tunnel, leaving millions without power, paralyzing flooded cities and towns and claiming the lives of at least seven people – some of whom had tried in vain to take shelter from hurricane-force winds. With the worst mostly over by Saturday morning, people from Maine to Georgia emerged from homes to take stock of the damage. Some of those first glimpses came in the dark. At its peak, winds had knocked out power to more than 2 million people, including more than 400,000 in Massachusetts and 320,000 across the state of New York. Thousands of flights were grounded at some of the country’s busiest airports, causing a ripple effect of delays and cancellations around the world. On the ground, highways across the Northeast were clogged with tractor trailers and buses, which were prohibited from crossing some of the region’s massive bridges due to the treacherous winds.
In smaller cities and towns, particularly those near the vulnerable coast, roads had turned into rivers. The people killed during the storm included two children. An 11-year-old boy in Putnam Valley, New York, died after a large tree fell and crashed into a home, trapping the boy, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department said. A similar thing happened to a child in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The fire chief there said the child was in bed when a tree limb struck his home, fatally injuring him. The adults who died included a 72-year-old Newport, Rhode Island, man, killed by a falling tree; a 77-year-old woman in Baltimore County, Maryland, who was crushed by a tree branch while while checking the mail; and three men – one in James City County, Virginia, another in Connecticut and a third in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania – who were killed when trees fell on their cars. Because of the dangerous conditions, more than 3,000 domestic and international flights were canceled in the United States on Friday, according to FlightAware.com, most with destinations or departures in the Northeast Corridor, The Washington Post reported.
BONNIE JO MOUNT The Washington Post
Peak bloom for Washington’s famed cherry trees will begin March 17, the Park Service says. This tree, blooming March 1, was ahead of schedule.
Famed D.C. cherry trees likely to hit peak bloom in mid-March BY ALLYSON CHIU
Washington Post
Washington’s beloved cherry trees signal the unofficial start of spring in the region. And it appears that for a third year in a row, spring will come early. The National Park Service announced Thursday that the blossoms are expected to reach peak bloom between March 17 and March 20. The historical average peak bloom date is April 4, said Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service. If weather conditions are optimal – mild temperatures and no high winds or heavy rains – the blossoms could stay on trees for about a week to 10
days, Litterst said. “They’re very fragile,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons they’re such an attraction. If they came out and they stayed on the trees for a month, it wouldn’t be nearly as big a deal.” Peak bloom is the day on which 70 percent of the blossoms along the Tidal Basin are open. In 2016 and 2017, peak bloom occurred on March 25, according to National Park Service records. This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival will run from March 20 to April 15. To accommodate the predicted early peak bloom date, the Tidal Basin welcome area will open March 17, said Diana Mayhew, president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
All other programming will occur as scheduled, she said. Litterst added that visitors coming after the peak bloom date should still see blossoms because the District is home to more than a dozen types of cherry trees that bloom at different times. Peak bloom dates are calculated using Yoshino cherry trees, which are the most
dominant variety in the city, making up more than 70 percent of the total 3,700 cherry trees, Litterst said. According to the National Park Service, trees reached their green bud stage – the first of six stages leading to peak bloom – on Feb. 25. Last year, peak bloom was pushed back as a result of a cold snap, which killed nearly half the blossoms just as they were beginning to emerge, Litterst said. However, if the region were to be hit with freezing temperatures now, he said the blossoms would be protected because they are still in the bud stage. Considered the world’s largest U.S.-Japanese celebration, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the Washington. Takehiro Shimada, minister for Communications and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, said he is excited that such a symbolic event has continued for more than 100 years. “During even the bad times and the good times, the citizens of Washington, D.C., cherished these cherry trees as a symbol of the friendship between the United States and Japan,” Shimada said.
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THE WICHITA EAGLE ...................................................................................
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Insight Why is WSU’s Innovation Campus a ‘mindset’ and not a place? BY SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS
stobias@wichitaeagle.com
Wichita State University leased a building on its campus to a new private school that began construction, hired staff and is well on its way to welcoming its first students – all without a public vote or open bidding process. How? WSU’s Innovation Campus has become “a mindset,” not a specific location, university officials said. And that means properties across campus and beyond can be leased to the nonprofit Wichita State Innovation Alliance and then sub-leased to third parties without a public discussion or vote, which normally are required for state-owned property. That has raised questions from at least one state lawmaker, who says the process seems like a “work-around” to bypass public discussion and accountability. Lou Heldman, the university’s vice president for strategic communications, said the concept of the Innovation Campus is evolving. “Innovation Campus has transformed into a mindset as well as a physical place,” he said. “The mission is to further Kansas and improve the quality of life, so we really think about the whole campus – the whole 330 acres – as an innovation university.” The Eagle reported last month that Chase and Annie Koch, the son and daughter-in-law of Koch Industries chief Charles Koch, are financing a new preK-through-12th-grade school on the WSU campus. The school, called Wonder, is being built in a former print shop on the east side of WSU’s campus, adjacent to but not within a 120-acre tract – the former Braeburn golf course – that was designated as the Innovation Campus in 2014. According to university officials, WSU leased the print shop building to its affiliate nonprofit, the Wichita State Innovation Alliance, on Dec. 19 – the same day the alliance subleased it to Wonder Inc. for its private school project. WSU President John Bardo, who signed the lease agreement between WSU and the Innovation Alliance, also serves as chairman of the 16-member Innovation Alliance board. Because “leases from WSU to its affiliated entities are not subject to Board (of Regents) approval,” neither the lease nor sublease required discussion or action by that board, which oversees state universities, said Matt Keith, the board’s director of communications. Plans for the school weren’t made public until The Eagle’s initial report. The deal marks the first time an existing campus property has been leased to the Innovation Alliance and sub-leased to a private business, Heldman said. Buildings on the Innovation Campus, such as Airbus, YMCA and The Flats, were built by private developers under agreements with the Innovation Alli-
ance. Heldman said Fairmount Towers, the former residence hall at the corner of 21st and Hillside, which closed last year, may “eventually be available for other uses.” The Innovation Alliance “is relatively new, but long-term it may become the bridge to community and industry partnerships involving buildings or land beyond the original 120 acres of Innovation Campus,” Heldman said. STATE LAWMAKER CONCERNED At least one state lawmaker said he’s troubled that details of the Wonder deal weren’t made public until leases were signed and the project was well underway. “I’m having more and more questions about how business is done there,” said Kansas Sen. Lynn Rogers, D-Wichita. “And it has caused a lot of conversation in the hallways between legislators that aren’t necessarily from Wichita.” Rogers, a former Wichita school board member, said Wichita State should be subject to the same requirements as school boards or city councils regarding the sale or lease of public property. Leasing property to the Innovation Alliance to sub-lease to a private company
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY Courtesy photo
Lou Heldman, WSU’s vice president for strategic communications
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INNOVATION CAMPUS HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A MINDSET AS WELL AS A PHYSICAL PLACE. THE MISSION IS TO FURTHER KANSAS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, SO WE REALLY THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE CAMPUS – THE WHOLE 330 ACRES – AS AN INNOVATION UNIVERSITY. Lou Heldman, WSU vice president for strategic communications
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
The Wichita State University Innovation Campus
seems like “a work-around” to bypass the public bidding process, he said. “It gives me very serious concerns, not just about this building but any future building on the WSU campus or other campuses,” Rogers said. “There’s no community involvement, no public involvement, and we’re talking about property that’s owned by taxpayers,” he said. “There could be benefits, but there could also be some negatives there, where you’re giving away things that are investments of the state.” The 9,000-square-foot print shop building, which last was used as overflow offices and storage, has an appraised value of $437,730, according to Sedgwick County tax records. Rogers said he and other legislators have “raised questions” about the Wonder deal because they worry about public entities skirting accountability. “It kind of opens the floodgates,” he said. “There could be some really great things that happen, and if publicly we discuss it and look at it, that’s fine. But we have not had that discussion about assets that way.” Critics of the new Koch-financed Wonder school raised questions on social media after it was announced, saying WSU – and any public university that receives state funding – should not be the site of an exclusive private school. ‘RAPID EVOLUTION’ Heldman said universities have rented or leased campus space to outside groups “for many years.” Examples at WSU include Dassault Systemes, Youth Entrepreneurs, Lords and Ladys Hair Salon and Commerce Bank, which has a branch in the Rhatigan Student Center, he said. “The university will consider leasing property and/or space to third parties who are financially qualified and whose presence on campus would advance the university’s applied learning vision or its mission as an educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good,” Heldman said. In late October and early November, WSU posted a notice in the Kansas Register, the state’s official publication for legal notices, of its intention to lease “approximately 9,004 square feet of office/classroom/
PROPERTIES ACROSS WICHITA STATE’S CAMPUS AND BEYOND CAN BE LEASED TO THE NONPROFIT WICHITA STATE INNOVATION ALLIANCE AND THEN SUB-LEASED TO THIRD PARTIES WITHOUT A PUBLIC DISCUSSION OR VOTE, WHICH NORMALLY ARE REQUIRED FOR STATE-OWNED PROPERTY. lab space” on campus – the print shop building. The university also posted a second notice, which does not describe any specific property and has run in every issue of the Kansas Register since Oct. 19: “Public notice is hereby given that Wichita State University (WSU) intends to lease available land and building space,” the notice says. “The university will consider serious offers and inquiries from any financially qualified individual, group, organization, or company.” The notice directs interested parties to contact John Tomblin, vice president for research and technology transfer, or Crystal Deselms, university property manager. In his monthly “President’s Message” posted online, WSU President John Bardo recently addressed the “rapid evolution” of the Innovation Campus. He pointed to several partnerships located away from campus, including WSU Old Town, where the university and Wichita Area Technical College have several health professions programs, and Shocker Studios, a media arts facility at the former Wichita Mall on East Harry. “One part of the evolution underway is the changing nature of how I’m using the term ‘Innovation Campus,’” Bardo said in the statement. “In discussions with the executive team and deans, we’ve begun to think about Innovation Campus as any place where the university has the opportunity to put the strategic plan vision and mission into action.” The Innovation Alliance was incorporated in 2015 to manage relationships with private industry on the Innovation Campus. The alliance’s nonprofit status allows it to award development contracts outside of the competitive bidding process normally required by a stateowned university.
MAKING IT PUBLIC Zach Lahn and Annie Koch, co-founders of Wonder, said they wanted a stand-alone space on or near the Innovation Campus because it fit with their vision for a non-traditional, studio-model school. “We asked if there was something on campus” and university officials offered the vacant print shop as an option, Lahn said. Lahn said the founders liked the location because it’s within walking distance of GoCreate, a makerspace in the nearby Experiential Engineering Building on 17th Street. That space includes a fully equipped metal shop, wood shop, graphics design studio and more, which Wonder students could use for projects, he said. “We’re a tenant, but the partnership is much grander,” Lahn said. “We have big ideas for how we can work together and benefit students at WSU that want to come in and have experience in this learning environment.” Recently Lahn said interest in the new school has been so overwhelming, officials already are talking about building a larger site on the Innovation Campus. In a news release posted online last month, WSU officials responded to some questions about the Wonder project that arose after The Eagle’s initial story, including the university’s decision not to announce plans for the new school. “When innovation partners are making a major investment on campus we let them shape how they want to make it public,” the release said. “In retrospect, we recognize our students, faculty and staff would have benefited from timelier direct communication from the university.” Suzanne Perez Tobias: 316-268-6567, @suzannetobias
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Live from the West Wing: reality TV program that stars Trumps BY JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
New York Times
DREAMSTIME TNS
The Pentagon has seen a large windfall due to a budget deal between Congress and the White House.
Pentagon’s problem after years of crying poverty: Spending all the cash BY DAVID S. CLOUD
Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON
After complaining for years that it was starved for cash, the Pentagon now says it may have more money than it can possibly spend. The windfall is due to a budget deal between Congress and the White House last month that promises an added $80 billion for defense this fiscal year, including a requested $19.6 billion hike for “operations and maintenance” – an allpurpose Pentagon account used to fund troop training, ammunition, maintenance of tanks, warplanes and ships, and other daily needs. Defense Secretary James M. Mattis pushed for a sharp increase in the account this year, arguing that years of budget wrangling had degraded the military’s readiness to wage war. Congress is still finalizing 2018 appropriations levels for the Pentagon, a delay that has generals and admirals worried about spending all the promised cash in the five months remaining before the end of the fiscal year. “We have a year’s worth of money … and five months to spend it,” Gen.
Glenn Walters, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, warned at a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing. Critics say that giving the military more money than it can absorb invites waste and abuse, warning that the Pentagon has a long history of overpayments, cost overruns and fiscal shenanigans. “They cried wolf and now they have more than they can possibly put to use,” said Mandy Smithberger, the director of the Center for Defense Information, a policy organization critical of Pentagon budget practices. “I think it’s dangerous because you are going to see a use-it-or-lose-it kind of spending.” Pentagon officials are worried about giving money back after claiming that mandatory spending caps since 2011, known as a sequester, had affected training, planning and maintenance. There is no guarantee Congress or the White House will prove so generous next year. Due to Congress’ delay in passing appropriations bills, Pentagon officials are urging lawmakers to allow them to carry over unspent funds into 2019 or to shift them to other accounts if they are unable to disburse all the
operations and maintenance money by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. “We’re going to do our best to spend it in that time frame,” Gen. Stephen Wilson, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, told Congress at a hearing. “The add is so significant that we’re going to have to look at having the ability to transfer some of that money from account to account.” By long-standing tradition, the House and Senate appropriations committees require the Pentagon to spend operations and maintenance funds the same year they are provided – or turn the money back to the Treasury. That’s different than other categories of defense spending, like research and development money, which is usually available for up to two years, or procurement funds for buying ships, planes and vehicles, which are provided for up to three years. At $206 billion in 2017, the operations and maintenance account is around 40 percent of the Pentagon’s annual base budget of $523 billion. Its spending has been under tight control since Congress imposed budget caps aimed at reducing the deficit in 2011.
The additional funds are earmarked for stepped-up training, spare parts, fuel, and restocking supplies of bombs and bullets, among other items. The increase comes on top of a decades-old expansion in operations and maintenance funding, according to a report made public in January by the Congressional Budget Office, a federal agency that provides nonpartisan analysis to Congress. With even more money coming their way, Pentagon officials say it will take time to sign contracts and allocate the additional dollars, perhaps well into next year. Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters that allowing operations fund to be spent through 2019 will “make better use of taxpayer dollars.” “I can ensure more soldiers are trained and well-trained and I think overall we can deliver a much better product,” he added. “I think it is a completely reasonable request, especially given how late Congress is in passing appropriations this year,” said Todd Harrison, a Pentagon budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington policy analysis organization. “The rush to spend money before it expires at the end of the fiscal year puts pressure on managers within (the Department of Defense) to sign contracts quickly rather than in a fiscally responsible manner.”
The chief executive sits at a long wooden table, putting his invited guests on the spot to defend their positions, occasionally needling them with biting comments, often shocking them with blunt talk – all for a rapt television audience. The tableau was a routine occurrence on President Donald Trump’s reality show, “The Apprentice,” punctuated each week for one unlucky contestant with his signature “You’re fired!” Now, it has become a staple of life at the White House, where Trump is presiding over a different kind of televised ritual: the hourlong discussion session with members of Congress or ordinary citizens. In West Wing meetings over the past several weeks, Trump has held discussions on immigration, school safety and gun control with cameras rolling and attendees speaking their minds. The sessions are extraordinary for the rare glimpses they provide of unscripted conversations at the White House on critical issues. They have featured plot twists of their own, with the president, at least while viewers are tuned in, breaking sharply with his own party. They are also a form of performance art for a president who has the instincts of a showman, and whose focus on building suspense and captivating an audience drives many of his decisions. Like the fiery, freewheeling rallies that powered his campaign, the presidential “listening sessions” are one way in which Trump has brought his reality show instincts to his next act as a politician. The meetings have produced little in the way of concrete movement on major policy issues, and some Republican officials complain privately they have undercut the potential for such progress, because they show a president devoid of clear views. But they are nothing, lawmakers in both parties
After 10 years, $3B and several deaths, railways set to miss another safety deadline BY KATE IRBY
kirby@mcclatchy.com WASHINGTON
Better late than never. But still not enough. A major U.S. rail transportation watchdog said Thursday that progress on rail safety is welcomed albeit tardy by years. “My boss worked in aviation for years, and he’s been scratching his head at how this industry functions with the government,” said Sean Jeans-Gail, vice president of government affairs for the National Association of Railway Passengers. Jeans-Gail said the government seems much less organized in its over-
sight of railways than over airways. Specifically, Amtrak and America’s other passenger rail companies were given until the end of this year – a full decade – to implement what’s known as Positive Train Control systems. Mandated in 2008, it is an advanced software system that automatically stops trains before certain accidents occur, notably potential train-to-train collisions and derailments due to excessive speeds. Now, 10 years later, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that two-thirds of 29 commuter railroads may not meet that dead-
line. Susan Fleming, GAO director of physical infrastructure, said the more compliant railroads on average needed two years just for field testing, which other railways haven’t even started. Passenger rail travel is relatively safer compared to air or highway travel. But there have been five deadly accidents just on Amtrak in the past three months, which contribute to a heightened sense of urgency. Among the fatalities were two killed in South Carolina, two in North Carolina, one in California, one in Virginia – caused by a train carrying Republican members of
JEFF BLAKE AP
A crash on Feb. 4 between an Amtrak train and a CSX freight train in Cayce, S.C., might have been prevented by the Positive Train Control system.
Congress to a retreat – and three in Washington state, in addition to hundreds of injuries. Still, Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson told a congressional committee Thursday it was “highly probable” that some of its systems would not meet the deadline for those safety enhance-
ments. Railway executives said the issue was not a manner of money, but of time and finding the expertise to install proper software. The Department of Transportation has already provided $3 billion in federal funding to implement the system. Anderson said there
agree, if not entertaining. “I thought it was fascinating television, and it was surreal to actually be there,” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, said this past week of Trump’s meeting on gun legislation. “Wild,” was the assessment from Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Perhaps more important for the White House, they are, advisers note, one hour of live television when nobody is criticizing the president. Trump put on a particularly riveting show Wednesday, when he openly challenged the National Rifle Association, which has strongly supported him, and lectured Republicans on their approach to gun policy. “You’re afraid of the NRA, right?” he asked Sen. Patrick J. Toomey, R-Pa. Shortly afterward, he cut off Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the Republican whip, who was shot and seriously injured at a baseball practice last year. “You’ll never get it passed,” Trump said of a bill to vastly expand the concealed carrying of weapons, stunning Scalise into silence. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., an ardent champion of gun control, sat immediately to Trump’s left, grinning giddily as he encouraged her to “add what you have” to a bipartisan gun safety measure. “If you help,” Feinstein quickly replied, a glint in her eye. The president’s aides say the sessions feed his desire to pull back the curtain to allow the public to witness him doing his job. “He’s in his element,” said Hope Hicks, Trump’s communications director. “It’s what he does best, whether it’s in real estate as a negotiator, but also as a television executive, he understands the value of showing people what happens inside the room.” Other observers hold a less charitable view: that like much of what happens on reality television, Trump’s meetings are manufactured spectacles that have no impact on the president’s decisions.
could be “significant cancellations of necessary railroad operations” that carry “hundreds of thousands of people per day,” without a deadline extension, echoing the same concerns from 2015. Senators were outraged. “They’re not spending the money, and they’ve had the time, so is this a question of commitment?” asked Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., at a Senate hearing on the latest delay. Rob Healy, vice president of government affairs for the American Public Transportation Association, said all commuter railroads have been “working diligently” to implement the system. If they don’t meet the 2018 deadline, they’re working to at least qualify for a maximum two-year extension the Federal Railroad Administration can grant to commuter railroads with “sufficient progress” without congressional action.
Insight
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Barbra Streisand explains: Why I cloned my dog BY BARBRA STREISAND
The New York Times
In a frank and lengthy interview in Variety this week, Barbra Streisand dropped one very notable aside: that two of her dogs were clones of a previous dog, Samantha, who had recently died. Here, Streisand explains how this medical marvel, born of sadness, came to pass.
I was so devastated by the loss of my dear Samantha, after 14 years together, that I just want-
ed to keep her with me in some way. It was easier to let Sammie go if I knew I could keep some part of her alive, something that came from her DNA. A friend had cloned his beloved dog, and I was very impressed with that dog. So Sammie’s doctor took some cells from inside her cheek and the skin on her tummy just before she died. And we sent those cells to ViaGen Pets in Texas. We weren’t even sure if the cells would take. Meanwhile I missed Sammie so much that I went out and adopted a rescue dog. She was a
little Maltipoo and I named her Sadie, after the first dog I ever owned, given to me by the cast of “Funny Girl” on my 22nd birthday. Then I got a call from Sammie’s breeder, who said, “I know how upset you are. If you’re interested, I have this little puppy, the only one in the litter, and her mother’s name is Funny Girl.” It felt like fate, as if it was meant to be. How could I refuse that little girl? So I took her, too, and named her Miss Fanny. She’s a straight-haired Coton de Tulear, like most people want. My Sammie
was curly haired and that’s why my husband initially picked her out for me as an anniversary present – she was the odd one, different, just like I felt as a little girl. One of the reasons I chose cloning was because I couldn’t find another curly-haired Coton. And then I got a call from the lab. Not only did the cloning process take, but it produced four puppies! Unfortunately the runt of the litter died before the puppies were old enough to be delivered to me. But still, five dogs were too much for me to han-
YouTube continues crackdown on far-right channels in wake of Fla. school shooting BY JONAH ENGEL BROMWICH
The New York Times
YouTube this week cracked down on the videos of some prominent far-right actors and conspiracy theorists, continuing an effort that has become more visible since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month caused a torrent of misinformation to be featured prominently on the site. A week after the shooting, many of the videos on YouTube’s “Trending” list contained misinformation about the teenage survivors of the shooting. The top video on the list for some time falsely claimed that a student at the
school, David Hogg, was a paid actor. That video and others like it led to intense criticism of the site. Since then, many prominent right-wing personalities have reported that YouTube has issued them strikes, which the site uses to enforce its community guidelines. If a channel receives three strikes within three months, YouTube terminates it. The company’s guidelines prohibit “videos that contain nudity or sexual content, violent or graphic content, harmful or dangerous content, hateful content, threats, spam, misleading metadata, or scams.” Mike Cernovich, the
right-wing agitator and conspiracy theorist, said Wednesday that his channel, which has more than 66,000 subscribers, had been given a strike. Infowars, the conspiracy theory outlet headed by Alex Jones, said Tuesday that it had received a second strike in two weeks, both for videos about the Parkland shooting. (Infowars, which has more than 2.2 million YouTube subscribers, later said the second strike had been removed.) Infowars’ Washington bureau chief, Jerome Corsi, said on Twitter that his YouTube channel had been terminated without notice or explanation. News outlets from The Outline to Breitbart have
noted more than a dozen other right-wing or rightleaning accounts, from “classical liberals” to neoNazis, claiming they have either received strikes or been banned outright in the past several weeks. They include the violent neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen (banned for hate speech) and the YouTube star Carl Benjamin, known by his username Sargon of Akkad, who criticizes feminism and identity politics. Benjamin posted a screenshot on Facebook on Thursday that said he had been locked out of his Google account because “it looked like it was being
EMILY BERL NYT
Barbra Streisand at her home in Malibu, Calif., July 19, 2016.
dle, as a person who was used to taking my dog everywhere with me, and who never had more than one dog at a time living in my house. My manager’s assistant really wanted Sadie, and I knew she would give her a
used in a way that violated Google’s policies.” YouTube said it was not aware of any prominent accounts that had falsely reported strikes, though it did say that Benjamin had violated its policy on copyright infringement. YouTube denied that the deletions and other actions were ideologically driven. It said accounts that had been disciplined or banned were only the most prominent, and vocal, of many across the ideological spectrum who had seen their videos taken down for violating the site’s rules. But critics said YouTube was reacting haphazardly in an attempt to purge actors who have garnered it negative attention. They questioned whether the site was prepared to sub-
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good home. And then the 13-year-old daughter of my A&R man bonded with one of the clones, so I gave them that puppy. It was hard to part with both dogs, but since they were going to close friends I knew I could keep each dog in the family, so to speak, and I can still watch over them as they grow. So now I have three puppies at home, Miss Fanny, Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett, and it’s a bit overwhelming. But we love them so much. Each puppy is unique and has her own personality. You can clone the look of a dog, but you can’t clone the soul. Still, every time I look at their faces, I think of my Samantha … and smile.
stantively address the problem of the conspiracy theories that flourish on its platform. And some of the rightwing YouTube stars and conspiracists who were affected saw the disciplinary action as a result of what they say is left-wing ideology flourishing inside Google, of which YouTube is a subsidiary. Benjamin told Breitbart that the company was “riddled with a far-left ideological orthodoxy that has taken hold to a radical degree.” A YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement that its “reviewers remove content according to our policies, not according to politics or ideology, and we use quality control measures to ensure they are applying our policies without bias.”
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
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Recognize the value in voter turnout Wichita Eagle Editorial Board
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fascinating back-andforth is brewing between Sedgwick County commissioners and the county’s election office. In Kansas, election offices are presided over by the secretary of state, yet funding comes from their counties. The counties have no control over election office spending. As a result, commissioners from Kansas’ four largest counties – Sedgwick, Johnson, Wyandotte and Shawnee – want change and are getting help from the Legislature. Also as a result: Secretary of State Kris Kobach, long criticized for implementing restrictions that many believe make it harder for citizens to vote and register to vote, comes out of this appearing to advocate for more Kansans voting than the County Commission. Strange times. Both sides have arguments that are winnable in the court of public opinion. Kobach thinks election policies should be consistent in all Kansas counties, and that means funding of county election offices is determined at the state level. The Sedgwick County Commission thinks that if the county is going to fund the election office, it should work under the same theory of fiscal responsibility that the commission requires of other county offices. Both seem reasonable, and they still seem reasonable after a recent fight over $100,000. It’s a drop in the bucket of the county’s $425.2 million budget, but a symbolic drop. Sedgwick County election commissioner Tabitha Lehman normally sends a flyer to registered voters ahead of an election. This year’s version was to have a list of early voting sites and times, as well as an application for a mail ballot. County commissioners canceled the flyer. Normally the mailer and postage are untouchable as part of the election office budget, but this year it was an add-on to the budget of the county’s print shop. Commissioners argue the expense isn’t necessary when voters can learn about early voting and mail ballots through
Election workers help people through the voting process as they takes advantage of early voting at Grace Presbyterian Church on Nov. 4.
websites, traditional media outlets and social media. That’s a problem for Lehman, who worries voters won’t remember advance voting and show up instead on election day to longer lines. Lehman’s numbers back her up. Advance voting was higher than 50 percent each time the election office sent flyers to voters. In 2006 and 2017’s special 4th District election with no flyers, advance voting was less than 30 percent. So Election-day lines could be long in the county. There’s much to be said for consistency in election policies across the state. If the Johnson County election office sends out flyers with advance and mail voting options, and Sedgwick County sends out none, hasn’t one county effectively worked to ensure a greater percentage of its voters will participate? Consistent election practices among counties are nearly impossible because of heavy population centers, but it should remain a reasonable goal of Kobach’s office. Another goal, though, should be keeping costs down. The County Commission has every right to ask for fiscal responsibility from Lehman’s office. The 104 other county commissions in Kansas have the same right with their election offices, and that’s why a bill in the Legislature would put election-office budgets in county hands. But the first goal for all involved – before line items in a budget – should be encouraging voter turnout. Early voting and mail ballots have proven to be an effective way to get more Kansans engaged in who represents them locally and nationally.
OTHER KANSAS VIEWS Kansas prisons — Crowded conditions create inhumane conditions that elevate tensions inside prison walls. Prison unrest erupted at state facilities in July and September with riots at El Dorado and Norton, respectively. When former Gov. Sam Brownback advocated for a new Lansing prison, he mentioned the aged structure and poor design and commented, “It just needs work. The place is crumbling down.” The same can be asked of the state’s prison system, especially when based on problems that have arisen within the past year and concerns that mount anytime an inmate is transported and housed in a county jail not intended for such purposes.
– Garden City Telegram
Censorship — Whether it be online or on the printed page, student newspapers like the Sunflower provide coverage of university life like no other publication. Their job is to shine a light on the goings on at WSU which would otherwise stay in the dark. Universities must be a place where ideas can be freely discussed, and student papers are key to ensuring that exchange of ideas. This is censorship, plain and simple and a disgusting display of naked corruption by the student senate.
– Hutchinson News
Later school starts — Board members expressed concerns that the later start times could conflict with parent work schedules and the schedules of high school students who provide after-school care for younger siblings. They also worried that students will lose more class time to afternoon athletic events and that it could affect student employment. And because bus routes and schedules will have to be altered, the later start times for high school students are expected to increase transportation costs by about $100,000 per year. But while such concerns warrant discussion, school decisions should be driven foremost by what’s best for students from an education standpoint. Given the significant research showing that increased sleep leads to better student performance, moving high school start times back is an experiment well worth undertaking.
– Lawrence Journal-World
Established 1872 Incorporating the Wichita Beacon
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A big day for WSU seniors and more
Six Wichita State basketball seniors play their final home game at 11 Sunday morning. Shaq Morris, Rashard Kelly, Zach Brown, Conner Frankamp, Rauno Nurger and Darral Willis Jr. have given us great performances and exciting games while representing their university in a way that makes Shocker Nation proud. Sunday’s game against Cincinnati should be one we remember for years to come. After the Feb. 1 loss to Temple, I thought we were playing the rest of the season for second place in the conference. But our Shockers, through grit, determination and mental toughness, have won seven games in a row. But we need eight. All 10,506 fans need to bring it Sunday and help this team to an American Athletic Conference championship in our inaugural year. Come early, stand up, yell loudly (no atmospherekilling promos, please). This will be one for the ages. – David Steele, Wichita
What’s in their hearts
Making laws more strict does not change people’s hearts. Criminals are still criminals. Laws are in place to decrease the amounts of crime and violence, but criminals still find ways to get hold of them. Although laws help to restrain these kind of people, it will not change their hearts. Only through light shining into darkness is there any hope of change. How about we try to be that light? In my opinion, of all the sicknesses in this world, the one sickness that all mankind suffers from, worse than cancer, worse than AIDS, and even worse than selfishness, is the illness that comes because we live in ignorance of the treasure trove of love that God has in store for us. I think that a whole lot of these criminals started out as little children who did not know or feel loved. Start them young. Let them know they are loved. – Hannah Larson, Wichita
Limits of Second Amendment
Based on the twisted logic foisted on the American public by the NRA and their boughtand-paid-for puppets, you would have us believe that our rights, guaranteed by the Second Amendment, would be violated if ownership of military style assault rifles were banned. If so, then where would you draw the line on what type of weapons should be banned for sale to the generDale Seiwert General Manager
al public? Why stop at semi-automatic weapons? Why not allow M-60 machine guns, or rocket-propelled grenade launchers? Or bazookas? How about your basic artillery piece? You could limit it to only 105 mm, unless you believe that would infringe on our rights. We have to stop this madness. You are culpable and you need to admit your share of the blame for these tragedies. You are being used by the arms manufacturers for their own financial gain and it must stop. I am hopeful these young folks who have witnessed personally the results of your inaction will make their voices heard loud and clear. Remember, they will all be voting very soon. I am a Vietnam War Marine veteran and I have had enough of your lame excuses. – Michael Sturgell, Wichita
League of Women Voters’ view
The League of Women Voters believes that the proliferation of handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to its citizens. We support strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens, and the regulation of firearms for consumer safety. We support licensing procedures for gun ownership by private citizens to include a waiting period for background checks, personal identity verification, gun safety education, and annual license renewal. The League supports enforcement of strict penalties for the improper possession of and crimes committed with handguns and assault weapons, and allocation of resources to better regulate and monitor gun dealers. This position has been studied by our members across the country and updated twice since it was adopted 27 years ago. We have supported legislation to extend the Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004, and legislation to mandate criminal background checks for all gun show purchases. The League also opposed Congressional attempts to repeal a specific locality’s gun safety laws (e.g. Washington, D.C.), because such action interferes with citizens’ right to self-government. – Patricia Reinhold, Co-President, League of Women Voters-Wichita
out that the Gun-Free School Zones Act, passed in 1990, 1994 and defined in 18 USC § 921 (a)(25) already provides 100-percent gun control as gun-free zones in every public and private school in this nation. This law restricts guns in any school. It is no exaggeration to say 17 (and many more) people are dead because of this law. In a gun-free zone, we could easily prevent weapon-related deaths by certainly not having gunfree zones where, of course, only criminals will have guns. As a historical side note, I’ll point out that gun control equals a police state, but even the police state, in the case of the latest school shooting, wouldn’t stop the criminal — officers did not engage. – Lionel D. Alford, Jr., Wichita
Tariffs can be productive
President Trump announced a desire to place tariffs on aluminum and steel. This brought the immediate ire of Wall Street. The same bunch that was so fond of the tax cut that helped their bottom line seemed not to favor this decision. Not to be unexpected, coming from a bunch of cheap labor globalists who didn’t vote for the president anyway. True, this will raise the price of the products that are made of these commodities. It will encourage inflation and, if the Federal Reserve overreacts, perhaps even a recession. But to those Americans who work in these industries, it is a godsend. It is a chance to compete on a more level playing field, preserving their employment and their dignity. For too long, they have had to compete against producers who are unfairly subsidized and do not abide by the same labor and environmental laws. Yes, prices will go up, but if not for the cotton gin, the Emancipation Proclamation would have raised the price of cotton. So we must ask ourselves at what point does dignity take precedent over profit? – Mike Hubbell, Kingman YOUR OPINION
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Include your full name, home address and phone number for verification purposes. All letters are edited for clarity and length; 200 words or fewer are best. Letters may be published in any format and become the property of The Eagle. A
Gun-free zones unproductive
Your paper would be more believable if you would point
Steve Coffman Executive Editor
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Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Wichita Eagle, 330 N. Mead, Wichita, KS 67202 E-mail: letters@wichitaeagle.com For more information, contact Kirk Seminoff at 316-268-6278, kseminoff@wichitaeagle.com
Kirk Seminoff Community Engagement Editor
Opinion
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
KPERS betters our communities BY GABRIEL COSTILLA
The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System not only provides a dignified retirement to public employees, but it supports our local communities. But over the last few years, we’ve seen the Legislature and our former governor shirk their responsibility to fully fund KPERS, while public employees like myself paid our fair share into the system. This year, we must ensure that lawmakers fully fund KPERS. I’m in my third year teaching English at West High. I’ve been proud to be a part of a school district that truly values and fosters the future of all students. After many years of school and, for most teachers, receiving advanced degrees, we often make significantly less than we would in the private sector. At the end of our long careers, we have the ability to retire with a pension. This isn’t a million-dollar parachute that we’re using to retire in the Bahamas, but a modest amount that helps us retire with dignity, right here in our own communities in Kansas. The average monthly pension benefit for KPERS recipients is $1,350. Throughout Kansas, our communities rely on the expenditures of re-
tired public employees. According the National Institute on Retirement Security, state and local pension funds in Kansas supported 14,294 jobs in the state. The total income to state residents supported by pension expenditures was $671.1 million. Additionally, benefits from retirement funds like KPERS supported a total of $2.1 billion in total economic output in the state. Public employees like myself are all around you. Without any fanfare and with little recognition, we keep your cities running, your lives secure, and your children safe. When we go to retire, the money we receive from our pensions doesn’t go to frivolous and extravagant purchases, it goes right back into our communities, making them stronger. This year, I hope Kansans will join me in telling lawmakers that enough is enough – KPERS needs to be funded. Not only do we not want to become the next New Jersey or Illinois by not properly funding our pension system, but our teachers, librarians, road workers, and all other folks who work for betterment of the public every day are counting on the funding of KPERS. Join me by calling your senator or representative. Your call can ensure that we’re investing in the future of our great state.
Kansas Democrats: Can it be the lunch bucket party again?
BY MICHAEL A. SMITH
“Democrats are for the working man. Republicans are for the businessman.” In the 1950s, political scientists taking polls heard this again and again. Today, we would not make such comments specific to men, but there is more to this story than that. Democrats were once America’s working-class, lunch-bucket party. With the weakening of privatesector labor unions, many in the paycheck-topaycheck crowd no longer back the Democrats. Some do not vote at all. Neither party seems to be their advocate. Democrats must restore this reputation as the worker’s party, because identity politics alone cannot win elections. Kansas Democrats are on the right track when they advocate cutting the sales tax on groceries. Kansas features one of the highest such taxes in the country, and the issue hits voters right in the pocketbook. Sen. Anthony Hensley, DTopeka, and his allies do not yet have the votes to pass this, nor an alternate source of revenue. However, they should keep pushing. Everyone feels the impact, because we all have to eat. It falls hardest on families with more mouths to feed, and those with low incomes. Granted, the state
requires revenue for public schools, Medicaid, and other things, but taxing life’s most basic necessities is a wrong way to get it. In some cities and counties, local add-ons push the grocery tax to nearly 10 percent — a regressive tax on those who can least afford it. Democrats traditionally represent making life’s necessities affordable, funding public works, and creating jobs. Congressional earmarks used to help accomplish the second and third of those goals. Temporarily banned in 2011, earmarks allowed members of Congress to direct money toward specific projects in their districts. Decrying an Alaskan “Bridge to Nowhere” that was never built, earmark critics labeled the process as corruption and halted it. Democratic Congressional candidate Paul Davis favors making the earmark ban permanent, but this is the wrong approach. Earmarks added up to only 1 percent of federal spending. The process was sometimes abused with “Christmas tree” bills that were excuses to load up on earmarks, but that calls for targeted reform, not a complete ban. Democrats once represented fair prices, good jobs, and investment in public works. Hensley should push for a grocery tax cut, while Davis needs to re-think his stand on earmarks. Michael A. Smith is a political science professor at Emporia State University.
ANDREW KRECH Associated Press
Megan Longstreet holds up a sign in solidarity with shooting victims Wednesday in Greensboro, N.C.
Republicans losing culture war — for now
BY DAVID BROOKS
N.Y. Times News Service
I wonder if I’m wrong on the subject of guns. I started this latest round of the debate with the presumption that supporters of moderate gun restrictions are popularly strong but legislatively weak. Since Sandy Hook in 2012, more than two dozen states have passed gun laws and almost all of those laws have loosened gun restrictions. Roughly 360 gun bills have been introduced in Congress, and they have all failed but one, which also loosened gun use. The blunt fact is that Republicans control most legislatures. To get anything passed, I thought, it would be necessary to
separate some Republicans from the absolutist NRA position. To do that you have to depolarize the issue: show gun owners some respect, put red-state figures at the head and make the gun discussion look more like the opioid discussion. The tribalists in this country have little interest in the opioid issue. As a result, a lot of pragmatic things are being done across partisan lines. The people pushing for gun restrictions have basically done the opposite of what I thought was wise. Instead of depolarizing the issue they have massively polarized it. The rhetoric has been extreme. Marco Rubio has been likened to a mass murderer while the NRA has been called a terrorist organization. The early results would seem to completely vindicate my position. The Florida Legislature turned aside gun restrictions. New gun measures in Congress have been quick-
ly shelved. Democrats are more likely to lose House and Senate seats in the key 2018 pro-gun states. The losing streak continues. Yet I have to admit that something bigger is going on. It could be that you can win more important victories through an aggressive cultural crusade than you can through legislation. Progressives could be on the verge of delegitimizing their foes, on guns but also much else, rendering them untouchable for anybody who wants to stay in polite society. Progressives are getting better and more aggressive at silencing dissenting behavior. All sorts of formerly legitimate opinions have now been deemed beyond the pale on elite campuses. What’s happening today is that certain ideas about gun rights, and maybe gun ownership itself, are being cast in the realm of the morally illegitimate and socially unacceptable. That’s the importance of the corporate efforts to end NRA affiliations. It’s not about NRA members saving some money when they fly. It’s that they are not morally worthy of being among the affiliated groups. The idea is to stigmatize. If progressives can cut what’s left of the conservative movement off from mainstream society, they will fundamentally alter the culture war. We think of the culture war as this stagnant thing in which both sides scream at each other. But eventually there could be a winner. The only thing I’d say to my progressive friends is, be careful how get victories. It is one thing to win by persuasion, another to win by elite cultural intimidation.
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OPINION LINE E-mail comments, 40 words or fewer, to opline@wichitaeagle.com
To Rep. John Whitmer (R-Wichita): Voters against more guns are just brave enough to stand up morally and not “be an ostrich” when recognizing what the NRA is really all about — selling more guns and making more profit. Is anyone else paying attention that the City Council that supposedly didn’t have money to maintain existing swimming pools has at least $1 million to throw at what’s always been a private project, “Doc?” A recent Eagle article stated that the California Democratic party was divided over how best to “battle” Republicans in Washington. It’s no wonder nothing gets done in politics if your main goal is to “battle” instead of seeking cohesiveness. Kansans may soon vote to decrease the sales tax on food. Maybe at that time Kris Kobach’s invite to host the NRA convention could be voted upon. Sounds like good old Dodge City days to me. Krazy Kris Kobach is schmoozing the NRA. No surprise. I pray that the people of Kansas have better sense than to vote the likes of him into the highest public office in the state. He is a paranoid, fear-mongering fool. Eighteen-year-olds are deployed all over the world to defend American interests, so it’s ridiculous to suggest a law preventing them from buying an AR-15 here at home until they turn 21. So Mr. Estes, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Moran and Dr. Colyer, do you take money from the NRA, and if so, how much have you collected from it in the last 10 years? Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said President Trump’s proposal to give teachers bonuses for carrying guns may be a good solution. He is selling guns for the NRA. The Republicans’ goal is to sell guns. They don’t care about your Second Amendment. Leonard Pitts Jr. is the reason I have a negative view of the media. I did not realize how ignorant and bumbling average school teachers are until the Democrats convinced me they are totally unable to safely guard a two-pound piece of metal or, even more remotely, use it in a life-or-death situation. Not sure what to do with my guns. They apparently do not work, as they have never shot anyone. I amaze myself when I have the right tools.
DAILY PRAYER God, we pray for the ill and infirm among us, that they may be strengthened and uplifted by your spirit. Bless their caregivers with skill, compassion and energy. Amen.
Weather
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
5-DAY FORECAST Today: Mostly cloudy. A 20
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percent chance of thunderstorms afternoon. Breezy. Highs lower 60s. Tonight: Mostly cloudy , chance of thunderstorms evening, then partly cloudy , chance of showers after midnight. Breezy. Lows lower 40s. Gusts up to 30 mph. Monday, Monday Night: Mostly clear. Tuesday: Windy.
Abilene 76 47 t Akron 41 20 pc Albuquerque 62 29 pc Amarillo 76 36 s Anchorage 28 13 pc Aspen 38 9 fl Atlanta 66 37 s Atlantic City 47 28 pc Normal:54° Normal: 31° 77 63 sh Chance of precip. Chance of precip. Chance of precip. Chance of precip. Chance of precip. Chance of precip. Austin Baltimore 50 29 s Day: 50% Day: 0% Day: 0% Day: 0% 30% 50% Baton Rouge 73 56 pc Night: 0% Night: 0% Night: 0% Night: 0% Beaver Creek 36 9 fl Biloxi 68 57 pc Birmingham 69 44 pc 3 - moderate Bismarck 38 32 rs Boise 41 24 pc LOW EXTREME Boston 41 32 fl Branson 58 47 t Salina Topeka Buffalo 36 22 s 67/38 74/29 Kansas City Pollutant: Ozone Casper 35 13 sn 45 56/47 Count: Charlotte 60 34 s Great Bend Cheyenne 52 20 pc McPherson 74/38 65/38 50 34 pc GOOD UNHEALTHY Chicago Emporia Cincinnati 50 29 s 59/43 Cleveland 39 23 pc Hutchinson El Dorado 65/38 CONTINENTAL U.S. EXTREMES Colo. Springs 60 21 pc 61/41 Columbus, Ga.68 41 s HIGH 84° Zapata, Texas Wichita Medicine Corpus Christi77 67 pc LOW -10° Shelby, Mont. 63/41 Lodge Dallas 72 59 t Independence TEMPS IN WICHITA 67/38 Dayton 47 27 s 59/45 At Eisenhower National Airport Daytona 66 49 s Ponca City HIGH 73° Denver 61 23 pc 65/45 RECORD HIGH 80° in 1994 Des Moines 55 42 r LOW 45° Enid Detroit 41 25 pc Tulsa RECORD LOW -2° in 1960 65/43 Duluth 38 27 rs 61/47
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THE COUNTRY
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Oklahoma City 65/45 Forecasts, graphics and data provided by ©2018, The Weather Company, LLC
NATIONAL WEATHER
PRECIPITATION IN WICHITA Day: 0.00" Month: 0.00" Year: 0.48" -0.19" -1.72"
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86 72 s 50 34 pc 68 53 r 82 59 s 96 80 pc 81 75 r 61 45 r 48 22 s 38 34 r 48 26 pc 62 58 r 52 36 pc 37 30 pc 81 61 t 90 69 s 20 -1 s 80 70 s 82 64 pc 74 44 s 33 30 sn 42 35 c
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El Paso 72 36 s Fairbanks 22 5 sn Fargo 41 34 r Flagstaff 34 15 fl Fort Worth 72 58 t Fresno 56 36 pc Green Bay 43 28 pc Hartford 43 29 sh Honolulu 83 70 sh Houston 74 67 sh Indianapolis 50 32 s Jacksonville 64 45 s Juneau 34 20 pc Kansas City 56 45 sh Key West 71 63 s Lake Tahoe 32 5 pc Las Cruces 69 36 s Las Vegas 59 40 pc Lexington 51 31 s Lincoln 63 38 pc Little Rock 61 50 t Los Angeles 61 44 pc Louisville 54 35 s Lubbock 79 36 s Madison 48 32 pc Memphis 65 49 pc Miami 74 60 s Milwaukee 43 32 pc Minneapolis 45 34 c Mobile 71 54 pc Montgomery 72 44 pc Myrtle Beach 55 38 s Nashville 63 40 s New Orleans 72 59 pc New York City 43 31 pc
AROUND THE WORLD
Acapulco Amsterdam Athens Seattle Billings Baghdad High Portland Boston Boise Bangkok Minnneapolis Barbados Detroit Low Barcelona Chicago New York Rapid City SOIL TEMPERATURES (2 inches) Beijing San Francisco High: 49° Low: 46° Salt Lake Belgrade Indianapolis Washington Snow City HUMIDITY 54% (6 p.m.) Berlin Wichita Nashville Charlotte Las Vegas Bermuda Little Rock Ice Los Angeles SUNRISE 6:54 AM Brussels Atlanta SUNSET 6:26 PM Budapest Phoenix Albuquerque 9:33 PM Buenos Aires MOONRISE Rain Dallas Orlando MOONSET 8:43 AM Cairo New Orleans Calgary Houston Cancun Last New First Full Cape Town Miami Storms Quarter Quarter Chihuahua Copenhagen 0° MAP KEY 100° Dublin Stationary Cold Warm Mar 9 Mar 17 Mar 24 Mar 31
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Frankfurt 53 36 c Geneva 44 37 r Guadalajara 88 53 s Halifax NS 37 29 c Havana 77 59 s Helsinki 21 7 pc Hong Kong 75 70 pc Istanbul 56 42 t Jerusalem 73 54 s Johannesburg81 60 s Kabul 59 35 pc Lima 73 67 pc Lisbon 57 51 r London 46 38 r Madrid 57 41 r Manila 92 76 pc Mazatlan 83 55 s Mexico City 80 52 s Montreal 37 28 sn Moscow 17 12 sn Nairobi 76 61 t
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44 31 pc 63 35 s 47 30 pc 74 54 s 74 52 pc 71 63 pc 47 32 s 72 47 pc 46 34 pc 53 35 sh 56 37 pc 33 17 sn 43 21 pc 39 27 sn 60 38 pc 58 36 sh 39 20 pc 76 52 t 70 52 s 61 45 pc 64 40 pc 48 19 s 67 50 pc 48 37 sh 72 45 t 39 27 sn 37 24 sn 40 25 pc 72 48 pc 73° 57 pc 43 32 pc 71 42 pc 64 35 pc 48 32 pc 74 47 pc
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Nassau 76 64 pc New Delhi 83 58 s Oslo 25 15 c Ottawa 31 21 c Paris 49 35 r Port-Au-Prince83 60 s Rio 86 74 t Riyadh 82 59 s Rome 58 47 r San Juan 77 72 sh Seoul 59 34 r Shanghai 78 47 t Singapore 94 74 s Stockholm 26 13 c Sydney 77 70 pc Taipei 80 70 fg Tehran 66 49 s Tel Aviv 82 62 s Tokyo 65 57 pc Toronto 37 22 s Vancouver 44 35 pc
76 65 pc 82 58 s 25 18 sn 37 25 c 55 37 pc 82 62 s 87 75 t 84 62 pc 57 49 r 79 72 pc 46 23 r 51 43 r 93 74 pc 29 20 c 74 68 r 81 59 t 68 48 pc 81 64 s 65 47 r 35 30 s 43 34 pc
Key: c-cloudy, fg-fog, hz-haze, i-ice, pc-partly cloudy, r-rain, rs-rain/snow, sh-showers, sn-snow, s-sunny, t-thunderstorms, w-windy
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
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The best beer bar in Kansas is owned by a woman in Wichita, website says 5C
Arts &Culture . ......................................................
Cactus Cantina Where: 2802 S. Hydraulic, 316-529-0238 What: A south-side Mexican restaurant that just turned 25 What to order: Queso, nachitos deluxe, flaming fajitas, margaritas Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Sundays .......................................................
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
Daniel Ramirez, owner of Cactus Cantina, is celebrating his restaurant’s 25th anniversary.
The best south-side restaurant you don’t know about turns 25 BY DENISE NEIL
dneil@wichitaeagle.com
DENISE NEIL The Wichita Eagle
The fajitas arrive on fire at Cactus Cantina, the restaurant that’s operated at Hydraulic and Wassall for 25 years.
When he first pulled into the parking lot of Cactus Cantina at 2802 S. Hydraulic in 1993, Daniel Ramirez wanted to throw the car in reverse and head back to California. He was 22 years old and had been a rising star in the kitchen of the Redondo Beach, Calif., Cheesecake Factory. But a family friend in Wichita, where his older brother lived, was opening a restaurant, and
she needed help. It was February in Kansas on Wichita’s south side. Ramirez had grown accustomed to working beach-side in always sunny California. This was not what he had in mind. “We parked outside of the restaurant and I’m thinking, ‘Uh-uh. Um, no,’” he said. “It was not what I expected.” But he went in, and he worked hard. He learned what to do – and more important, what not to do – when running a restaurant.
AMERICAN DREAM Ramirez grew up in
SEE RESTAURANT, 2C
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MOVIE MANIAC
Oscar predictions 2018: ‘The Shape’ of things
90th Academy Awards When: 7 p.m. Sunday, March 4 Channel: ABC Host: Jimmy Kimmel .......................................................
BY ROD POCOWATCHIT
rpocowatchit@wichitaeagle.com
Well, we finally made it. All the precursor awards shows, red carpets, crazy dresses and heartfelt speeches have led to the grandaddy of them all: Oscar night. This year’s Oscar nominations have made history in many ways (including the first female cinematography nominee), but it could make history in another way. So far, Gary Oldman, Frances McDor-
After five years, he was the owner. Today, Ramirez is 47 years old and has developed a reputation among Wichita Mexican food fans as the charming, smooth-talking owner of Cactus Cantina, a somewhat undiscovered treasure of a Mexican restaurant known for its potent margaritas, unrivaled white queso dip and flaming plates of fajitas. In February, he celebrated the restaurant’s 25th anniversary by learning that he’s finally going to be able to purchase the building from his longtime landlord and work toward turning his restaurant – and the corner of Hydraulic and Wassall – into the destination he’s always envisioned. “I want this corner to be the corner,” he said, “not just the Cactus Cantina anymore.”
Teocaltiche, a town in the central Mexican state of Jalisco. He was the son of a tamale maker: His family ran a business making and selling tamales to people throwing parties and events. One of his older brothers moved to California, and when Ramirez was 18, his brother invited him to visit and take a trip to Disneyland. (“The dream of every Mexican, I believe,” Ramirez said.) Ramirez loved California and decided to immigrate himself, despite not speaking any English. He enrolled in every English as a Second Language class he could take. And despite having already gone to college in Mexico, he earned an American high school degree. He started attending community college classes and got a job in the kitchen of a Cheesecake Factory, which operated on the beach in a town between Los Angeles and Long Beach. That’s when Wichita came calling. Lured by the idea of helping build a business, Ramirez made the trip. But he remembers how dismal Kansas looked to him when he first landed. He thought he’d made a terrible mistake. But he was here, he decided, so he’d better make the best of it. He
KERRY HAYES Fox Searchlight
“The Shape of Water” is the frontrunner heading into Sunday’s Academy Awards with 13 nominations.
mand, Sam Rockwell and Allison Janney have won acting awards at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, SAG and BAFTA awards. If they do win Oscars on Sunday, it will be the first time that all four acting champs have won all five
major awards in the same season. But if Oscar has taught us anything, there’s always room for surprises. Here are my predictions in major categories for the 90th Academy Awards:
BEST PICTURE “Call Me by Your Name” “Darkest Hour” “Dunkirk” “Get Out” “Lady Bird” “Phantom Thread” “The Post” “The Shape of Water” “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” As we’ve seen in the past few years, if there’s any place where we can see an upset, it’s here. “The Shape of Water” leads the way this year with 13 nominations, and looks to be the one to SEE OSCARS, 4C
Enter The Eagle’s contest for chance to win prizes You’ve seen the movies. You’ve heard the list of nominees. Now it’s time to pick the winners. Once again, The Wichita Eagle is sponsoring an Oscar Contest with a total of $500 in prizes. Entries must be completed by 1 p.m. Sunday, March 4, the day the Academy Awards ceremony airs. The winner will be the person who guesses the most categories correctly in an online Oscars ballot, which is posted on The Eagle’s website (www.kansas.com/oscars). To enter, you must be a resident of Kansas and be at least 13 years old as of Jan. 28. In case of a tie, the winner will be determined by a drawing. The first-place winner will get $250, followed by $175 for the second-place winner and $75 for the third-place winner. For the complete official rules, go to www.kansas.com/oscars.
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Arts & Culture
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
‘Fire & Ice’ features pianist, scores from the icy north
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BY DAVID BURKE
Eagle correspondent
Pianist Stewart Goodyear calls Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” a “childhood love.” “I heard this concerto as a kid, and I would play it over and over and over again,” Goodyear recalled in a phone interview. “Every time I played this piece, I always remember my excitement as a young boy listening to it.” Goodyear returns to the Wichita Symphony for the first time since 2008 to headline two concerts next weekend at Century II. Also featured in a concert the symphony is dubbing “Fire & Ice” is Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite No. 1” and Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 3.” A composer himself, Goodyear said he admires the “lyrical genius of Rachmaninoff, just how the melody seems to be
AREA SHOWS THEATER “The Golden Girls” Theatrical Parody Roxy’s Downtown, 412 1/2 E. Douglas. Tickets: $20-$30. Show runs 8 p.m. every Thursday-Saturday through March 18. Sunday showtimes vary. Show is rated PG-13. 316-265-4400, www.roxysdowntown.com/ “To Have or Have Knot” by Tom Frye 6-10 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through March 24. Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. $30 dinner and show; $20 show only. Dinner catered by Pig In Pig Out Barbecue is served from 6:15-7:30 p.m. Show begins at 7:50 p.m. Detective Flim Noir is late on his rent and could be evicted by his landlord. However, a mysterious dame, Rowena Raptor comes looking for help to find her husband’s killer and just may be the payday that Flim needs to stay in business. 316-263-0222, www.mosleystreet.com “Little Women” Concert Version 2 p.m. Sun. March 4, Wichita State University Wilner Auditorium, 1845 Fairmount. Tickets: $20 general admission, $18 for seniors, faculty/staff and military, $10 for children and students. Louisa May Alcott’s timeless story of
MUSIC TO ME WAS HUMANITY. Pianist Stewart Goodyear
ANITA ZVONAR Courtesy photo
Stewart Goodyear will perform with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra March 10-11.
created almost organically,” he said. “It just happens.” The pianist released an album of Rachmaninoff’s second and third concerti three years ago. “As a composer, I’m just fascinated by how Rachmaninoff organizes the melodies,” Goodyear said.
the four March sisters and the men who love and empower them is brought to life in the musical version of Little Women. Tickets at the Fine Arts Box Office in the lobby of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center or online. 316-978-3456, www.wichita.edu /fineartsboxoffice “And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little” 8 p.m. Wed.-Sat. from March 7-18 and 2 p.m. Sun., March 11 and 18, Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Tickets: $14 general admission; $12 students, seniors and military. Opening night ticket price is $10 March 7. Performance is a dark comedy. Make reservations at 316-686-1282 Music Theatre for Young People presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” 2:30 p.m. Sun. March 4, Century II, 225 W. Douglas. Tickets: $12 in advance for adults, $15 at the door. Student tickets are $10. Reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father and his eleven brothers. Tickets available online at www.wichitatix.com. Information: 316-264-9121, www.mtypks.org. Murder at Cafe Noir 7-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat. through April 28, Prairie Pines, 4055 N. Tyler Road. $35.95-$44.95. Four course
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RESTAURANT remembers persuading the then-owner to adjust her recipes to match his idea of what Mexican food should be. He remembers keeping mental notes about the things he would do differently if he were the owner. Then, in 1998, his boss faced health problems and offered to sell Ramirez the restaurant. He’s rarely taken a day off since. “It’s been a journey,” he said. “And it’s been one of the journeys that I actually never expected.” ‘DANIEL’S’ PLACE Today, Ramirez has a devoted clientele that includes people from the neighborhood and several well-to-do families that travel from Wichita’s east and west sides to dine at Cactus Cantina. He’s regulars don’t call the restaurant by its name, though. They just call it “Daniel’s.” Ramirez is the type of
manager who lives his business and loves his customers. He takes pride in his ability to charm them, and he’s a smooth operator. He smells like cologne, wears lots of jewelry and leaves more buttons undone at the top of his shirt than most. He also never leaves the restaurant. He worries no one will take care of his customers the way he does, and he knows they like it when he’s there because they tell him the margaritas just don’t taste the same, the queso is just not as thick, when he’s not. Ramirez knows many of his diners by name, and he treats each like their table is his most important. The restaurant’s dining room feels like an extension of Ramirez’s personality, and it’s filled with 25 years worth of his touches. It’s windowless and dim, and the decor has a 1990s Southwestern style. The big bar in the center of the
“His sense of timing is just exquisite. “There are so many different layers to my appreciation of his concerto,” he added. Born and raised in Toronto, Goodyear was born 40 years ago last month, shortly after his father’s death from cancer. He
became connected to the man he never met through an extensive record collection. Although that collection included a good share of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, he didn’t hear the Rachmaninoff until he was an oldster of 4 years old. Intrigued by the composer’s rhapsody from “Paganini” in his grandparents’ collection, he said he “coaxed” his mother into buying Rachmaninoff’s greatest hits from the Columbia Masterworks collection. “I knew it was a composer I didn’t know much about,” he said. “I just wanted to learn more about him.”
Courtesy photo
“Kibby the Space Dog?” opens Thursday at the Wichita Center for Performing Arts.
dinner served throughout an interactive murder mystery show. Tickets available online or by calling. Discount for booking by Tuesday of each week. 316-3032037, www.prairiepinesplayhouse .com Plymouth Fine Arts Series presents Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town” 7:309:30 p.m. March 8-10, Ply-
restaurant has margarita glasses with green cactusshaped stems hanging above it, and corner of the room serves as storage for some of the centerpieces, floral arrangements and other decor Ramirez uses for his side business, a wedding and party-planning operation called Illuciones Ramirez. In one corner is a glass encased altar of sorts that’s filled with statues of Jesus and Mary – business keeps Ramirez from getting to church regularly, he explains – and several walls are decorated with framed portraits of the late Mexican actress Maria Felix, who Ramirez said he has always admired because she was strong, self-possessed and always said what she meant. LIVING IN ‘SOUTH CITY’ Ramirez said his restaurant has afforded him a comfortable life, but it hasn’t been without challenges. His ongoing battle, he said, is persuading people from other parts of town that his south-side address
mouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton. $15 general admission; $15 dinner buffet beginning at 6 p.m. This is the 80th anniversary of the threeact play, and it is the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corner through the everyday lives of its citizens. Tickets can be purchased at the church office, by
By the time he began taking piano lessons at 7, the Rachmaninoff Second was “a concerto I always wanted to learn,” but not without its challenges. “Inevitably I grew and my hands grew, so I could reach all of the octaves, and could finally conquer all of the technical difficulties,” he said of his teenage virtuosity. “I was so happy to take the plunge and learn the piece I had grown up with.” Goodyear, who now lives in Philadelphia, said music has always been his love, knowing he wanted to perform the first time he saw a classical concert. “It was my heartbeat. It was my way of communicating with people,” he said. “I was a very shy kid, and talking to people initially was a big deal because a wall had to be broken. But I loved to communicate, and the way I did that was through playing the piano. Music, to me, was community. It was connection. “Music to me was humanity,” Goodyear added. “I grew towards that.” Goodyear’s latest recording, a tribute to Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, will be released March 23. But nothing compares to
calling 316-684-0221, or at the door each evening. The buffet-style dinner will begin at 6 p.m. each evening for an additional $15. Reservations for dinner are required. Call 316-6840221, www.plymouth-church.net Wichita Children’s Theatre presents “Kibby The Space Dog?” Wichita Center for Performing Arts, 9112 E. Central. $7 show only; $8.50 pizza and show. Story about a dog named Kibby who learns how it feels to be different while wearing the cone of shame. Performances: 10 a.m. and noon Thu., March 8, 10 a.m., noon and 6:30 p.m. Fri., March 9 and noon on Sat., March 10. Pizza served 30 minutes prior to lunch and dinner shows. 316-6841400, www.wctdc.com Murder Mystery at the Brewery 5:30 p.m. Sun., March 4, Walnut River Brewing Taproom, 111 W Locust. $35. Each ticket includes show, dinner and one beer of your choice. 316-351-8086. MUSIC Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda East Africa presents “Signs & Wonders” 7-8:15 p.m. Sun., March 4, West Heights United Methodist Church, 745 N. Westlink. Free and open to everyone. Child-
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
Cactus Cantina is a well-loved, if not well-known, restaurant on the corner of Hydraulic and Wassall.
is safe. He calls the neighborhood “South City.” To fight the image, he’s invested heavily in the outside appearance of his building, which is nicely painted and at night glows with high-end lighting. His next project, once he finishes buying the building, will be a major landscaping overhaul. “Unfortunately, South City has a history, but in 25 years, I’ve never had any incidents,” he said. “But when you talk to people, they still make the comment, ‘I was afraid. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know
if it was okay.’” The only time Ramirez thought he might not be okay was in the early 2000s, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and after Boeing was sold in 2005. At the time, Ramirez was interviewed by the Wichita Eagle and revealed that business had been so slow, he’d had to lay off three employees. (Today, he works with a crew of seven.) To keep from closing, Ramirez briefly tried to start an after-hours nightclub in his restaurant. It got him through, he said,
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WICHITA SYMPHONY: ‘FIRE & ICE’ When: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 10, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 11 Where: Century II concert hall, 225 W. Douglas Tickets: $20 to $70, from wichitasymphony.org, by phone at 316-267-7658 or at the symphony box office .......................................................
his “first love” of Rachmaninoff. “The mission is to just keep that love through your skills and all you have prepared,” he said. “Throw that into a capsule, so everything happens organically. You feed off the audience give you and the vibe of the hall and the conductor’s interpretation.” Every performance of the piece, he says, is different. “It has to do with the way I connect with the conductor and the audience,” he said. “But it is always a profound experience.”
care available. Music, dance and a message of hope. 316-722-3805, www.westheightsumc .org/watoto-concert Singing Quakers Home Concert - Come, Creator Spirit 2 p.m. Sun., March 4, Friends University’s Riney Fine Arts Center, 2100 W. University Ave. Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students. 316-295-5677. AUDITIONS “Seussical” Auditions with Music Theatre for Young People 6 p.m. Mon., March 5, West Side Baptist Church, 304 S. Seneca. Prepare 16-32 bars to sing along with sheet music and shoes to dance in. $175 tuition fee is due at first rehearsal. Information: 316-262-7244, www.mtypks.org Wichita Grand Opera Auditions Sat., April 21, Century II, 225 W. Douglas. Auditions are open to applicants who would like to be considered for principal artist roles, resident ensemble artists, Opera Academy of the Midwest and the Wichita Grand Opera chorus for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Thu., March 22. www.wichitagrand opera.org/auditions
but “the restaurant business and the night club business don’t mix,” so he ended the club as soon as he could. The restaurant still has the wooden dance floor and disco ball from that experiment. Now that he’s about to turn 48, Ramirez said he thinks about slowing down. He never settled down and is still a bachelor, and he worries that he’ll spend time in the retirement home he and his brother have built in their hometown in Mexico all by himself. Equally distressing to him, though, is the idea of not being “Daniel” anymore, of not charming, serving and seeing his customers every day. It’s all he’s known since he was 22 years old. “What’s going to happen when I don’t have all these people around that are so happy to be served?” he said. “Some of the people I have in this restaurant can go anywhere and everywhere they want to go, and they choose to come and see me.”
Books
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
BOOK REVIEW
‘Text Me When You Get Home’: for any modern woman with friends BY HANNAH WISE
The Dallas Morning News
“Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Female Friendship” by Kayleen Schaefer; Penguin Random House (288 pages, $24) Sometimes a book finds you at the perfect moment. That’s the only way I can describe stumbling upon a tweet praising Kayleen Schaefer’s “Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship.” Things you should know about me: I’m 26, a journalist who cherishes living alone with my cat, Brünnhilde, and too many potted plants for a 650-squarefoot apartment. I work full-time and am pursuing my master’s degree, which
leaves very little time for much of anything else. With all that going on, the tweet stopped me mid-scroll. Women of my generation especially understand what it means when a friend says, “Text me when you get home.” In six small words, she is speaking volumes. She wants to make sure you are home safe, but she also wants to make sure you know that the memories, witty banter and love don’t stop when you walk out the door. This isn’t something men typically do after a night out with their bros. Why they don’t eludes me and my X-chromosomes,
but I am glad my female friends are part of the text-me sisterhood. “Text Me When You Get Home” offers an in-depth examination of female friendships, how we model them after our mothers,’ why the “mean girl” myth persists and why you can feel more intimately connected to a lifelong best friend than with a romantic partner. Schaefer, a Grapevine native and University of Texas at Austin graduate, didn’t always feel such a deep connection to her female friends. “I wasn’t raised to rely on women,” she writes. “Men were supposed to be my heroes and my protectors. I grew up in a Texas town where the boys were football players and the girls were cheerleaders. … There was a general vibe that the
guys were capable in a way the girls were not.” This is an all-too-familiar experience for many women. But we grow older. We experience our own potential and discover our strength. We make friends and find soul mates. The societal narratives that we are princesses worth pining after, or mean girls out to break the others’ crowns, no longer define us. Schaefer, a journalist by trade, interviewed more than 100 women about relationships with their best friends, mentors and girl squads in an effort to investigate the text-me trend through pop culture. Not since reading Rebecca Traister’s “All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation” have I so fervently recommend-
REVIEW
Academic historian traces ‘Triumph of Christianity’ BY PAUL W. GLEASON
Newsday
“The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World” by Bart D. Ehrman; Simon & Schuster (335 pages, $28) After the violent death of its messiah, Christianity must have seemed destined for obscurity. But instead of disappearing, it grew – from a few thousand souls to about 30
million in just 300 years. How in heaven’s name did it happen? That’s the big question behind biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman’s erudite and engaging new book. As an academic historian, he won’t accept appeals to divine providence. At the same time, he’s also skeptical about common secular answers,
such as the idea that the Roman Empire became Christian as a direct result of the emperor Constantine’s conversion in A.D. 312. “Until recently, that is what I myself thought,” Ehrman admits. “On the contrary: I think Christianity may well have succeeded even if Constantine had not converted.” Why? Ehrman argues that Christianity differed from older religions in two important ways. Unlike Judaism, it was missionary. And unlike pagan
religions, it was exclusive. If you were a Christian, you could worship no other gods. The Roman world was full of divine beings. There were “gods connected with love, war, livestock, crops, health, childbirth, and weather,” writes Ehrman. “Gods of various abstractions, such as fortune, mercy, and hope; gods connected with elements of nature, like the moon, the sun, the sky, and the sea.” Christians promised to
ed a book to friends. In the past year, I’ve felt exhausted by too many dates with mediocre men and the harrowing, seemingly never-ending reports of harassment and worse. I’ve struggled watching one of my closest mentors move on to a job that was perfect for her in a newsroom halfway across the country. And most recently, health setbacks have prompted more questions about womanhood and expectations to have children than I expected to consider at this age. I’ve turned my focus to supporting other women in my personal and professional cohorts as counterbalance to all this chaos. But sometimes you need a reminder. The Twitterverse led me to Schaefer’s book at a time I needed it most. I cracked it open in the exam room at OB-GYN’s office after a friend drove me to the appointment. I’d leave the office with orders for surgery and a phone filled with texts from friends: “Text me when you get home.”
worship only one God. “Unlike any religion known to the human race at the time,” Ehrman writes, Christianity elbowed aside other faiths. As the old religions lost their popular and financial support, they withered. In this contest for religious market share, the pagans didn’t advertise; the Christians did. Early Christians “used their everyday social networks and converted people simply by word of mouth.” They told stories about Jesus and his disciples and their miraculous deeds In fact, they themselves had experienced this wonderworking power.
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BOOK NOTES WATERMARK BOOKS & CAFE Best-sellers 1. “When” by Daniel Pink 2. “The Woman in the Water” by Charles Finch 3. “Where the Dead Sit Talking” by Brandon Hobson 4. “Educated” by Tara Westover 5. “Drive” by Daniel Pink New and notable “A Long Way from Home” by Peter Carey (Knopf, $26.95) The Booker Prize-winning author gives readers a wildly exuberant, wily new novel that circumnavigates 1954 Australia, revealing as much about the country as it does about three audacious individuals who take part in the infamous 10,000-mile race, the Redex Trial. “Winter Sisters” by Robin Oliveira (Viking, $27) A rich and compelling historical novel about the disappearance of two young girls after a cataclysmic blizzard, and what happens after their fate is discovered. EIGHTH DAY BOOKS Best-sellers 1. “You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit” by James K.A. Smith 2. “The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity” by Grant Snider 3. “Headlights on the Prairie: Essays on Home” by Robert Rebein 4. “Hemingway at Eighteen: The Pivotal Year That Launched an American Legend” by Steve Paul 5 “The Engraving of Christ in Man’s Heart” by Archimandrite Zacharias NATIONAL BEST-SELLERS Fiction 1. “The Great Alone” by Kristin Hannah 2. “Fifty Fifty” by James Patterson and Candice Fox 3. “The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn 4. “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones 5. “Still Me” by Jojo Moyes Nonfiction 1. “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos” by Jordan B. Peterson 2. “Fire and Fury” by Michael Wolff 3. “Obama: An Intimate Portrait” by Pete Souza 4. “Educated” by Tara Westover 5. “Enlightenment Now” by Steven Pinker Publishers Weekly
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Arts & Culture
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
New leadership named at Tallgrass Film Association BY MATT RIEDL
mriedl@wichitaeagle.com
Tallgrass Film Association has named Paul Melroy its new executive director, the organization announced Friday.
Melroy most recently worked in the same position at Tropic Cinema in Key West, Fla. He has previously managed fundraising for the Atlanta Opera and the Austinbased Conspirare choral ensemble.
He will assume the role effective Tuesday. Longtime Tallgrass director Lela MeadowConner announced her resignation from the organization in October. The organization, which has built a growing nation-
al reputation in film circles, celebrated its 15th anniversary last year. In a news release, Melroy said he is “excited to lead the Tallgrass Film Association.” “I love engaging the arts to build community, and
BEST ACTRESS Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” Margot Robbie in “I, Tonya” Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird” Meryl Streep in “The Post” Three-time winner Streep (lead actress for “The Iron Lady” and “Sophie’s Choice” and supporting for “Kramer vs. Kramer”) extends her lead as the most nominated performer with her 21st nomination, but she won’t win again. Robbie rightfully landed her first nomination for her defiant work as Tonya Harding, but she won’t win. Neither will Hawkins, although her first nomi-
Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
Predictions in other categories
OSCARS
BEST ACTOR Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name” Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread” Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out” Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” Denzel Washington,” Roman J. Israel, Esq.” Only Day-Lewis and Washington have been nominated before (both already have two Oscars, Day-Lewis as best actor for “There Will Be Blood” and “My Left Foot” and Washington as best actor for “Training Day” and supporting actor for “Glory.”) But neither are getting buzz to win here. It’s nice to see nominations for Chalamet and Kaluuya for fine work, but they won’t win either. Because this is Oldman’s to collect with his (surprisingly) first nomination. He’s won every precursor award for his robust turn as Winston Churchill – and it’s the kind of extreme physical metamorphosis that academy voters drool over. Prediction and my vote: Oldman
Paul Melroy
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FROM PAGE 1C
beat, especially after winning the Producer’s Guild Award (although “La La Land” won the PGA last year and we all know what happened there, despite the whole envelope debacle). If there is an upset, it will surely be “Three Billboards,” which won the SAG version of best picture with its ensemble performance award. It also just won the BAFTA best picture award overseas. I think it could very happen (although that film’s director, Martin McDonaugh, failed to snag a best director nomination, which seriously hurts the film’s chances of winning best picture). But it is a surprise to me that the Academy has such admiration for “Shape of Water,” as fantastical as it is (Oscar usually favors stuffier “prestige” films for the coveted prize and rarely rewards fantasy), but I think that’s great and that the Academy will continue the love. Prediction: “The Shape of Water” My vote: “Three Billboards”
am especially passionate about independent film,” he said in the release. “I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish going forward.” Tallgrass has also hired Gray Brand as its new Director of Marketing and
Communications. This year’s Tallgrass Film Festival is scheduled for Oct. 17-21, 2018.
ROD POCOWATCHIT’S OSCAR PREDICTIONS ARE IN ALL CAPS Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman,” Chile; “THE INSULT” Lebanon; “Loveless,” Russia;”On Body and Soul,” Hungary;”The Square” Sweden Adapted Screenplay: “CALL ME BY YOUR NAME,” “The Disaster Artist,” “Logan,” Molly’s Game,” “Mudbound.” Original Screenplay: “The Big Sick,” “GET OUT,” “Lady Bird,” “The Shape of Water,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Animated Feature Film: “The Boss Baby,” “The Breadwinner,” “COCO,” “Ferdinand”: “Loving Vincent.” Costume Design: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Darkest Hour,” “PHANTOM THREAD,” “The Shape of Water,” “Victoria & Abdul.” Production Design: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Darkest Hour,” “Dunkirk, “THE SHAPE OF WATER” Fox Searchlight
Frances McDormand in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
Cinematography: “BLADE RUNNER 2049,” “Darkest Hour,” “Dunkirk,” “Mudbound,” “The Shape of Water.” Sound Mixing: “Baby Driver,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “DUNKIRK,” “The Shape of Water,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Sound Editing: “Baby Driver,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “DUNKIRK,” “The Shape of Water,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
JACK ENGLISH Focus Features
Gary Oldman stars as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.”
Neon
Allison Janney as LaVona Golden in “I, Tonya.”
MERRICK MORTON Fox Searchlight
Sam Rockwell in the “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
one of the worst movie moms in history. Prediction: Janney My vote: Metcalf
File photo
“Dunkirk” could do well in technical categories heading into the Academy Awards.
nation for her beautifully expressive work as a mute woman is certainly worthy. Ronan lands her third nomination (after supporting for “Atonement” and lead for “Brooklyn”) with fine, detailed work as a rebellious teen, but she still has a long career ahead of her and can be rewarded later. Because, again, all signs point to previous winner McDormand (lead for “Fargo”), for her roiling performance as an angry mother seeking justice. Prediction and my vote: McDormand SUPPORTING ACTOR Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project” Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water” Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World” Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” Previous winner Plummer (supporting for “Beginners”) becomes the oldest acting nominee at age 88. He’s the long shot here. So is Dafoe, who lands his third nomination (after supporting for “Shadow of the Vampire” and “Platoon”) for his earnest performance as a hotel manager/father figure. Previous nominee Jenkins (lead for “The Visitor”) gave a fine, colorful performance as a friendly neighbor, but he’s not getting any buzz to win. So it comes down to the “Three Billboards” men.
Previous nominee Harrelson (lead for “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and supporting for “The Messenger”) could pull an upset but it’s unlikely. Because, again, all roads point to his co-star, Rockwell, with his first nomination after a long, steadfast career. He’s well-liked and his performance as a racist cop is so good you actually hate him. He’s won every pre-cursor award, all leading up to Oscar gold. Prediction and my vote: Rockwell SUPPORTING ACTRESS Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound” Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread” Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird” Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water” All are first-time nominees except Spencer (who won supporting for “The Help” and was nominated last year in supporting for “Hidden Figures”). She continues to give fine performances, but isn’t getting any buzz to win. Neither is Manville, who is the longshot as well as Blige, but it’s nice to see she had such a performance in her. It comes down to Metcalf, who could very well pull off an upset and win for her detailed, emotional performance as a toughlove mother. But it’s another mother who will prevail in a flashier role. Janney as Tonya Harding’s mom gave a wickedly sharp performance that will go down as
DIRECTING “Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan “Get Out,” Jordan Peele “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig “Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro It’s nice to see Gerwig and Peele get their first nominations (she becomes only the fifth woman director to be nominated and he becomes only the fifth black director to be nominated). They both did outstanding work. Previous nominee Anderson (directing for “There Will Be Blood” and writing for “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia,” “There Will Be Blood” and “Inherent Vice”) was somewhat of a surprise here, so he’s the longshot. Nolan gets his first directing nomination (although he was previously nominated for writing
Original Score: “Dunkirk,” “Phantom Thread,” “THE SHAPE OF WATER,” ”Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Original Song: “Mighty River” from “Mudbound”;”Mystery Of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name”; “Remember Me” from “Coco”; “Stand Up For Something” from “Marshall”; “THIS IS ME” from “The Greatest Showman.” Documentary Feature: “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,””Faces Places,” “ICARUS,” “Last Men in Aleppo,” “Strong Island” Documentary (short subject): “EDITH+EDDIE,” “Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” “Heroin(e),” “Knife Skills,” “Traffic Stop” Film Editing: “Baby Driver,” “DUNKIRK,” “I, Tonya,” “The Shape of Water,” “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” Makeup and Hairstyling: “DARKEST HOUR,” “Victoria & Abdul,” “Wonder.” Animated Short Film: “DEAR BASKETBALL,” “Garden Party,” “Lou,” “Negative Space,” “Revolting Rhymes.” Live Action Short Film: “DEKALB ELEMENTARY,” “The Eleven O'Clock,” “My Nephew Emmett,” “The Silent Child,” “Watu Wote/All of Us.” Visual Effects: “Blade Runner 2049,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES.” ...................................................................................................................
“Memento” and “Inception” and producing “Inception”) for pulling off a stellar technical achievement, but he won’t win. Because this will be del Toro’s night. He won the Director’s Guild Award and will rightfully win the Oscar for his whimsically
dark fairy-tale love story. On paper, the story sounds ludicrous, but in his hands it was magical. Prediction and my vote: del Toro Rod Pocowatchit: 316-268-6638, @rawd
Food & Drink
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
5C
The best beer bar in Kansas is owned by a woman in Wichita, national website says BY DENISE NEIL
dneil@wichitaeagle.com
If you’re a beer drinker, you’re even more lucky than you already thought you were to be living in Wichita. According to the national website Craftbeer.com, the Brewers Association’s website, The Anchor at 1109 E. Douglas is the best beer bar in Kansas. The site recently published a list of the best
beer bar in each state, a list it formulated after asking readers for nominations starting in November. The site received nearly 8,000 nominations, and the bar with the most nominations from each site won. “Not an overly scientific formula, I admit,” said Andy Sparhawk, the site’s craft beer program web manager. “But it has allowed us to discover and feature some amazing beer-centric bars, restaurants and tap rooms.”
The Anchor, which Schane Gross opened 14 years ago, was notable for its ownership and ambiance, the site said. “The Anchor is a woman-owned craft beer-centric neighborhood bar that has evolved with Wichita’s burgeoning downtown district,” reads the entry on the site. “The Anchor’s brick building and tin ceiling remind customers of Wichita’s past, lending a nostalgic ambiance. Local pride is on display with its own butcher shop
DINING BRIEFS
You can taste Willie C’s again this weekend.
perimeter of Towne East Square and a west-side restaurant at 656 S. West St., just north of the West street exit on Kellogg. He also had Willie C’s in Topeka, Lawrence and St. Joseph, Mo. He closed the out-ofWichita restaurants in the late 1990s, followed by the east-side Willie C’s in the fall of 2000. He kept the west side going until May 2008. For more information, call 316-612-4694.
brought to you, the advertisements say, by Blue Moon Caterers, which Rowe now owns, and by “the ghost of Willie C’s Cafe.” This is the third straight year for the one-night revival, which has drawn huge crowds in the past. The meal will be a buffet, and it will feature Willie C’s favorites like chicken fried steak, stacked enchiladas, quesadillas, grilled burritos, meat loaf and fajitas. Beer and margaritas also will be
DOO-DAH DINER ASKS: CAN YOU TOP A PIZZA WITH THE GUTS OF YOUR BREAKFAST BURRITO? It’s the start of a new month, meaning it’s the start of a new pizza-of-themonth in Wichita Brewing Company’s pizza contest, which invites other local restauranteurs to invent their own pizzas to be served at both restaurants, 8815 W. 13th St. and 535 N. Woodlawn. The contestant for March is a new one:
BY DENISE NEIL
dneil@wichitaeagle.com
TEN YEARS AFTER IT CLOSED, ONCE-POPULAR WICHITA RESTAURANT BACK FOR ONE NIGHT It’s been 10 years since Bill Rowe closed Wichita’s last remaining Willie C’s, which for years had been THE place to dine in Wichita. People would crowd in for the playful decor, the chicken fried steaks and the baked potato soup. This week people who miss the restaurant will be able to revisit its best dishes at a special revival meal, which will be put on from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Rowe’s Villa Luna venue, 8406 W. Central. The event is being
attached – Douglas Avenue Chop Shop – which allows the bar to take control over its meat and cheeses.” The site also notes that The Anchor, home of the annual Strong Ale Fest, has 175 bottles and cans and 58 beers on draft. In case you’re in the mood for a beer road trip anytime soon, here are a few of the winners from nearby states: A Missouri: Bier Station, 120 E. Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, Mo.
File photo
served. The cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 4 to 12, free for ages 3 and under. Rowe isn’t taking reservations – it’s first come, first served. Willie C’s, one of Wichita’s most popular dining destinations during its heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s, closed its last location in 2008. Rowe founded Willie C’s in 1985 and modeled it after a Texas-style cafe. At one time, he had five restaurants including an east-side restaurant on the
SCREEN SHOT craftbeer.com
The Anchor is the best beer bar in Kansas. But we already knew that. A Nebraska: The Happy Raven, 122 N. 11th, Lincoln, Neb. A Oklahoma: Oak &
Courtesy photo
A pizza that eats like a breakfast burrito, courtesy of Doo-Dah Diner via Wichita Brewing Company
Doo-Dah Diner, the favorite breakfast and lunch spot at 206 E. Kellogg. The restaurant’s pizza, topped with all the ingredients it puts in (and on) its smothered breakfast burrito, went on sale Thursday and will be available through the end of March at the breweries. The pizza has a base of Doo-Dah’s green chili sauce then is topped with its chorizo, jalapeno bacon, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. Once it’s baked, it’s topped with avocado, more green chili sauce and a sour cream drizzle.
Ore, Oklahoma City, 1732 NW 16th St., Oklahoma City
Timirie Shibley, DooDah’s co-owner, said that her chef husband, Patrick, even handed over his secret chorizo recipe and asked WBC to use it on the pizza. The pizza-a-month contest was dreamed up by WBC co-owner Greg Gifford, who both this year and last year invited local restaurateurs to invent a pizza that he’d serve at his restaurants. The restaurants participating all have owners who are supporters of WBC and/or have WBC craft beer on tap. Whichever pizza has the highest sales at the end of the year wins a big party for its staff. New this year: Fans of the contest can pick up a punch card, and anyone who tries at least 10 of the 12 featured pizzas will get an “I Ate Wichita” T-shirt, with a logo designed by local artist Chris Parks. Even if you didn’t try my BLT pizza in January or the Monarch’s chorizo and black bean pizza in February, you can still get started and make it.
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Fun & Games
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD
ACES ON BRIDGE By Bobby Wolff Dear Mr. Wolff: I recently had two ive-card majors and opening values opposite a two-no-trump opener twice in one week — after never having had this problem before in my life. I was not really sure how to bid it, in terms of looking for the best slam or a grand slam. — Kite Flyer, Durham, N.C. ANSWER: A simple approach is to transfer to spades, then jump to six hearts. Or you could transfer to hearts and bid spades to keep the auction low, ind a it (or not), then follow up with Key-card Blackwood, or with ive notrump as a choice of slams. Dear Mr. Wolff: As dealer, I picked up this hand: SPADES A 4, HEARTS 8 76 5 3 2, DIAMONDS A 7, CLUBS K 10 6, and because of the outside honors, I opened one heart. When my partner showed gameforcing values and a it with a jump to two no-trump, I signed off at game and actually made six. Was one heart the right opening bid, or was I just lucky that my partner had so much help? — Quality Street, Elmira, N.Y. ANSWER: It is generally more important to have trump length than strength. Your opening bid was impeccable, and the sixth trump is a great asset in any slam sequence. Things are very different when considering pre-empting, by the way. For the record, give me the club ace instead of the king, and I might rebid three of my major to show extras. This hand has great slam potential once you have 10 or more trumps. Dear Mr. Wolff: Under what circumstances would you lead a card other than fourth-highest against notrump, assuming you do not have a sequence? When do you lead second-highest? — Great Expectations, Helena, Mont. ANSWER: I like to lead low or top from three small, not the middle card — and I would lead the top card only when I thought it was unambiguous from the bidding. From four cards, I lead small or second-highest. But I often lead fourth-highest, even then, because the count is frequently as important as the honor position to my partner. Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS
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Fun & Games
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES ON 7C NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD
Condo newcomer spreads ugly rumors
JEANNE PHILLIPS
Dear Abby: I live in a condo complex with a population of retired people. Last year a divorced woman moved in. Although she has been invited to gatherings, she rarely attends. My wife and I went out of our way to make her comfortable. Recently she con ided she has never had any friends. She has criticized most residents. Some things she says are cruel, including about people she doesn’t know.
HIDATO
7C
Dear Abby: I have lost a portion of my vision, and will be trained in the use of a white cane. Although I have some vision left, I often bump into things when I’m in unfamiliar surroundings. There is something important for your readers to know. When they see someone with a white cane, it does not mean the person is totally blind. I have read of instances where people were using their cane, but perhaps sat down and read a text on their cellphone. These people were accused of being fakes. I am able to read a newspaper, but I’m unable to see at night, and my peripheral vision has become dangerous. Please let your readers know that a person with a white cane may still be able to
At a recent event, when a couple we know well entered the room, the wife kissed me on the cheek. She later did the same to my wife, who was standing across the room. Later our “friend” told my wife I had been flirting with the other woman and she had seen me kiss her. How do we react to this neighbor? Should we confront her, distance ourselves or warn others about her? — Miffed in Mississippi Dear Miffed: The answer to your questions is yes. When you and your wife talk to your friends about this toxic woman, be sure to caution them that if they hear anything negative about anyone from her, to check with the person she is talking about to determine if what she said is true.
see to some degree, but they need the cane for safety. — Safety First Dear Safety First: Thank you for your letter. When I looked online for information about white canes, I learned there are different kinds. They include the “symbol cane,” held to let others know the person is visionchallenged. It’s carried in public to remind others to be careful. Other canes are the “guide cane” and “long cane,” which are used to detect objects in front of the sightless person. Readers, I know it’s easy to be cynical, but if you see someone with a white cane, please do not accuse the person of faking. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
AROUND THE REMOTE: CHUCK BARNEY’S TV AND STREAMING PICKS FOR MARCH 4-10 BY CHUCK BARNEY
East Bay Times
PREMIER
CRYPTOQUIP
HOROSCOPE IF YOUR BIRTHDAY IS SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018: Do what you can to help. You’ll have the option to put your time and talent into your own success or to do whatever you can to make someone else miserable. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Using force may make you feel better, but it won’t bring the best results. Remain calm and focus on maintaining good health. 3 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keeping your books straight will give you the con idence to make purchases or put money into an investment without fretting. 3 stars GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Focus on the activities you can take part in that are dependent on using your knowledge, experience and skills to have fun. 5 stars CANCER (June 21-July 22): Invest in yourself. Look for alternate ways to save and investments that will bring in cash. Try to slow down and make better choices. 2 stars LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make alterations at home that will add to your comfort. A quiet space conducive to working on something without distractions will pay off. 4 stars VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Give everyone freedom to choose and you will in turn have the opportunity to fol-
low through with your plans. 3 stars LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll be emotionally up and down when it comes to what’s happening in your relationships. 3 stars SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Unexpected changes or disruptions will create additional stress for you. Take a step back from whatever situation you face and go with the flow. 3 stars SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look for the most practical path to follow and head in that direction. Being too accommodating will take you to a place that is costly. 4 stars CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Travel plans will face delays, and dealing with friends and relatives won’t be easy. Memories and past experiences will be your best alternative. 2 stars AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look for new opportunities and you will ind something that intrigues you. Be generous with your time, but monitor your inances carefully. 5 stars PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Set your sights on the goals that you believe will bring success and happiness. Look for a way to incorporate what you enjoy doing into earning a living. 3 stars By Eugenia Last
Don’t Miss: The 90th Academy Awards – Yes, it’s true: A movie about some kind of freaky man-fish – “The Shape of Water” – leads everyone with 13 nominations and could swim away with Hollywood’s biggest prize. As for our host, Jimmy Kimmel returns to center stage, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s best-picture envelope debacle. Performers include Gael Garcia Bernal, Mary J. Blige, Andra Day, Natalia Lafourcade, Miguel, Keala Settle, Sufjan Stevens and Common. (7 p.m. Sunday, ABC). Other bets: Sunday: As Season 2 of “The Good Fight” begins, Diane, Lucca and Maia find themselves under psychological assault when a client at another firm kills his lawyer for overcharging. After a copycat murder, they begin to look at their own clients suspiciously. (CBS All Access). Monday: This season of “The Bachelor,” as usual, has been packed with all kinds of teardrenched crazy. Now, Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s love quest comes to an “astonishing” conclusion – but not until you slog through a hideously bloated three-hour finale. (7 p.m., ABC). Tuesday: What’s Drew Carey doing on “NCIS”? “The Price Is Right” host is moonlighting as a retired Marine sergeant who wants the team to clear his name after cyanide is found in one of the hundreds of care packages he sends to active-duty Marines. Will the real villain come on down? (7 p.m., CBS). Wednesday: In the hopeful new drama “Life Sentence,” Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”) plays a woman who has spent the last few years living like she was dying. But when her cancer is cured, she’s suddenly forced to face the longterm consequences of the “live-in-the-moment” decisions she made. (8 p.m., The CW). Wednesday: While we kick back on our cozy
DAVID GIESBRECHT Netflix
Krysten Ritter stars in “Marvel's Jessica Jones.”
couches and inhale junk food, “The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen” will remind us of just how soft we are. It’s a four-part documentary
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series about rough-andtumble guys like Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. (8 p.m., History Channel). Wednesday: Remember “Heathers,” the 1988 pitch-black comedy about a clique of high school students who were feared and hated by all? Well, you knew they’d turn it into a TV show sooner or later. That moment is now. (9 p.m., Paramount Network.) Thursday: We can only hope that the second season of “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” is as tense and compelling as the first. The adventures of the misanthropic, super-
strong private investigator (Krysten Ritter) continue with 13 fresh episodes. (Netflix). Friday: Giovanni Ribisi returns as a scheming con man in Season 2 of “Sneaky Pete.” A former prisoner, he’s hoping for a fresh start. But when two vicious thugs pop up in his life, things get perilous. (Amazon Prime). Saturday: It’s good to be Sterling K. Brown. Not only has he won acclaim for his work in “This Is Us,” he has a role in “Black Panther,” the year’s biggest movie. Now, he tries his hand at hosting “Saturday Night Live.” (10:30 p.m., NBC).
3/4/18
MOVIES
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The Oscars Honors for achievements in film. (N) (Live) ‘14’
KAKE News Sundays-Alec at 10pm ‘G’ NCIS A person of interest is Bull Bull is asked to help a NCIS: Los Angeles “The Silo” Eyewitness Eyewitness found murdered. ‘PG’ teacher. ‘14’ ‘14’ (DVS) News News The SimpGhosted ‘PG’ Family Guy LA to Vegas Kansas News Sharyl The Big Bang The Big Bang sons ‘PG’ ‘14’ ‘14’ Attkisson Theory Theory Furious 7 (’15, Action) Vin Diesel, Paul Walker. Premiere. A dead man’s brother seeks KSN News at Positively revenge on the Toretto gang. ››› 10p (N) Kansas Stories From the Vietnam Little Women: A Timeless Retire Safe & Secure With Ed Slott Protecting savings for War Story retirement. ‘G’ Person of Interest “AlleCastle A body is found in the Eyewitness Scandal (9:35) An assassin How I Met giance” ‘14’ East River. ‘PG’ wants Olivia’s help. ‘14’ Your Mother Pequeños gigantes ‘G’ (SS) Crónicas: Historias que María de Noticiero hacen historia Todos Univision Storage Wars: Rockin’ Finds “Rockin’ Finds” A locker puts a song in Ivy’s heart. (N) ‘PG’ The Walking Dead (6:38) The Walking Dead (N) ‘MA’ Talking Dead (9:06) (N) ‘14’ The Walking Dead (10:06) “Honor” ‘MA’ ‘MA’ True to the Game (5:30) Martin (7:55) Martin (8:25) Martin (8:55) Martin (9:25) Martin (9:55) Martin ‘PG’ Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Married to Medicine ‘14’ Watch What To Rome Last Man Last Man Last Man Last Man Last Man Last Man Last Man Road House CNN Newsroom Anthony Bourdain Parts Anthony Bourdain Parts Anthony Bourdain Parts South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park South Park Street Outlaws: Memphis Street Outlaws Getting Street Outlaws (9:01) “The Twin Turbos (10:02) “Build“Chase Is a Race” ‘14’ ready for the race. (N) ‘14’ Gonorail” (N) ‘14’ ing a Future” ‘14’ Hop (6:25) (’11) (PG) ›› Mr. Popper’s Penguins (8:05) (’11) Jim Carrey. ›› Bunk’d ‘G’ Bunk’d ‘G’ NBA Basketball Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks. (N) SportsCenter (N) (Live) Scandalous (N) The Next Revolution With Life, Liberty & Levin (N) Scandalous Guy’s Grocery Games ‘G’ Worst Cooks in America Beat Bobby Beat Bobby Beat Bobby Beat Bobby Captain A X-Men: First Class (’11, Action) James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender. ››› Straight Outta Compton (’15, Biography) O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins. N.W.A Straight Outta Compton revolutionizes music and pop culture in 1988. ››› (’15) ››› The Perfect Bride (6:00) When Calls the Heart ‘PG’ Meet the Peetes (N) ‘G’ Golden Girls Golden Girls Beach Beach Caribbean Caribbean Island Life Island Life Caribbean Caribbean Forged in Fire: Cutting Deeper (7:05) Knights Templar crusader daggers. (N) ‘PG’ Forged in Fire (10:05) ‘PG’ One Small Indiscretion (’17) Ashley Scott. The Rachels (9:04) (’16, Drama) Caitlin Carver. Kasie DC (N) Richard Engel On Assign Meet the Press ‘G’ Lockup: Colorado Fear Factor (7:01) ‘PG’ Fear Factor ‘PG’ White Chicks (’04, Comedy) Shawn Wayans. ›› The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water ››› Goldbergs Goldbergs Friends ‘14’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ 227 ‘G’ The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (’13) Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman. Premiere. ››› Conan-Barb. Transformers (’07) Shia LaBeouf. Two races of robots wage war on Earth. ››› Final Space Transform American Sniper (6:00) (’14, War) Bradley Cooper, Sienna The Alienist Sara looks into Catch Me if You Can (9:58) Miller. (DVS) ››› Kreizler’s past. ‘MA’ (’02) ››› Law & Order: SVU Law & Order: SVU Law & Order: SVU Mod Fam Mod Fam Alien: Covenant (5:50) (’17) Here and Now “Hide and Divorce ‘MA’ Crashing Last Week To. Here and ›› Seek” (N) ‘MA’ (9:35) ‘MA’ Now (10:35) Lowriders (’16, Drama) Gabriel Chavarria, Ronin (8:40) (’98) Robert De Niro. Five espionage special- Sherlock Theo Rossi. ›› ists must find a special briefcase. ›› Holmes (’09) Our Cartoon Our Cartoon Homeland “Like Bad at The Chi Brandon branches The Chi Brandon branches President President Things” (N) ‘MA’ out on his own. (N) ‘MA’ out on his own. ‘MA’ Counterpart “The Sincerest Ash vs Evil Counterpart “The Sincerest Ash vs Evil Counterpart “The Sincerest Form of Flattery” ‘MA’ Dead ‘MA’ Form of Flattery” ‘MA’ Dead ‘MA’ Form of Flattery” ‘MA’
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
6:30 p.m. on FOX Bob’s Burgers The course of true love never did run smooth, yet for Tina Belcher (voice of Dan Mintz), the road to romance seems to be an endless string of potholes. This Valentine’s Day is especially painful, since it includes a rough break-up for the eldest Belcher sibling, so mom Linda and sister Louise book a limo for a girls’ night out to cheer Tina up in “V for Valentine-detta.” 7 p.m. on ABC The Oscars Though Jimmy Kimmel is back for the second consecutive year as host for the 90th edition of the movie
Jimmy Kimmel-The Oscars
industry’s top honors, plenty of safeguards have been put in place to make sure what happened last time doesn’t happen this time: the naming of the wrong nominee as
an award winner. With the headline-making events that have shaken Hollywood recently, comments by Kimmel and others should prove interesting as the ceremony unfolds at that locale’s Dolby Theatre. With 13 bids, “The Shape of Water” is the most-nominated film. 9 p.m. on HBO Divorce Robert and Jackie (Thomas Haden Church, Becki Newton) take a new step in their real-estate business in the season finale “Alone Again, Naturally.” Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker), meanwhile, faces some fallout from her successful gallery opening and needs Robert to help with a home-repair project.
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Travel
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Kansas is key in arts project celebrating North Star shift BY MATT RIEDL
mriedl@wichitaeagle.com
A series of constellates are planned in Wichita now to prepare for and celebrate a celestial event taking place in 1,000 years. Wait, what? A series of posts, events and flyers have been circulating on Facebook in recent weeks promoting a cryptic event called “Jump!Star.” “Jump!Star” is sponsored by a number of arts organizations in Kansas – including Harvester Arts, Chamber Music at the Barn and the Symphony in the Flint Hills. Not to mention it’s funded by a stout $150,000 Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts last spring. But what exactly is it? “Jump!Star” is an attempt to create a festival of sorts to celebrate the shifting of Earth’s North Star. It will culminate in a custom-composed, celestial-themed symphony at the Symphony in the Flint Hills in 2019, accompanied by large paper sculptures (a la Japanese lanterns) and costumed dancers in a parade-like setting. It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? That’s why its organizers are already planning for it, starting this month with a series of workshops – known as “constellates” in Jump!Star lingo. “The culminating event is Summer 2019, but the art is now,” said George Ferrandi, a New York-based artist who is both creator and director of Jump!Star. “The emphasis is not only in the final product but on the process and the participation and the invention that’s happening now.” THE CONCEPT So what’s all this about jumping stars, anyway? Here’s the basic premise of the event: Because of a “slight wobble” in the Earth’s rotation, the star we consider our due North Star changes every few millen-
KEIL TROISI Courtesy
Artist George Ferrandi with Alderamin, which is being built with the help of students at Penn State University.
KEIL TROISI Courtesy
Thuban, which is nearly 40 feet long, is being built with students at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. . ..................................................................................................................
Jump!Star events this week A 7:30
p.m. Monday, March 5 at Fisch Haus, 524 S. Commerce: Concert featuring the musicians on the Jump!Star team: Jee Young Sim, Mirah and Jherek Bischoff. They will be performing “out-of-the-ordinary chamber music,” along with the Wichita-based WC String Quartet, featuring Jenny Bowen, Rob Loren, Lillian Green and Susan Mayo. $20 suggested donation. A 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 at Candela at The Lux, 120 E. 1st: Workshop (“constellate”) featuring dancers who will perform modern arrangements. People in attendance will be asked to isolate which movements could be part of a custom Jump!Star dance. Free. A6
p.m. Saturday, March 10 at Pioneer Bluffs Barn, 695 KS-177, Matfield Green: Second half of a workshop to design “the people’s dance” for Jump!Star. Free. ...................................................................................................................
nia. This phenomenon is caused by what’s called axial precession. Right now, our North Star is called Polaris. But in 1,000 years there will be a new North Star, because of this wobble in the earth’s rotation. That star is known as Gamma Cephei.
Since none of us will be alive at that time, the organizers of Jump!Star decided: Why not celebrate the shift to a new star now? There are actually 12 “pole stars,” which at various points over a 26,000-year period can become our due North
THE TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER
My husband’s in the ER – why do I have to pay a $850 change fee?
BY CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT
Q: My husband and I had tickets from Philadelphia to New Delhi on Virgin Atlantic. We bought the tickets through CheapOair and paid $1,911. About 12 hours before the flight, my husband was admitted to the emergency room with severe stomach pains. Doctors diagnosed him with a small bowel obstruction and said he may need surgery. He had to stay in the hospital for two more days. I called Virgin Atlantic to inform the airline that we wouldn’t make the flight. A representative directed me to call CheapOair. CheapOair gave me the choice of canceling and losing all the money or changing the reservation Q:
to a future date. I picked a date 2 1⁄2 months later, not knowing how long my husband’s recovery would take. CheapOair told me I had to pay $850 at that moment and then take up the matter with Virgin Atlantic for a refund due to the medical emergency. I have contacted both Virgin Atlantic and CheapOair verbally and by email. I’ve provided both with the hospital and physician reports. Both tell me that the other company has the money. – Sunita Gupta, Voorhees, N.J. A: I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. In a situation like this, your airline and travel agent should work together to either rebook you on a future flight with little, if any, additional expense, or give you a full refund. No, they don’t have to, but it’s the right thing to do. It doesn’t really matter who has the money. CheapOair should have tried to A:
help you. I’m surprised that someone tried to charge you an $850 fee. Normally, when you make it clear that you have to cancel a flight for circumstances beyond your control, like an emergency hospitalization, an online agency will work with a special “waivers and favors” department to secure a refund. I’m certain that if CheapOair had fully understood your situation, it wouldn’t have taken your money. You kept an excellent paper trail. It shows your agent and airline shifting
KEIL TROISI Courtesy
Ceph (Gamma Cephai, the next pole star), is being built with the help of artists in Brooklyn.
Star. Ferrandi has created characters to represent each of those 12 stars based on how they’ve been regarded throughout history. She will be constructing paper sculptures
the blame. First Virgin told you it couldn’t change your reservation and asked if you had travel insurance – you didn’t, but that would have been a great idea – and then CheapOair told you the change fees were nonrefundable. In this situation, an appeal to someone higher up might have helped. I list the contact information of the executives at
of those characters – each about the size of a small car, though some will be up to 50 feet long. Those lighted sculptures – which are being built in Kansas, New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania – will be on display at next year’s Symphony in the Flint Hills. Later this year and in early 2019, there will be more workshops to consider future culture – including a series of time-related film screenings, presentations on how we might grow food in the future, and discussions about the science behind Jump!Star. In a recent talk to art students at Wichita State University, Ferrandi said the project also aims to counter the perception that our future is entirely apocalyptic by considering the traditions of future civilizations. WHO’S GOING TO BE HERE? There are a bevy of national artists coming to Wichita at various points to participate in the Jump!Star project. Chief among them is Ferrandi, who first was introduced to Wichita in 2015 as one of Harvester Arts’ first-ever artists-inresidence. Ferrandi worked in Japan for a summer as an NEA fellow with the Japan – U.S. Friendship Foundation, where she studied how to make traditional Japanese paper sculptures. But the paper sculptures are just a part of the Jump!Star program, which Ferrandi refers to as a “social sculpture.” A cadre of musicians have teamed up to write and perform a custom Jump!Star symphony – written by Jherek Bischoff, a noted modern composer who has scored Netflix specials “A Futile and Stupid Gesture,” “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp,” as well as other film and theatrical productions. Musicians Mirah and Jee Young Sim – based out of Brooklyn and Berlin, respectively – will also perform the music. The final component of Jump!Star: choreography. New York-based choreographer Alan Calpe is developing the movements, costumes and choreography that will accompany Jump!Star’s visual and musical pieces.
CheapOair (http:// www.elliott.org/companycontacts/fareportal/) and Virgin Atlantic (http:// www.elliott.org/companycontacts/virgin-atlanticairways/) on my consumer-advocacy site. I checked with your online agency, and it turns out that it had no intention of sticking you with $850 fees. CheapOair offered you either a full refund or use of your ori-
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? Ferrandi said she has wanted to do this project for half a decade. Her inspiration came from reading a copy of “The Stars: A New Way to See Them,” by “Curious George” author H. A. Rey. “He invented a new way of mapping constellations that has become the way to map constellations, so I was inspired by that,” Ferrandi said. “I just started imagining how (the pole star shift) was going to be celebrated ... and then I got caught up right away in the logistics, like when would it be, who decides, is there a committee, is there a ribbon cutting?” She pitched the idea to the artistic team at Harvester Arts “thinking this is my dream team,” she said. “They said, ‘We’d love to do it, but we don’t have the money. Are you in a rush?’” Ferrandi said. “I was like, ‘I’ve got a thousand years.’” Then, local grantwriter Connie Bonfy offered to assist with applying for an NEA grant, which was awarded last year. The project won the NEA grant by promising to unite “rural neighbors and regional artists” with national guest artists to create this performance piece in an underserved area of the state, according to the organization. Since then, Jump!Star has been partnering with local organizations – including Fisch Haus, Tallgrass Film Association and The Lux – to host “constellates” and spread the word about the project. Ferrandi admits she doesn’t know exactly how it will turn out. She’d prefer to let the people of Kansas decide what a festival to celebrate the changing of the North Star would look like, she said. “I am excited about people inventing the final form that it takes and allowing that that will evolve,” she said. “Hypothetically, if this gets passed down through generations then the traditional Jump!Star recipes and the traditional Jump!Star dances would morph and mutate and evolve.” For more information, visit www.jumpstar.love. Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
ginal ticket value plus the value of the change fees as a future credit, valid for one year. You went with the full refund, and Virgin Atlantic charged you a less painful $400 cancellation fee. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of “How to Be the World’s Smartest Traveler.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
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Sports
ORLIN WAGNER AP
Kansas State forward Dean Wade shoots bewteen Baylor’s Nuni Omot (21) and Terry Maston (31) during the second half Saturday in Manhattan.
Dean Wade’s breakout season keeps getting better BY KELLIS ROBINETT
krobinett@wichitaeagle.com MANHATTAN
Dean Wade used to look up to All-Big 12 players like Perry Ellis and Georges Niang. He considered them the gold standard for
forwards when he arrived at Kansas State as a skinny, timid freshman and wondered if he would ever come close to matching their levels of consistent dominance. Today, young basketball players across the league look at Wade the same way.
The junior K-State forward seems destined for a spot on one of the Big 12’s all-conference teams after guiding the Wildcats past Baylor 77-67 on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum. Maybe the first team. Wade had 25 points and seven rebounds, impressing Baylor coach Scott
Drew to the point he wondered aloud if he and teammate Barry Brown might turn pro. “For the record, it was senior night and I am personally hoping this is Dean Wade’s and Barry Brown’s last game at Kansas State, because both of them are pros,” Drew said. “I have
got nothing but respect for them. We have struggled to guard them. “Those two guys are really, really good. It reminds me of back in the day when Michael Beasley and Bill Walker had 80, or something, against us.” That’s some high praise. Both Brown and Wade have been excellent this season. But it’s Wade who has truly shined. He has been the driving force behind K-State’s journey to fourth-place finish in the conference standings. The Wildcats (21-10, 10-8 Big 12) were picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll, but that was before anyone realized how good Wade would be. Few thought the player that used to turn down more shots than he took would reach double figures in 19 straight games, flirt with triple-doubles and play like a NBA prospect as a junior. Wade entered Saturday’s game averaging 16.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists and backed them up when his team needed him to. That should be enough to earn a spot on the All-Big 12 first team. Wade has been more consistent than Texas center Mo Bamba and he has been a more complete player than Udoka Azubuike, Sagaba Konate and Vlad Brodziansky. He’s arguably the best forward in the conference. “He is definitely one of the best players in the league,” K-State coach Bruce Weber said. “He has got to be one of the best forwards in the country.” Wade has the size (6-foot-10, 228 pounds) and shooting ability (54.6 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from three) to play at the next level. But he might also need another year in college to develop and improve his draft stock. Weber says he will sit down with Wade and discuss the topic after the season. “He is going to be an NBA player, whether it is this next year or the year after, he is goSEE WADE, 5D
Believe it: Darral Willis is the most confident of Wichita State’s six seniors BY TAYLOR ELDRIDGE
teldridge@wichitaeagle.com
With the game in the balance and less than one minute remaining in overtime, Darral Willis took it upon himself to launch a wrong-footed, contested, 8-foot fade away with 10 seconds still on the shot clock. It’s the kind of shot that drives Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall crazy when it misses, but Willis has remained on the floor in his two seasons with the Shockers because it’s
the kind of shot he can make. Sure enough, on Thursday Willis’ shot splashed through the net and No. 11 WSU survived for a 75-71 overtime victory at Central Florida. “That’s a bad shot to us, but a big shot to him,” WSU senior Rashard Kelly said. “We need a player like that when we need a bucket. I don’t think a lot of people in the country would take that kind of shot in that moment. But who gets the clutch bucket? Darral does.” In a class of six seniors that will be celebrated following
Sunday’s 11 a.m. clash with No. 10 Cincinnati, Willishas carved out a role with Shaquille Morris, Zach Brown, Kelly, Rauno Nurger, and Conner Frankamp as the supremely confident one. Whether it’s taking — and making — the game’s biggest shot or asking a woman for her phone number off the court, Willis carries himself with the self-confidence that makes you think he never fails at anything. “You’ve got to be like that to have that swag,” Kelly said. “It’s SEE WILLIS, 3D
Oklahoma State beats KU, sweeps season series BY GARY BEDORE
gbedore@kcstar.com STILLWATER, OKLA.
BASEBALL
FAMILIAR NAME, DIFFERENT UNIFORM
The reality of former Royals star Eric Hosmer’s departure to San Diego hit home. 4D
In the last 15 seasons, one Big 12 team has swept a home-andhome regular-season series from a Bill Self-coached Kansas squad. That would be Self’s alma mater, Oklahoma State, which raced to a 17-point first-half lead en route to an 82-64 rout of No. 6 KU on Saturday at GallagherIba Arena. The Cowboys (18-13, 8-10) also beat the Jayhawks (24-7, 13-5) 84-79 on Feb. 3 at Allen Fieldhouse. Kendall Smith scored 25 points, Mitchell Solomon added 16, Tavarius Shine scored 11 and
Jeffrey Carroll added 10 as the Cowboys became the first Big 12 team to upend KU twice in the same regular season since Iowa State back in 2000-01. KU entered the game having won 102 straight regular-season conference home-and homes. Devonté Graham scored 15 for KU, which fell victim to a motivated Oklahoma State team playing on the Senior Day for Carroll, Solomon, Smith and Shine. The blowout was reminiscent of the Cowboys' 86-67 win over KU on Jan. 19, 2016, in Stillwater. The fans stormed the court after Oklahoma State's victory. KU’s worst loss in a Big 12 game in the Self era is by 25 points (80-55) at Texas in 2006.
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
Wichita State forward Darral Willis Jr. tries to drive the lane against Cincinnati during the first half of their game on Feb. 18 .
The Cowboys spoiled the Jayhawks’ 120 Years of Basketball Reunion weekend in February. Oklahoma State led by as many as 17 points in the first half (43-26 at 2:11) and managed a 46-30 lead at the break Saturday. In the second half, KU trailed by just nine at 56-47 with 11:55 left after a bucket by Silvio De Sousa. However, Oklahoma State rebuilt the lead to 65-51 at 7:10, 68-51 at 6:00 and 71-51 at 5:36. It was 76-53 at 3:58. Self was hit with a technical with just under 6 minutes left after becoming incensed at a foul call on Svi Mykhailiuk. Solomon scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Smith had 10 points and Carroll eight in the first half. Oklahoma State made 56.7 percent of its SEE KU, 3D
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
REVENGE OVER A BITTER RIVAL
Michigan ended top-seeded Michigan State’s 13-game winning streak in the semifinals of the Big 10 Tournament. 3D
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Calendar
SPORTS PLANNER WSU BASKETBALL Sunday Cincinnati, 11 a.m. (KWCH) Friday a-AAC tourney a-AAC Tournament, Orlando KU BASKETBALL Thursday b-TBA, 1:30 p.m. K-STATE BASKETBALL Thursday b-TCU, 11:30 a.m. b-Big 12 Tournament, Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
WSU BASEBALL Sunday Nebraska, 2 p.m. Tuesday SIU-E, 2 p.m. Wed. at ORU, 3 p.m. WICHITA THUNDER Sunday Idaho, 4 p.m. Wed. Quad City, 7 p.m. March 10 at Tulsa, 7 p.m. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER Tuesday Rockets, 7 p.m. (TNT) Thursday Suns, 7 p.m. March 10 Spurs, 7:30 p.m.
ON THE AIR Sunday’s TV / radio BASKETBALL NBA-G: Westchester vs. Lakeland, 2 p.m., NBA COLLEGE BASEBALL Oklahoma St. at Arizona St., 1 p.m., PAC12 UC-Irvine at TCU, 1 p.m., FCSP Northwestern at Texas, 1 p.m., LONG Nebraska at Wichita St., 2 p.m., 1330-AM, 98.7-FM Michigan at Stanford, 4 p.m., PAC12 COLLEGE BASKETBALL MEN Cincinnati at Wichita St., 11 a.m., KWCH, 103.7-FM Patriot League semifinal, 11 a.m., CBSSN Big South final, noon, ESPN MVC final, 1 p.m., KWCH SMU at South Florida, 1 p.m., ESPNEWS Patriot League semifinal, 1 p.m., CBSSN Atlantic Sun final, 2 p.m., ESPN Connecticut at Houston, 3 p.m., CBSSN Big Ten final, 3:30 p.m., KWCH Tulane at Central Florida, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU MAAC semifinal, 8:30 p.m., ESPNU COLLEGE BASKETBALL WOMEN Atlantic 10 final, 11 a.m., ESPNU ACC final, 1 p.m., ESPN2 Big East quarterfinal, noon, FS2 AAC quarterfinal, 1 p.m., ESPNU Big 12 semifinal, 2 p.m., FS1 Big East quarterfinal, 2:30 p.m., FS2 SEC final, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2 Big 12 semifinal, 4:30 p.m., FS1 AAC quarterfinal, 5:30 p.m., ESPNU Big Ten final, 6 pm., ESPN2 Big East quarterfinal, 6 p.m., FS2 SEC final, 6:30 p.m., SEC Pac-12 final, 8 p.m., ESPN2 Big East quarterfinal, 8:30 p.m., FS2 COLLEGE GYMNASTICS Auburn at LSU, 2:30 p.m., SEC COLLEGE HOCKEY Women: WCHA championship, FCSA COLLEGE SOFTBALL Arizona at Texas, 11 a.m., LONG COLLEGE WRESTLING Big Ten championships, 2 p.m., BTN Big Ten championships, 2 p.m., FSKC GOLF Europe: Tshwane Open, 4 a.m., GOLF WGC: Mexico Championship, 11 a.m., GOLF WGC: Mexico Championship, 1 p.m., KSNW Champions: SAS Championship, 3:30 p.m., GOLF MLB Exh.: Astros vs. Cardinals, noon, MLB MOTORSPORTS Monster Cup: Pennzoil 400, 2:30 p.m., KSAS NBA 76ers at Bucks, 7 p.m., ESPN NFL Scouting Combine, 8 a.m., NFL NHL Blackhawks at Ducks, 3 p.m., NHL Red Wings at Wild, 6 p.m., NBCSN RUGBY Seven: Finals from Las Vegas, 5 p.m., ESPNEWS SOCCER EPL: Brighton vs. Arsenal, 7:30 a.m., NBCSN Bundes.: Cologne vs. Stuttgart, 8:30 a.m., FS1 La Liga: Barcelona vs. A. Madrid, 9:15 a.m., beIN EPL: Man. City vs. Chelsea, 10 a.m., NBCSN Women: U.S. vs. France, 11 a.m., ESPN2 Bundes.: Freiburg vs. B. Munich, 11 a.m., FS1 Serie A: Milan vs. Inter, 1:45 p.m., beIN MLS: Seattle vs. Los Angeles FC, 4 p.m., ESPN MLS: Sporting KC vs. New York City, 6:30 p.m., FS1 MLS: Los Angeles vs. Portland, 9 p.m., FS1 TENNIS Dubai Duty Free, 9 a.m., TENNIS Oracle Challenger Series, noon, TENNIS
Monday TV highlights COLLEGE BASKETBALL WOMEN AAC semifinal, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU AAC semifinal, 6 p.m., ESPN2 Big 12 final, 8 p.m., FS1
SHANE KEYSER skeyser@kcstar.com
Sporting Kansas City forward Khiry Shelton (right) brings the ball down before taking a shot at the goal during practice Friday in Kansas City, Kansas.
Has Sporting Kansas City done enough to solve its scoring problems? BY SAM MCDOWELL
smcdowell@kcstar.com
When Peter Vermes grabbed the microphone, he knew exactly the message he planned to articulate. It was Sporting Kansas City’s annual season-launch party Wednesday, and there are scripts for these types of events. For the past few years, the club’s coach has mostly stuck to them — Vermes has thanked the fans, reminded them of their importance and then tried to drum up some excitement for the impending season opener. This time, there was a departure. An explanation. Something just shy of a guarantee. Speaking in front of about 1,000 fans, Vermes addressed the storyline that looms over the 2018
FRIDAY’S SUB-STATE BASKETBALL SCORES CLASS 6A GIRLS South 42, Northwest 32 Derby 71, Dodge City 17 Manhattan 49, Hutchinson 40 Washburn Rural 56, East 35 Olathe East 50, Blue Valley 33 Olathe South 53, Lawrence 47 BV North 51, Gardner-Edgerton 34 SM Northwest 48, Olathe Northwest 46 Washburn Rural 56, East 35 East 10 6 8 11 — 35 Wash. Rural 15 16 19 6 — 56 East — A. Keeling 12, M. McKinney 8, K. Ross 4, D. McElrath 4, B. Jackson 3, J. Jackson 2, Z. Castro 2 Washburn Rural — Bachelor 20, Hamilton 20, Woolington 9, Michalski 5, Sigmund 2 South 42, Northwest 32 Northwest 6 9 7 10 — 32 South 3 22 8 9 — 42 Northwest — D. Arnold 12, A. Cordell 7, A. Snodgrass 6, J. Garrett 2, D. Ogunbiyi 2, Corcoran 2, M. Surmeier 1 South — T. Jobe 20, H. Beard 7, A. Afoa 5, L. Johnson 4, L. White 4, T. Butler 2
CLASS 3A GIRLS At Belle Plaine Kingman 64, Conway Springs 34 Garden Plain 42, Cheney 31 At Sedgwick Hesston 48, Sterling 46 Haven 53, Halstead 37 At Colby Norton 47, Cimarron 23 Scott City 37, Colby 28 At Horton Pleasant Ridge 45, Maur Hill 35 Nemaha Central 48, Sabetha 36 At Minneapolis Thomas More 57, Riley County 38 Russell 49, Beloit 42 At Riverton Erie 48, Cherryvale 30 Caney Valley 41, SE Cherokee 38 At Silver Lake Mission Valley 42, Rossville 39 Royal Valley34, St. Marys 31 At Wellsville Eureka 68, Humboldt 52 Wellsville 63, Council Grove 44 Garden Plain 42, Cheney 31 Garden Plain 15 7 11 9 — 42 Cheney 9 6 11 5 — 31 Garden Plain — T. Joplin 13, A. Gordon 13, P. Bourne 6, L. Danahy 5, K. Heimerman 3, K. Horacek 2 Cheney — D. O’Shea 6, K. Campbell 6, E. Monson 6, K. Wewe 5, T. Lonker 3, K. Scheer 3, K. Smith 2
CLASS 1A-DIVISION I GIRLS At Dighton Rawlins County 65, Triplains 51 Stockton 48, Dighton 42 At Frankfort Valley Falls 54, Doniphan West 30
season. Can Sporting KC score more goals? “We realize as a team (that) last year, we were actually very, very good, but we came up short on one very specific part of the game, and that was goal scoring,” Vermes told the crowd. “I’m not shying away from this.” He continued, “These guys behind me, I promise you they’re very aware that we need to score more goals. We have acquired players to help us do that. We have players on our team that will do that.” To that end, Sporting KC added at least one player at every position on the field, whether it be a starter or depth piece. But the primary financial resources this winter were devoted to changing the
look of the offense. Sporting KC scored just 40 goals in 34 matches, ninth in the 11-team Western Conference. When it takes the field at 6:30 p.m. Sunday against New York City FC, the club will start at least three — maybe four — new acquisitions to cover the front five spots of the formation. In the team’s final preseason game, Vermes used Khiry Shelton as a striker, Johnny Russell and Yohan Croizet on the wings and Felipe Gutierrez as the top midfielder. None were on last year’s roster. “They need time to get acclimated for sure, but they are all very talented,” goalkeeper Tim Melia said. “It’s going to be a year that the guys are getting up and going and looking
Frankfort 48, Centralia 37 At Norwich Caldwell 56, Pretty Prairie 41 St. John 68, Norwich 51 At Peabody Royal Valley 56, Flinthills 22 Chase County 46, Centre 40 At Satanta South Central 61, Tribune 13 South Gray 52, Minneola 34 At St. Paul Southern Coffey 41, Chetopa 28 St. Paul 55, Lebo 29 At Sylvan Grove Little River 44, Lakeside 37 Thunder Ridge 43, Osborne 40 At Wakefield Hanover 75, Pike Valley 29 Clifton-Clyde 47, Washington County 44
Maize — B. Studevan 11, C. Grill 6, A. Espinoza 5, D. Koehn 3, C. McGaugh 3, J. Johnson 2 Carroll 49, Topeka West 46 Topeka West 4 2 19 21 — 46 Carroll 9 12 16 12 — 49 Topeka West — Carr 18, Griffin 10, Struble 6, Mehrens 6, Sutton 3, Lee 3 Bishop Carroll — T. Mans 17, L. Evans 13, C. Cundiff 8, C. Pracht 8, C. Lee 3
CLASS 1A-DIVISION II GIRLS At Fowler Moscow 39, Rolla 19 Bucklin 59, Ashland 43 At Hartford Waverly 55, Crest 49 Hartford 61, Marais Des Cygnes 17 At Palco Northern Valley 70, Logan 46 St. John’s-Tipton 67, Palco 26 At BV-Randolph Axtell 52, Wetmore 25 BV-Randolph 64, Southern Cloud 62 At Western Plains Otis-Bison 47, Ingalls 38 Quinter 67, Pawnee Heights 38 At Sharon Springs Wheatland-Grinnell 48, Cheylin 38 Sharon Springs 49, Golden Plains 45 At South Haven Cunningham 46, Argonia 36 South Barber 52, South Haven 40 At Stafford Hutchinson Central Christian 37, Elyria 28 Wilson 50, Stafford 45
CLASS 5A BOYS Eisenhower 57, Andover 44 Heights 44, Emporia 36 Salina Central 40, Maize 30 Carroll 49, Topeka West 46 Pittsburg 56, Aquinas 54 OT KC Schlagle 61, Olathe West 50 Mill Valley 64, Wyandotte 63 Topeka Seaman 68, De Soto 52 Eisenhower 57, Andover 44 Andover 9 9 15 11 — 44 Eisenhower 12 18 16 11 — 57 Andover — A. Gagnon 20, J. Johnson 10, E. Fahnestock 5, H. Jonas 4, C. O’Connell 2, B. Johnson 2, Sokoloski 1 Goddard Eisenhower — D. Vincent 22, J. Wake 15, E. Stewart 9, T. King 7, J. Vincent 2, J. Paul 2 Heights 44, Emporia 40 Emporia 10 9 10 11 — 40 Heights 5 11 11 17 — 44 Emporia — Haslett 10, Farr 10, Carter 9, Stewart 3, Wilson 3, Olsson 1 Heights — D. Davis 15, C. Profit 12, D. Dempsey 9, B. Kirkendoll 6, I. Hale 2 Salina Central 40, Maize 30 Sal Central 18 2 6 14 — 40 Maize 6 7 7 10 — 30 Salina Central — H. Williams 17, M. Grammer 7, E. Speer 5, E. Kickhaefer 5, S. Shaffer 3, B. Richardson 3
CLASS 4A-DIVISION I BOYS At Arkansas City Coffeyville 61, Winfield 41 Arkansas City 65, Wellington 34 At Augusta Andover Central 78, Rose Hill 49 Augusta 71, Mulvane 49 At El Dorado Circle 55, Abilene 53 Wamego 51, El Dorado 45 At McPherson Buhler 57, Hays 52 McPherson 75, Ulysses 32 At Basehor-Linwood Piper 57, Tonganoxie 39 Basehor-Linwood 60, Atchison 25 At Fort Scott Labette County 61, Chanute 49 Independence 60, Fort Scott 49 At Paola Spring Hill 41, Louisburg 33 Paola 47, Ottawa 42, 2OT At Miege Bishop Miege 68, Eudora 36 Bonner Springs 65, Sumner Academy 59 Andover Central 78, Rose Hill 49 Rose Hill 4 13 17 15 — 49 Ando Central 28 21 22 7 — 78 Rose Hill — K. Campbell 13, D. Sapp 11, D. Rapp 7, A. Moore 6, I. Liechti 6, P. Austin 3, K. Barron 2, Nolan 1 Andover Central — X. Bell 25, B. Belt 15, E. Leedom 10, N. Crawford 5, L. Mackie 5, P. Jensen 4, S. Parnell 4, J. Washington 4, T. Herrmann 3, Wilson 2 Arkansas City 65, Wellington 34 Wellington 11 8 10 5 — 34 Ark City 21 13 15 16 — 65 Wellington — A. Snipes 11, I. King 9, D. Washington 5, J. Ybarra 4, J. Mutazammil 3, S. Popplewell 2 Arkansas City — C. Pierce 19, C. Clark 16, A. Wilson 9, H. O'Toole 7, N. Spencer 7, P. Fiorentino 3, J. Wilson 2, H. Stewart 2 Augusta 64, Mulvane 49 Mulvane 6 6 17 20 — 49 Augusta 11 14 11 28 — 64 Mulvane — D. Ellis 32, Abasolo 7, I. Comer 6, Herrman 2, H. Dye 2 Augusta — J. Clausing 20, C. Whitehead 12, J. Swink 12, Jackson 9, J. Bodyk 7, Z. Burton 6, C. Sharp 3, C. Wesbrooks 2, B. Altenhofen 2 McPherson 75, Ulysses 32 Ulysses 7 5 16 4 — 32 McPherson 16 24 21 14 — 75 Ulysses — Walker 10, Hayden 8, Taylor 6, Perez 3, Hickman 3, Galindo 2 McPherson — B. Pyle 29, J. Alexander 14, M. Alexander 10, A. Trost 8, J. Kinnamon 6, D. Labertew 2, G. Hoover 2, C. Stufflebean 2, C. Courtney 2 Buhler 57, Hays 52 Buhler 19 9 13 16 — 57 Hays 9 17 13 13 — 52
to score goals. There’s a lot of different options up front. There’s a lot of talent, different types of services (and) different types of abilities that each individual has.” It’s a major shift in personnel, perhaps the most noticeable one in Vermes’ tenure as Sporting Kansas City’s coach and technical director. But is it enough? Will it directly lead to a better offensive output? Sporting KC did not obtain the high-dollar striker it sought this offseason. While Vermes stopped short of saying the club has tabled those plans until the summer transfer window, he emphatically threw his support behind the current center forward depth chart of Diego Rubio and Khiry Shelton, who rocked back and forth as the top option during preseason. “It’s extremely disrespectful to the current guys we have on our roster to not understand that we have guys that can stick the ball in the goal,” Vermes said. That was, however, the concern in 2017. Sporting KC found no difficulty in creating chances and actually finished second in MLS in the category. But even after it earned long spells of possession, the goals did not come. Sporting KC was shut out 12 times last season. On five occasions, Melia recorded a clean sheet in goal, but the team earned only one point because it also didn’t score. “If you look at our chances last year, we were up there with the tops in the league,” veteran Graham Zusi said. “So whether it’s just a little more concentration in and around goal or luck — one of the two — maybe it will turn around.” It is a team-wide point of emphasis, with the players cycling through more finishing drills during its preseason camp. And it will take a group of them to solve the problem.
Buhler — D. Brown 14, D. Smyres 11, D. Brown 7, G. Owens 7, A. Schrag 6, D. Dreher 5, T. Hawkinon 4, LeShore 3 Hays — McCrae 19, Kieffer 15, Nunnery 8, Murphy 5, Koenke 5
4A-DIVISION II BOYS At Clearwater Andale 46, Collegiate 41 Trinity Academy 63, Clearwater 31 At Columbus Parsons 55, Galena 42 Baxter Springs 60, Columbus 47 At Frontenac Girard 68, Prairie View 56 Frontenac 61, Iola 43 At Garnett Burlington 87, Baldwin 69 Anderson County 70, Osawatomie 31 At Holcomb Larned 62, Hugoton 56 Holcomb 63, Pratt 27 At Holton Rock Creek 64, Clay Center 52 Marysville 64, Holton 42 At Smoky Valley Chapman 60, Concordia 58 Smoky Valley 73, Nickerson 50 At Hayden Santa Fe Trail 65, Bishop Ward 48 Topeka Hayden 71, Jefferson West 41 Andale 46, Collegiate 41 Collegiate 9 17 6 9 — 41 Andale 10 17 7 12 — 46 Collegiate — R. Dick 18, N. Kelley 9, C. McNerney 6, G. Fisher 4, G. Deiter 2, Thornton 2 Andale — C. Urbanek 12, E. Hunter 11, B. Biermann 9, N. Carney 5, B. Jobbins 4, P. Bruce 3, G. Fairchild 2 Trinity Academy 63, Clearwater 31 Clearwater 5 4 2 20 — 31 Trinity 13 8 19 23 — 63 Clearwater — T. Gibbs 13, Beatty 9, C. Headley 4, O’Neal 2, Rauch 2, Streit 1 Trinity Academy — J. Baker 17, M. Jones 12, N. Adler 6, Kerr 6, C. Vanlandingham 5, C. Anderson 5, C. Linder 5, C. Williams 2, H. Cozine 2, B. Ekeshili 2, A. Davis 1
CLASS 2A BOYS At Hillsboro Inman 37, Berean 29 Hillsboro 61, Moundridge 50 At Udall West Elk 71, Medicine Lodge 49 Sedan 46, Cedar Vale-Dexter 29 At Wabaunsee Lyndon 39, Jackson Heights 32 Burlingame 52, Olpe 46 At Belleville Sacred Heart 67, Smith Center 27 Bennington 61, Republic County 55 At Central Plains Macksville 67, Ness City 52 Central Plains 55, Pratt Skyline 19 At Colgan Maranatha 76, Yates Center 68 Pittsburg Colgan 53, KC Christian 36 At Syracuse Spearville 47, Meade 38 Stanton County 58, Hodgeman County 40 At WaKeeney Plainville 81, St. Francis 75 Hoxie 83, Hill City 36
Sports
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Temple knocks out WSU in opening round Eagle staff
Temple upset Wichita State in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament, beating WSY 72-59 on Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. No. 5 seed Wichita State (14-17) entered the tournament on a four-game winning streak. Temple (1218) had lost six of its last seven. WSU senior Rangie Bessard scored a teamhigh 23 points and was the only Shocker in doublefigures. She finished with 15 games of 20 or more points in her final season. The Shockers shot 38 percent and committed 18 turnovers. The American’s leading scorer Tanaya Atkinson led Temple with 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Emani Mayo scored 16 of her 20 points in the second half to go with six rebounds and six assists. TEMPLE (12-18)—Perry 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 2-4 3-5 7, Jones 2-4 2-2 8, E.Mayo 8-16 1-1 20, Atkinson 9-19 6-10 24, Niang 2-4 0-0 6, Oliver 3-7 0-0 7, Berger 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 12-18 72. WICHITA ST. (14-17)—Lozada-Cabbage 2-7 0-0 4, Bessard 8-17 5-5 23, Thompson 2-3 1-1 5, Lockhart 2-8 0-0 5, Ambrosio 3-7 1-2 8, Stovall 1-2 0-0 2, Preston 1-5 1-2 3, Faye 0-1 0-0 0, Chapel 0-0 0-0 0, Tompkins 4-10 0-0 8. Totals 23-60 8-10 59. Temple 15 19 24 14 — 72 Wichita St. 11 17 19 12 — 59 3-Point Goals—Temple 8-23 (E.Mayo 4-8, Jones 2-4, Niang 2-4, Oliver 1-4, Berger 0-1, Atkinson 0-2); WSU 5-20 (Bessard 2-4, Lozada-Cabbage 1-4, Lockhart 1-4, Ambrosio 1-4, Stovall 0-1, Tompkins 0-1, Preston 0-2). Assists— Temple 16 (E.Mayo 6), WSU 15 (Ambrosio 6). Rebounds—Temple 32 (Atkinson 7), WSU 39 (Thompson 9). Total Fouls— Temple 13, WSU 18.
GOLF IN BRIEF NELLY KORDA SHOOTS 65, TAKES LEAD IN SINGAPORE Florida teenager Nelly Korda shot a third-round 7-under 65 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead at the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore after Danielle Kang made her first bogeys of the tournament to slip back into second place. Korda had eight birdies and one bogey as she finished on 15-under 201 heading into the final round at the Sentosa Golf Club. Kang started the day leading by four strokes and finished trailing Korda by one after a 70. She dropped her first shot of the tournament on the 15th after going 50 holes without making a bogey, then made another mistake on 18. Brooke Henderson had a bogey-free 65, matching Korda for the low round of the day, to join Minjee Lee (68) in a tie for third at 11 under after an extraordinary display with the putter. Nelly Korda, 19, chases her first victory a week after older sister Jessica, 25, won last week in Thailand. Jessica Korda is tied for fifth at 10 under in a group that includes fellow Americans Michelle Wie and Marina Alex. PGA European Tour: George Coetzee opened a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the Tshwane Open in Pretoria, South Africa, after a 3-under 68. The overnight leader fired five birdies and two bogeys in his home city – and on the course where he’s a member – to move to 14 under overall. Mikko Korhonen and Sam Horsfield are tied for second. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL IN BRIEF MICHIGAN ENDS TOP-SEEDED SPARTANS’ 13-GAME WINNING STREAK NEW YORK
Mo Wagner scored 14 of his 15 points after a dreadful first half and fifthseeded Michigan moved within a game of its second straight Big Ten Tournament title with a 75-64 victory over top-seeded Michigan State in the conference semifinals Saturday, ending the No. 2 ranked Spartans’ 13-game winning streak. Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman and Zavier Simpson also had 15 for the No. 15 Wolverines (27-7), who were also the last team to beat Michigan State (29-4), when they did it on Jan. 13. Michigan was just too balanced and quick for Michigan State, putting five players in double figures. Duncan Robinson added 13 points off the bench and Charles Matthews had 12. Miles Bridges had 17 points to lead Michigan State before fouling out late. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 13 and Cassius Winston had 11, but they only crossed into double figures with the Michigan band revving the Maize and Blue faithful at Madison Square Garden with yet another version of “Hail To The Victors.” This was a rivalry game that both teams wanted and it showed in the opening minutes. There were two scrums after hard fouls, a technical foul was called against the Spartans’ forward Nick Ward, and referee Gene Steratore – yeah, the guy who ran the Super Bowl – lectured both Tom Izzo of
JULIE JACOBSON AP
Michigan forward Mo Wagner (13) reacts as time winds off the clock at the end of the Big Ten Conference tournament semifinal game against Michigan State on Saturday in New York.
Michigan State and John Beilein of Michigan after the nonsense. And that was just in the opening 4:24. Michigan trailed 29-26 at the half, but used a 10-2 burst to open the second half and take a 36-31 lead it never lost. No. 1 Virginia 62, Notre Dame 57: Devon Hall scored 17 points and Ty Jerome added 13 as No. 1 Virginia (28-2, 17-1 ACC) beat Notre Dame at home. Bonzie Colson led the Irish (18-13, 8-10) with 24 points. No. 3 Xavier 65, DePaul 62: Trevon Bluiett scored 22 points, and No. 3 Xavier set a school record for regular-season wins while clinching the top seed in the Big East with a victory over DePaul at Chicago. The Musketeers (27-4, 15-3 Big East) hung on for their 12th win in 13 games after DePaul’s Eli Cain and Max Strus missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds. That ended Villanova’s four-year run of
Sharma keeps lead at Mexico City WGC tourney
FROM PAGE 1D
Shubhankar Sharma held his nerve to the end and held a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Mexico Championship. Now the 21-year-old from India has to hold off a few of golf’s top names. Sharma holed a 15-foot par putt on the final hole at Chapultepec Golf Club for a 2-under 69, leaving him 18 holes away from capping an amazing rise at the World Golf Championships event. Three months ago, he was ranked No. 462 in the world. A victory would likely put him in the top 25. Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia are part of a four-way tie for second.
first-half shots and was 5 of 12 from three while forcing KU into 10 turnovers. Graham had 10 points and five assists for KU in the first half as the Jayhawks made just 3 of 7 threes and 12 of 29 shots total (41.4). Azubuike had eight points and five rebounds, while Marcus Garrett had five points in the half. KU trailed 17-7 at 13:31, then cut the gap to 17-14 at 11:55. Oklahoma State’s 13-0 run made it 30-14 at 8:48. Solomon and Smith had five points each in that run. The regular season now complete, KU will play at about 2 p.m. Thursday at Sprint Center in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
FROM PAGE 1D
WILLIS okay to have swag. You’ve got to let Darral Willis be who Darral Willis is and you’ve just got to love him for it.” “I guess you could call it confident,” Marshall said. “I have some other thoughts that I could probably come up with that I’m not going to share that give him the ability to make those plays. He is very confident.” How did someone who didn’t even play competitive basketball growing up become someone who oozes confidence on the floor? “I think I was just born with it,” Willis said. “I grew up playing against old heads (in pick-up games), so I ain’t scared of
first-place finishes. Oklahoma State 82, No. 6 Kansas 64: Kendall Smith scored a career-high 25 points and Mitchell Solomon had 16 points and seven rebounds to help lead Oklahoma State to a home victory over No. 6 Kansas in the regular season finale for both teams. Smith, who had scored just nine points in each of his two previous outings, hit 20 for the seventh time this season and for the fifth time in the last nine contests. No. 12 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75: Keenan Evans scored 23 points as No. 12 Texas Tech (23-8, 11-7 Big 12) won at home. Vladimir Brodzians led TCU (21-10, 9-) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. No. 14 Auburn 79, South Carolina 70: Bryce Brown scored 29 points, making eight 3-pointers, and No. 14 Auburn claimed at least a share of the Southeastern Conference title with a comeback victory over
South Carolina at home. The Tigers (25-6, 13-5) earned the top seed in next week’s SEC Tournament with their first regular-season title since 1999 and third overall. Auburn would win the outright championship if No. 16 Tennessee loses to Georgia, and holds the tiebreaker thanks to a win over the Volunteers. Syracuse 55, No. 18 Clemson 52: Oshae Brissett and Tyus Battle each scored 17 points and Syracuse rallied to beat No. 18 Clemson at home to remain in the hunt for a postseason berth. It was an opportunity for Syracuse (19-12, 8-10 Atlantic Coast Conference) to fill the biggest void on its resume – the lack of a marquee win – and the Orange capitalized. They were coming off a 15-point loss at Boston College, which put a big dent in their postseason hopes. Texas 87, No. 20 West Virginia 79: Matt Cole-
KU
nobody but my father.” Wichita State is currently ranked fifth in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency, the highest its been in Marshall’s 11 seasons. There are times when the Shockers make scoring seem effortless, and they rank third in the country in assists per game. But in the pursuit of finding that perfect shot, WSU’s offense can sometimes stall. It needs a player who isn’t afraid of the moment and can create his own shot. Enter Willis. “Look at (the UCF game),” Willis said. “If I wasn’t confident, I probably would have missed that shot or I wouldn’t have even took it.” Willis has never been scared to shoot, earning the moniker “Machine Gun Willis” from Marshall
BRODY SCHMIDT AP
Oklahoma State forward Cameron McGriff, left, and center Yankuba Sima, right, block a shot by Kansas center Udoka Azubuike on Saturday.
against the winner of Wednesday’s game between the 8 and 9 seeds. Kansas Azubuike Graham
Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt 20 4-6 0-2 7 1 4 8 39 4-14 4-4 1 8 0 15
for his rapid-fire shooting. Willis takes a shot on 26.7 percent of possessions when he’s on the floor, the second-highest rate on the team behind Shaquille Morris. He averages 10.7 points in 18.7 minutes. He leads WSU with five double-doubles this season. “I really like ‘Machine Gun Willis’ because it’s catchy,” Willis said. “I’m not trying to score every time I’m out there, but that’s just what I’m good at. I don’t have to go out there and score 20 every night.” His comes despite every team’s scouting report telling its defenders to prevent Willis, a left-handed player, from going to his left. Taylor Eldridge: 316-268-6270, @tayloreldridge
Mykhailiuk 29 Newman 23 Vick 38 Garrett 28 De Sousa 13 Lightfoot 7 Cunliffe 3 Totals 200
2-7 3-7 3-9 3-7 3-5 2-4 1-1 25-60
0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 1-2 1-2 0-0 7-11
5 0 4 5 3 0 3 7 5 1 2 8 5 0 1 7 3 1 4 7 3 0 1 5 1 0 0 2 33 11 20 64
man and Kerwin Roach II each scored 22 points and Texas used an 11-0 run early in overtime to pull away from No. 20 West Virginia for a home win that was critical for the Longhorns’ NCAA Tournament hopes. The Longhorns (18-13, 8-10) were in desperate need of a big late-season victory to shore up an inconsistent resume and got it in their seventh overtime game of the season. Florida 80, No. 23 Kentucky 67: Jalen Hudson scored 22 points, Chris Chiozza broke the school’s all-time assist record and Florida beat No. 23 Kentucky at Gainesville, Fla., ending the Wildcats’ fourgame winning streak. The Gators won their third straight, swept Kentucky for the first time in four years and secured the No. 3 seed in next week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Percentages: FG .417, FT .636. 3-Point Goals: 7-20, .350 (Graham 3-7, Garrett 1-2, Mykhailiuk 1-2, Newman 1-3, Vick 1-5, Lightfoot 0-1). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: 17 (11 PTS). Blocked Shots: 1 (Vick). Turnovers: 17 (Azubuike 4, Mykhailiuk 4, Graham 3, Newman 3, Vick 2, Garrett). Steals: 5 (Graham 2, Mykhailiuk 2, Vick). Technical Fouls: coach Bill Self, 5:56 second. Okla St. Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt McGriff 25 1-2 1-2 4 0 3 4 Solomon 23 5-7 5-5 7 0 3 16 Smith 29 9-15 3-4 3 3 0 25 Carroll 31 4-9 0-0 3 2 2 10 Shine 31 2-8 7-8 4 3 0 11 Waters 25 1-3 2-2 2 2 2 5 Sima 15 3-3 0-2 2 1 2 6 Averette 14 1-5 0-0 0 1 1 2 Dziagwa 5 1-2 0-0 2 0 0 3 N’Guessan 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Reeves 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0 Totals 200 27-54 18-23 27 12 14 82 Percentages: FG .500, FT .783. 3-Point Goals: 10-24, .417 (Smith 4-6, Carroll 2-7, McGriff 1-1, Solomon 1-1, Dziagwa 1-2, Waters 1-2, Averette 0-1, Shine 0-4). Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: 9 (21 PTS). Blocked Shots: 8 (McGriff 3, Solomon 2, Dziagwa, Shine, Sima). Turnovers: 9 (Smith 3, Averette, Carroll, McGriff, Shine, Sima, Solomon). Steals: 11 (Smith 4, Shine 2, Solomon 2, Averette, Carroll, Sima). Technical Fouls: None. Kansas 30 34 — 64 Oklahoma St. 46 36 — 82 A—12,482 (13,611).
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
Wichita State forward Darral Willis Jr., left, is the Shockers’ most confident player. “I’m just an elite lefty, I guess.”
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Sports
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
JOHN SLEEZER jsleezer@kcstar.com
San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer during Friday’s spring training game against the Kansas City Royals in Peoria, Arizona.
COMMENTARY
The meaning of Eric Hosmer’s first game against the Royals
BY VAHE GREGORIAN
vgregorian@kcstar.com PEORIA, ARIZ.
It was one thing to grasp the mere idea: Eric Hosmer no longer is a Royal, no longer a presence around the clubhouse in Surprise. There are voids to fill without him in the organization that raised him and looked to him as the impossible future that came true and hoped he might yet be a link in the next rebuild. But it was another to actually see him in the wrong uniform across the field on Friday at Peoria Stadium, where Hosmer and the San Diego Padres played host to the Royals in a spring-training game. “I’m not used to seeing that Royals blue on the other side,” Hosmer said, smiling and later adding, “If I were to tell you there was no weird feeling in my body before the game, I’d be lying.” Weird but cathartic, too -- notwithstanding that the result itself (a 13-5 Kansas City loss) was essentially meaningless and the casu-
al spring-training aura had no resemblance to what a regular-season matchup would feel like. The Royals may or may not have needed a touchstone moment to truly process all this, but they got one Friday in ways that were both touchingly reassuring and purely practical. For the latter, we turn to Royals manager Ned Yost, who could not have been less publicly sentimental about having faced Hosmer for the first time. For instance, here’s what Yost said when asked if he had been intrigued by Hosmer facing pitcher and dear friend Danny Duffy for the first time in a decade: “No.” Pause. “Move on, man. It’s done. It’s done. I mean, it’s gone. It’s over. He’s with that team. We’ve got our team. And we go on.” Blunt but true from a man who admires and respects Hosmer as much as anyone … despite any lingering disconnect over whether Hosmer did or did not send text messages to the admittedly hallucinating Yost when he was recovering from a broken pelvis. Their time together was wonderful when it lasted,
right up until the time Hosmer signed an eightyear, $144 million contract with the Padres that was the resounding final word on the end of one era and a clarifying statement on how next phase would begin. It’s done. It’s gone. It’s over, and the Royals have to amble forward without his coveted skills and leadership that were instrumental in the franchise’s rise from the ashes to make back-to-back World Series appearances and win it all in 2015. Argh. “It’s nice to see him,” said Royals catcher Sal Perez, who lives near Hosmer in Florida in the offseason and has been in contact with him regularly. “But to be honest with you guys, a little sad to see him on a different team.” Even if that feeling does this Royals team no tangible good, there still was a beauty in that sentiment -one that reminds of the lasting treasure Hosmer was crucial to and the bond that he’ll forever hold with Kansas City and his teammates. It shows up in Hosmer wearing No. 30 in honor of late Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura. It’s evident in Hosmer taking out a full-page ad in The Star to thank fans.
MLB IN BRIEF ORIOLES’ DAVIS SCHEDULED FOR MRI ON ELBOW Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been playing through what was thought to be minor elbow soreness during the early games of the Grapefruit League exhibition season. Now, the club does not know what to think. Manager Buck Showalter revealed Saturday that Davis was scheduled for an MRI on his right elbow, which has apparently gotten more inflamed and become a matter of much greater concern. Showalter said the soreness is in the flexor area, which isn’t going to put anyone’s mind at ease. It’s common for a sore elbow – particularly in the case of an injured pitcher – to be initially diagnosed as
And it was on display in many ways on Friday. Before the game, Hosmer made his way into the Royals clubhouse and visited for 15 or 20 minutes with former teammates and others –- including Yost. He sought out Royals administrators and asked about family members by name. When he came to the plate against Duffy, Hosmer tapped Perez with his bat and got a big hug back that later could be viewed on Perez’s Instagram account with the words, “Forever Brothers.” “It will never change, what we’ve all been through,” Hosmer said. “That goes for everybody in the organization. I’ve got nothing but love for everybody. I’ll always continue to root for these guys.” The sentiments were encapsulated in his one at-bat facing Duffy, whom Hosmer recently called the best teammate he ever had and has equally strong feelings for him. “I love the dude … best human being I know,” said Duffy, who noted that in a perfect world he’d never have had to face Hosmer. Duffy was drafted in 2007, a year before
NOTEBOOK Los Angeles Dodgers: Tom Koehler will start the season on the disabled list, and the reliever said he could miss weeks or months with a strain in his right shoulder. “We’re optimistic he’ll be back this year,” Manager Dave Roberts said. Koehler had been projected as a setup man for closer Kenley Jansen. KENNETH K. LAM TNS
The Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis, right, strikes out against the Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Aug. 22, 2017.
flexor strain and then turn out to be a ligament tear. — BALTIMORE SUN A The
Baltimore Orioles and infielder Danny Valencia have agreed on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Valencia will make $1.2
million if he makes the Orioles and can add $3 million in performance bonuses. Valencia has played eight major league seasons with Minnesota, Boston, Baltimore, Kansas City, Toronto, Oakland and Seattle.
— LOS ANGELES TIMES
Detroit: The Tigers said ace Michel Fulmer will miss Sunday’s start against the Nationals with soreness in his right elbow. According to Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, Fulmer’s issue is unrelated to the offseason surgery he had. Washington: Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals’ big right-hander, flashed a couple of 98 mph fastballs and threw a few more at 97 in an 8-1 victory over
Hosmer. But it might as well have been the same year as Duffy and the likes of ongoing free agent Mike Moustakas and Perez and the wave that came of age together -- including Alcides Escobar and the since-departed Jarrod Dyson and Lorenzo Cain. “These are the guys we all grew up together with, and, really, we went from 18 years old to grown men,” said Hosmer, who called that connection much deeper than baseball. “And we all kind of went through that maturation together.” To a point, anyway, at least if you consider some of the silliness between Duffy and Hosmer on Friday. Evidently, the last time they’d faced each other was in an intrasquad game soon after Hosmer joined the organization. Each remembered Hosmer taking Duffy about 500 feet -- albeit with an ongoing asterisk that the homer had come after what should have been strike three. “Now I get to put that one to rest,” Hosmer said, “and Duffy gets to talk some mess to me.” This time around, Duffy and Hosmer had eye contact and words before, during and after the atbat. When Hosmer playfully suggested to Duffy that he was ready for the quick pitch to open the at-bat, knowing him too well, Duffy reconsidered the idea and went fastball. When he got up 0-2 on Hosmer, Duffy shook off Perez’s call for a breaking ball because “I really wanted to blow him away, fastball up.” After Hosmer popped it up to Escobar, Duffy said “Jam!" Just under his breath … but hoping Hosmer would hear him. That said, he also was grateful Hosmer wasn’t in midseason form. “That ball,” Duffy said about two hours later, “might still be in the air right now.” Meanwhile, now there’s nothing left up in the air between the Royals and Hosmer. Hosmer allowed as how he’s getting acclimated as a Padre now, saying that everything is going as smoothly as it can in the transition. But he’s no less a part of Royals history … with a living legacy, too. “We’ll always be brothers,” Duffy said. “Nothing changes, outside of the jersey that he’s wearing.” That’s a reality it’s time to appreciate -- both in terms of what he left behind and making a clean cut to looking forward, not back.
Houston. Bryce Harper returned to Washington’s lineup following surgery to remove an ingrown toenail. SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS Blue Jays 13, Twins 8: Kevin Pillar and Yangervis Solarte homered for the first time and Russell Martin added a three-run shot for Toronto. Marlins 1, Mets 0: Noah Syndergaard pitched three innings in his second start for New York. He allowed one run on a hit and a walk and struck out four. His fastball once again topped 100 mph. Braves 9, Cardinals 2: Nick Markakis had two hits for Atlanta, giving him five in his first seven atbats. Braves ace Julio Tehran pitched three scoreless innings. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Drivers prepare for playoff return BY GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press LAS VEGAS
NASCAR’s annual earlyseason trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an understandable favorite for many teams and drivers. This year’s event, however, is about getting much more than a few hands of blackjack and the checkered flag. For the first time, everybody is coming back to Vegas in six months for the opening race of the playoffs. Each turn in Sunday’s Monster Energy Cup Series race should provide experience and data to the drivers hoping to dominate the postseason this fall. “There is definitely some added importance to this race with (Las Vegas) being in the playoffs,” said Kyle Larson, who excelled in practice this week at the track where he finished second to eventual Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. last year. “Hopefully we have a strong race, and if not, you know what you need to go back and work on to be better when you come back later in the year to benefit your playoff run,” Larson added. “Not that this race when it was just a stand-alone event wasn’t important, but anytime you can race at a track that you are going to come back at in the final 10, it’s got some added importance to it.” While other tracks have downsized their NASCAR ambitions when faced with smaller crowds in recent years, Las Vegas has been eager to host a second race for several years, confident in its local fan base and the visiting fans who plan a vacation weekend around the March race. The track finally got a second date last year when New Hampshire’s second race was given to Vegas, which was backed by sponsorship deals with the local Convention and Visitors Authority and with the South Point hotelcasino, owned by former race team owner Michael Gaughan. Everybody already knows this track from NASCAR’s annual visits, but teams are paying particularly close attention this week. The winter weather in Las Vegas isn’t necessarily helping the teams to prepare for September, when temperatures are almost certain to be sizzling. The speedway has been chilly this week, with occasional 40 mph winds buffeting cars and possibly changing drivers’ tactics.
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Louisville QB Jackson’s efforts at combine backs his staying at QB BY ARNIE STAPLETON
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS
As promised, former Louisville quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson spent Saturday at the NFL scouting combine slinging it and not winging it. Jackson didn’t show off a big arm like Wyoming’s Josh Allen, the other prime prospect in his throwing group Saturday. But nobody else did, either: Allen wowed the coaches with a 66-yard pinpoint pass at one point during the first of two sessions with the quarterbacks and wide receivers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Jackson, though, was much more explosive than Allen was in his drops, consistently getting 7 yards deep on five-step drills whereas Allen made up for his poorer footwork with his superior arm strength.
SPORTS IN BRIEF VIDEO REVIEW OK’D AHEAD OF WORLD CUP ZURICH
In one of the most fundamental changes to soccer’s 155-year-old rules, FIFA approved video review Saturday and cleared the way to use it at the World Cup in June. World soccer’s panel overseeing the laws of the game voted to add video assistant referees despite mixed results from trials in top-level games. FIFA must take a further action on using VAR at the World Cup in Russia, which kicks off June 14. Video review can overturn “clear and obvious errors” and “serious missed incidents” involving goals, penalty awards, red cards, and mistaken identity. A Federico Higuain and Gyasi Zardes scored to help the Columbus Crew beat Toronto FC 2-0, spoiling the defending MLS champion Reds’ home opener. MUSHERS, FANS SET FOR SLED-DOG RACE ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Cheering fans lined the streets of Alaska’s largest city as mushers and their dogs took a sprint through town for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It gave fans a chance to get up close to teams that will participate in the competitive portion of the 1,000-mile race that be-
MICHAEL CONROY AP
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson runs a drill at Saturday’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Widely considered the best running quarterback since Michael Vick but a thrower who still needs polish, Jackson shook off some apparent jitters to show off a good enough passing prowess to justify his reticence to switch to wide receiver. Jackson never caught a
single pass at Louisville, where he threw for 9,043 yards and 69 touchdowns, ran for 4,132 yards and 50 TDs in 38 games. On Friday, he dismissed widespread speculation about him running routes with the receivers here. “No sir. I’m a quarterback,” he said.
The buzz began building when former Colts executive Bill Polian told ESPN he thought Jackson should switch to receiver because he’s not as accurate, tall or strong as the other hopefuls in this year’s deep class of college quarterbacks. Polian suggested Jackson should make the
gins Sunday in Willow. This year’s race comes amid a plethora of issues, including a dog doping scandal, the loss of a major sponsor and increasing pressure from animalrights activists. Sixtyseven teams are vying for a total purse of $500,000. A dog fled ahead of the start, with Anchorage station KTUU reporting 2-year-old Hudson took off when the back doors of the musher’s trailer were open. The dog was last seen heading toward a nearby neighborhood in the downtown area.
Tomas Walsh in the shot put. The oldest record belonging to the world indoors fell when Walsh’s last hurl of 22.31 meters eclipsed the record of 22.24 set by Ulf Timmermann in 1987, five years before the New Zealander was born.
MOTORSPORTS IN BRIEF
COLEMAN CAPTURES 60M IN RECORD TIME BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
World record-holder Christian Coleman added the championship record to his growing list of achievements in winning the 60 meters at the world athletics indoors. Coleman smashed Maurice Greene’s 20year-old world record last month by clocking 6.34 seconds and was within 0.03 of that at Arena Birmingham. The American, who turns 22 Tuesday, never looked in danger as he beat Su Bingtian of China by 0.05 and U.S. teammate Ronnie Baker by 0.07. Other world indoors records tumbled: American Kendra Harrison set one in the 60-meter hurdles as did compatriot Sandi Morris in the pole vault, and New Zealand’s
FROM PAGE 1D
WADE ing to have a chance,” Weber said. “… It’s not just about going to the NBA, it’s about being ready to go to the NBA and being ready to stay in the NBA.” Will he leave early? Or will he return for his senior season like Ellis and Niang, the All-Big 12 firstteamers he used to look up to? When asked about the topic Saturday he avoided the question by saying “we’ll be locked in against TCU” at the Big 12 Tournament. K-State and TCU play in the quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. That mindset has made him an all-conference player this season. BIG-GAME LAVENDERS K-State is 3-0 in its
ORLIN WAGNER AP
Kansas State guard Barry Brown celebrates a three-point basket during the second half Saturday in Manhattan.
throwback lavender uniforms this season. It’s starting to feel like more than coincidence. The Wildcats beat TCU at home while wearing them for what turned out to be one of their best wins, then broke them out for a
HIALEAH OWNER, BREEDER DIES AT 87 HIALEAH, FLA.
John Brunetti, a horse breeder and the owner of historic Hialeah Park since 1977, has died at 87. Mr. Brunetti feuded with nearby Gulfstream Park and Calder Race Course for the best racing dates and when the state stopped assigning dates in 1989, Hialeah saw its prominence fade. HIRSCHER LOCKS UP WORLD CUP GS TITLE KRANJSKA GORA, SLOVENIA
Marcel Hirscher locked up the men’s World Cup giant slalom title with a race to spare. The Olympic champion from Austria won his fourth straight GS title and fifth total, matching American Ted Ligety. Only Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark won the trophy more times – eight. A Tina Weirather won the penultimate event to take the pole position in the race for the women’s super-G title.
road victory over Oklahoma State and with them again Saturday against Baylor. Turns out K-State needed to get a waiver from the NCAA to wear them, as the two-tone nature of the uniforms (lavender tops and dark purple shorts) go against rules that state uniforms should all be the same color. They are worth the paperwork. They have replaced gray as the team’s go-to uniforms in big games. “It was big-game gray, but they haven’t been too big,” Weber said. “(Director of basketball operations Drew) Speraw asked me about two weeks ago if we could pull them out again for the last game and I said, ‘Shoot, I like them,’ … I think the kids like them. It’s something different. If we get on ESPN highlights people do notice.”
LARSON ROLLS TO XFINITY SERIES WIN IN LAS VEGAS Kyle Larson overcame strong wind and two late restarts Saturday to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Larson earned his ninth career Xfinity victory and his first in Vegas, where he finished second in the Xfinity and Cup series races last year. The 25-year-old Californian claimed the lead early on in his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, and avoided any late-race fuel trouble when Ryan Reed blew a tire with 16 laps to go. Christopher Bell finished second in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, and Justin Allgaier was third. Ryan Blaney, the polesitter for Sunday’s Monster Energy Cup series race, came in fourth ahead of Elliott Sadler in fifth. Larson is the 10th consecutive different winner in the Xfinity race in Vegas, and the Cup star was clearly the class of the field. He capably navigated wind gusts topping 25 mph on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip to earn his fifth consecutive top-three finish in Xfinity races. “This race car is so fast,” Larson said. “It was really fast last year, but you never really know.
MAWIEN MAGIC Here’s a statistic for you: K-State is undefeated (7-0) when sophomore forward Makol Mawien scores 10 or more points this season. That tidbit held up against Baylor, as Mawien scored 14 points and grabbed three rebounds against Baylor. He could have had a much bigger game had he avoided foul trouble, instead of fouling out after just 17 minutes. It shows how important Mawien can be to the Wildcats, and why it is important for him to be aggressive when teams try to clamp down on Wade inside. Baylor Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Clark 15 1-2 0-1 1 1 0 2 Lual-Acuil 20 3-7 0-0 2 0 2 6 Vital 21 0-3 2-3 6 1 4 2 Lecomte 35 2-10 2-2 1 5 3 7 Lindsey 28 2-5 1-2 7 4 4 5 Omot 31 8-11 8-9 4 0 4 30 Maston 30 4-8 3-4 3 0 0 11 McClure 20 2-3 0-0 3 2 4 4 Totals 200 22-49 16-21 27 13 21 67 Percentages: FG .449, FT .762. 3-Point Goals: 7-18, .389 (Omot 6-9, Lecomte
switch sooner than did Terrelle Pryor, the exOhio State QB who switched to wide receiver at age 26. Such a notion was met by skepticism from several teams this week, and Jackson said he won’t switch positions even if asked. “No sir,” he said, “I’m a quarterback.” And he said he’s not interested in just running wildcat plays, where he’d take the direct snap and zip around the tackle, either. “No wildcat,” Jackson said. “This is not the Dolphins with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. No sir.” While USC’s Sam Darnold chose not to throw at the combine because he’d rather show off his arm with his own receivers at USC’s upcoming pro day, Jackson decided not to run the 40-yard dash. “Film speaks for itself as far as showing off my speed and showing I can make people miss,” Jackson said. “I’ve just got to show off my arm – because that’s where they’re doubting me.” He assuaged some of those concerns Saturday.
This was my first time with this body, and it performed well.” Yet Larson was uncertain whether his fuel would last until the finish, but the caution for Reed allowed Larson to pit. Larson quickly reclaimed the top spot despite falling behind Tyler Reddick out of the pits, and Larson stayed in front after the final restart with seven laps left. Kyle Busch surged back into 14th, but lost his hopes of a three-victory weekend. The Las Vegas native won the Truck Series race from the pole on Friday night. Busch lost any chance at contention late in the race when he was hit with a drive-through penalty because the crew member in charge of fueling caught a loose tire during a pit stop. Larson passed Blaney on a slick move with 73 laps to go, but lost his top spot with a slow pit stop under caution moments later after Austin Cindric wrecked. Larson swiftly surged from seventh into second, and he rolled back in front with 48 laps left. The Xfinity race should benefit the drivers competing in Sunday’s race, and it will provide valuable information for the teams returning to Vegas in September for the track’s second race of the season. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
1-7, Lindsey 0-1, Maston 0-1). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 14 (12 PTS). Blocked Shots: 0. Turnovers: 14 (Omot 5, Lecomte 3, McClure 2, Clark, Lindsey, Maston, Vital). Steals: 6 (Clark 2, Lindsey 2, Omot 2). Technical Fouls: None. Kansas St. Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Mawien 17 5-7 4-4 3 0 5 14 Sneed 29 1-6 1-2 3 6 3 3 Wade 39 9-14 6-7 7 1 2 25 Brown 39 6-9 4-7 4 9 3 18 Diarra 27 2-4 2-2 1 2 1 8 Stokes 24 2-6 2-2 2 1 3 7 Stockard 17 0-1 0-0 4 0 2 0 Wainright 8 1-2 0-0 1 0 0 2 Schoen -- 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 Kinnamon -- 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 200 26-50 19-24 25 19 19 77 Percentages: FG .520, FT .792. 3-Point Goals: 6-20, .300 (Brown 2-4, Diarra 2-4, Wade 1-2, Stokes 1-5, Wainright 0-1, Sneed 0-4). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 10 (20 PTS). Blocked Shots: 2 (Mawien, Wade). Turnovers: 10 (Brown 3, Mawien 2, Stokes 2, Diarra, Sneed, Wade). Steals: 8 (Brown 3, Stokes 2, Wade 2, Sneed). Technical Fouls: None. Baylor Kansas St. A—10,299 (12,528).
Kellis Robinett: @kellisrobinett
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Shockers hit three homers in win Eagle staff
Wichita State hit three home runs and freshman pitcher Liam Eddy got his third win in three starts in WSU’s 6-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday at Eck Stadium. Wichita State has started the season with eight straight wins. Eddy gave up one run in six innings Saturday. He retired the first seven batters he faced and 9 of the first 10. Eddy gave up a leadoff triple in the fourth that led to Nebraska’s only run, but he stranded five runners on base during his final three innings. WSU struck for five runs in the third inning. Greyson Jenista hit a three-run home run, and Alec Bohm followed with a solo homer. Mason O’Brien’s single drove home Dayton Dugas to make it 5-0. Luke Ritter’s one-out homer in the fourth made it 6-1. Nebraska (5-5) added two runs in the ninth. The teams wrap up the three-game series at 2 p.m. Sunday. Junior Connor Lungwitz is scheduled to pitch for the Shockers. Nebraska ab r h bi Wichita St. ab Altavilla ss 5 0 0 0 Ritter 2b 4 Hagge lf 5 1 2 0 Jenista cf 3 Schrber 1b 4 0 1 1 Bohm 3b 4 Wilkenng c 3 0 1 0 Dugas rf 4 Roskam 3b 4 0 1 0 O’Brien 1b 4 Hallmark cf 3 1 1 0 Croft dh 4 Athey dh 4 1 1 2 Young lf 4 Repinski 2b 4 0 2 0 Troutwn c 4 Klenke rf 4 0 1 0 Boyer ss 3 Totals 36 3 10 3 Totals 34 Nebraska Wichita St.
000 005
r h 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 1 1 1 613
bi 1 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 6
100 002 — 3 100 00x — 6
DP: WSU. LOB: NU 8, WSU 5. 2B: Boyer (2). 3B: Hagge (1). HR: Athey (1), Ritter (1), Jenista (4), Bohm (4). CS: Croft, Young. Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO Fisher L,0-2 21⁄3 8 5 5 0 0 Waldron 22⁄3 3 1 1 0 1 Engelken 3 2 0 0 0 0 Wichita St. IP H R ER BB SO Eddy W,3-0 6 6 1 1 1 2 Sanburn 1 0 0 0 0 3 Tyler 1 2 0 0 0 0 Barnhouse 1 2 2 2 1 0 HBP: Jenista (by Engelken). WP: Eddy. T: 2:30. A: 2,271.
NFL IN BRIEF NINERS WIN COIN FLIP, WILL DRAFT NINTH INDIANAPOLIS
The San Francisco 49ers won their coin flip with the Oakland Raiders on Friday, meaning they have the ninth pick in the April draft with the Raiders choosing 10th. The two teams, as well the Miami Dolphins, who also finished 6-10, will rotate spots after the first round. The 49ers traded their second-round pick, which turns out to be No. 43 overall, to the New England Patriots in the October exchange that sent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco. The 49ers have a later pick in the second round due to a 2017 draft-day trade with the New Orleans Saints. — SACRAMENTO BEE
Miami: Receiver Jarvis Landry said he’s willing to sit out the 2018 season instead of playing on the franchise tag.
— SUN SENTINEL
New Orleans: Two people familiar with the situation say the Saints and freeagent safety Kurt Coleman have agreed to terms of a three-year contract. The people spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday on condition of anonymity because the roster move has not been announced. The 29-year-old Coleman is an eight-year veteran out of Ohio State who played the past three seasons for Carolina.
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
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NATIONAL SCOREBOARD BASEBALL MLB SPRING TRAINING American League Team New York Boston Kansas City Detroit Houston Cleveland Chicago Tampa Bay Minnesota Los Angeles Baltimore Seattle Toronto Oakland Texas National League Team
W
L
Pct.
8 7 5 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2
1 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 4 4 5 5 6 5 5
.889 .700 .714 .667 .667 .667 .556 .500 .500 .500 .444 .375 .333 .286 .286
W
L
Pct.
Chicago 6 1 .857 Milwaukee 7 2 .778 Miami 6 2 .750 San Diego 5 3 .625 Washington 4 4 .500 Los Angeles 4 5 .444 San Francisco 4 5 .444 Colorado 3 5 .375 St. Louis 3 5 .375 New York 3 6 .333 Atlanta 3 6 .333 Cincinnati 3 6 .333 Pittsburgh 2 5 .286 Arizona 3 7 .300 Philadelphia 2 8 .200 Saturday’s Games Baltimore 4, Philadelphia (ss) 2 Miami 1, N.Y. Mets 0 N.Y. Yankees 5, Boston 3 Atlanta 9, St. Louis 2 Tampa Bay 7, Detroit 4 Washington 8, Houston 1 Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia (ss) 3 Toronto 13, Minnesota 8 L.A. Dodgers 14, Arizona 6 Chi. White Sox 9, Kansas City 5 Chi. Cubs 7, Cincinnati 4 San Diego 10, Oakland 4 S.F. (ss) 13, Cleveland 4 S.F. (ss) 9, Texas 4 Milwaukee 6, Colorado 5 L.A. Angels vs. Seattle at Peoria, Ariz., late
BASKETBALL NBA Eastern Conference Atlantic
W
L
Pct
GB
Toronto Boston Philadelphia New York Brooklyn Southeast
44 44 34 24 20 W
17 19 27 39 43 L
.721 .698 .557 .381 .317 Pct
— 1 10 21 25 GB
Washington Miami Charlotte Orlando Atlanta Central
36 32 28 19 19 W
27 30 35 43 44 L
.571 — .516 31⁄2 .444 8 .306 161⁄2 .302 17 Pct GB
Cleveland Indiana Milwaukee Detroit Chicago
36 35 33 29 21
25 27 29 33 41
.590 — .565 11⁄2 .532 31⁄2 .468 71⁄2 .339 151⁄2
Western Conference Southwest W
L
Pct
GB
Houston San Antonio New Orleans Dallas Memphis Northwest
48 36 35 19 18 W
13 26 26 44 43 L
.787 — .581 121⁄2 .574 13 .302 30 .295 30 Pct GB
Portland Oklahoma City Minnesota Denver Utah Pacific
36 37 38 34 32 W
26 27 28 28 30 L
.581 .578 .576 .548 .516 Pct
Golden State L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers Sacramento Phoenix
49 33 27 19 19
14 28 34 43 45
.778 — .541 15 .443 21 .306 291⁄2 .297 301⁄2
— — — 2 4 GB
Friday’s Games Philadelphia 110, Charlotte 99 Orlando 115, Detroit 106 (OT) Golden State 114, Atlanta 109 Chicago 108, Dallas 100 Denver 108, Memphis 102 Indiana 103, Milwaukee 96 Toronto 102, Washington 95 Oklahoma City 124, Phoenix 116 Utah 116, Minnesota 108 L.A. Clippers 128, New York 105 Saturday’s Games Memphis at Orlando, late Denver at Cleveland, late Detroit at Miami, late Boston at Houston, late L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, late Oklahoma City at Portland, late Utah at Sacramento, late Sunday’s Games Phoenix at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m. Charlotte at Toronto, 5 p.m. Indiana at Washington, 5 p.m. New Orleans at Dallas, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Brooklyn at L.A. Clippers, 8 p.m. New York at Sacramento, 8 p.m.
COLLEGE MEN AP TOP 25 Friday’s Games No. 2 Michigan State 63, Wisconsin 60 15. Michigan 77, Nebraska 58 No. 8 Purdue 82, Rutgers 75 Penn State 69, No. 13 Ohio State 68 Davidson 63, No. 17 Rhode Island 61 Saturday’s Games No. 1 Virginia 62, Notre Dame 57 No. 15 Michigan 75, No. 2. Michigan State 64 No. 3 Xavier 65, DePaul 62 No. 4 Villanova 97, Georgetown 73 No. 5 Duke vs. No. 9 North Carolina, late Oklahoma State 82, No. 6 Kansas 64 No. 7 Gonzaga vs. Loyola Marymount, late No. 8. Purdue 78, Penn State 70 No. 12 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75 No. 14 Auburn 79, South Carolina 70 No. 16 Tennessee 66, Georgia 61 Syracuse 55, No. 18 Clemson 52 No. 19 Arizona vs. California, late Texas 87, No. 20 West Virginia 79 (OT) No. 21 Nevada at San Diego State, late No. 22 Saint Mary’s vs. Pepperdine, late Flordia 80, No. 23 Kentucky 67 No. 24 Middle Tennessee vs. Marshall, late Sunday’s Games No. 8 Purdue in Big Ten championship at Madison Square Garden, 3:30 p.m. No. 13 Ohio State in Big Ten championship at Madison Square Garden, 3:30 p.m. No. 15 Michigan in Big Ten championship at Madison Square Garden, 3:30 p.m. MAJOR SCORES Saturday’s games EAST Drexel 70, James Madison 62 Hartford 71, New Hampshire 60 LIU Brooklyn 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 77 Providence 61, St. John’s 57 Saint Joseph’s 78, La Salle 70 Syracuse 55, Clemson 52 UMBC 89, Mass.-Lowell 77 VCU 83, Fordham 58 Villanova 97, Georgetown 73 Wagner 75, Robert Morris 64
SOUTH Appalachian St. 76, Coastal Carolina 67 Arkansas St. 83, Louisiana-Monroe 79 Auburn 79, South Carolina 70 Florida 80, Kentucky 67 Florida St. 85, Boston College 76 Georgia Southern 89, Troy 83 Georgia St. 90, South Alabama 75 Georgia Tech 64, Wake Forest 56 LSU 78, Mississippi St. 57 McNeese St. 69, Lamar 60 Miami 69, Virginia Tech 68 SE Louisiana 69, Nicholls 57 Southern Miss. 72, Louisiana Tech 64 UNC-Greensboro 72, The Citadel 58 Virginia 62, Notre Dame 57 Wofford 73, Mercer 53 MIDWEST Cent. Michigan 84, W. Michigan 71 Chicago St. 96, UMKC 82 Dayton 88, George Washington 78 Kansas St. 77, Baylor 67 Loyola of Chicago 62, Bradley 54 Marquette 85, Creighton 81 Michigan 75, Michigan St. 64 Purdue 78, Penn St. 70 Wright St. 87, Green Bay 72 Xavier 65, DePaul 62 SOUTHWEST Abilene Christian 69, Incarnate Word 59 Oklahoma St. 82, Kansas 64 Texas 87, West Virginia 79 (OT) Texas A&M 68, Alabama 66 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75 UTEP 68, North Texas 66 FAR WEST Air Force 83, San Jose St. 61 BYU 85, San Diego 79 E. Washington 85, N. Arizona 68 Oregon 72, Washington 64 Portland St. 97, North Dakota 90 (OT) Stanford 84, Arizona St. 83 Weber St. 95, Montana St. 92 (OT) Friday’s games EAST Dartmouth 80, Columbia 78 Harvard 98, Cornell 88 (2OT) Princeton 78, Brown 63 Quinnipiac 72, Canisius 69 St. Peter’s 66, Rider 55 Yale 80, Penn 79 SOUTH Chattanooga 89, Samford 79 Davidson 63, Rhode Island 61 Liberty 69, UNC-Asheville 64 Murray St. 70, Jacksonville St. 63 Radford 61, Winthrop 52 The Citadel 78, VMI 70 MIDWEST Akron 67, Kent St. 65 Bradley 63, Drake 61 Buffalo 100, Bowling Green 70 Cleveland St. 72, Youngstown St. 71 E. Michigan 71, Toledo 69 Green Bay 93, Detroit 81 Illinois St. 77, Indiana St. 70 Loyola of Chicago 54, N. Iowa 50 Michigan 77, Nebraska 58 Michigan St. 63, Wisconsin 60 N. Illinois 66, Ball St. 65 Ohio 75, Miami (Ohio) 66 Penn St. 69, Ohio St. 68 Purdue 82, Rutgers 75 S. Illinois 67, Missouri St. 63 SOUTHWEST Oklahoma 81, Iowa St. 60 Texas-Arlington 85, Texas State 82 FAR WEST Loyola Marymount 78, Portland 72
GOLF WGC MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday at Club de Golf Chapultepec Mexico City Purse: $10 million Yardage: 7,345; Par 71 (35-36) Third Round S. Sharma...........................65-66-69—200 T. Hatton ............................70-68-64—202 P. Mickelson .......................69-68-65—202 S. Garcia .............................68-65-69—202 R. Cabrera Bello..................66-67-69—202 P. Perez ..............................68-67-68—203 D. Johnson..........................69-66-68—203 B. Harman ..........................68-67-68—203 X. Schauffele ......................65-68-70—203 J. Thomas ...........................72-70-62—204 T. Finau ..............................68-70-68—206 M. Leishman .......................69-68-69—206 C. Hoffman.........................70-66-70—206 J. Spieth .............................70-67-69—206 K. Aphibarnrat....................66-69-71—206 B. Steele.............................69-66-71—206 K. Kisner.............................70-71-66—207 J. Vegas ..............................70-68-69—207 B. Watson...........................69-66-72—207 K. Stanley ...........................71-65-71—207 A. Hadwin...........................70-71-67—208 J. Rahm ..............................67-71-70—208 R. Fisher .............................71-68-69—208 R. Fowler ............................68-70-70—208 A. Bland..............................70-67-71—208 P. Casey..............................73-68-68—209 P. Kizzire.............................69-69-71—209 D. Berger ............................69-68-72—209 A. Noren .............................69-70-71—210 C. Schwartzel......................71-69-70—210 T. Fleetwood.......................72-71-67—210 C. Paisley............................65-75-71—211 F. Molinari ..........................71-70-70—211 J. Luiten .............................72-71-68—211 T. Pieters ............................69-68-74—211 L. Oosthuizen .....................64-71-76—211 D. Lipsky.............................70-71-71—212 J. Campillo..........................72-71-69—212 J. Dufner ............................72-72-68—212 R. Henley............................69-69-75—213 C. Reavie ............................72-73-68—213 B. Grace..............................72-69-73—214 M. Fitzpatrick .....................71-69-74—214 D. Frittelli ...........................73-70-71—214 P. Reed ...............................72-74-68—214 W. Simpson ........................72-70-73—215 K. Chappell .........................73-70-72—215 W. Ormsby..........................79-67-69—215 Y. Ikeda ..............................73-74-68—215 J. Rose................................71-72-73—216 B. Wiesberger.....................73-71-72—216 P. Cantlay ...........................70-75-71—216 P. Uihlein............................74-72-70—216 D. Burmester ......................73-70-74—217 S. Kodaira ...........................72-73-73—218 G. Woodland .......................74-71-73—218 A. Ancer..............................71-76-71—218 P. Dunne.............................73-75-72—220 M. Kuchar ...........................74-74-73—221 B. Stone..............................75-76-71—222 Y. Miyazato .........................77-72-74—223 B. Rumford .........................78-74-72—224 G. Kyle Green......................78-73-74—225 H. Li ...................................73-79-73—225
CHAMPIONS TOUR Saturday at Omni Tucson National Tucson, Ariz. Purse: $1.7 million Yardage: 7,207; Par 73 (36-37) Second Round T. Tolles....................................65-70—135 S. Dunlap .................................65-71—136 S. Stricker ................................66-70—136 R. Mediate ...............................72-65—137 D. Garwood ..............................69-68—137 G. Sauers .................................67-70—137 M. Goodes................................70-68—138 K. Triplett ................................69-69—138 W. Austin .................................68-70—138 B. Andrade ...............................70-69—139 B. Bryant..................................70-69—139 J. Maggert ...............................69-70—139 M. Bradley................................69-70—139 M. Small...................................66-73—139 M. Dawson ...............................71-69—140 K. Sutherland ...........................71-69—140 T. Hamilton ..............................72-68—140 B. Jobe.....................................71-69—140 B. Estes....................................71-69—140 O. Browne ................................70-70—140 B. Mayfair ................................68-72—140 J. Durant..................................69-72—141
T. Pernice Jr. ............................71-71—142 J. Kelly .....................................70-72—142 L. Janzen..................................70-72—142 T. Byrum ..................................75-67—142 P. Broadhurst ...........................69-73—142 J. Maria Olazabal......................71-72—143 E. Toledo ..................................71-72—143 T. Lehman ................................71-72—143 S. Ames....................................71-72—143 K. Tanigawa .............................71-72—143 M. Brooks.................................71-72—143 P. Claxton ................................70-73—143 S. Verplank...............................71-72—143 F. Quinn ...................................70-73—143 D. Toms....................................73-70—143 S. McCarron .............................71-73—144 K. Jones ...................................71-73—144 T. Armour III ...........................72-72—144 V. Singh ...................................72-72—144 S. Flesch ..................................71-73—144 G. Day ......................................73-71—144 S. Pate .....................................73-71—144 W. Short, Jr..............................70-74—144 L. Mattiace...............................71-74—145 D. Waldorf................................71-74—145 B. Tway ....................................72-73—145 G. Sisk......................................72-73—145 D. Forsman...............................73-72—145 J. Smith ...................................70-75—145 J. Sindelar ................................73-72—145 L. Mize .....................................74-71—145 B. Langer .................................68-77—145 S. Skinner.................................75-70—145 S. Parel ....................................76-69—145 D. McKenzie .............................71-75—146 J. Carter...................................72-74—146 J. Parnevik ...............................72-74—146 P. Goydos .................................73-73—146 J. Sluman .................................74-72—146 M. Allen ...................................69-77—146 W. Wood ..................................76-70—146 T. Petrovic................................77-69—146 R. Spittle..................................71-76—147 S. Kendall.................................74-73—147 C. Pavin ...................................73-75—148 M. O’Meara ..............................75-74—149 S. Randolph..............................74-76—150 C. Franco..................................74-76—150 H.Irwin ....................................76-74—150 R. Cochran ...............................75-76—151 M. Calcavecchia........................76-75—151
LPGA TOUR HSBC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS Saturday at Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Course) Singapore Purse: $1.5 million Yardage: 6,718; Par: 72 Third Round a-amateur N. Korda .............................70-66-65—201 D. Kang...............................68-64-70—202 B. M. Henderson.................68-72-65—205 M. Lee ................................71-66-68—205 M. Wie................................67-73-66—206 J. Young Ko.........................72-67-67—206 J. Korda ..............................68-70-68—206 M. Alex ...............................69-67-70—206 J. Shin ................................71-68-68—207 C. Hull ................................70-68-69—207 H. Na Jang..........................70-68-69—207 L. Ko...................................71-71-67—209 a-A. Thitikul........................70-71-68—209 J. Eun Lee ...........................69-70-70—209 L. Salas...............................71-67-71—209 C. Choi................................68-69-72—209 A. Jutanugarn.....................68-74-68—210 E.-Hee Ji .............................67-75-68—210 M. Jutanugarn ....................70-71-69—210 S. Hyun Park.......................68-73-69—210 M. Sagstrom .......................68-72-70—210 H. Joo Kim ..........................72-68-71—211 S. Feng ...............................70-70-71—211 I. Gee Chun ........................68-72-71—211 A. Ernst ..............................71-67-73—211 C. Kerr ................................70-67-74—211 A. Stanford .........................76-66-70—212 A. Nordqvist .......................75-67-70—212 A. Yang...............................74-68-70—212 I. Park ................................73-70-70—213 J. Song ...............................65-75-73—213 J. Concolino ........................73-71-70—214 S. Yeon Ryu ........................69-75-70—214 N. Broch Larsen ..................70-73-71—214 M. Lee ................................69-74-71—214 S. Young Kim ......................70-72-72—214 J. Ewart Shadoff .................71-70-73—214 C. Masson...........................70-70-74—214 A. Yin .................................73-73-69—215 C. Ciganda ..........................71-74-70—215 M. Hyang Lee......................72-72-71—215 P. Phatlum..........................74-68-73—215 S. Gal..................................72-75-69—216 J. Park ................................75-69-72—216 L. Thompson.......................75-69-72—216 H. Choi ...............................71-73-72—216 S. Oh ..................................68-76-72—216 S. Jane Smith .....................75-70-72—217 K. Kirk ................................74-69-74—217 C. Kung...............................71-72-74—217 B. Lincicome .......................73-73-72—218 B. Altomare ........................72-73-73—218 P. Lindberg .........................73-71-74—218 A. Buhai..............................75-67-76—218 G. Hall ................................73-76-70—219 M. Hur ................................75-72-72—219 A. Sharp .............................75-75-70—220
MOTORSPORTS NASCAR PENNZOIL 400 LINEUP Friday’s qualifying; race Sunday At Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas (Car number in parentheses) 1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 191.489 mph. 2. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 190.248. 3. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford, 190.067. 4. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 189.980. 5. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 189.447. 6. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 189.175. 7. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 189.148. 8. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 189.102. 9. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 188.719. 10. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 188.640. 11. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 188.469. 12. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 188.442. 13. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.838. 14. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 188.712. 15. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 188.607. 16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 188.442. 17. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 188.363. 18. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 187.865. 19. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 187.846. 20. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 187.441. 21. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 187.305. 22. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 187.246. 23. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 187.162. 24. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 186.413. 25. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.650. 26. (43) Darrell Wallace Jr., Chevrolet, 187.546. 27. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 186.916. 28. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 186.335. 29. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 186.123. 30. (51) Cole Custer, Ford, 185.982. 31. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 185.312. 32. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 185.027. 33. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 183.418. 34. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 182.272. 35. (23) Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 179.241. 36. (00) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 176.292. 37. (55) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 173.628.
NASCAR XFINITY BOYD GAMING 300 Saturday At Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nev. Lap length: 1.50 miles (Start position in parentheses)
1. (2) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200 laps 2. (1) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 200 3. (12) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200 4. (8) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200 5. (6) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 200 6. (3) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 200 7. (16) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200 8. (7) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 200 9. (4) Cole Custer, Ford, 200 10. (11) Spencer Gallagher, Chevrolet, 200 11. (9) Matt Tifft, Chevrolet, 200 12. (10) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200 13. (19) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 200 14. (5) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 200 15. (17) Ryan Truex, Chevrolet, 200 16. (18) Kaz Grala, Ford, 200 17. (24) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 200 18. (14) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 199 19. (13) Ryan Reed, Ford, 199 20. (23) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 197 21. (29) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 197 22. (20) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 196 23. (26) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 196 24. (37) Vinnie Miller, Chevrolet, 196 25. (33) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 195 26. (34) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 195 27. (27) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 194 28. (39) Josh Bilicki, Toyota, 189 29. (21) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, engine, 185 30. (40) Stephen Leicht, Toyota, 185 31. (38) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 183 32. (30) Chad Finchum, Chevrolet, suspension, 140 33. (25) Timmy Hill, Dodge, garage, 134 34. (15) Austin Cindric, Ford, accident, 132 35. (35) David Starr, Chevrolet, engine, 78 36. (31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, suspension 37. (36) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, oilleak 38. (28) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, vibration, 18 39. (32) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, brakes, 15 40. (22) Dylan Lupton, Ford, accident, 5
TENNIS ATP DUBAI DUTY FREE CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Dubai, United Arab Emirates Purse: $2.62 million (WT500) Surface: Hard-Outdoor Singles — Chanpionship Roberto Bautista Agut (3), Spain, def. Lucas Pouille (2), France, 6-3, 6-4. Doubles — Chanpionship Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Horia Tecau (2), Romania, def. Jamie Cerretani, United States, and Leander Paes, India, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
ATP/WTA ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL Friday at Princess Mundo Imperial Acapulco, Mexico Purse: ATP, $1.64 million (WT500); WTA, $226,750 (Intl.) Surface: Hard-Outdoor Singles Men — Semifinals Kevin Anderson (5), South Africa, def. Jared Donaldson, United States, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Juan Martin del Potro (6), Argentina, def. Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, 6-4, 6-2. Women — Semifinals Lesia Tsurenko (7), Ukraine, def. Daria Gavrilova (3), Australia, 6-2, 6-4. Stefanie Voegele, Switzerland, def. Rebecca Peterson, Sweden, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Doubles Men — Semifinals Jamie Murray, Britain, and Bruno Soares (3), Brazil, def. Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Alexander Peya, Austria, 7-5, 6-3. Bob and Mike Bryan (4), United States, def. Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock, United States, 7-5, 1-6, 10-8. Doubles Women — Semifinals Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria, United States, def. Monica Puig, Puerto Rico, and Sloane Stephens, United States, 6-4, 6-4. Tatjana Maria, Germany, and Heather Watson, Britain, def. Lara Arruabarrena and Aranxta Parra Santonja (4), Spain, 6-4, 6-1. BRASIL OPEN RESULTS Saturday at Esporte Clube Pinheiros Sao Paulo Purse: $516,205 (WT250) Surface: Clay-Outdoor Singles — Semifinals Fabio Fognini (2), Italy, def. Pablo Cuevas (3), Uruguay, 6-4, 6-2. Nicolas Jarry, Chile, def. Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. Doubles — Semifinals Wesley Koolhof, Netherlands, and Artem Sitak (4), New Zealand, def. Carlos Berlocq and Nicolas Kicker, Argentina, 6-3, 6-3.
TRANSACTIONS Saturday
BASEBALL American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with INF Danny Valencia on a minor league contract. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Agreed to terms with RHP Nick Tepesch on a minor league contract.
HOCKEY National Hockey League NEW YORK RANGERS — Assigned F Dawson Leedahl from Hartford (AHL) to Greenville (ECHL).
COLLEGE FAU — Named Brian White athletic director.
PREGAME.COM LINE NBA Sunday Favorite ATLANTA WASHINGTON TORONTO New Orleans Phila. New York LA CLIPPERS
Line O/U Underdog 21⁄2 (2221⁄2) Phoenix 1 1 3 ⁄2 (208 ⁄2) Indiana 1 9 (219 ⁄2) Charlotte 31⁄2 (2231⁄2) DALLAS 1 (2091⁄2) MILWAUKEE 2 (215) SACRAMENTO 8 (226) Brooklyn
COLLEGE BASKETBALL SUNDAY FAVORITE WICHITA ST SMU MEMPHIS TULSA HOUSTON UCF William & Mary Hofstra Milwaukee Oakland
LINE 1 81⁄2 13 11⁄2 16 61⁄2 1 5 11⁄2 6
UNDERDOG Cincinnati SOUTH FLORIDA East Carolina Temple UCONN Tulane Towson UNC-Wilmington Ill.-Chicago IUPUI
NHL
HIGH SCHOOLS CITY LEAGUE STANDINGS FINAL WRESTLING Team
BASKETBALL AAC MEN Conf. W
L
Cincinnati 15 2 Wichita St. 14 3 Houston 13 4 Tulsa 11 6 Memphis 9 8 Central Florida 8 9 Temple 8 9 Connecticut 7 10 SMU 6 11 Tulane 5 12 East Carolina 4 13 South Florida 2 15 Sunday’s Games Cincinnati at Wichita St., 11 a.m. SMU at S. Florida, 1 p.m. E. Carolina at Memphis, 2 p.m. Temple at Tulsa, 2 p.m. Connecticut at Houston, 3 p.m. Tulane at C. Florida, 3:30 p.m.
Overall W
L
26 24 23 18 18 17 16 14 16 14 10 9
4 5 6 11 12 12 13 16 14 15 18 21
BIG 12 MEN Conf. W
L
Overall W
Kansas 13 5 24 Texas Tech 11 7 23 West Virginia 11 7 22 Kansas St. 10 8 21 TCU 9 9 21 Oklahoma 8 10 18 Baylor 8 10 18 Oklahoma St. 8 10 18 Texas 8 10 18 Iowa St. 4 14 13 Friday’s Game Oklahoma 81, Iowa St. 60 Saturday’s Games Texas 87, West Virginia 79. OT Kansas St. 77, Baylor 67 Oklahoma St. 82, Kansas 64 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75 BIG 12 TOURNAMENT At Sprint Center, Kansas City Wednesday’s Games Oklahoma St. vs. Oklahoma, 6 p.m. Texas vs. Iowa St., 8 p.m. Thursday’s Games Kansas St. vs. TCU, 11:30 a.m. Kansas vs. OSU-OU winner, 1:30 p.m. Texas Tech vs. Tech-ISU winner, 6 p.m. West Virginia vs. Baylor, 8 p.m.
L 7 8 9 10 10 12 13 13 13 17
REGION VI MEN Sunday’s Quarterfinals At Hartman Arena Coffeyville (26-4) vs. Seward County (18-13), 1 p.m. Garden City (21-11) vs. Cowley (20-11), 3 p.m. Barton (26-5) vs. Colby (21-11), 5 p.m. Independence (18-12) vs. Hutchinson (26-5), 7 p.m.
MIAA MEN TOURNAMENT at Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City Friday’s Quarterfinals Washburn 75, Neb.-Kearney 65 Fort Hays St. 96, Mo. Southern 85 NW Missouri 79, Pittsburg St. 73 Central Okla. 72, Central Mo. 68 Saturday’s Semifinals Washburn vs. Fort Hays St. NW Missouri vs. Central Okla. Sunday’s Final Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m.
AAC WOMEN TOURNAMENT At Orlando, Fla. Saturday’s Games Temple 72, Wichita St. 59 East Carolina 85, SMU 74 Tulane (13-16) at Memphis (10-19) Tulsa (9-20) vs. Houston (20-10) Sunday’s Games Temple (12-18) vs. C. Florida (20-9), 11 a.m. East Carolina (17-14) vs. S. Florida (24-6), 1:30 p.m. Tulane-Mem. winner vs. UConn (29-0), 5:30 p.m. Tulsa-Houston winner vs. Cincinnati (18-11), 7:30
BIG 12 WOMEN TOURNAMENT At Oklahoma City Friday’s Games Kansas St. 72, Kansas 63 Iowa St. 74, Texas Tech 49 Saturday’s Games TCU 90, Oklahoma 83 Baylor 83, Kansas St. 54 Texas vs. Iowa St. Oklahoma St. vs. West Virginia Sunday’s Games TCU vs. Baylor, 2 p.m. UT-ISU winner vs. OSU-WVU winner, 4:30 NO. 3 BAYLOR 83, KANSAS ST. 54 KANSAS ST. (16-15)—Page 1-4 0-0 3, Williams 3-8 2-2 10, Lakes 1-2 0-0 2, Goth 9-19 4-4 24, Ranke 1-10 2-2 5, Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Ray 0-0 0-0 0, Goodrich 2-5 3-3 8, Wiggins 0-0 0-0 0, Totals 18-49 11-11 54. BAYLOR (29-1)—Cohen 8-15 3-5 19, Cox 3-5 3-6 10, Brown 9-12 8-10 26, Landrum 5-13 2-2 14, Morris 3-9 0-0 6, McDonough 0-0 0-0 0, Kahue 0-0 0-0 0, Chou 0-0 0-0 0, Richards 1-3 0-0 2, Ursin 3-6 0-0 6, Totals 32-63 16-23 83. Kansas St. 10 17 6 21 — 54 Baylor 22 24 24 13 — 83 3-Point Goals—Kansas St. 7-25 (Page 1-3, Williams 2-4, Goth 2-8, Ranke 1-8, Goodrich 1-2), Baylor 3-5 (Cox 1-1, Landrum 2-4). Assists—Kansas St. 12 (Goth 4), Baylor 12 (Cox 4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Kansas St. 20 (Williams 6), Baylor 44 (Brown 13). Total Fouls—Kansas St. 18, Baylor 13. Technical Fouls—None. A—4,047. KANSAS ST. 72, KANSAS 63 KANSAS (12-18)—Cheadle 0-4 3-5 3, Johnson 9-13 0-1 18, Richardson 3-7 0-0 7, Kopatich 4-12 2-2 13, Lyons 6-12 0-0 16, Lott 2-6 0-0 4, Benoit 0-2 0-0 0, Osorio 1-4 0-0 2, Totals 25-60 5-8 63. KANSAS ST. (16-14)—Page 7-15 1-2 20, Williams 5-11 4-4 14, Goth 5-7 7-10 19, Martin 2-4 1-2 5, Ranke 3-13 3-4 10, Jones 1-1 1-1 3, Lakes 0-0 0-0 0, Ray 0-0 0-0 0, Goodrich 0-4 1-2 1, Totals 23-55 18-25 72. Kansas 21 9 21 12 — 63 Kansas St. 13 16 17 26 — 72 3-Point Goals—Kansas 8-23 (Cheadle 0-1, Richardson 1-3, Kopatich 3-10, Lyons 4-6, Benoit 0-1, Osorio 0-2), Kansas St. 8-22 (Page 5-8, Goth 2-2, Martin 0-1, Ranke 1-9, Goodrich 0-2). Assists—Kansas 20 (Lyons 6), Kansas St. 15 (Goth 8). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Kansas 34 (Lott 9), Kansas St. 35 (Ranke 8). Total Fouls—Kansas 20, Kansas St. 13. Technical Fouls—None. A—2,779.
MIAA WOMEN
SUNDAY FAVORITE FLORIDA Nashville ANAHEIM Las Vegas Winnipeg MINNESOTA SAN JOSE
LOCAL SCOREBOARD
LINE OFF -127 OFF -115 -114 OFF -150
UNDERDOG Philadelphia COLORADO Chicago NEW JERSEY CAROLINA Detroit Columbus
LINE OFF +117 OFF +105 +104 OFF +140
TOURNAMENT At Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Mo. Saturday’s Semifinals Fort Hays St. 52, Pittsburg St. 46 Mo. Western 59, Lindenwood 41 Sunday’s Final Fort Hays St. vs. Mo. Western, 1 p.m.
League
South 8-0 Kapaun 6-2 Carroll 6-2 Northwest 5-3 Southeast 3-5 Heights 3-5 West 3-5 North 1-7 East 1-7 Final Leaders (Min. 8 wins, 1 loss in CL duals) Wrestler, school W-L-Pins Ryan Murphy, C Kasdon Arehart, So Asiel Flores, So Malachi Karibo, So Dejuan Scott, H Michael Spangler, K FINAL BOYS SWIMMING Team
11-0-8 11-0-7 11-0-6 11-0-6 11-0-3 9-0-7 League
East 8-0 Heights 7-1 North 6-2 Northwest 5-3 Carroll 4-4 West 3-5 South 2-6 Kapaun 1-7 Southeast 0-8 Leaders (CL duals, CL meet only) 200 medley relay — 1. East 1:39.24. 200 free —1. Jason Ooten, East, 1:49.73. 200 IM — 1. Hugh McPherson, S, 1:59.54. 50 free — 1. David Garcia, West, 21.32. Diving — CL meet: 1. Miguel Bernal, North, 478.20. 100 fly — 1. Aidan Gantenbein, Heights, 52.62. 100 free — 1. Hugh McPherson, East, 47.02. 500 free — 1. Jason Ooten, East, 5:00.34. 200 free relay — 1. Heights 1:31.91. 100 back — 1. Aidan Gantenbein, Heights, 51.85. 100 breast — 1. Isaac Hadorn, North, 56.29. 400 relay — 1. East 3:16.46. Final Boys Bowling (CL duals, CL meet only) Team W-L Pins Avg. Northwest 8-0 24294 Heights 7-1 22319 Carroll 6-2 22229 North 5-3 19622 Kapaun 3-5 19034 East 2-6 19155 West 1-5 14887 South 1-5 14903 Southeast 0-6 13468 Final Leadrs (CL duals, CL meet only) Bowler, school Pins
674.8 620.0 617.5 545.1 528.7 532.1 531.7 532.3 481.0
Brandon Bonta, NW Gabe Alvarez, NW Ryan George, Hts. Dillon Malone, C Parker Tippin, C
763.0 736.8 648.0 613.0 612.6
3815 3684 3240 3065 3063
Final Girls Bowling (CL duals, CL meet only) Team W-L
Avg.
Pins
Avg.
East 8-0 21663 601.8 Northwest 7-1 21058 584.9 Carroll 6-2 19058 529.4 Kapaun 4-4 17451 484.8 South 3-3 13219 472.1 Heights 2-6 15588 433.0 North 2-6 13992 388.7 Southeast 1-5 11588 413.9 West 1-5 10505 375.2 Final Leaders CL duals, CL meet only) Bowler, school Pins Avg. Addie Herzberg, East 3276 655.2 Madisyn Hansen, East 3135 627.0 Kaylie Nelson, NW 2871 574.2 Alyssa Smalley, NW 2848 569.6 Abby Kennedy, NW 2831 566.2 South, Southeast and West are missing results from their triangular.
HOCKEY ECHL Western Conference Central W L OL Sol Pts GF GA Toledo Fort Wayne Cincinnati Kalamazoo Kansas City Indy Quad City Mountain
39 38 31 27 28 27 20 W
14 14 21 23 27 26 32 L
2 2 2 1 2 0 3 2 0 2 2 1 3 1 OL Sol
82 79 64 59 58 57 44 Pts
188 233 173 201 154 184 160 GF
134 159 161 198 180 193 232 GA
Colorado 37 14 4 2 80 206 Idaho 33 18 4 2 72 197 Wichita 29 23 4 2 64 188 Tulsa 24 23 3 8 59 174 Allen 26 24 4 2 58 181 Utah 23 23 6 5 57 184 Rapid City 20 33 2 1 43 158 Friday’s Games Jacksonville 6, Reading 1 Florida 3, Greenville 2, OT Cincinnati 4, Indy 3 Kansas City 3, Fort Wayne 2 Quad City 7, Utah 6, SO Allen 5, Rapid City 2 Idaho 5, Wichita 2 Colorado 4, Tulsa 1 Sunday’s Games Reading at Orlando, 12:30 p.m. Toledo at Brampton, 1 p.m. Cincinnati at Kalamazoo, 2 p.m. Manchester at Worcester, 2:05 p.m. Utah at Indy, 2:05 p.m. Fort Wayne at Quad City, 4:05 p.m. Idaho at Wichita, 4:05 p.m.
170 163 190 190 179 200 210
STEELHEAD 5, THUNDER 2 Idaho 3 2 0 — 5 Wichita 0 2 0 — 2 First period-1, Idaho, Parizek 22 (Ully, Brassart), 8:33 (PP). 2, Idaho, Brassart 18 (Dahl, Parizek), 12:34 (PP). 3, Idaho, Hanna 5 (Brassart, Parizek), 13:43. Second period-4, Idaho, Parizek 23 (Ully, Hanna), 3:37 (PP). 5, Wichita, Dufour 17 (Stevenson, Crevier-Morin), 8:01. 6, Wichita, Brown 10 (Bauer), 12:38 (SH). 7, Idaho, Neville 1 (White), 13:14. Third period- None. Shots-Idaho 21-13-7-41. Wichita 7-12-928. Power plays-Idaho 3-6; Wichita 0-6. Goalies-Idaho, Desrosiers 28 shots-26 saves. Wichita, Starrett 41-36. A-5,563.
SOFTBALL COLLEGE Wichita St. 6, Nebraska 2 Wichita St. 004 101 0 — 6 12 1 Nebraska 020 000 0 — 2 6 1 W: Lange 4-4. L: Jablonski 5-5. HR: WSU, Perrigan (1) WSU batting: Wright 1-4, Buck 1-4, Derrico 1-3, Luellen 3-5, Bingham 1-2, Perrigan 2-4, Webber 1-3, Nickerson 1-3, Lange 1-4. WSU pitching: Lange 7 IP-0 ER. Nebraska 3, Wichita St. 1 Wichita St. 000 100 0 — 1 7 2 Nebraska 000 300 x — 3 7 0 W: Ferrell 5-0. L: Bingham 1-3. WSU batting: Wright 0-3, Buck 1-3, Derrico 3-3, Luellen 2-3, Perrigan 0-3, Webber 1-3, Nickerson 0-3, Lange 0-2, Jamele 0-1. WSU pitching: Bingham 4-3, Martinez 2-0.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
THE WICHITA EAGLE ...................................................................................
BY RALPH D. RUSSO
Associated Press NEW YORK
NCAA President Mark Emmert is hopeful the scandal roiling college basketball will lead to major rule changes, but schools paying players is likely a nonstarter. In a 45-minute phone interview Friday with The Associated Press, Emmert said he expects a commission to reform college basketball to put forth proposals to modernize NCAA rules on playeragent relationships, devise new ways to handle highprofile enforcement cases and address the NBAs one-and-done rule. The commission is on track to give its recommendations to NCAA leadershi April 24-25. Emmert says that the NCAA is not in crisis and that the “vast majority of what’s going on inside” the associations is working “incredibly well.” “Yes, we’ve got these very serious issues which require serious change and they erode people’s belief in the integrity of all college sports,” Emmert said. “That’s a very serious problem and that’s got to be addressed and we’re doing that right now and I’m really optimistic that before basketball season next year we’re going to have really meaningful change that makes this circumstance, if not completely go away, dramatically better than the problems that exist today. “That’s not the same as saying that collegiate sports is in crisis.” A federal investigation has alleged hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks being funneled to influence recruits, an FBI probe that many fans believe reveals just a tiny slice of potential corruption in college sports. In September, the Justice Department arrested
DAVID J. PHILLIP AP
NCAA President Mark Emmert hopes the scandal roiling college basketball will lead to major rule changes, but schools paying players is likely a nonstarter.
NCAA head Emmert: Changes needed, but not paying players 10 people. Payments of up to $150,000, supplied by Adidas, were promised to at least three top high school recruits to attend two schools, according to federal prosecutors. Emmert said NCAA enforcement cannot investigate anything directly related to the case without the approval of prosecutors. “It can be frustrating, of course, but that is the way we go about that,” Emmert said. He added the NCAA is working with schools to provide clarity on possible violations related to news reports about the case. Last week, by Yahoo Sports said it obtained documents showing dozens of prominent players,
coaches and schools could be involved in breaking NCAA rules. Current Michigan State star Miles Bridges was cleared by the NCAA after a line item said an agent had given benefits to his mother. The relationship between agents and players is one of four major components of the Rice commission’s work. College hockey and baseball players can have business relationships with agents in high school without risking eligibility because professional leagues draft those players out of high school. Emmert said those rules might be used to guide college basketball reform. “How can a family and a
player get the kind of advice, professional advice from reputable, responsible advisers and agents that they can use to make intelligent decisions for themselves and their families?” Emmert said. “Those are the questions that the commission is looking into as well. I and many others have long recognized that this relationship just isn’t functional right now. We’ve got to make it more appropriate to today’s environment.” More access to agents does not mean creating an open market for college athletes. “I haven’t heard any universities say that they want to change amateurism to move into a model
where student athletes are paid by universities and universities are negotiating with agents for their relationships with a school,” Emmert said. “I would be surprised if the commission came forward with that kind of recommendation.” Emmert said allowing athletes to earn money for things such as endorsements from outside sources is worthy of consideration. “There’s a lot of discussion about the Olympic model and think it’s well deserving of serious consideration inside the context of college sports,” he said. Emmert said that the NCAA cannot change the NBA’s so-called one-and-
7D
done rule, which prohibits U.S. players from being drafted until they are 19 and at least one year removed from high school. “That relationship is the NBA and players’ association to change,” he said. “But the commission is looking at what can and should be done to change that relationship. You do have significant issues around young men who want to become professional athletes. They may or may not want to go to college in order to do that and they need to have more and better options. The question the commission’s looking how can we, the NCAA, with the control over our part of that equation have some impact on that.” The commission is also exploring whether the NCAA, USA Basketball or the NBA can become more involved in AAU basketball, the youth leagues unaffiliated to high schools that can play an influential role in recruiting but lie outside NCAA policing. Emmert said the NCAA’s enforcement model, which relies upon cooperation between the schools and NCAA staff, works in most cases but as stakes have risen, highprofile cases have become more contentious. “We’ve asked the commission to bring forward a recommendation saying we need a different approach for these 5 or 10 percent of cases, at the most, that are very highprofile where people are now in a much more adversarial position than they are when they are dealing with other issues. And how can that be done because the current model of a cooperative investigation and engagement breaks down very quickly. We’re trying very hard to get the commission to bring forth recommendations on that, too,” Emmert said. C
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
Wilder
KO FRANK FRANKLIN II AP
Deontay Wilder, left, survived a pummeling from Luis Ortiz, then knocked out the challenger in the 10th round Saturday night to retain his WBC heavyweight title at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Befitting the undefeated champion from Alabama, it was a wild affair for the final few rounds after a dull series of pawing and gesturing by Wilder gave Ortiz a solid lead. It was over with 55 seconds to go in the 10th after Ortiz went down for the second time in the round from a right uppercut and referee David Fields stopped it. Page 4
BY KURT STREETER
New York Times OAKLAND, CALIF.
Out on the hardwood, toward a far corner of the gym, crouches a 70-year-old man, thin and bespectacled, with a crook in his back, a hitch in his step and braces on his wrists to protect them from bullet passes. He is drilling a quartet of Golden State Warriors, each young enough to be his grandson. At 5 feet 11 inches, Ron Adams is in a land of giants. Methodically, he orders centers and forwards, most of them nearly a foot taller, through defensive maneuvers and a shooting workout. His boss, Steve Kerr, eyes him intently, then smiles like a gambler admiring someone who is beating the odds. “I could watch him run drills all day,” Kerr says. “Seventy years old and still at it!” Adams was in his mid-60s when Kerr, the Warriors’ head coach, hired him away from the Boston Celtics, where he was the lead assistant coach. What Kerr wanted was a venerable wise man, someone who had coached for decades but had no real desire to be promoted. Someone who would thus be free to speak his mind – like Tex Winter, who was Phil Jackson’s assistant in the 1990s when Kerr starred on the Chicago Bulls’ championship-winning teams. In the summer of 2014, Kerr took Adams to dinner at A16, a trendy, red-brick restaurant in Oakland. Adams, who reads literature and poetry and likes
GOLDEN STATE’S TRUTH TELLER At 70, Ron Adams is an assistant coach with wide-ranging interests and an obsession with good basketball. He’ll send the wine back if it doesn’t taste right. JIM WILSON NYT
Golden State’s Ron Adams, 70, is an assistant coach with wide-ranging interests and an obsession with good basketball.
fine wine, ordered a bottle of pinot noir for the table. The waiter poured a bit for him to try. He swirled it in his glass and took a sip. “That tastes nothing like a pinot,” he said,
insisting the waiter bring another bottle. “He sent the wine back!” Kerr recalls. He chuckles at the memory. “Ron is the first and only guy I have ever seen who
sent the wine back!” “I’m thinking,” he adds, with an expletive for emphasis, “ ‘Who is this guy?’ “I wanted a truth-teller, somebody to tell me, ‘You gotta
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Boxing ............. 4 MMA ................. 5 NHL .................. 7 College basketball .... 9
do this, and you gotta do that,’ completely unfiltered,” Kerr says. “Somebody whose experience and wisdom made every-
NBA ................ 21 NFL ................ 23 Baseball ......... 26 Golf ............... 30 Motors ............ 31
SEE ADAMS, PAGE 2
Skiing ............. 32 Soccer ............ 33 Track ............. 40 Tennis ............ 41
CONTENT IN TODAY’S SPORTSXTRA MAY HAVE ALREADY APPEARED IN YOUR DAILY PAPER
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 2
COVER STORY
JIM WILSON NYT
Steve Kerr’s right-hand man: Adams, arms crossed, on the Warriors’ bench.
FROM PAGE 1
ADAMS one stand up and listen. I knew right then that we were talking to the right guy, and I’m just thankful we have him because he’s been instrumental in all that we’ve done. “Ron Adams, he’s our Tex.” A SUBTLE ACTIVIST For a sports franchise, the Warriors are uncommonly engaged with the outside world, particularly when it comes to politics and social activism. Kerr and several of his players – superstars keenly sensitive to the hardships faced by black people – have been sharply critical of
President Donald Trump. They have taken public stances against police shootings, inequities in the justice system and the rise in racist rhetoric. In December, the Warriors blared “Sweet Home Alabama” over the loudspeakers on their practice court the morning after Doug Jones, a Democrat, upset Roy Moore, a Republican who had been accused of sexual assault, in Alabama’s Senate race. Adams, a Renaissance man in professional basketball, plays a subtle role in this activism. He goads an already intellectually curious team to keep learning, keep reading, keep searching for more. Adams is the exacting, behind-the-scenes coach known for sending out
links to essays about Trump and race. He is the one eager to talk big ideas: philosophy, religion, sociology and especially politics. He is the one concerned about the pitfalls posed by big tech. He is the one who is best friends with a Gestalt psychologist. “Maybe that’s the key to longevity,” says a fellow assistant coach, Bruce Fraser, 53.”This business can engulf you, especially for us younger guys, and it gets worse as the season moves on. Here’s the guy who has lasted, and he makes sure to always remind us that there is more to the world.” Adams’ fascination with the world started early. His parents had a 320acre farm in tiny Laton,
on the plains of central California, 22 miles southeast of Fresno. The family raised cattle and grew alfalfa, corn and cotton. Adams was in charge of feeding the cows bushels of cured, baled alfalfa, which were wrapped in wire mesh and required clipping. He learned to do it with care and close attention to detail. A cow could die from ingesting even a sliver of wire. He learned something else. “On the farm, your rapport with your neighbor is critical,” Adams says. “There is a premium on honesty. You don’t fool people in that world.” On the farm he learned to speak the truth – and to send the wine back. “My father, I remember him getting bales of hay,” he
says, “and if it didn’t meet his standard, the response would be polite but firm: ‘This is good but not what I wanted.’” Basketball was how he left the farm. He played guard in college at what is now Fresno Pacific University, where he became an assistant coach after graduation. It was 1969. He was 21. Adams never played again. He is not the oldest coach in the NBA. Bob Weiss, an assistant with the Denver Nuggets, is five years older, but Weiss played professional basketball for a dozen years. Adams kept coaching. In his mid-20s, he was promoted to head coach at his alma mater. By his mid-30s, he had honed a
JIM WILSON NYT
Adams at his home in Oakland. “We all think we should be doing more than what we are, but the restrictiveness of what I do, and have done for almost 50 years, has been limiting,” he said.
sophisticated defensive theory based in part on the tactics of a handful of coaches from the 1950s and 1960s. Adams put the theory into a booklet, “A Man-to-Man Pressure Defensive System,” and he developed a following. In his late 30s, he became the head coach at Fresno State. He was an unusual blend: professorial, bookish and hardcharging. “Bobby Knight-ish in some ways,” says Jervis Cole, one of his key players, drawing a comparison more with Knight’s authoritarian style than his histrionics. “Coach Adams cared about us in a way that was special.” But he was also demanding and structured to an extreme. One of his most talented forwards struggled under the dictates, transferred to Colorado State and became player of the year in the rival Western Athletic Conference. “It was, ‘My way or the highway,’” Cole says of Adams’ philosophy. “That is the way things were done in that era,” Adams says, ruefully. “Top-down. The chain of command was everything. The coach was very much in charge. When I look back, knowing what I know now, as a more experienced human being, I say to myself, ‘You sure could have taken a lot different approach.’” At the same time, his reputation for teaching the game kept soaring. He grounded his players in the same minutiae he now preaches to the Warriors: angles, foot positions, how to spread their hands, how to be an instigator instead of lying in wait, how to be flexible enough as a unit to protect multiple positions. Fresno State defended well, but it was short of talent. The Bulldogs won 43 games and lost 72. Adams resigned. “A very tough time for me,” he says. “Coaching the team in the area where SEE ADAMS, PAGE 3
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 3
COVER STORY
JIM WILSON NYT
Adams at a Warriors practice, running the drills that have helped make Golden State the best team in the NBA.
FROM PAGE 2
ADAMS you grew up, and you have parents and friends and family there, and it doesn’t go as well as you want it to go …” His voice, ordinarily steady, trails off. He would never be a head coach again. It was 1990, the year Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were born and Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant turned 2. BEATING BACK THE ANGST Career assistants don’t make enough money to retire early. Soon Adams began teaching his principles of defense to Jerry Tarkanian’s teams at UNLV. Then he was in Iowa, at Drake. When Tarkanian took over the San Antonio Spurs, Adams joined him. When Tarkanian got fired, the new coach, John Lucas, kept Adams on. When Lucas bolted for Philadelphia, Adams went along. The NBA grind, constant change with little job security, became part of life for Adams, his wife, Leah, and their two children. Says Leah: “I became an absolute expert at packing up and moving.” Still, doubt tore at Adams, not about his defensive tactics, but about coaching itself. About every four or five months, he says, he had “an existential crisis about what I should be doing.” “We all think we should be doing more than what we are, but the restrictiveness of what I do, and have done for almost 50 years, has been limiting,” he says. “In some ways, it has kept me from pursuits that I think are the most important.” He could imagine himself, for instance, in national politics. “There are a lot of needs out there,” he says. “So much crap is going on in our country, it’s worrisome. Our country is tak-
ing steps backward.” What of Curry, Durant, Green and all the other Warriors who are growing more and more comfortable with speaking out? “All of that makes me much prouder than anything they have ever done on the court,” he says. “We have players speaking truth to power. They should, because they see the world they come from in much more depth than someone who does not come from their background.” As Adams moved from team to team, whenever he worried about whether he was doing enough to change the world, he beat back the angst. His love of the game and the people who play it and coach it – their strategies and tactics and vibrant energy – kept him in thrall. “Whether you were a superstar like Ray Allen or a journeyman like me, he invested his life into you,” says Kevin Ollie, who played on a pair of Adams’ NBA teams and is now a title-holding coach at the University of Connecticut. “He made you see what you could become.” Ollie has another recollection: The Adams of yesteryear went about his work with such driving earnestness that Ollie rarely saw him smile. The years folded one into the other, andon Adams went: Milwaukee, Chicago, Oklahoma City, back to Chicago, and finally to Boston, where he and Brad Stevens, head coach of the Celtics, took over a dismal young team. To this day, Stevens credits Adams, whom he calls “my editor,” with helping him establish the habits and expectations that have come to characterize the Celtics, now one of the best teams in the league. It looked like Boston would be his last stop. But then Kerr took Adams to dinner at A16. LOOSENING UP Over pizza, Kerr spoke of creating a dynamic Warrior offense that was
forceful, fluid and fast. He also spoke of embracing Adams’ tenets so that he could establish a team defense with the same characteristics. No team in league history had played in that style on both ends of the court and won a title. At least, not yet. And Kerr had another bold idea, too. He wanted to change the Warrior culture. He would blend old school tenacity with outright fun. Adams was interested. On June 23, 2014, he joined the team. And at first, he was wary. Old school ran deep in his veins, and Kerr was creating a culture unlike any Adams had seen. He remembers his first Warrior practices. The team was jovial and loose. Hiphop was ripping through a sound system. “I had to learn to put up with their crap music,” he says, a glint in his eye and sarcasm in his voice. “I’m an older coach,” Adams adds, “and I had to change.” It was difficult. Kerr wanted the team to learn from its losses – but not to wallow in them. Adams, however, “took losses really hard,” Kerr says. During Adams’ first season with the Warriors, the Memphis Grizzlies broke a 16-game Golden State winning streak. In the locker room afterward, Adams’ fellow coaches did their best to take the edge off. They reviewed what had gone wrong, but they laughed, jibed one another and reveled in how long they had been winning. Adams wanted nothing to do with such lightness. He sat apart from them, pored over game statistics and obsessed about the team’s blunders. “He was despondent, and he didn’t want to talk to anyone,” Kerr says. “I don’t like that. I want everyone to be able to commiserate and talk ourselves off the ledge, and Ron was not even looking at us. He was just
in the corner, staring at his notebook.” It took time to adjust, but as the Warriors continued their steady walk to their first NBA championship in 40 years, Adams approached Kerr. “I have an admission,” Kerr remembers him saying. “I didn’t know if what you were doing would work. I didn’t know if playing music and being loose and carefree could cut it. But what you’ve got going, it’s working, all right. You’ve cooked up an interesting stew.” Players and the other assistants noticed how Adams was evolving. Today, on a supremely tight-knit team, he’s like a revered grandfather: wise and beloved, confident enough to let himself be ribbed for his age, still stern and sharp enough to command respect and set a high bar. Kerr has discovered that Adams’ truth-telling doesn’t show itself in dramatic confrontation but in the steady grind of the day to day. Even during a winning streak, “Ron will tell me, ‘We stunk last night,’” Kerr says. “He will say it to my face. He does not get fooled by our record. He’ll walk into practice and tell me we have to do a certain defensive drill, we can’t forget the fundamentals, because we’ve been awful.’” Durant, Curry and Thompson laud Adams for holding them accountable. “’You could have contested that shot. … You could have made that guy miss. … You’ve got to use that length of yours … Verticality! Verticality!’” Durant says, mimicking the way Adams bends his ear. Green, unsurprisingly, is a bit different. “Draymond yells at me,” Adams says, “but I like that. I like healthy exchanges when people believe what they are trying to get across. I love him. He’s just totally unique, and I love that.” Although Adams has mellowed, he still gets animated. An opponent will catch the Warriors
unaware, run through the lane and get an easy dunk. Adams, in his customary seat on the bench next to Kerr, will look as if he has just seen a traffic accident. He will lean back in his chair and fix his eyes on the rafters as if to say, “Good God, what in the hell is happening!” His contortions sometimes get spliced into the game videos shown at practice. The Warriors laugh. These days, Adams laughs with them. But losing still hurts. In a mid-January home game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Lou Williams, probably the best sixth man in the league, torched Golden State for a career high 50 points. Adams smoldered. At the buzzer, he walked straight off the court. When he emerged from the locker room, he was stern, tight-lipped, angry. In the parking lot, he stepped into his black Volkswagen sedan and gripped the wheel. “Throughout his barrage,” he fumed, “we just treated Lou Williams like another guy! Another guy!” He looked across the front seat. “Nights like this one are hard on me.” So is age. The NBA season is a marathon: nine months and about 100 games for a championship team. To run it, Adams avoids overeating and cuts back on late-night wine. He stretches as often as he can. He gets away from basketball by playing tennis. His thumbs, stiffened by time and the rigors of basketball, sometimes hurt so badly that he has trouble cleaning his glasses. A chiropractor helps him with a neck condition that has curved his spine. Getting enough sleep is impossible. When the Warriors play night games, they sometimes climb on a plane that takes off at 2 a.m. and lands just before dawn. “You can wake up in a hotel room and not know where the hell you are,” Adams says. “It gets
worse as you get older. Sometimes we’ll be on a flight taking off, and the impulse is, ‘What city were we just in?’ It’s crazy.” Golden State, Adams says, is his last stop. For now, though, he is in what he calls “basketball nirvana.” He is the defensive coordinator for a welloiled troupe that has won two world titles on his watch and is the heavy favorite to take a third. League general managers have voted him the best NBA assistant for three years running. There have been times this season when he has laughed and joked with his team more than he can ever recall doing in the past. And though in professional basketball he has never been a head coach, he says, “it probably worked out the way it should.” “I try to be an artisan,” he adds. “There is a purity to teaching as an assistant – a virtue in being a craftsman and having a craft. It’s the nuts-and-bolts stuff that appeals to me, and the relationships. “Plus, quite frankly, I don’t think, until the last five or six years of my life, I have exhibited the flexibility to be a head coach. The level where I’ve found myself is just perfect.” His life is a fine one by almost every measure. For home games, he puts in 14-hour days. But when he leaves the stadium at about 11 p.m., he drives only 15 minutes to his four-story house in Oakland. He grabs a bowl of corn chips and tucks himself into his office to dissect replays – and chill. It is a narrow room lined with African art, photos of the Warriors and a trove of books. There are poems by Thomas Lux, a memoir by Ta-Nehisi Coates. On one shelf, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a (Expletive)” perches next to “The Power of Kindness.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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BOXING Kovalev stops Mikhalkin to defend light heavyweight title BY BRIAN MAHONEY
Associated Press NEW YORK
Sergey Kovalev powerfully defended his WBO light heavyweight title Saturday night, opening a deep cut under fellow Russian Igor Mikhalkin’s right eye that forced the fight to be stopped with 35 seconds left in the seventh round. Kovalev won his second consecutive fight since his back-to-back losses to Andre Ward, dealing punishment to his former amateur teammate in the first defense of the title he regained in his last bout. Kovalev (32-2-1, 28 KOs) took some punches but simply walked through them and opened the cut in the sixth round. Then in the seventh, referee Steve Willis halted the action and sent Mikhalkin to the corner after a flurry of punches to his face, and the physician said the fight needed to be halted. “This was better work than the last fight for sure,” Kovalev said. Mikhalkin (21-2) had a bloody U.S. debut, winning just one round on one judge’s card. In the other light heavyweight title fight at Madi-
son Square Garden, WBA champion Russian Dmitry Bivol (13-0, 11 KOs) stopped Cuba’s Sullivan Barrera in the 12th round. Mikhalkin landed some clean shots, as “Krusher” either wasn’t seeing the straight lefts from the southpaw or simply wasn’t respecting his power. Mikhalkin has only nine knockouts and it became clear he wouldn’t get another – though Kovalev did say he felt some of the body shots. Kovalev has fought two relative unknowns since he lost his three belts in a close decision loss to Ward in 2016 and then was stopped in the eighth round last June in the rematch. He certainly seems ready for something tougher – though he didn’t seem interested in hearing that Ward teased a possible third fight. “I don’t think about that right now,” he said. “I just want to do what the fans want to see and I love boxing.” Perhaps it’s in another all-Russian match against Bivol, who was dominant in the biggest fight of his career. “If it’s a big money fight, I am always ready for that,” Kovalev said.
ADAM HUNGER AP
Sergey Kovalev punches Igor Mikhalkin during the first round of the WBO light heavyweight title boxing match Saturday in New York. Kovalev won the bout.
Bivol was dominating the fight and a little over a minute from winning an easy decision when he caught Barrera with a hard right to the head to set up the knockdown. Barrera was able to get up in time but the referee stopped the fight at 1:41 of the round. “In the first few rounds I was a little reserved trying to plan for the rest of the right,” Bivol said through an interpreter. “When it got to the 12th round I knew I would be able to knock him out so I stepped on the gas.” Bivol outlanded Barrera
243-75 in total punches, according the final stats, in his second defense of the title he was given when Andre Ward vacated it upon retirement. Barrera (21-2) was offered a fight first with Kovalev but chose instead to take less money for a shot at Bivol, perhaps counting on his experience over his 27-year-old opponent. But he had no answer for the champion’s speed and accuracy and did well to last as long as he did. His only previous loss had been to Ward.
FRANK FRANKLIN II AP
Deontay Wilder, left, and Luis Ortiz trade blows during the first round of the WBC heavyweight championship bout Saturday. Wilder won in the 10th round.
Wilder survives pummeling to stop Ortiz in 10th BY BARRY WILNER
Associated Press NEW YORK
Deontay Wilder was out on his feet. Forget defending his WBC heavyweight title, Wilder was lucky to find his corner when the seventh round concluded. About 10 minutes later, he was strutting around the Barclays Center ring, his belt secure, but his reputation as being untouchable severely tar-
nished. Wilder survived a pummeling from Luis Ortiz, then knocked out the challenger in the 10th round Saturday night to retain his crown. Befitting the undefeated champion from Alabama, it was a wild affair for the final few rounds after a dull series of pawing and gesturing by Wilder gave Ortiz a solid lead. “A true champion always finds a way to come back and that’s what I did
tonight,” Wilder said. “Luis Ortiz is definitely a crafty guy. He put up a great fight. We knew we had to wear him down. I showed everyone I can take a punch.” Well, yeah – Wilder certainly took his share of them. Even after Wilder knocked down Ortiz in the fifth round, the bout remained in the Cuban’s favor. Then, in the seventh, Wilder was dazed and
confused by Ortiz’s assault. Though he never hit the canvas, he stumbled to his corner when that round ended. The end seemed near. “I almost had him and I think I would’ve if there were a few more seconds in the round,” Ortiz said. “Wilder was definitely saved by the bell. I thought I had him out on his feet. But you have to give him credit, he weathered the storm.” Instead of folding, Wilder closed the ninth with two hard rights, and then a series of vicious combinations in the 10th started Ortiz’s downfall. It was over with 55 seconds to go in the 10th after Ortiz went down for the second time in the round from a right uppercut and referee David Fields stopped it. “I just had to get my range back and my funda-
BIVOL STOPS BARRERA IN 12TH, DEFENDS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE Dmitry Bivol of Russia stopped Cuba’s Sullivan Barrera in the 12th round Saturday night to defend his WBA light heavyweight title. Bivol was dominating the fight and a little over a minute from winning an easy decision when he caught Barrera with a hard right to the head to set up the knockdown. Barrera was able to get up in time but the referee stopped the fight at 1:41 of the round.
mentals back,” Wilder said. “And I was able to do that. I showed I was a true champion tonight.” Wilder, 32, is 40-0 with 39 knockouts. This easily was his toughest bout. Somehow, he was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards. The Associated Press had it 86-83 for Ortiz heading into the 10th. Ortiz, 38, is 28-1. He couldn’t have come much closer to becoming the first Cuban heavyweight belt holder after finally getting his match with Wilder. Their initially scheduled bout was in November, but Ortiz twice tested positive for a banned substance, a diuretic. He was ready Saturday, but not quite resourceful enough. “In this sport, any punch can end a fight,” Ortiz said. “In the ring anything can happen.” Wilder basically threw away the early rounds with a lack of aggression and much clowning. The left-handed Ortiz was all business. In the fifth, with boos raining down from the crowd of 14,069 at Barclays Center, Wilder finally landed a solid punch. That invigorated him and two rights to the chin sent down Ortiz. Wilder couldn’t finish him, and was nearly finished himself two rounds later. Ortiz was so dominant in those three minutes that Wilder looked bewildered at his predicament. The champ hung on in the eighth, then somehow found the fortitude and punching power to turn it around in the final two rounds. “Luis Ortiz was one of those fighters that everyone ducked, even champions ducked him,” Wilder said. “I wondered why it took so long for him to get a title shot and now we know.” What boxing doesn’t know is how this perform-
Bivol (13-0, 11 KOs) outlanded Barrera 243-75 in total punches, according the final stats, in the first of two light heavyweight title fights at Madison Square Garden. Sergey Kovalev then defended his WBO belt against Igor Mikhalkin. It was Bivol’s second defense of the title he was given when Andre Ward vacated it upon retirement. Barrera (21-2) was offered a fight first with Kovalev but chose instead to take less money for a shot at Bivol, perhaps counting on his experience over his 27-year-old opponent. But he had no answer for the champion’s speed and accuracy and did well to last as long as he did. His only previous loss had been to Ward. Bivol wasn’t bothered by a cut near the right eye in the second round from what appeared to be a clash of heads that the ringside doctor checked a couple of times in the later rounds but never affected him. He began to assert control in the fourth, catching Barrera with a left early in the round and following with a flurry of punches and a couple solid hooks. He kept piling up the punches and appeared to have Barrera hurt again in the eight. , then scored again later in the fourth with some solid left hooks.
ance will affect the division. Wilder’s sights have been set on Anthony Joshua, who defends his WBA and IBF crowns at the end of the month against WBO champ Joseph Parker. If nothing else, Wilder’s ring reputation took a hit, although his toughness and ability to take a punch can’t be questioned. “I’m ready right now,” Wilder said. “I always said that I want to unify. I’m ready whenever those guys are. I am the baddest man on the planet and I proved that tonight. This solidified my position at the top of the food chain tonight.” MEXICO’S UZCATEGUI STOPS DIRRELL FOR INTERIM IBF CROWN Jose Uzcategui pounded Andre Dirrell for eight rounds before the fight was stopped at the beginning of the ninth Saturday night, giving the Mexican the interim IBF super middleweight title. It was never a contest. Uzcategui, who was disqualified last May for a late punch to Dirrell in a fight Uzcategui was winning, came out firing and never stopped. His right hand was lethal, whether to the head or the body, as a lead or a counterpunch. Uzcategui improved to 27-2 with 23 knockouts. Dirrell dropped to 26-3. Last spring, Uzcategui was DQ’d for a late punch at the end of the eighth round. That result was overshadowed by Dirrell’s trainer, Leon Lawson Jr., throwing a series of punches at Uzcategui following the fight. Lawson was suspended and faces a court date in Maryland. As if there wasn’t enough intrigue surrounding the fight, the start was delayed over an issue with the color of Uzcategui’s urine. Once doctors cleared him to fight, he was unstoppable.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 5
MARTIAL ARTS
BENJAMIN HAGER Las Vegas Review-Journal
Brian Ortega finishes off Frankie Edgar with a series of punches during their featherweight mixed martial arts bout at UFC 222 on Saturday.
Ortega stops Edgar, Cyborg defends belt at UFC 222 BY GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press LAS VEGAS
Brian Ortega knocked out former UFC champion Frankie Edgar on a devastating uppercut with 16 seconds left in the first round, and Cris “Cyborg” Justino defended her featherweight title with a first-round stoppage of Yana Kunitskaya at UFC 222 on Saturday night. Edgar (21-6-1) was stopped for the first time in his 13-year mixed martial arts career by Ortega (14-0), who likely earned a featherweight title shot against dominant champion Max Holloway with his latest spectacular finish at T-Mobile Arena. Ortega started the knockout with a sneaky left elbow that wobbled Edgar late in the first round, and he landed several more punches before retreating and launching a perfect right uppercut in a partial clinch. Edgar’s knees buckled as he fell flat on his back, ending the fight in spectacular fashion. Ortega, who used MMA to escape a troubled upbringing in
STEVE MARCUS Las Vegas Sun
Cris “Cyborg” Justino of Brazil connects on Yana Kunitskaya of Russia during a featherweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 222 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
the Los Angeles suburbs, has risen to the top of his division in remarkably swift fashion. “I have worked really hard to get here and it’s
S. Africa into USA Sevens rugby semifinals vs Argentina LAS VEGAS
World series leaders South Africa are into the USA Sevens semifinals after beating Australia
29-17 on Saturday. At the 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium, the South Africans advanced to Sunday’s semifinal against Argentina, which beat
even more surreal than I could have imagined,” Ortega said. “I have too much respect for his wrestling, so I knew that I could stand and bang with
him. … I just beat one of the best to ever do it. One of the real legends of this game is Frankie Edgar.” Cyborg (20-1, 1 nocontest) finished the show
with her 10th consecutive victory against Kunitskaya (10-4), a Russian veteran making her UFC debut on short notice. The dominant UFC champion had
Kenya 17-12. In other quarterfinals Saturday, Jerry Tuwai scored the winning try nearly two minutes after the final siren to give Olympic champions Fiji a 14-10 win over New Zealand. The Fijians will play the undefeated United
States, who beat England 17-12 behind Perry Baker’s three tries. “We came into this tournament knowing we’ve made the semifinal three years in a row, and it was all about taking that next step,” U.S. captain Ben Pinkelman said. “So
we’re just going to come out, stick to our game plan and hopefully we will be able to make it all the way to that Cup.” South Africa leads the overall series with 77 points after four events, followed by New Zealand (69), Fiji (62) and Austra-
little trouble with the huge underdog, hurting Kunitskaya repeatedly with strikes before finishing her off with ground-andpound. Justino agreed to headline the card less than four weeks ago after Holloway was forced out of his main-event title defense against Edgar by injury. Kunitskaya was a game opponent, but she still hasn’t reached the level necessary to contend with Cyborg, who hasn’t lost since her MMA debut in 2005. Ortega also got his fight on short notice due to Holloway’s injury. Instead of waiting for Holloway to return, Edgar asked for a replacement opponent – and the UFC gave the chance to Ortega, who had earned his fifth consecutive victory in December. Ortega’s nickname is “T-City” in a tribute to his prowess with jiu-jitsu triangle chokes, and he has ended all six of his UFC fights by stoppage – including his debut, which was later changed to a no-contest after he failed a drug test. Ortega’s victory over Edgar was his third in eight months, and his next fight almost certainly will be against Holloway, who has won 12 straight bouts since losing to Conor McGregor in 2013. “I always try not to look too far ahead,” Ortega said. “I just look far enough to know where I’m going next. But I’ve dreamed about fighting Max. We are both young guys out here changing the game. I’m excited and I’m coming for the belt.” Before Ortega stopped Edgar, entertaining bantamweight “Sugar” Sean O'Malley earned a decision victory over Andre Soukhamthath despite seriously injuring his right leg during the third round, forcing him to survive three minutes without being able to stand. O'Malley (10-0), who joined the UFC last year, left the arena floor on a stretcher with his lower leg in a makeshift cast, but only after giving a charming post-fight interview while flat on the canvas in palpable pain. “I don’t know what happened,” O'Malley said from his back. “My foot went numb and I can’t feel it. Just happy to fight through it and get the win. Welcome to the Sugar Show!” Andrei Arlovski, the 39-year-old Belarussian heavyweight, earned his second straight win after a five-fight skid with a unanimous decision over the Netherlands’ Stefan Struve. Unbeaten Brazilian bantamweight Ketlen Vieira opened the pay-perview show with a splitdecision victory over veteran Cat Zingano, who took her third straight loss in her return from an 18-month cage absence. Earlier, touted strawweight prospect Mackenzie Dern won her UFC debut by split decision over Ashley Yoder, who capably survived several chokes from the jiu-jitsu prodigy in the final two minutes.
lia (60). The Americans are in seventh place with 36 points. The three-day tournament ends Sunday with Cup and Challenge finals and other playoffs for placings. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 6
Q: Is it working out all right? A: “It’s going well. I’ve known Trey since 2003. My youngest kid and his second kid went to school together, so we had natural chemistry. When you have three voices for some of the show, you have to figure out the mechanics of it, which we’re doing. The natural chemistry helps.” Q:
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Q: How has your role changed? A: “There is an ownership. While it’s a new show, it’s a continuation of a show I’ve been doing for 18 years.” Q:
A:
Q: Between TV, radio, a podcast and streaming, do you have any sense of how you’re doing ratingswise? A: “I have no idea. There are people who like to know the numbers; Greeny was one. I’m going to do the show, and if you tell me the numbers aren’t good enough and we have to change something, so be it.” Q:
A:
Q: So why did ESPN want you and Greenberg to sit on the news of the imminent breakup even after word got out? Was it just to protect ad sales? A: “I have no idea. That’s one of those things, you know, I got ticked about it, but I figured they were going to do it anyway. I had nothing to do with it. There’s nothing I can change, so I’m going to continue to do (this) show and worry about changing the things I can.” Q:
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CHARLES REX ARBOGAST AP
Sports radio personalities Mike Greenberg, left, and Mike Golic throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Cubs game in 2014. Golic, now teamed with Trey Wingo on what’s known as “Golic and Wingo,” said he feels “rejuvenated” by the new program, which includes a role for son Mike Jr.
Q&A
After not ‘the greatest ending known to man,’ ESPN’s Mike Golic feeling ‘rejuvenated’ BY PHIL ROSENTHAL
Chicago Tribune
It wasn’t the greatest ending known to man,” ESPN’s Mike Golic said, recalling not only how “Mike & Mike,” his radio and TV program of nearly 18 years with Mike Greenberg, came to a close late last year, but also the run-up to it. Golic, now teamed with Trey Wingo on what’s known as “Golic and Wingo,” said he feels “rejuvenated” by the new program, which includes a role for son Mike Jr. “You know, 18 years with Greeny, it was a great run,” Golic, 55, said by phone this week. “There’s no doubt about that. But it was getting to the point where you ask yourself, ‘Have I done this long enough?’ ” That said, Golic said he had no input in the decision behind Greenberg leaving to launch a New York-based morning television show on ESPN set to debut April 2. Then there were the months after learning “Mike & Mike” was ending, Golic said, when neither he nor Greenberg was allowed to talk publicly or clarify what was happening, even well after news of the change broke. “I don’t like the way it was handled,” said Golic,
who came to radio after playing in the NFL and at Notre Dame. “I didn’t like the way it ended, and I didn’t like the fact we couldn’t tell our listeners and viewers that this was happening before they already knew. So the last few months were tough.” While Golic discussed his new radio program, he wanted to plug his paid association with Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical business. On Janssen’s icanimagine .com website promoting one of its prescription drugs (side effects may include dehydration, yeast infections, increased risk of lower-limb amputations, broken bones … ), Golic shares his experiences managing Type 2 diabetes. “Janssen has given me a great platform to go countrywide in talking about this, telling people not to go through this alone,” Golic said. Q: What do you mean when you say that by the end “Mike & Mike” had become a TV show on the radio, and you wanted to return to doing a radio show on TV with “Golic and Wingo”? A: “It became a bit more segmented, and I didn’t particularly care for that format so much. I’m sure people watching on TV have noticed. It’s morning radio. We’re doing more bits. We’re laughing a little bit more.” Q:
A:
Q: The appeal of that is you can peel back the curtain and take viewers behind the scenes, right? A: “I 1,000 percent agree, and when it was decided we were going back to radio on TV, I said I didn’t care if someone walked in and handed us the papers, walking in front of the cameras. I want to see the (production) people behind the glass. I want to talk to them too.” Q:
A:
SCOTT ROTH AP
“The way I looked at it, the show was ending. If I could stop it, I would, but I couldn’t. I’m one of those guys who is going to try to control what I can control. I’m going to show up every day and do the best show I can.”
Q: Not to sound too flip, but you sound like some people with diabetes you were talking about: resigned to your fate. A: “The way I looked at it, the show was ending. If I could stop it, I would, but I couldn’t. I’m one of those guys who is going to try to control what I can control. I’m going to show up every day and do the best show I can.” Q:
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Q: Do you think it was a matter of you and Greenberg having different ambitions? A: “I don’t know about that. You can ask Greeny about Greeny. I was happy doing what I was doing.” Q:
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Q: Greenberg’s new show – “Get Up,” set to launch April 2 with cohosts Jalen Rose and Michelle Beadle from a new facility in New York’s South Street Seaport – seems to be an atypical gamble for ESPN, an expensive bid to compete in an already-crowded field. A: “People ask me, ‘What do you think?’ Well, what I think is it’s their show. Greeny, Jalen and Michelle are off to do their show the best they can. I have a show that’s basically on at the same time, and we’re putting on the best show we can.” Q:
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Q: Notre Dame football going to be any good this year? A: “I don’t know. I think it could be a tough year. Losing that great part of the offensive line, losing some receivers, it will be interesting. We’ll see.” Until you see how a lineup change plays out over time, you just don’t know. Q:
A:
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 7
NHL
NICK WASS AP
Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak (42) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Capitals in Annapolis, Md.
Capitals flash their finest form in Stadium Series BY ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN
Washington Post ANNAPOLIS, MD.
There were fireworks and a flyover. There were midshipmen marching and bagpipes playing the “Top Gun” theme song as the Washington Capitals made their entrance. There was a model fighter jet in the corner beside the rink. There was even a power outage midway through the third period that halted play for a few minutes. There was no mistaking this was a special occasion, but the Capitals would happily bottle up and replicate their play in the 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sat-
urday night’s Stadium Series game at NavyMarine Corps Memorial Stadium. It had everything Washington wants from its games - a deadly power play, balanced scoring at even strength, a defense that wasn’t pinned in its own end all night - and it was the kind of complete performance that’s been rare for a Capitals team that’s battled inconsistency all season. Their best arrived on the grand stage against a talented Toronto club that was a fierce opponent in the first round of the playoffs last season. In a nationally televised outdoor game, the first NHL one at a service academy, the Capitals flashed their potential with the postsea-
Stamkos has five points; Lightning outlast Flyers Associated Press TAMPA
Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman were too much for the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Stamkos and Hedman combined for four goals and five assists to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 7-6 shootout victory against the Flyers. Stamkos scored twice and added three assists to set a career high with five points, while Hedman had two goals and tied a career high with four points. League-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov returned from a two-game absence and had three assists. “When these guys are rolling, you just have to keep putting them out there,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “You want them to keep going with that feeling they are
having and it paid off for us tonight.” Brayden Point added a shootout goal, and the league-leading Lightning improved to 6-0-1 in the past seven games. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 37 saves for his leagueleading 38th victory. Ivan Provorov had a goal and two assists for Philadelphia, which suffered consecutive losses for the first time since a four-game losing streak from Jan. 25 to Feb. 3. Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Nolan Patrick each finished with a goal and an assist. Tampa Bay overcame two multi-goal deficits to win for the third time in franchise history, second time against the Flyers. “Anytime you’re down a couple of goals in different parts of the game, especially in the third, and you come back and win,
son roughly a month away, reminding everyone what they are capable of. If only the team could play in the elements during the playoffs - Washington is undefeated in its past three NHL outdoor games. For all of the pageantry and spectacle surrounding this game, it was also ultimately a game Washington desperately needed after a middling February. The Capitals were 6-6-2 last month, struggling because of a leaky defense. The team had stayed at or near the top of the Metropolitan Division, but its rocky play with less than 20 games until the playoffs was cause for concern. A quiet trade deadline with two
it’s emotional,” Stamkos said. “It shows guys care. Guys never gave up.” The Lightning fell behind 3-1 after the opening period as the Flyers scored twice in a span of 3:37 in the first on goals from Voracek and defenseman Robert Hagg. Tampa Bay tied it on goals from Hedman and Dan Girardi in the second period, but Philadelphia regained the two-goal advantage on a late second-period goal from Jori Lehtera and early thirdperiod goal from Provorov. “We know we didn’t play well a couple of nights ago,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. “It’s not just about losses it’s about the overall performance. That wasn’t us the other night and we knew we had to raise our level from where it was the other night. I thought our guys did that.” But the Lightning raised their level as well with three consecutive thirdperiod goals, starting with J.T. Miller’s goal at 4:23 for his first since being acquired from the New
depth moves for defensemen Michal Kempny and Jakub Jerabek was also deflating, especially as other contenders in the Eastern Conference made splashy moves. Perhaps most alarming was that goaltender Braden Holtby had lost six straight starts entering Saturday in a career-worst stretch. But Coach Barry Trotz gave his top goaltender a vote of confidence by naming him the starter for this marquee game, and Holtby was hopeful that two days of practices leading into it would make a difference. He made 27 saves, and his teammates bailed him out for a change. Both times Toronto scored, the Capitals answered with a goal of
their own within a minute. The Capitals had the advantage of playing with the wind at their backs in the first period, flying when they skated down the ice and into the Maple Leafs zone. A power play less than three minutes into the game led to a goal from Evgeny Kuznetsov, his 20th of the season and his third in the past two games. But 90 seconds later, Toronto tied the game when Zach Hyman deflected in a shot from Roman Polak. That was the Maple Leafs’ first shot of the game, an ominous start for Holtby. But Washington answered just two shifts later, when Tom Wilson set up a goal from Alex Ovechkin. Ovech-
kin’s celebration was fitting for the big stage, dropping down to one knee and swinging his arm in a massive fist pump. That marked his 40th goal of the season, and it had him just two goals away from 600. Asked about reaching the milestone in this setting before the game, Ovechkin acknowledged it’d be “cool,” but he also said he didn’t think he’d pull off the hat trick. “He kind of has a flare for these kind of moments,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said with a smirk before the game. Ovechkin ultimately didn’t need the hat trick. On the Capitals’ second power play of the period, Kuznetsov started to skate around the back of the Toronto net, backhanding the puck to Nicklas Backstrom as he went. Backstrom scored on his second whack to lift Washington to a 3-1 lead. Toronto’s Nazem Kadri cut the Capitals’ lead 7:22 into the second period, a puck that Holtby didn’t seem to see as it snuck in between him and the post. Holtby was screened on the shot, but it was the kind of tally he’d probably lament if not for his team’s quick response. With the fourth line on the ice, defenseman John Carlson skated up to the net and scored on a slick feed from Chandler Stephenson. Forty-three seconds had elapsed in between Kadri’s goal and Carlson’s. And if there wasn’t enough evidence of the Capitals’ good mojo in outdoor games, rookie Jakub Vrana raced down the ice and against the wind 10:49 into the second period, beating Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen five-hole. That marked Vrana’s first goal in 2018, ending a 25-game drought. Andersen was yanked from net in favor of Curtis McElhinney, the first time Andersen has been pulled from a game early all season. And with that 5-2 lead, the lights went out at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium halfway through the third period. The delay lasted 15 minutes and the crowd thinned. When the power came back on, the Capitals finished one of their most complete wins of the season.
CHRIS O'MEARA AP
Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos (91) plays the puck in front of Philadelphia goaltender Petr Mrazek during the third period Saturday in Tampa. Stamkos had five points as the Lightning won 7-6 in a shootout.
York Rangers on Monday. Stamkos converted a 2on-1 chance with Kucherov to tie the game at 7:38 and Hedman gave the Lightning a 6-5 lead at 10:03. “The resiliency was really there tonight and
obviously really happy with the way we came back,” Hedman said. Giroux tied the game with 2:53 left in regulation. “It was a pretty fun game to play,” he said. “They have a lot of talent,
they have a lot of players that can make a difference. You give them chances to score, and they will. But we did a good job of keeping our composure.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 8
NHL
Benn’s OT goal finishes rally as Stars beat Blues Associated Press DALLAS
Jamie Benn turned another tying goal late in regulation into the extra point for the Dallas Stars in the tight Western Conference playoff race. Benn scored 3:04 into overtime after Alexander Radulov’s tying tally in the final three minutes of regulation, and the Stars rallied to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Saturday. The win came two days after Dallas salvaged a point with a goal in the final seconds of regulation against NHL-leading Tampa Bay before losing in the extra period. “We put so much work into it. We just don’t want to give up a point or we’re just fighting and scratching for everything,” Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. “And you know what? We’re going to have another dozen to 15 games like this. It’s just the way it’s going to be.” Benn’s winner from the high slot came after Radulov chipped a shot pass Carter Hutton on a pass from Tyler Seguin after a shot from Benn went over the net and caromed off the end boards. Seguin had two assists. The Stars thought they had
gone ahead 35 seconds later, when the puck slid past Hutton from a pile in front of him, but the goal was overturned when replay determined the shot went in off Devin Shore’s skate. “I didn’t know where the puck was,” Shore said. “When I watched the video, it looked borderline. Tough to see it turned back, but it’s no biggie. We responded really well, especially getting the win in overtime. It’s like it never even happened.” The Blues took a 2-1 lead with less than eight minutes remaining when Jaden Schwartz skated full speed past Antoine Roussel as the Dallas forward came off the bench on a line change and beat Ben Bishop, who stopped 35 shots. St. Louis lost for the eighth time in nine games, and the Stars strengthened their hold on the top wild-card spot in the West. Dallas won the season series 3-2, with the home team winning each time. “I’d say it’s a familiar feeling,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. “We get the lead, and late in the game we have to play with a lot of more confidence, a lot of more assertion, a lot more aggressiveness. We need more of a killer instinct.”
TONY GUTIERREZ AP
Dallas goalie Ben Bishop (30) blocks a shot from St. Louis center Vladimir Sobotka (71) in the second period Saturday in Dallas. The Stars won 3-2 in overtime.
Tyler Pitlick scored the game’s first goal when he took a pass from Roussel while alone at the blue line, skated in and beat Hutton easily on the stick side seven minutes into the second period. Hutton had 31 saves after stopping 35 of 36 in a win over Detroit that stopped a seasonhigh seven-game losing streak. “We'll take one point over nothing, but it’s still not good enough,” Hutton said. “We’re chasing guys in the standings.
We needed two.” The Blues got even when Ivan Barbashev tapped a rebound into an open net on Vince Dunn’s shot off Bishop’s pads. Vladimir Tarasenko had his 30th assist on the goal. The first period was scoreless despite the teams spending six of the first seven minutes on special teams. It started with St. Louis on a power play when Chris Thorburn and Roussel dropped the gloves 11 seconds into the game.
Both were given five-minute fighting penalties and 10-minute misconducts, and Roussel got an instigating penalty that gave the Blues the man advantage. Near the end of the penalty, Esa Lindell was called for delay of game, but the Blues failed to convert again. The stretch wrapped up with a 4-on-4 after a slashing call against St. Louis’ Patrick Berglund and an interference penalty on Brett Ritchie.
NHL IN BRIEF LUNDQVIST CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH RECORD EFFORT Henrik Lundqvist has put together a two-game stretch unlike any since goaltenders began wearing facemasks full-time. In fact, it’s possible that nobody in the NHL has ever worked this hard for back-to-back wins. Lundqvist became the first goalie to stop 50 or more shots in consecutive victories since the NHL began tracking saves in 1955, lifting New York over the Calgary Flames 3-1 on Friday night. Lundqvist tied a career high with 50 stops on his 36th birthday. He is the third NHL goalie to post consecutive 50-save games, joining the Rangers’ Gump Worsley on Jan. 27 and 30, 1963, and Chicago’s Al Rollins on Oct. 9 and 15, 1955. Worsley lost both his 50-save games, and Rollins split his. “You want to feel like you’re making a difference out there. That’s why I’m here,” Lundqvist said. No Rangers goalie had made 50 saves in a win since Mike Richter in 1996 before Lundqvist beat Vancouver 6-5 in overtime Wednesday night. “We kept them under 55 (shots) today, so we made his night a little lighter,” Rangers defenseman Marc Staal joked. Matthews makes progress: Auston Matthews continues to make progress as he works to return from an apparent shoulder injury. Saturday’s outdoor game against Washington at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is his fourth straight missed since hurting his right shoulder Feb. 22 against
the New York Islanders. The team has termed Matthews, 20, day-to-day, which for coach Mike Babcock typically means a player being out 10 days and getting evaluated, but he could reasonably return as soon as March 10 against the Pittsburgh.
Saturday’s games Coyotes 2, Senators 1: Antti Raanta made 23 saves and the Arizona Coyotes rallied to beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Saturday night. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jordan Martinook scored to help NHL-worst Arizona improve to 8-2-1 in its last 11 games. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his second goal in two nights for Ottawa, and Mike Condon made 25 saves. The Senators have lost six of their last seven games. Condon came off the ice twice in the final moments for an extra attacker, but the Senators couldn’t force overtime. Blackhawks 5, Kings 3: Jonathan Toews broke a tie on a power play with 1:58 left, and Chicago beat host Los Angeles to snap a seven-game road losing streak. Chicago tied it with 5:36 to go on Vinnie Hinostroza’s goal and proceeded to win for the third time in 14 games. Bruins 2, Canadiens 1 (OT): Brad Marchand scored 2:06 into overtime to lift Boston over visiting Montreal. Jake DeBrusk tied it for the Bruins with 2:45 left in regulation. Boston won its third straight and completed a four-game sweep of the season series with the Canadiens for the first time since 1994-95. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
GENE J. PUSKAR AP
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his winning goal in overtime against the New York Islanders on Saturday in Pittsburgh.
Crosby scores in OT; Penguins slip by Islanders Associated Press PITTSBURGH
Sidney Crosby let one chance to bury the New York Islanders slip away. The Pittsburgh Penguins star wasn’t about to let it happen twice. Crosby finished off a 2-on-1 by sneaking a wrist shot past Chris Gibson 3:48 into overtime to give the Penguins a 3-2 win Saturday. Pittsburgh’s captain failed to convert on a rush moments earlier, but an outlet pass by Justin Schultz freed up Crosby once again. This time he faked a pass to Conor Sheary and instead beat Gibson between the legs as the twotime defending Stanley Cup champions snapped a three-game losing streak. “Thought I had a good
opportunity to shoot and missed one right before that, so glad to see it go in,” Crosby said after picking up his 22nd goal of the season. Derick Brassard’s first goal with Pittsburgh tied it with less than nine minutes to go in regulation. Patric Hornqvist added his 18th goal of the season for the Penguins. Phil Kessel picked up two assists to become the sixth American-born player to reach 400 career assists. Tristan Jarry overcame a comically ugly start to finish with 25 saves. Jarry’s night began by giving up a goal to New York’s Brandon Davidson just 1:11 into the game. Davidson flipped a slow backhand from outside the right circle only to see it go into the net when Jarry tripped and fell
backward to the ice. “It was a little easier when I came back to the bench and seen 90 percent of the guys laughing at me,” Jarry said. “It’s a tough thing to swallow, but I’m glad we won.” Anders Lee put New York up 4:59 into the third period, when his shot caromed off Pittsburgh defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and over the goal line for his team-leading 31st. Gibson, making his first start in nearly two years, almost made it stand up. He finished with 47 saves in all, but he let Brassard jam one by him with 8:31 left in regulation to tie it, and he was no match for Crosby late. The Islanders have dropped six straight. Making just his fifth NHL start and first since April 10, 2016, Gibson
spent most of the night trying to make up for lost time. The Penguins peppered the New York net for long stretches, often looking like they were on the power play despite being at even strength. Asked if he could remember the last time he faced 50 shots at any level, Gibson just shook his head. “To be honest, I can’t, but it was great,” Gibson said. “I loved every single second of it. I’m really happy with my game except that last goal and the loss there.” The Penguins were coming off an ugly 8-4 setback in Boston on Thursday night, one that extended their losing streak to three and blunted their recent surge toward the top of the Metropolitan Division. Coach Mike Sullivan, rarely hesitant to shake things up during even the slightest of downturns, opted for minor tweaks instead of major ones. Pittsburgh called up forward Dominik Simon and put him on the third line, and Sullivan mixed up the bottom two defensive pairings, including giving Chad Ruhwedel his first start since Dec. 27. The result was better play in front of Jarry. After giving up 17 goals during the losing streak, Pittsburgh surrendered just the two flukish goals, and Jarry collected himself after the bumpy start. The penalty kill was sharp at the beginning of overtime, giving Crosby a chance to win it. “The last two games I struggled a little bit, and I didn’t think my game was where I wanted it to be at,” Jarry said. “I thought tonight was a good bounce-back performance for me, and I think it’s something I can grow on.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 9
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Michigan ends top-seeded Spartans’ 13-game streak BY TOM CANAVAN
Associated Press NEW YORK
Michigan was the best team in the Big Ten Conference at tournament time last year, and things aren’t changing. Mo Wagner scored 14 of his 15 points after a dreadful first half and fifthseeded Michigan moved within a game of its second straight Big Ten Tournament title with a 75-64 victory over top-seeded Michigan State on Saturday, ending the No. 2 ranked Spartans’ 13-game winning streak. Senior swingman Duncan Robinson said this year feels like 2017 when the Wolverines won the tournament as the No. 8 seed, the lowest seed to win the event. “I think coming down the stretch in that championship game and how it felt, I think all the guys want that again more than anything,” said Robinson, one of five players in double figures in the eighth straight win for No. 15 Michigan (27-7). “We are one step closer, but we still have to stay locked in on the task at hand.” Michigan will play third-seeded Purdue (28-5) on Sunday as the five-day tournament ends at Madison Square Garden. The No. 8-ranked Boilermakers, who edged Michigan twice in the regular season by a combined five points, beat seventh-seeded Penn State 78-70 in the second semifinal. Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman and Zavier Simpson also had 15 for the Wolverines, who were also the last team to beat Michigan State (29-4), when they did it on Jan. 13. Robinson added 13 points off the bench and Charles Matthews had 12. Michigan was just too balanced and quick for Michigan State. The difference was the second half. Wagner got going and the Wolverines lit up the Spartans’ defense, hitting 12 of 18 from the field and making 20 of 27 free throws in the final 20 minutes. Michigan coach John Beilein had a great motivational speech for Wagner, who was 0-for-7 from the field in first 20 minutes. “Hey, Mo, are you going to make a shot?, Beilein recalled saying. “Because right now you’re stinking the place up. Just make one shot.” Wagner, who finished 4 of 14 from the field,
laughed when it was mentioned. “Coach and I have a really good relationship,” said Wagner, who stood in front of the Michigan fans after the game and repeated waived his arms to encourage the celebration. “He can say that. That’s fine. He told me to pick it up a little bit and make plays.” Miles Bridges had 17 points to lead Michigan State before fouling out late. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 13 and Cassius Winston had 11, but the Spartans only crossed into double figures with the Michigan band revving the Maize and Blue faithful at Madison Square Garden with yet another version of “Hail To The Victors.” “Our mood is we’re really mad, but like I said, we’re not going to let it affect us in the future,” Bridges said. This was a rivalry game that both teams wanted and it showed in the opening minutes. There were two scrums after hard fouls, a technical foul was called against the Spartans’ forward Nick Ward and referee Gene Steratore – yeah, the guy who led the officiating crew at the Super Bowl – lectured both Tom Izzo of Michigan State and Beilein after the nonsense. And that was just in the opening 4:24. Michigan trailed 29-26 at the half, but used a 10-2 burst to open the second half and take a 36-31 lead it never lost. Wagner had three baskets and a free throw, with a drive to the hoop seemingly getting him going. Michigan State would get within two points a couple of times and was within 50-47 when Bridges hit a 3-pointer with 8:28 to go. However, Abdur-Rahkman and Simpson sandwiched layups around a missed jumper by Bridges to ignite a 7-2 spurt that Robinson capped with two free throws for a 57-49 edge with 5:23 left. Michigan State never got closer than five points the rest of the way. UP NEXT Michigan: Plays Purdue in a game that will give the winner the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The other will get an atlarge bid on Mar. 11 . Michigan State: Watches the NCAA Tournament selection show to find out who it is playing.
JULIE JACOBSON AP
Michigan forward Moritz Wagner (13) puts up a shot against Michigan State guard Miles Bridges (22) en route to victory Saturday.
STEVE HELBER AP
Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, right, applauds his team as they celebrate their 62-57 win over Notre Dame.
No. 1 Virginia celebrates its seniors with win over Notre Dame BY GENE WANG
Washington Post CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.
The Virginia men’s basketball team ended the regular season by sending out its seniors with a 6257 win against Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon, a prototypical display of Coach Tony Bennett’s defense-first blueprint. The top-ranked Cavaliers led by two in the final minute when senior forward Isaiah Wilkins’ menacing defense forced Bonzie Colson into a turnover with the shot clock expiring, leading to a violation. Virginia (28-2, 17-1 ACC) gained possession with 23 seconds left, and redshirt freshman De’Andre Hunter made 3 of 4 free throws the rest of the way for the final points at raucous John Paul Jones Arena. “We just didn’t want to lose, you know?” Wilkins said after finishing with eight points and six rebounds in front of an announced 14,205. Many of those fans remained in the stands in the immediate aftermath of the triumph to watch the team huddle at center court. Wilkins was bent over, hands on his knees, clearly emotional as supporters provided a lengthy applause. Players and coaches waved in acknowledgment on their way back to the locker room, with Wilkins, Devon Hall, a redshirt senior, and graduate transfer Nigel Johnson taking extra time to soak in the atmosphere. After admitting he nearly “lost it” while watching his godmother sing the national anthem before tip-off, Hall gave Virginia supporters plenty of reason to cheer with a teamhigh 17 points, including eight in a row in the second half following Ty
STEVE HELBER AP
Virginia guard Devon Hall (0) shoots over Notre Dame guards TJ Gibbs (10) and Rex Pflueger (0) in Charlottesville, Va.
Jerome’s floater with 9:23 to play that gave the Cavaliers the lead for good. “For the most part I did,” Hall said when asked he was able to keep his composure throughout the memorable afternoon. “I mean, walking out there with my family [pregame], holding my jersey up, that stuff sinks in. “I’ve been here five years, and I can’t ever play here again, so it’s a special moment.” Tempering the celebratory proceedings was a collision in the first half involving sophomore guard Kyle Guy, the Cavaliers’ leading scorer. The sophomore appeared to bump knees with a Notre Dame player
and immediately collapsed. The starting guard left the court with 5:48 to play until the break but reentered the game with 15:57 left in regulation wearing a black sleeve over his left knee. Guy missed his only two field goal attempts thereafter, and Bennett indicated during his postgame news conference he wasn’t sure the of the severity of the injury. Guy and the rest of the Cavaliers will get a bit more time than some other programs to rest, with No. 1 seed Virginia not playing again until Thursday at noon in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament at Barclays Center in Brook-
lyn. “I think he’s good,” Jerome said of his backcourt mate. “He was with [trainer Ethan Saliba] and our doctors. They’re looking at him, so I didn’t get to see him, but I think he’s good. It was a good sign he was able to come back in the game.” A late-season push by Notre Dame (18-10, 8-10) entering Saturday has included welcoming back Colson from a far more serious injury of his own. The preseason all-American had 24 points and 15 rebounds in his second game back since fracturing his left foot during practice on Dec. 29 and having surgery six days later. The senior missed 15 games recovering from the injury, with Notre Dame managing to go 6-9 in that time to remain at least on the fringes of the NCAA tournament conversation. Notre Dame also had starting guard Matt Farrell (nine points, 3-for-15 shooting) miss five games with a sore ankle. Colson scored 20 points in the first half against the Cavaliers, but Wilkins began to challenge the 6-foot-6, 224-pound senior with more abandon, both offensively and defensively. Colson was noticeably winded in the second half, his arms on his hips during stoppages while he regained his breath. Colson’s 3-point shooting did help the Fighting Irish build an early firsthalf lead, but Virginia went back ahead with a 6-1 push capped by a twohanded dunk from Jack Salt. The redshirt junior center scored the basket for a 28-17 lead after securing the offensive rebound on Jerome’s missed layup. Soon after Salt’s dunk, Guy was trying to come off a screen when he ran into a defender and went down. Minus Guy for the last six minutes of the first half, the Cavaliers went into the locker room with a 32-27 advantage. “You have to give Virginia credit,” Notre Dame Coach Mike Brey said. “I thought Hall was fabulous. Every time we put [up] a little game pressure, he made a big play, and Tony has done a fabulous job with this group, and they’re really good. We don’t want to see them in Brooklyn.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 10
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 3 Xavier beats DePaul 65-62, secures top Big East seed BY ANDREW SELIGMAN
Associated Press CHICAGO
Now that it’s tournament time, No. 3 Xavier appears poised to make a big splash. Trevon Bluiett scored 22 points, and Xavier set a school record for regularseason wins while clinching the top seed in the Big East with a 65-62 victory over DePaul on Saturday. The Musketeers (27-4, 15-3 Big East) hung on for their 12th win in 13 games after DePaul’s Eli Cain and Max Strus missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds. That ended Villanova’s four-year run of first-place finishes. “I always want to be the little kid that flies up and jumps in the pool, doesn’t test the water like a 48year-old would,” Xavier coach Chris Mack said. “Just jump right in. I’m a big believer in you get what you earn and you earn what you get and you go after things. You don’t play on your heels and play defensive and scared and have success. That’s how I want our team to play.” The Musketeers come into the conference tournament with soaring ex-
JIM YOUNG AP
DePaul forward Tre'Darius McCallum, second from right, crashes into Xavier guard J.P. Macura, right, as he grabs a rebound during the second half of No. 3 Xavier’s 65-62 Big East win on Saturday in Chicago, Ill.
pectations, a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs in sight and a big run looking like a strong possibility. Mack wants his team to embrace all of that. Winning the Big East regular-season championship was an important step. “We’ve been preparing for this since Day 1,” Bluiett said. “We knew this was a goal that was
possible to reach. We stayed hungry throughout the process, and it turned out well for us.” Bluiett became the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers, making four to give him 310 in his career. Brandon Cyrus led DePaul (11-19, 4-14) with a career-high 20 points. Cain scored 14 as the Blue Demons lost for the fifth time in six games.
“For us to win against a team of that stature, you have to bring you ‘A' game,” coach Dave Leitao said. “We played very well in spurts. We hung tough.” HANGING ON The Musketeers had already clinched a share of the Big East regularseason title with a win over Providence on
Wednesday. They took sole possession with a performance that was sloppy at times but just good enough to get past the struggling Blue Demons. Xavier won despite committing 20 turnovers and scoring just two points in the final 4:47. The Musketeers led by 11 in the second half but couldn’t put away the Blue Demons. Things got particularly tight after a three-point play by Cain and two free throws by Tre'Darius McCallum cut it to 63-62 with 1:58 remaining. That brought DePaul fans to their feet, but there wasn’t much for them to celebrate in the end. The Musketeers’ J.P. Macura went backdoor for a layup to make it a threepoint game. Najii Marshall blocked Cyrus’ layup with 45 seconds left, and Xavier hung on after Cain and Strus missed those 3-pointers just before the final buzzer. SETTING RECORD Bluiett made all but one of his 3’s in the second half while surpassing Romain Sato as Xavier’s all-time leader. He hit his school-record 308th 3-pointer about 71⁄2 minutes into the half, when he nailed one in front of the Xavier bench. He answered a DePaul basket with another from long range to make it 50-39. And he struck again from the outside, hitting a 3 after DePaul cut it to 52-47.
Top Cat: Wright wins 413th game as No. 4 Nova tops Hoyas BY DAN GELSTON
Associated Press PHILADELPHIA
Jay Wright found another fashionable tie at Villanova. The GQ coach with a national title on his finely tailored resume hit another milestone that suits him on the sideline: Wright moved into a tie atop Villanova’s career wins list with 413 in the fourthranked Wildcats’ 97-73 victory over Georgetown on Saturday night. Wright improved to 413-165 since he took the job in 2001 and has led the Wildcats to the 2009 Final Four and 2016 national championship. He matched Al Severance, who went 413-201 from 1936-1961. Wright can top Severance with a win in the Big East Tournament. “The real thrill and the pride comes with just being the coach at Villanova,” Wright said. “That’s enough for me.” The Wildcats head to Madison Square Garden as the No. 2 seed after their run of four straight regular-season conference titles was ended by Xavier. There’s little worry on the Main Line that Villanova can’t make a deep run in the postseason. The Wildcats (27-4, 14-4) beat Xavier twice this season and will surely be a No. 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But losing their grip on the Big East title still stung the Wildcats. “You definitely would love to win a champion-
ship. This is the time you look at it,” Wright said. “I purposely didn’t look at that (Xavier) game today. You would definitely rather win the championship. So you take from that, what did you learn?” They learned how to punish the Hoyas wire-towire. They used the Hoyas (15-14, 5-13) as little more than a tune-up in the finale and took a 15-point lead in the first half that was never seriously challenged. Mikal Bridges scored 24 points and Jalen Brunson solidified his player of the year candidacy with 16 points and seven assists. Brunson and Bridges, two underclassmen likely playing their final home game, received a standing ovation from the crowd of 18,523. Yes, the Wildcats had been upset at the Wells Fargo Center this season by St. John’s, a team that was winless in the Big East, but the outcome seemed a mere formality against Patrick Ewing’s Hoyas. The Hoyas missed all nine 3-point attempts in the first half. Jesse Govan scored 30 points on 10of-15 shooting from the field and he went 10for-10 from the free-throw line. “They make you pay for every mistake that you make,” Ewing said. The second half served as a mere countdown toward Wright’s ascension to a share of the top of the record book. Wright led the Wildcats, who won the 1985 nation-
CHRIS SZAGOLA AP
Villanova's Phil Booth, left, celebrates the win with Eric Paschall, center, and Mikal Bridges after Saturday’s game against Georgetown.
al title under his mentor Rollie Massimino, to their greatest run of success in program history. They’ve won at least 32 games each of the previous three seasons and he’s led them to the NCAAs all but one year (2012) since 2005. Wright, a Churchville, Pennsylvania native, played college basketball at Bucknell and started as an assistant at Rochester and Drexel. He spent five seasons at Villanova as Massimino’s assistant, then followed him to UNLV for another two years before taking the head coaching job at Hofstra in 1994. Hired in 2001 to replace Steve Lappas, Wright took the Wildcats to the top of every meaningful stat – including an eight-week stint this year at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll.
“Coach wants us to be the best we can be,” Bridges said. BIG PICTURE Georgetown: The Hoyas will have to win the Big East to earn an NCAA bid. They’ve lost four straight. … The Hoyas played without F Marcus Derrickson (15.7 points, 8.1 rebounds) because of an injured right ankle. Villanova: The Wildcats have to escape New York without any significant injuries to key players to have a shot at starting March Madness as one of the favorites to win it all. … The Wildcats went 11-1 this year at the Wells Fargo Center, their oneyear home while the oncampus Pavilion is renovated. “I miss the Pavilion, I'll be honest,” Brunson said. … Made all 13
free throws. KID STUFF Ewing recalled the days when Brunson tagged along with dad Rick Brunson in the New York Knicks locker room in the late 1990s. Ewing’s son used to babysit Brunson. “He was about 4 or 5 and he never left my locker,” Ewing said. “I wish back then I knew I’d be coaching. I’d have started recruiting him from back then.” UP NEXT Georgetown: Plays St. John’s at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Big East Tournament. Villanova: The Wildcats play the winner of the No. 7-10 game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at MSG.
Kansas St. uses late 1st-half run to down Baylor BY ANDREW HAMMOND
Associated Press MANHATTAN, KAN.
Kansas State’s Dean Wade has been a standout player for the Wildcats for most of the season and has a good chance to be the first Wildcat to be named to the All-Big 12 First Team since 2013. In the regular season finale against Baylor, Wade made a strong case and then some. Wade scored 25 points and Barry Brown scored 18 and Kansas State beat Baylor 77-67 Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday. Baylor head coach Scott Drew had nothing but praise for the K-State junior. “He (Wade) gets to the rim, knocks down 3s and knocks down jumpers. It is hard to guard him. His assist to turnover ratio in the last five games is I think 23-4,” Drew said. For Wade, even with the spotlight on him and the team as they fight for an NCAA bid, he just wanted to break the streak of bad outings the team had encountered recently. “We came out and just wanted to be aggressive. We have not played the greatest basketball in the past couple of games. We just wanted to come out and get back to the way we’ve been playing earlier in the Big 12 schedule,” Wade said, adding, “We just came out with a ton of energy, firing on offense and defense, so it was an all-around good game for us.” After a back-and-forth first half, Kansas State (21-10, 10-8) used a 13-2 run over the final 5:42 of the first half for a 35-25 halftime lead. The run was capped by Wade’s fade-away basket that danced around the rim and went in as the buzzer sounded. Wade finished on 9-of-14 shooting, was 6 of 7 from the foul line and grabbed seven rebounds. The Wildcats maintained control in the second half and extended their lead to 16 midway through the second half. Baylor (18-13, 8-10) went on a 13-2 run as Nuni Omot buried three 3pointers and threw down a dunk and Baylor drew within 62-57 with 6:27 left but the Bears couldn’t get closer. “They shot 52 percent against us,” Drew said. “I thought we competed. We gave ourselves a chance to get it to five but coach Weber always does a really good job managing the game and putting them in good positions to be successful,” he said. Omot tied a career-high 30 points on 8-of-11 shooting – including 6 of 9 from beyond the arc – and made 8 of 9 foul shots. BIG PICTURE Baylor: The Bears finished below .500 in the conference for the first time in seven seasons. Kansas State: The Wildcats’ 21 wins equals matching their win total from last year. UP NEXT Both teams start play in the Big 12 Conference Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., next week.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL Oklahoma State tops KU 82-64, takes series BY GARY BEDORE
gbedore@kcstar.com STILLWATER, OKLA.
In the last 15 seasons, just one Big 12 team has swept a home-and-home regular-season series from a Bill Self-coached Kansas squad. That would be Self’s alma mater, Oklahoma State, which raced to a 17-point first-half lead en route to an 82-64 rout of No. 6 KU on Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys (18-13, 8-10) also beat the Jayhawks (24-7, 13-5) 84-79 on Feb. 3 at Allen Fieldhouse. Kendall Smith scored 25 points, Mitchell Solomon added 16, Tavarius Shine scored 11 and Jeffrey Carroll added 10 as the Cow-
boys became the first Big 12 team to upend KU twice in the same regular season since Iowa State back in 2000-01. KU entered the game having won 102 straight regularseason conference homeand homes. Devonté Graham scored 15 for KU, which fell victim to a motivated Oklahoma State team playing on the Senior Day for Carroll, Solomon, Smith and Shine. The blowout was reminiscent of the Cowboys' 86-67 win over KU on Jan. 19, 2016, in Stillwater. The fans stormed the court after Oklahoma State's victory. No KU players appeared to get caught up in the mob on the court. KU’s worst loss in a Big 12 game in the Self era is
by 25 points (80-55) at Texas in 2006. The Cowboys spoiled the Jayhawks’ 120 Years of Basketball Reunion weekend in February. Oklahoma State led by as many as 17 points in the first half (43-26 at 2:11) and managed a 46-30 lead at the break Saturday. In the second half, KU trailed by just nine at 56-47 with 11:55 left after a bucket by Silvio De Sousa. However, Oklahoma State rebuilt the lead to 65-51 at 7:10, 68-51 at 6:00 and 71-51 at 5:36. It was 76-53 at 3:58. Self was hit with a technical with just under 6 minutes left after becoming incensed at a foul call on Svi Mykhailiuk. Solomon scored 14
points and grabbed five rebounds, while Smith had 10 points and Carroll eight in the first half. Oklahoma State made 56.7 percent of its firsthalf shots and was 5 of 12 from three while forcing KU into 10 turnovers. Graham had 10 points and five assists for KU in the first half as the Jayhawks made just 3 of 7 threes and 12 of 29 shots total (41.4). Azubuike had eight points and five rebounds, while Marcus Garrett had five points in the half. KU trailed 17-7 at 13:31, then cut the gap to 17-14 at 11:55. Oklahoma State’s 13-0 run made it 30-14 at 8:48. Solomon and Smith had five points each in that run. The regular season now complete, KU will play at about 2 p.m. Thursday at Sprint Center in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal against the winner of Wednesday’s game between the 8 and 9 seeds.
BRODY SCHMIDT The Associated Press
Oklahoma State forward Mitchell Solomon closely guards Kansas center Udoka Azubuike in Saturday’s game in Stillwater, Okla.
Bagley’s big 2nd half leads No. 5 Duke past No. 9 UNC
The offense came alive just in time to send Allen – and maybe the others – out the way they wanted. KEY STATS North Carolina, which tied a program record with two turnovers in the previous meeting on Feb. 8, had much more trouble taking care of the ball in this one. The Tar Heels had 14 turnovers and the Blue Devils turned them into 15 points.
BY JOEDY MCCREARY
Associated Press DURHAM, N.C.
With No. 5 Duke trailing its fiercest rival and struggling to match the magnitude of the moment, coach Mike Krzyzewski had a simple message for his team. No pressure – and no set plays, either. “Take the pianos off your back, quit playing with all the pressure in the world, get a smile on your face,” Krzyzewski said. “Just play.” Marvin Bagley III had 18 of his 21 points in the second half along with 15 rebounds, and No. 5 Duke erased a 13-point deficit in the second half and beat No. 9 North Carolina 74-64 on Saturday night. Grayson Allen added 15 points in his final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Gary Trent Jr. had 13 points – including three 3-pointers in the final 10 minutes – to help the Blue Devils (25-6, 13-5) clinch the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. Duke was 8 of 15 from 3-point range in the second half – the Blue Devils made just 1 of 10 from that distance in the first half – and outrebounded North Carolina 24-13 after halftime. “They kicked our butts in the second half,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. Cameron Johnson scored 16 points for the Tar Heels (22-9, 11-7), while Kenny Williams and Luke Maye each had 13. Three weeks after they rallied from a doublefigure deficit to win the rivalry’s first game, it was the Blue Devils’ turn to flip the script. Duke trailed by 11 with 141⁄2 minutes to play, but once the pressure started to fade, the ACC’s top offense finally found its rhythm. “I’m not going to call any plays,” Krzyzewski said he told his team. “If you hit, cut, everybody touch the ball, you see a play to make, you make the play. And get comfort-
COMFORT ZONE The Tar Heels also set a program record under Williams by taking 33 3-pointers in the first meeting, and put up 31 more in this one against Duke’s 2-3 zone defense. But they only made eight – three after halftime – and the most conspicuous stat line belonged to Berry, last year’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player who finished 0 for 7 from 3-point range. “I don’t like shooting 31 3s,” Williams said. “That’s not who we are.” KEY STRETCH Duke had missed 13 of its first 14 3s before Trevon Duval and Allen connected on back-to-back possessions near the 13-minute mark and made it a two-possession game. Then, after Johnson missed a 3-pointer, Bagley finished off a pretty feed from Duval for a dunk that pulled the Blue Devils to 46-43 and reclaimed the momentum for good. “Marvin went nuts there for a while and just put us on his back,” Krzyzewski said. HE SAID IT “Aliens crawled up in my guys’ bodies in the second half, because this wasn’t the North Carolina team I’ve seen all year.” – Williams, on his team losing composure in the second half.
BEN MCKEOWN AP
Marvin Bagley III had 18 of his 21 points in the second half along with 15 rebounds, and No. 5 Duke erased a 13-point deficit in the second half and beat No. 9 North Carolina 74-64 on Saturday night.
able in the game. And they did that. You could see them do that.” The Blue Devils hit four 3s in 41⁄2 minutes to erase that deficit, and that came early during the 25-10 burst keyed by six 3s that put them ahead to stay.
BIG PICTURE North Carolina: The Tar Heels had a chance to spoil Duke’s Senior Night for the third time in their last four regular-seasonending visits to Cameron, and sweep their fiercest rivals. Instead, after too many missed shots at
inopportune times, they'll enter the postseason on a two-game losing streak. “Played a little timid, and it’s hard to win games like that – playing timid,” guard Joel Berry II said. Duke: This very well might have been the final game at Cameron for a
good chunk of the starting five, with Allen – the team’s lone senior – surrounded by three potential one-and-done freshmen and Krzyzewski acknowledging in the leadup to the game that “it’s the last game probably for a few of our other kids, too.”
UP NEXT North Carolina: Earned the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament and will play the Wake ForestSyracuse winner on Wednesday night. Duke: As the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, the Blue Devils will play either Notre Dame, Pittsburgh or Virginia Tech on Thursday night.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Ayton scores 26, No. 19 Arizona beats Cal
No. 16 Vols beat Georgia, win share of SEC title BY STEVE MEGARGEE
lopsided loss to Arizona State on Thursday. The Bears took a 17-16 lead with a 7-0 run and rallied from 11 down to pull within 38-35 at halftime on Don Coleman’s lean-in 3-pointer at the buzzer. Both teams shot well in the first half. Neither did to start the second, including with a combined scoreless streak that stretched past 4 minutes. The Bears used a slowed-down game to their advantage keeping Arizona within reach until the Wildcats pieced together a 6-0 run to go up 61-53 with 2 1/2 minutes left.
BY JOHN MARSHALL
Associated Press TUCSON, ARIZ.
Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 20 rebounds, helping No. 19 Arizona clinch the Pac-12 regularseason title outright with a 66-54 victory over California on Saturday night. Arizona (24-7, 14-4) had the title in its sights for its seniors’ final home game. Instead of rolling against the Pac-12’s last-place team, the Wildcats had a hard time shaking the Bears (8-23, 2-16). Arizona closed the game with a 13-1 run, finishing off its fifth Pac-12 title in six seasons in the final home game for seniors Dusan Ristic, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Keanu Pinder. Allonzo Trier, Arizona’s second-leading scorer, had a rough final home game of the 2017-18 season, finishing with two points on 1-of-10 shooting, including 0 for 7 on 3pointers. Cal bounced back from a disappointing first game on the road trip through the desert, keeping the Wildcats within reach until the final 3 minutes. Justice Seung had 17 points to lead the Bears, who ended the regular season with seven straight losses. Arizona had a tumultuous week, starting with an ESPN report that coach Sean Miller was heard on
RICK SCUTERI AP
Arizona head coach Sean Miller encourages his team in the first half against California on Saturday.
an FBI wiretap discussing a $100,000 payment to Ayton to attend the school. Miller did not coach in an overtime loss to Oregon last Saturday and missed the first three days of practice this week while Arizona officials sorted out what to do. Miller made a statement on Thursday to vehemently deny the report and, a few hours later, university
Robert C. Robbins announced Miller he remain as coach. Miller received a standing ovation before Arizona played Stanford later that night and the Wildcats clinched a share of the Pac-12 title with a 75-67 win over the Cardinal. Cal held its own against the Wildcats in the first half by getting good penetration off the dribble, something it didn’t do in a
BIG PICTURE Cal bounced back nicely from its 31-point loss to Arizona State with a solid performance that should give it a boost headed into next week’s Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona looked lackluster at times against the Pac-12’s last-place team on a night when it should have been motivated to send its seniors off in a blowout. The Wildcats found a way to close it out, earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. UP NEXT Arizona has a firstround bye in the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas and will play on Thursday. Cal opens the Pac-12 Tournament Wednesday as the No. 12 seed.
Associated Press KNOXVILLE, TENN.
Admiral Schofield scored 23 points to lead Tennessee’s second-half comeback Saturday as the 16th-ranked Volunteers rallied past Georgia 66-61 to win a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship. The Vols (23-7, 13-5) share the SEC regularseason title with No. 14 Auburn, which defeated South Carolina 79-70 on Saturday. Because Auburn won 94-84 at Tennessee on Jan. 2 in their lone regular-season matchup, the Tigers (25-6, 13-5) get the No. 1 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament that starts Wednesday in St. Louis. Tennessee is getting a share of its first league crown since 2008 after being picked to finish 13th out of 14 teams by the league’s media before the season. The Vols also won a share of the Eastern Division title in 2009. The Vols have won four straight and 11 of their last 13. Tennessee’s latest victory ended Georgia’s five-game winning streak in this series. It didn’t come easily. After trailing by as many as 11 late in the first half, Tennessee pulled ahead for good at 62-61 when Jordan Bowden sank two free throws with 1:01 left. Georgia’s Tyree Crump
Davis scores 20, Texas A&M edges Alabama Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
Junior center Tyler Davis scored 20 points, including a key dunk late in the game, and Texas A&M defeated Alabama 68-66 on Saturday. The Aggies (20-11, 9-9 Southeastern Conference) closed out the regular season with a three-game winning streak, while the Crimson Tide (17-14, 8-10) ended by losing five straight. The Aggies led 54-53 with 3:47 remaining when A&M forward D.J. Hogg sank a 3-pointer from the far left corner. Following an Alabama turnover and a timeout, the Aggies increased the lead to 5953 on the dunk by Davis in traffic with 3:10 left. The game was delayed for a few minutes with 32 seconds remaining and A&M leading 63-59 after A&M freshman guard T.J. Starks shoved Alabama freshman guard Collin Sexton in the head following some heated words. Sexton drew a technical and Starks was ejected. A&M’s Admon Gilder already was going to the line for two free throws at the time of the exchange, and he shot the two technical free throws as well, in making 3-of-4. Sexton led Alabama with a game-high 23 points, while Davis grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. The Aggies reached at least 20 victories for a third time in
coach Billy Kennedy’s seven seasons. BIG PICTURE Alabama: The Crimson Tide, once considered a lock for the NCAA Tournament, have given the selection committee plenty to mull over the next week. Coach Avery Johnson has said “the world is not coming to an end for Alabama basketball” based on the losing streak. Perhaps not, but it might be for this season concerning the postseason’s primary tournament. Texas A&M: The Aggies have been on a big-time roller-coaster ride this season in SEC play. They started league action by losing five in a row, and their conference run also includes a losing streak of three games and winning streaks of four and three games. They’ve won three in a row to close out the regular season, so at least they’re springing into the postseason on a positive. UP NEXT Alabama: The Crimson Tide will compete in the SEC Tournament starting next week in St. Louis against a to-be-determined opponent. Texas A&M: The Aggies will compete in the SEC Tournament starting next week in St. Louis against a to-be-determined opponent.
NICK LISI AP
Syracuse’s Frank Howard tries to dribble around Clemson’s Mark Donnal during the first half Saturday.
Battle scores 17, Syracuse beats No. 18 Clemson BY JOHN KEKIS
Associated Press SYRACUSE, N.Y.
Oshae Brissett and Tyus Battle each scored 17 points and Syracuse rallied to beat No. 18 Clemson 55-52 on Saturday to remain in the hunt for a postseason berth. It was an opportunity for Syracuse (19-12, 8-10 Atlantic Coast Conference) to fill the biggest void on its resume – the lack of a marquee win – and the Orange capitalized. They were coming off a 15-point loss at Boston College, which put a big dent in their postseason hopes.
Clemson (22-8, 11-7) entered the game ranked eighth in RPI and already assured of its first NCAA Tournament berth in seven years. The Tigers finished 4-6 on the road and suffered just their second loss this season after leading at halftime. Marcquise Reed had 21 points and Elijah Thomas 18 to lead Clemson as the pair accounted for every Clemson point in the second half. Gabe DeVoe was 2 of 13, 0 of 6 from beyond the arc, for four points. Frank Howard finished with 11 points for the Orange, who shot just 30.2 percent (16 of 53) for the game. Battle also boosted his career points to 1,006.
Brissett broke a 50-all tie with a pair of free throws after Aamir Simms had missed a corner 3 and Brissett was fouled by Richards while snaring the rebound. Two free throws by Paschal Chukwu gave the Orange a four-point lead with 90 seconds left, but Reed converted a fast-break layup with 43.6 seconds to go after a miss by Battle to draw Clemson to 54-52. After Battle missed again at the shot-clock buzzer, Brissett blocked Reed close in with 3.4 seconds left and the Orange survived when DeVoe’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer caromed off the rim.
tried passing in the paint to SEC scoring leader Yante Maten on the Bulldogs’ next possession, but Tennessee’s Kyle Alexander stole it. Schofield then hit a jumper with 18 seconds left to make it 64-61. William Jackson II missed a potential gametying 3-pointer in the closing seconds. Schofield made two free throws with 0.4 seconds left to close the scoring. Grant Williams scored 22 points for Tennessee. Maten scored 18, Rayshaun Hammonds had 12 and Jackson had 10 for Georgia (16-14, 7-11). BIG PICTURE Georgia: The Bulldogs grabbed a double-digit lead by shooting 7 of 12 from 3-point range in the first half, but they went just 1 of 6 from beyond the arc in the second half. They also were held scoreless for a stretch of nearly 7 minutes early in the second half as Tennessee made its comeback. Georgia’s hot shooting in the first half was a surprise because the Bulldogs entered the night having made just 31.8 percent of their 3-pointers to rank 13th out of 14 SEC teams. Tennessee: The Vols didn’t get much scoring from their backcourt Saturday as Schofield and Williams carried the load. But they did get some big 3-pointers from Lamonte’ Turner in the second half. Turner’s first 3-pointer tied the game at 49-all.
Syracuse’s big three of Battle, Howard, and Brissett combined to shoot 5 of 19, (26.3 percent) for 15 points in the first half, but they all came alive in the second. Battle scored eight straight points to key an early surge that put the Orange back in front and got the season-high crowd of 28,670 roaring. He drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and hit a jumper in the lane before Brissett converted a three-point play to give the Orange a 33-30 lead. Howard’s 3 off a screen by the 7-foot-2 Chukwu boosted the lead to six with 14:00 left. Reed was the lone bright spot for the Tigers early. He drained three 3-pointers to keep them close, his third moving Clemson within 39-36 at 12:17. After Battle’s fastbreak layup off a steal by Howard gave the Orange a seven-point lead, Thomas converted a three-point play, Reed hit a pretty floater in the lane and Thomas followed with a putback to knot the score at 43 with just over 9 minutes left. MOTEN’S MOMENT Syracuse retired the jersey of former star Lawrence Moten at halftime. Moten still holds the school scoring record of 2,334 points, set from 1991-95, which also is the Big East record. “I’m the third guy from the Washington, D.C. area to have my jersey retired,” Moten said to the crowd, referencing Dave Bing and Sherman Douglas. “Understand this, that officially makes us three Georgetown killers.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 13
COLLEGE BASKETBALL COMMENTARY
They have a thankless and demanding job, but referees are as human as we are BY JOHN FEINSTEIN
Washington Post
Often, when athletes or coaches take the field or the court after losing a loved one, they are lauded for their courage. Referees are rarely lauded for anything. They understand. “No one comes to a game to watch you,” Jeff Janosik said. Two weeks ago, on a blustery, snowy night, Janosik was in the officials’ locker room about an hour before Lehigh hosted Army in a Patriot League men’s basketball game. He knew he was facing a long drive home from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh because the snow was falling steadily outside the arena. What was normally a five-hour drive would undoubtedly take a good deal longer. Still, there wasn’t any doubt he was going to make the trip. His mother, Anna Marie, had gone into the hospital that day outside Uniontown and he
wanted to get home to see her early the next morning. “It was the flu,” he said. “Wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. But she was 93, so they were being careful.” Janosik had just checked the snow. It was still coming down hard. His phone rang and he saw the call was from his sister-in-law, Barb. “She doesn’t call me very often, so right away I wondered what was up,” he said. “She was kind of half-crying when I answered. She said, ‘Jeff, your mom passed away.’ “ Janosik paused. “She was 93, she lived an amazing life. But at that moment, I just lost it.” Janosik’s first instinct was to get in the car and drive home to see his mother. But he couldn’t do that. Tipoff was less than an hour away and, in the middle of a snowstorm there was no way to get a third official to the arena. He decided to find a way to get through the game.
“I was lucky,” he said. “I was with [officials] Alvin Cox and Billy Brooks. Alvin’s probably my closest friend in officiating. I was supposed to be the crew chief on the game. I asked Alvin if he could take the lead. We checked with Reggie Greenwood [who supervises officials for the Patriot and Ivy Leagues] and he understood completely. Under any circumstances, the two guys you’re working with are your two best friends in the world for the two hours you’re on the court. It was never more true than that night.” The game turned out to be one-sided. Lehigh took control late in the first half and pulled away for an easy 84-53 win. “Nothing against Army,” Janosik said. “Heck, I was in the Army. But I was glad we didn’t have a tough game. As it was, I was struggling just to get through it. “I think I’m a pretty tough guy. I was active duty in the Army for 24 years. I flew helicopters.
I’ve been through some difficult things. But not like that night. At 93, you can’t be shocked, I suppose. But I was shocked. It knocked me backwards.” No one in the small crowd had any idea that Janosik was hurting emotionally. Neither did the coaches. “We all have the same issues as everyone else but you can’t let any of them affect your work,” Janosik said. “You can’t be distracted. If anything, that night, I used my work to distract me from thinking about my mom. It wasn’t easy, but it helped.” Janosik first started officiating as a teenager, when he was stationed at Fort Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, after finishing flight school. He was watching an intramural flag football game and joining in with a senior officer who was giving the referee, another officer he was apparently friends with, a hard time. When the game ended, the referee came over to
the two men, pointed a finger at Janosik and said, “You think you can referee? You think it’s easy? Why don’t you try it?” “Fine,” Janosik said. “I will.” “Good,” the officer replied. “I’ll see you Friday night. We’re having a preseason meeting for all the local basketball officials.” “Basketball?” Janosik said. “I don’t know anything about basketball.” By 2013, Janosik was working for a number of leagues and was chosen to work the Atlantic 10 tournament in Brooklyn. At 51, he thought he was finally hitting the big time. He worked the opening game of the tournament between Richmond and Charlotte. “Never thought I’d end up on ‘SportsCenter’ for three straight days,” he said, recalling that afternoon in Barclays Center. Richmond led 63-60 with 4.7 seconds left. Charlotte won the game 68-63 after a bizarre sequence that began with the Spiders intentionally fouling to prevent a 3point shot and ended with three technical fouls called on Richmond, one on Derrick Williams for a dead-ball elbow to Willie Clayton of Charlotte; two on Richmond coach Chris Mooney for coming onto the court to argue after his team was called for a shooting foul - down one after four made free throws - when he thought it should have been a one-and-one. “Before it was over, Charlotte shot 11 free throws [making eight] and
Okogie scores 22, Georgia Tech tops Wake Forest BY CHARLES ODUM
Associated Press ATLANTA
With Georgia Tech protecting a two-point lead, Josh Okogie lost possession of the ball when tied up by Wake Forest’s Bryant Crawford. Possession on the jump ball went to Wake Forest, and Okogie seethed. With only 36.9 seconds remaining, it was a potential game-turning play and Okogie said, “I kind of took it personal.” Seconds later, Okogie drew a charge – on Crawford – and then sank six free throws in the final 17 seconds, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 64-56 win over the Demon Deacons on Saturday. “I love the pressure. I embrace it,” Okogie said after leading Georgia Tech with 22 points in the matchup of two of the ACC’s bottom three teams. Georgia Tech (13-18, 6-12 Atlantic Coast Conference) closed the regular season with two straight wins. The Yellow Jackets ended a seven-game losing streak with Thursday night’s 78-75 win over North Carolina State. Crawford had 22 points and Doral Moore had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Wake Forest (11-19, 4-14). Okogie said he was focused on defending the basket, not drawing a charge. “I didn’t know I was going to get it,” he said. “I was more focused on not letting him get to the basket.” Crawford had three
assists and eight turnovers for Wake Forest, leading coach Danny Manning to say “That’s hard to come back from.” Crawford had nine assists with no turnovers in the Demon Deacons’ 79-62 home win over the Yellow Jackets on Feb. 14. “We just didn’t take care of the ball today,” Crawford said. Added Moore when asked about the team’s season-high 22 turnovers: “That’s what basically cost us the game.” Georgia Tech scored 19 points off the turnovers. A 3-point play by Crawford with 54.9 seconds remaining cut Georgia Tech’s lead to 58-56. Driving for a potential tying layup, Crawford was called for the charge drawn by Okogie. In a game with nine lead changes and six ties, the Yellow Jackets finally took the lead for good at 48-46 on Tadric Jackson’s layup. BIG PICTURE Wake Forest: Moore recorded his ninth doubledouble in ACC play. He began the day averaging 11.7 points and 10.8 rebounds in ACC games. He is one of only three players in the conference to average a double-double in ACC games. … The Demon Deacons have lost 12 straight at Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech: Even though Wake Forest ranks last in the ACC in scoring defense, Georgia Tech was held to 26 first-half points. … Brandon Alston and Jackson had 12 points. Evan Cole had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
RON IRBY AP
Florida guard Chris Chiozza puts up a shot over Kentucky forward PJ Washington during the first half in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday.
Hudson scores 22, Florida tops No. 23 Kentucky BY MARK LONG
Associated Press GAINESVILLE, FLA.
With Kentucky rolling, Florida reeling and the lead dwindling, Jalen Hudson decided to do something about it. His 3-pointer from the wing with 6:19 to play was a turning point – for both teams. Hudson scored 22 points – highlighted by one that bounced around the rim several times and hit the backboard before falling through – and the Gators beat the No. 23 Wildcats 80-67 on Saturday, ending the Wildcats’ four-game winning streak. “That was huge,” Hudson said. “I think it got
every part of the rim.” It was deflating for Kentucky, which used a matchup zone to trim a 23-point deficit to 65-56. It also was exactly the boost Florida needed. The Gators (20-11, 11-7 SEC) won their third straight, swept Kentucky for the first time in four years and secured the No. 3 seed in next week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament. “We’re playing our best basketball of the year, and I think the best way to continue doing so it to not rest on our laurels and not feel like we’ve got it all figured out,” Florida coach Mike White said. “We’ve got to handle success much better than we have at other times in this basketball season.
We’ve got remain on edge and continue to understand who we are and what our deficiencies are and stay as connected as we’ve been lately.” The Wildcats (21-10, 10-8) will be seeded fourth or fifth in the SEC Tournament depending on the outcome of the Arkansas-Missouri game later Saturday. No team seeded lower than third has won the SEC since it went to a 14-team format in 2013. “If we play this way, we’re not winning,” Calipari said. “This hopefully wakes us up and we go.” The Wildcats entered Saturday as the league’s hottest team, having won four straight while averaging 87.7 points a game. They looked like a shell of
my career in the Atlantic 10 was over,” Janosik said. “Everyone said I did everything right by rule, but the people running the league didn’t see it that way. I was never asked back. “Until I had to give mom’s eulogy, that was the toughest thing I’d ever dealt with. But I haven’t quit and I’ve still got the whistle and the lanyard.” When the game at Lehigh ended, Janosik headed for the locker room, unnoticed, which is exactly the way an official wants it. As he was leaving the court, he encountered Lehigh’s Brett Reed, someone he has always gotten along with in the 11 years Reed has been the Mountain Hawks’ coach. “I was really struggling at that moment,” he said. “I’m not even sure why, but I said to Brett, ‘Is your mom still with us?’ He looked at me like I was crazy but said yes, she was. I said, ‘Do me a favor. Give her a call tonight and tell her you love her.’ I’m sure he thought I’d lost my mind but he said, ‘Okay, Jeff, sure.’ “ A few days later, as Janosik was working on the eulogy he would deliver on his mother’s behalf, an envelope arrived from the Lehigh basketball office. It was a condolence card, signed by Reed, his coaches and all his players. “What a wonderful gesture,” Janosik said. “A lot of people have reached out to me, but that card meant a lot to me.” Because, despite what many people think, referees are human, too.
that team in Gainesville, giving up 16 points off turnovers and getting outscored in the paint and from behind the arc. “We reverted,” Calipari said, pointing to six assists and 13 turnovers. “This is how we played a month ago.” Florida played hard for the fourth straight outing and looked much more like the team ranked No. 5 in early December than the one that dropped six of eight in league play between Jan. 24 and Feb. 21. Hudson and senior guard Chris Chiozza were keys. Chiozza, one of three players recognized on “ ‘Senior Day,” broke the school’s all-time assist record in the first half. It seemed to get the Gators going. Chiozza started to drive to the basket and then tossed the ball back out to Keith Stone, who drilled a 3 that made it 28-17 and prompted Calipari to call a timeout. The Gators made their next seven shots, including a pair of 3s by Hudson, to push the lead to 17. “We’re playing free now,” Chiozza said. “We’re not worried about anything.” BIG PICTURE Kentucky: The Wildcats finished 4-6 on the road, not all that surprising since they have four freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup. Given the propensity of Big Blue Nation to travel, especially in the postseason, Kentucky should be surrounded by “home” crowds the rest of the season. Florida: The Gators have seemingly found something just in time for the postseason, especially if they’re able to build on wins against Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 14
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Lamont West scored 15 points for West Virginia (22-9, 11-7), which had five players score in double figures. Texas hasn’t missed the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons since 1988, when the Longhorns were mired in a nine-year drought and Smart was 10 years old. Smart said he had to be careful about putting too much pressure on his players. “You can’t build up this mindset in your head that if a certain game doesn’t go your way, you’re gonna jump off the top of a building,” Smart said.
Lykes’ free throw lifts Miami past Va. Tech BY STEVEN WINE
Associated Press CORAL GABLES, FLA.
Chris Lykes’ clutch free throw Saturday gave the Miami Hurricanes their most thrilling win in five days. The freshman guard broke a tie by sinking the front end of a one-andone with three seconds left to beat Virginia Tech 69-68. It was the Hurricanes’ biggest heart-stopper since Tuesday, when they won at No. 9 North Carolina on Ja’Quan Newton’s desperation buzzerbeater. The Hurricanes have won four games in a row by a total of eight points, with each victory decided on the final possession. Jim Larranaga, who has been in coaching 46 years, said he has never experienced anything like it. “They’re like the cardiac kids,” Larranaga said. “They somehow are enjoying being on the edge at the end of these games.” Miami (22-8, 11-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) takes plenty of momentum into the league tournament next week. “It’s finally starting to click,” freshman guard Lonnie Walker IV said. “We clicked at the right time – going into the tournament.” Virginia Tech (21-10, 10-8) finished with the same league record for the third consecutive year. This season’s record includes victories over three Top 10 teams, but two losses to Miami. The Hurricanes overcame a 12-point first-half deficit and regrouped after going more than seven minutes without a basket down the stretch to squander a nine-point lead. Walker ended the drought by sinking a game-tying basket with 55 seconds left. After Tech missed two
shots, Lykes drove and drew a foul from Mike Robinson. What was Lykes thinking as he stepped to the line? “I really wasn’t trying to think about anything,” he said. “That’s how you miss.” He made one of two free throws. When asked about Lykes’ drive, Hokies coach Buzz Williams made it clear he was unhappy a foul was called. “The ACC assigns those officials, and supposedly you get fined if you’re negative about them, so I’m not going to say anything,” Williams said. “But I appreciate you trying to set me up.” A shot by Tech’s Chris Clarke from midcourt missed badly at the buzzer. Dejan Vasiljevic led Miami with 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and engaged in some jawing with the Hokies bench. “Virginia Tech liked to talk a little trash,” Vasiljevic said. “We won, so no more talking trash.” Lykes had 15 points and seven assists, and Walker added 12 points. Robinson led Tech with 18 points and six assists, but also had six turnovers. The Hurricanes struggled early against the zone, as they have for much of the season. But they hit three consecutive 3-pointers to start the second half, and scored 12 points in a row for a 47-42 lead. “How they started in the second half was the difference in the game,” Williams said. “It was too much in the end for us to absorb.” Back-to-back 3-pointers by Vasiljevic put the Hurricanes ahead 64-55, but they didn’t sink another basket until the final minute. They shot 59 percent in the second half and 48 percent for the game.
FSU’s Angola has big game in front of mom BY JOE REEDY
Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
Florida State’s Braian Angola got a big surprise before Saturday’s game, when his mother flew in from Colombia to see his final home game. The senior guard responded with one of his best games of the year. He scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half as the Seminoles rallied for an 85-76 victory over Boston College. “I was focused on the game but looking at my mom. I didn’t see anyone else in the crowd,” said Angola, who made all seven field goal attempts and was 5 of 5 from the line in the second half. Angola, who came to Florida State after two seasons at North Idaho Junior College, expected only his girlfriend, Kama Griffiths, would be here for Senior Day festivities. His junior college coaches surprised him Friday but the biggest surprise was during pregame ceremonies when his mother, Ofelia Rodas, came on the court. Angola’s girlfriend, who plays professional
MICHAEL THOMAS AP
Texas center Jericho Sims shoots over West Virginia forward Sagaba Donate during the second half Saturday.
basketball in Denmark, flew her in for the game. “He’s had an emotional couple days having the people close to him make the effort to see him,” Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. The Seminoles (20-10, 9-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed most of the game and were down 72-67 with 6:13 remaining before scoring nine straight points. Trent Forrest – who also had 21 points – keyed the run with seven points while Angola’s dunk with 5:04 left put Florida State up for good, 74-72. BC (17-14, 7-11) went scoreless for 4:38 during the run and was 0 of 7 from the field with three turnovers. “We lost our composure and got away with what was working. We didn’t get back on defense while they ratcheted it up and forced some turnovers,” coach Jim Christian said. Jordan Chatman, who had 20 points, ended the run with two free throws with 1:35 remaining to make it 76-74. Ky Bowman led the Eagles with 22 points and Jerome Robinson added 16.
Texas gets big win over No. 20 West Virginia BY JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press AUSTIN, TEXAS
Their season fading and their big man still on the bench with a sprained toe, the Texas Longhorns were in desperate need of a big win to bolster their NCAA Tournament hopes. They got it Saturday with an 87-79 overtime win over No. 20 West Virginia, spurred by guards Matt Coleman and Kerwin Roach II and a barrage of 3-pointers. “We knew we were really going to have to fight,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “We also knew there was a ton on the line. We made that point … By the way, it’s not over.” Roach and Coleman each scored 22 points and Jericho Sims added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns. Texas (18-13, 8-10 Big 12) has struggled to gain
traction or play with consistency in Smart’s third season. Missing the NCAA Tournament – Texas still isn’t guaranteed an atlarge bid – would be a major blow to a program that finished last in the Big 12 last season. “It would hurt a lot, especially after not making it last year. We have to play every game like it’s our last,” Roach said. Texas has fought through its share of struggles. Shooting guard Andrew Jones has been out since early January after being diagnosed with leukemia. In just the last 10 days, freshman forward Mo Bamba, one of the top shot blockers in the country, injured his toe, and shooting guard Eric Davis Jr., has been held out for three games since his name surfaced in a report alleging he may have taken money from an agent representative. Even with those players out, the worst offensive
team in the Big 12 found an offensive symmetry Saturday it has lacked nearly all season. The Longhorns shot 57 percent and made 11-3 pointers, including two by Coleman and Jacob Young in the overtime. “We can compete with anybody regardless of who we have on the team,” Roach said. West Virginia led 48-42 early in the second half before Texas ripped off a 15-2 run keyed by a pair of 3-pointers from Dylan Osetkowski, who made five in the game. The Mountaineers forced overtime on Jevon Carter’s driving reverse layup with 1.6 seconds left in regulation. Coleman put Texas up 76-74 with a 3-pointer from the right corner and made a short jumper before Young’s 3 pointer stretched the lead to seven and the Longhorns held on the rest of the way.
BIG PICTURE West Virginia: The Mountaineers had already at least a tie for second place in the Big 12 and could have clinched the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament with a win. West Virginia’s press defense was effective in the first half, but did little to disrupt Texas in the second half and overtime. The Longhorns had five turnovers in the first five minutes, then just four the rest of the game. The Mountaineers’ inability to cover the 3-pointer kept Texas in the game early and proved especially costly in overtime. “I have backed off of this team practicewise more than maybe any team I’ve ever coached. It’s probably a terrible mistake,” Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. “You hear so much about ‘They gotta have legs.’ We can’t shoot anyway when we do have legs. What difference does it make?” Texas: The Longhorns are seeing a late-season emergence from Sims with Bamba out. Sims was 6 of 7, showing some power on dunks and rebounds and a deft touch with a soft sky hook. Sims’ first basket was a strong move around WVU forward Sagaba Konate for a two-handed flush in the opening minutes. “I was trying to get revenge from the last time we played them,” Sims said. “With Mo being out, I’m trying to be more aggressive.” BAMBA COMEBACK? Smart said Bamba, who is projected among this summer’s top picks in the NBA draft, wants to return but couldn’t say if that would be in the Big 12 tournament or the NCAA tournament if the Longhorns make it. “We’re undermanned,” Smart said. “We’re really optimistic he’s going to play … hopefully in Kansas City,” at the Big 12 tournament, Smart said. STAT LINE As impressive as Texas was shooting, the Longhorns muscled up against one of the toughest-rebounding teams in the Big 12 and won the boards 37-32. The Mountaineers dominated the Longhorns under the basket when these teams met back in January, a 35-point WVU victory “West Virginia is a team that if you don’t stay connected, they can take your will from you,” Smart said. “We had that happen to us a month ago.” UP NEXT West Virginia: Will play in the Big 12 Tournament Texas: Will play in the Big 12 Tournament
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 14 Auburn wins share of SEC title with win over S. Carolina BY JOHN ZENOR
Associated Press AUBURN, ALA.
Bryce Brown scored 29 points, making eight 3pointers, and No. 14 Auburn claimed at least a share of the Southeastern Conference title with a 79-70 comeback victory over South Carolina on Saturday. The Tigers (25-6, 13-5) earned the top seed in next week’s SEC Tournament with their first regular-season title since 1999 and third overall. Auburn would win the outright championship if No. 16 Tennessee loses to Georgia, and holds the tiebreaker thanks to a win over the Volunteers. Auburn fans began “SEC! SEC!” chants in the final two minutes, celebrating a rare title for a long-struggling program that’s also poised to end a 15-year NCAA Tournament drought. Afterward, confetti rained down on the team as they donned SEC championship Tshirts on the court. Brown led a comeback after Auburn trailed by 14 points midway through the first half, busted out of a shooting slump in a big way. He made 8 of 12 3-pointers after going 7 for 39 over the previous four games while nursing foot and shoulder injuries. Jared Harper finished with 18 points and eight assists. Mustapha Heron scored 12 points and made all 10 free throw attempts. His only basket was a breakaway dunk in the final minute that brought a roar from the crowd. Horace Spencer added 11 points. Frank Booker led South Carolina (16-15, 7-11) with 27 points and 10 rebounds after scoring 25 points in an overtime win over LSU. Chris Silva finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 3:38 left. He was 8-of-10 shooting, but committed eight turnovers. Wesley Myers scored 11 points. Auburn stormed back from a 14-point deficit
BRYNN ANDERSON AP
Auburn guard Bryce Brown celebrates after scoring a 3-point basket during the first half against South Carolina on Saturday.
midway through the first half. Brown scored 15 points and made four 3-pointers over the final 6:14. Booker hit a long 3pointer from the top of the key that rolled around the rim before going in with five seconds left to give the Gamecocks a 37-35 halftime lead. BIG PICTURE South Carolina: Dropped
NC State pulls away in 2nd, beats Louisville Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C.
Allerik Freeman scored 16 points to help North Carolina State beat Louisville 76-69 on Saturday night in the regular-season finale for both teams. Torin Dorn added 15 points for the Wolfpack (21-10, 11-7 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won for the fifth time in six games. Omer Yurtseven and Braxton Beverly each had 13 points for N.C. State.
The Wolfpack took a 57-48 lead midway through the second half after a 13-0 run, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Sam Hunt and Beverly. Louisville (19-12, 9-9) went scoreless for nearly six minutes as N.C. State built the largest lead of the game by either team. The Cardinals trimmed the lead to 64-62 on a 3-pointer by Darius Perry with 4:29 remaining, but the Wolfpack answered with a 6-0 spurt.
its fifth straight road game and committed a whopping 24 turnovers against a team it had beaten at home. Booker and Silva combined for 19 of the team’s first 20 points. Auburn: Fought back after missing its first eight 3-pointers and starting 2 of 15 from the floor. Showed plenty of resilience after back to back road losses.
DOUBLING UP Auburn coach Bruce Pearl joins Eddie Fogler as the only coach to win regular-season SEC titles at two schools. Fogler won with Vanderbilt in 1993 and South Carolina in 1997.
Deng Adel scored 20 points to lead Louisville. Quentin Snider and Ray Spalding added 12 points each.
pleasant surprises of the ACC season, playing themselves into NCAA Tournament position after being picked to finish 12th place in the league. They head into the ACC Tournament with a strong grip on an NCAA at-large berth, but they can improve their seeding with a big week in the Big Apple.
BIG PICTURE Louisville: The Cardinals couldn’t quite bounce back after a 67-66 loss to No. 1 Virginia on Thursday in a game they led by four points with 0.9 seconds remaining. They enter the ACC Tournament with defeats in four of their last five games, and they can’t afford a one-and-done trip to New York if they want to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. N.C. State: The Wolfpack have been one of the
UP NEXT Both teams are set to play in the SEC Tournament in St. Louis.
UP NEXT Louisville plays on Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y. N.C. State plays on Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Waters, Sampson lift LSU to win over Mississippi State BY BRETT MARTEL
Associated Press BATON ROUGE, LA.
The ball nearly got away from LSU’s Tremont Waters during one of the 5-foot-11 point guard’s brazen, penetrating dribbles into a crowd of towering defenders. Waters saved his dribble by darting along the baseline toward an empty corner, where he turned, saw no one had followed him, and buried a 3-pointer. “That’s good coaching,” LSU coach Will Wade deadpanned. “He’s just a very instinctive player and a very, very good player. You can’t teach that.” Mississippi State, meanwhile, couldn’t figure out how to neutralize Waters, whose 14 points and 10 assists helped LSU close out its regular season with a 78-57 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday. “Tremont did a good job controlling the game,” Wade said. Aaron Epps highlighted his 16-point performance with a back-breaking 3pointer with 2:19 to go, and Brandon Sampson had his best game in a month with 16 points and three steals for LSU (17-13, 8-10 Southeastern Conference). New Orleans native Lamar Peters scored 15 points and Quinndary Weatherspoon added 12 points for the Bulldogs (21-10, 9-9), who could have used a road victory in the league to solidify their credentials for an NCAA Tournament bid. Instead, LSU won its sixth straight home game to take some momentum into next week’s SEC Tournament in St. Louis, where the Tigers likely have to win out to get an NCAA berth. “We struggled to defend them all day,” lamented Bulldogs coach Ben Howland, adding that LSU “is a team that can make some noise in the SEC Tournament. Their guard play is very good.” LSU capitalized on open perimeter shots Waters helped create, hitting 11 of 23 from 3-point range. Waters went 3 for 4 from deep and Epps 4 for 8. Mississippi State went 6 for 23 from 3-point range, which Howland emphasized was “not good enough.” “We had to get it inside more and attack the rim,” Howland said, adding that a number of the Bulldogs’ missed 3s “were decent
looks that we just didn’t knock down. “I’m hoping that the rest we’re going to get the next few days will help us get our legs back,” he said. The game closed out a brilliant regular season for Waters, the first SEC freshman since Kentucky’s John Wall in 2010 to average 15 points and five assists in a season. He already had broken Ben Simmons’ single-season assists record at LSU. His fourth 10-assist game gives him 177 this season. Yet Waters declined to discuss what his success so far could mean for LSU going forward. “I just want to live in the moment. I don’t want to speak too much about the future,” Waters said. “Tomorrow ain’t promised and I’m going to just say that I hope great things happen.” Sampson hadn’t scored more than seven in a game since his 17 points in a loss at Florida on Feb. 7. The 6-5 junior not only had one of his more productive outings, but converted timely plays. His offensive rebound and put-back while being fouled gave LSU a 55-47 lead with 10:01 left. “That’s how we need him to play, expect him to play,” Wade said. BIG PICTURE Mississippi State: The Bulldogs looked like a good NCAA Tournament candidate with late-season victories over Mississippi, Texas A&M and South Carolina – but closed the regular season with a disastrous final two games, starting with Tuesday’s 21-point loss at home to Tennessee. “Sometimes, you find yourself getting comfortable when you’re winning and you’re not preparing the same way, not working, and not having the same amount of focus,” Peters said. “So we are just going to keep working and keep grinding out, because I think we have a special team.” LSU: While the Tigers have been inconsistent, particularly on the road, they’ve strung together a number of confidencebuilding performances at home and will have to hope to channel some of that quality in their upcoming neutral-site games. The Tigers also saw evidence of Rachal’s potential to contribute. He had six points and five rebounds.
PATRICK DENNIS AP
LSU’s Tremont Waters drives to the basket against Mississippi State’s Lamar Peters on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La. Waters scored 14 points and handed out 10 assists as the Tigers closed the regular season with a 78-57 victory.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 16
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Kell, Pope lead SDSU to 79-74 win vs. No. 21 Nevada BY BERNIE WILSON
Associated Press SAN DIEGO
JULIE JACOBSON AP
Penn State guard Josh Reaves (23) and Purdue forward Matt Haarms (32) scramble for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA Big Ten Conference tournament semifinal college basketball game, Saturday, March 3, 2018, in New York. Purdue won 78-70. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Penn State falls to Purdue
“I think we all shed a tear in there,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. “It’s investment. When you invest so much into a program. When you invest so much into this team and relationships and each other and the connectivity that they have, you’re going to cry because you love it. You believe in it.”
BY RYNE GERY
PURDUE’S HIGHLIGHTS The Boilermakers shot 52 percent from the field for the game and 60 percent from the field in the second half to pull away for the win. Carsen Edwards paced Purdue with 27 points, going 9-for-18 from the field and 6-for-9 from 3-point range. Isaac Haas added 17 points and seven rebounds, and Dakota Mathias finished with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Mathias had 13 points in the second half. Purdue also finished 11-for-21 from 3-point range.
rgery@centredaily.com NEW YORK
Shep Garner wanted to cut the nets down in Madison Square Garden after winning the Big Ten tournament championship. He and his Penn State teammates wanted conference championship rings. That was their goal going into this season. But the No. 7-seed Nittany Lions’ run at the Big Ten tournament came to an end in the semifinals Saturday with a 78-70 loss to No. 3-seed Purdue. The Boilermakers advanced to the championship game to take on No. 5-seed Michigan at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. “That’s all we talked about was Big Ten championship first, before the NCAA tournament. That was our goal,” Garner said, eyes red with emotion after the loss. “We came up short today, but I’m proud of my guys.” The Nittany Lions (2113) came within one win of reaching the Big Ten tournament championship game for the first time since 2011. They knocked off Northwestern on Thursday night and edged No. 2-seed Ohio State on Josh Reaves’ dunk in the final seconds Friday night, moving back onto the bubble for the NCAA tournament and advancing to take on Purdue on Saturday. And they made the run, highlighted by their third win over the Buckeyes, with starting forward Mike Watkins out with a knee injury. Garner called it a gutty performance by his team. “Big fella going down, everybody gave up on us,” Garner said, referring to Watkins. “Everybody said
GARNER LEADS PSU Garner scored a gamehigh 33 points in the loss. He finished 8-for-11 from the field, 6-for-8 from beyond the arc and 11-for-12 from the foul line. Garner had 15 points in the first half to keep Penn State in the game. And he hit two 3-pointers in the final nine seconds of the game.
JULIE JACOBSON AP
Penn State guard Tony Carr (10) puts up a shot against Purdue during the second half.
we lost our swagger, we’re not going to be the same team. We’re going to lose a bunch of games, and things of that nature and we took it personal.” The Nittany Lions trailed Purdue 33-31 at
halftime and remained within four points with less than 14 minutes left in the second half. But they couldn’t keep pace with the Boilermakers, who built a 15-point lead with less than nine min-
utes remaining and maintained a double-digit lead until Garner’s 3-pointer with three seconds left. It was tough for Garner and the Nittany Lions to see their run end Saturday.
QUOTABLE “I’m hoping for that NCAA tournament bid. I think we showed very well that we’re capable of playing at a very elite level. We showed that (Friday) night. We showed it for the first 20 minutes (Saturday), and we ran out of gas, playing three straight days. But we’ve played some really good basketball over the last two months. We’ve done some really good things. Our schedule shows that. Our wins show that. Hopefully they give us the nod.” — Penn State coach Patrick Chambers
Trey Kell scored six points in the final 1:19 to finish with 17 and fellow senior Malik Pope scored 16 to lead San Diego State to a 79-74 victory against No. 21 Nevada on Saturday night that gave the Aztecs the No. 5 seed in the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The victory, coupled with Wyoming’s loss at Boise State, means the Aztecs (19-10, 11-7) avoid a play-in game in Las Vegas on Wednesday and will instead start in the quarterfinals on Thursday. SDSU won its sixth straight game. Jordan Caroline scored eight of Nevada’s final 10 points in the last 3 minutes and finished with 29 for the Wolf Pack (26-6, 15-3), who had already clinched their second straight regular-season title and the No. 1 seed. The Wolf Pack’s six-game winning streak was snapped, and they failed to tie SDSU’s record of 16 conference wins in a season. SDSU led by eight points with 3 minutes left after a layup by Pope, but Caroline hit a 3, a free throw and a put-back to pull the Wolf Pack to 72-70. Kell made two free throws and then a big jumper for a 76-72 lead. Nevada’s Caleb Martin turned the ball over with 16.8 seconds to go and Pope made one of two free throws. Martin made a bucket with 5 seconds left before Kell sealed it with two free throws. SDSU ‘s other senior, Kameron Rooks, scored 12. Caleb Martin scored 22 and Cody Martin had 13 for Nevada. SDSU’s three seniors had a hand in giving the Aztecs the lead for good. With the score tied at 40 after Caleb Martin buried a 3-pointer 2 minutes into the second half, Pope hit a jumper and Rooks a tip-in. After Jeremy Hemsley made one of two free throws, Kell hit a long 3 for a 48-42 lead with 15:46 to go. Matt Mitchell and Pope hit 3s and redshirt freshman Jalen McDaniels had a slam dunk off a pass from Kell to help the Aztecs to 63-54 lead. San Diego State took a 36-34 halftime lead after a spirited first 20 minutes. BIG PICTURE Nevada: The Wolf Pack gave the Aztecs everything they could handle despite playing only seven players. Nevada made only eight of 24 3-point attempts. San Diego State: The Aztecs honored the three seniors before the game. Kell and Pope are the only two players left from their highly regarded recruiting class. Rooks was a graduate transfer from California. UP NEXT Nevada has the top seed in the MWC Tournament in Las Vegas and will open play on Thursday. San Diego State also begins MWC tourney play on Thursday.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 17
COLLEGE BASKETBALL BY STEFAN STEVENSON
sstevenson@star-telegram.com
As the Big 12 Conference regular season closed Saturday afternoon, the final results and final standings, fittingly, left more questions than answers. No. 6 Kansas won its 14th consecutive regular-season title despite losing at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys became the first team to sweep a Bill Self-coached Jayhawks team. Texas Tech’s 79-75 win over TCU in Lubbock moved the No. 12 Red Raiders into second place, ahead of No. 20 West Virginia, which lost in overtime at Texas. Keeping up? The Horned Frogs (21-10, 9-9 in the Big 12) finished in fifth place, a game behind Kansas State. Those two teams will meet in the Big 12 Conference tournament at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. That’s the best conference finish for TCU since 2012. Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State all finished at 8-10 in the league. Last-place Iowa State (13-17, 4-14) is the only team with no shot at earning an NCAA tournament bid, unless the Cyclones win the Big 12 tournament. Good luck with that. They open the tournament against Texas, who earned the No. 7 seed after tie-breakers. The Big 12 tournament is a toss-up. The Horned Frogs, who led Tech 40-35 the half, were to open the Big 12 tournament against Kansas State regardless of Saturday’s outcome. The only thing left to settle was which team would be seeded No. 4 and which team would be No. 5. The Frogs finished at .500 in conference for the first time since going 7-7 in the Mountain West in
BRAD TOLLEFSON AP
TCU’s Desmond Bane (1) shoots over Texas Tech’s Niem Stevenson, left, Keenan Evans and Justin Gray on Saturday in Lubbock, Texas.
Big 12 muddled as Texas Tech tops TCU 2012. TCU won a combined eight Big 12 games the previous two seasons, including six in coach Jamie Dixon’s first season in 2016-17. In the five seasons before he arrived, TCU combined to win 15 conference games, including seven wins in their last year in the MWC. Dixon has 15 Big 12 regular-season wins in two seasons. “We feel good,” Dixon
said. “Obviously, this is going to be a tough game to win on the road in this league. We fought through adversity. We had foul trouble across the board. I liked how hard we played. You outrebound a team by 12, you’ve got to admire the effort.” The Frogs outrebounded the Raiders 39 to 27. TCU was trying to beat a ranked team on the road
for the first time since beating Hawaii in January 1998. Red Raiders guard Keenan Evans, however, was too much in the second half. He scored all of his 23 points after the break on 6 of 11 shooting. He was 10 for 10 from the free throw line. Texas Tech (23-8, 11-7) shot 50 percent from the field and received a boost from forward Zach Smith, who played in his first
game since injuring his foot in early January. Smith had six points and two rebounds in 15 minutes. He left the floor with more foot pain in the second half. His presence, or lack of it, in the tournament will be a big factor for the Red Raiders’ chances. Tech had lost four in a row before Saturday’s win. TCU had won four consecutive Big 12 games. Desmond Bane led the
Stanford holds on in wild finish to beat Arizona State 84-83 BY BOB BAUM
Associated Press TEMPE, ARIZ.
Dorian Pickens, playing just down the road from where he grew up, scored all 20 of his points in the second half for Stanford and the Cardinal held on through a wild final minute to beat Arizona State 84-83 on Saturday, damaging the NCAA tournament hopes of the Sun Devils in the teams’ regular-season finale. Reid Travis had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Kz Okpala 18 points and 10 boards for the Cardinal (17-14, 11-7 Pac-12), who boosted their chances for a top-four finish in the conference and first-round bye in next week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas. Tra Holder had 19 points, Shannon Evans 17 and Remy Martin 14 for Arizona State (20-10, 8-10). Daejon Davis’ spin move for a layup proved to be the winning basket with 42 seconds left. Arizona State, down 19 early in the second half, tied it at 82 on Kodi Justice’s 3-pointer with 1:13 left but Justice missed three of four free throws in the final 20 seconds. Pickens, the best free throw shoo-
ter on the Stanford team, also missed two from the line with 18 seconds, though, and a Stanford turnover with 4.1 seconds left gave Arizona State a final chance. Evans drove the lane and passed to Martin, who had to rush his shot in traffic from the baseline and it bounced off the rim at the buzzer. It was a tough end to the final home game for the seniors Justice, Holder and Evans. The Cardinal outscored Arizona State 22-1 at the end of the first half and start of the second to lead 55-36 on Pickens’ 3-pointer just 3:16 into the second half. The Sun Devils went 7 1 / 2 ,minutes without a field goal in that stretch. But, harassing the Cardinal with a full-court press, Arizona State came back with an 18-4 run, cutting the Stanford lead to 59-54 on Kimani Lawrence’s dunk with 12:45 to play. Pickens responded with three 3s in a 13-4 surge that boosted the lead to 72-58 with 9:11 left. The Sun Devils, who never led in the second half, rallied yet again to set up the wild finish. Stanford scored the final seven points of the first half to lead 40-35.
L.E. BASKOW AP
Gonzaga’s Josh Perkins (13) drives past Loyola Marymount’s James Batemon (5) in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference men’s tournament Saturday in Las Vegas.
No. 7 Gonzaga advances to West Coast Conference semifinals BY ADAM SOBOLESKI
Associated Press LAS VEGAS
Killian Tillie scored 24 points, including making all five 3-point attempts, while Johnathan Williams
added 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 7 Gonzaga past Loyola Marymount 83-69 on Saturday night in the West Coast Conference quarterfinals. Zach Norvell Jr. had 17 points as top-seeded Gon-
zaga (28-4) could not pull away until 5 minutes left in the game, despite shooting 61 percent from the field, including 19 of 24 (79 percent) in the second half. This was Bulldogs’ 12th straight win, and 15th at the WCC
Frogs with 21 points but TCU struggled shooting for the second consecutive game. The Frogs were 40.6 percent from the field, including 21.7 percent from 3-point range. They were 2 of 11 from the arc in the second half. Kenrich Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds, but all of his points came in the first half. Nothing ever seems predictable in the Big 12 tournament, and that might be especially true this season. Top-seeded Kansas will play the winner of Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, who start the tournament at 6 p.m. Wednesday. That game is followed by No. 7 Texas playing No. 10 Iowa State. A year ago, Iowa State won the tournament as the No. 4 seed. In fact, in the five years TCU has been in the league, either Kansas or Iowa State has won the championship. Kansas won it in 2013 and 2016 as the No. 1 seed. The Cyclones have won it twice as the fourth seed and once as the second seed. The last team besides Kansas, Iowa State (or Missouri, now in the SEC), to win the Big 12 tournament was Oklahoma State in 2005. The Cowboys were the third seed that season. BIG 12 TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS Wednesday: No. 8 Oklahoma St. vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 6 p.m.; No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Iowa St., 8 p.m. Thursday: No. 4 Kansas St. vs. No. 5 TCU, 11:30 a.m.; No. 1 Kansas vs. Oklahoma St./Oklahoma winner, 1:30 p.m.; No. 2 Texas Tech vs. Texas/ Iowa St. winner 6 p.m.; No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Baylor, 8 p.m. Friday: Semifinals, 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday: Championship, 5 p.m.
Tournament. After a tournament off day, Gonzaga moves to the semifinals Monday night against fourth-seeded San Francisco, which defeated Pacific earlier Saturday. James Batemon led eighth-seeded LMU (1120) with 27 points, while Cameron Allen added 12 for the Lions, who had two four-point first half leads. Gonzaga trailed for a slight majority of the first half as there were eight lead changes and six ties in the game. But in the second half with their hot shooting, they built their largest lead at 18 with 2:09 left. Sloppy play, missed shots in the paint, and 10 turnovers hampered Gonzaga in the first half. The Bulldogs’ 29 first-half points was their secondlowest output in that session this season. Tillie scored 10 points, including a putback dunk with 4 seconds left, giving the Bulldogs a one-point halftime lead. After one LMU secondhalf lead at 40-39, Gonzaga took the lead for good at 41-40 with 16:23 remaining in the game. UP NEXT Gonzaga: The Bulldogs will play in the semifinals against San Francisco on Monday night. LMU: The Lions are unlikely to receive a postseason tournament invitation.
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL UCLA rallies to beat USC, ends 2-game skid BY BETH HARRIS
Associated Press LOS ANGELES
Aaron Holiday scored 34 points, Kris Wilkes added 22 and UCLA rallied over the final eight minutes to beat Southern California 83-72 on Saturday night and complete a season sweep in the crosstown rivalry. Holiday and Wilkes notched career highs while engineering the Bruins’ comeback and stopping their two-game skid. UCLA (20-10, 11-7 Pac-12) trailed by eight early in the second half after being down 10 in the first half. The Trojans (21-10, 12-6) had already clinched second place in the league. Their four-game winning streak ended. Jordan McLaughlin led USC with 19 points, Chimezie Metu had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Elijah Stewart added 12 points. Holiday’s basket tied the game at 60-all. USC led just once after that and got outscored 23-12 over the final eight minutes. The Trojans were held to just two field goals in that stretch. Holiday scored UCLA’s last nine points to end the Bruins’ two-game skid at
Galen Center. The Bruins won 82-79 on Thomas Welsh’s 3pointer at UCLA on Feb. 3. BIG PICTURE USC: The Trojans have won 20 or more games for the third straight season. They did so despite being caught up in the FBI investigation involving corruption in college basketball that saw assistant Tony Bland let go after his arrest and guard De'Anthony Melton held out all season until he announced he was leaving school on Feb. 21. They also lost second-leading scorer and rebounder Bennie Boatwright, who was injured Feb. 18 and is out for the rest of the season. UCLA: After a shoplifting incident that led to the suspension of three players to start the season, the Bruins went 11-3 in the early going. They struggled at times once league play began, but now head into the postseason with some momentum. UP NEXT USC opens Pac-12 tournament play on Thursday in Las Vegas as the No. 2 seed. UCLA heads to Vegas for the league tournament.
New Mexico slips past Fresno State in OT BY GLEN ROSALES
Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.
MARK ZALESKI AP
Marshall guard Jon Elmore (33) shoots against Middle Tennessee guard Tyrik Dixon (0) in Saturday’s game.
Marshall sweeps series with Middle Tenn. BY CHIP CIRILLO
Associated Press MURFREESBORO, TENN.
Apparently, Marshall knows something no one else in Conference USA knows. The Thundering Herd were the only league team to beat No. 24 Middle Tennessee and they did it twice, including Saturday night’s 76-67 win. “I think they have a hard time with the way they pressure and when you bring two to the ball against us we spread the ball pretty good,” Marshall coach Dan D'Antoni said. “We have shooters. I think the biggest thing is to keep the floor spread and then make them chase a long way when they start pressuring.” Jon Elmore, the CUSA’s leading scorer, led
the way with 23 points as the Thundering Herd (21-10, 12-6) ended Middle’s 11-game winning streak. Marshall redshirt freshman Jannson Williams came off the bench to record a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. “We counter-punched all night,” Elmore said. “Coach always preaches it’s a game of runs and I think we really capitalized on our runs and minimized some of theirs. I think our two best defensive games of the year have been against Middle and hopefully we can keep that up going forward. We kind of run guys at you non-stop.” The Blue Raiders (24-6, 16-2) shot only 42 percent against the Herd on Saturday and 40 percent during a 73-63 loss on Jan.
18 at Marshall. The Blue Raiders won their first two games since earning the first national ranking in school history by double-digit margins, but trailed for over 29 minutes against the Herd. “Marshall has twice out-toughed us and it’s disappointing,” MTSU coach Kermit Davis said. “We’ve had really poor guard play. Nick King has (had) the two worst games he’s had all year. He doesn’t want to get on the block. He just wanted to be on the perimeter.” King, an Alabama transfer, scored 18 but struggled at the foul line where he missed 8 of 11. He scored 14 in the first loss to Marshall on a 6-of-19 shooting shortly after injuring his ankle. “I just felt like we didn’t come out locked in,” said King, a 73 percent foul
shooter who missed his first three free throws. “We had a lot of defensive mistakes, couldn’t get into the flow of the offense. I think mental things can get to players. “I’ve got to be a lot stronger than that and just think about the next shot.” Middle led 57-56 with 8:28 left before Marshall rallied for the road win. Middle struggled at the foul line, missing 13 of 26. Brandon Walters led the Blue Raiders with 20 points. C.J. Burks scored 20 points and Marshall’s bench outscored Middle 26-9. PLAYER OF YEAR BATTLE King and Elmore are the leading candidates for C-USA Player of the Year. “You don’t really worry about it,” Elmore said. “You do see all the Twitter stuff and everybody talking. I just know we’ve beat Middle twice and we’re probably going to have to go through them again to win the tournament, so that’s our focus going forward and hopefully we made a statement.”
Troy Simons swished all six of his foul shots in overtime and Anthony Mathis 23 points to lead New Mexico to a 95-86 win Saturday over Fresno State. The only shot Mathis, who sank five 3-pointers, missed came at the buzzer of regulation. Jahmel Taylor, who had 23 points, fueled a frenetic Bulldogs comeback, hitting four 3s in the final 4:24, including the shot that forced overtime with 18.1 seconds left. “It was really good for us to get into a mucky game that could have gone either way and kind of bring back some memories of some other games and to pull it out and get a win,” Lobos coach Paul Weir said. “We’re not expecting any easy games in the tournament so to just go through another adverse situation is just another positive.” Simons, who had 16 points, and Antino Jackson, who scored four in overtime to also finish with 16, was too much for Fresno State (21-10, 11-7 Mountain West) in the extra session as the Lobos won their fifth-straight game. New Mexico (17-14, 12-6) appeared to take control of the game near the end of the first half, going up 39-27 with raucous 15-3 run that included a steal and fastbreak layup plus one, another and-one moments later and an alleyoop dunk from Sam Logwood off a Mathis feed
and capped by a Mathis 3-pointer. But the Bulldogs ended the half on a 7-0 run to trail 39-34 at the break. A 13-2 run restored New Mexico’s advantage at 52-38 before the Bulldogs came back with a 10-0 surge of their own to pull within 54-50. “We just kept working the game,” Bulldogs coach Rodney Terry said. “We’ve been a resilient team all year long. We’re going to play until the horn goes off. We’re never going to stop playing. We just kept working the game for 40 minutes. Basketball is a game of runs. They had some runs, we withstood those. We came with runs ourselves and put ourselves in a position to win the game.” Taylor’s backcourt mate, Deshon Taylor, also had 23 points, including 10 of 12 from the foul line. Jahmel Taylor “made some incredible shots,” Weir said. “I think we knew Deshaun Tayler, No. 21, could do all those things. But for Jahmel to be making those stepback 3s and all of that, that’s some high level play. You have to give that backcourt credit. They fought.” WRINKLE IN TIME With under a minute to play and New Mexico leading 81-78 and bringing the ball up court, play was stopped with the clock stuck on 40.3 seconds remaining. After a lengthy delay while officials checked monitors, play was restarted with 27.3 seconds remaining.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 19
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 2 Mississippi State women beat No. 15 Texas A&M BY TERESA M. WALKER
Associated Press NASHVILLE, TENN.
Victoria Vivians scored 22 points and secondranked Mississippi State remained in position to add a Southeastern Conference Tournament title to its regular-season championship, beating No. 15 Texas A&M 70-55 on Saturday the semifinals. The Bulldogs (32-0) reached the title game for a third straight year and
extended the nation’s longest active winning streak to 32 games. They will play No. 8 South Carolina or 19th-ranked Georgia on Sunday. Mississippi State reached the tournament championship game for the fourth time overall by beating Texas A&M for a second straight year. Teaira McGowan matched her season-low with only six points for the Bulldogs, but she grabbed 13 rebounds. Morgan William added 15 points, and Roshunda Johnson
had 13. Playing its third game in as many days, Texas A&M (24-9) snapped a fourgame winning streak with the Aggies’ first loss since Mississippi State beat them Feb. 18 in Starkville. Chennedy Carter, the SEC freshman of the year, led the Aggies with 27 points. Texas A&M dominated on the boards early with Carter scoring nine points in giving the Aggies an 18-15 lead after the first quarter. Mississippi State
pounced in the second quarter with a 16-4 run going into halftime. They forced five turnovers, the worst when Carter let the ball roll at midcourt with Morgan William racing by to pick it up for an easy layup. The Aggies missed nine of 10 shots before Danni Williams’ jumper just before the buzzer to trim Mississippi State’s lead to 36-28. Carter hit a 3 with 7:21 left in the third to pull the Aggies within 38-33. That’s when Vivians took over and knocked down
three straight 3-pointers, and Johnson added a 3 to finish off a 12-2 run giving Mississippi State its biggest lead at 50-35 with 4:25 left. The Bulldogs led by as much as 19 in the fourth quarter. BIG PICTURE Texas A&M: The Aggies haven’t upset a team ranked No. 1 or No. 2 since April 3, 2011, with a win against Stanford at the Final Four. … They did manage to outrebound the Bulldogs 43-32 but wound up outscored in the paint
No. 8 South Carolina women rout No. 19 Georgia BY TERESA M. WALKER
Associated Press NASHVILLE, TENN.
A’ja Wilson had 21 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 8 South Carolina rout No. 19 Georgia 71-49 on Saturday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the fourth straight year. Wilson came off the bench for a second straight game after a bout of vertigo kept her out of the regular-season finale and had her questionable for the tournament. The three-time SEC player of the year came in needing five points to become the Gamecocks’ career scoring leader scorer, and Wilson managed that with three quick buckets in the first quarter. Now three-time defending tournament champ South Carolina (25-6) will play No. 2 Mississippi State for something no SEC team has ever managed – a fourth straight title. Mississippi State beat No. 15 Texas A&M 70-55 earlier Saturday. Doniyah Cliney and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan added 14 points apiece for South Carolina. Georgia (25-6) heads home missing out on the championship game yet again. A four-time tournament champ, the Bulldogs haven’t played in the title game since 2004. Mackenzie Engram led the Bulldogs with 10 points. Georgia scored the first four points of the game and led 8-4 on a pair of free throws by Taja Cole with 6:12 left. That’s when Wilson, who came off the bench with 6:52 to go, got
Atkins scores 25, No. 7 Texas beats Iowa State Ariel Atkins scored 25 points and No. 7 Texas beat Iowa State 81-69 on Saturday in the Big 12 quarterfinals at Oklahoma City. Atkins, an All-Big 12 pick, made 10 of 15 field goals and 5 of 6 3-pointers. Jatarie White had 18 points and 12 rebounds,
“We want to take away your best options and make some other people step up,” Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said, “Louisville’s a very talented team and they had a couple of people step up that maybe normally don’t score quite as much.” Chelsea Nelson had 20 points and nine rebounds for the fifth-seeded Wolfpack (24-8), who shot 39 percent but had a 34-24 rebounding advantage.
going. Wilson missed her first bucket, then knocked down three straight. Caliya Robinson tipped in a bucket for Georgia’s last lead at 12-11 before Wilson’s layup put South Carolina ahead to stay. South Carolina led 16-12 after the first quarter and led by as much as 16 in outscoring Georgia 19-9 in the second for a 35-21 halftime lead. The Gamecocks led 53-37 after three quarters and led by as much as 23 in the fourth. BIG PICTURE Georgia: The Bulldogs at least reached the semifinal for the first time since 2013 after tying South Carolina for second in the league standings during the regular season. … Each loss has come against Top 25 teams this season. … Georgia came in with the SC’s stingiest defense, holding opponents to 34 percent shooting. The Gamecocks shot 56.5 percent (26 of 46). South Carolina: Wilson came in trailing Sheila Foster, who scored 2,226 points in 134 games between 1979 and 1982. The senior needed one fewer game with this the 133rd of her career. … The Gamecocks outrebounded Georgia 41-28. UP NEXT Georgia: NCAA Tournament bracket announcement. South Carolina: Mississippi State on Sunday.
CHUCK BURTON AP
Louisville’s Sam Fuehring shoots past North Carolina State’s Akela Maize during the first half Saturday.
Louisville tops NC State in ACC semifinals BY AARON BEARD
Associated Press GREENSBORO, N.C.
and Brooke McCarty added 12 points and seven assists to help the Longhorns (25-5) advanced to play the Oklahoma StateWest Virginia winner. Emily Durr and Bridget Carleton each scored 25 points for the Cyclones. They lost to Texas for the third time this season. Texas led 20-17 after the first quarter. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
30-24. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are the SEC’s first team since Tennessee in 1997-98 to finish the regular season undefeated and now are just a win from matching that team in adding a tournament title heading into the NCAA Tournament. … The SEC’s best outside the arc, they put away the Aggies in the third by hitting 4 of 7 from 3. … They also had only five turnovers. UP NEXT Texas A&M: Waiting for NCAA Tournament bracket announcement. Mississippi State: SEC Tournament championship for a third straight year.
Fourth-ranked Louisville hasn’t had an easy time in either of its two Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament games. Yet here the Cardinals are, moving on to their first championship game. Sam Fuehring scored 15 points to help Louisville hold off No. 23 North Carolina State 64-59 in Saturday’s semifinals, earning a trip to Sunday’s final after three previous semifinal losses. It hasn’t been a conventional path for a team that went 15-1 through ACC regular-season play, most
notably with newly crowned league player of the year Asia Durr having her second quiet game in as many days. Not that coach Jeff Walz cares. “At this time of the year, you’ve just got to figure out a way to win,” Walz said. “Nobody cares. You know, you can have a great game and lose, and you still lose. There is no consolation prize. So if we figure out a way to win a basketball game, that is all that matters.” The top-seeded Cardinals (31-2) led by eight points midway through the fourth quarter, but needed some key baskets to stay in control. Fuehring had one inside
on a feed from Jazmine Jones with 1:57 left. Then Myisha Hines-Allen had a critical stickback with 32.6 seconds left as Louisville protected a 59-55 lead. “That’s just what me and Sam do,” said HinesAllen, who had 12 points and seven rebounds. “We try to go to the … offensive boards and try to get those putbacks. That’s something we’ve been doing all year and we just came up big this game to push that lead out.” Louisville shot 52 percent and had four players in double figures with Fuehring, Jones (13 points) and Arica Carter (11) each exceeding their season scoring averages by a couple of baskets.
BIG PICTURE N.C. State: The Wolfpack advanced by beating North Carolina in the second round and No. 18 Duke in Friday’s quarterfinals to earn another shot at a team that had N.C. State down 26-1 at home on New Year’s Eve. A win would’ve helped the Wolfpack’s cause for getting the chance to host NCAA Tournament openingweekend games, but N.C. State couldn’t quite overtake the Cardinals despite a gritty effort. “That’s out of our hands,” Moore said of his team’s NCAA destination. “I think this team’s proven that they are definitely worthy of a good seeding. … You know, obviously we would love to host. But we don’t control that.” Louisville: While Walz shrugged off the question, the Cardinals have had two areas of concern. First there’s the slow starts – they trailed by nine after the first quarter in the quarterfinals against Virginia Tech then by eight early in the second against N.C. State. Second, Durr came in averaging 19.2 points but has 20 points in two games. She followed her 3-for-19 shooting performance against the Hokies by going just 3 of 8 against the Wolfpack in 37 minutes – though she did knock down two key free throws with 15.7 seconds left to help Louisville hold on. “She puts the time in, it’s not an accident,” Walz said of Durr’s season success. “It’s more so of an accident the past two games. … She just didn’t get a lot of looks, but what she did do was demand a lot of attention, and others were able to get easy baskets. And that’s what great players do.” UP NEXT N.C. State: The NCAA Tournament is next for the Wolfpack. Louisville: The Cardinals advanced to Sunday’s championship game to face the winner of the second semifinal between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 11 Florida State.
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COLLEGE BASKETBALL WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL IN BRIEF NO. 5 NOTRE DAME TOPS NO. 11 FLORIDA STATE IN ACC SEMIS GREENSBORO, N.C.
Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 27 points to help No. 5 Notre Dame rally past No. 11 Florida State 90-80 Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals. The second-seeded Fighting Irish (29-2) rallied from eight down in the third quarter in their pursuit of a record-tying fifth straight tournament title. Mabrey followed her 24-point effort in Friday’s quarterfinals against Virginia with another big performance, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the third that put
Notre Dame ahead for good at 62-60. That started the decisive 16-4 run, which included Arike Ogunbowale hitting a 3 as part of her own big fourth quarter. The junior guard scored 14 of her 20 points in the final 10 minutes. Shakayla Thomas scored 24 points for the third-seeded Seminoles (25-6), who erased a 10point second-quarter deficit and took a 56-48 lead on Nausia Woolfolk’s layup with 4:30 left in the third before the Irish made their move. No. 3 Baylor 83, Kansas State 54: Kalani Brown scored 26 points to help No. 3 Baylor beat Kansas State in the Big 12 quarterfinals at Oklahoma City.
Brown, a 6-foot-7 center who was named Big 12 Player of the Year earlier in the week, made 9 of 12 shots and had 13 rebounds. Dekeiya Cohen scored 19 points, and Juicy Landrum added 14 for the Lady Bears (29-1). They shot 50.8 percent from the floor to claim their 26th straight win. Kayla Goth scored 24 points, and Peyton Williams added 10 for Kansas State (16-15), which had won its previous three games. No. 7 Texas 81, Iowa State 69: Ariel Atkins scored 25 points and No. 7 Texas beat Iowa State in the Big 12 quarterfinals at Oklahoma City. Atkins, an All-Big 12
pick, made 10 of 15 field goals and 5 of 6 3-pointers. Jatarie White had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Brooke McCarty added 12 points and seven assists to help the Longhorns (25-5) advanced to play the Oklahoma StateWest Virginia winner. No. 8 South Carolina 71, No. 19 Georgia 49: A’ja Wilson had 21 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 8 South Carolina rout No. 19 Georgia at Nashville, Tenn., to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for the fourth straight year. Wilson came off the bench for a second straight game after a bout of vertigo kept her out of the regular-season finale and had her questionable
for the tournament. The three-time SEC player of the year came in needing five points to become the Gamecocks’ career scoring leader scorer, and Wilson managed that with three quick buckets in the first quarter. No. 13 Ohio State 90, Minnesota 88: Stephanie Mavunga scored 26 points to go with 21 rebounds as No. 13 Ohio State beat Minnesota at Indianapolis. No. 17 Maryland 66, Nebraska 53: Brianna Fraser came off the bench to score 18 points to lead No. 17 Maryland past Nebraska in the Big Ten semifinals at Indianapolis. No. 21 Green Bay 62, Northern Kentucky 49: Allie LeClaire scored 17 of her 21 points in the sec-
ond half, Jessica Lindstrom a double-double and No. 21 Green Bay pulled away from Northern Kentucky for a win in the Horizon League quarterfinals at Detroit. The top-seeded Phoenix (27-3) play winner of Sunday’s quarterfinal between Youngstown State and Milwaukee in a semifinal on Monday afternoon. No. 22 Belmont 63, UTMartin 56: Sally McCabe scored 19 points as No. 22 Belmont escaped in overtime to win the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship at Evansville, Ind. The Bruins (31-3) outscored UT-Martin 9-2 in the extra period. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ionescu helps No. 6 Oregon beat UCLA in Pac-12 semifinals BY JIM HOEHN
Associated Press SEATTLE
Sabrina Ionescu had 17 points and No. 6 Oregon scored the final 10 points to rally for a 65-62 victory over No. 9 UCLA on Saturday night in the Pac-12 semifinals. UCLA opened a 62-55 lead on Kennedy Burke’s jumper with 5:28 remaining, but the Bruins failed to score again. Lexi Bando hit a 3pointer from the right corner to pull Oregon to 62-61 with 3:05 left. The Ducks turned it over on their next two possessions before Maite Cazorla scored on a drive to put Oregon up 63-62 with a minute to go. After a UCLA turnover, Ionescu found Oti Gildon wide open under the basket for an easy layup and a 65-62 lead with 31 seconds left. Jordin Canada missed on UCLA’s next possession, but the Bruins grabbed the offensive rebound. Canada was hounded on the final possession, with Japreece Dean finally missing a long 3-pointer from the left side with one second left. Oregon (29-4) advanced the title game against the winner of the late game between No. 16 Stanford and Arizona State. Canada had 19 points, and Billings 18 for the Bruins (24-7), who had lost twice to Oregon in
ELAINE THOMPSON AP
Stanford’s Marta Sniezek (13) shoots in front of Arizona State’s Kiara Russell during Saturday’s semifinal of the Pac-12 women’s tournament Saturday in Seattle. Stanford won 58-46.
conference play. Ruthy Hebard added 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Cazorla had 14 points for the Ducks. Oregon closed the first half with a 15-4 run and then scored the first five points after the break, taking a 37-34 lead on a 3-pointer by Cazorla. The Ducks suffered through a 1-for-8 shooting stretch that allowed UCLA to regain the lead. Billings scored six consecutive points to put the Bruins up 51-45, Ionescu hit a 3-pointer to pull Oregon within 51-48 entering the final period. UCLA led 19-14 after one quarter and extended it to 32-19 on a jumper by Michaela Onyenwere with 4:22 left in the half. But, the Bruins were limited to just a pair of free throws the rest of the way. Ionescu’s 3-pointer from the top right capped an 8-0 run that trimmed the lead to 32-27. Bando hit from the top of the key with 3 seconds left to pull the Ducks to 34-32 at the break. STATS Oregon was 9 of 19 beyond the arc, while UCLA was 4 of 17. Ionescu had four, Bando three and Cazorla two. UP NEXT Oregon: The Ducks advance to the tournament title game for the first time against either Stanford or Arizona State. UCLA: The Bruins await an NCAA Tournament bid.
ELAINE THOMPSON AP
Oregon’s Maite Cazorla is embraced by Justine Hall (3) after the team defeated UCLA in Seattle.
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NBA Magic stretch Grizzlies’ losing streak to 13 BY DICK SCANLON
Associated Press ORLANDO, FLA.
Evan Fournier broke a tie on a long 3-pointer with 22.5 seconds left, and Orlando rookie Jonathan Isaac helped preserve the Magic’s lead with his third block of the game Saturday night in a 107-100 win that stretched the Memphis Grizzlies’ losing streak to 13 games. Fournier added two free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining to finish with 19 points. Nikola Vucevic also scored 19 for Orlando, which had six players in double figures. Ben McLemore scored a game-high 20 for Memphis, which has the NBA’s longest skid of the season. Jarell Martin added 19 points and 11 rebounds. Memphis led 84-77 early in the fourth quarter, the biggest lead for either team until Orlando (2043) matched it in the final seconds. A midcourt steal and
dunk by Mario Hezonja with 8:10 to go sparked a Magic rally, and Aaron Gordon’s layup with 3:17 left restored a one-point lead for Orlando. The lead changed hands six times in the final 3:03. The game was tied at 52 after a first half in which the Magic shot 54 percent. Memphis (18-44) entered as the NBA’s lowestscoring team (98.9 points per game) and played without its top three scorers. TIP-INS Grizzlies: C Marc Gasol, who played 36 minutes in Friday night’s loss to Denver, sat out along with G Mike Conley (left heel), C Deyonta Davis, G Tyreke Evans (right rib) and G Andrew Harrison (right wrist). … G/F Wayne Selden Jr. (knee) was held out for the second game of a back-to-back. Magic: Isaac played 17 minutes in his second straight game after missing 24 due to an ankle injury.
Harris scores 32 as Nuggets roll Cavaliers BY TOM WITHERS
Associated Press CLEVELAND
Gary Harris scored 32 points, Will Barton added 23 and the Denver Nuggets did most of their damage behind the 3point arc in a 126-117 win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. The Nuggets made 19 of 35 3-pointers, including three in the final 2:26, to hold off a second-half charge from the Cavs, who are struggling as they try to blend in four new players on the fly. James finished with 25 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds – his 13th tripledouble this season – but Cleveland’s lack of a dependable No. 2 scorer with Kevin Love out with a broken left hand continues to be a major problem. More troublesome, though, is the Cavs’ defense or lack of it. Whenever Denver needed a big basket, the Nuggets got it by making the extra pass and exploiting holes in Cleveland’s defense. J.R. Smith scored 19 points – all in the second half – in his return from a one-game suspension for throwing a bowl of soup on Cavs assistant coach Damon Jones. With Smith and James carrying the scoring load, the Cavs pulled within 115-114 with 2:40 left. But the Nuggets came right back as Paul Millsap drilled a 3-pointer and Harris made two more from outside to put it away. Jamal Murray and Wilson Chandler added 16 points apiece for the Nuggets, who are 9-3 since Feb. 1. Larry Nance Jr. gave the Cavs a needed lift in the second quarter with a vicious dunk.
Catching a pass on the baseline, Nance, who recently participated in the dunk contest during All-Star weekend, took one dribble, cocked his arm and posterized Mason Plumlee. The slam brought James and several other amazed Cavs onto the floor to celebrate. The Nuggets, though, weren’t fazed. Harris and Barton knocked down 3-pointers and Denver pushed its lead to 14 and was up 73-62 at halftime. WELCOME BACK The 37-year-old Jefferson returned to Cleveland for the first time since being traded in October, and he felt strange entering the visitor’s locker room at Quicken Loans Arena. He was beloved by his Cavs teammates for his attitude and selflessness. “Every team needs guys that help the locker room and I think every team needs guys that say, ‘What do you need from me? You need me to just go guard this guy? You need me to not play tonight?’ ” he said. “That helps the engine kind of run.” Jefferson’s made a strong impression on the Nuggets. “R.J.’s ability to grab young players and help them, whether it’s through playing or teaching or just words of encouragement, is really important for a team like us that has so many players that are 23 years or younger,” Malone said. “R.J.’s mentorship and leadership has been invaluable for us.”
PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS AP
Toronto Raptors forward CJ Miles (0) celebrates with teammates after beating the Washington Wizards on Friday.
To reach next level, Raptors altered approach and it’s working BY TIM BONTEMPS
Washington Post
In most situations, when a coach gets asked a question that allows him to openly praise his team, particularly when his team has the best record in the Eastern Conference, they will gladly take the opportunity to do so. So when Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey was asked before Friday night’s victory over the Washington Wizards if this year’s version of the Raptors was the best one he’d coached during his six-plus seasons with the franchise, it was interesting to hear how he phrased his response. “The numbers say it,” Casey said. “Sometimes the most talented teams are not the best teams, but the numbers show it out. I don’t think we’re a finished product. There’s still room for improvement in different areas, in different individuals. “You could make a case for a lot of teams being the best team, but the numbers say we are there.” The numbers do back Toronto’s claim. After Friday night’s 102-95 win at Capital One Arena over the Wizards, the Raptors are 44-17 - the best record in the East, and the thirdbest in the NBA. That puts them on pace to break the franchise record of 56 wins they set two years ago. More importantly, Toronto has the NBA’s fourth-best offense (111 points per 100 possessions) and third-best defense (102.7 points per 100 possessions), per NBA.com. The only other team that can say it resides in the top five in both categories? The defending
Associated Press
“The numbers say it,” Dwane Casey said. “Sometimes the most talented teams are not the best teams, but the numbers show it out. I don’t think we’re a finished product. There’s still room for improvement.”
NBA champion Golden State Warriors. So why would Casey be slightly reluctant to go all-in on his current team? One way to look at it is a chance to guard against the rapidly rising expectations for his squad. But there’s another that seems more likely: Casey knows the true test of how good this Raptors team is - and if it is the best team this franchise has ever assembled - is going to come in April, May and June. Regular season success isn’t foreign to the Raptors, including breaking past 50 wins for the first time each of the past two years. But in the postseason, the Raptors have clammed up, needing every ounce of their energy to escape from their first-round series and then continuing to struggle against actual contenders. Two years ago, Toronto made it to the Eastern Conference finals, but only after two heart-stopping seven-game series against the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat that both
could’ve gone either way. Then they were demolished by the Cleveland Cavaliers in arguably the most lopsided six-game series the sport has ever seen. Last year it took six games to dispatch the Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1, only to get swept by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. So what’s different this year? Stylistically, the biggest change is in Toronto’s approach. Last season, the Raptors were 22nd in the NBA in 3pointers attempted per game and 29th among the league’s 30 teams in assist percentage. This year, they are fifth and tied for ninth, respectively. Those statistical leaps reflect Toronto recognition entering the season that, if this team were going to reach another level, it was going to have to get away from the days of having Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, their two star guards, to do everything on their own. “I think we’re a very
talented group,” Lowry said. “I think the trust that we have in everyone on our roster is big for us. That’s what’s making our team a better team.” That trust Lowry referenced is the other, perhaps bigger, change Toronto made. More so than in previous seasons, the Raptors are willing to lean on its second unit. Over the years under team president Masai Ujiri, the Raptors have steadily rounded out their roster with players the team has drafted and developed. This season, several of them have become major contributors. Rookie OG Anunoby has stepped into the starting lineup and given the Raptors the big, physical presence on the wings they’ve been searching for. Other former draft picks have developed into reliable options at point guard (Fred VanVleet), power forward (Pascal Siakam) and center (Jakob Poeltl), while this summer’s main offseason acquisition, swingman C.J. Miles, has helped Toronto’s efforts to become a better 3-point shooting team. The result is that Toronto has - again, by the numbers - developed the best bench in the NBA this season, allowing the Raptors to keep the minutes for their starters down, and to give Casey a multitude of options for how he chooses to close games. “Coach has been doing a good job of finding the hot hand,” Lowry said. “Tonight, Serge [Ibaka] and JV [Jonas Valanciunas] didn’t play to end the game, but there are nights where they will be in there. Pascal played great tonight [and] CJ played great tonight. “We’re going to go with what’s working.” But can the Raptors continue to play this way during the playoffs? That remains to be seen, but to do so, Lowry and DeRozan will have to continue to believe that everyone needs to touch the ball as the game winds down, instead of reverting back to the isolation play that they’ve so often relied on in the past. It also comes back to whether Casey will continue his liberal use of his bench. Typically, teams shorten their rotation during the playoffs, and groups that have had success relying on depth like this have either struggled to replicate it or simply gone away from it. Casey, however, sounds like he’s fully committed to giving it a go. “We will find out,” Casey said. “The goal is to find out. Why not? What is our record right now so why change this because some rule book somewhere [says so]. “If you find it, please send it to me. Because I have been on some teams where you keep the same rotation, and somebody somewhere in the back of a room says, ‘Well, [in the] playoffs you have to shorten your rotation. “So we have to find out unless this group proves us wrong.” There is so much that has to be found out about this Raptors team. That’s what happens after years of regular season success has been followed by false starts in the playoffs. We’ll answer the question for Casey: This clearly is Toronto’s best team yet. But is it good enough to take the Raptors to places they have never been? Check back in the spring. It is only then that we’ll know the answer.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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NBA
Dwyane Wade has special shoes made in honor of fallen student, meets with parents BY MANNY NAVARRO
mnavarro@miamiherald.com
Manuel Oliver and Patricia Oliver buried their 17-year-old son Joaquin last month in a Dwyane Wade jersey. Saturday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Olivers were special guests of Wade, who has dedicated the rest of his 15th season in the NBA to Joaquin by writing his name on his sneakers every game. Joaquin Oliver was among the 17 people killed in the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and the first person Wade knows of who has ever been buried in one of his jerseys. Wade’s sister Tragil and mother Jolinda, a pastor in Chicago, met with Oliver’s parents earlier this week and helped set up Saturday’s meeting with the future Hall of Famer, which was expected to happen after the Heat’s game against the Pistons.
MANNY NAVARRO mnavarro@miamiherald.com
Heat veteran Dwyane Wade had a special pair of sneakers with Joaquin Oliver’s name and the school logo of Marjory Stoneman Douglas made. Wade was expected to present them to Oliver’s parents after Saturday night’s game.
“We’ve been trying to get them to the game so we could give them some stuff,” said Wade, who had a pair of his Way of Wade sneakers personalized with the Stoneman Douglas school logo on the front and Joaquin’s
name across a black flap as a gift for the Oliver family. “My mom appreciated Joaquin’s family respecting me the way they have. I think it meant a lot to my mom. She wanted to go, understanding the
family is grieving right now to give them some form of something, whatever it was, words, or anything. I thought it was great. Before she left [back to Chicago] she got a chance to do that. We’re trying to do things not
only for their family, but also the other 16 lives that were lost.” Wade made the game-winning shot Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers while wearing a pair of black sneakers and Oliver’s name written on them in silver marker. Afterward, Wade said he felt like angels were guiding his shots. In an interview on Univision’s show Al Punto, Oliver’s father said “sports were his passion.” Manuel Oliver said that when Wade was traded to the Heat six days before the shooting at Parkland his son called him with excitement in his voice. “Joaquin called me at the office and said, ‘Dad, guess who’s coming back? Guess who is coming home?’ ” Oliver told Univision. “[I thought] ‘I don’t know. Maybe an aunt from Venezuela?’ [He said] ‘Wade is coming back! I need that jersey!’ ” The Olivers couldn’t get Wade’s Vice edition jersey their son wanted fast enough — it’s on back
McCollum scores 28 as Blazers down OKC
NBA IN BRIEF
BY ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press PORTLAND, ORE.
ERIC GAY AP
Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) celebrates after he made a late score to help lift the team past the Spurs on Saturday in San Antonio. Los Angeles won 116-112.
Saturday’s games Rockets 123, Celtics 120: Eric Gordon scored 29 points off the bench, James Harden had 26 points and 10 assists, and Houston outlasted Boston to extend its winning streak to a season-high 15 games. Houston trailed by six before using a 10-2 run, with the last five points coming from Trevor Ariza, to take a 117-115 lead with 1:16 remaining. Houston’s winning streak ties the second-longest in franchise history, accomplished twice during Hakeem Olajuwon’s tenure in the 1990s, and trails only a 22-game run the Rockets had in the 2007-08 season. Lakers 116, Spurs 112: Lonzo Ball hit a careerbest six 3-pointers, Julius Randle had 25 points and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied in the final two minutes to beat San Antonio. Ball made three shots from beyond the arc in the
final three minutes to give the Lakers their fifth straight victory. Ball finished with 18 points, and Isaiah Thomas added 21 points. The Spurs lost their second straight game in which they never trailed until the final two minutes. Heat 105, Pistons 96: Kelly Olynyk and Josh Richardson each scored 17 points, and Miami enhanced its playoff hopes with a victory at home over Detroit. James Johnson scored 14 points, Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow each had 13 and Dwyane Wade added 11 for Miami, which won for only the fourth time in their last 13 games. Blake Griffin scored 31 points for the Pistons, who were playing their fifth game in seven nights – four of those on the road. Jazz 98, Kings 91: Donovan Mitchell scored eight of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and Utah beat Sacramento. The
Jazz, who beat Minnesota on Friday, have back-toback victories for the first time since their 11-game winning streak was snapped by Portland on Feb. 23.
Notable CAVS’ SMITH MUM ON KIND OF SOUP THROWN AT COACH J.R. Smith’s soup choice remains unknown, and so do the ingredients that steamed him so much he threw a bowl of soup at assistant coach Damon Jones. Smith was suspended one game by the Cavaliers, and Saturday the temperamental guard addressed the latest drama in what has been a tumultuous season for the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions. Asked what he could share about the soup spat, Smith was as cold as gazpacho.
order for thousands of fans until July. “So he wore the one he had that day [of the funeral],” Patricia Oliver said. Said Manuel: “He would have loved it. I would’ve loved to get it [the new jersey] for him, but we didn't have time.” Wade, though, had one of those Vice jerseys waiting for the Olivers on Saturday, along with those specially ordered red Way of Wade shoes with Joaquin’s name on it. “Over the years I’ve gotten to meet a lot of families and kids especially who say I’m their favorite player and I try to do things for them,” Wade said. “I obviously can’t do everything. But there are certain stories, certain moments, certain situations that touch you and it makes you do more. “Life is bigger than basketball,” Wade continued. “This is definitely bigger than the game. Even though the game has brought certain people to admire me, this definitely makes it bigger than that. [What they did burying their son in my jersey] I don’t even know how to put it into words or thought at all. In a tough moment for a family, there’s so many decisions that you have to make. And for me to be a part of that — that he would have wanted to be buried in my jersey — that’s mindboggling to me.”
“Nothing,” he said. And as for the kind of soup he flung? “Honestly,” he said Saturday following the team’s shootaround. “I don’t even remember.” Smith, who is expected to start Saturday after serving his one-game ban Thursday against Philadelphia, refused to say if he agreed with the discipline. He said he spoke with his teammates about what happened but not with Jones, a former NBA player who has been on Tyronn Lue’s staff for two seasons. “It’s not really my call,” the 31-year-old said on the merits of his punishment. “More than anything, I talked to my teammates about it, everybody seemed cool. We moved on from it as a team, so whether it warranted a suspension or not, that’s not my job. I’m just here to play basketball.” — ASSOCIATED PRESS
CJ McCollum scored 28 points, Damian Lillard had 20 and the Portland Trail Blazers won their sixth straight game Saturday night with a 108100 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Rookie forward Zach Collins added 12 points for the Blazers, part of a close cluster in the Western Conference standings that includes the Thunder, Spurs and Timberwolves. Russell Westbrook had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma City, but the loss snapped a threegame winning streak. Paul George added 21 points. The Blazers led by 10 early in the fourth quarter but Westbrook converted a three-point play after Pat Connaughton was called for goaltending, pulling the Thunder to 95-90. Westbrook’s jumper got Oklahoma City even closer with 3:58 to go. Collins’ 3-pointer put Portland up 102-93 with 2:23 left, but Westbrook answered with his own 3 and Jerami Grant added a layup to trim the Thunder’s deficit to 102-98. After Lillard made free throws, Westbrook airballed a 3-pointer and Portland closed it out at the foul line. The Thunder rested Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging 16.9 points per game, after defeating the Suns 124-116 on Friday night in Phoenix. Patrick Patterson started in his place. Corey Brewer played for the Thunder even though he had not yet practiced with the team. The 6foot-9 guard was formally signed by Oklahoma City on Friday. Brewer, an 11-year NBA
veteran, averaged 3.7 points in 54 games this season with the Lakers, who agreed to a buyout with him on Wednesday. “I’ve got confidence in him. I know him as a player and a person. He’s very smart and cerebral and he'll be able to figure things out as he’s going,” said Thunder coach Billy Donovan, who also coached Brewer at the University of Florida. Brewer made his Thunder debut in the first quarter and played 12 minutes with a rebound and an assist. The Blazers were without starter Maurice Harkless, who was out with a left patellar tendon strain. Harkless was hurt in Thursday night’s 109-99 victory over the Timberwolves. Evan Turner started in his place. The Thunder led 28-25 going into the second quarter but Portland grabbed a 34-33 lead on Shabazz Napier’s 3-pointer. McCollum’s putback and Jusuf Nurkic’s layup extended the Blazers’ advantage to 44-35. There was a dustup late in the half when Nurkic and Steven Adams got tangled up before exchanging words. After a video review, Nurkic was called for a common foul but Westbrook got a deadball technical. The Blazers led 53-50 at the break. Westbrook led all scorers with 14 points. Patterson’s 3-pointer pulled the Thunder briefly in front, 60-59, but Portland led 83-75 going into the final period. Portland has won three of the four meetings between the teams this season, giving the Blazers a potential tiebreaker for playoff seeding. Portland has won five straight overall against the Thunder and eight in a row at Moda Center.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 23
NFL
NFL Network
Shaquem Griffin lay down on the bench Saturday, the 225-pound barbell above him and the crowd of a few hundred onlookers anxiously looking on to see how – or even whether – the Central Florida linebacker would perform at the bench press.
One-handed prospect and an impressive press BY ARNIE STAPLETON
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS
There’s always energy in the bench press room at the NFL scouting combine when players grip the crossbar and begin pumping the 225 pounds of free weights. But never like this. Even Shaquem Griffin, the one-handed do-it-all defender from Central Florida and a late invitee to the combine, didn’t expect to do what he did Saturday with his prosthetic left hand . His personal max was 11, but he had a much more modest benchmark here. “My goal was six ,” Griffin acknowledged afterward. Griffin clipped his prosthetic hand onto the bar,
then leaned back. This wasn’t his brother spotting him – the one who he was sure used to surreptitiously help him – but this new spotter was hyping him up and the crowd joined in, and his fellow linebacker prospects. “Everybody in the stand was hyping me up. I got the guys I’m here with hyping me up. It felt amazing,” Griffin said. “I was ready to go. I was ready to attack it.” His chest heaved. And the counting began. One, two, three. “I said, this thing feels like 135. Let’s go!” Griffin recounted. “And I just started cranking them out.” Four, five, six. That was easy. Seven, eight, nine. The crowd was holler-
BRYNN ANDERSON AP
Shaquem Griffin was 4 years old when doctors amputated his left hand a day after his mother found him in the kitchen attempting to cut off his jelly-like fingers, which were in searing pain whenever he touched anything, the result of amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect.
ing by now. Ten, 11 – this was his personal best. Twelve. A new high. Thirteen … 14 … 15 … 16. The crowd was roaring is disbelief. Seventeen. Can this really be happening? Eighteen! That’s one more than his twin brother, Shaquille, managed at last year’s combine before the Seattle Seahawks selected him in the third round of the NFL draft. Nineteen! One more …. 20! “I got chill bumps watching him do 20 reps,” said NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock. “I literally choked up a little bit watching him do that and I can’t wait to watch him tomorrow.” Griffin was 4 years old
when doctors amputated his left hand a day after his mother found him in the kitchen attempting to cut off his jelly-like fingers, which were in scoring pain whenever he touched anything, the result of amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect. Despite having just one hand, he kept up with his twin brother on and off the field. As dozens of reporters and photographers gathered around him Saturday, Griffin said, “I thought I was going to walk over here and it was going to be like three people.” Not after becoming the talk of this combine. “It was amazing, hearing the crowd and having the juices flowing, I mean I felt it,” Griffin said. “I didn’t know I had it in me.” Griffin said he’s mindset is he always has to do more than those around him to impress coaches. “I always hold myself to a higher standard than a lot of people just because if we’re running drills, if I drop a ball, they’re going to like, ‘Well, he dropped the ball because he has one hand.’ If anybody else drops a ball, they’re going to be like, ‘Well, maybe it was a bad ball.’ ” As a freshman, he couldn’t even lift the 45pound bar, but then he was fitted with the pros ethic and his mom cried when he did his first pullup. “It’s amazing to see how far I’ve come from not being able to bench the bar to throwing up 20 reps of 225 and being able to compete with the best here,” said Griffin, the 2017 American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year. Griffin, who played D-line, linebacker and safety at the Senior Bowl, said he’s going to try to join the defensive back drills Saturday after running his 40-yard dash and working with the linebackers at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I feel like I could just start curling 225 right now and I’m pretty sure come tomorrow, it’s going to be adrenalin just going crazy. I’m excited about tomorrow. If I feel this good doing the bench press, I can’t wait to see how I am tomorrow.”
Hurst Jr. diagnosed with heart condition BY MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS
Utah defensive lineman Lowell Lotulelei says Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst Jr. told him Saturday that he had been diagnosed with the same heart condition as Lotulelei’s older brother, Star. The comments came shortly after ESPN.com first reported Hurst will not be allowed to participate in drills. League spokesman Michael Signora confirmed that players can be held out based on certain diagnoses but that he believed Hurst was still in town. Jeff Foster, president of National Football Scout-
ing, declined to confirm details of what happened because of privacy concerns. But he did tell The Associated Press that six to eight players have been withheld from drills this year for reasons players were not aware of before their arrival. Foster said that number has stayed relatively consistent over the past 13 years. Hurst had been rising steadily on mock draft boards. The 6-foot-2, 280pound defensive tackle had 59 tackles and 51⁄2 sacks last season. He also had 13 tackles for loss and has been considered one component of a deep class of defensive tackles in this year’s draft. Hurst’s father played seven seasons with the
New England Patriots as a cornerback. Word leaked just after defensive linemen and linebackers started talking to reporters at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. “I just found out in the NFLPA meeting that we just had. He just said, ‘Star was your brother?' And I said yeah. He’s like, ‘Man, I just got the same thing that he did,’ ” Lowell Lotulelei told reporters. “Obviously I didn’t go through it, so I don’t really know what he’s feeling like. But I kind of understand the disappointment just because my brother trained just like he trained and you’re expecting one thing and getting another. I feel for him. It sucks. But I think he'll be fine just like my brother was.”
AJ MAST AP
Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst (73) was considered a top prospect.
Five years ago, Star Lotulelei arrived at the combine as the expected first pick in that year’s draft. Things changed dra-
matically after doctors identified an “abnormal” test on his heart. Lotulelei then sought additional opinions, eventually was cleared to exer-
cise and was taken by Carolina with the 14th overall selection in the 2013 draft. He has missed only four games in five NFL seasons.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 24
NFL
YOUNG KWAK AP
Washington State quarterbacks Luke Falk, left, and Tyler Hilinski take snaps during warmups before a game against USC last fall.
WSU’s Falk impressing NFL scouts, honoring Hilinski at combine BY GREGG BELL
gbell@thenewstribune.com INDIANAPOLIS
Luke Falk will complete more passes. He will throw for more yards. He will impress more coaches. Next, it will be in the NFL. But the former walk-on at Washington State and Pac-12’s career leader in passing yards, won’t be more impressive and genuine than he was at the NFL scouting combine this weekend talking about the January suicide of teammate Tyler Hilinski. “I lost a friend,” Falk said. Falk, who was AllPac-12 as a sophomore, had a bond with Hilinski like he shared with no other of the 103 other Cougars players. Falk was rattling off a series of rote answers Friday, routine combine queries about passing accuracy and toughness and experience. Those responses were well-spo-
ken and well-scripted, the product of today’s specialized preparation draft academies that do as much as for interviews from NFL teams and media as they always have for 40-yard dashes, vertical jumps and throwing sessions. But when asked Falk how Hilinski – two years his junior and his heir as WSU’s starter until he took a teammate’s rifle and shot himself in his Pullman apartment Jan. 16 – affected him, Falk leaned in. He nodded. He shook his head from to the side. Rote transformed into real. More than for USC or Washington’s blitz, Falk had steeled himself for this question. Not from the media. From the NFL teams that interviewed him this past week, as they probed whether they want the pinpoint passer from the Palouse to be their next man at the sport’s most important position. “I lost a friend,” Falk
said. He paused. He detached from the biggest job interview of his life to talk about an issue so much more important and lasting than three-cone drills and out routes. “It still just feels… unreal,” Falk said. “I know the guys up there are trying to do a lot of team activities to come together. But, you know, I don’t think that we’ll ever get over it. “Tyler’s always going to be with us. Hopefully, a lot of good comes from it. We just have all the love and prayers for the Hilinski family. “Tyler will always be part of us.” Three days after Hilinski’s death, Falk stopped his preparation for this combine in Southern California in mid-January and flew to Pullman and join his now-former teammates for a memorial service, candlelight vigil and healing day on WSU’s campus. How could he not? The NFL and the dream
of playing in it Falk has had since he was a kid from Logan, Utah, could wait. “I think life kicked in,” Falk, 23, said. “This is football. We are extremely blessed to be here. We are job interviewing to get paid to play a game. I think it really just set in what really matters in life – and that’s how you treat people and relationships. “You know, we are all here for a short amount of time. It really put a lot in perspective for me.” Falk cried at WSU vigil, as did just about every one of his Cougars teammates. Those tears flowed from beneath a white baseball cap Falk wore with Hilinski’s crimson jersey number 3 on it. He kept that cap on throughout Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Ala., at the end of that month. Instead of his number 4, he wore Hilinski’s number 3 during the Senior Bowl practices. The day before the hugely important all-star game, his first, big audition directly in front of NFL scouts, Falk with-
Former NC State star Hines runs fastest 40-yard dash among RBs BY SAM NEWKIRK
snewkirk@newsobserver.com
Former N.C. State running back Nyheim Hines showed the NFL just how fast he is on Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Hines, who played football at Garner before playing three years for the Wolfpack, ran a 4.38second, 40-yard dash time, which was the fastest of the 32 running backs participating in the workouts. Despite the winning time, Hines thought he could’ve done better.
“I wasn’t happy with it,” Hines said. “I expected to run faster. I ran well after the first 10 yards, but the start wasn’t that great. I’m happy to be fastest, but it didn’t meet my expectations.” It was Hines’ second attempt at the 40, which is used to measure burst. He tallied a 4.39 on his first attempt, which was still better than secondplace finisher Saquon Barkley of Penn State at 4.40. Hines said his best unofficial time has been 4.32. Hines was measured at 5-8 3/8 and 198 pounds
ETHAN HYMAN ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. State running back Nyheim Hines beats Arizona State defensive back J’Marcus Rhodes on a long run on Dec. 29.
earlier in the combine. His vertical jump was 35.5 inches (ninth among running backs), and his broad jump was 119 inches (15th). His 3-cone drill time of 7.18 seconds was good enough for 13th. His 4.35-second time in the
20-yard shuffle was tied for 15th. Hines said he was blessed to be able to compete against the best running backs in the nation. “I’m a competitor, I like to win,” he said. “I set expectations for myself
drew from it to fly to California to attend Hilinski’s funeral. It was on the same Saturday as the Senior Bowl. Honoring Hilinski was more important to Falk than the Senior Bowl. So he went. How could he not? “I was really glad that I could attend all the things that I could,” Falk said, “just because Tyler was someone that personally affected me, a lot. I didn’t really, I guess, associate with the other quarterbacks all that much – until Tyler came in. He just had this infectious energy, “I have no doubt that he would have led the Cougars to a great season this year.” Which would have continued what Falk started. Falk persevered through being buried on the WSU depth chart as that walkon. He kept throwing and grinding, grinding and throwing. And completing. He threw for 14,486 yards for Air Raid maestro coach Mike Leach and the Cougars. Falk exquisitely led open receivers with precise passes that almost always hit them in stride, to gain gobs of additional yards after the catch. He led WSU to the Sun Bowl, Holiday Bowl and Holiday Bowl in consecutive seasons. It was the Cougs’ first run of three consecutive bowls since 200103. Falk’s 119 touchdown passes and 1,403 comple-
and nobody else. No matter how you win, win. It’s you against yourself, that’s your biggest competitor. I have standards and expectations for myself. I was disappointed in (the 40), but I’m happy with what I accomplished.” Hines got some praise on social media for his combine performance. “Nyheim Hines is going to be a hot commodity in that late third round/early fourth round range,” said Jonah Tuls, an NFL draft analyst. Hines said he talked to eight teams formally at the combine, including all of the NFC East teams, the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots, his favorite team. “They wanted to test my football IQ ,” Hines said. “They wanted me to explain what I was doing, the reads. Explain what the offense is doing the
tions were also Pac-12 records – in a conference that has produced Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway, NFL and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers and fellow Super Bowl-champion Jim Plunkett, among other legends. A battering, sub-par season as a redshirt senior in 2017 dropped Falk down some draft boards. But he also played through getting smashed by opposing pass rushers and Leach benching him twice, for Hilinski. Tacoma NFL draft guru Rob Rang and the guys at NFLDraftScout.com and the Pro Football Hall of Fame estimate Falk will be a fourth-round pick in April. They love his intelligence, his toughness and his touch on his passes. They don’t love so much what they see as his lack of arm strength, a lanky, 6-foot-4 frame, and his injured left wrist. That led Hilinski to start the Holiday Bowl against Michigan State in December instead, in what proved to be the last football game of his life. Falk still had a black brace on the wrist at the combine, but he said it’s healing fine. If Falk does last until the third and final day of April’s draft, some NFL team is going to be getting the most real, appreciative and properly aligned pick out there. In the six weeks since Hilinski’s devastating death, Falk has become vocal advocating for more discussion in our society about depression and mental illness. He’s become more vocal about the fact suicide is the second-leading cause of death for American men aged 18 to 45. “I know I have a platform that can reach out to a lot of people. And hopefully, a lot of good can come from it,” he said, again pushing aside the seemingly all-important NFL for something truly more important. “I think there definitely needs to be a change. I think there definitely needs to be less of a stigma about mental health, especially with men. Hopefully, a lot of good will come from it. “I know the family is doing a lot of things in his name, and in his honor, which is awesome,” Falk said of the family of his gone-but-never-forgotten friend and teammate. “Because he was a heck of a guy.”
first day on campus. I knew every route of the wide receivers and the progressions. I think I did pretty well with that. I have a good football IQ.” Hines spent the past few weeks at the Applied Science & Performance Institute in Tampa, Fla. He will return to Raleigh soon and begin workouts for N.C. State’s March 19 pro day workouts. Former N.C. State offensive tackle Will Richardson also participated in Friday’s workouts. Richardson, who weighed 306 pounds, tied for the second-longest arms among offensive linemen. His 5.26 official 40-yard time ranked 18th, while he finished fourth in the vertical jump (31.5 inches) and tied for 10th in the broad jump (108).
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 25
NFL
ALEX GALLARDO AP
“I think I’m the best quarterback here,” UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen said at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Rosen says he has skills to be franchise QB BY ADAM H. BEASLEY
abeasley@miamiherald.com INDIANAPOLIS
Rich kid. Entitled. Hard to coach. Poor leader. Bad teammate. Josh Rosen knows his rep. Google “Does Josh Rosen love football?” and
you’ll get dozens of stories suggesting he does not. Rosen, the outrageously talented UCLA quarterback and potential No. 1 overall pick, knows he has one real chance to change that narrative before the draft. And that’s this week, here, at the NFL Scouting Combine. He will meet
with the teams that might take him — and try to set them straight. (Rosen had not visited with Dolphins coach Adam Gase as of Friday afternoon.) The point he hopes to get across: That he does indeed love the game. “We all work our butt off,” Rosen told reporters. “If we didn’t like football,
no matter how talented we are, we wouldn’t be in the position that we all are here this week. I mean, I love football with all of my heart and soul. If I didn’t, I just don’t think I’d have made it through the grind of college.” Rosen insists that he will not “present a fake image of myself” to teams, but certainly, he was prepared — perhaps even rehearsed — for the questions he inevitably would face this week. And to Rosen’s credit, he passed the public test. He was cordial, willing and candid during his 15-minute Q&A. “You have to lead in your own individual way,” Rosen said. “I’m not a big rah-rah guys. And if I tried
to, my teammates would see right through it. It’s not about me. It’s about the team. Anything I can do to make the team better, I’m going to do. I’m going to do that on a person-by-person basis.” Rosen is not a typical jock. He’s really smart — and opinionated. But he does rub some people the wrong way. An unnamed NFL scout told NFL.com that “he wasn’t the guy everyone rallied around in college and you don’t have to dig around for too long to find people who said he was hard to coach. He’s definitely talented. Nobody questions that. But he’s going to have to get grown men to buy into him as their leader. That is not a given.” But UCLA center Scott Quessenberry, who actually shared a huddle with Rosen, painted a far different picture Thursday. “When things go wrong and aren’t looking the way you want them to look, Josh is a guy you want to have in the backfield commanding the offense and making all the throws and making all the reads,” Quessenberry said. “I don’t know where it comes from,” Quessenberry added, when asked about the criticism Rosen gets. “It drives me insane. I have a really good relationship with Josh, and I think he’ll tell you the same thing about me and we talk, and for him to get the rap that he gets, it’s BS because of the type of guy that he is and the type of stand up human being that he is and the type of pro that he’s going to be. “He’s a great dude, I love hanging around him and being with him, and
whoever gets him is extremely lucky. They’re getting a once in a millennium talent, in my opinion.” If this topic seems familiar to Dolphins (and Bears) fans, it should. These quotes could have just as easily applied to Jay Cutler, whose personality also did not fit the mold of an NFL quarterback. But Gase was just fine with Cutler’s quirks, and it stands to reason he would be open to working with Rosen, who is a rare talent. And while he does not have the swagger of Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (another possible top 10 pick), he is confident in his own way. “I think I’m the best quarterback here,” Rosen said. “I think I can diagnose defenses and put the ball where it needs to be. I think I make good decisions. I think we’re all competitors and I think every single quarterback should have the same exact belief that I do.” Rosen added: “I think you have to be yourself. You have to be authentic. You have to show that you’ve learned and grown over the years. You have to own your mistakes. I think that’s what I’m trying to show. I’m trying to show who I really am, not who I’m trying to be, because I don’t want them to draft someone they think they’re getting and then not to get that guy. I think that’s also what your teammates want. Your teammates don’t want a fake shell of yourself. Teammates want you to be you every single day, so that you’re that reliable rock they can count on.”
Louisville’s Jackson justifies staying at QB BY ARNIE STAPLETON
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS
As promised, former Louisville quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson spent Saturday at the NFL scouting combine slinging it and not winging it. Jackson didn’t show off a big arm like Wyoming’s Josh Allen, the other prime prospect in his throwing group Saturday. But nobody else did, either: Allen wowed the coaches with a 66-yard pinpoint pass at one point during the first of two sessions with the quarterbacks and wide receivers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Jackson, though, was much more explosive than Allen was in his drops, consistently getting 7 yards deep on five-step drills whereas Allen made up for his poorer footwork with his superior arm strength. Widely considered the best running quarterback since Michael Vick but a thrower who still needs polish, Jackson shook off some apparent jitters to show off a good enough passing prowess to justify his reticence to switch to wide receiver. Jackson never caught a single pass at Louisville, where he threw for 9,043 yards and 69 touchdowns, ran for 4,132 yards and 50 TDs in 38 games. On Friday, he dismissed widespread speculation about him running routes with the receivers here. “No sir. I’m a quarter-
back,” he said. The buzz began building when former Colts executive Bill Polian told ESPN he thought Jackson should switch to receiver because he’s not as accurate, tall or strong as the other hopefuls in this year’s deep class of college quarterbacks. Polian suggested Jackson should make the switch sooner than did Terrelle Pryor, the ex-Ohio State QB who switched to wide receiver at age 26. Such a notion was met by skepticism from several teams this week, and Jackson said he won’t switch positions even if asked. “No sir,” he said, “I’m a quarterback.” And he said he’s not interested in just running wildcat plays, where he’d take the direct snap and zip around the tackle, either. “No wildcat,” Jackson said. “This is not the Dolphins with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. No sir.” While USC’s Sam Darnold chose not to throw at the combine because he’d rather show off his arm with his own receivers at USC’s upcoming pro day, Jackson decided not to run the 40-yard dash. “Film speaks for itself as far as showing off my speed and showing I can make people miss,” Jackson said. “I’ve just got to show off my arm – because that’s where they’re doubting me.” He assuaged some of those concerns Saturday.
MICHAEL CONROY AP
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson runs a drill at Saturday’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
NFL IN BRIEF Dallas: Owner Jerry Jones said he wants receiver Dez Bryant back with the Cowboys next season. He still views him as a top receiver, despite his declining numbers of the past three years. Jones acknowledges that a conversation is coming soon with Bryant regarding his contract.
— FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
Miami: Receiver Jarvis Landry said he’s willing to sit out the 2018 season instead of playing on the franchise tag. — SUN SENTINEL
New Orleans: Two people familiar with the situation say the Saints and freeagent safety Kurt Cole-
man have agreed to terms of a three-year contract. The people spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday on condition of anonymity because the roster move has not been announced. The 29-year-old Coleman is an eight-year veteran out of Ohio State who played the past three
seasons for Carolina. He started in all 12 games in which he played last season and made 76 solo or assisted tackles. He also recovered a fumble. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 26
BASEBALL BY ANDY MCCULLOUGH
Los Angeles Times
PHOENIX – His job requires him to finish what someone else starts, so Kenley Jansen proposed a solution. Major League Baseball wants to improve the pace of games? Here’s an idea. “Start fining organizations,” he said. He was serious. Set a length of game that is unacceptable – say, 31⁄2 hours, he said. Tally up the teams who exceed the limit most often. Punish them. “I’m telling you, they would start developing guys in the minor leagues. That makes more sense than to put in a clock, or all this.” Jansen, the 30-year-old Dodgers closer, was sitting on a cart in the shade of Camelback Ranch as a handful of teammates pitched behind him. His teammates wore their uniforms; Jansen sported a T-shirt and shorts. In his hands he palmed a Wilson football, the only object he would throw on this day. His schedule afforded him the time to ponder other people’s problems. His suggestion was radical and thought-provoking and utterly farfetched. It illuminated Jansen’s theory on what ails baseball. The problem, he explained, is not the proliferation of mound visits. It is an industry that promotes pitchers before they are ready and demands they sink or swim. Jansen can see himself in these neophytes. He knows he could have sunk, too. A few years ago, Jansen would not have spoken up. Empowered by his perch of leadership within the Dodgers clubhouse, he feels comfortable expounding on the game’s hot-button issues. He suggested players may need to go on strike to force owners to spend more. He called the pitch clock threatened by Commissioner Rob Manfred a “ridiculous” idea. Among Dodgers’ constellation of stars, Jansen has emerged as an unlikely mouthpiece. One of the lasting images of 2017 occurred after the team clinched the National League West for the fifth season in a row. Corks popped and cleats squished inside a soggy Dodger Stadium clubhouse. Jansen called the room to order. His teammates went quiet around him. “From the bottom of my heart, I’m desperate for that ring, dog,” Jansen said. “We all should be desperate for that ring.” The Dodgers erupted. Jansen disappeared inside a blizzard of bubbly and Budweiser. He had solidified his place of influence alongside ace Clayton Kershaw, All-Star third baseman Justin Turner and veteran sage Chase Utley. Jansen might be the most outspoken of the group. “Once you get older, you get a voice,” outfielder Matt Kemp said. “He’s put up the numbers to be vocal and be a leader.” The debate over the game’s best reliever begins with Jansen. Since 2015, he leads all relievers in FanGraphs’ version of wins above replacement. He led all relievers in WAR in 2017, which was his best season. Jansen posted the lowest fullseason earned-run average of his career (1.32), plus his best strikeout-towalk ratio (15.57 strikeouts
ROBERT GAUTHIER TNS
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen pitches a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to save a 3-1 win for the Dodgers over the Astros in Game 6 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
How Jansen became the Dodgers’ most respected leader
ROBERT GAUTHIER TNS
Dodgers pitchers Kenley Jansen, right, and Javier Baez during a workout last month.
per walk). He led the National League in saves and finished fifth in the Cy Young award voting. Jansen has known only success in the major leagues. He arrived at 22, a converted catcher with one wicked pitch and 611⁄3 innings of experience as a pitcher. He was raw, uneducated in the nuances of off-field maintenance, disinterested in doing much besides flinging cutters and gobbling up outs. His evolution into the spokesman of a pennant winner required him to overcome physical limitations, answer challenges from manager Dave Roberts and process the sting of failure on the game’s grandest stage. Surgery on Jansen’s foot in 2015 afforded him time to refine his preparation. In 2016, Roberts galvanized Jansen to develop the work ethic befitting a leader. The pain of 2017, in which Jansen blew a save in one World Series game and lost another, left him hungry for another opportunity. Two days after Game 7, Jansen was in the weight room at Dodger Stadium. “The more and more success he’s had, the more and more influence he’s had on the bullpen, and
the harder he’s worked,” Kershaw said. “Because he wants to continue to be at that level.” Jansen and Kershaw met as teenagers in the Gulf Coast League in 2005. For Kershaw, Jansen evoked the image of “a big 12-year-old,” unsure of his own ability, obsessed with video games and sleep, hungry for heaping bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Kershaw reached the majors at the age of 20 in 2008. Jansen joined him two years later, although by then he had converted from catcher to reliever, boosted by a cutter that overwhelmed hitters. Jansen lacked a fixed routine between appearances, and did not see the need to develop one. Strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel often had to coax Jansen into working out, and lobbed “friendly reminders” about Jansen’s diet that “weren’t received so well,” McDaniel said. “Not that he was a jerk, but just like ‘Come on, man. Let me be me.’ “ The tone changed in the spring of 2015, when he underwent foot surgery. As he recuperated, Jansen took suggestions about his diet. No longer did McDa-
niel have to drag him into the weight room. After the New York Mets bounced the Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs, Jansen doubled down on his effort away from the mound. The Dodgers hired Roberts that winter. He believed the most talented players set the tone for their teammates, and identified Turner, Kershaw and Jansen as bellwethers. He had heard Jansen sought a bigger presence. During a meeting at Camelback Ranch, Roberts suggested Jansen look inward before he spoke outward. “He needed to take accountability on how he was, and not just talk it, but walk it,” Roberts said. Roberts asked Jansen to remain dedicated to his diet and his exercise. He challenged Jansen to adapt to uncomfortable situations. When Roberts asked Jansen to pitch multiple innings, or enter in non-save situations, Jansen needed to answer. To Roberts, it took a few months, but by the late summer of 2016, Jansen had claimed his clubhouse mantel. The game rewarded Jansen for his diligence. He made his first All-Star
team. He pushed himself to the brink of collapse in Game 5 of the National League division series against Washington. In the offseason, the Dodgers lavished him with a five-year, $80 million contract. Financial security did not soften Jansen. In 2017, he surpassed himself once more: another All-Star campaign, another preposterous strikeout-towalk ratio, another dominant first two rounds of the postseason. Which only made what transpired in the World Series more shocking. In Game 2, with the Dodgers leading by a run and about to claim a 2-0 series lead, Jansen surrendered a tying home run to Astros outfielder Marwin Gonzalez. Four days later, in the final moments of a riotous Game 5, Jansen buckled in his second inning of work and permitted a walk-off single to third baseman Alex Bregman. The two moments tainted an otherwise brilliant campaign. Jansen logged 82 ⁄3 innings against the Astros, willing to pitch multiple frames on consecutive days, his body backing up the desperation he spoke about before the postseason began. Four months later, he had learned how to process the defeat. “Tip my cap to Marwin,” Jansen said. “0-2, I made a mistake. He got me. “The game back in Houston, I mean, we were up by four, then by three. They scored seven, eight runs off Kersh. And then scored runs on Brandon Morrow, and I got a tie game. They were good. They were really good. “I look at the bright side. Game 6, I threw two innings to force Game 7. That’s all I remember. And that’s all I will remember from that World Series. I forced that Game
7.” For 48 hours after the final defeat, Jansen bristled with anger. Unsure how to direct his energy, he met McDaniel at the ballpark. McDaniel ran Jansen through exercises aimed to improve his mobility and stabilization. Jansen wanted to lay the groundwork for another year. “I can’t express enough of how proud I am for him continuing to grow, learn, want information, want to get better,” McDaniel said. The organization recognized the stress on Jansen in 2017. He logged 85 innings, most of them under duress, between the regular season and October. A similar workload awaits in 2018, which is why Jansen will appear in only one or two Cactus League games. He did not pitch in February. Jansen invited the team’s chef to live with him this spring to keep his diet in order. He is usually one of the last players to arrive at Camelback Ranch most mornings. He spends about half an hour on the treadmill, stretches, does exercises for his core, and otherwise runs amok. One day he flung a football around the clubhouse with such abandon he nearly brained a reporter. A week later, he tackled a radio personality. He drew the ire of Kershaw for changing a meeting time without consulting anyone. “He still has to be called out every once in a while,” Kershaw said with a smile. Jansen retains his playful spirit. During a trip to Wrigley Field last April, the Dodgers resurrected the ancient custom of tapping one another below the belt. After a victory over the Cubs, Jansen extended the ritual to the front office. He delivered a concussive blow to the groin of Andrew Friedman, which left the team’s president of baseball operations curled in a fetal position on the bright green carpet of the visitors clubhouse. A rivalry blossomed. Earlier this spring, Jansen surprised Kemp by felling Friedman with a chopping blow. Kemp recoiled with laughter, and remarked how the organization had changed since his departure in 2014. Friedman vowed revenge. A few minutes later, Friedman fired a rubber ball that connected with Jansen’s lower half. Jansen crumpled to the ground, and Friedman was triumphant. Now, Jansen turned serious when discussing pace of play. He dislikes what he perceives as Manfred meddling with the flow of the game. He cannot understand why teams rush pitchers to the majors before the pitchers are ready to compete. Few understand the challenges of development at the big-league level better than Jansen. “I’m telling you where the game is going,” Jansen said. “I’m not the smartest guy on the planet. But when they’re doing this (adding a pitch clock), and guys can’t throw strikes, the game is going to become longer. And they’re going to going to drive themselves crazy. Like ‘What else should we do?’ ” Jansen hopped off the cart and walked toward the clubhouse. The clock had not reached 11 a.m., and his day was done. “Did I make sense, or not?”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 27
BASEBALL Angels’ Richards ready after two years of injuries BY JANIE MCCAULEY
Associated Press TEMPE, ARIZ.
Sure, Garrett Richards realizes his luck has been pretty bad the past couple of seasons when it comes to injuries. He’s not interested in dwelling on all the time he missed, all the countless hours of rehab that seemed as if they’d never end, rather turning his attention to what he can do to help the Los Angeles Angels now that he’s healthy at last. A year ago, Richards had prepared to pitch for a full season after working his way back from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow for which he had stem-cell therapy instead of the more common Tommy John reconstructive surgery. Then he got hurt again in his 2017 season debut. Immediately, another season cut short. With a rare biceps nerve
irritation issue, no less – his elbow was sound and intact. “You’re frustrated. You put in a lot of work to get back, you do everything you’re supposed to do and you go through the trial period, can you do this? All the doubts, being down on yourself. You get through all that and then to have it happen again, it’s frustrating and it’s back to the beginning,” he said. “You try and get as good as you can that day. You look back and eventually it’s three months down the road or whatever.” It tested his patience. Yet as he rehabbed again, Richards refused to get too far ahead of himself in what can be a daunting process. He wanted owner Arte Moreno and general manager Billy Eppler to know he would do all he could to regain his old form. “This is what I love to do and I have an obligation to this team to give
them everything I possibly have,” said Richards, who received a $7.3 million, one-year contract for 2018. “Not only for my teammates but for Arte, Billy, I have an obligation to give them everything I have on a yearly basis and try to win as many games as possible. When I’m hurt, I owe it to them to try and get back as fast as possible. That’s the way I look at it. So that’s the kind of mindset I have when I go into it.” The 29-year-old Richards pitched April 5, then not again for the Angels until Sept. 5, building up his arm strength by starting over in a throwing program. Richards has made only six starts in each of the past two years. Everyone is eager for a new beginning, especially with Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani in the mix and smiling at every chance. The pitcher and hitter dresses near Richards in the clubhouse at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
REED SAXON AP
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards, seen last fall, has turned his attention to what he can do to help the Angels now that he's healthy at last.
“We really feel that we’re a very talented starting rotation,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “A big thing is the health. What we’re trying to do is obviously monitor these guys. Garrett’s one of a number of guys. As dominant as Garrett was three years ago, it’s not outside the realm of possibility he can regain that, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Richards won a careerhigh 15 games in 2015 with his most innings ever at 207 1/3, and he had 13 wins the year before that. Last April at Oakland and back on a big league mound for the first time in 11 months, Richards pitched beautifully before he experienced some cramping in his biceps. He left abruptly in the fifth inning and said afterward it was as if someone had
CURTIS COMPTON AP
Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb, a left-hander, came up in June and showed he could strike out major league hitters (108 in 100 innings) without giving up too many home runs (10). However, his 57 walks were a contributing factor to his 4-9 record and 4.32 ERA.
Braves’ Swanson, Newcomb eye rebound from rocky 2017 BY DICK SCANLON
Associated Press KISSIMMEE, FLA.
Dansby Swanson and Sean Newcomb of the Atlanta Braves are hoping to rebound from rocky seasons. “It’s almost silly to think about it like this, but this is a game of failure,” said Swanson, who had a 144-game audition as the Braves shortstop in 2017. “What happened last year, we’re going to build off of it and be better now. I’ve already reflected and I’m ready to move on.” Newcomb, a left-handed pitcher, came up in June and showed he could strike out major league hitters (108 in 100
innings) without giving up too many home runs (10). However, his 57 walks were a contributing factor to his 4-9 record and 4.32 ERA. In the major league camp for the first time as a member of Atlanta’s rotation, Newcomb’s spring plan is “just getting more comfortable, being able to trust my stuff in the zone and let it rip, not try to strike everyone out.” He said cutting down on the walks is “an over-time kind of thing in my development.” Swanson and Newcomb are at the developmental core of what the Braves are trying to do to improve. Both are 24. Both were drafted in the first round by other teams and came to the Braves as
WILFREDO LEE AP
The Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2015 draft, was sent to Triple-A in July after struggling.
prospects in trades. They both had mixed results in their first full seasons (Swanson played in 38 games in 2016), but they will be expected to do more this season. “We don’t feel like any
of those guys are finished products yet,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Dansby was coming in after the really good end of the season before, and … this is a tough league. “You just don’t come in
and conquer it. There’s been a lot of Hall of Famers that had rough goes at the beginning. You’re going to have setbacks in this game; it’s going to beat you over the head probably more times than not. And you have to learn from it and survive it.” Swanson, the No. 1 overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2015 draft, was sent to Triple-A in July after struggling. “Obviously that’s not how you planned for it to go, but there’s always a bigger plan to trust,” he said. “I was willing to take that in stride and be better from it. I don’t think I ever truly lost confidence in myself. It was just more of like re-evaluating, like finding
punched him in his pitching arm. At that point, both Richards and Scioscia hoped the right-hander would be fine for his next start. “For whatever reason it was damaged or whatever happened, basically my bicep just kind of shut down,” Richards said. “It was a nerve issue. … It’s not a common thing whatsoever.” Richards returned to make five starts in September, going 0-2. The great thing about spending his offseasons in Chandler, Arizona, is that he could train at the Angels’ facility over the winter. “I had a normal offseason this offseason, which was cool,” Richards said. “I got to do some good training and get ready to go. You try and put yourself in the best shape and the best possible chance to stay healthy all year through the offseason and I feel really great right now, so that’s all I could ask for right now. “I think every spring it feels like a new start,” Richards added. “But for me personally I’m just happy to be back playing baseball.”
it again.” Swanson, who came to the Braves along with Ender Inciarte and Aaron Blair in the trade for Shelby Miller in December 2015, hit .213 before his 11-game demotion and .268 when he came back. He said the daily grind was an experience that required adjustments. “The most I ever played in college was 72 games in a year,” he said, “and now it’s 162, you play every day. Physically it’s tough, but mentally it can be tough too, if you let it.” Newcomb, the 15th overall pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, came to the Braves a month before Swanson in the Andrelton Simmons trade. He has been in the Braves’ rotation since his major league debut on June 10 last year. However his spot for 2018 is not secure yet like those of Julio Teheran, Mike Foltynewicz and Brandon McCarthy. “I look at it like that was my spot last year. Coming into this spring it’s my spot to lose actually, so if someone’s trying to take it from me, I’ve just got to go out there and do what I’ve got to do,” Newcomb said. With veterans R.A. Dickey, Bartolo Colon and Jaime Garcia in the rotation last spring, it was understood that Newcomb would start in Triple-A. “This rotation is definitely different, and it keeps the intensity level up,” he said. “As far as the day-to-day stuff, I feel pretty good about it. I feel comfortable being around most of these guys. It makes the adjustments to spring training easier.” Newcomb has three weeks to work on getting the walks down while increasing his strikeouts. “He’s getting to know himself better. A lot of it is confidence,” Snitker said. “They want to get strike one, and when you don’t go strike one, then they start trying to throw strikes and it becomes counterproductive. He’s not the finished product, but he’s far better today than he was a year ago today, put it that way.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 28
BASEBALL Geese gone from Yankees training site BY BILLY WITZ
New York Times TAMPA, FLA.
Rich Gossage, the cantankerous Hall of Fame pitcher known by his ornithological nickname, was not the only goose to be banished from the New York Yankees’ spring training facility over the winter. Gone, along with Goose, whose rants became too much for the Yankees to tolerate, is a flock of geese that lived near a pond outside the main entrance to Steinbrenner Field for about a decade. As fans, seasonal employees, sportswriters and Yankees players have
returned here for spring training, the absence of the noisy but noble birds has been noticeable. To some, the waddling geese were as much a part of the baseball scene here as the crack of balls meeting bats. “That was the first thing we noticed,” Lou Chiacchere, a snowbird from Brooklyn, said outside the ballpark before a recent game. “They were a part of the tradition,” added Lucy Chiacchere, his wife, who liked to feed them crackers. “When you come back here every year, you hear the geese honking, and it’s welcoming.” First baseman Greg Bird remembered the geese greeting him during the
2016 season, most of which he spent in Tampa rehabilitating from shoulder surgery. “That’s weird,” he said of their disappearance. “I’d be curious what happened. Whatever you find out, let me know.” It seemed like a mystery. It turned out, though, that most of the geese – there were from eight to more than a dozen of them, according to people here – died during the baseball offseason, a team spokesman said. They had not been reproducing lately, because of age or predation, and the two that had survived were moved to a wildlife refuge, the spokesman said. The move was made quietly enough that the woman responsible for introducing the geese to Steinbrenner Field – Terry Jenkins, a risk manager for the team who retired two years ago – learned of it from a reporter. “I’m surprised somebody didn’t let me know,” she said. “If they still have the pond, it’s a disservice
COURTESY PHOTO
Embden geese are large, tall, white geese weighing around 22 pounds. Several who lived near the Yankees spring training facility have died or been moved.
not to have them there. But everything about the Steinbrenners celebrated nature. I can’t imagine anyone over there doing anything irresponsible.” Jenkins said she received permission about 10 years ago from the Yankees to bring a pair of Embden geese that she had nursed to maturity to Steinbrenner Field. As the pair, with their white plumes and orange beaks, turned into a flock, she kept as keen an eye on the
geese as she did on the Yankees’ exposure to risk. She considered herself something of a mother goose. “I liked that you could look out the fourth-floor ladies’ room and see them,” she said. “And the other women that worked up there did, too.” Jenkins is an animal lover. Along with her husband, Bruce, she has turned their 1-acre property in nearby Lutz, Florida, into a refuge for older cats
BY DAVID M ZIMMER
The (Hackensack, N.J.) Record LAKELAND, FLA.
A former high school softball standout is working to become the first female umpire assigned to a regular-season Major League Baseball game. Jen Pawol took another step toward her goal as she umpired the Detroit Tigers’ 6-1 scrimmage win over Division II college team Florida Southern last week. The game was the first involving a Major League Baseball team for Pawol, one of just two women currently umpiring in the professional ranks. “It was like I took the car out for a test drive,” she said. “I’ve been working on this thing for a few years, so let’s see how this baby runs. So far, it handles pretty well.” Pawol, who described the game as business as usual, received a rare compliment from Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire after his team’s win. Per a report from The Detroit News, the game went off without a hitch. “It was nice that it was a scrimmage, but we were playing,” Pawol said. “We were definitely playing, and there were definitely like 3,000 fans there.” Pawol had her first experience umpiring when she was a teen in West Milford, N.J. “I liked it, I just didn’t have a car so I couldn’t get to the games,” she said. Two decades later, in 2016, she became Minor League Baseball’s seventh woman umpire. The 41-year-old teacher worked last season in the New York-Penn ShortClass A League, but said she aspires to be the first woman ever to work a regular-season game in baseball’s top flight. “Every minor league umpire has the one goal to be part of the 3 percent that gets hired for Major League Baseball,” Pawol said. “This is literally all every minor league umpire wants to do with the rest of their life.” John Finke, Pawol’s high school soccer coach and assistant softball coach, said he is confident Pawol’s excellent attitude and dedicated approach will drive her up the professional ranks and into a major league gig. “I have no doubt she is
KIRTHMON F. DOZIER TNS
Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, home plate umpire Jen Pawol and Florida Southern coach Lance Niekro meet before an exhibition game on February 22 in Lakeland, Fla.
Former high school softball standout working toward umpiring in MLB going to give it everything she has,” Finke said. Pawol, a member of the West Milford Class of 1995, was best known during her playing days for her sure hands and ball-stopping ability. A member of The Record’s All-Century softball and soccer teams, Pawol racked up 30 career shutouts as a soccer goalie. She also earned a .538 batting average and 153 runs batted in, 118 runs scored and 17 home runs during her time at West Milford. “We were really, really good and we won a lot,” she said. “I’ve been in a lot of school districts as a
substitute teacher … and I just think about how much wealth we had, not financially, but just in the people, the athletic talent, and the coaches.” Jim Dransfield, Pawol’s softball coach, said the two-time All-State first team catcher has every right to be remembered as the high school’s most decorated and driven athlete ever. “It’s been two to three years of hard work preparing my professional game. I’m going hard, or I’m going home.” “I have always believed she could do anything she set her mind to,” Dransfield said.
After high school, Pawol played for Hofstra University, the USA Baseball Women’s National Team and the Connecticut Brakettes of the National Pro Fastpitch League. “I just remember looking at the umpire one day and thinking, ‘yeah, I can do that,’ ” she said. “It’s just one foot behind the catcher, and I’ve already spent years and years getting hit by the ball and seeing the strike zone.” The move from player to part-time umpire came in 2005, when Pawol joined a group that assigned area softball and baseball games in her native state of New York.
“I was looking for something and didn’t want to go into coaching, because you’re not in the game; you’re not on the field,” she said. “It’s just not the same.” Four years later, Pawol said she quit her teaching job to start working winters in Florida leagues. Her umpiring assignments later elevated to Division I and professional softball games. Then, during an umpires’ clinic in 2015, a major league umpire asked Pawol if she wanted to go pro. “I was like, you know I’m a woman, right?” she said. “It was so mindblowing. Everything I had
(they have about 25), a goat, a miniature pony, a pair of Sebastopol geese and a handful of tropical birds. As welcoming a sight as the geese might have been, they were not always easy to manage. Groundskeepers fed them grain, but the grass that lined the pond required more frequent resodding or reseeding, and their excrement needed to be removed. They could be ornery, too. “I won’t say they make life wonderful for everyone there,” Jenkins said. “Sometimes they could be difficult and could bite, but they are beautiful to look at.” When the flock dwindled this winter, the Yankees decided to send the remaining two geese away rather than introduce more. The spokesman did not want to name the refuge because it was private, but he offered a clue: It was in Keystone, an unincorporated area north of Tampa.
heard in the past was not female-friendly, and I just always thought in my mind that they would never pick me. “They just said, ‘You know, that’s not how it is. If you’re good, you'll get a job. It’s that simple.’ ” An invitation to an August 2015 Major League Baseball Umpire Camps clinic followed. There, in Cincinnati, Pawol said she was urged to participate in a five-day Florida tryout with 31 other aspiring umpires for an Umpire Training Academy scholarship. “I was selected, and I did expect it,” she said. “I knew at that moment that it was game on … that I wasn’t going to have any problems – just do my game, and listen, and get better every day.” For the last two seasons, Pawol has worked in the professional umpiring ranks of minor league baseball. On Thursday, she took another step toward the major leagues. “It’s been two to three years of hard work preparing my professional game,” she said. “I’m going hard, or I’m going home.” Pawol’s 2018 umpiring assignment remains unclear. She said she is focused on impressing her supervisor and officiating partners during spring training in Florida. She is hopeful some Grapefruit League games are in her immediate future. “I’m not being lazy or hopeful,” she said. “I’m doing everything I can every day to make that dream come true.” According to an article on MLB.com, Pawol is doing preseason work to get ready for the season, umpiring 1-3 games a day. After the season starts, she'll probably remain in Florida for extended spring games until the New York-Penn League opens in late June. Pam Postema, 1977-89, was the first woman to umpire in a big league Spring Training game and advanced as high as Class AAA. The other women were Bernice Gera in 1972, Christine Wren 1975-77, Theresa Cox Fairlady 1989-91, Ria Cortesio 1999-2007 and Shanna Kook 2003-04, according to MLB.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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BASEBALL
Rays finalize 1-year deal with free agent Gomez Associated Press PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA.
The Tampa Bay Rays have finalized a $4 million, one-year contract with free-agent outfielder Carlos Gomez. The 32-year-old batted .255 with 17 home runs, 23 doubles, 51 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 105 games for the Texas Rangers last season. With the Rays, Gomez likely will move into the
right-field job vacated when Steven Souza Jr. was traded to Arizona last month. The deal completed Saturday also includes a provision for $500,000 in performances bonuses based on games played: $100,000 each for 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120. A two-time NL All-Star, Gomez has hit .256 with 133 homers and 504 RBIs over 11 seasons with the Rangers, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Mil-
waukee Brewers and Houston Astros. His 17 homers a year ago were the most he’s hit since 2014, when he had 23. Gomez also brings playoff experience to his new team, having appeared in the postseason with the Twins in 2009, Brewers in 2011, Astros in 2015 and Rangers in 2016. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated infielder Ryan Schimpf for assignment.
STEVE NURENBERG Special to the Star-Telegram
Free agent Carlos Gomez signed with the Rays, and likely will move into the right-field job vacated when Steven Souza Jr. was traded to Arizona last month.
MLB IN BRIEF ORIOLES’ DAVIS SCHEDULED FOR MRI ON ELBOW Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been playing through what was thought to be minor elbow soreness during the early games of the Grapefruit League exhibition season. Now, the club does not know what to think. Manager Buck Showalter revealed Saturday that Davis was scheduled for an MRI on his right elbow, which has apparently gotten more inflamed and become a matter of much greater concern. “That elbow is not managing quite like we had hoped,” Showalter said. “He came into today sore again. … He’s got some concern about it and we want to make sure we know what we’re dealing with.” — BALTIMORE SUN A The
Orioles and infielder Danny Valencia agreed on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
RODGER MALLISON Star Telegram
Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels starts against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium during spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz.
NOTEBOOK Chicago Cubs: Stung by a disappointing season, Kyle Schwarber stepped up his workouts over the winter, embraced a new diet and lost about 20 pounds. The catcher-turned-outfielder looks faster and more agile this spring, a positive sign as he tries to return to form after struggling for much of last year. Los Angeles Dodgers: Tom Koehler will start the season on the disabled list, and the reliever said he could miss weeks or months with a strain in his right shoulder. “We’re optimistic he’ll be back this year,” Manager Dave Roberts said. Koehler was the only free-agent pitcher the Dodgers signed to a major league contract. — LOS ANGELES TIMES
Detroit: The Tigers said ace Michel Fulmer will miss Sunday’s start against the Nationals with soreness in his right elbow. According to Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, Fulmer’s issue is unrelated to the offseason surgery he had to move the ulnar nerve to a different part of his elbow to alleviate numbness that bothered him last season. New York Yankees: Luis Severino had a strong three-inning simulated game, striking out seven and allowing two hits. Third in last season’s AL Cy Young Award voting, the right-hander threw 37 of 47 pitches for strikes. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
EXHIBITION GAMES HARPER RETURNS TO NATIONALS’ LINEUP Bryce Harper returned to Washington’s lineup following surgery to remove an ingrown toenail, striking out twice and walking in the Nationals’ 8-1 exhibition victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday. Stephen Strasburg pitched two innings in his first spring start for the Nationals. Coming off back-to-back 15-win seasons, Strasburg gave up a run on three hits and struck out two. Houston starter Justin Verlander pitched three shutout innings and allowed two hits, while striking out five. Verlander has struck out nine in five shutout innings to begin Grapefruit League play. RAYS 7, TIGERS 4 Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer didn’t make it out of the second inning in his second start. Archer set down just four batters and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks. C.J. Cron doubled in a run and scored for the Rays. Victor Martinez and Nicholas Castellanos both hit two-run home runs for Detroit. The Tigers announced ace Michel Fulmer will miss Sunday’s start against the Nationals with soreness in his right elbow. According to Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire, Fulmer’s issue is unrelated to the offseason surgery he had to move the ulnar nerve to a different part of his elbow to alleviate numbness that bothered him last season. YANKEES 5, RED SOX 3 Xander Bogaerts had two
hits, including a double, and scored a run for Boston. Jackie Bradley Jr. swiped his first base for the Red Sox. New York’s top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield pitched two innings and gave up a run on two hits and two walks. Aaron Hicks had a solo home run for the Yankees, while top prospect Miguel Andujar capped New York’s three-run rally in the eighth with a two-out RBI single. BLUE JAYS 13, TWINS 8 Kevin Pillar and Yangervis Solarte homered for the first time and Russell Martin added a three-run shot for Toronto. Pillar and Solarte both went deep off Minnesota starter Phil Hughes, who pitched 21⁄3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and a walk in his second start. Aaron Sanchez pitched three shutout innings and allowed one hit while striking out two in his second start for the Blue Jays. ORIOLES 4, PHILLIES (SS) 2 Baltimore ace Kevin Gausman put a rough first start behind and pitched three perfect innings while striking out five. The right-hander retired just four batters and allowed four runs in his first outing. Gausman and the bullpen held a Philadelphia split squad hitless until Ryan Flaherty’s one-out single in the eighth. PIRATES 4, PHILLIES (SS) 3 Pittsburgh ace Ivan Nova made his second start and pitched three innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two. Jose Osuna hit his first home run in his only at-bat, a pinch-hit two-run shot in the seventh as the Pirates scored three times to win for just the second time this spring. Brandon Leibrandt, the son of former major league pitcher
Charlie Leibrandt, retired just two batters and gave up three runs on four hits in his first appearance for Philadelphia. MARLINS 1, METS 0 Noah Syndergaard pitched three innings in his second start for New York. He allowed one run on a hit and a walk and struck out four. His fastball once again topped 100 mph. Mets closer Jeurys Familia allowed one hit in a scoreless fifth inning. Wilmer Flores had two hits and Juan Lagares picked up his first hit in his second straight start in center field for the Mets. Miami starter Jose Urena pitched two shutout innings. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two. Justin Bour drove in the Marlins’ run. BRAVES 9, CARDINALS 2 Nick Markakis had two hits for Atlanta, giving him five in his first seven at-bats, and Freddie Freeman added two doubles. Braves ace Julio Tehran pitched three scoreless innings, striking out three. Miles Mikolas, in the running for the back of the St. Louis starting rotation, didn’t fare well in his first start. The right-hander pitched three innings and allowed four runs on six hits. GIANTS (SS) 9, RANGERS 4 Johnny Cueto pitched two innings in his first start for San Francisco, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. Joe Panik led off the game with his first home run for the Giants. San Francisco’s split squad roughed up Texas ace Cole Hamels in his first start. Hamels pitched 21⁄3 innings and gave up four runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out two. The Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo hit his first home run to account for both runs off Cueto. Delino DeShields, Jurickson Profar and Choo all had
two hits for Texas. WHITE SOX 9, ROYALS 5 Chicago’s top pitching prospect Michael Kopech made his second start and pitched 21⁄3 innings, allowing only an unearned run. Kopech gave up two hits and a walk, while striking out three. Kansas City’s No. 2 starter Ian Kennedy pitched two innings in his second start and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, while striking out five. Matt Davidson had two hits and two RBIs for the White Sox. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez both drove in runs for the Royals. CUBS 7, REDS 4 Starting rotation hopeful Tyler Chatwood pitched two innings and allowed only a walk in his second outing for Chicago. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber all had hits for the Cubs. Luis Castillo pitched 22⁄3 innings in his second start for Cincinnati. Castillo gave up a run on five hits, while striking out four. Reds’ slugger Joey Votto walked in three at-bats and remains hitless this spring. PADRES 10, ATHLETICS 4 Hunter Renfroe homered for the second time and added an RBI single for San Diego, while top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. walked twice and stole his first two bases. The Padres boast the top farm system according to MLB rankings. Stephen Piscotty hit his first spring homer for Oakland, a two-run shot. Kendall Graveman, the Athletics’ No. 1 starter, struggled again. Graveman got just four outs and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks. His ERA rose to 13.50 after two starts. GIANTS (SS) 13, INDIANS 4 Austin Jackson had two hits, including a double, drove in a
run and scored twice leading off for San Francisco. Mac Williamson had three hits, including his third home run, and drove in three runs for the Giants’ split squad. Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin pitched two innings in his second start. He allowed five runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four. Edwin Encarnacion homered for the first time for the Indians – a two-run shot. DODGER5 14, DIAMONDBACKS 6 Justin Turner doubled and scored on a Matt Kemp home run as Los Angeles roughed up Arizona starter Robbie Ray in his second start. Ray got just two outs, while giving up five runs on four hits and two walks. Dodgers starter Alex Wood pitched 21⁄3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk. Yasmany Tomas had three hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks. BREWERS 6, ROCKIES 5 Trevor Story and Ryan McMahon both homered for the first time for Colorado. Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, who is vying for a spot in the back of the rotation, pitched three innings and allowed three runs on five hits and a walk. Milwaukee slugger Eric Thames had a double and his first spring home run, while Brewers ace Zach Davies pitched two innings in his second start. Davies allowed a run on two hits and a walk. Chase Anderson, who slots in at No. 3 in Milwaukee’s rotation, followed Davies and pitched three innings. He gave up a run on four hits and a walk. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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GOLF Stricker hits in water, gives up Cologuard Classic lead Associated Press TUCSON, ARIZ.
EDUARDO VERDUGO AP
Shubhankar Sharma held his nerve to the end and held a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Mexico Championship.
Sharma keeps lead at Mexico City WGC tourney BY DOUG FERGUSON
Associated Press MEXICO CITY
Shubhankar Sharma stayed up in the middle of the night in India to watch golf at the highest level, usually the majors, and the best players became legends to him. From the time he arrived in Mexico for his first World Golf Championship, he has been hitting balls on the range next to Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, and on Saturday he worked up the courage to introduce himself to Phil Mickelson on the putting green. “It just feels like there’s a TV in front of me, and I’m actually watching it through a TV,” Sharma said. Even more surreal? He’s beating them. The 21-year-old from India held his nerve to the end and holed a 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Chapultepec Golf Club for a 2-under 69, giving him a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Mexico Championship. Sharma has one round left to hold off a few of golf’s biggest names – starting with Mickelson. Mickelson played bogey-free for a 65 and will be in the final group for the first time since the British Open two years ago. Joining them will be Tyrrell Hatton of England, who went out in 30 and finished off a 64. “It’s been a long time since my game’s been back to this point,” Mickelson said. “I’m back playing some of my best golf again. It will start to click and get better and better as the year goes on.” As for winning for the first time since the 2013 British Open? “I think whether it happens tomorrow or not – very good chance it will – but if it doesn’t, it’s going to happen soon because I’m playing too well for it
EDUARDO VERDUGO AP
Two shots behind Sharma were Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, along with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Tyrrell Hatton. Another shot back was Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 player and defending champion.
not to.” At least there won’t be any need for an introduction. Sharma took care of that Saturday when he saw Mickelson on the putting green as he was about to tee off. His caddie, Gurbaaz Mann, played at Arizona State and walked over with him to meet Mickelson. Mickelson might have heard about Sharma, the only twotime winner on the European Tour this season and the Race to Dubai leader. He just didn’t recognize him. “He thought we were media and he said, ‘Not right now. After the round,’ ” Sharma said with a smile. “Then he just realized it and said, ‘So sorry, I thought you were media.’ He said ‘Hi,’ I said, ‘Hi.’ Then he made a few putts and he came back to me and said, ‘Have a good day.’ It was nice.” Sharma was at 13-under 200 and is one round away from capping an amazing rise. Just three months ago, he had yet to win a tournament outside of India’s developmental circuit. He didn’t have a European Tour card. He was No. 462 in the world. A victory in the
World Golf Championship would be his third title in his last eight starts, and likely put him in the top 25. He faces quite a test, however. Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello each had a 69 and were in the group at 11-under 202. Garcia has never won a World Golf Championship. Another shot back was Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world and defending champion, who managed a 68 despite playing the par 5s on the back nine in 1 over. Sharma didn’t blink, even after a lead that reached four shots at one point was shrinking. There was a little more emotion packed into those two short fist-pumps when his par putt dropped on the final hole. He had made bogey on No. 13 to fall into a share of the lead with Pat Perez. And while he bounced back with a birdie on the 14th, Sharma missed a 5foot birdie chance on the 15th, misjudged the distance on his approach and made bogey on the 16th and was facing another
bogey on the 18th when a gust knocked his ball into the bunker. He gave a slight fist pump, and then another, when the par putt fell. “Making par was very, very important,” he said. Perez had three birdies in a four-hole stretch and momentarily tied Sharma for the lead. But he dropped a shot on the 16th, and then came up short in the water on the par-3 17th and made double bogey. He had to settle for a 68, though he still was just three shots behind, along with Brian Harman (68) and Xander Schauffele (70). Justin Thomas also has new life after setting the course record with a 62, breaking by one the mark Jordan Spieth set last year. He was only four back. Spieth birdied three of his last four and was six shots behind. Sharma had never seen such large crowds following him, and it’s still hard to digest seeing so many players he only knew from the middle of the night at home in Chandigarh. Mickelson at Muirfield. Rory McIlroy at Congressional. Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines. Sharma went straight to the range after McIlroy won his U.S. Open. “Every time watching these majors, it really inspires you, especially watching it night,” he said. “Everything is quiet and you see a guy make a putt and you see that roar on TV. You can’t contain yourself. I remember when Tiger won the U.S. Open in 2008. I had an exam the next day, so I studied all day for the exam just so that I could watch him play. I remember when he made that putt to get into the playoff, I jumped on my bed and almost broke it.” “These are the stories that inspire you.” Now he’s a big part of this story in Mexico. Sunday is a final exam of another variety.
Steve Stricker lost the Cologuard Classic lead Saturday when he drove into the water on the par-5 18th in a closing double bogey. A year after losing a chance to win the event in his PGA Tour Champions debut when his 3-wood went left into the water on the final hole, Stricker did it again Saturday. “Pulled it poorly, pulled it 20 yards left of where I hit it in the water last year,” Stricker said. “It was close again, but just too far left. It just doesn’t set up very well for me, that hole. Struggling to try to get it in the fairway.” Stricker ended up with a 3-under 70, leaving him a stroke behind Tommy Tolles with a round left on Omni Tucson National’s Catalina Course. Tolles bogeyed the 18th for a 70 after following Stricker into the water. “I had my moments again today, good and bad, and for the most part it was more good than bad,” Tolles said. “I did not putt near as well.” Stricker also hit into the water on the par-3 fourth for a double bogey. “Made two doubles. Other than that, I played OK again,” Stricker said. “Just finishing with a double, three-putting 17 for par and then doubling 18 doesn’t sit so well with me right now. But I’m still in a good spot heading into tomorrow, so got to look at the bright side and try to get a good night’s sleep and try to come out tomorrow and not make any mistakes.” Stricker finished behind Tom Lehman last year, blowing a two-shot lead on the final three holes. The 12-time PGA Tour winner tied for second two weeks in Florida in the Chubb Classic, his fifth top-three finish in seven career senior starts. The 50-year-old Tolles, making his eighth start on the senior tour, had an 11-under 135 total. “Tomorrow is just another day,” Tolles said. “You can’t really play any hole like it’s more important than the previous one. Yes, when you get down to the end, if you need a birdie you have to play it differently than you normally would. If you need to make a par, bogey, triple, whatever it is. When I play the first hole, I’m going to hit it just like I did on Thursday, second hole, just like I did on Thursday, until they tell me I can’t play anymore.” Scott Dunlap, tied for the first-round lead with Tolles, was tied with Stricker at 10 under after a 71. Dunlap, Tolles and Stricker will play in a threesome Sunday for the second straight day. “My day was pretty inconsistent, but I didn’t shoot myself in the foot,” Dunlap said. “We hung in there and my partners didn’t go crazy, although they did a little better than I did. So, live to fight another day.” Rocco Mediate (65) and Doug Garwood (68) were 9 under.
GOLF IN BRIEF NELLY KORDA SHOOTS 65, TAKES LEAD IN SINGAPORE Florida teenager Nelly Korda shot a third-round 7-under 65 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead at the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore after Danielle Kang made
her first bogeys of the tournament to slip back into second place. Korda had eight birdies and one bogey as she finished on 15-under 201 heading into the final round at the Sentosa Golf Club. Kang started the day leading by four strokes
and finished trailing Korda by one after a 70. She dropped her first shot of the tournament on the 15th after going 50 holes without making a bogey, then made another mistake on 18. Brooke Henderson had a bogey-free 65, matching Korda for the low round of
the day, to join Minjee Lee (68) in a tie for third at 11 under after an extraordinary display with the putter. Nelly Korda, 19, chases her first victory a week after older sister Jessica, 25, won last week in Thailand. Jessica Korda is tied for fifth at 10 under in a
group that includes fellow Americans Michelle Wie and Marina Alex. PGA European Tour: George Coetzee opened a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the Tshwane Open in Pretoria, South Africa, after a 3-under 68. The overnight leader fired five birdies
and two bogeys in his home city – and on the course where he’s a member – to move to 14 under overall. Mikko Korhonen and Sam Horsfield are tied for second. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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MOTOR SPORTS Larson rolls to Xfinity Series win BY GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press LAS VEGAS
Kyle Larson looks ready to make another memorable West Coast swing after kicking it off with another NASCAR Xfinity Series win. Larson overcame strong wind and two late restarts Saturday to earn his ninth career Xfinity victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 25-year-old Californian earned his first win on the 1 1/2-mile track in Vegas, where he finished second in both the Xfinity and Cup series races last year. Larson claimed the lead on the opening lap and eventually led 142 of the 200 laps in his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. He avoided any late-race fuel trouble when Ryan Reed blew a tire with 16 laps to go, allowing him to gas up for the final push. Rookie Christopher Bell finished second in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, and Justin Allgaier was third. Ryan Blaney, the polesitter for Sunday’s Monster Energy Cup series race, came in fourth ahead of Elliott Sadler in fifth. Larson is the 10th consecutive different winner in the Xfinity race in Vegas, and the Cup star was clearly the class of the field. He capably navigated wind gusts topping 25 mph on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip to earn his fifth consecutive topthree finish in Xfinity races. “This race car is so fast,” Larson said after his second Xfinity start of the season. “It was really fast last year, but you never really know. This was my first time with this body, and it performed well.” Yet Larson was uncertain whether his fuel would last until the finish, but the caution for Reed allowed Larson to pit. Larson quickly reclaimed the top spot despite falling behind Tyler Reddick out of the pits with 11 laps to go, and Larson coolly stayed in front after the final restart with seven laps left. Larson was phenomenal during NASCAR’s threerace trip out West last season. The Sacramentoarea product finished second in the 2017 Cup series races in Las Vegas and Phoenix before winning at Fontana to complete a double with his Xfinity win at Auto Club Speedway. Bell followed up his third-place finish in Atlanta with another impressive performance by last season’s Truck Series champion. He had never made an Xfinity start in Vegas. “If I have to run second to anyone, running second to him is pretty cool,” Bell said of Larson, his good friend. “Plus, I got him in the Chili Bowl.” Kyle Busch surged back into 14th, but lost his hopes of a three-victory weekend. The Las Vegas native won the Truck race from the pole on Friday night. Busch lost any chance at contention late in the race when he was hit with a drive-through penalty because the crew member in charge of fueling caught a loose tire during a pit stop. Allgaier posted his seventh top-10 finish in eight career races in Vegas.
ISAAC BREKKEN AP
Kevin Harvick and the rest of the Cup Series field have been eying the Las Vegas track closely this weekend, not just to prepare for Sunday’s race, but to get dialed in for the fall race, which will be the opening race of the playoffs.
Drivers studying Vegas to prepare for playoff return BY GREG BEACHAM
Associated Press LAS VEGAS
NASCAR’s annual early-season trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an understandable favorite for many teams and drivers. This year’s event, however, is about getting much more than a few hands of blackjack and the checkered flag. For the first time, everybody is coming back to Vegas in six months for the opening race of the playoffs. Each turn in Sunday’s Monster Energy Cup Series race should provide experience and data to the drivers hoping to dominate the postseason this fall. “There is definitely some added importance to this race with (Las Ve-
gas) being in the playoffs,” said Kyle Larson, who excelled in practice this week at the track where he finished second to eventual Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. last year. “Hopefully we have a strong race, and if not, you know what you need to go back and work on to be better when you come back later in the year to benefit your playoff run,” Larson added. “Not that this race when it was just a stand-alone event wasn’t important, but anytime you can race at a track that you are going to come back at in the final 10, it’s got some added importance to it.” While other tracks have downsized their NASCAR ambitions when faced with smaller crowds in recent years, Las Vegas has been eager to host a second race for several
years, confident in its local fan base and the visiting fans who plan a vacation weekend around the March race. The track finally got a second date last year when New Hampshire’s second race was given to Vegas, which was backed by sponsorship deals with the local Convention and Visitors Authority and with the South Point hotel-casino, owned by former race team owner Michael Gaughan. Everybody already knows this track from NASCAR’s annual visits, but teams are paying particularly close attention this week. “This race has more importance around it than it ever has before, just because of the playoff atmosphere that will be around it in September,” said Kurt Busch, who was
born in this city. “This is big for Las Vegas.” The winter weather in Las Vegas isn’t necessarily helping the teams to prepare for September, when temperatures are almost certain to be sizzling. The speedway has been chilly this week, with occasional 40 mph winds buffeting cars and possibly changing drivers’ tactics. “It’s definitely an important weekend to make sure you have a firm understanding of this track and what you’re going to need when you come back for the playoffs,” said Kevin Harvick, who won last week in Atlanta. Other things to watch on the 1 1⁄2-mile track on the northernmost end of the Strip: On the pole: Ryan Blaney earned his third career pole Friday, and his Team Penske Ford
DAVID BECKER AP
Brad Keselowski makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race in March 2017 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Keselowski finished fifth in the race, which was won by Martin Truex Jr.
will start alongside Harvick on the front row. Blaney has been impressive already this season, nearly winning at Daytona after leading 118 laps before late-race contact with Kurt Busch forced him to pit for repairs. Penske’s rising star gets another chance to earn his second career Cup victory in Vegas. JJ’s gamble: Jimmie Johnson is the most successful active driver in Las Vegas, winning four times and recording nine top-10 finishes. Yet he hasn’t won on this track since 2010, and the seven-time Cup champion arrives on the longest winless skid of his career at 25 straight races. Johnson intends to get his season back on track on his native West Coast. Busch brothers: Kyle and Kurt Busch grew up in Las Vegas, but the Durango High School grads have only one combined Cup victory on the track that was built during their youth. Kyle Busch won the Cup race in 2009, but he also has victories there in the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series race, which he won Friday night. The 39-year-old Kurt Busch, who will start third after an impressive qualifying run, makes no secret of his desire to raise the trophy in the desert before he retires. Ford tough: Fords earned the first three spots in qualifying, along with five of the first eight, and eight of the first 12. Fords also excelled last week in Atlanta, but the drivers and teams aren’t prepared to say they’ve got all the answers yet. In the wind: The drivers could get a respite from the high desert winds Sunday, but they’re prepared for anything after being forced to steer through gales in practice. “It’s just like anything else, just the same for everybody,” Clint Bowyer said. “You get in the car and you’re worried about what it’s going to do. I guess it affects the balance of the car, where you pick up the headwind or where you lose it. You feel it as you change direction.”
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WINTER SPORTS
ALESSANDRO TROVATI AP
Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, center, clinched the World Cup giant slalom title Saturday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, beating second-place Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway, left, and third-place Alexis Pinturault of France.
Hirscher locks up GS title with race to spare Associated Press KRANJSKA GORA, SLOVENIA
Marcel Hirscher locked up the men’s World Cup giant slalom title with a race to spare on Saturday, underlining his ongoing dominance of the discipline. The Olympic GS champion from Austria won the penultimate event of the season for his 56th career victory, giving him an insurmountable 125-point lead in the GS standings over Norwegian rival Henrik Kristoffersen. A win is worth 100 points. And Hirscher did so in style, posting the fastest times in both runs. He
ALESSANDRO TROVATI AP
Austria’s Marcel Hirscher speeds down the course during the men’s World Cup giant slalom Saturday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
Weirather leads race to women’s super-G title after beating Gut Associated Press CRANS MONTANA, SWITZERLAND
Tina Weirather won a World Cup super-G Saturday to overtake Lara Gut for first place in the discipline’s standings with one race left The Olympic bronze medalist from Liechtenstein overtook Gut to go top of the standings. Weirather will carry a 46point lead over her Swiss rival, who finished the race in seventh, into the final event on March 15 at the World Cup finals in Are, Sweden. Weirather won the globe for the best super-G racer last season, edging Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia by five points. Set for another close showdown with Gut, Weirather called winning the trophy again “very important.” “It’s the biggest prize you can win in our sport,” she said. “This means more than an Olympic medal, which is just one race and where luck always plays a part. But a globe is never a matter of luck.” On a shortened course due to weather conditions, Weirather timed 1 minute, 2.17 seconds to beat Olympic silver medalist Anna Veith of Austria by 0.36. Wendy Holdener of Switzerland trailed by
GABRIELE FACCIOTTI AP
Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather speeds down the course on her way to winning the women’s World Cup super-G on Saturday in Crans Montana, Switzerland.
0.38 in third for her career best super-G result. Gut finished 0.59 off the lead. The surprise gold medalist from the Pyeongchang Olympics, Ester
Ledecka of Czech Republic, didn’t compete as she started in a snowboard parallel giant slalom in Turkey. Also, overall World Cup
leader Mikaela Shiffrin and her American teammate Lindsey Vonn both sat out the race. Shiffrin was preparing for next week’s technical races in
finished in 2 minutes, 20.76 seconds, beating runner-up Kristoffersen by 1.66 seconds. Alexis Pinturault of France was more than 21⁄2 seconds off the pace in third. “I am very happy that it happened today,” said the Austrian, adding he wasn’t expecting to wrap up the title on Saturday, a day after he turned 29. “To me this comes as a little bit as a surprise as I haven’t been thinking about it. I was just thinking about the race. Normally you would need the calculator only in two weeks’ time,” he said, referring to the World Cup finals in Are, Sweden. Hirscher winning the race, however, was everything but a surprise. The Austrian has won eight of the last 10 World Cup giant slaloms and reached the podium of the other two. The last time he failed to finish in the top three was when he placed fifth at the season-
Ofterschwang, Germany, while Vonn will only race again at the finals. Shiffrin’s lead over Holdener, her only remaining rival for the overall championship, was reduced to 611 points on Saturday, but the Swiss skier has been left with only a mathematical chance of closing the gap with seven races remaining. Wearing bib No. 7, Weirather was able to learn from problems at the final jump before the finish for most of the early starters, including runner-up Veith. They came wide and lost time in making the next gate. “I did a good job today. At the start I watched the first four skiers and saw they had big problems,” said Weirather, who competed in a Europa Cup super-G on the same course last Wednesday. “This is the most difficult hill all year,” she said. “Every time I misjudge something, so it was important to find out how the rolls are, how the course feels.” Veith acknowledged she probably lost the victory just before the finish. “Everything was possible today,” the former two-time overall champion said. “I felt like I wanted too much and that’s why I made the mistake at the bottom part.” A combined event, adding the results of another super-G and a slalom run, is scheduled for Sunday.
ending GS in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in March 2016. “Marcel is in his own league,” Kristoffersen said. “It’s OK at the moment, it’s OK that Marcel wins the globe. He is the best racer.” Kristoffersen trailed Hirscher by 0.73 seconds after the opening run. The Norwegian tried to put pressure on his Austrian rival with an all-attacking second run, but a misjudged turn halfway down the course slowed him. “I had a big mistake in the middle part, really big. And the course is not steep after that so I had no speed. If you have such a mistake, you have no chance against Marcel,” the Norwegian said. It was Hirscher’s fourth straight GS title and fifth in total, matching American Ted Ligety’s tally. Only Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark won the trophy more times – eight. Working his way back from knee and back injuries, Ligety hasn’t won a race since October 2015. On Saturday, he missed a gate and went out before the first split time of his opening run. Apart from dominating GS, Hirscher was also expected to also wrap up the slalom title this weekend as he will enter Sunday’s race with a 144-point lead over Kristoffersen. And, more importantly, the Austrian is also on the brink of an unprecedented seventh straight overall championship. Leading Kristoffersen by 269 points, Hirscher won’t be able to officially claim the big crystal globe on Sunday with six races still to go. However, unless Kristoffersen starts competing in other events than slalom and GS, he will be left with just two more chances to score points after the weekend.
Olympic doping case dropped for N. Korean hockey player Associated Press ZURICH
A North Korean hockey player tested positive for a banned drug ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics in a case that was later dropped. The International Ice Hockey Federation says Kim Un Hyang was able to show that a positive test for hydrochlorothiazide “was the result of contaminated food products.” Details of her defense were not given. The substance is a diuretic that can hide the presence of other banned drugs. The IIHF says the concentration in her sample was far below the World Anti-Doping Agency’s detection limit, and a subsequent sample during the Olympic tournament tested negative. The Court of Arbitration for Sport did not suspend the player who continued to represent the combined Korean team, which was winless at the Olympics. Hockey’s governing body says it offered a settlement “for no fault or negligence.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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SOCCER BY GRAHAM DUNBAR
Associated Press ZURICH
FIFA’s rule-making panel approved adding video review to the laws of soccer on Saturday, clearing the way for its use at the World Cup in June. The panel, known as IFAB, voted unanimously to begin updating the game’s written rules to include video assistant referees (VAR) and let competition organizers ask to adopt it. The decision “represents a new era for football with video assistance for referees helping to increase integrity and fairness in the game,” the panel said in a statement. FIFA must take a further decision on using VAR at the World Cup in Russia, which kicks off June 14. That will likely come on March 16 when the FIFA Council meets in Bogota, Colombia. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has long said World Cup referees must get high-tech help to review key decisions at the 64-game tournament. Still, he also acknowledged Saturday the VAR system “is not perfect” after mixed results in 18 months of trials worldwide. Video review can overturn “clear and obvious errors” and “serious missed incidents” by match officials involving goals, penalty awards, red cards, and mistaken identity. “VAR at the World Cup will certainly help to have a fairer World Cup,” Infantino said at a news conference. “If there is a big mistake, it will be corrected.” Infantino said FIFA must have “the ambition to get close to perfection” even if some coaches, players and fans were not yet convinced by video review. The decision Saturday is among the most fundamental changes to soccer since the laws were codified 155 years ago. The VAR system has often created confusion in the first full season of live trials which now include more than 1,000 games
ENNIO LEANZA Keystone via AP
FIFA president, Gianni Infantino speaks Saturday during the press conference of the 132nd IFAB Annual General Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland.
FIFA panel adds video review to soccer laws ahead of World Cup worldwide. Top-tier competitions which opted to use it include Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A. Several games at the 2017 Confederations Cup, FIFA’s World Cup warmup tournament in Russia,
also left many in the stadium unsure what match officials were doing. Communication was unclear during reviews lasting minutes instead of a handful of seconds, which was the target suggested in 2016 when the protocol
for using VAR was shaped and trials began. “We have to speed up reviews,” the CEO of England’s Football Association, Martin Glenn, acknowledged after taking part in the decision. “Communications to the
Q&A
How video review in soccer could operate at the World Cup BY GRAHAM DUNBAR
Associated Press ZURICH
Video review is going to help referees at the World Cup, bringing soccer’s biggest event into line with U.S. pro sports. FIFA’s rule-making panel voted on Saturday to update the game’s 155-year-old laws and allow for video assistant referees (VAR). It clears FIFA to adopt VAR for the World Cup in Russia at a meeting of its ruling council on March 16. Trials in competitions worldwide, including top European leagues in Germany and Italy, have provoked controversies. Reviews have been slower than promised – sometimes lasting minutes – and communication inside stadiums is often confusing. Still, FIFA President
Gianni Infantino believes soccer cannot ignore a chance to make more accurate decisions. Here are some things to know about soccer’s embrace of high-tech help for referees: WHEN CAN IT BE USED? To correct “clear and obvious errors” and “serious missed incidents.” This means incidents involving goals scored, the award of penalty kicks, red cards, and cases of referees showing cards to the wrong player. FIFA focused on these four potential gamechanging situations before live trials began in 2016. The rules panel, known as IFAB, clarified the phrase “serious missed incidents” introduced on Saturday typically refers to violent off-the-ball clashes that were always open to review.
HOW DOES A REVIEW HAPPEN? There is two-way communication between the referee on the field and the VAR, who is also a qualified referee and watches play in real-time and replays on a bank of television screens. Referees can discreetly ask for an opinion, and a VAR can offer advice. Players, coaches and fans need not know an incident is being checked. If an incident is formally reviewed, the referee should signal it on the field making the sign of a TV screen with his hands. FIFA wants referees to let a phase of play continue before stopping the action for review. If an offside is suspected, referee assistants are advised to delay raising their flag and let play unfold. A goal that stems from an offside position can be overruled, but a promising attack is lost if
it was wrongly halted too soon. The natural breaks in play after a goal is scored, a penalty kick is awarded, or a red card is shown, all allow VAR time to review the action. WHO DECIDES? FIFA and IFAB insist the referee on the field has ultimate authority which should not be compromised. Therefore, the referee must have access to a TV screen near the touchline to personally review an incident. This way, players will respect the referee for controlling his decision, FIFA refereeing chairman Pierluigi Collina said on Saturday. MORE ACCURACY FIFA says research from around 1,000 games in live trials shows that accuracy of decisions improved – from around 93
crowd has to be better. People in the crowd aren’t sure what is happening.” UEFA has already ruled out using VAR in the Champions League next season, and the English Premier League is also waiting to see if the sys-
percent to 98.8 percent. VAR has not entirely eliminated clear errors. However, FIFA-appointed researchers say they happen once in every 19 games instead of in every third game. COMMUNICATING DECISIONS Infantino acknowledged VAR “is not perfect” yet and a final protocol detailing how it should operate has not been published. Communication between referees and teams, and to fans in stadiums, has been a problem in trials. Fans have often not known why reviews are called for, nor why they take so long. Frustration has built because the flow of soccer also does not lend itself to review stoppages, nor can referees broadcast their decision. FIFA knows it must give World Cup teams, fans and broadcasters more information. However, it does not mean replaying incidents on stadium big screens during a review. Instead, FIFA is working to publish messages quickly on the screens, technology innovations director Johannes Holz-
tem can prove itself essential. Still, the International Football Association Board’s approval was expected Saturday because FIFA controls four of the eight votes. The four British soccer associations, which created IFAB in 1886, have one vote each, and six are needed to approve an idea. FIFA’s historical reluctance to embrace technological help for referees changed at the 2010 World Cup, after an England goal was not given despite Frank Lampard’s shot clearly crossing the German goal-line. Germany went on to win the Round of 16 game 4-1. At the 2014 World Cup, FIFA deployed goal-line technology. Referees were alerted with a simple yes-no signal to their watches after multiple camera angles judged if the ball crossed the line. Goal-line systems are now used at UEFA’s European Championship and in the Premier League. The potential use of video review was first announced on the eve of the World Cup tournament in Brazil. FIFA’s then-president Sepp Blatter surprised IFAB officials in Sao Paulo by suggesting coaches could call on video replays to challenge some refereeing decisions. The landmark decision leaves much yet to be finalized, such as wording for the amended rules and an exact protocol for operating the system including communicating to fans in the stadium. FIFA must also choose technology providers with more than 10 involved in trials and workshops at Zurich. In Russia, it is expected FIFA will use a central command center for VAR teams working away from stadiums to communicate with referees. Also Saturday, the IFAB panel used evidence from two years of trials to approve teams using a fourth substitute during the 30 minutes of extra time in knockout games. Teams can even use all four replacements in the extra periods if no changes were made in regulation time.
mueller said. Only after the referee takes a final decision will a selected replay be broadcast in the stadium. TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIERS FIFA expects to sign contracts by mid-May with technology providers equipping the overall VAR system. A control center for specialist VAR teams needs to be fitted out with hardware in Moscow, at the same base where international broadcasters will run their World Cup operations. Holzmueller said a back-up room needs to be equipped at each of the 12 stadiums across Russia. Around 15 companies have worked with FIFA in trials. A strong contender is the Hawk-Eye system from Britain widely used in tennis’ and soccer’s goal-line technology. A separate contract will oversee communications directly linking referees to VARs. Software deals could focus on a specific detail such as on-screen graphics to calibrating the offside line.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 34
SOCCER opening match 5-0 in Portugal last month.
FRENCH ROUNDUP
Weah’s son makes debut in PSG win BY JEROME PUGMIRE
Associated Press PARIS
Angel Di Maria maintained his rich scoring form and George Weah’s son made his debut as runaway French league leader Paris Saint-Germain won at Troyes 2-0 on Saturday. Two minutes after halftime, Di Maria ran onto a clever flick from Julian Draxler and dinked the ball over goalkeeper Erwin Zelazny, who rushed off his line. It was his 13th goal since January, and he looks certain to start against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday. PSG trails 3-1 from the first leg in Madrid. Attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku wrapped up the win with a well-taken goal in the 77th, cutting inside a defender and rifling in a shot. Moments later, 18-yearold striker Timothy Weah – the son of Liberia President and former PSG striker George Weah – went on for midfielder Giovani Lo Celso. He almost scored after going clean through right at the end, but Zelazny denied him. PSG remained 14 points clear of second-place Monaco with 10 games left and is coasting to the title. It was all very comfortable against 18thplaced Troyes, even with PSG’s three best forwards missing. “We didn’t concede any chances and closed them down well,” PSG coach Unai Emery said. “We were patient.” Brazil star Neymar had an operation on Saturday to repair a broken toe in his right foot and could be out for up to three months. With one eye on Madrid, Emery left out Kylian Mbappe, top scorer Edinson Cavani, and key midfielder Marco Verratti. “We managed to rest a few players,” Emery said. “We’re ready for Tuesday.” PSG dominated the first half but could not find a way past Zelazny. OTHER MATCHES Winger Wahbi Khazri scored his ninth goal in 17 games as Rennes won at Amiens 2-0. Slovenia striker Robert Beric made it five in 10 games since returning from injury with both goals as Saint-Etienne drew at home to Dijon 2-2. Striker Karl Toko Ekambi netted his 14th of the campaign as Angers beat Guingamp 3-0. Nolan Roux’s 11th of the season wasn’t enough as last-place Metz – for which defender Julian Palmieri was sent off late in the first half – conceded late in a 1-1 home draw with Toulouse. Monaco beat Bordeaux 2-1 on Friday to move five points ahead of thirdplace Marseille, which is at home to Nantes on Sunday. In Sunday’s other games, Lyon is at Montpellier and Caen – which reached the French Cup final this week – faces Strasbourg.
ANTHONY DEVLIN AP
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius saves a shot during Saturday’s match between Liverpool and Newcastle United.
ENGLISH ROUNDUP
Liverpool and Tottenham wins turn up heat on Chelsea in EPL BY TONY JIMENEZ
Associated Press LONDON
Liverpool and Tottenham put the squeeze on Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification next season after chalking up 2-0 victories in the English Premier League on Saturday. Mohamed Salah struck his 32nd goal in all competitions and Sadio Mane made sure of victory as second-place Liverpool breezed past Newcastle to make it an unhappy Anfield return for former manager Rafael Benitez. Son Heung-min, vying for league player of the year honors with Salah,
took his goal tally for the campaign to 15 with a double blast in Tottenham’s triumph over Huddersfield at Wembley Stadium. They moved the pressure firmly on to fifthplace Chelsea, which is five points adrift of Tottenham, when Antonio Conte’s team visits champion-elect Manchester City on Sunday. Manchester United is third but can leapfrog Liverpool by winning at Crystal Palace on Monday. Arsenal, whose Champions League hopes are receding by the week, visits Brighton on Sunday. Also on Saturday, Swansea continued its revival
under new manager Carlos Carvalhal by thrashing West Ham 4-1, and Burnley came from behind to defeat Everton 2-1 and reach 40 points in the league for the first time. Cenk Tosun put the visitors in front with his first goal for the club but Burnley fought back through Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood. Everton defender Ashley Williams was sent off in the 86th minute for elbowing Barnes. Watford piled on the misery for West Bromwich Albion by beating the bottom club 1-0 with a goal from captain Troy Deeney. Riyad Mahrez scored seven minutes into stoppage time to earn
GERMAN ROUNDUP
Relegation looms as Hamburg fails to beat Mainz BY CIARAN FAHEY
Associated Press BERLIN
Hamburger SV inched another step closer to its first demotion from the Bundesliga after being held by relegation-rival Mainz to 0-0 on Saturday. Hamburg, which had a host of chances including a penalty from Filip Kostic, remains seven points from safety with nine games remaining after its 12th successive match without a win. “It was a very important game today,” Hamburg coach Bernd Hollerbach, still without a win after six games. “We now have nine finals. It will be difficult.” No other Bundesliga side has previously recovered from Hamburg’s position at this stage to secure survival. The only founding member never relegated since the Bundesliga started in 1963, Hamburg is enduring its worst season
CARMEN JASPERSEN AP
Hamburg’s Sven Schipplock, top, challenges with Daniel Brosinski of FSV Mainz 05 in Sunday’s Bundesliga match.
with just four wins in 26 games. Last-place Cologne could move above the side with a win over visiting Stuttgart on Sunday. Mainz remains in the relegation playoff place, level on points with Wolfsburg, beaten at home by Bayer Leverkusen 2-1. Hamburg made the better start and almost took the lead through
Kostic when Mainz goalkeeper Florian Mueller’s fingertips pushed the ball onto the crossbar. Kostic thought he scored minutes later, but the celebrations were cut short when video showed he was offside. The home side kept pushing and Rick van Drongelen struck the crossbar again after the break. Kostic had his
Leicester a 1-1 home draw with Bournemouth, and Stoke drew at Southampton 0-0. LIVERPOOL PREVAIL Liverpool has lost once in 19 league games and didn’t look like losing twice in 20 despite a stubborn Newcastle rearguard at Anfield. The breakthrough came just before halftime. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain drove his way through the heart of the defense before sliding the ball to the unmarked Salah, who beat goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from eight yards. Loris Karius denied Newcastle a first-half equalizer when he produced a flying save to tip a Mohamed Diame effort over the crossbar. Liverpool secured maximum points in the 56th minute when, after a series of passes in the opposition half, Roberto Firmino released Mane and he sidefooted the ball beyond Dubravka. “There were two wonderful goals, a few more were possible, and it was a world-class save from Loris,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. Liverpool host Porto in a Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday, having won the
chance from the penalty spot, only to be thwarted by Mueller’s save. Leon Balogun, who conceded the spot kick for bundling over Luca Waldschmidt, was sent off from his second yellow card for the challenge, giving Hamburg a oneman advantage for the final half-hour. But Hamburg still couldn’t find a breakthrough despite 18 efforts at goal overall compared to the visitors’ five. DORTMUND HELD, SCHALKE SECOND Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund cancelled each other out in a hard-fought 1-1 draw that allowed Schalke to jump to second by winning at home over Hertha Berlin 1-0. Marko Pjaca took advantage of a rare lapse in the Hertha defense to claim Schalke’s winner before the break. In the late game in Leipzig, Dortmund twice had goals ruled out for offside - through Andre Schuerrle and Marco Reus - before Jean-Kevin Augustin scored at the other end in the 29th after being played through by Naby Keita. Keita won the ball from Schuerrle after a Dortmund throw-in. Reus equalized minutes
TWO FOR SON Huddersfield’s chances of defeating Tottenham for the first time since 1956 were dealt a blow when Dele Alli sent Son racing clear of the defense to round goalkeeper Jonas Lossl for the opening goal in the 27th minute. Son made it 2-0 in the 54th when he finished off a fine move by Tottenham, just moments after goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saved well from Tom Ince at the other end. Harry Kane found his teammate with an excellent pass and the unmarked Son planted his header into the corner of the net. Tottenham has gone 17 matches in all competitions without a loss, its longest undefeated sequence for 51 years. “We don’t think too much about the past,” manager Mauricio Pochettino said. “Of course that is a very good stat but for me football is tomorrow it’s not yesterday.” Next up for Tottenham is the Champions League second leg at home to Juventus on Wednesday. They go in at 2-2. DROP ZONE Southampton still hasn’t won at home in more than three months after a goalless draw with Stoke. Southampton dominated the second half but Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland keep out efforts from Josh Sims, Cedric Soares, and Nathan Redmond. Substitute Sofiane Boufal squandered an excellent opportunity to earn the three points, when he headed wide from close range while unmarked. It is eight league games - dating to Nov. 26 - since Southampton tasted success at St. Mary’s Stadium. It remains a point above the bottom three in the standings after being booed off at the end of both halves. Stoke, in the drop zone, could have snatched this one as Badou Ndiaye and Maxim Choupo-Moting threatened to score breakaway goals.
later and this time it counted. Mahmoud Dahoud sent him through to face ‘keeper Peter Gulacsi, whom he eluded with his first touch before scoring with his next. Dahoud should have set up Michy Batshuayi to score in the second half, but the midfielder played the ball behind the Belgian forward and the chance was gone. Dortmund dropped to third, a point behind Schalke, while Leipzig stayed sixth after its third consecutive game without a win. FRANKFURT BACK ON TRACK Eintracht Frankfurt recovered from its loss in Stuttgart to consolidate fourth place with a 1-0 win at home over Hannover. Danny da Costa’s first Bundesliga goal was enough as he powered home a header from a corner. The corner, however, should never have been, as the ball last came off Frankfurt’s Marius Wolf. Also, Hoffenheim won at Augsburg 2-0 to move to four points below Leipzig in the last place for European qualification.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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SOCCER Neymar undergoes successful surgery on injured right foot BYLINE NAME
bylineemail@mcclatchy.com
SAO PAULO (AP) – Neymar has successfully undergone surgery on his
injured right foot, the Brazilian soccer confederation said Saturday. The 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward was injured Feb. 25 in a French league
game against Marseille. Neymar was signed by PSG for a world record 222 million euros ($260 million) from Barcelona last year. The operation was to repair a cracked
fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Confederation spokesman Vinicius Rodrigues said the surgery took place Saturday at the Mater Dei Hospital in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte. Earlier this week, Brazil’s national team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, said Neymar’s absence could last up to three months. The World Cup starts on June 14 in Russia. Brazil is scheduled to play its first match against Switzerland on June 17.
FRANCISCO SECO AP
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, right, attempts a shot against Getafe’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on Saturday. He later scored Real’s second goal.
SPANISH ROUNDUP
Madrid tops Getafe before Champions match vs. PSG BY TALES AZZONI
Associated Press MADRID
Zinedine Zidane fielded his regular starters before the Paris Saint-Germain match and Real Madrid will travel to France boosted by a good performance by its stars and a comfortable win in the Spanish league on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice and Gareth Bale once as Madrid eased past 10-man Getafe 3-1. Madrid faces PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, leading 3-1 from the first leg. Ronaldo goes to Paris having scored 10 goals in his last five matches in all competitions. Madrid is in a fight for third place with Valencia, which is only four points behind going into its home match against Real Betis on Sunday. Spanish leader Barcelona hosts second-place Atletico Madrid on Sunday to defend its fivepoint advantage. Zidane rested Ronaldo and other starters this week when it lost at Espa-
nyol 1-0. He played with the “BBC” trio of Karim Benzema, Bale, and Ronaldo on Saturday, a sign of his possible lineup for the match against PSG. Left back Marcelo returned from injury as a secondhalf substitute. Bale opened the scoring from close range in the 24th minute. Ronaldo made a pair of nice moves to clear defenders inside the area in first-half injury time for his first. His second goal was a header in the 78th after a pass by Marcelo. Ronaldo, who had a goal disallowed for offside midway through the second half, was substituted shortly after his second goal. Getafe’s lone goal was a 65th-minute penalty kick converted by Francisco Portillo. Getafe, 10th in the standings, played a man down from the 47th after striker Loic Remy was sent off for a reckless foul on Nacho Fernandez. GIRONA KEEPS IMPRESSING Girona’s impressive debut in the league continued in beating Villar-
real 2-0, a result that put the modest Catalan club in position to make it to the Europa League. Christian Stuani and substitute Anthony Lozano scored for Girona, which moved to seventh place and the final qualification spot for the second-tier European competition. It was the fourth win in six matches for Girona, which is one point behind sixth-place Villarreal and five behind fifth-place Sevilla. Villarreal lost its second straight game. Stuani opened the scoring with a 16th-minute header and Honduran forward Lozano sealed the victory with a well-placed shot from outside the area in the 80th. “We reached our first goal, which was to reach 40 points and earn the right to remain in the first league for another season,” Girona coach Pablo Machin said. “Now we will keep trying to win, and with five rounds to go we will see what are our chances regarding the European competitions.” Girona, whose main goal at the beginning of the season was to avoid demotion, is 20 points
clear of the relegation zone with 11 matches remaining. The teams in fifth and sixth place receive an automatic spot in the Europa league, while the seventh-place team enters a qualifying round. WINLESS SEEDORF Deportivo La Coruna’s winless streak under coach Clarence Seedorf increased to five matches after drawing with Eibar 1-1 at home. Deportivo remained second-to-last in the standings, inside the relegation zone. The hosts played a man down from the 39th as goalkeeper Maksym Koval was sent off for a foul outside the area. Florin Andone’s firsthalf goal was the team’s first in the five matches under former Dutch midfielder Seedorf. Deportivo hasn’t won in 12 straight matches in all competitions, losing three times since Seedorf took over as coach.
Barcelona still facing challenge for title from Atletico BY JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press BARCELONA, SPAIN
Barcelona will have to fight for the Spanish league title after all. The Catalan club hosts Atletico Madrid on Sunday in a match that will likely go a long way to deciding the championship race. Leader Barcelona, coming off three draws in its last five league games, will defend a five-point lead over second-place Atletico, which has won eight straight in all competitions. “It will be an attractive match in which the three points will be worth a lot,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said Saturday. “Winning the points will be important even though there will be a lot of games left in the league. We will prepare for this match as if it was a final because that’s how you should prepare for every match against Atletico.” A month ago, Barcelona was 11 points clear at the top and appeared to have a clear path to the title. Now it needs to win to restore its cushion and be able to focus on the return leg of its Champions League round-of-16 tie with Chelsea. The teams drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg. The match against Atletico always promised to be a tight contest between the two top teams in Spain this season, but one whose result would probably not sway the title odds. Now that title could be on the line. “The game will be decided by details, as it always happens when these two teams play against each other,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “Barcelona is having a fantastic season.” Atletico arrives in great form, having scored 16 goals in six consecutive league wins while only conceding twice, both insignificant goals in the final minutes of a 5-2 victory at Sevilla. Barcelona, meanwhile, has hit a bad patch, apparently worn down by its advance to the Copa del Rey final and the first leg of its Champions League test with Chelsea. Barcelona drew 1-1 at relegation-threatened Las Palmas, after also being held 0-0 by Getafe and 1-1 by Espanyol. The match will pit the top attack against the
stingiest defense in Spain. Fueled by Lionel Messi’s competition-best 23 goals, Barcelona leads the league with 69 goals scored while also having its second-best defense with 13 goals conceded. Trying to stop Messi will be Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who has only allowed 11 goals through 26 rounds. “There is no strategy to stop Lionel,” Simeone said. Although not as consistently superb as Messi has been all season, Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann is on an excellent scoring run. The France forward scored a hat trick against Sevilla last Sunday and scored four goals against Leganes on Wednesday. “We will have to be careful with him,” Valverde said. “We hope he saves his goals for some other time.” Diego Costa has also given Atletico’s attack a boost since his return to the club in January. The former Chelsea striker has netted five goals in nine games overall. Barcelona striker Luis Suarez is also in fine form recently, and is second to Messi in scoring in the league with 20 goals. While Simeone has found his first-choice lineup, Valverde will need to choose whether to opt for Philippe Coutinho’s playmaking, Paulinho’s knack for scoring or Ousmane Dembele’s speed. Barcelona hasn’t lost to Atletico in 15 consecutive league matches. But that statistic is deceptive and distorts what has become one of the best rivalries in Spain, one that pits Barcelona’s sophisticated passing-based attack against the no-nonsense physical play of Atletico. Atletico eliminated Barcelona from the Champions League quarterfinals in 2015-16 and 2013-14, and its 1-1 draw at Barcelona in a winnertake-all clash in the season’s final round earned it the 2014 Spanish league title. Now Atletico wants to take the full three points and inject some drama into the final stages of the season. “When you look at the numbers, it’s virtually impossible to win La Liga against Barcelona and Real Madrid,” Simeone said. “But we have made it possible. The goal is to arrive in the final five rounds with chances.”
LEGANES WINS AGAIN Leganes ended its eightmatch winless streak by defeating last-place Malaga 2-0 with second-half goals by Javier Eraso and Nordin Amrabat. Malaga’s own winless run reached 12 matches. It is six points behind second-to-last Deportivo La Coruna. SEVILLA STAYS FIFTH Sevilla won a second straight match when it defeated visiting Athletic Bilbao 2-0 with first-half goals by Luis Muriel and Franco Vazquez. The result moved Sevilla within five points of fourth-place Valencia.
LUCAS DE LEON AP
Fueled by Lionel Messi’s competition-best 23 goals, Barcelona leads the league with 69 goals scored while also having its second-best defense with 13 goals conceded.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 36
SOCCER They were top MLS draft picks, but when their dreams changed, they walked away BY RYAN BACIC
Washington Post
MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI AP
Lazio’s Ciro Immobile and Juventus’ Douglas Costa, foreground, vie for the ball during Saturday’s Serie A match.
ITALIAN ROUNDUP
Juve poised in Serie A after win, Napoli loss BYLINE NAME
bylineemail@mcclatchy.com ROME
Defending champion Juventus was poised to regain control of the Italian title race, closing the gap on leader Napoli to one point with a game in hand after Paulo Dybala’s superb injury-time winner beat Lazio 1-0 on Saturday. The script could not have been written any better for Juventus, which is chasing a seventh straight Serie A title and 34th overall. If Dybala’s 93rd-minute winner wasn’t already enough to celebrate, Lazio’s crosscity rival Roma then did Juve a huge favor by winning at Napoli 4-2. Striker Edin Dzeko netted twice for a rampant Roma which jumped above Lazio and into third place by one point. They are in a fierce fight with Inter Milan – preparing for the Milan derby on Sunday – for a Champions League place next season. ROMA ROMP Livewire Lorenzo Insigne gave Napoli the perfect start by sweeping in Mario Rui’s cross from the left after six minutes. But home celebrations ended one minute later when in-form Turkey forward Cengiz Under scored an audacious but slightly deflected lob over Napoli goalkeeper Pepe
Reina from inside the penalty area. He was found by Radja Nainggolan after Napoli lost possession in midfield. Then, the imposing Dzeko easily rose above Raul Albiol to plant a firm header past Reina from Alessandro Florenzi’s cross. Both players were on Roma’s bench last week in the home loss to AC Milan, but probably won’t be anymore. Napoli sent on all-time leading club scorer Marek Hamsik midway through the second half to spark its attack, and seconds later Insigne’s quick shot from outside the box curled just wide. But Dzeko produced a masterful goal in the 73rd. Expertly controlling the ball some 30 meters out, he beat two players before
bending the ball out of Reina’s reach and into the bottom left corner from the right edge of the penalty area. Insigne was Napoli’s main threat and twice had shots saved shortly after Dzeko’s second goal. But Napoli’s awful defending could not go unpunished and Diego Perotti blasted in the fourth after a cross from the left was badly dealt with. Napoli’s players hardly celebrated when Dries Mertens slotted in an injury-time consolation goal. DECISIVE DYBALA Paulo Dybala had done nothing all game for Juventus at Lazio. That was until the 93rd minute when he brilliantly cut inside Luiz Felipe with
Benfica routs Maritimo 5-0, stays close to Porto in Portugal Benfica routed 10-man Maritimo 5-0 to stay close to Portuguese league leader Porto on Saturday. Striker Jonas had a hat trick and Alex Grimaldo and Andrija Zivkovic added goals as the defending champions moved within five points of the league leader. Maritimo player Joao Pedro Gamboa was sent off in the 57th minute. Porto defeated Sporting Lisbon 2-1 on Friday in a match marked by an altercation involving Sporting defender Fabio Coentrao and Porto doctors near the sidelines. Coentrao pushed one of the doctors away as he tried to quickly put a ball back in play, and a scuffle began involving other players. The referee used video assistance and ended up sending off two Porto doctors. Sporting is eight points behind Porto. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
a quick flick, showed great upper-body strength to hold off Marco Parolo, and fired into the top right corner while off balance. The diminutive Argentina forward, who started the move by winning the ball in midfield and spraying it quickly to the right, sprinted jubilantly into the arms of delirious Juve fans behind the goal in the away end. His teammates mobbed him as he celebrated his 15th league goal, making him the team’s top scorer, one ahead of Gonzalo Higuain, who did not play. Juventus neutralized Lazio striker Ciro Immobile, Serie A’s top scorer with 23, but created little until Dybala’s moment of magic. Juventus was more concerned on keeping a close eye on Immobile, who scored four times in his last two matches against the Bianconeri. He was not at his sharpest, yet hardly had any service. Still, Juve’s defenders were glad to see him go off 10 minutes from time. GRASSI’S WINNER Midfielder Alberto Grassi’s goal early in the second half gave struggling Spal a much-needed 1-0 home win against Bologna. Grassi, who is on loan from Napoli, struck from outside the penalty area into the bottom right corner. The win moved Spal up to 17th place and two points ahead of Crotone. Both sides ended with 10 men, although Bologna’s red card was more significant because defender Giancarlo Gonzalez was sent off in the 10th minute after fouling striker Mirco Antenucci. Spal defender Federico Mattiello went off in injury time after a second yellow card.
The tweets combined in December 2016 like a well-executed give-andgo: First, one healthy top-10 pick announced his early retirement, then another followed a day later. J.J. Koval and Steve Neumann, feeling they’d given enough, were gone. Former Georgetown star Neumann, then 25 and the No. 4 overall selection in the 2014 MLS draft, was set on business school. Former Stanford captain Koval, then 24 and taken ninth that same year, wanted to become a dentist. Both had options if they wished to remain in the sport. After three professional seasons apiece, neither did. “I have other interests in my life, and the longer you play, the narrower your potential career path gets,” said Neumann, who is back at Georgetown to work toward a master’s degree in business administration. “My passion and excitement about playing soccer was kind of declining, and my excitement about whatever was next, and that became dentistry, was growing,” echoed Koval, who’s planning to start school at Creighton in the fall. In another major American sport, such career switches by top recent draftees would be stunning. In MLS, they’re tradition. And as the league’s 23rd season opens Saturday - and as college soccer’s influence wanes - they seem poised to continue, if not proliferate. Neumann, like Koval, had grown up dreaming of becoming a pro player. But by his second year of being one, he was frustrated enough with his club, the New England Revolution, and curious enough about his non-soccer talents that he was considering a change. A role as a players’ union representative, he says, “opened his eyes” in particular to the business side of sports. It also accentuated a slight. The attacking midfielder’s playing time had dropped from his rookie year, and his trade requests were denied. After the season ended, the Revolution declined his club option, then offered him a one-year qualifying contract worth $30,000 less than he was making. Per league rules, it meant he wouldn’t be able to sign anywhere else in MLS. He was irritated but took it. “I think when the league was formed, those rules were necessary,” said Neumann, who recalled checking in with his agent “on a weekly basis” about the regulations and how they work. “[Now] it’s unnecessarily complicated for what I think it should be, and I think a lot of people hold that same sentiment.” A marketing major as an undergraduate, he says he was “befuddled” at his inability “to seek market value.” Upon his return to New England for 2016, his minutes dwindled further, and his joy in playing went with them. “If I was an All-Star in
MLS, starting every game, I’d still be playing right now,” Neumann acknowledged. But while he could have sought a spot on another team after his third season, the lifestyle and club situation wore on him. After a lot of conversations with family and friends and “a lot of soulsearching,” he desired no more of it. Koval, like Neumann, cited enduring relationships with teammates and occasionally disappointing ones with management as notable takeaways from his brief MLS career. Not feeling “invested in” by his San Jose Earthquakes amid his 39 appearances over two years, he similarly pushed for a trade, was rebuffed and then was released in February 2016. The holding midfielder spent the ensuing season with Sacramento of the second-tier United Soccer League, and he grew increasingly uncomfortable with how the volatility of an athletics career impacted his wife, Karli. She wanted to attend school to become a physician’s assistant. He’d long seen himself in health care, too. They decided to start early. “Kids that went to college in the United States, they have a different mindset than guys in Europe,” said Connor Hallisey, the No. 10 pick in 2015 and, since early 2017, a perfectly content, sports-centric investment banker. Here, “the mindset isn’t, ‘Soccer’s the only thing. If I don’t make it in soccer, I won’t make it in life.’ “ Indeed, all early retirees who spoke with The Washington Post, Hallisey among them, appeared at peace with their decisions. So much so, in fact, that the average fan might find it odd. “I’m a lot less stressed,” said 2013 No. 9 selection Ryan Finley, who moved on in May. “It’s been a big weight off my shoulders.” (To put that serenity in context: Finley now works in finance.) For some, their postplaying careers have still involved soccer, whether watching or coaching or, in Hallisey’s case, working. Koval, for his part, said in December, “I can’t even tell you the last full soccer game that I’ve watched.” Of all of them, the one with the biggest soccer aspirations may be Neumann. His experience with the union has lingered, and he sees a future in a “blending” of his sports and business passions, whether with a league or club or otherwise. This summer, as it turned out, will offer plenty of lessons. In January, Neumann learned he had landed a coveted internship offer from Boston Consulting Group, one of the field’s top firms and his faraway favorite. When he got the news, he returned to Twitter. He rang his parents and texted a reporter. He called it “a defining moment,” because four years after the last time - after the snubs and the frustrations, the lasting bonds and the accomplished dream - he had again been in demand, and the choice this time was his.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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SOCCER
KARSTEN MORAN NYT
The Viking Army, a supporters group for the New York Red Bulls, cheer during Thursday’s CONCACAF match at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.. As Major League Soccer kicks off its 23rd season, the relationship between some teams and their supporters groups has never been more charged.
As a new season starts, MLS confronts its fiercest critics: fans BY GRAHAM PARKER
New York Times
For more than two decades, Major League Soccer and its most ardent fans have had an unusual, if sometimes uneasy, relationship. Using quick-cut video montages filled with colored smoke, swirling flags and scarves held aloft, MLS has long trumpeted its passionate supporter culture as evidence of its health and long-term viability – proof that the match-day spectacle of MLS, if not the standard of play, rivals that of some of the most prominent leagues in the world. In this arrangement, the fans are cast as de facto evangelists for the league, supporters in every sense of the word. But that lens conveniently obscures the fact that the most independent among them routinely – and publicly, and loudly – disagree with any heavy-handed policing and ham-handed ownership decisions that trouble them as the league’s self-perceived conscience. But still the fans turn up. No story of a new MLS franchise is complete without a breathless account of season tickets sold and stories of paradigm-shifting instant fan bases. No recent season has ended without a news release boasting of a record for attendance, with crowds of more than 50,000 in Seattle soon overtaken by attendances of 70,000-plus in Atlanta. The fans generally love the attention. The league loves the validation. But as MLS kicks off its 23rd season this weekend, emerging from a troubling offseason that exposed deep divides within U.S. soccer, the relationship between some teams and
KARSTEN MORAN NYT
The Viking Army, a supporters group for the New York Red Bulls, cheer during a match at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. on Thursday night.
their supporters has never been more charged. In Columbus, Ohio, home to one of the league’s original franchises, fans are in open conflict with their club’s owner, who is threatening to move the team to Texas. In Washington, D.C. United’s recent announcement that it was entering into a “strategic partnership” with one of its supporters groups has infuriated a different one, Barra Brava, which issued a blistering open letter accusing the team of squeezing out their LatinAmerican-inflected voices in favor of “suburban homogeneity.” And in New Jersey, the Red Bulls in January took the extraordinary step of revoking official recognition of one of their oldest supporters groups, the Garden State Ultras. The Red Bulls said the decision – the GSU claimed it was a first for the league –
followed repeated disciplinary infractions, culminating in an episode on the last day of the 2017 season in which, according to the team, a GSU member dropped a flare into the family section of a rival team’s stadium. The GSU disputed the team’s account and noted acidly in a statement on Facebook that, “We, along with billions of other soccer fans, are impassioned in both our love for our team and dislike of our opponents, and we disagree with attempts to mold a passive fan base that sits quietly, eating and drinking its overpriced concessions.” Every MLS team has at least one official supporters group. Most have several. Often, the groups are run by an elected committee, and they enjoy exclusive privileges: block seating behind the goals; allotments of tickets for away matches; and the right to
bring nominally banned items like flags, musical instruments and giant banners into stadiums. In a few of the league’s newest arenas, even the architecture itself – steep banks of seats, safe-standing areas, roofs pitched to amplify chants – has the hard-core fan experience in mind, often in consultation with supporter groups. Yet the relationships between teams and their supporters have always had a certain tension built into them. The supporters groups of the original MLS teams in particular – a group that includes Columbus, D.C. United and the Red Bulls team originally known as the MetroStars – are proud of their independent histories. As the league plants its flag in new markets – a 23rd franchise, Los Angeles F.C., will join MLS this season, and expansion teams in Nashville
and Miami were recently approved – many of the oldest groups see themselves as the true keepers of the institutional memories of their teams, and even of the league itself. The Columbus story in particular highlighted that sense of ownership. When it was revealed on the eve of last season’s playoffs that the team’s owner, Anthony Precourt, was working behind the scenes – with the league’s aid, if not blessing – to move the club to Austin, Texas, Crew fans mutinied. A grass-roots opposition was formed to lobby city and state leaders to keep the team in Ohio, and a hashtag campaign – #SaveTheCrew – quickly spread from social media to banners in other MLS cities, and even in other sports. The message to Precourt and the league was clear: Columbus fans would not abandon the decades of cultural capital they had expended without a fight. “It’s the basis of my longest-standing friendships in this country,” Graham Randall, an English expatriate member of the Crew Union supporters group, said of his relationship with the team. “Now I see it through the eyes of my 11-year-old son. The news that the team might not be here at some point made me realize I would lose a huge thread in my life in the last 13 years.” Since the missteps of the league’s early days, when MLS acquired a reputation for gimmickry that it struggled to shake, the emergence of a genuine independent supporters culture has been a viewed as a necessary step toward credibility, and it remains vital to the league’s vision of itself. But managing the dance between “organic” support and a strong league office can be delicate. “The supporters groups are really smart and creative – I mean, you see the work that goes into the giant tifo displays alone – and they have smart leaders who communicate really well with the clubs and basically police themselves,” said Mark Abbott, the league’s deputy com-
missioner. “We don’t have to do much, though we do set down guidelines for acceptable behavior.” Yet that desire for authenticity and passion often yields only symbolic displays of these qualities. It is one thing for fans to emulate a banner style imported from Italy, or the nonstop singing of South America, or the pop-parody chants of English soccer. But any organized fan groups that might actually feel and act on any of the enmity toward their rivals swiftly come up against the realities of how the U.S. sporting experience is managed and policed. It also can make for absurdities on both sides, with teams that cultivate an “ultras” culture punishing anyone who runs afoul of an explicit code of conduct published on the league’s website. (“The use of streamers and confetti as an expression of fan enthusiasm is not prohibited,” one section of the code reads, “but will be kept under review.”) And it doesn’t help that even notionally unified fan sections can end up Balkanized. The Garden State Ultras, for example, were one of three main Red Bulls supporters groups housed in what is known as the South Ward at the team’s stadium, Red Bull Arena. Yet collective sympathy for the GSU’s loss of its official status was tempered by the differing flavors of support that make the adjacent Empire Supporters Club and Viking Army as much rivals for attention as natural allies. Still, where there is a point of agreement among league, teams and fans, it is that there is little desire for fan groups to emulate the worst types of hooliganism seen in other parts of the world. If anything, today’s MLS fan groups emphasize a positivity that would look gauche to some of the groups they notionally emulate: charity fundraisers, clothing drives and events supporting social issues from anti-racism initiatives to gay rights. Even studiedly provocative groups like Philadelphia’s long-suffering Sons of Ben, known for their occasional contempt for their team’s management but also for a “No one likes us, we don’t care” chant borrowed from the infamously hostile supporters of the London club Millwall, regularly show a softer side. The group maintains a philanthropy tab on its website that charts, among other initiatives, money and goods raised in an annual community food drive for the residents of Chester, Pennsylvania, which is home to the Union’s stadium. Corey Furlan, one of the Sons of Ben founders, said of the apparent paradox: “Look, we’re Philadelphia sports fans – loud, obnoxious, whatever – but the type of people who care deeply about our team also give their energy, care and passion in other aspects of their life. We didn’t just want to drop into Chester for 17 home games a year. We wanted to put down roots. “I mean, players and coaches come and go, but we’re the people who are going to be here forever.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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SOCCER
STEPHEN M. DOWELL Orlando Sentinel
Several players collide as the ball gets past Orlando City goalkeeper Joseph Bendik, right, for a D.C. United goal during an MLS soccer match Saturday in Orlando, Fla.
United finally touches down with draw to open season BY STEVEN GOFF
Washington Post ORLANDO, FLA.
D.C. United's season dawned Saturday with seven new starters, with the head coach watching from a suite, with two
beneficial video reviews, a failed penalty kick and a man advantage for more than a half. It also included a goal by the most promising recruit and a quality performance at times before a purple-punctuated capacity crowd of 25,527
under a full moon. Yamil Asad's 32nd-minute goal stood up until second-half stoppage time when, despite losing Victor Giro to a red card, Orlando City scored a dramatic equalizer and claimed a 1-1 draw. The closing moments seemed as if Orlando, not
D.C., had more players on the field. United was barely hanging on, and in the third of five extra minutes, Justin Meram played a through ball to Jonathan Spector, who crossed to substitute Stefano Pinho for a seven-yard onetimer.
The road-heavy first half of the season began with only a brief visit to central Florida. After two flight cancellations Friday, the delegation arrived on two charters around noon Saturday, some 7 1/2 hours before kickoff. It didn't have any adverse effects right away as United engaged early, stayed organized, avoided the type of errors that plagued last season and looked very good at times. All seven D.C. players acquired over the winter started, and two who arrived late last summer were also in the lineup. With Luciano Acosta (red card suspension) and Taylor Kemp (injury) unavailable, Nick DeLeon and Steve Birnbaum were the only recurring characters. Acosta wasn't the only one banned from the festivities. Coach Ben Olsen served a one-game penalty for berating the referee after the 2017 finale, leaving top assistant Chad Ashton in charge on the sideline. United is such a work in progress that Olsen has yet to choose a captain. He said he wants to get a better feel for his squad before deciding. Orlando was incomplete, as well. Midfielders Sacha Kljestan (two-game ban stemming from a playoff ruckus) and Pierre da Silva (three matches for a preseason incident) were suspended, while injuries or fitness shelved star forward Dom Dwyer and midfielders Oriol Rosell, Josue Colman and Dillon Powers. Coach Jason Kreis started five offseason signings, including two rookies. In the opening chaos, United let two golden scoring opportunities slip by. Before long, Orlando was keeping possession, swinging the ball side to side and probing for space. D.C.'s defense was up to the task, protecting David Ousted, who won the preseason goalkeeping battle with Steve Clark. United received a generous assist from video replay after Will Johnson blocked Darren Mat-
tocks's cross. Referee Fotis Bazakos let play continue, but after a stoppage and sideline inspection, he awarded a penalty kick. Mattocks targeted the right side with a rising attempt but Joe Bendik made a sensational save, pushing the ball off the crossbar. The first-half fun was just beginning. In the 32nd minute, Asad served an angled free kick from 25 yards that, without any surging bodies in the way, would've been handled easily by Bendik. But the commotion around the six-yard box weaponized the effort and, with the goalkeeper screened, the ball dipped untouched past Mattocks and several others before bouncing into the net. The match took another turn a few minutes later when Giro clocked Asad in the head with an outstretched arm. Bazakos showed a yellow card, but after video assistant referee Geoff Gamble alerted him to a possible serious infraction, he checked the replay and reached for a red. In the final seconds of the half, Orlando howled for a red card - or at least a video review - after Mattocks struck Yoshimar Yotun. A yellow was all the Jamaican forward would see. After intermission, Ulises Segura, an import from Costa Rica, tested Bendik from 30 yards. Another newcomer, Frederic Brillant, came to United's rescue in the 57th minute, clearing Yotun's volley off the goal line. Down a man, Orlando labored to sustain possession and pressure. United managed the game well and, in the 79th minute, Mattocks's partial breakaway was interrupted at the last moment but fastrecovering Mohamed El-Munir. Orlando's desperation and D.C.'s fatigue left the visitors on their heels in the waning minutes. Ousted was not seriously tested until the late equalizer.
SATURDAY’S MLS MATCHES in the 24th minute for a takedown from behind of Sapong near the top of the penalty arc.
QUAKES 3, MINNESOTA UNITED 2 SAN JOSE, CALIF.
Danny Hoesen scored twice, Valeri Qazaishvili had a goal and two assists and San Jose beat Minnesota in the season opener for both teams Saturday night. Kevin Molino pulled the Loons to 3-1 in the 81st minute, slotting the finish through the legs of defender Harold Cummings. Four minutes later, Molino closed the deficit to one with a bending right-footed shot from the 5 yards behind the top of the arc. Minnesota pressed forward for a late equalizer, but the Quakes held them off during an edgy final 10 minutes. Hoesen scored the opening goal in the 27th minute, finishing Qazaishvili’s feed with a rightfooted shot from middle of the penalty arc. In the next minute, San Jose made it 2-0 with Chris Wondoloski forcing a turnover deep in Minnesota territory and sending a wide cross to Qazaishvili for the tap-in. CREW 2, TORONTO FC 0 TORONTO
Federico Higuain and Gyasi Zardes scored to
DYNAMO 4, ATLANTA UNITED 0 HOUSTON
Andrew Wenger opened the scoring with a tap-in in the fifth minute for Houston. Alberth Elis outraced a defender to chase down Philippe Senderos’ long ball and sent a low cross to Wenger. enderos scored on a header in the 23rd minute, and Mauro Manotas cleaned up a loose ball four minutes later. Darwin Ceren scored in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time in his Dynamo debut. CHRIS YOUNG AP
Columbus Crew defender Harrison Afful, left, chests the ball away from Toronto FC midfielder Victor Vazquez, center, during the first half of Saturday’s opener in Toronto.
help Columbus beat Toronto on Saturday, spoiling the defending MLS champion Reds’ home opener. Zack Steffen made two saves for Columbus. Higuain one-timed Milton Valenzuela' cross past diving goaltender Alex Bono in the 44th minute. Bono dove to get his hand on the shot, but
couldn’t get enough to keep it out. Higuain has 49 goals and 49 assists in 150 career MLS appearances. Zardes scored a minute into the second half, getting his foot on Pedro Santos’ through ball and putting it past Bono. Zardes joined the Crew in an offseason deal with the L.A. Galaxy.
UNION 2, REVOLUTION 0 CHESTER, PA.
Anthony Fontana and C.J Sapong scored and Philadelphia beat 10-man New England in the opener for both teams, spoiling Brad Friedel’s Revolution coaching debut. Fontana opened the scoring in the 43rd minute with a quick-reacting,
left-footed stab to finish Sapong’s redirection of Alejandro Bedoya’s low cross. Fontana, an 18year-old Union Academy graduate and Homegrown Player signing, was making his MLS debut. Sapong flicked in Cory Burke’s cross in the 69th minute to make it 2-0. Antonio Mlinar Delamea was shown a red card
REAL SALT LAKE 1, FC DALLAS 1, TIE FRISCO, TEXAS
Real Salt Lake’s Marcelo Silva scored an own goal in the 86th minute and FC Dallas escaped with the draw. Maximiliano Urruti dribbled in from the right corner of the 18-yard box and fired a low hard cross that Silva deflected it into the top of the net. Joao Plata scored for Real Salt Lake in the 25th minute.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 39
COMMENTARY
AL GOLDIS AP
Michigan State’s mascot waits to take the field before a 2015 football game against Ohio State.
Michigan State’s problems start much higher than Nassar, coaches BY SALLY JENKINS
Washington Post
Look up, not down, in the scandal buffeting Michigan State. If the school’s ongoing legal torment over Larry Nassar is at all instructional, if there is anything useful to learn from its example, it’s that an organization gets into this kind of allencompassing legal trouble not because of a single perpetrator but because of a pervasive attitude, an apathy or a blindness, at the very top. This week, the entire Michigan State faculty called on the school’s eight-member Board of Trustees to resign, and it doesn’t seem an unreasonable demand. Federal authorities launched a fresh Title IX investigation into the school’s handling of Nassar’s molestations as well as other sexual assault cases involving the football and basketball teams this week. That’s on top of inquiries by a Congressional committee and the Michigan attorney general, seeking to know how a serial pedophile could
have had a decadeslong tenure at the school’s sports medicine clinic, despite complaints of his conduct going back to 1997. Merrily Dean Baker believes Nassar should have been stopped cold in ’97, the first time a Michigan State gymnast reported to a coach that Nassar had violated her. Baker, the school’s athletics director from 1992 to 1995, attributes that systemic failure to a culture that balked at Title IX compliance, and allowed employees to be ignorant or dismissive of the law’s requirements. Over the next few years, 14 university employees would receive complaints about Nassar, with no action. “You didn’t have to be a hero,” Baker said. “All you had to do was your job, when a kid said, ‘I think I’ve been abused.’ ” For other universities paying attention, here is an example of how not to do things if you want to avoid the fates of Baylor, Penn State, and Michigan State. Title IX prohibits unequal treatment on the basis of gender in any institution receiving feder-
al funds, and it has specific provisions for how campuses should investigate reports of sexual violence in a non-discriminatory way. Follow them. Those provisions actually might have protected the university from its current plight, Baker contends. Instead, baker said, “MSU is an institution that essentially said, ‘Title What?’” A brief anatomy of one case: In 2014, Amanda Thomashow told school authorities that Nassar sexually abused her during a “treatment” to the point that she had to push him and his erection off of her. MSU’s Title IX inquiry consisted mainly of consulting four colleagues of Nassar’s, all of them school employees friendly to him. They neglected to check his work computer. After that dogged detective work, the school wrote two separate findings, one for her and one for him. The Title IX conclusion given to Thomashow said, “We cannot find that the conduct was of a sexual nature. Thus, it did not violate the sexual harass-
ment policy.” In other words, she lost the case. But a separate finding for Nassar was longer, and contained a far more serious admission. “We find that whether medically sound or not, the failure to adequately explain procedures such as these invasive, sensitive procedures, is opening the practice up to liability and is exposing patients to unnecessary trauma based on the possibility of perceived sexual misconduct. In addition, we find that the failure to obtain consent from patients prior to the procedure is likewise exposing the practice to liability.” Michigan State withheld that finding from Thomashow – a flat illegality. Worse, it never shared it with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which was looking into how the school handled other sexual assault complaints. That’s what you call a failure to cooperate with the feds. It’s also called compounding your trouble. Now to the why. Why would a large and respected state institution behave
this way? Because of a protect-the-brand-at-allcosts philosophy, perhaps, that dated to Baker’s tenure. “It’s pretty traceable, and pretty discouraging,” she said. Baker was hired to bring the school up to date on Title IX standards by former school president John DiBiaggio who was seeking to reform athletics and displace George Perles as a too-powerful figure who held the dual titles of football coach and athletic director. But Baker said she was resisted by the school’s power brokers from her first day on the job. “The board and Perles commenced what amounted to a very public assault on Merrily’s work and vision as AD,” says Steve Klein, former sports editor of the Lansing State Journal, who is now a professor emeritus of journalism at George Mason University. Klein recalls Perles angrily telling him that he would never work for a woman. Baker was ultimately forced out after three years of constant battles. Baker’s chief opponent
on the board was Joel Ferguson, a real estate development baron who long has been known as its most powerful member. Baker claims that on one occasion Ferguson told her, “I don’t want to hear a word about Title IX.” Ferguson not only fought her, but also a Spartan Athletic Review Committee that issued a report seeking academic reforms, according to Klein. Klein recalls Ferguson saying that the report would go “in the bottom of a very deep barrel.” Perles was fired in 1994 in the wake of a grade tampering scandal. He is currently a member of the board of trustees. Ferguson remains its vice chair. He did not respond to a request to comment. Three decades later, Michigan State finds itself entangled in a maze of investigations stemming from basic Title IX procedural violations. Ferguson’s defiant and tonedeaf public responses to the Nassar scandal suggest just how much of a leadership problem the university has. He initially refused to seek the resignation of school president Lou Anna Simon by pointing to how much money she raised for athletic stadiums. The school was much bigger than “just this Nassar thing,” he said. He also called the victims’ attorneys “ambulance chasers” looking for a “payday.” This was the tone from the very top: To victimblame, diminish the importance of the crime and defend the sports brand over the well-being of students. So if the question is, did a set of underlying circumstances and attitudes allow Nassar to prosper in this particular place, the answer would appear to be an emphatic yes. It would be a real shame if the blame for MSU’s problems were to be narrowly siloed, and laid at the door of underlings, while this board goes on with business as usual. Men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, speaking to reporters on the eve of the Big Ten tournament, maintains he always has cooperated properly with authorities and wants to do “whatever it takes to heal,” as does football coach Mark Dantonio. They should, and will, face inquiries into their leadership of their programs. But to state the obvious, the problem is much bigger - and higher up - than coaches. Until Michigan State wipes the board clean, it’s hard to see how the school can begin to recover. “I thought this group was going out when I was 30,” Baker said. “I’m now 75. And they’re still here.”
SPORTS IN BRIEF MUSHERS, FANS SET FOR SLED-DOG RACE ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Cheering fans lined the streets of Alaska’s largest city as mushers and their dogs took a sprint through town for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It gave fans a chance to get up close to teams that will participate in the competitive portion of the 1,000-mile race that begins Sunday in Willow. This year’s race comes amid a plethora of issues,
including a dog doping scandal, the loss of a major sponsor and increasing pressure from animalrights activists. Sixtyseven teams are vying for a total purse of $500,000. A dog fled ahead of the start, with Anchorage station KTUU reporting 2-year-old Hudson took off when the back doors of the musher’s trailer were open. The dog was last seen heading toward a nearby neighborhood in the downtown area.
HIALEAH OWNER, BREEDER DIES AT 87 HIALEAH, FLA.
John Brunetti, a horse breeder and the owner of historic Hialeah Park since 1977, has died at 87. Mr. Brunetti feuded with nearby Gulfstream Park and Calder Race Course for the best racing dates and when the state stopped assigning dates in 1989, Hialeah saw its prominence fade. It opened in 1925 and in its heyday was a showplace for celebrities, pink
flamingos and the sport’s greatest horses. A statue of Citation stands as a reminder of that glory. HURD, MOLDAUER WIN GYMNASTICS GOLD HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL.
Americans Morgan Hurd and Yul Moldauer won all-around gold medals at the America Cup, the first major gymnastics competition of 2018. Hurd, a 16-year-old from Middletown, Delaware, won her second major international all-
around title, outscoring runner-up Mai Murakami of Japan 56.599-55.633. Standing 4 feet, 5 inches, she wears glasses in meets because contacts hurt her eyes. The 21-year-old Moldauer is the reigning national champion from Norman, Oklahoma. EX-FOOTBALL STAR DIBBLE DIES AT 88 NORTHVILLE, MICH.
Dorne Dibble, a twoway player at Michigan State who was on two
Detroit Lions title teams in the 1950s, died at 88. Mr. Dibble played defensive end and receiver under Michigan State coach Biggie Munn. In 1950, the Spartans finished in the AP top 10 for the first time. The Lions drafted Mr. Dibble in 1951, and he was part of NFL championship teams in 1953 and 1957. — MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICES
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 40
TRACK & FIELD
MATT DUNHAM AP
Bronze medalist United States’ Ronnie Baker, left, gold medalist United States’ Christian Coleman, center, and silver medalist China’s Su Bingtian, right, cross the finish line Saturday in the men’s 60 meters race at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
Coleman wins 60m in indoors record time BY DANIELLA MATAR
Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
When you get a phone call from former sprint king Maurice Greene straight after setting another record, you know you’ve done something special. Christian Coleman added the championship record to his growing list of achievements in winning the 60 meters at the world athletics indoors on Saturday. Coleman smashed Greene’s 20-year-old world record last month by clocking 6.34 seconds and the American came within 0.03 seconds of that at Arena Birmingham. Greene called as Coleman was talking to reporters, and Coleman put the phone on speaker so everyone could hear Greene’s congratulations. “Just to have my name up there with those kind of guys is a huge honor,” Coleman said after hanging up. “Maurice is someone I can call a friend now and that’s great for me.” Coleman, who turns 22 on Tuesday, never looked in danger as he beat Su Bingtian of China by 0.05 and U.S. teammate Ronnie Baker by 0.07. He said the gold medal meant more to him than the world record. Other world indoors records tumbled on Saturday: American Kendra Harrison set a new mark in the 60-meter hurdles as did compatriot Sandi Morris in the pole vault, and New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh in the shot put. The oldest record in the world indoors book fell when Walsh’s last hurl of 22.31 meters eclipsed the
MATT DUNHAM AP
New Zealand's Tomas Walsh throws to set a new championship record in the men's shot put final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham on Saturday.
record of 22.24 set by Ulf Timmermann in 1987, five years before the New Zealander was born. It was a third world indoor silver medal for David Storl of Germany. He and Tomas Stanek of the Czech Republic threw 21.44 but Storl had a superior second best throw. America was favored to sweep the podium in the 60 hurdles and although Harrison and Christina Manning finished one-two respectively, Nadine Visser of the Netherlands edged Sharika Nelvis for bronze. There was another American one-two in the women’s 400. Courtney Okolo controlled from the start and won in 50.55 seconds. Teammate Shakima Wimbley moved
ahead of Britain’s Eilidh Doyle on the final straight to finish second. Oscar Husillos thought he broke a championship record in the 400 but he and Luguelin Santos, who originally crossed the line in second, were disqualified for lane infringements, handing a third successive world indoors title to Pavel Maslak. “The guys were stronger than me and I do not know what went wrong for them,” Maslak said. “They would have beaten me anyway so even if it is gold, it will have a bronze flavor for me.” Morris attempted to break the world indoor pole vault record but failed in three attempts at 5.04 meters. She was runner-up at
MATT DUNHAM AP
United States’ Sandi Morris poses after winning the gold medal and setting a new championship record in the women’s pole vault final.
the 2017 world championships and 2016 Olympics, plus at the previous world indoors. Morris finally got her
hands on a gold medal when she broke the championship record with her third attempt at 4.95, although she faced an
anxious moment with one more woman left in the competition. “I just brought everything I had down that runway and imagined I was running into battle,” Morris said, laughing. “And, oh my gosh, the feeling once I got on the other side of the bar and then when I knew I was a gold medalist, I can’t even describe it.” Anzhelika Sidorova matched Morris’ previous leaps but failed at her third attempt at 4.95 and finished second, ahead of Olympic and world champion Katerina Stefanidi. “You never want to wish a miss on somebody, that’s just bad luck,” Morris added. “But at the same time I’m like, ‘Oh I’m tired.’ ” Genzebe Dibaba clinched her second gold in Birmingham when the Ethiopian added the 1,500 title to the 3,000 she won on Friday. Britain’s Laura Muir put in a fantastic final surge to beat defending champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands to silver, a reversal of their positions in the 3,000. There was controversy in the only other individual track final. There was no doubt about Adam Kszczot’s dominant victory in the 800 but runnerup Drew Windle was disqualified, promoting Saul Ordonez to silver and Elliot Giles to bronze. However, the American team’s appeal was accepted, reinstating Windle into second place. Kevin Mayer of France won the heptathlon by just five points over Damian Warner, despite the Canadian clocking a personal best to win the final event, the 1,000 meters. Just three centimeters separated the medalists in the men’s triple jump. American Will Claye regained the title he won six years ago by edging Almir dos Santos and Nelson Evora. In the women’s event, defending champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela beat Kimberly Williams and Ana Peleteiro.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
HORSE RACING
Promises Fulfilled a surprise winner in Fountain of Youth Associated Press HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA.
Promises Fulfulled was a surprise wire-to-wire winner Saturday in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, one of the big early preps on the road to the Kentucky Derby.
Starting from the outside post, Promises Fulfilled went straight to the lead and kept holding off challengers as he made his way around 1 1/16 miles of the dirt at Gulfstream Park. It was the third win in four starts for the Dale Romans trainee, who went off at 18-1 and
paid $38.40 after winning in 1 minute, 44.17 seconds under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Strike Power was second, after several attempts to pass Promises Fulfilled down the stretch came up empty. “The trainer told me to go to the lead and hold on,” said Ortiz, who rode five winners at Gulfstream on the day. “When I asked my horse, he just took off again. He was impressive today. He ran the whole race. He broke great and was ready. The trainer was right.” Good Magic – the overwhelming favorite – was
third. Good Magic won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year, won the Eclipse Award as the top 2-year-old, was ridden by Eclipse Award jockey Jose Ortiz and is trained by two-time reigning Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown. But even connections like that wasn’t enough to get Good Magic to the lead. “The latter part of the race, he didn’t have it,” Brown said. “The horses that were 1-2 the whole way just kicked ahead of him. The horse came back a little tired. He was blowing pretty good. It looked
like he needed the race. Hopefully, he got what he needed out of it and go on to the next step.” If Promises Fulfilled remains healthy, he’s now essentially assured a spot in the Kentucky Derby field. This is the sixth year where a points system has been used to determine the 20 horses that will be in the Run for the Roses, and in each of the first five years 50 points – what Promises Fulfilled got for winning on Saturday – was easily enough to qualify. Strike Power got 20 standings points for finishing second, and that
PAGE 41
puts him in excellent shape in the Derby qualifying chase as well. Good Magic picked up 10 more points, giving him 34. And based on past years, that could already be enough to qualify. Machismo was fourth and Marconi was fifth. It was the 72nd Fountain of Youth day, and Gulfstream had a record handle for the day – $28,541,305, up 7 percent from Fountain of Youth day a year ago.
Heather Watson won the women’s doubles in their first tournament together, topping Americans Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria 7-5, 2-6, 10-2. BAUTISTA AGUT WINS IN DUBAI FOR 2ND ATP TITLE OF THE YEAR DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
REBECCA BLACKWELL AP
Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko chases a ball hit by Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele during the women's final at the Mexican Tennis Open in Acapulco.
TENNIS
Lesia Tsurenko successfully defends Mexico Open title Associated Press
ITALY’S FOGNINI, CHILE’S JARRY TO PLAY BRAZIL OPEN FINAL
ACAPULCO, MEXICO
Lesia Tsurenko successfully defended her Mexico Open title Saturday night, rallying to beat Stefanie Voegele 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-2. The 28-year-old Tsurenko, from the Ukraine, won her fourth WTA Tour title and first since her victory last year at Princess Mundo Imperial. “It’s such a special tournament for me,” Tsurenko said during the trophy ceremony wearing the traditional champion’s sombrero. “It was amazing.” Seeded seventh in the hard-court event, she was three points from losing the match in the second set in the match that took 2 hours, 45 minutes. “Stefanie, it was an unbelievable match,” Tsurenko said. “It was almost three hours. We both were nervy and we were still fighting to the end. Thanks for this match and for this experience.” The 27-year-old Voegele was making her first appearance in a tour final. Kevin Anderson of
Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain earned his second ATP title of the year when he beat Lucas Pouille of France 6-3, 6-4 in the Dubai Championships final on Saturday. The third-seeded Bautista Agut denied the second-seeded Pouille his own second title this year and a chance to break into the top-10 rankings for the first time. Pouille, the winner in Montpellier and runner-up last week in Marseille, looked out of steam in the final. Also, his last three matches were all threesetters. Bautista Agut came to Dubai on a three-match losing streak after winning in Auckland in January. He was stoic in the final, converting three of his nine break chances, and dropping serve only once. Of his eight career titles, “It is my best win,” he said. He broke in the fourth game for the first set. In the second, Pouille led 3-1 but lapsed back into errors and making less than half of his first serves. Bautista Agut broke straight back, and again in the ninth game and served out. “I didn’t give him all the court, all the control of the game,” Bautista Agut said. “I was mentally strong. I could come back into the match playing very good tennis (in the second set).”
SAO PAULO
KAMRAN JEBREILI AP
Roberto Batista Agut of Spain celebrates after beating Lucas Pouille of France at the final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
South Africa faced Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina later in the men’s
final. In the men’s doubles final, Britain’s Jamie Mur-
ray and Brazil’s Bruno Soares beat American twins Bob and Mike Bryan
7-6 (4), 7-5. Germany’s Tatjana Maria and Britain’s
Second seed Fabio Fognini of Italy and Nicolas Jarry of Chile will play the Brazil Open final in Sao Paulo on Sunday. Fognini beat defending champion Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday. Jarry overcame Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. The final of the Brazilian tournament on clay will mark the first match between the Italian and the Chilean. Neither has won the Brazil Open title. Fognini beat Portugal’s Joao Rodrigues, Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Cuevas, who won the three previous editions of the tournament. Jarry advanced to the final with wins against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, Argentina’s Guido Pella, top-seed Albert Ramos Vinolas of Spain and Zeballos.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 1
NBA BASKETBALL WESTERN CONFERENCE
EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
Toronto Boston Philadelphia New York Brooklyn
44 44 34 24 20
17 20 27 39 43
.721 .688 .557 .381 .317
— 11⁄2 10 21 25
9-1 5-5 8-2 1-9 1-9
W-3 L-1 W-2 L-3 L-2
25-5 23-11 20-10 16-14 12-21
19-12 21-9 14-17 8-25 8-22
28-8 28-13 20-15 12-25 13-24
Southwest
W
L
Houston New Orleans San Antonio Dallas Memphis
49 35 36 19 18
13 26 27 44 44
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
.790 — .574 131⁄2 .571 131⁄2 .302 301⁄2 .290 31
Pct
10-0 7-3 2-8 2-8 0-10
W-15 W-7 L-2 L-2 L-13
25-6 17-12 22-8 12-20 13-20
24-7 18-14 14-19 7-24 5-24
30-8 17-19 20-17 10-31 15-24
Southeast
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
Northwest
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
Washington Miami Charlotte Orlando Atlanta
36 33 28 20 19
27 30 35 43 44
.571 .524 .444 .317 .302
— 3 8 16 17
5-5 4-6 5-5 3-7 3-7
L-2 W-1 L-2 W-2 L-1
18-13 17-13 18-15 13-18 14-19
18-14 16-17 10-20 7-25 5-25
23-16 23-17 17-20 12-28 9-31
Portland Minnesota Oklahoma City Denver Utah
37 38 37 35 33
26 28 28 28 30
.587 .576 .569 .556 .524
— 1 ⁄2 1 2 4
8-2 4-6 6-4 7-3 8-2
W-6 L-2 L-1 W-2 W-2
20-11 25-7 21-10 24-9 20-11
17-15 13-21 16-18 11-19 13-19
23-15 28-13 21-19 22-20 22-16
Central
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
Pacific
W
L
Pct
GB
L10
Str
Home
Away
Conf
Cleveland Indiana Milwaukee Detroit Chicago
36 35 33 29 21
26 27 29 34 41
.581 .565 .532 .460 .339
— 1 3 71⁄2 15
6-4 6-4 4-6 2-8 3-7
L-2 W-1 L-4 L-2 W-1
21-11 21-11 19-13 20-13 14-17
15-15 14-16 14-16 9-21 7-24
26-14 25-16 20-20 18-24 17-20
Golden State L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers Sacramento Phoenix
49 33 28 19 19
14 28 34 44 45
.778 — .541 15 .452 201⁄2 .302 30 .297 301⁄2
8-2 7-3 7-3 2-8 1-9
W-5 W-1 W-5 L-1 L-1
24-7 17-13 15-14 9-21 9-24
25-7 16-15 13-20 10-23 10-21
27-11 22-18 14-24 10-30 13-29
TUESDAY’S GAMES Atlanta at Toronto, 6 p.m. Miami at Washington, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at Charlotte, 6 p.m. Houston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m. Denver at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. New York at Portland, 9 p.m. Brooklyn at Golden State, 9:30 p.m. New Orleans at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES Orlando 115, Detroit 106 (OT) Philadelphia 110, Charlotte 99 Golden State 114, Atlanta 109 Chicago 108, Dallas 100 Denver 108, Memphis 102 Indiana 103, Milwaukee 96 Toronto 102, Washington 95 Oklahoma City 124, Phoenix 116
L.A. Clippers 128, New York 105 Utah 116, Minnesota 108 SATURDAY’S GAMES Orlando 107, Memphis 100 Denver 126, Cleveland 117 Miami 105, Detroit 96 Houston 123, Boston 120 L.A. Lakers 116, San Antonio 112 Portland 108, Oklahoma City 100
Utah 98, Sacramento 91 SUNDAY’S GAMES Phoenix at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m. Charlotte at Toronto, 5 p.m. Indiana at Washington, 5 p.m. New Orleans at Dallas, 6 p.m. Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Brooklyn at L.A. Clippers, 8 p.m. New York at Sacramento, 8 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAMES Detroit at Cleveland, 6 p.m. Milwaukee at Indiana, 6 p.m. Phoenix at Miami, 6:30 p.m. Boston at Chicago, 7 p.m. Memphis at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m. Orlando at Utah, 8 p.m. Portland at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.
ROCKETS 123, CELTICS 120
Orlando Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Gordon 32:33 4-8 6-7 8 2 5 14 J.Simmons 28:08 3-5 3-4 6 1 3 11 Vucevic 27:48 8-14 2-5 6 2 3 19 Augustin 29:02 5-7 4-4 3 5 2 16 Fournier 30:04 7-13 4-5 3 3 2 19 Hezonja 21:37 5-12 4-4 2 2 2 16 Mack 18:45 2-3 2-2 1 4 2 6 Isaac 17:36 0-2 0-0 5 0 3 0 Biyombo 15:26 2-6 0-0 7 0 0 4 Vaughn 10:10 0-1 0-0 2 0 1 0 Iwundu 5:04 0-1 0-0 1 0 0 0 Birch 3:46 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 2 Speights 0:01 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 240:00 36-72 27-33 44 19 23 107 Percentages: FG .500, FT .818. 3-Point Goals: 8-25, .320 (J.Simmons 2-2, Augustin 2-4, Hezonja 2-8, Vucevic 1-2, Fournier 1-6, Gordon 0-1, Isaac 0-1, Vaughn 0-1). Team Rebounds: 4. Team Turnovers: 14 (18 PTS). Blocked Shots: 9 (Hezonja 3, Isaac 3, Gordon 2, Vucevic). Turnovers: 14 (Gordon 3, Hezonja 2, Iwundu 2, J.Simmons 2, Mack 2, Augustin, Fournier, Vaughn). Steals: 4 (Gordon 2, Fournier, Hezonja). Memphis 27 25 27 21 — 100 Orlando 31 21 25 30 — 107 Att.—17,875 (18,846). T—2:17. Officials—Eric Lewis, J.T. Orr, Ben Taylor
Utah 25 27 23 23 — 98 Sacramento 17 26 23 25 — 91 Att.—17,583 (17,608). T—2:07. Officials—Tyler Ford, Mark Lindsay, Derrick Stafford
Jefferson 15:25 2-2 0-0 1 2 2 4 Beasley 5:16 1-2 0-0 0 0 0 3 Totals 240:00 47-86 13-15 35 35 19 126 Percentages: FG .547, FT .867. 3-Point Goals: 19-35, .543 (G.Harris 6-10, Barton 4-10, Murray 3-4, Chandler 2-4, Beasley 1-1, D.Harris 1-2, Jokic 1-2, Millsap 1-2). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 9 (11 PTS). Blocked Shots: 3 (Chandler, Jokic, Millsap). Turnovers: 9 (Chandler 2, D.Harris 2, Jokic 2, Barton, Millsap, Murray). Steals: 4 (G.Harris, Millsap, Murray, Plumlee). Cleveland Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt James 42:24 8-19 8-11 10 15 2 25 Osman 23:38 6-7 0-0 3 1 3 13 Thompson 27:58 6-10 0-1 7 0 1 12 Hill 33:40 6-10 2-2 4 4 3 17 Smith 34:36 7-12 3-4 2 2 1 19 Hood 26:20 3-9 0-0 3 2 1 6 Clarkson 23:26 4-9 1-1 4 1 1 11 Nance Jr. 20:02 6-10 2-2 8 0 4 14 Korver 7:16 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 0 Holland 0:20 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Perrantes 0:20 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 240:00 46-88 16-21 41 25 16 117 Percentages: FG .523, FT .762. 3-Point Goals: 9-24, .375 (Hill 3-4, Clarkson 2-3, Smith 2-5, Osman 1-2, James 1-4, Korver 0-1, Nance Jr. 0-1, Hood 0-4). Team Rebounds: 5. Team Turnovers: 9 (11 PTS). Blocked Shots: 2 (Hood, Smith). Turnovers: 9 (James 3, Hill 2, Hood, Osman, Smith, Thompson). Steals: 5 (James 2, Clarkson, Smith, Thompson). Technical Fouls: coach Tyronn Lue, 6:07 third. Denver 37 36 30 23 — 126 Cleveland 31 31 35 20 — 117 Att.—20,562 (20,562). T—2:06. Officials—Aaron Smith, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
Boston Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Horford 31:07 4-12 2-2 6 3 1 10 Tatum 27:41 4-7 2-2 4 3 1 12 Baynes 12:09 1-3 2-2 4 1 1 4 J.Brown 23:42 4-8 0-0 2 1 4 9 Irving 35:25 6-17 4-5 3 6 4 18 Morris 33:34 8-13 0-1 4 1 2 21 Smart 28:54 4-12 3-3 6 5 3 11 Rozier 28:20 7-10 0-0 3 1 3 17 Monroe 19:08 6-9 6-6 6 1 2 18 Totals 240:00 44-91 19-21 38 22 21 120 Percentages: FG .484, FT .905. 3-Point Goals: 13-24, .542 (Morris 5-7, Rozier 3-3, Tatum 2-2, Irving 2-7, J.Brown 1-2, Horford 0-1, Smart 0-2). Team Rebounds: 13. Team Turnovers: 13 (15 PTS). Blocked Shots: 3 (Monroe 2, Smart). Turnovers: 13 (Horford 3, Irving 3, Baynes 2, J.Brown 2, Morris, Rozier, Smart). Steals: 6 (Morris 3, Baynes, Irving, J.Brown). Technical Fouls: J.Brown, 10:40 third; Morris, 4:37 third; team, 2:25 third. Houston Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Ariza 33:39 8-18 1-1 3 2 2 21 Tucker 29:30 3-6 0-0 4 1 3 9 Capela 33:49 3-6 2-2 17 0 1 8 Harden 37:48 6-18 11-13 7 10 2 26 Paul 35:22 5-11 4-4 1 7 5 15 Gordon 27:18 8-13 6-8 3 1 1 29 Mbah a Moute 15:04 2-5 2-2 0 1 2 7 Nene 14:06 4-7 0-0 5 0 3 8 Johnson 13:24 0-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 Totals 240:00 39-87 26-30 40 24 21 123 Percentages: FG .448, FT .867. 3-Point Goals: 19-49, .388 (Gordon 7-11, Ariza 4-13, Tucker 3-6, Harden 3-12, Mbah a Moute 1-2, Paul 1-4, Johnson 0-1). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 10 (10 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Mbah a Moute 2, Capela, Harden, Tucker). Turnovers: 10 (Harden 4, Tucker 2, Capela, Gordon, Mbah a Moute, Paul). Steals: 11 (Harden 5, Ariza 3, Capela, Paul, Tucker). Technical Fouls: Paul, 8:41 second. Boston 32 32 25 31 — 120 Houston 30 28 28 37 — 123 Att.—18,476 (18,055). T—2:26. Officials—Ed Malloy, Tony Brown, Dedric Taylor
MAGIC 107, GRIZZLIES 100 Memphis Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Brooks 37:02 4-14 1-2 3 4 2 9 Martin 34:48 7-12 4-7 11 2 2 19 Green 37:11 2-12 6-7 13 7 4 10 Chalmers 28:07 5-11 2-2 1 3 3 15 McLemore 38:08 8-14 2-4 7 4 2 20 K.Simmons 19:52 6-9 2-2 1 2 4 14 Rabb 15:03 2-3 1-2 4 0 5 5 Parsons 12:58 2-6 0-0 1 1 0 4 Johnson 8:59 1-8 0-0 4 0 3 2 Henry 7:52 1-4 0-0 1 1 1 2 Totals 240:00 38-93 18-26 46 24 26 100 Percentages: FG .409, FT .692. 3-Point Goals: 6-22, .273 (Chalmers 3-6, McLemore 2-5, Martin 1-2, Henry 0-1, K.Simmons 0-1, Green 0-2, Parsons 0-2, Brooks 0-3). Team Rebounds: 11. Team Turnovers: 9 (11 PTS). Blocked Shots: 3 (Green 2, Johnson). Turnovers: 9 (Brooks 2, Green 2, K.Simmons 2, Martin, Parsons, Rabb). Steals: 9 (Green 3, Chalmers 2, Johnson, K.Simmons, McLemore, Parsons).
JAZZ 98, KINGS 91 Utah Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Favors 30:11 7-10 0-0 8 1 3 15 Ingles 33:49 3-8 0-0 5 3 3 8 Gobert 36:19 6-10 4-7 12 2 2 16 Mitchell 38:22 7-15 10-10 5 5 2 27 Rubio 33:38 4-16 2-5 8 6 3 10 Crowder 27:59 4-11 3-7 4 1 3 14 O’Neale 17:42 0-2 0-0 3 1 0 0 Jerebko 16:33 3-8 0-0 6 0 3 8 Neto 5:27 0-2 0-0 1 1 0 0 Totals 240:00 34-82 19-29 52 20 19 98 Percentages: FG .415, FT .655. 3-Point Goals: 11-32, .344 (Crowder 3-5, Mitchell 3-8, Jerebko 2-5, Ingles 2-6, Favors 1-2, O’Neale 0-1, Neto 0-2, Rubio 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 13 (13 PTS). Blocked Shots: 7 (Gobert 3, Crowder, Ingles, Neto, O’Neale). Turnovers: 13 (Mitchell 3, Rubio 3, Crowder 2, Ingles 2, Gobert, Jerebko, Neto). Steals: 9 (Rubio 4, Gobert 3, Crowder, Ingles). Sacramento Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Jackson 29:11 1-4 1-2 5 3 2 3 Randolph 25:36 4-14 3-4 5 0 2 12 Koufos 25:01 4-6 0-0 7 3 2 8 Bogdanovic 28:22 5-10 2-2 5 0 2 15 Fox 27:30 7-14 3-3 4 3 4 17 Hield 29:19 4-13 0-0 4 1 4 9 Labissiere 28:59 4-10 3-4 12 3 5 12 Carter 25:32 2-8 2-2 6 1 0 6 Mason 20:30 3-10 0-0 0 1 3 9 Totals 240:00 34-89 14-17 48 15 24 91 Percentages: FG .382, FT .824. 3-Point Goals: 9-30, .300 (Bogdanovic 3-4, Mason 3-7, Labissiere 1-1, Hield 1-5, Randolph 1-6, Fox 0-2, Jackson 0-2, Carter 0-3). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 13 (13 PTS). Blocked Shots: 7 (Labissiere 3, Hield, Jackson, Koufos, Mason). Turnovers: 13 (Labissiere 4, Fox 3, Carter, Hield, Jackson, Koufos, Mason, Randolph). Steals: 7 (Mason 4, Fox 2, Jackson).
LAKERS 116, SPURS 112 L.A. Lakers Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Kuzma 33:12 4-13 1-4 8 1 5 11 Randle 33:16 8-15 9-11 6 3 4 25 Lopez 25:33 6-12 0-1 2 2 0 14 Ball 34:46 6-12 0-0 7 11 4 18 Caldwell-Pope 43:02 7-13 1-1 13 2 4 18 Thomas 28:55 6-16 8-8 1 7 1 21 Zubac 14:23 0-2 2-2 4 0 0 2 Ennis 13:14 0-2 0-0 3 0 3 0 Wear 12:54 3-6 0-0 2 0 0 7 Payton II 0:45 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 240:00 40-92 21-27 46 26 21 116 Percentages: FG .435, FT .778. 3-Point Goals: 15-34, .441 (Ball 6-10, Caldwell-Pope 3-5, Lopez 2-4, Kuzma 2-6, Wear 1-4, Thomas 1-5). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 15 (12 PTS). Blocked Shots: 4 (Ball 2, Randle, Zubac). Turnovers: 15 (Thomas 5, Ball 2, Kuzma 2, Lopez 2, Zubac 2, Caldwell-Pope, Randle). Steals: 10 (Caldwell-Pope 3, Kuzma 2, Ball, Ennis, Lopez, Randle, Zubac). Technical Fouls: coach Lakers (Defensive three second), 4:25 first; coach Luke Walton, 1:33 second; Randle, 10:33 third. San Antonio Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Anderson 21:49 4-4 0-0 4 5 0 8 Bertans 21:54 4-9 0-0 5 2 2 11 Gasol 32:40 8-17 3-6 10 8 2 19 Mills 29:01 6-12 1-1 2 3 3 14 Murray 23:56 5-11 2-2 7 1 2 12 Gay 26:05 5-12 3-3 8 0 3 15 Green 23:56 2-7 2-2 1 2 1 7 Ginobili 23:31 4-11 4-4 4 6 2 12 Parker 21:49 3-9 0-0 0 1 2 6 Lauvergne 15:19 3-6 2-2 9 0 2 8 Totals 240:00 44-98 17-20 50 28 19 112 Percentages: FG .449, FT .850. 3-Point Goals: 7-30, .233 (Bertans 3-8, Gay 2-5, Green 1-5, Mills 1-5, Parker 0-1, Gasol 0-3, Ginobili 0-3). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 16 (18 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Gasol 3, Gay, Green). Turnovers: 16 (Bertans 3, Gasol 2, Gay 2, Mills 2, Murray 2, Parker 2, Anderson, Ginobili, Green). Steals: 10 (Murray 3, Anderson 2, Lauvergne 2, Bertans, Ginobili, Parker). Technical Fouls: coach Gregg Popovich, 4:47 fourth. L.A. Lakers 23 30 27 36 — 116 San Antonio 30 30 31 21 — 112 Att.—18,557 (18,418). T—2:12. Officials—Jonathan Sterling, Jason Phillips, Marat Kogut
NUGGETS 126, CAVALIERS 117 Denver Chandler Millsap Jokic G.Harris Murray Barton D.Harris Plumlee
Min 27:17 26:13 32:13 36:45 31:01 33:24 16:39 15:47
FG-A 7-10 4-9 3-8 10-17 6-11 9-17 1-3 4-7
FT-A 0-0 2-2 2-3 6-6 1-1 1-1 1-2 0-0
R 2 6 7 2 3 8 1 5
A 3 4 8 4 5 7 1 1
F 3 2 2 1 1 3 2 3
Pt 16 11 9 32 16 23 4 8
HEAT 105, PISTONS 96 Detroit Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Ennis III 30:06 3-9 0-0 5 1 4 7 Griffin 36:22 10-21 8-8 4 6 1 31 Drummond 37:31 9-16 4-8 18 2 3 22 Bullock 33:19 4-14 2-2 8 3 2 11 Smith 28:04 2-7 0-1 3 3 3 4 S.Johnson 20:42 2-5 0-0 2 0 5 5 Buycks 19:56 3-8 0-0 1 3 2 7 Galloway 11:53 2-5 0-0 3 0 0 4 Tolliver 11:38 1-3 0-0 1 0 0 2 Moreland 10:29 1-1 1-2 1 0 3 3 Totals 240:00 37-89 15-21 46 18 23 96 Percentages: FG .416, FT .714. 3-Point Goals: 7-24, .292 (Griffin 3-6, Buycks 1-1, S.Johnson 1-3, Ennis III 1-4, Bullock 1-6, Smith 0-1, Tolliver 0-1, Galloway 0-2). Team Rebounds: 12. Team Turnovers: 18 (26 PTS). Blocked Shots: 2 (Drummond 2). Turnovers: 18 (Drummond 5, Smith 3, Bullock 2, Buycks 2, Moreland 2, S.Johnson 2, Galloway, Griffin). Steals: 8 (Drummond 4, Bullock 2, Buycks, Galloway). Miami Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Babbitt 24:50 3-9 0-0 2 1 0 9 J.Johnson 26:45 6-7 0-4 2 1 4 14 Whiteside 24:43 2-10 4-5 19 1 4 8 Dragic 31:00 4-9 4-4 2 5 2 13 Richardson 35:24 7-13 2-2 4 2 3 17 Winslow 27:12 5-10 2-2 4 2 2 13 Olynyk 23:17 6-10 2-2 5 4 3 17 Wade 23:02 3-9 5-9 6 1 2 11
McGruder 23:00 1-5 0-0 1 2 0 3 Haslem 0:47 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 Totals 240:00 37-82 19-28 45 19 20 105 Percentages: FG .451, FT .679. 3-Point Goals: 12-29, .414 (Olynyk 3-5, Babbitt 3-8, J.Johnson 2-3, Dragic 1-2, Richardson 1-2, Winslow 1-3, McGruder 1-4, Wade 0-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 13 (15 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Richardson 2, J.Johnson, Whiteside, Winslow). Turnovers: 13 (Wade 4, Dragic 3, Whiteside 3, J.Johnson, Olynyk, Winslow). Steals: 11 (J.Johnson 3, Dragic 2, Richardson 2, Winslow 2, Babbitt, Olynyk). Detroit 28 18 24 26 — 96 Miami 27 32 15 31 — 105 Att.—19,600 (19,600). T—2:24. Officials—Kevin Scott, Tom Washington, Haywoode Workman
TRAIL BLAZERS 108, THUNDER 100 Oklahoma City Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt George 37:14 8-19 5-6 7 4 2 21 Patterson 33:29 5-8 0-0 6 0 2 12 Adams 36:18 4-9 4-6 7 1 4 12 Huestis 23:17 1-4 0-0 2 1 1 3 Westbrook 34:42 12-31 5-7 11 6 4 30 Grant 26:13 6-9 0-2 4 2 2 13 Felton 22:34 4-8 0-0 1 2 1 9 Abrines 14:39 0-1 0-0 1 1 1 0 Brewer 11:34 0-2 0-0 1 1 4 0 Totals 240:00 40-91 14-21 40 18 21 100 Percentages: FG .440, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 6-27, .222 (Patterson 2-3, Huestis 1-2, Felton 1-3, Grant 1-4, Westbrook 1-5, Abrines 0-1, Brewer 0-2, George 0-7). Team Rebounds: 15. Team Turnovers: 12 (12 PTS). Blocked Shots: 6 (Grant 2, Adams, George, Patterson, Westbrook). Turnovers: 12 (Westbrook 4, George 3, Adams, Brewer, Grant, Huestis, Patterson). Steals: 6 (Adams 2, Brewer 2, Abrines, Felton). Technical Fouls: Westbrook, 3:53 second. Portland Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt Aminu 19:09 1-7 0-0 6 0 2 3 Turner 32:47 6-10 2-2 3 2 3 17 Nurkic 18:19 4-11 1-4 7 1 4 9 Lillard 36:53 5-18 8-9 1 7 2 20 McCollum 37:39 10-20 6-6 8 6 1 28 Collins 28:19 5-6 0-0 5 1 2 12 Connaughton 23:38 3-6 0-0 4 2 2 6 Davis 20:26 3-4 0-0 10 0 4 6 Napier 14:02 2-4 2-2 1 1 0 7 Leonard 8:48 0-2 0-0 2 0 1 0 Totals 240:00 39-88 19-23 47 20 21 108 Percentages: FG .443, FT .826. 3-Point Goals: 11-33, .333 (Turner 3-4, Collins 2-2, Lillard 2-8, McCollum 2-8, Aminu 1-3, Napier 1-3, Leonard 0-2, Connaughton 0-3). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 15 (15 PTS). Blocked Shots: 8 (Collins 2, McCollum 2, Connaughton, Davis, Lillard, Turner). Turnovers: 15 (Lillard 3, Nurkic 3, Collins 2, McCollum 2, Aminu, Connaughton, Davis, Napier, Turner). Steals: 6 (Connaughton 2, Aminu, Leonard, Lillard, McCollum). Oklahoma City 28 22 25 25 — 100 Portland 25 28 30 25 — 108 Att.—20,063 (19,393). T—2:15. Officials—Derek Richardson, Ron Garretson, Derrick Collins
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY MARCH 4 1960 — Phil Latrielle of Middlebury scores an NCAA-record 10 goals in a 13-2 victory over Colgate. Latrielle, a three time All-American, would score a record 250 goals in the 85 games of his collegiate ice hockey career. 1962 — Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors registers his fifth straight 50-point game with 58 against the New York Knicks and sets a season scoring record with 3,921 points. 1968 — Joe Frazier wins the vacant New York world heavyweight title with an 11th-round TKO of Buster Mathis at Madison Square Garden.
1981 — Guy LaFleur of the Montreal Canadiens scores his 1,000th point with a goal in a 9-3 rout over the Winnipeg Jets. 1990 — Hank Gathers, one of two Division I players to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season, dies after collapsing during Loyola Marymount’s West Coast Conference tournament game against Portland. He was 23. 2004 — Mianne Bagger makes sports history at the Women’s Australian Open as the first transsexual to play in a pro golf tournament. 2006 — Rafael Nadal ends top-ranked Roger Federer’s 56-match hardcourt winning streak with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in the final of the Dubai Open.
2011 — Miikka Kiprusoff becomes the first goalie in 25 years to stop two penalty shots in a game and finishes with 37 saves, leading Calgary past Columbus 4-3. 2013 — Gonzaga, the small Northwest school that has delivered big NCAA tournament wins, is on top of The Associated Press’ Top 25 for the first time. Riding the best record in Division I at 29-2, the Bulldogs become the 57th school to be ranked No. 1 since the AP poll began in January 1949. 2013 — Brittney Griner scores a Big 12 singlegame record 50 points in her final regular-season game at Baylor and leads the Bears to a 98-50 win over Kansas State.
2015 — Russell Westbrook becomes the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to have four consecutive triple-doubles and the first since Jordan that year to have back-to-back triple-doubles with at least 40 points. Westbrook sets career highs with 49 points and 16 rebounds, and adds 10 assists, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-118 in overtime. 2017 — Marit Bjoergen wins world championship gold in the 30-kilometer classical race as Norway completes a sweep of women’s cross-country ski titles at the world championships in Lahti, Finland. Bjoergen takes her record 18th career gold medal and fourth of the championships. No country had won all women’s cross-country gold medals at a
single world championships since Russia in 1997, when there were only five events, rather than the current six. 2017 — Austrian Marcel Hirscher stuns the world of Alpine skiing by locking up an unprecedented sixth straight overall World Cup He becomes the first male skier to win six overall titles. Hirscher’s 44th career win also secures him the giant slalom title. 2017 — Napheesa Collier scores 24 points and top-ranked UConn routed Tulsa 105-57 in the American Athletic Conference quarterfinals. The Huskies (30-0) extend their NCAA-record winning streak to 105 games and reach the 30-victory mark for the 12th consecutive season.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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GOLF WGC MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday At Club de Golf Chapultepec Mexico City Purse: $10 million Yardage: 7,345; Par 71 Third Round Shubhankar Sharma .........................65-66-69—200 Tyrrell Hatton ..................................70-68-64—202 Phil Mickelson ..................................69-68-65—202 Sergio Garcia ...................................68-65-69—202 Rafa Cabrera Bello ...........................66-67-69—202 Pat Perez .........................................68-67-68—203 Dustin Johnson ................................69-66-68—203 Brian Harman ..................................68-67-68—203 Xander Schauffele ............................65-68-70—203 Justin Thomas ..................................72-70-62—204 Tony Finau .......................................68-70-68—206 Marc Leishman .................................69-68-69—206 Charley Hoffman ..............................70-66-70—206 Jordan Spieth ...................................70-67-69—206 Kiradech Aphibarnrat .......................66-69-71—206 Brendan Steele ................................69-66-71—206 Kevin Kisner .....................................70-71-66—207 Jhonattan Vegas ..............................70-68-69—207 Bubba Watson .................................69-66-72—207 Kyle Stanley .....................................71-65-71—207 Adam Hadwin ..................................70-71-67—208 Jon Rahm .........................................67-71-70—208 Ross Fisher ......................................71-68-69—208 Rickie Fowler ...................................68-70-70—208 Adam Bland .....................................70-67-71—208 Paul Casey .......................................73-68-68—209 Patton Kizzire ..................................69-69-71—209 Daniel Berger ...................................69-68-72—209 Alex Noren .......................................69-70-71—210 Charl Schwartzel ..............................71-69-70—210 Tommy Fleetwood ............................72-71-67—210 Chris Paisley ....................................65-75-71—211 Francesco Molinari ...........................71-70-70—211 Joost Luiten .....................................72-71-68—211 Thomas Pieters ................................69-68-74—211 Louis Oosthuizen ..............................64-71-76—211 David Lipsky .....................................70-71-71—212 Jorge Campillo .................................72-71-69—212 Jason Dufner ....................................72-72-68—212 Russell Henley ..................................69-69-75—213 Chez Reavie .....................................72-73-68—213 Branden Grace .................................72-69-73—214 Matthew Fitzpatrick .........................71-69-74—214 Dylan Frittelli ...................................73-70-71—214 Patrick Reed ....................................72-74-68—214
Webb Simpson .................................72-70-73—215 Kevin Chappell .................................73-70-72—215 Wade Ormsby ..................................79-67-69—215 Yuta Ikeda .......................................73-74-68—215 Justin Rose ......................................71-72-73—216 Bernd Wiesberger ............................73-71-72—216 Patrick Cantlay ................................70-75-71—216 Peter Uihlein ....................................74-72-70—216 Dean Burmester ...............................73-70-74—217 Satoshi Kodaira ................................72-73-73—218 Gary Woodland ................................74-71-73—218 Abraham Ancer ................................71-76-71—218 Paul Dunne ......................................73-75-72—220 Matt Kuchar .....................................74-74-73—221 Brandon Stone .................................75-76-71—222 Yusaku Miyazato ..............................77-72-74—223 Brett Rumford .................................78-74-72—224 Gavin Kyle Green ..............................78-73-74—225 HaoTong Li .......................................73-79-73—225
HSBC WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday At Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Course) Singapore Purse: $1.5 million Yardage: 6,718; Par: 72 Third Round Nelly Korda ......................................70-66-65—201 Danielle Kang ...................................68-64-70—202 Brooke M. Henderson .......................68-72-65—205 Minjee Lee .......................................71-66-68—205 Michelle Wie ....................................67-73-66—206 Jin Young Ko ....................................72-67-67—206 Jessica Korda ...................................68-70-68—206 Marina Alex ......................................69-67-70—206 Jenny Shin .......................................71-68-68—207 Charley Hull .....................................70-68-69—207 Ha Na Jang ......................................70-68-69—207 Lydia Ko ...........................................71-71-67—209 a-Atthaya Thitikul ............................70-71-68—209 Jeong Eun Lee ..................................69-70-70—209 Lizette Salas ....................................71-67-71—209 Chella Choi .......................................68-69-72—209 Ariya Jutanugarn .............................68-74-68—210 Eun-Hee Ji ........................................67-75-68—210 Moriya Jutanugarn ...........................70-71-69—210 Sung Hyun Park ...............................68-73-69—210 Madelene Sagstrom .........................68-72-70—210 Hyo Joo Kim .....................................72-68-71—211 Shanshan Feng .................................70-70-71—211 In Gee Chun .....................................68-72-71—211
Austin Ernst .....................................71-67-73—211 Cristie Kerr .......................................70-67-74—211 Angela Stanford ...............................76-66-70—212 Anna Nordqvist ................................75-67-70—212 Amy Yang ........................................74-68-70—212 Inbee Park .......................................73-70-70—213 Jennifer Song ...................................65-75-73—213 Jacqui Concolino ..............................73-71-70—214 So Yeon Ryu .....................................69-75-70—214 Nicole Broch Larsen .........................70-73-71—214 Mirim Lee .........................................69-74-71—214 Sei Young Kim ..................................70-72-72—214 Jodi Ewart Shadoff ...........................71-70-73—214 Caroline Masson ...............................70-70-74—214 Angel Yin .........................................73-73-69—215 Carlota Ciganda ...............................71-74-70—215 Mi Hyang Lee ...................................72-72-71—215 Pornanong Phatlum .........................74-68-73—215 Sandra Gal .......................................72-75-69—216 Jane Park .........................................75-69-72—216 Lexi Thompson .................................75-69-72—216 Hyejin Choi ......................................71-73-72—216 Su Oh ...............................................68-76-72—216 Sarah Jane Smith .............................75-70-72—217 Katherine Kirk ..................................74-69-74—217 Candie Kung .....................................71-72-74—217 Brittany Lincicome ...........................73-73-72—218 Brittany Altomare ............................72-73-73—218 Pernilla Lindberg ..............................73-71-74—218 Ashleigh Buhai .................................75-67-76—218 Georgia Hall .....................................73-76-70—219 Mi Jung Hur .....................................75-72-72—219 Alena Sharp .....................................75-75-70—220 In-Kyung Kim ...................................75-72-73—220 Kim Kaufman ...................................75-73-73—221 Megan Khang ...................................75-72-74—221 Karine Icher .....................................78-71-73—222 Tiffany Chan ....................................74-74-76—224 Haru Nomura ...........................................78-72-WD
CHAMPIONS TOUR COLOGUARD CLASSIC Saturday At Omni Tucson National (Catalina Course) Tucson, Ariz. Purse: $1.7 million Yardage: 7,207;Par 73 Second Round Tommy Tolles ........................................65-70—135 Scott Dunlap .........................................65-71—136 Steve Stricker ........................................66-70—136 Rocco Mediate .......................................72-65—137
Doug Garwood .......................................69-68—137 Gene Sauers ..........................................67-70—137 Mike Goodes ..........................................70-68—138 Kirk Triplett ...........................................69-69—138 Woody Austin ........................................68-70—138 Billy Andrade .........................................70-69—139 Bart Bryant ...........................................70-69—139 Jeff Maggert .........................................69-70—139 Michael Bradley .....................................69-70—139 Mike Small .............................................66-73—139 Marco Dawson .......................................71-69—140 Kevin Sutherland ...................................71-69—140 Todd Hamilton .......................................72-68—140 Brandt Jobe ...........................................71-69—140 Bob Estes ..............................................71-69—140 Olin Browne ..........................................70-70—140 Billy Mayfair ..........................................68-72—140 Joe Durant ............................................69-72—141 Tom Pernice Jr. ......................................71-71—142 Jerry Kelly .............................................70-72—142 Lee Janzen ............................................70-72—142 Tom Byrum ............................................75-67—142 Paul Broadhurst ....................................69-73—142 Jos Mara Olazbal ...................................71-72—143 Esteban Toledo ......................................71-72—143 Tom Lehman ..........................................71-72—143 Stephen Ames .......................................71-72—143 Ken Tanigawa ........................................71-72—143 Mark Brooks ..........................................71-72—143 Paul Claxton ..........................................70-73—143 Scott Verplank .......................................71-72—143 Fran Quinn ............................................70-73—143 David Toms ............................................73-70—143 Scott McCarron .....................................71-73—144 Kent Jones .............................................71-73—144 Tommy Armour III ................................72-72—144 Vijay Singh ............................................72-72—144 Steve Flesch ..........................................71-73—144 Glen Day ................................................73-71—144 Steve Pate .............................................73-71—144 Wes Short, Jr. ........................................70-74—144 Len Mattiace .........................................71-74—145 Duffy Waldorf ........................................71-74—145 Bob Tway ...............................................72-73—145 Geoffrey Sisk .........................................72-73—145 Dan Forsman .........................................73-72—145 Jerry Smith ............................................70-75—145 Joey Sindelar .........................................73-72—145 Larry Mize .............................................74-71—145 Bernhard Langer ....................................68-77—145 Sonny Skinner .......................................75-70—145 Scott Parel ............................................76-69—145 David McKenzie .....................................71-75—146
Jim Carter .............................................72-74—146 Jesper Parnevik .....................................72-74—146 Paul Goydos ...........................................73-73—146 Jeff Sluman ...........................................74-72—146 Michael Allen .........................................69-77—146 Willie Wood ...........................................76-70—146 Tim Petrovic ..........................................77-69—146 Rod Spittle ............................................71-76—147 Skip Kendall ...........................................74-73—147 Corey Pavin ...........................................73-75—148 Mark O’Meara ........................................75-74—149 Sam Randolph .......................................74-76—150 Carlos Franco .........................................74-76—150 Hale Irwin .............................................76-74—150 Russ Cochran .........................................75-76—151 Mark Calcavecchia .................................76-75—151 Steve Lowery .........................................75-77—152 Brad Faxon ............................................73-80—153 John Daly ..............................................80-73—153 John Huston ..........................................79-75—154
Santonja (4), Spain, 6-4, 6-1. BRASIL OPEN RESULTS Saturday at Esporte Clube Pinheiros Sao Paulo Purse: $516,205 (WT250) Surface: Clay-Outdoor Singles — Semifinals Fabio Fognini (2), Italy, def. Pablo Cuevas (3), Uruguay, 6-4, 6-2. Nicolas Jarry, Chile, def. Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4. Doubles — Semifinals Wesley Koolhof, Netherlands, and Artem Sitak (4), New Zealand, def. Carlos Berlocq and Nicolas Kicker, Argentina, 6-3, 6-3.
Sutliffe. MANCHESTER MONARCHS — Loaned D Colton Saucerman to Providence (AHL).
TSHWANE OPEN LEADING SCORES Saturday At Pretoria Country Club Waterkloof, South Africa Purse: $1.25 million Yardage: 7,081; Par: 71 Third Round George Coetzee, South Africa ..........67-64-68—199 Mikko Korhonen, Finland ..................68-64-69—201 Sam Horsfield, England ....................68-69-64—201 Felipe Aguilar, Chile .........................65-67-71—203 Scott Jamieson, Scotland .................67-69-67—203 Erik Van Rooyen, South Africa ..........68-68-67—203 Thomas Aiken, South Africa .............65-71-67—203 Victor Perez, France .........................69-68-68—205 Shaun Norris, South Africa ...............66-72-67—205 Adilson da Silva, Brazil .....................67-72-66—205 Daniel van Tonder, South Africa .......67-72-66—205 Sebastian Gros, France .....................69-70-66—205 Scott Vincent, Zimbabwe .................68-69-69—206 Laurie Canter, England .....................73-64-69—206 Jacques Kruyswijk, South Africa .......69-69-68—206 Matthew Carvell, South Africa .........69-69-68—206 Connor Syme, Scotland ....................70-68-68—206 Jens Dantorp, Sweden ......................70-69-67—206 Also Patrick Newcomb, United States ......67-72-72—211 Julian Suri, United States .................65-74-72—211
NATIONAL SCOREBOARD NASCAR XFINITY
MOTORSPORTS NASCAR PENNZOIL 400 LINEUP Friday’s qualifying; race Sunday At Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas (Car number in parentheses) 1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 191.489 mph. 2. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 190.248. 3. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford, 190.067. 4. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 189.980. 5. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 189.447. 6. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 189.175. 7. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 189.148. 8. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 189.102. 9. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 188.719. 10. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 188.640. 11. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 188.469. 12. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 188.442. 13. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.838. 14. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 188.712. 15. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 188.607. 16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 188.442. 17. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 188.363. 18. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 187.865. 19. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 187.846. 20. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 187.441. 21. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 187.305. 22. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 187.246. 23. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 187.162. 24. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 186.413. 25. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.650. 26. (43) Darrell Wallace Jr., Chevrolet, 187.546. 27. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 186.916. 28. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 186.335. 29. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 186.123. 30. (51) Cole Custer, Ford, 185.982. 31. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 185.312. 32. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 185.027. 33. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 183.418. 34. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 182.272. 35. (23) Gray Gaulding, Toyota, 179.241. 36. (00) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 176.292. 37. (55) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 173.628.
BOYD GAMING 300 Saturday At Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nev. Lap length: 1.50 miles (Start position in parentheses) 1. (2) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200 laps 2. (1) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 200 3. (12) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200 4. (8) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200 5. (6) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 200 6. (3) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 200 7. (16) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200 8. (7) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 200 9. (4) Cole Custer, Ford, 200 10. (11) Spencer Gallagher, Chevrolet, 200 11. (9) Matt Tifft, Chevrolet, 200 12. (10) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200 13. (19) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 200 14. (5) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 200 15. (17) Ryan Truex, Chevrolet, 200 16. (18) Kaz Grala, Ford, 200 17. (24) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 200 18. (14) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 199 19. (13) Ryan Reed, Ford, 199 20. (23) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 197 21. (29) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 197 22. (20) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 196 23. (26) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 196 24. (37) Vinnie Miller, Chevrolet, 196 25. (33) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 195 26. (34) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 195 27. (27) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 194 28. (39) Josh Bilicki, Toyota, 189 29. (21) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, engine, 185 30. (40) Stephen Leicht, Toyota, 185 31. (38) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 183 32. (30) Chad Finchum, Chevrolet, suspension, 140 33. (25) Timmy Hill, Dodge, garage, 134 34. (15) Austin Cindric, Ford, accident, 132 35. (35) David Starr, Chevrolet, engine, 78 36. (31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, suspension 37. (36) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, oilleak 38. (28) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, vibration, 18 39. (32) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, brakes, 15 40. (22) Dylan Lupton, Ford, accident, 5
TENNIS ATP DUBAI DUTY FREE CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium Dubai, United Arab Emirates Purse: $2.62 million (WT500) Surface: Hard-Outdoor Singles — Chanpionship Roberto Bautista Agut (3), Spain, def. Lucas Pouille (2), France, 6-3, 6-4. Doubles — Chanpionship Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Horia Tecau (2), Romania, def. Jamie Cerretani, United States, and Leander Paes, India, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
TRANSACTIONS
ATP/WTA ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL Friday at Princess Mundo Imperial Acapulco, Mexico Purse: ATP, $1.64 million (WT500); WTA, $226,750 (Intl.) Surface: Hard-Outdoor Singles Men — Semifinals Kevin Anderson (5), South Africa, def. Jared Donaldson, United States, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Juan Martin del Potro (6), Argentina, def. Alexander Zverev (2), Germany, 6-4, 6-2. Women — Semifinals Lesia Tsurenko (7), Ukraine, def. Daria Gavrilova (3), Australia, 6-2, 6-4. Stefanie Voegele, Switzerland, def. Rebecca Peterson, Sweden, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Doubles Men — Semifinals Jamie Murray, Britain, and Bruno Soares (3), Brazil, def. Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Alexander Peya, Austria, 7-5, 6-3. Bob and Mike Bryan (4), United States, def. Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock, United States, 7-5, 1-6, 10-8. Doubles Women — Semifinals Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria, United States, def. Monica Puig, Puerto Rico, and Sloane Stephens, United States, 6-4, 6-4. Tatjana Maria, Germany, and Heather Watson, Britain, def. Lara Arruabarrena and Aranxta Parra
Saturday
BASEBALL American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with INF Danny Valencia on a minor league contract. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Agreed to terms with RHP Nick Tepesch on a minor league contract.
HOCKEY National Hockey League ANAHEIM DUCKS — Signed LW Max Comtois to a three-year contract. NEW YORK RANGERS — Assigned F Dawson Leedahl from Hartford (AHL) to Greenville (ECHL). American Hockey League BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS — Loaned F Matt Gaudreau to Worcester (ECHL). CHICAGO WOLVES — Returned D Nolan Valleau to Orlando (ECHL). SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE — Reassigned F Brady Shaw to Colorado (ECHL). Recalled F Michael Joly from Colorado. Returned F Shawn O’Donnell to Cincinnati (ECHL). ADIRONDACK THUNDER — Loaned F Brian Ward to Providence (AHL). BRAMPTON BEAST — Signed G T.J. Sherwood. Loaned D Matt Petgrave to Belleville (AHL) and D Tyson Wilson and F Jackson Leef to Laval (AHL). GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS — Released F Derek
COLLEGE FAU — Named Brian White athletic director.
PREGAME.COM LINE NBA Sunday Favorite Line O/U Underdog Phoenix ATLANTA 21⁄2 (2221⁄2) WASHINGTON 31⁄2 (2081⁄2) Indiana Charlotte TORONTO 9 (2191⁄2) 1 1 New Orleans 3 ⁄2 (223 ⁄2) DALLAS Phila. 1 (2091⁄2) MILWAUKEE New York 2 (215) SACRAMENTO LA CLIPPERS 8 (226) Brooklyn COLLEGE BASKETBALL Sunday FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG WICHITA ST 1 Cincinnati SOUTH FLORIDA SMU 81⁄2 MEMPHIS 13 East Carolina Temple TULSA 11⁄2 HOUSTON 16 UCONN UCF 61⁄2 Tulane William & Mary 1 Towson Hofstra 5 UNC-Wilmington Ill.-Chicago Milwaukee 11⁄2 Oakland 6 IUPUI NHL Sunday FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE FLORIDA OFF Philadelphia OFF Nashville -127 COLORADO +117 ANAHEIM OFF Chicago OFF Las Vegas -115 NEW JERSEY +105 Winnipeg -114 CAROLINA +104 MINNESOTA OFF Detroit OFF SAN JOSE -150 Columbus +140
NHL HOCKEY EASTERN CONFERENCE
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic
GP
W
L
OT
Pts
GF
GA
Home
Away
Div
Tampa Bay Boston Toronto Florida Detroit Montreal Ottawa Buffalo
66 63 67 62 64 65 64 65
45 40 39 31 26 25 22 20
17 15 21 25 28 29 32 34
4 8 7 6 10 11 10 11
94 88 85 68 62 61 54 51
240 209 220 185 169 167 174 154
182 158 190 198 189 200 225 211
22-6-2 22-7-4 22-8-2 18-9-3 13-13-8 16-10-8 14-13-5 9-18-4
23-11-2 18-8-4 17-13-5 13-16-3 13-15-2 9-19-3 8-19-5 11-16-7
13-5-2 13-4-2 11-5-3 10-5-1 6-13-3 10-6-4 6-11-3 8-7-3
Metropolitan
GP
W
L
OT
Pts
GF
GA
Home
Away
Div
Washington Philadelphia Pittsburgh New Jersey Columbus Carolina N.Y. Rangers N.Y. Islanders
65 65 66 65 65 65 66 66
37 34 37 33 32 29 30 29
21 20 25 24 28 25 30 29
7 11 4 8 5 11 6 8
81 79 78 74 69 69 66 66
203 196 215 191 172 174 189 213
193 189 200 196 184 195 209 237
23-9-2 16-10-6 24-8-1 17-12-3 19-11-2 16-11-6 18-12-4 16-12-4
FRIDAY’S GAMES Montreal 6, N.Y. Islanders 3 Carolina 3, New Jersey 1 Florida 4, Buffalo 1 Winnipeg 4, Detroit 3 Colorado 7, Minnesota 1 N.Y. Rangers 3, Calgary 1 Ottawa 5, Vegas 4 Nashville 4, Vancouver 3 (OT)
Anaheim 4, Columbus 2 SATURDAY’S GAMES Tampa Bay 7, Philadelphia 6, SO Dallas 3, St. Louis 2 (OT) Chicago 5, Los Angeles 3 Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT) Pittsburgh 3, N.Y. Islanders 2 (OT) Arizona 2, Ottawa 1 Washington 5, Toronto 2
14-12-5 11-6-3 18-10-5 9-5-5 13-17-3 14-6-0 16-12-5 12-9-1 13-17-3 12-10-3 13-14-5 8-8-5 12-18-2 7-8-3 13-17-4 10-9-2
Central
GP
W
L
OT
Pts
GF
GA
Home
Nashville Winnipeg Dallas Minnesota Colorado St. Louis Chicago
64 64 65 65 64 66 65
41 38 37 36 35 35 28
14 17 23 22 24 26 29
9 9 5 7 5 5 8
91 85 79 79 75 75 64
210 217 193 200 202 180 185
165 173 171 189 189 176 189
22-7-3 24-7-2 23-10-2 22-5-6 23-8-1 20-14-0 15-14-3
Pacific
GP
W
L
OT
Pts
Vegas 64 41 18 5 87 San Jose 65 35 21 9 79 Los Angeles 66 36 25 5 77 Anaheim 65 32 21 12 76 Calgary 66 32 25 9 73 Edmonton 65 27 34 4 58 Vancouver 65 24 32 9 57 Arizona 64 20 34 10 50 Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.
N.Y. Rangers 3, Edmonton 2 SUNDAY’S GAMES Nashville at Colorado, 2 p.m. Philadelphia at Florida, 2 p.m. Chicago at Anaheim, 3 p.m. Vegas at New Jersey, 4 p.m. Detroit at Minnesota, 6 p.m. Winnipeg at Carolina, 6 p.m. Columbus at San Jose, 8 p.m.
GF
GA
Home
222 194 192 180 185 183 176 155
178 180 165 180 195 216 214 209
24-7-2 19-9-3 16-12-3 17-9-5 14-15-4 13-17-2 11-15-6 12-18-4
MONDAY’S GAMES Calgary at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. Toronto at Buffalo, 6:30 p.m. Ottawa at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Arizona at Edmonton, 8 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Vancouver, 9 p.m. TUESDAY’S GAMES Winnipeg at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. Vegas at Columbus, 6 p.m.
Away
Div
19-7-6 13-4-2 14-10-7 11-7-2 14-13-3 11-11-0 14-17-1 11-10-0 12-16-4 8-9-1 15-12-5 9-9-3 13-15-5 6-9-2 Away
Div
17-11-3 16-3-2 16-12-6 16-4-3 20-13-2 10-10-3 15-12-7 10-6-7 18-10-5 9-7-3 14-17-2 12-8-0 13-17-3 6-11-1 8-16-6 4-10-5
Montreal at New Jersey, 6 p.m. Detroit at Boston, 6 p.m. Florida at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m. Carolina at Minnesota, 7 p.m. Dallas at Nashville, 7 p.m. Colorado at Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Washington at Anaheim, 9 p.m.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 No. 1 Virginia 62, Notre Dame 57 No. 3 Xavier 65, DePaul 62 No. 4 Villanova 97, Georgetown 73 No. 5 Duke 74, No. 9 North Carolina 64 Oklahoma St. 82, No. 6 Kansas 64 No. 7 Gonzaga 83, Loyola Marym't 69 No. 8 Purdue 78, Penn St. 70 No. 12 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75 No. 14 Auburn 79, South Carolina 70 No. 15 Michigan 75, No. 2 Mich. St. 64 No. 16 Tennessee 66, Georgia 61 Syracuse 55, No. 18 Clemson 52 No. 19 Arizona 66, Cal 54 Texas 87, No. 20 West Virginia 79 San Diego St. 79, No. 21 Nevada 74 Pepperdine at No. 22 St. Mary's (Cal.), late Florida 80, No. 23 Kentucky 67 Marshall 76, No. 24 Middle Tenn. 67 EAST Cornell 86, Dartmouth 75 Harvard 93, Columbia 74 Penn 99, Brown 93 Providence 61, St. John’s 57 Saint Joseph’s 78, La Salle 70 Seton Hall 77, Butler 70 Stony Brook 69, Albany (NY) 60 Syracuse 55, Clemson 52 UMass 85, Duquesne 75 VCU 83, Fordham 58 Villanova 97, Georgetown 73 Yale 94, Princeton 90 (OT) SOUTH Alabama A&M 66, Jackson St. 59 Appalachian St. 76, Coastal Carolina 67 Arkansas St. 83, Louisiana-Monroe 79 Auburn 79, South Carolina 70 Charlotte 85, FAU 78 Duke 74, North Carolina 64 Florida 80, Kentucky 67 Florida St. 85, Boston College 76 Georgia Southern 89, Troy 83 Georgia St. 90, South Alabama 75 Georgia Tech 64, Wake Forest 56 Grambling St. 66, Alabama St. 64 LSU 78, Mississippi St. 57 Marshall 76, Middle Tennessee 67 McNeese St. 69, Lamar 60 Miami 69, Virginia Tech 68 NC State 76, Louisville 69 Old Dominion 79, FIU 53 Prairie View 77, Southern U. 69 Richmond 93, George Mason 79 SE Louisiana 69, Nicholls 57 Southern Miss. 72, Louisiana Tech 64 Tennessee 66, Georgia 61 Texas Southern 78, Alcorn St. 71 UAB 101, W. Kentucky 73 UALR 72, Louisiana-Lafayette 61 (OT) Vanderbilt 82, Mississippi 69 Virginia 62, Notre Dame 57 MIDWEST Cent. Michigan 84, W. Michigan 71
Chicago St. 96, UMKC 82 Dayton 88, George Washington 78 Kansas St. 77, Baylor 67 Marquette 85, Creighton 81 Missouri 77, Arkansas 67 New Mexico St. 86, Rio Grande 71 St. Bonaventure 64, Saint Louis 56 Xavier 65, DePaul 62 SOUTHWEST Abilene Christian 69, Incarnate Word 59 Ark.-Pine Bluff 94, MVSU 57 Cent. Arkansas 61, Northwestern St. 58 Oklahoma St. 82, Kansas 64 Stephen F. Austin 65, Sam Houston St. 53 Texas 87, West Virginia 79 (OT) Texas A&M 68, Alabama 66 Texas A&M-CC 92, Houston Baptist 87 Texas Tech 79, TCU 75 UTEP 68, North Texas 66 UTSA 79, Rice 60 FAR WEST Air Force 83, San Jose St. 61 Arizona 66, California 54 Boise St. 95, Wyoming 87 E. Washington 85, N. Arizona 68 Hawaii 68, Cal St.-Fullerton 60 Idaho 78, S. Utah 76 Long Beach St. 77, UC Riverside 59 Montana 75, Idaho St. 64 Oregon 72, Washington 64 Oregon St. 92, Washington St. 67 Portland St. 97, North Dakota 90 (OT) Sacramento St. 88, N. Colorado 77 San Diego St. 79, Nevada 74 Stanford 84, Arizona St. 83 UC Davis 90, UC Irvine 84 (2OT) UC Santa Barbara 86, Cal Poly 61 UCLA 83, Southern Cal 72 Utah 64, Colorado 54 Weber St. 95, Montana St. 92 (OT) TOURNAMENT America East Conference First Round Hartford 71, New Hampshire 60 UMBC 89, Mass.-Lowell 77 Vermont 75, Maine 60 Big Ten Conference Semifinals Michigan 75, Michigan St. 64 Purdue 78, Penn St. 70 Colonial Athletic Association First Round Delaware 86, Elon 79 Drexel 70, James Madison 62 Horizon League Second Round Cleveland St. 89, N. Kentucky 80 Wright St. 87, Green Bay 72 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Quarterfinals Fairfield 90, Niagara 71 Iona 72, Manhattan 60 Missouri Valley Conference Semifinals Illinois St. 76, S. Illinois 69 (OT) Loyola of Chicago 62, Bradley 54 NCAA Div. III
Conference Tournament Glances America East Conference At Higher-Seeded Schools First Round Saturday, March 3 UMBC 89, UMass Lowell 77 Hartford 71, New Hampshire 60 Vermont 75, Maine 60 Stony Brook 69, Albany 60 Semifinals Tuesday, March 6 Stony Brook at Vermont, 6 p.m. Hartford at UMBC, 6:30 p.m. Championship Saturday, March 10 Semifinal winners, 10 a.m. Atlantic Sun Conference At Higher-Seeded Schools First Round Monday, Feb. 26 Florida Gulf Coast 96, South Carolina Upstate 76 Jacksonville 87, Kennesaw State 68 North Florida 80, NJIT 76 Lipscomb 89, Stetson 73 Semifinals Thursday, March 1 Florida Gulf Coast 95, North Florida 72 Lipscomb 77, Jacksonville 62 Championship Sunday, March 4 Florida Gulf Coast vs. Lipscomb, 2 p.m. Big South Conference First Round Tuesday Feb. 27 Longwood 68, High Point 55 Charleston Southern 68, Presbyterian 51 At Kimmel Arena Asheville, N.C. Quarterfinals Thursday, March 1 Radford 59, Longwood 53 Winthrop 72, Gardner-Webb 68 UNC Asheville 71, Charleston Southern 66 Liberty 73, Campbell 59 Semifinals Friday, March 2 Radford 61, Winthrop 52 Liberty 69, UNC Asheville 64 Championship At Higher-Seeded School Sunday, March 4 Liberty at Radford, noon Big Ten Conference At Madison Square Garden New York First Round Wednesday, Feb. 28 Iowa 96, Illinois 87 Rutgers 65, Minnesota 54 Second Round Thursday, March 1 Wisconsin 59, Maryland 54 Michigan 77, Iowa 71 (OT) Penn State 67, Northwestern 57 Rutgers 76, Indiana 69 Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Michigan State 63, Wisconsin 60 Michigan 77, Nebraska 58 Penn St. 69, Ohio State 68 Purdue 82, Rutgers 75 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Michigan 75, Michigan State 64 Purdue 78, Penn State 70 Championship Sunday, March 4 Michigan vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association At North Charleston Coliseum North Charleston, S.C. First Round Saturday, March 3 Drexel 70, James Madison 62 Delaware 86, Elon 79 Quarterfinals Sunday, March 4 College of Charleston vs. Drexel, 11 a.m. William & Mary vs. Towson, 1:30 p.m. Northeastern vs. Delaware, 5 p.m. Hofstra vs. UNC Wilmington, 7:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 College of Charleston_Drexel winner vs. William & Mary-Towson winner, 5 p.m. Northeastern_Delaware winner vs. Hofstra-UNC Wilmington winner, 7:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Horizon League At Little Caesars Arena
Detroit First Round Friday, March 2 Green Bay 93, Detroit 81 Cleveland State 72, Youngstown State 71 Second Round Saturday, March 3 Wright State 87, Green Bay 72 Cleveland St. 89, Northern Kentucky 80 Third Round Sunday, March 4 UIC vs. Milwaukee, 4 p.m. Oakland vs. IUPUI, 6:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 Cleveland State vs. Oakland-IUPUI winner, 6 p.m. Wright State vs. UIC-Milwaukee winner, 8:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference At The Times Union Center Albany, N.Y. First Round Thursday, March 1 Saint Peter’s 60, Monmouth 58 Quinnipiac 67, Siena 58 Fairfield 71, Marist 57 Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 St. Peter’s 66, Rider 55 Quinnipiac 72, Canisius 69 Saturday, March 3 Fairfield 90, Niagara 71 Iona 72, Manhattan 60 Semifinals Sunday, March 4 Saint Peter’s vs. Iona, 6 p.m. Quinnipiac vs. Fairfield, 8:30 p.m. Championship Monday, March 5 Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Missouri Valley Conference At Scottrade Center St. Louis First Round Thursday, March 1 Northern Iowa 60, Evansville 50 Missouri State 83, Valparaiso 79 Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Loyola of Chicago 54, Northern Iowa 50 Bradley 63, Drake 61 Southern Illinois 67, Missouri State 63 Illinois State 77, Indiana State 70 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Loyola of Chicago 62, Bradley 54 Illinois St. 76, S. Illinois 69 (OT) Championship Sunday, March 4 Loyola of Chicago vs. Illinois State, 1:05 p.m. Northeast Conference At Higher-Seeded Schools First Round Wednesday, Feb. 28 Wagner 73, CCSU 61 Robert Morris 60, Mount St. Mary’s 56 Fairleigh Dickinson 84, St. Francis (Pa.) 75 LIU Brooklyn 73, St. Francis (N.Y.) 50 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 LIU Brooklyn 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 77 Wagner 75, Robert Morris 64 Championship Tuesday, March 6 LIU Brooklyn at Wagner, 6 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference At The Ford Center Evansville, Ind. First Round Wednesday, Feb. 28 Tennessee Tech 60, SIU Edwardsville 51 Tennessee State 73, Eastern Illinois 71 Second Round Thursday, March 1 Jacksonville State 73, Tennessee Tech 70 Austin Peay 73, Tennessee State 66 Semifinals Friday, March 2 Murray State 70, Jacksonville State 63 Belmont 94, Austin Peay 79 Championship Saturday, March 3 Murray State 68, Belmont 51 Patriot League At Higher-Seeded Schools First Round Tuesday, Feb. 27 Loyola (Md.) 82, Army 79 Lafayette 93, American 86
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
PAGE 3
Second Round Augustana (Ill.) 95, Hope 83 Emory 83, LeTourneau 82 Franklin & Marshall 66, Christopher Newport 52 Hamilton 69, York (Pa.) 66 John Carroll 91, Wooster 85 MIT 62, Johns Hopkins 54 Nebraska Wesleyan 82, Aurora 61 Plattsburgh 87, Union (NY) 75 Ramapo 66, Williams 62 Springfield 96, Cabrini 88 Swarthmore 97, Wesleyan (Conn.) 75 Whitman 89, Claremont-Mudd 84 Wis.-Oshkosh 68, Wittenberg 60 Wis.-Platteville 74, St. Olaf 68 Wis.-Stevens Pt. 82, Bethany Lutheran 44 Northeast Conference Semifinals LIU Brooklyn 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 77 Wagner 75, Robert Morris 64 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Murray St. 68, Belmont 51 Southern Conference Quarterfinals ETSU 77, Chattanooga 59 Furman 97, W. Carolina 73 UNC Greensboro 72, The Citadel 58 Wofford 73, Mercer 53 Summit League First Round S. Dakota St. 66, W. Illinois 60 South Dakota 87, Omaha 73 West Coast Conference Quarterfinals BYU 85, San Diego 79 Gonzaga 83, Loyola Marymount 69 S.F. 71, Pacific 70 (OT)
SUNDAY’S GAMES EAST UNC-Wilmington vs. Hofstra at North Charleston, S.C., 7:30 p.m. SOUTH SMU at South Florida, 1 p.m. Towson vs. William & Mary at North Charleston, S.C., 1:30 p.m. East Carolina at Memphis, 2 p.m. Tulane at UCF, 3:30 p.m. MIDWEST Cincinnati at Wichita St., 11 a.m. Milwaukee vs. Ill.-Chicago at Detroit, Mich., 4 p.m. N. Dakota St. vs. Fort Wayne at Sioux Falls, S.D., 6 p.m. IUPUI vs. Oakland at Detroit, Mich., 6:30 p.m. SOUTHWEST Temple at Tulsa, 2 p.m. UConn at Houston, 3 p.m. FAR WEST Oral Roberts vs. Denver at Sioux Falls, S.D., 8:30 p.m.
Quarterfinals Thursday, March 1 Bucknell 81, Loyola (Md.) 78 Colgate 76, Lafayette 54 Holy Cross 81, Navy 65 Boston University 88, Lehigh 82 Semifinals Sunday, March 4 Holy Cross at Colgate, 11 a.m. Boston University at Bucknell, 1 p.m. Championship Wednesday, March 7 Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. Southern Conference At U.S. Cellular Center Asheville, N.C. First Round Friday, March 2 The Citadel 78, VMI 70 Chattanooga 89, Samford 79 Quarterfinals Saturday, March 3 UNC Greensboro 72, The Citadel 58 Wofford 73, Mercer 53 ETSU 77, Chattanooga 59 Furman 97, Western Carolina 73 Semifinals Sunday, March 4 UNC Greensboro vs. Wofford, 3 p.m. ETSU vs. Furman, 5:30 p.m. Championship Monday, March 5 Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. Summit League At Denny Sanford PREMIER Center Sioux Falls, S.D. First Round Saturday, March 3 South Dakota State 66, Western Illinois 60 South Dakota 87, Omaha 73 Sunday, March 4 Fort Wayne vs. North Dakota State, 6 p.m. Denver vs. Oral Roberts, 8:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 South Dakota State vs. Fort Wayne-North Dakota State winner, 6 p.m. South Dakota vs. Denver-Oral Roberts winner, 8:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. West Coast Conference At Orleans Arena Las Vegas First Round Friday, March 2 Loyola Marymount 78, Portland 72 Pepperdine 85, Santa Clara 69 Quarterfinals Saturday, March 3 BYU 85, San Diego 79 S.F. 71, Pacific 70 (OT) Gonzaga 83, Loyola Marymount 69 Saint Mary’s vs. Pepperdine, 11:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 Saint Mary’s-Pepperdine winner vs. BYU, 8 p.m. Gonzaga vs. S.F., 10:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
TOP 25 No. 2 Mississippi St. 70, No. 15 Texas A&M 55 No. 3 Baylor 83, Kansas St. 54 No. 4 Louisville 64, No. 23 NC St. 59 No. 5 Notre Dame 90, No. 11 Florida St. 80 No. 6 Oregon 65, No. 9 UCLA 62 No. 7 Texas 81, Iowa St. 69 No. 8 South Carolina 71, No. 19 Georgia 49 No. 13 Ohio St. 90, Minnesota 88 No. 16 Stanford 58, Arizona St. 46 No. 17 Maryland 66, Nebraska 53 No. 21 Green Bay 62, Northern Kentucky 49 No. 22 Belmont 63, UT Martin 56 EAST Albany (NY) 60, Vermont 42 Buffalo 74, Bowling Green 38 Dartmouth 88, Columbia 77 Delaware 81, Towson 55 Drexel 71, Coll. of Charleston 57 Harvard 91, Cornell 57 Northeastern 58, Hofstra 54 Penn 67, Brown 56 Princeton 64, Yale 53 SOUTH Alcorn St. 54, Texas Southern 52 Arkansas St. 80, Louisiana-Monroe 73 Campbellsville 90, Lindsey Wilson 78 Charlotte 83, FAU 69 Coastal Carolina 66, Appalachian St. 51 Elon 58, UNC Wilmington 49 FIU 74, Southern Miss. 70 Grambling St. 73, Alabama St. 52 Jackson St. 68, Alabama A&M 58 James Madison 70, William & Mary 64 Lamar 81, McNeese St. 72 Liberty 57, High Point 49 Longwood 90, Winthrop 60 Middle Tennessee 65, Old Dominion 47 Nicholls 79, SE Louisiana 64 Presbyterian 81, Charleston Southern 58 Radford 56, Campbell 36 Shawnee St. 70, Cumberland (Tenn.) 63 South Alabama 70, Georgia St. 69 Southern U. 96, Prairie View 58 Troy 95, Georgia Southern 80 UALR 72, Louisiana-Lafayette 63 UNC Asheville 62, Gardner-Webb 60 MIDWEST Akron 62, Ohio 59 Ball St. 88, E. Michigan 63 Cent. Michigan 72, Toledo 67 Drake 85, Valparaiso 53 Illinois St. 53, Bradley 41 Miami (Ohio) 58, Kent St. 35 Missouri St. 69, Indiana St. 56 N. Iowa 64, Loyola of Chicago 39 S. Illinois 66, Evansville 41 UMKC 59, Chicago St. 47 W. Michigan 85, N. Illinois 66
SOUTHWEST Ark.-Pine Bluff 79, MVSU 64 Cent. Arkansas 59, Northwestern St. 39 Incarnate Word 58, Abilene Christian 46 Rice 47, North Texas 45 Stephen F. Austin 72, Sam Houston St. 49 Texas A&M-CC 73, Houston Baptist 68 Texas St. 75, Texas-Arlington 58 UAB 74, UTSA 66 UTEP 80, W. Kentucky 75 FAR WEST Grand Canyon 77, CS Bakersfield 76 Long Beach St. 67, CS Northridge 54 New Mexico St. 72, Rio Grande 56 Seattle 83, Utah Valley 53 UC Irvine 78, Cal St.-Fullerton 58 UC Riverside 76, UC Davis 62 TOURNAMENT America East Conference Quarterfinals Hartford 72, Binghamton 68 Maine 65, UMBC 43 New Hampshire 71, Stony Brook 54 American Athletic Conference First Round East Carolina 85, SMU 74 Temple 72, Wichita St. 59 Tulane 76, Memphis 64 Tulsa 98, Houston 72 Atlantic 10 Conference Semifinals George Washington 58, Dayton 53 Saint Joseph’s 58, Saint Louis 49 Atlantic Coast Conference Semifinals Louisville 64, NC State 59 Notre Dame 90, Florida St. 80 Big 12 Conference Quarterfinals Baylor 83, Kansas St. 54 TCU 90, Oklahoma 83 Texas 81, Iowa St. 69 West Virginia 69, Oklahoma St. 60 Big East Conference First Round Butler 73, Providence 67 Seton Hall 66, Xavier 42 Big Ten Conference Semifinals Maryland 66, Nebraska 53 Ohio St. 90, Minnesota 88 Horizon League Second Round Green Bay 62, N. Kentucky 49 IUPUI 56, Oakland 49 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Quarterfinals Rider 71, Fairfield 64 Siena 71, Niagara 60 NCAA Div. III Second Round Amherst 53, St. Joseph’s (Maine) 47 Bowdoin 79, FDU-Florham 57 Christopher Newport 84, Randolph-Macon 58 E. Texas Baptist 64, Texas-Dallas 51 Gustavus 74, Wis.-Whitewater 60
Women’s Conference Tournament Glances American Athletic Conference At Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, Conn. First Round Saturday, March 3 Temple 72, Wichita State 59 East Carolina 85, SMU 74 Tulane 76, Memphis 64 Tulsa 98, Houston 72 Quarterfinals Sunday, March 4 UCF vs. Temple, 11 a.m. South Florida vs. East Carolina, 2:30.m. UConn vs. Tulane, 5:30 p.m. Cincinnati vs. Tulsa, 7:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 UCF-Temple winner vs. South Florida-East Carolina winner, 3:30 p.m. UConn-Tulane winner vs. Cincinnati-Tulsa winner, 6 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 4 p.m. Atlantic Coast Conference At Greensboro ColiseumCenter Greensboro, N.C. Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 N.C. State 51, Duke 45 Louisville 73, Virginia Tech 70 Notre Dame 83, Virginia 47 Florida State 73, Miami 69 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Louisville 64, N.C. State 59 Notre Dame 90, Florida State 80 Championship Sunday, March 4 Louisville vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. Atlantic Sun Conference At Higher-Seeded Schools First Round Friday, March 2 Florida Gulf Coast 83, NJIT 62 Jacksonville 79, Kennesaw State 52 North Florida 63, Stetson 55 (OT) Lipscomb 95, South Carolina Upstate 53 Semifinals Wednesday, March 7 Florida Gulf Coast vs. Lipscomb, 6 p.m. Jacksonville vs. North Florida, 6 p.m. Championship Sunday, March 11 Semifinal winners, TBA Atlantic 10 Conference At Richmond Coliseum Richmond, Va. Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Dayton 67, Richmond 58 George Washington 64, George Mason 59 Saint Louis 71, Duquesne 65 Saint Joseph’s 52, Fordham 49 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 George Washington 58, Dayton 53 Saint Joseph’s 58, Saint Louis 49 Championship Sunday, March 4 George Washington vs. Saint Joseph’s, 11 a.m. Big East Conference At Wintrust Arena Chicago First Round Saturday, March 3 Butler 73, Providence 67 (OT) Seton Hall 66, Xavier 42 Quarterfinals Sunday, March 4 Marquette vs. Seton Hall, noon Creighton vs. St. John’s, 2:30 p.m. DePaul vs. Butler-Providence winner, 6 p.m. Villanova vs. Georgetown, 8:30 p.m. Semifinals Monday, March 5 Marquette_Seton Hall vs. Creighton-St. John’s winner, 3 p.m. DePaul_Butler-Providence winner vs. Villanova-Georgetown winner, 5:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. Big Sky Conference At The Reno Events Center Reno, Nev. Monday, March 5 Montana vs. Sacramento State, , 2:05 p.m. Idaho State vs. Southern Utah, 4:35 p.m. Montana State vs. North Dakota, 7:35 p.m. Portland State vs. Northern Arizona, 10:05 p.m.
Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 7 Northern Colorado vs. Montana-Sacramento State winner, 2:05 p.m. Weber State vs. Idaho State-Southern Utah winner, 4:35 p.m. Idaho vs. Montana State-North Dakota winner, 7:35 p.m. Eastern Washington vs. Portland StateNorthern Arizona winner, 10:05 p.m. Semifinals Friday, March 9 Northern Colorado_Montana-Sacramento State winner vs. Weber State_Idaho State-Southern Utah winner, 2:05 p.m. Idaho_Montana State-North Dakota winner vs. Eastern Washington_Portland StateNorthern Arizona winner, 4:35 p.m. Championship Saturday, March 10 Semifinal winners, 2:05 p.m. Big Ten Conference At Bankers Life Fieldhouse Indianapolis Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Ohio State 82, Rutgers 57 Minnesota 90, Iowa 89 Maryland 67, Indiana 54 Nebraska 61, Michigan 54 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Ohio State 90, Minnesota 88 Maryland 66, Nebraska 53 Championship Sunday, March 4 Ohio St. vs. Maryland, 6 p.m. Big 12 Conference At Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City First Round Friday, March 2 Kansas State 72, Kansas 63 Iowa State 74, Texas Tech 49 Quarterfinals Saturday, March 3 TCU 90, Oklahoma 83 Baylor 83, Kansas State 54 Texas 81, Iowa State 69 West Virginia 69, Oklahoma State 60 Semifinals Sunday, March 4 TCU vs. Baylor, 2 p.m. Texas vs. West Virginia, 4:30 p.m. Championship Monday, March 5 Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference At Scope Arena Norfolk, Va. First Round Monday, March 5 Norfolk State vs. Savannah State, 10 a.m. Howard vs. Florida A&M, 12:30 p.m. Morgan State vs. Coppin State, 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 N.C. Central vs. S.C. State, 10 a.m. Maryland-Eastern Shore vs. Delaware State, 1:30 p.m. Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 7 N.C. A&T vs. N.C. Central-S.C. State winner, 11 a.m. Bethune-Cookman vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore-Delaware State winner, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8 Hampton vs. Morgan State-Coppin State winner, 11 a.m. Norfolk State-Savannah State winner vs. Howard-Florida A&M winner, 1:30 p.m. Semifinals Friday, March 9 N.C. A&T_N.C. Central-S.C. State winner vs. Norfolk State-Savannah State_HowardFlorida A&M winner, 11 a.m. Bethune-Cookman_Maryland-Eastern Shore-Delaware State winner vs. Hampton_Morgan State-Coppin State winner, 1:30 p.m. Championship Saturday, March 10 Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m. Mountain West Conference At The Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas First Round Monday, March 5 Air Force vs. Utah State, 4 p.m. Nevada vs. San Diego State, 6:30 p.m. New Mexico vs. San Jose State, 9 p.m. Quarterfinals Tuesday, March 6 Boise State vs. Air Force-Utah State winner, 2 p.m. Fresno State vs. Colorado State, 4:30 p.m. UNLV vs. Nevada-San Diego State winner, 8 p.m. Wyoming vs. New Mexico-San Jose State
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Hope 85, Washington (Mo.) 69 Messiah 62, Emory & Henry 49 Montclair St. 70, Gettysburg 45 RIT 79, College of NJ 76 Scranton 55, Cabrini 46 St. Thomas (Minn.) 68, Chicago 62 Thomas More 83, Juniata 50 Trine 79, Illinois Wesleyan 70 Tufts 61, Ithaca 39 Wartburg 82, George Fox 58 Ohio Valley Conference Championship Belmont 63, UT Martin 56 Pacific-12 Conference Semifinals Oregon 65, UCLA 62 Patriot League First Round Holy Cross 66, Colgate 47 Lafayette 66, Boston U. 61 Southeastern Conference Semifinals Mississippi St. 70, Texas A&M 55 South Carolina 71, Georgia 49 Summit League First Round S. Dakota St. 87, N. Dakota St. 62 South Dakota 83, Fort Wayne 32
SUNDAY’S GAMES EAST Bryant at St. Francis Brooklyn, noon Fairleigh Dickinson at Sacred Heart, noon Mount St. Mary’s at Robert Morris, noon CCSU at LIU Brooklyn, 1 p.m. Wagner at St. Francis (Pa.), 1 p.m. Georgetown vs. Villanova at Chicago, Ill., 8:30 p.m. MIDWEST Cleveland St. vs. Wright St. at Detroit, Mich., 11 a.m. Youngstown St. vs. Milwaukee at Detroit, Mich., 1:30 p.m. Nebraska-Omaha vs. W. Illinois at Sioux Falls, S.D., 2:30 p.m. St. John’s vs. Creighton at Chicago, Ill., 2:30 p.m. FAR WEST Cal Poly at Hawaii, 12 a.m. Oral Roberts vs. Denver at Sioux Falls, S.D., noon
MONDAY’S GAMES EAST Army at Lehigh, 5 p.m. Loyola (Md.) at Navy, 6 p.m.
winner, 10:30 p.m. Semifinals Wednesday, March 7 Boise State_Air Force-Utah State winner vs. Fresno State-Colorado State winner, 8:30 p.m. UNLV_Nevada-San Diego State winner vs. Wyoming_New Mexico-San Jose State winner, Mid Championship Friday, March 9 Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. Ohio Valley Conference At The Ford Center Evansville, Ind. Semifinals Friday, March 2 Belmont 63, Jacksonville State 53 UT Martin 69, SIU Edwardsville 67 Championship Saturday, March 3 Belmont 63, UT Martin 56 (OT) Pacific-12 Conference At KeyArena Seattle First Round Thursday, March 1 Colorado 66, Utah 56 California 71, Washington 68 Southern Cal 47, Washington State 44 Arizona State 76, Arizona 47 Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Oregon 84, Colorado 47 UCLA 77, California 74 Stanford 69, Southern Cal 59 Arizona State 57, Oregon State 51 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Oregon 65, UCLA 62 Stanford vs. Arizona State, 10:30 p.m. Championship Sunday, March 4 Oregon vs. Stanford-Arizona State winner, 8 p.m. Southeastern Conference At Bridgestone Arena Nashville, Tenn. Second Round Thursday, March 1 Kentucky 71, Alabama 64 Texas A&M 82, Arkansas 52 Tennessee 64, Auburn 61 Missouri 59, Mississippi 50 Quarterfinals Friday, March 2 Mississippi State 81, Kentucky 58 Texas A&M 75, LSU 69 South Carolina 73, Tennessee 62 Georgia 55, Missouri 41 Semifinals Saturday, March 3 Mississippi State 70, Texas A&M 55 South Carolina 71, Georgia 49 Championship Sunday, March 4 Mississippi State vs. South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. Southern Conference At U.S. Cellular Arena Asheville, N.C. First Round Thursday, March 1 Mercer 75, Western Carolina 44 Samford 59, Furman 58 ETSU 78, Wofford 64 UNC-Greensboro 70, Chattanooga 66 (2OT) Semifinals Friday, March 2 Mercer 81, Samford 44 ETSU 54, UNC-Greensboro 52 Championship Sunday, March 4 Mercer vs. ETSU, 11 a.m. West Coast Conference At Orleans Arena Las Vegas First Round Thursday, March 1 Pepperdine 74, Santa Clara 63 Pacific 85, Portland 60 Quarterfinals Thursday, March 1 San Diego 61, BYU 56 S.F. 89, Loyola Marymount 76 Friday, March 2 Gonzaga 81, Pepperdine 70 Pacific 77, Saint Mary’s 73 Semifinals Monday, March 5 Gonzaga vs. S.F., 2 p.m. Pacific vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m. Championship Tuesday, March 6 Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 4
SOCCER MLS Eastern
W
L
T Pts GF GA
Philadelphia Columbus Orlando City D.C. United New York City FC Chicago New York Montreal Toronto FC New England Atlanta United FC
1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 4
Western
W
L
T Pts GF GA
Houston San Jose FC Dallas Real Salt Lake Los Angeles FC Sporting Kansas City Seattle Colorado Portland Vancouver Los Angeles Galaxy Minnesota United
1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Home teams listed first ROUND OF 16 Home-and-home Winners advance FIRST LEG Tuesday, Feb. 20 Herediano (Costa Rica) 2, Tigres (Mexico) 2, tie Toronto (Canada) 2, Colorado (United States) 0 Wednesday, Feb. 21 America (Mexico) 5, Saprissa (Costa Rica) 1 Tauro (Panama) 1, Dallas (United States) 0 Tijuana (Mexico) 1, Motagua (Honduras) 0 Thursday, Feb. 22 Guadalajara (Mexico) 2, Cibao (Dominican Republic) 0 Olimpia (Honduras) 1, New York Red Bulls (United States) 1, tie Santa Tecla (El Salvador) 2, Seattle (United States) 1 SECOND LEG Tuesday, Feb. 27 Toronto (Canada) 0, Colorado (United States) 0, Toronto advanced on 2-0 aggregate Tigres (Mexico) 3, Herediano (Costa Rica) 1, Tigres advanced on 5-3 aggregate Tijuana (Mexico) 1, Motagua (Honduras) 1, Tijuana advanced on 2-1 aggregate Wednesday, Feb. 28 Dallas (United States) 3, Tauro (Panama) 2; 3-3 aggregate; Tauro advanced on 2-0 away goals Guadalajara (Mexico) 5, Cibao (Dominican Republic) 0, Guadalajara advanced on 7-0 aggregate America (Mexico) 1, Saprissa (Costa Rica) 1, America (Mexico) advanced on 6-2 aggregate Thursday, March 1 New York Red Bulls (United States) 2, Olimpia (Honduras) 0, NY Red Bulls advanced on 3-1 aggregate Seattle (United States) 4, Santa Tecla (El Salvador) 0, Seattle advanced on 5-2 aggregate QUARTERFINALS Tuesday, March 6 America (Mexico) vs. Tauro (Panama) , 7 p.m. Tijuana (Mexico) vs. New York Red Bulls (United States), 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 Toronto (Canada) vs. Tigres (Mexico), 7 p.m. Seattle (United States) vs. Guadalajara (Mexico), 9 p.m.
3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie. Saturday, March 3 Columbus 2, Toronto FC 0 Houston 4, Atlanta United FC 0 Philadelphia 2, New England 0 D.C. United 1, Orlando City 1, tie Real Salt Lake 1, FC Dallas 1, tie San Jose 3, Minnesota United 2 Sunday, March 4 Los Angeles FC at Seattle, 4 p.m. Montreal at Vancouver, 5 p.m. New York City FC at Sporting Kansas City, 6:30 p.m. Portland at LA Galaxy, 9 p.m.
Tuesday, March 13 New York Red Bulls (United States) vs. Tijuana (Mexico), 7 p.m. Tigres (Mexico) vs. Toronto (Canada), 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 Tauro (Panama) vs. America (Mexico), 7 p.m. Guadalajara (Mexico) vs. Seattle (United States), 9 p.m.
EUROPA LEAGUE (Home teams listed first) SECOND ROUND First Leg Tuesday, Feb. 13 Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) 0, CSKA Moscow (Russia) 0 Thursday, Feb. 15 Astana (Kazakhstan) 1, Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) 3 Dortmund (Germany) 3, Atalanta (Italy) 2 Ludogorets (Bulgaria) 0, AC Milan (Italy) 3 Marseille (France) 3, Braga (Portugal) 0 Nice (France) 2, Lokomotic Moscow (Russia) 3 Ostersund (Sweden) 0, Arsenal (England) 3 Real Sociedad (Spain) 2, Salzburg (Austria) 2 Spartak Moscow (Russia) 1, Athletic Bilbao (Spain) 3 AEK Athens (Greece) 1, Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 1 Copenhagen (Denmark) 1, Atletico Madrid (Spain) 4 Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) 1, Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) 1 Lyon (France) 3, Villarreal (Spain) 1 Napoli (Italy) 1, Leipzig (Germany) 3 Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) 1, Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) 1 Steaua Bucharest (Romania) 1, Lazio (Italy) 0 Second Leg Wednesday, Feb. 21 CSKA Moscow (Russia) 1, Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) 0, CSKA Moscow advanced on 1-0 aggregate Thursday, Feb. 22 Arsenal (England) 1, Ostersund (Sweden) 2, Arsenal advanced on 4-2 aggregate Atalanta (Italy) 1, Dortmund (Germany) 1, Dortmund advanced on 4-3 aggregate Athletic Bilbao (Spain) 1, Spartak Moscow (Russia) 2, Athletic Bilbao advanced on 4-3 aggregate Atletico Madrid (Spain) 1, Copenhagen (Denmark) 0, Atletico Madrid advanced on 5-1 aggregate Braga (Portugal) 1, Marseille (France) 0, Marseille advanced on
Saturday, March 10 Montreal at Columbus, 12 p.m. Colorado at New England, 12:30 p.m. Los Angeles FC at Real Salt Lake, 2:30 p.m. Vancouver at Houston, 5 p.m. Sporting Kansas City at Chicago, 5 p.m. Portland at New York Red Bulls, 6 p.m. Minnesota United at Orlando City SC, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11 D.C. United at Atlanta United, 2 p.m. LA Galaxy at New York City FC, 4 p.m. Saturday, March 17 Chicago at Minnesota United, 1 p.m. Toronto FC at Montreal, 2 p.m.
3-1 aggregate Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 0, AEK Athens (Greece) 0, Dynamo Kiev advanced on away goals Lazio (Italy) 5, Steaua Bucharest (Romania) 1, Lazio advanced on 5-2 aggregate Leipzig (Germany) 0, Napoli (Italy) 2; 3-3 aggregate; Leipzig advanced on 1-0 away goals Lokomotic Moscow (Russia) 1, Nice 0, Lokomotic Moscow advanced on 4-2 aggregate AC Milan (Italy) 1, Ludogorets (Bulgaria) 0, AC Milan advanced on 4-0 aggregate Salzburg (Austria) 2, Real Sociedad (Spain) 1, Salzburg advanced on 4-3 aggregate Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) 3, Astana (Kazakhstan) 3, Sporting Lisbon advanced on 6-4 aggregate Villarreal (Spain) 0, Lyon (France) 1, Lyon advanced on 4-1 aggregate Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) 2, Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) 0, Viktoria Plzen advanced on 3-1 aggregate Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) 3, Glasgow Celtic (Scotland) 0, Zenit St. Petersburg advanced on 4-1 aggregate THIRD ROUND First leg Thursday, March 8 AC Milan (Italy) vs. Arsenal (England), noon Atletico Madrid (Spain) vs. Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia), noon CSKA Moscow (Russia) vs. Lyon (Salzburg), noon Dortmund (Germany) vs. Salzburg (Austria), noon Lazio (Italy) vs. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), 2:05 p.m. Leipzig (Germany) vs. Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia), 2:05 p.m. Marseille (France) vs. Athletic Bilbao (Spain), 2:05 p.m. Sporting Lisbon (Portugal) vs. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic), 2:05 p.m. Second leg Thursday, March 15 Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia) vs. Atletico Madrid (Spain), 11 a.m. Athletic Bilbao (Spain) vs. Marseille (France), 1 p.m. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) vs. Lazio (Italy), 1 p.m. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic) vs. Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), 1 p.m. Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) vs. Leipzig (Germany), 1 p.m. Arsenal (England) vs. AC Milan (Italy), 3:05 p.m. Lyon (Salzburg) vs. CSKA Moscow (Russia), 3:05 p.m. Salzburg (Austria) vs. Dortmund (Germany). 3:05 p.m.
Orlando City SC at New York City FC, 2:30 p.m. Vancouver at Atlanta United, 6:30 p.m. San Jose at Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. New York Red Bulls at Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. Houston at D.C. United, TBA Columbus at Philadelphia Union, TBA Sunday, March 18 Seattle at FC Dallas, 4 p.m. Saturday, March 24 New York City FC at New England, 12:30 p.m. Portland at FC Dallas, 2:30 p.m. D.C. United at Columbus, 5 p.m. Minnesota United at New York Red Bulls, 6 p.m. Sporting Kansas City at Colorado, 8 p.m. LA Galaxy at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (Home teams listed first) Second Round First Leg Tuesday, Feb. 13 Basel (Switzerland) 0, Manchester City (England) 4 Juventus (Italy) 2, Tottenham (England) 2 Wednesday, Feb. 14 Real Madrid (Spain) 3, Paris Saint-Germain (France) 1 Porto (Portugal) 0, Liverpool (England) 5 Tuesday, Feb. 20 Bayern Munich (Germany) 5, Besiktas (Turkey) 0 Chelsea (England) 1, Barcelona (Spain) 1 Wednesday, Feb. 21 Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) 2, Roma (Italy) 1 Sevilla (Spain) 0, Manchester United (England) 0 Second Leg Tuesday, March 6 Liverpool (England) vs. Porto (Portugal), 1:45 p.m. Paris Saint-Germain (France) vs. Real Madrid (Spain), 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 7 Manchester City (England) vs. Basel (Switzerland), 1:45 p.m. Tottenham (England) vs. Juventus (Italy), 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 Manchester United (England) vs. Sevilla (Spain), 2:45 p.m. Roma (Italy) vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 Besiktas (Turkey) vs. Bayern Munich (Germany), noon Barcelona (Spain) vs. Chelsea (England), 2:45 p.m.
2018 U.S. SOCCER SCHEDULE (Won 0, Lost 0, Tied 1) Sunday, Jan. 28 — United States 0, Bosnia-Herzogovina 0 Tuesday, March 27 — vs. Paraguay at Cary, N.C., 6 p.m. Saturday, June 2 — vs. Ireland at Dublin, 1:45 p.m. Saturday, June 9 — vs. France at Lyon, France, 2 p.m.
BASEBALL MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BASEBALL MLB SPRING TRAINING American League Team New York Boston Kansas City Detroit Houston Cleveland Chicago Tampa Bay Minnesota Los Angeles Baltimore Seattle Toronto Oakland Texas National League Team
W
L
Pct.
8 7 5 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2
1 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 4 4 5 5 6 5 5
.889 .700 .714 .667 .667 .667 .556 .500 .500 .500 .444 .375 .333 .286 .286
W
L
Pct.
Chicago 6 1 .857 Milwaukee 7 2 .778 Miami 6 2 .750 San Diego 5 3 .625 Washington 4 4 .500 Los Angeles 4 5 .444 San Francisco 4 5 .444 Colorado 3 5 .375 St. Louis 3 5 .375 New York 3 6 .333 Atlanta 3 6 .333 Cincinnati 3 6 .333 Pittsburgh 2 5 .286 Arizona 3 7 .300 Philadelphia 2 8 .200 Friday’s Games N.Y. Yankees 5, Atlanta 4 Boston 9, St. Louis 6 Detroit 8, Miami 3 Philadelphia 9, Tampa Bay 2 Baltimore 10, Pittsburgh 8 Minnesota 2, Toronto 1 Washington 2, N.Y. Mets (ss) 1 Cincinnati 3, S.F. 2 L.A. Dodgers 7, Chi. White Sox 6 Seattle 4, Milwaukee 2 Cleveland 9, Texas 4 Arizona vs. Colorado, late Chi. Cubs 6, L.A. Angels 4 San Diego 13, Kansas City 5 N.Y. Mets (ss) 7, Houston 7 Saturday’s Games Baltimore 4, Philadelphia (ss) 2 Miami 1, N.Y. Mets 0 N.Y. Yankees 5, Boston 3 Atlanta 9, St. Louis 2 Tampa Bay 7, Detroit 4 Washington 8, Houston 1 Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia (ss) 3 Toronto 13, Minnesota 8 L.A. Dodgers 14, Arizona 6 Chi. White Sox 9, Kansas City 5 Chi. Cubs 7, Cincinnati 4 San Diego 10, Oakland 4 S.F. (ss) 13, Cleveland 4 S.F. (ss) 9, Texas 4 Milwaukee 6, Colorado 5 Seattle 4, L.A. Angels 2 Baltimore 010 000 030 — 4 8 0 Philadelphia (ss) 000 000 020 — 2 3 0 Gausman, Edgin (4), Asher (5), Holmberg (7), Crichton (7), Yacabonis (8), Long (9), and Sisco, Wynns; Eshelman, Pinto (2), Ramos (3), Neris (4), Irvin (5), De Los Santos (6), Abad (8), Romero (8), Taveras (8), and Alfaro, Moore. W—Gausman 0-1. L—Eshelman 0-0. Sv—Long. HRs—Santander. New York Mets 000 000 000 — 0 5 0 Miami 100 000 00x — 1 5 0 Syndergaard, Sewald (4), Familia (5), Ramos (6), Flexen (7), and Plawecki, Mazeika; Urena, Garcia (3), Smith (5), Diaz (7), Del Pozo (8), Steckenrider (9), and Realmuto, Holaday. W—Urena 1-0. L—Syndergaard 0-0. Sv—Steckenrider. New York Yankees 001 001 030 — 5 11 1 Boston 000 102 000 — 3 9 0 Adams, Sheffield (3), Lail (5), Lane (6), Carroll (7), Holder (8), and Romine, Higashioka; Johnson, Kelly (3), Workman (4), Barnes (5), Hembree (6), Layne (6), Smith (7), Scott (8), Stankiewicz (8), Martin (9), and Leon, Butler. W—Carroll 2-0. L—Scott 2-0.
Sv—Holder. HRs—Hicks. St. Louis 000 002 000 — 2 9 1 Atlanta 031 005 00x — 9 14 1 Mikolas, Bowman (4), Gregerson (5), Motte (6), Mayers (6), and Molina, Knizner; Teheran, Carle (4), Hursh (6), Biddle (7), Graham (8), and Flowers, Brantly. W—Teheran 1-0. L—Mikolas 0-1. HRs—Brantly, Colon. Tampa Bay 012 022 000 — 7 11 0 Detroit 200 200 000 — 4 6 1 Archer, Murray (2), McGowan (3), De Leon (4), Banda (5), Alvarado (6), Wood (7), Kolarek (8), Gibaut (9), and Moore; Zimmermann, Lewicki (3), Soto (5), Coleman (5), Turnbull (6), Stumpf (8), Saupold (9), and McCann, Greiner. W—De Leon 0-0. L—Soto 0-0. Sv—Gibaut. HRs—Moore; Martinez, Castellanos. Washington 000 070 100 — 8 8 2 Houston 010 000 000 — 1 3 3 Strasburg, Doolittle (3), Kintzler (4), Kelley (5), Milone (6), Guillon (8), Solis (9), and Montero; Verlander, Hoyt (4), Gose (5), Ramsey (5), Martes (5), Perez (8), and Stassi, Stubbs. W—Kintzler 0-1. L—Gose. Philadelphia (ss) 001 000 200 — 3 10 0 Pittsburgh 000 010 30x — 4 7 0 Lively, Morgan (4), Kilome (5), Suarez (6), Leibrandt (7), Rios (7), Curtis (8), and Knapp, Cabral; Nova, Kontos (4), Smoker (13), Santana (9), Stilson (10), Crick (11), McKinney (12), and Cervelli, Stallings. W—Stilson 0-0. L—Leibrandt. Sv—McKinney. HRs— Knapp; Osuna. Minnesota 000 053 000 — 8 9 2 Toronto 121 040 05x — 13 12 0 Hughes, Pressly (3), Duffey (5), Magill (7), Thorpe (8), Hackimer (8), and Astudillo, Pacheco; Sanchez, Borucki (4), Cruz (5), Barnes (6), Axford (7), McGuire (8), Reid-Foley (9), and Martin, McGuire. W—McGuire 0-0. L—Thorpe 1-0. HRs—LaMarre, Featherston; Solarte, Martin, Pillar. Arizona 013 000 011 — 6 9 1 Los Angeles Dodgers 600 114 02x — 14 19 1 Ray, Krehbiel (1), Feliz (3), Bastardo (4), McFarland (5), Clarke (6), Carpenter (8), and Mathis, Thole; Wood, Schlitter (3), Chargois (4), Lee (5), Broussard (6), DeFratus (7), Jankowski (9), and Farmer. W—Wood 2-0. L—Ray 1-0. HRs—Walker, Cron; Turner, Kemp, Peter, Farmer. Chicago White Sox 020 006 010 — 9 16 3 Kansas City 002 300 000 — 5 6 1 Kopech, House (3), Scahill (4), Rondon (6), Stephens (7), and Narvaez, Collins; Kennedy, Herrera (3), Maurer (4), Flynn (5), Hill (7), Broadway (8), McCarthy (9), and Butera, Gallagher. W—Scahill 1-0. L—Flynn 1-0. Sv—Stephens. HRs—Basabe. Cincinnati 000 000 022 — 4 7 0 Chicago Cubs 010 020 40x — 7 12 0 Castillo, Reyes (3), Stephenson (4), Stephens (5), Perez (7), Quackenbush (8), and Barnhart, Tromp; Chatwood, Wilson (3), Montgomery (4), Edwards Jr. (5), Alvarez (6), Zastryzny (7), Maples (9), and Gimenez, Solis. W—Chatwood 0-0. L—Castillo 0-0. HRs—Dixon, Aquino; Solis. San Diego 220 012 120 — 10 11 2 Oakland 021 001 000 — 4 8 0 Lyles, Strahm (3), Kennedy (4), Lloyd (5), Wingenter (6), Brewer (7), Stock (8), Wieck (9), and Lopez, Allen; Graveman, Castro (2), Puk (3), Wahl (6), Pagan (7), Gossett (8), Alcantara (8), and Maxwell, Murphy. W—Lyles 0-0. L—Graveman 0-1. HRs—Spangenberg, Renfroe, Naylor; Piscotty, Maxwell. San Francisco (ss) 140 000 305 — 13 19 0 Cleveland 001 102 000 — 4 3 4 Beede, Okert (4), Moronta (5), Johnson (6), Gregorio (7), Dominguez (8), Kelly (9), and Garcia, O’Conner; Tomlin, Otero (3), Belisle (4), Hill (5), Ramirez (7), Ogando (8), Head (9), and Gomes. W—Beede 0-1. L—Tomlin 0-0. HRs—Sands, Hernandez, Williamson, Davis, Schroder; Encarnacion, Urshela. Texas 201 100 000 — 4 9 2 San Francisco (ss) 213 101 10x — 9 13 1 Hamels, Rodriguez (3), Bush (4), Leclerc (6), Chavez (7), and Centeno, Casali; Cueto, Holland (3), Younginer (5), Snelten (7), Heston (8), Parra (9), and Hundley, Brown. W—Holland 0-0. L—Hamels 2-1. HRs—Choo; Panik, Longoria, Blanco, Shaw. Milwaukee 012 000 030 — 6 12 1 Colorado 011 003 000 — 5 11 1 Davies, Anderson (3), Woodruff (6), Archer (7), Wilkerson (8), and Pina, Nottingham, Houle; Freeland, McGee (4), Davis (5), Musgrave (6), Castellani (8), Broyles (8), Pounders (9), and Murphy, Bemboom. W—Archer 3-0. L—Castellani 0-1. Sv— Wilkerson. HRs—Thames, Taylor; Story, Dahl, McMahon, Bemboom. Los Angeles Angels 100 100 000 — 2 5 0 Seattle 002 010 10x — 4 8 0 Skaggs, Bedrosian (4), Parker (5), Warmoth (5), Bard (6), Paredes (7), Pinder (8), and Maldonado, Graterol, Kruger; Whalen, Nicasio (4), Phelps (5), Povse (6), Jiminian (8), Morin (9), and Zunino, Freitas. W—Phelps 0-0. L—Parker 0-1. Sv—Morin. HRs— Maldonado, Thaiss; Segura.
SUNDAY’S GAMES Grapefruit League Houston vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Detroit vs. Washington (ss) at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Miami vs. Atlanta at North Port, Fla., 12:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay vs. NY Yankees at Tampa, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Toronto vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Boston vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Washington (ss) vs. NY Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla., 12:10 p.m. Cactus League LA Dodgers vs. San Francisco at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Seattle vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Cleveland vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 2:05 p.m. Kansas City vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. San Diego (ss) vs. Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Colorado vs. LA Angels at Tempe, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Oakland vs. San Diego (ss) at Peoria, Ariz., 2:10 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAMES Grapefruit League Washington vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Miami vs. Houston at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta at North Port, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Minnesota vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Detroit vs. NY Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla., 12:10 p.m. Cactus League Chicago White Sox vs. Oakland at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. San Francisco vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. LA Angels (ss) vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Cleveland vs. LA Dodgers at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Team Korea vs. LA Angels (ss) at Tempe, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Arizona vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 7:40 p.m.
TUESDAY’S GAMES Grapefruit League Baltimore vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla., 12:05 p.m. St. Louis vs. Miami at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Houston (ss) vs. Washington at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. NY Yankees vs. Detroit at Lakeland, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Boston vs. Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Atlanta vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., 12:07 p.m. Houston (ss) vs. NY Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla., 12:10 p.m. Cactus League Texas vs. Oakland at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. LA Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Cleveland vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Milwaukee vs. Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. LA Angels vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. San Diego vs. Kansas City at Surprise, Ariz., 7:05 p.m. Colorado vs. Seattle at Peoria, Ariz., 7:40 p.m.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES Grapefruit League Washington vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Miami vs. Houston at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Toronto (ss) vs. Detroit at Lakeland, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Baltimore vs. Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Minnesota vs. Boston (ss) at Fort Myers, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Boston (ss) vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Toronto (ss) at Dunedin, Fla., 12:07 p.m. NY Yankees vs. NY Mets at Port St. Lucie, Fla., 12:10 p.m. Cactus League Milwaukee vs. Kansas City at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. San Diego vs. San Francisco at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Cincinnati vs. Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Texas vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. LA Dodgers vs. LA Angels at Tempe, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Chicago vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 7:05 p.m. Oakland vs. Seattle at Peoria, Ariz., 7:40 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 8 Grapefruit League Miami vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. NY Mets vs. Washington at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Houston vs. Atlanta at North Port, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Philadelphia vs. NY Yankees at Tampa, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Detroit vs. Pittsburgh at Bradenton, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Toronto vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Tampa Bay vs. Boston at Fort Myers, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Cactus League LA Angels vs. Oakland at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. San Diego vs. Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox (ss) vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Kansas City vs. Chicago White Sox (ss) at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Arizona vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 2:05 p.m. Cincinnati vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. LA Dodgers vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 7:05 p.m. San Francisco vs. Seattle at Peoria, Ariz., 7:40 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 9 Grapefruit League Boston vs. Miami at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. NY Mets vs. Detroit at Lakeland, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Minnesota vs. Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Baltimore vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., 12:07 p.m. St. Louis vs. Houston at Palm Beach, Fla., 5:05 p.m. NY Yankees vs. Atlanta at North Port, Fla., 5:05 p.m. Cactus League Arizona vs. Kansas City (ss) at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Seattle vs. San Francisco at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m.
LA Angels vs. Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Oakland vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 2:05 p.m. Kansas City (ss) vs. LA Dodgers at Glendale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Cleveland vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Chicago White Sox vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Texas vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear, Ariz., 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 10 Grapefruit League Miami vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Washington vs. Houston at Palm Beach, Fla., 12:05 p.m. NY Mets vs. NY Yankees at Tampa, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Atlanta vs. Pittsburgh (ss) at Bradenton, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Pittsburgh (ss) vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Boston vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Detroit vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., 12:07 p.m. Cactus League LA Angels (ss) vs. San Francisco (ss) at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs (ss) at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Oakland vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Colorado vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 2:05 p.m. San Francisco (ss) vs. LA Angels (ss) at Tempe, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Kansas City vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Cleveland vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Seattle vs. Cincinnati at Goodyear, Ariz., 7:05 p.m. Chicago (ss) vs. LA Dodgers at Glendale, Ariz., 8:05 p.m.
COLLEGES COLLEGE BASEBALL Saturday’s games EAST Old Westbury 8-10, Baruch 0-10, 2nd susp. darkness SOUTH Austin Peay 8, Indiana St. 7 Bellarmine 8-7, Hillsdale 1-3 Bethel (Tenn.) 4-4, William Carey 0-10 Bradley 14, Belmont 10 Brescia 10, Cincinnati Christian 6 Bryan 14-3, Truett-McConnell 4-1 Bryant 9, Boston College 8 Campbellsville 4-3, Northwestern Ohio 3-0 Centre 5-4, Sewanee 3-0 Cincinnati 4-5, UT Martin 3-7, 2nd game (11) Clemson 5, South Carolina 1 Covenant 11-15, Berea 3-3, 2nd game, 8 innings Cumberlands 1, Huntington 0 Duke 8, Cornell 3 E. Kentucky 15, Coppin St. 1 Florida St. 4, UNC-Asheville 3 Georgetown (Ky.) 15, Indiana-South Bend 1 Georgia Tech 3, UIC 2 Hofstra 4-5, Norfolk St. 01 Illinois St. 18, Morehead St. 7 King (Tenn.) 16-7, Emmanuel (Ga.) 3-4 Lindsey Wilson 2, Taylor 1 Louisville 8, W. Carolina 7 Martin Methodist 3, Loyola NO 0 Mass.-Lowell 5, Wake Forest 3 Miami at Maine, ccd. Middle Tennessee 16, ETSU 8 Midway 12-14, Asbury 2-11 Milligan 5-0, Montreat 2-1 Murray St. 16-15, Fort Wayne 4-4 N. Kentucky 2, Lipscomb 1 NC State 21, Campbell 4 Notre Dame 9, Seton Hall 8 North Carolina 6, Liberty 5 Pikeville 8-16, St. Francis (Ind.) 2-5 Pittsburgh 9, UMass 0 Purdue 12, Virginia Tech 5 Robert Morris-Springfield 10-5, Kentucky Christian 0-0 Tennessee 2, Memphis 1 Tusculum 9-7, Wingate 7-2 Virginia 5, Yale 4 West Georgia 17, Christian Brothers 2 West Virginia 11, W. Kentucky 9 (10) MIDWEST Bethany 4-3, Culver-Stockton 3-2
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Future
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
The Flats 324 is expanding, with a new swimming pool and additional units.
Redeveloping amenities Competition, lifestyles drive trends in apartment amenities BY MELINDA SCHNYDER
Eagle correspondent
The pet park is the new swimming pool when it comes to must-have apartment amenities in Wichita. Apartment dwellers need a convenient place to take their dogs, and bonding over pets is a comfortable way to meet your neighbor than putting on a bathing suit and jumping in the water together. The most frequent search filter on Apartments.com used by housing hunters in Wichita is “dog friendly,” said Todd Galvin, the Wichita market analyst for CoStar Group, a commercial real estate information company that runs a network of home rental websites. Apartment developer Jason Van Sickle sees eight of every 10 renters with a pet. He said the Chisholm Lake Apartments complex he opened in 2013 (and has since sold) near K-96 and
Oliver introduced the self-service pet-washing station concept to the Wichita market. Now many developments across the city have dedicated common space to wash pets, and new properties are continuing to Jason Van unleash new pet-friendly amenSickle ities. “We have a pet wash, a pet care center that has everything you need for grooming, we have an outdoor pet park and we have grilling area that allows tenants to hang out, grill and have dinner while their dog runs around,” Van Sickle said of The Flats 324 in downtown Wichita. He and Dave Burk transformed the former Wichita High School at 324 N. Emporia into 68 apartments in 2010, then in 2016 they built a 72-unit new construction
Jason Van Sickle, apartment developer
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FOOD & DRINK
DOWNTOWN
BEERS, BARS, BURGERS AND MUCH MORE
A RENAISSANCE WORTH THE WAIT
A look at many of the bars, breweries and restaurants that have plans to open in Wichita this year. 4H
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IS A SERVICE INDUSTRY NOW. IT’S ABOUT WHAT DOES THE TENANT NEED AND WHAT KIND OF SERVICE CAN WE PROVIDE TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER AND EASIER. IT’S BEEN A REAL SHIFT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
The progress is more meaningful as individuals and government entities have reclaimed the area one building at a time. 2H
TRANSPORTATION
BIKE-FRIENDLY STATUS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE Wichita’s increasingly interconnected network of bikeways, now at 115 miles, makes commutes safer. 6H
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Forward Wichita
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Safety net clinics All Wichitans have a part are expanding in pushing forward BY AMY GEISZLER-JONES
Eagle correspondent
Yvonne Robinson no longer lives in a health care desert. The south Wichita mom of four, including two children with asthma, can literally see GraceMed’s Ablah Family Clinic at 3417 S. Meridian from her front door. The 15,000-square-foot clinic opened in April 2017. The $4.6 million facility was part of GraceMed’s Project Oasis, meant to bring health care to areas of Wichita that had limited choices for residents in those neighborhoods, areas GraceMed called health care deserts. “It’s great to have this now,” Robinson said. “If we need to go to the doctor, we can walk. That’s how conveniently located it is. It makes it especially helpful with all the kids,” ranging in ages from 10 to 18. GraceMed is one of five safety net clinic systems in the Wichita area – clinics that serve either uninsured, the underinsured or those who need cheaper options for health care. In the past year, four of those clinics have announced or completed expansions of clinical space. In most cases, those expansions were made possible by community support, from capital campaign donations to increased volunteer efforts, said officials with the clinics. Community donations, for example, paid for the building and equipping of the Ablah Family Clinic, while the Guadalupe Clinic added four specialists and a second chiropractor who stepped up to offer their services on a volunteer basis. “That speaks to the heart of the Wichita community. It speaks to the heart of the medical community, it speaks to the university programs and it speaks to the doctors who take time from their practice and the doctors who are retired but work here because of their love of medicine,” said David Gear, the executive director of Guadalupe Clinic. Here are the most recent expansions that have or will happen at Wichita’s five safety net clinics. GRACEMED GraceMed, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, has been one of the fastest-growing safety net clinics in the areas. “In the past five years, we’ve grown from three to 12 locations in Wichita,” said Dave Sanford, CEO. It’s also branched out from Wichita in the past year, with clinic locations in Topeka and McPherson, as well. At the Ablah Family Clinic, its newest hub clinic in Wichita near the South YMCA, patients also can see an on-staff eye doctor and dentist, too. GraceMed runs with paid staff and a $22 million budget that comes from federal grants, Medicare and Medicaid payments and patient office visit payments based on a sliding fee scale. “We can cover our costs of operation but we can’t re-invest in equipment and facilities to expand or replace,” said Sanford. That’s where community support through capital campaigns come in, he said. GUADALUPE CLINIC Within the past year, the Catholic Diocese of Wichita’s Guadalupe Clinic –
the largest donation-based clinic, according to its executive director – added endocrinology, gastroenterology, cardiology and orthopedics services and a second chiropractor. The clinic only sees patients who don’t have insurance. The clinic, which has three locations, relies on more than 300 volunteer medical providers and the $5 donation from patient visits, said David Gear, the clinic’s executive director. The in-kind donations from the volunteers and other medical providers from 2016-17 was valued at more than $1.6 million of its $2.9 million budget, Gear said. About 11⁄2 years ago, the clinic’s location at 2825 S. Hillside – alongside the Lord’s Diner – increased its exam space from three rooms to five, Gear said. HEALTHCORE The clinic at 2707 E. 21st St., started a $10.7 million expansion and renovation in 2016. According to a Wichita Eagle article at the time, the new 40,000-square-foot facility was to include 33 exam rooms (up from 10), 11 mental health rooms integrated throughout the clinic, a seven-chair dental clinic, pharmacy, legal offices, kitchen, fitness room, education center, walking path and community garden. Clinic officials did not respond to requests for an interview for updated information. HUNTER HEALTH CLINIC Later this spring, Hunter Health Clinic will move into its new 21,000-square-foot clinic at 2318 E. Central, said Amy Feimer, the CEO. The new building is north of the existing clinic, which also includes administrative space. In the new facility, everything will be related to patient care, she said. The new clinic will have 34 medical and behavioral health exam rooms, up from the current 15, and the dental operatories will double to 8. The new space also will allow the clinic to integrate social services and case management help for its patients. “There’s a correlation between physical health and mental health, for patients,” said Feimer. The $7 million facility is being funded in large part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along with clinic funds. Hunter Health Clinic is the only Urban Indian Health program in Kansas and one of 34 nationwide. MAYFLOWER CLINIC Founded in 2010 by a group of immigrants, the clinic moved to a new location at 154 N. Market from 209 S. William in December. Renovation is still underway, but eventually, the clinic will have 4,000 square feet of clinical space, about twice what the old location had, said Chelsea French, the clinic’s executive director and CEO. Apartments and rental office space will fill the remaining space in the 16,800-square-foot building and provide some revenue to run the clinic. Ten percent of the rent will help fund the clinic, French said. The clinic relies on volunteers, including about 30 doctors, to provide medical and clinical services. Patients are asked for a $25 donation for their first visit and a $10 donation on follow-up visits.
BY JEFF LONGWELL
Driving in Wichita has become a safari of construction equipment, road crews and traffic cones. Everywhere you look, infrastructure work is underway, new buildings are being erected and old buildings are being renovated. Our skyline is rapidly evolving. Change can be difficult, but it’s essential and often positive. As we look at what it means to be a thriving city in a brand new age of possibility, we have to take with it a certain degree of acceptance
and excitement that we’re going to experience collective growing pains. For some, including myself, it’s the knowledge that sometimes our commute will take a bit longer as our city crews work on our streets, safeguarding our infrastructure. For others, it may mean accepting that nostalgia must make way for progress. While the council and I help guide our city, it’s average individuals and small business owners who are contributing to its growth. From the large apartment or hotel projects downtown to community gardens, unique retailers or independent breweries adding to our crucial quality of place, we all have a part in changing our community. Local pride shines from every
street corner thanks to local artist and the relentless positivity of community supporters. The city council and I are tasked with helping to guide Wichita toward fulfilling its vast potential. We’re faced with decisions every day that challenge us to look at the future of our community and find a solution which will help us become the city we’re meant to be. We do this not in a vacuum, but with intensive research from industry experts to help best inform our decisions. But now more than ever, we’re also hearing feedback from average individuals that helps guide us. Whether through email, social media or in person, these comments show us that people are passionate about making
The Wichita Eagle
BikeShareICT started a bike rental program downtown in 2017.
Wichita’s downtown exudes vibrancy, creativity, officials say BY JOE STUMPE
Eagle correspondent
No offense to her friends who live in other parts of Wichita, but City Councilwoman Cindy Claycomb believes downtown neighborhoods play a special role in defining a city. “When people travel and come to a city, they don’t usually go to the suburbs to see what the feel of the city is like,” said Claycomb, whose First District encompasses downtown. “The suburbs look like everybody else’s suburbs. Your downtown is really the heart of your city. That’s where visitors understand what your city is like.” And by that measure, downtown boosters say, the city’s core sends a message that Wichita is a vibrant, creative, fun place. On a 15-block stretch of Douglas, for instance, you can get a craft beer or cappuccino, rent a condo or deluxe hotel room, buy a dress or piece of original art. You can go to work or hop on a “shared” bicycle, sit down to a picnic or high-end meal, listen to live music or feel the south wind whip up the Arkansas River. Surrounding streets offer similar experiences. Wichita’s downtown has not been reinvigorated overnight. But, in a way, that’s made the progress more meaningful as private individuals, government entities and hybrids
of both have reclaimed the area one building at a time. Jeff Fluhr, president of the Greater Wichita Partnership and Downtown Wichita, believes several characteristics of the city’s downtown qualify as “authentic,” if not unique. One is the Old Town area, where downtown development began. After 30 years of stops, starts, hits and misses, the former warehouse district today is a thriving mix of residential, retail, office and entertainment spaces, many in red brick buildings that qualify for historic designations. “We’ve done it as good or better than anybody else,” he said. “You build on an asset like that.” Something similar has been done with buildings to the west, north and south of Old Town in recent years. These are not-as-old structures with charms of their own, such as The Lux, a seven-story, mid-modern office building at First and Market that’s been renovated into luxury apartments (with coffee and ice cream shops conveniently located at ground level). Or even more striking, the transformation of a former parking garage at Broadway and English into 44 hip apartments, also anchored by commercial space on the first floor. Union Station plaza, the Ambassador Hotel, the Flats 324 and the Finn Lofts on Commerce Street are a few more re-imagin-
ings of old buildings. There’s been stylish ground-up construction as well, such as the Corner 365 apartments at First and Waco and the soonto-open Hilton Garden Inn on Douglas. But the willingness to bring parts of the city’s past into the present is definitely one trait of downtown. Downtown boosters believe the area offers a lot more, including: A Work-friendly environment. Newer generations of professionals and creatives mix their work and private lives more than their predecessors. They want a coffee shop, gift shop, dry cleaner or corner brewpub within easy reach of their workspace. The mixeduse nature of downtown Wichita caters to that, which is one reason a big employer like Cargill chose to build its new $60 million headquarters on Douglas Avenue. The same goes for the Martin Pringle law firm’s recent decision to invest in a new building just down the street. “A lot of this is driven by talent,” Fluhr said. “They want to be downtown or close to it.” A The Arkansas River. After decades of failing to fully utilize the city’s most prominent natural feature, the river is being embraced in a way it hasn’t since the vintage postcard days when canoes were rented from an old boathouse and Wichitans flocked to an amusement
our city the best it can be. In the coming years, we’re going to continue our growth pattern, and we need passionate individuals supporting and expanding upon our efforts. In my speaking engagements, I tell community groups that we need to push forward. And that message still stands. I also challenge us to change the way we think about our community. We are not a small town. We are one of the 50 largest cities in America. In 2017, we added hundreds of jobs to our city, and we’re going to add more. Wichita is open for business and the country, the world is taking note. We can’t be complacent in our comfort. We must reconcile our vibrant history with a limitless future. Let’s shed the stigma of what we have been and embrace the vibrant mantle of what we’re becoming. Jeff Longwell is mayor of Wichita.
park on one of its sandbars. The city has spent tens of millions of dollars sprucing up the Keeper of the Plains statue, bike paths and other features of the riverfront over the past 15 years. This year, the opening of River Vista apartments on the Arkansas will mark the first new residential development there in even longer. Boat and bike rentals will also be offered at the apartments. “Just having all those people on the river, it will add to the vitality of downtown,” Councilwoman Claycomb said. “It’s an authentic riverfront,” Fluhr said, noting that San Antonio created its well-known Riverwalk from a drainage channel, while Oklahoma City dug its Bricktown Canal from scratch. “It’s an incredible vantage point,” Fluhr said of the Arkansas. “From a visitor’s standpoint, it’s really unique. Seeing yourself out in a kayak, that just changes your whole perspective of a place.” And there’s quite a bit more happening on the river, from the opening of the city’s new $33 million Advanced Learning Center library this spring to the Hyatt Regency’s plans to create a new restaurant overlooking the Arkansas. A Community buy-in. To Fluhr and others associated with the Downtown Wichita organization, some of the most exciting things happening downtown are those they had nothing to do with. Fluhr mentioned the showing of movies in Gallery Alley – an outdoor art gallery along Douglas – by “a group of citizens that just wanted to do that.” Property owners and businesspeople just to the east of downtown proper have banded together to create the Douglas Avenue Design District, while those to the west, across the Arkansas River, are organized into a neighborhood association for the historic Delano area. The result is two miles of inviting streetfront that “flows together,” Fluhr said. “We are the right size for people to get involved,” said Jaimie Garnett of the Greater Wichita Partnership. “Whatever your passion is, you can get involved with it.” Downtown Wichita is paying tribute to those involved in downtown’s renaissance with a campaign called “Possibility People.” “What you want is everybody to take pride in that,” Claycomb said. “This is our downtown.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
THE WICHITA EAGLE ...................................................................................
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Forward Wichita
BY DENISE NEIL
dneil@wichitaeagle.com
Progress is hard work, and it makes people hungry. Lucky for them, another area where progress is always being made is the restaurant industry. This year, like all years, dozens of new restaurants will enter the market. Some are owned by local entrepreneurs. Some are part of national chains. Here’s a look at many of the restaurants we know will open in 2018 and early 2019. MARCH Nortons Brewing Company, 125 N. St. Francis: Longtime River City Brewing Co. head brewer Dan Norton and his wife, Becky, are opening their own place, and he vows to have it ready by the time March Madness arrives in Wichita. He’s aiming form March 15 at the latest for his new brewery, which is going into a 9,000-squarefoot building across from Bite Me BBQ. Dan will brew the beer, and Becky will manage the restaurant, which will serve a menu of “greasy flattop burgers,” funnel cakes, fries, sandwiches, salads and more. The couple also plans a big outdoor beer garden with a stage. Chick N Max, 2350 N. Greenwich: A second Wichita Chick N Max is slated to open sometime in March in the former Freebirds spot near 21st and Greenwich. 86 Cold Press, 600 E. Douglas: Austin Dugan plans to relocate his nearby juice bar and expand it into a cafe that serves Paleo meals, cold-pressed juice and his own yogurt. He hopes to have the cafe open
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
The restaurant scene will continue to get new players this year
DENISE NEIL The Wichita Eagle
A Fried Pies kiosk is coming to Wichita this year.
COURTESY PHOTO
DENISE NEIL The Wichita Eagle
Becky and Dan Norton will open their Norton’s Brewing Company before the NCAA Tournament arrives in Wichita in March.
before the NCAA tournament. La Hacienda, 5905 W. Kellogg: This Derby Mexican restaurant will soon have another location, this one in the recently vacated Monterrey Mexican Grill space along West Kellogg. It should be open by late March. Mo & Izzy’s, 803 N. West Street: This old Sonic building, which most recently was home to WOW Cheesesteaks, will have a new restaurant in it sometime in March. CC Robertson is opening the restaurant, where she’ll serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Her menu will include comfort-food items, bie-
rocks and pan-fried chicken on Sundays. Gabby’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1002 S. Seneca: This tiny but popular Delano restaurant will move to a much bigger space on South Seneca, and the owners plan to have it up and running in March. The owner serves authentic Peruvian dishes like arroz con pollo, chicharron, fried tilapia and flan. Taco Tico, 460 N. West Street: This former Taco Tico building is about to become a current Taco Tico building. Though it hasn’t been a Taco Tico since 2013, but its current owners plan to have it back in business sometime in
BurgerFi is opening this year in the old Pei Wei space.
March. Black Bean Canteen, 2621 N. Greenwich: Accountant and fitness enthusiast Bill Leppert has been planning this healthy cafe for a while now but says that finding the right location has been tougher than he expected. He’s hoping for a March opening for his cafe, which will serve smoothies, steamed fish, chicken dishes and soups. APRIL Huddle House, Twin Lakes Shopping Center, 21st and Amidon: Wichita’s first location of this restaurant, a 24-hour diner chain in the vein of IHOP and Denny’s, should be open by April. Franchisee Abdul Arif said he’d eventually like to build one in the downtown area as well. MAY El Agave, 3540 N. Maize Road: Wichita’s second El Agave Mexican Restaurant could be open by May at Fox Ridge Plaza. The original is at 3236 N. Rock Road. Construction should start soon. Reverie in the library, Second and McLean: Another Reverie Coffee Roasters will open inside the new $33 million Advanced Learning
Library that’s almost complete now. It’ll be ready when the library opens, which should be some time in May. Cowboy Chicken, North Rock Road: Wichita’s first location of this chain, which serves wood-fired rotisserie chicken, also should open sometime in May on North Rock Road. JULY Buffalo Wings & Rings, K-96 and Greenwich: This Ohio-based chain plans to open up to three restaurants in Wichita, but the first one is set to open in July at Greenwich Place. It’ll have 16 beers on tap and wings with many types of sauces. SPRING Wheat State Dogs, Food cart: Pat Handley, a longtime vegan, plans to launch a hot dog cart specializing in vegan hot dogs made using wheat gluten and soy. He’ll park the cart in all the “usual food truck-y places” and at local farmers markets. BurgerFi, 2441 N. Maize Road: This restaurant, part of a Floridabased chain that has more than 50 restaurants across the country, is going into the former Pei Wei space
It’s time to get out and enjoy Wichita
BY SUSIE SANTO
At Visit Wichita, we believe Wichita is a mustvisit Midwest destination. We love Wichita and tell as many people as possible about our amazing city. Food Network star Alton Brown openly praises Wichita. He says it’s in his overall top 10 and his favorite Midwestern town. ESPN writer Myron Medcalf calls Wichita’s dining scene “the best surprise in the Midwest.” Travel writers, who tour the country and have made a stop in Wichita, love it, too. A Melody Pittman of whereverimayroamblog.com put Wichita on the top of her “favorite travels of 2017” list, saying, “Wichita tops my list this year for the biggest surprise and my most recommended US city to visit.”
A Liz Mays of eatmovemake.com said in her recently published article that Wichita is one of the “bestkept secrets of the Midwest,” insisting Wichita needs to be on everyone’s travel bucket list. All you have to do is spend a few minutes with #iloveWichita to see a whole lot of other visitors (and Wichitans) also adore Wichita. There’s always been a lot to see and do – right in our own backyard. From Wichita’s iconic Keeper of the Plains to our impressive cultural arts and worldclass museums, our city has much to love. Sedgwick County Zoo is the state’s most-visited outdoor attraction and has developed into one of the country’s topranked zoos. Visitors to Tanganyika Wildlife Park often can’t believe they are in Kansas experiencing so many intimate animal encounters. Exploring Wichita’s core is lively, fun and everchanging. From craft breweries, shops, urban art and eateries to the free and
at NewMarket Square. It serves burgers, fries, shakes and beer as well as hot dogs, onion rings and custard. It’s scheduled to open sometime in the spring. Chick-fil-A, Maple and Ridge: Another free-standing Chick-fil-A will open in Wichita, this one in front of the Lowe’s at Maple and Ridge. The restaurant should be ready by late summer. Chick N Max, 21st and Amidon: A third Wichita Chick N Max is slated to open sometime this summer in the Twin Lakes Shopping Center near 21st and Amidon. Freddy’s Frozen Custard, Meridian and I-235: Wichita will get a seventh Freddy’s, this one on the south-side, this year. It should be ready by late summer or early fall. Fried Pies: Some partners plan to bring an Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies drive-through kiosk at Northwest Centre, a strip center at 13th and Tyler. EARLY 2018 Jersey Mike’s Subs, undetermined location: It’s been more than a year since franchisees announced plans to bring Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants to Wichita, but they now say 2018 is the year. They’re looking for locations and aren’t sure which side of town they’ll choose but say they hope to have one open by the first part of 2018. LATE 2018 Carlos O’ Kelly’s and HomeGrown for the east side: Sasnak Management, which owns the Carlos O’ Kelly’s chain and the new HomeGrown restaurant on the west side, should have a busy 2018. By the end of the year, it should have a new mega-Carlos O’ Kelly’s open as well as a second HomeGrown. Both are slated for the east side, and the company is close to making decisions on locations, a spokesman said. Chicken N Pickle, 13th and Greenwich: This wild new restaurant is set to open by next fall in the Plazzio Center at 13th and Greenwich. In addition to serving fried and rotisserie chicken, it’ll have six indoor and six outdoor pickle ball courts as well as a rooftop bar, fire pits and more.
charming Q-Line Trolley, downtown Wichita is a destination in itself. This year, there are even more ways to play in our city. Exploration Place’s recently opened Design Build Fly, giving Wichita a truly unique aviation attraction that is a must-see for residents and visitors alike. Museum of World Treasures unveiled Ivan’s Playhouse and announced that Ivan, the third-largest T. rex in the country, is officially a permanent resident. Mark Arts opened the doors to a 40,000-squarefoot, prairie-style arts center and added culinary arts to its offerings. Coming this spring, paddle boat and other rentals will be available on the Arkansas River and opening Memorial Day weekend in Derby is Field Station: Dinosaurs. This new attraction will include more than 30 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, miniature golf and a ropes course making this attraction truly unique to our region. With so many ways to play in Wichita, now is the time to get out and enjoy our city and experience firsthand why Wichita is a must-visit destination. Susie Santo is president and CEO of Visit Wichita.
Forward Wichita
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Getting out and playing in Wichita
BY TROY HOUTMAN
Wichita Park and Recreation offers classes and activities for all ages, which will keep you active all year long. Get Fit Wichita is a series of free fitness classes offered in an outdoor setting. You can try a spinning class in the spring at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium or Yoga in Riverside Park in June. The river will come alive again this summer and fall with the Floatin’ on the River series. Take a leisurely float down the river with kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. Look for registration to begin in May. You can ride a horse at Pawnee Prairie Park with a guided tour. These trips will be offered all summer. We offer many tennis classes at the Ralph Wulz Riverside Tennis Center. Other offerings include coed youth lacrosse, fencing, coed rugby, adult kickball, men’s flag football and, of course, golf at one of our five public courses. Wichita Park & Recreation also offers many events starting in the spring and runs through the end of year; many events will take place in various parks throughout Wichita and are family friendly and free to attend such as movies in the park, water splash days and activities sites with our mobile recreation station. Open Streets ICT is coming back for the second year in September. This
large community event promotes walking and biking through Downtown Wichita along Douglas with no motor vehicles allowed. You and your family will enjoy a day full of activities along the 4.2-mile stretch of Douglas. If you want camps, we’ve got camps. Boston Recreation Center is offering Messy Science specialty camp. Edgemoor, Orchard and Linwood recreation centers offer Kid Konnection this spring. Summer camps will be taking registration soon and our summer camps are fun and keep the kids busy with many field trips. In the summer, eight pools and several splash pads will be open to cool you off Don’t forget to register for recreation classes designed for tots, youth, adults and active adults and seniors. Wichita has eight recreation centers and offers a variety of fitness, sports, health and wellness programs, specialty and hobby classes. You can register and keep upto-date by visiting the Park and Recreation section of wichita.gov. You will be seeing some changes and improvements in our parks. Stryker Sports Complex is getting an upgrade and we are adding a new park, Pracht Wetlands, which is near Maize Road. We are also making upgrades at Pawnee Prairie Park and Naftzger Park. These changes and upgrades will increase the usage of the parks and support a higher quality of life. Troy Houtman is director of the Wichita Department of Parks and Recreation.
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
The Douglas apartments, the former Exchange Place project at Douglas and Market, are starting to rent.
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REDEVELOPING expansion next door and added features to the gated complex including a swimming pool, clubhouse and the pet-friendly amenities. The Douglas, 240 luxury apartments that opened in 2017 on the downtown block of Douglas Avenue where Fourth National Bank once stood, has a dog spa and an open-air bark park on its fourth floor, where pets can go off leash and play on an agility course. Broadway Autopark, which converted a downtown parking garage into 44 apartments with frontdoor parking and balconies, opened in 2017 with a dog-washing station. Property manager Tamera Worman said there are plans to develop a dog park next to the property that would be easily accessible to tenants. River Vista, the 202-unit complex opening this year on the west bank of the Arkansas River just north of Douglas Avenue, will have a dog-wash area and an outdoor fenced area with artificial turf and a river view. Apartment developers are competing for tenants by offering more than just
a roof over their heads. “Property management is a service industry now,” Van Sickle said. “It’s about what does the tenant need and what kind of service can we provide to make their lives better and easier. It’s been a real shift over the last 10 years.” A 2017 Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau housing data reported that more U.S. households are renting than at any point in the past 50 years. The data shows movement toward renting spans age, races and income levels. Jason Gregory, executive director for Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, attributes some of the increased renting in Wichita to people wanting mobility, including young adults with fluid careers and empty nesters who plan to travel frequently. Renting apartments has become a lifestyle choice, rather than a choice people have to make if they can’t afford to buy a home. As more inventory has opened in the downtown core (879 residential units since 2010 with another 725 currently in construc-
tion or planning phase), occupancy has slipped from the 95 to 100 percent rates reported in 2016. “I’ve talked to our property managers early this year and they are expecting leasing numbers to come back into the upper 80s and lower 90s for the year,” Gregory said of downtown apartments. “The ones with the most compelling amenities packages are the ones leasing up.” REINVENTED COMMON SPACES Gregory said WDDC research shows that typical downtown apartment dwellers consider the entire city core as their living room, so they are OK with smaller units. To compensate for the lack of entertaining space, developers have put an emphasis on designing common spaces where residents can mingle or entertain friends and family. The Lux, an 86-unit property in a mid-century modern building downtown, introduced the rooftop terrace to downtown Wichita with a green patio on its third floor and a green rooftop on its eighth floor with seating, fire pits, grills and city views. One of the more grandiose versions is The Douglas’ sky deck, an outdoor area with a saltwater wading pool, cabanas, fire pits and grills, and the sky lounge, an indoor community room with seating nooks, televisions, shuffleboard and a pool table. Everything at River Vista is designed to take advantage of the property’s unique riverbank address, and that includes a clubhouse with a view. When it opens this spring or summer, the property will feature a large indoor clubhouse with a bar, shuffleboard and lounge
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areas that lead out to a resort-style pool with more seating. The Flats 324 incorporated a full kitchen in its clubhouse so tenants can use it to host dinner parties. CONCIERGE SERVICES High-end services are another trend showing up in the Wichita apartment market. The Flats 324 offers front-door trash pickup. The Douglas offers covered valet parking for residents and has dry cleaning lockers and parcel lockers. River Vista also will have parcel lockers, which allow delivery companies to leave packages in secure storage lockers and send a code to retrieve them. RETAIL INTEGRATION Adding convenience is another factor driving amenities. The clubhouse at Flats 324 includes a café and mini-mart so you can grab a bagel and coffee before heading out to work. The Lux has two floors of commercial space, including Espresso To Go Go and Little Lion Ice Cream shops. The ground level of The Douglas houses Sente, a coffee shop with more than 200 board games to borrow. River Vista will have Boats and Bikes, where tenants can store their own equipment or rent non-motorized watercraft to take out on the water as well as wheeled equipment for land exploration. “The focus right now is what can we do to continue to make our amenities more convenient, more original and unique because there are plenty of places to rent so you really have to compete with meaningful amenities that make people’s lives better and easier,” Van Sickle said.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Wichita is a city on move, so hop on
BY BECKY TUTTLE
Wichita has it going on! There are so many ways in our community to be active and have fun doing it. While many think being active is hard work and has to be mundane, Wichita makes it easy to be active where we live, learn, earn, play and pray. Studies show that regular physical activity reduces the risk for depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, and certain kinds of cancer. That, coupled with the stress-reducing benefits of moving more, there are so many reasons to explore all that Wichita has to offer. Bike Share ICT is one of our great city’s newest amenities. With 105 bikes in 21 locations, getting around Wichita has become even easier. Bike Share ICT is Wichita’s very own bike transportation system that is mainly located in the city’s core. An annual membership costs less than a tank of gas and provides the community with convenient, affordable access to bicycles as an easy, fun, healthy and eco-friendly means of transportation and recreation. Become a member and enjoy the ride! Everything looks different at 10 mph versus 40, so consider hopping on one of Wichita’s more than 100 miles of bicycle paths, lanes and other bicycle facilities. Many of the paths travel through and along scenic areas, such as the Arkansas River. If you are looking for more ways to be active outside, don’t forget about Wichita’s 144 parks, including 5,007 acres of park land. Whether you are into tennis, shooting hoops, pickle ball, swinging or swimming, all facets of recreation can be found in Wichita’s parks that add beauty and enrichment to the lives of all of our residents. Be a change agent in your own part of Wichita! Walk like a Wichitan and start a walking club where you work, participate in Wheels to Worship during National Bike Month in May, be sure to attend our community’s second annual Open Streets ICT on Sept. 23 in downtown. Walk with our city’s mayor for Walk-A-Longwell the last Wednesday of the month and give your suggestions on how to make Wichita more walkable. Suggest that kids in school be rewarded with extra recess or walking breaks instead of snacks for being caught “doing the right thing” or just commit to trying a new Wichita adventure every month in 2018. Wichita is making it easier for daily opportunities to be active and most of them are free or affordable. Try something new, don’t miss a thing, and make plans to celebrate Wichita’s 148th birthday on July 25 by being outside. Look for more information soon at www.hwcwichita .org. Now get out and get moving! Becky Tuttle is chairwoman of the Health and Wellness Coalition of Wichita.
MIKE HUTMACHER The Wichita Eagle
Bike lanes along Mt. Vernon, west of Broadway. There are about 115 miles of bikeways within the city.
City builds on its status as bike-friendly BY MELINDA SCHNYDER
Eagle correspondent
Once or twice a week, Kim Neufeld commutes to work by bicycle, riding 11 miles from southeast Wichita to the northwest part of the city. It’s a way to fit in an hour of exercise on a route that is fairly painless, thanks to the naturally flat landscape and improvements by the city of Wichita. “It’s completely changed within the last year,” she said. “My route used to be all on streets and now it is 90 percent on some type of protected infrastructure, either a designated bike lane, through a park or on a side path. Motorists are friendlier and getting used to seeing us. It is amazing, I can just roll right on into work.” MORE MILES, MORE CONNECTIVITY In the past year, the city installed approximately six miles of new bikeways bringing the total within the city to 115 miles of bikeways, according to Scott Wadle, a senior planner who oversees bicycle and pedestrian
trails and currently serves as Wichita’s interim transit director. He said more than one-third of those miles have been added since 2012, when an effort began to formalize a Wichita Bicycle Master Plan. In 2013, the Wichita City Council endorsed the plan, which incorporated input from more than 4,000 people and set priorities for bicycle programs and projects for the ensuing decade. “The city is actually ahead of schedule. We are ecstatic at the progress they are making,” said Neufeld, who serves as the executive director of Bike Walk Wichita, a nonprofit organization that consolidates advocacy and education efforts for biking, running and walking. Increased connectivity of the existing paths and routes is as important as additional miles, Neufeld said. Wichita’s increasingly interconnected network of bikeways makes her commute safer. A bikeway is a route, way or path that is specifically designed or designated for bicycle travel. The Wichita area has a mix of bicycling options ranging from on-
Wichita retail: unique products or entertainment BY JOE STUMPE
Eagle correspondent
Retailers that focus on doing one thing well and retail centers that offer something besides shopping will probably play a bigger role in Wichita. That’s the view of real estate agents and others who pay attention to retail trends. “Retail has changed so much with Amazon,” Brad Saville, president of Landmark Commercial Real Estate, said about the impact of online shopping. “Now there’s so much more emphasis put on the entertainment aspect, whether it be a sports complex, entertainment venture or something like that.”
It’s already happened in Wichita at Greenwich Place, the retail and hotel complex at K-96 and Greenwich that’s anchored by the Sports Forum, a $14 million facility with trampoline park, indoor soccer field, volleyball courts and more. Greenwich Place is considered one of the hottest commercial developments in the city, and it’s likely to become even more so thanks to a $22 million upgrade of the nearby Stryker soccer complex. When finished, the city believes it can attract up to 150,000 visitors a year to youth sporting events. “The youth competitive sports has changed so much from when we grew up,” Saville said. “Now
street bike lanes and bicycle boulevards (low-speed and low-volume on-street designated routes) to paths that offer paved, gravel and off-road riding. A BIKE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY One of the goals established in the master plan was to achieve Bicycle Friendly Community status from the League of American Bicyclists. In 2017, the city joined four other Kansas cities and 427 communities nationwide by earning a bronze level designation. That label indicates the community’s efforts to make bicycling easier, safer and more convenient. Private donations and volunteers drive some of the efforts to create a bicycle-friendly culture. For instance, there are now three free bicycle repair stations in Wichita funded by organizations or businesses and a new bike share program launched in 2017 with support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, the Wichita Community Foundation and other partners. BikeShareICT started in May and early success has organizers planning an
everybody’s making the weekend a family sports vacation. That’s going to drive hotel and restaurant sales because there’s so much more of that going on in the Midwest.” The desire by shoppers to stretch their dollar can also be seen in Greenwich Place, where most of the stores — including Stein Mart, DWS and Bed Bath & Beyond — are known for their discount or competitive pricing. Just as Stryker and the Sports Forum cater to active youngsters, a new establishment opening at 13th and Greenwich this year targets active adults: Chicken N Pickle is a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, local craft beer, pickleball courts and lawn games. Dorothy Harpool, a lecturer in Wichita State University’s marketing department, expects to see more segmentation and specialization in the retail field. “I think smaller stores that are very product specific, there are opportunities there” selling items
expansion this year, said Becky Tuttle, director of Community Development at the Greater Wichita YMCA. The initiative currently has 105 bikes in 21 locations – mostly in the city’s core – that can be rented for $3 an hour or through an annual membership that costs $30, $20 for college students. Through early February, riders had borrowed the cruiser bikes for 8,282 trips. Demographics show that 85 percent of the bike sharers reside in Sedgwick County and the most popular stations are the Pop Up Park, Downtown YMCA, Keeper of the Plains Plaza and Sedgwick County Park. Neufeld said it’s been surprising that so many locals are using the bikes but that supports what she’s also noticed: more Wichitans are interested in bicycling for recreation and for transportation. BikeShareICT is convenient for those who don’t own bicycles or those who simply don’t want to load up their bicycles yet want to explore a new area of town. “This program started about four years earlier than we thought it would, so it’s great to see that our community is so excited about it,” Neufeld said. “I think a lot of that success is because the infrastructure the city is putting in makes biking in Wichita so easy. The next phase should really expand it out to make it even easier for students and more residents to use the bikes.” COMING IN 2018 Wadle said this year the city will continue to work
“that people want to talk to somebody about, want to touch, taste, whatever,” Harpool said. “I think stores are getting away from being massive, because (shopping in them) is such a big hassle.” Big or small, she said, successful retailers will probably be those that embrace online and inperson sales. “They are recognizing that the Internet is going to be around forever and selling online is certainly a viable option, but there’s still a need, right now, for that brick and mortar. Not every consumer is going to want to buy every single item on line.” Another retail principle Harpool believes in — “people shop where they live and work” — is playing out on WSU’s campus. The school expects to attract national and local retailers to Braeburn Square, a 20acre development on school’s new Innovation Campus. A Starbucks has opened there, and a 123room hotel by Westin has been announced for the property.
on priorities established by residents who weighed in during the creation of the master plan. Expect the addition of as many as eight miles of bikeways in 2018. The projects touch every part of the city, including the completion of a paved, 10-foot wide multi-use path on the east bank of the Arkansas River from Kellogg to the Lincoln Street Bridge. That half-mile section is currently a dirt path and is part of the popular Arkansas River Path. Volunteers will continue their work on the two rail-trails that touch Wichita: the Prairie Sunset Trail out west and the Redbud Trail in the east. In May, volunteers will hold a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the completion of a section of the Andover-Augusta RailTrail Initiative, which ties into the Redbud Trail. Also in May, National Bike Month, Bike Walk Wichita will hold its first Women’s Bike Summit at Wichita State University. Special events are one way the bicycling community will continue to educate bicyclists and motorists. Another is a street safety campaign that Wadle said the city will introduce this year through multiple media channels. “Everything we’re doing is in response to citizens telling us they want bicycling in Wichita to be easier, safer and more convenient,” Wadle said, “and that creates more opportunity for people to be healthier, to save money and to have a higher quality of life almost right outside their doorstep.”
HAVE A BICYCLE TO DONATE? ReCycle @ Bike Walk Wichita takes donations of used bicycles and bicycle parts and volunteers turn them into usable bikes that are given away though several programs, including Earn-ABike, where adults trade 15 volunteer hours for a bicycle, and NorthEastICT, which gives away bicycles to kids. Since starting these programs in 2016 and 2017, respectively, the organization has given 150 bikes with helmets to kids in northeast Wichita and 90 bicycles with helmets, lights and locks to adults across the city. “The ReCycle program has really taken off,” said Kim Neufeld, executive director of Bike Walk Wichita. “In addition to those programs, we also partner with agencies like the Wichita Police Department Homeless Outreach Team to provide bicycles that can give individuals a mode of transportation.” Visit bikewalkwichita.org if you’re interested in donating or volunteering. — MELINDA SCHNYDER
Some other possible retail developments to look for in Wichita in 2018: A What Stephanie Wise of John T. Arnold Associates calls the “obvious places” will continue to be hot spots for new stores, restaurants and more. That’s anything north of 21st Street on the far east side and property north of New Market Square on the west side. But also, Wise noted, College Hill, downtown Wichita and Delano are attractive to retailers wanting to locate in areas with an older, urban feel. A As highway construction finishes on Kellogg at Webb, that intersection seems prime for retail, restaurant and hotel development. A Similarly, the completion of work on ramps connect I-235 and Kellogg could signal the redevelopment of commercially zoned properties just to the west. A Further development of the booming dining scene at Maple and Ridge, although the remaining available property is tight.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Via Christi’s new name won’t affect patient care
BY MIKE MULLINS
Since the late 1800s, Wichitans and their fellow Kansans have relied upon Via Christi Health for access to quality care provided in the compassionate and dignified manner that everyone deserves. Today, as part of Ascension’s national ministry, we continue to play a critical role in the health and economic vitality of our community. In keeping with our mission, we serve as the community’s safety net, providing more than $100 million in statewide community benefit – including $79 million in Wichita – in fiscal year 2017. We remain committed to caring for the vulnerable and those who are struggling financially. That commitment is demonstrated through outreach initiatives such as our collaboration with community partners to provide a day of free health care through our Medical Mission at Home, which will be held this year on April 14 at Muell-
er Aerospace Magnet Elementary School. It is also evidenced by: A Our human trafficking response program, which has helped us recognize and reach out with support to 74 victims in Wichita alone. A Our advocacy on behalf of hard-working Kansans who earn too much to qualify for KanCare, but too little to be eligible to get financial help to purchase private insurance. A Our collaboration with our local Robert J. Dole Veterans Administration Hospital to ensure that those who have risked their lives to protect ours have timely access to the specialized care they need through Ascension’s Veteran’s Choice program. At the same time, we are a major contributor to the economic health of our community. The Wichita area is home to approximately 6,000 of our more than 8,000 Via Christi associates statewide. Economists estimate that each of these jobs create or support another 0.6 jobs. Finally, we continue to partner with physicians, bedside caregivers, local businesses and other community organizations to develop more efficient and effective ways to deliver care.
Koch Cultural Trust expands artists’ horizons BY DAVID BURKE
Eagle correspondent
Wichita native Chris Mann has enjoyed success in entertainment, including a fourth-place finish on NBC’s “The Voice” and playing the title role for two years on tour in “The Phantom of the Opera.” But what started the ball rolling, he said, was a $5,000 grant he received from the Koch Cultural Trust as a college student. He wrote a proposal for making his first album, and for the first time had to think about the expenses of recording in Nashville (where he was attending Vanderbilt University), including musicians, producers and others involved. “I would have found a way, but there’s no question the Koch Cultural Trust allowed for that obstacle to be removed, so I could experiment and obviously confirm my passion,” Mann recalled in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. “To think now, all this time later, I’ve recorded so many songs and produced other people. It’s all second nature to me now.” He still keeps the application binder that he and his parents filled out that for the first time laid out his music-recording dreams. “I remember just being so clueless,” Mann said. “It made a big difference because it got me started and I obviously never stopped.” Mann is one of nearly 800 artists with Kansas ties – either a resident or a student at a state school – to have received more than $2.3 million from the Koch Cultural Trust,
which provides opportunities for artists to grow, learn and pursue their dreams. “I don’t know of any similar programs (in Kansas), to assist young artists, visual and performing artists in pursuing their passions and their careers,” said Howard Ellington, who has been executive director of the Koch Cultural Trust since it was founded by Elizabeth Koch in 1986. According to figures from the trust, 68 percent of the recipients have been instrumental musicians, 13 percent each for dancers and dramatic artists/voice students, and 6 percent in the visual arts. Besides Mann, other recipients have included operatic soprano Rochelle Small Clifford, violinist Brian Lewis and Radio City Rockette Stevie Mack, all of whom have had success on the national stage. But it has also helped keep the arts alive locally, including funding overseas training for Robert Elliott of Art Effects, a restoration and decorative painting company that has rejuvenated several downtown Wichita buildings. Arts education is also supported through the grants, Ellington said. A spectrum of talent has passed through the quarterly application process, Ellington said. “We did have a bagpiper we sent to Scotland, which was not the normal,” he said. “He’s the only bagpiper we’ve had in 30-some years to apply.” Ellington leads a panel of local arts leaders, representing various disciplines, in the selection process. “We have a full-functioning, very passionate
We have developed transitional care programs designed to help hospitalized patients understand and follow their plan of care once they return home. For example, we recently launched a Community Paramedic Program in partnership with Sedgwick County that is funded by an innovation grant from Ascension. This program, like our other Transitional Care programs, is helping to improve participants’ quality of life and avoid unnecessary re-hospitalizations. Our accountable care organization – a smart, coordinated network of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers – is working with the city’s largest private employer to improve the health of its more than 10,000 employees and their dependent family members. We also are nearing completion of the first phase of Project Renewal, a more than $50 million renovation project that when completed next year will convert Via Christi Hospital St. Joseph to private rooms and offer an expanded complement of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services on one campus. So while we will be adding Ascension’s name to our own in the coming months, rest assured that our dedication to the mission of our founders and the community remains strong. Mike Mullins is president and CEO of Via Christi Health and senior vice president for Ascension.
group of individuals who review the applications and makes recommendations,” he said. Every application must include two to eight letters of recommendation and examples of the artist’s work, either through photographs or video. The application process also must include a budget and detailed plans of the project. Catherine Consiglio, professor of viola at Wichita State University and artistic director of Chamber Music at The Barn, has seen the application process from both sides. She has been assisting her students in filling out applications in her 29 years at WSU, and since last year has been on the Koch Cultural Trust board for the grants. “It’s been quite significant in their lives,” Consiglio said of her nearly 30 students who have received grants. “It’s really enabled them to perform and play at a much higher levels, because of festivals they’ve gotten to participate in.” The grant application process, she said, gives her students real-world experience. “One thing I learned 25 years ago was that my students weren’t very good at writing these grants. They didn’t have an idea of the kind of language and professionalism they needed to present when they send in an application,” Consiglio said. “I know that really helps them not only understand the process of writing a grant for the rest of their lives, but they get to write an organized budget and represent themselves well.” Thanks to the grants, Colsiglio said, her students and others have been able to attend music festivals both in the United States and worldwide. “Travel outside the United States always changes human beings and Americans’ perspectives,” she said. “What’s more valuable than that?”
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
Living
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FERNANDO SALAZAR The Wichita Eagle
Adam Piacenza, foreground, and other students at Wichita Area Technical College, work on motion control projects in the Industrial Automations class at their campus.
Degrees of opportunity WSU-WATC merger allows students to get a GED to a PhD under one program BY JOE STUMPE
Eagle correspondent
W
ichita Area Technical College is changing more than just its name and school colors this year. As part of an affiliation with Wichita State University set to take effect July 1, WATC becomes the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology. WATC students become WSU students and WATC instructors become WSU employees. In many respects, the school will operate as before. It will continue its open admission policy, charging students less for their education than four-year universities and offering the same kinds of training in technical fields it has in the past. But the affiliation gives those students who desire and qualify a more direct path to fouryear college degrees and more. “We’ve created an educational continuum from GED to PhD under one umbrella,” WATC President Sheree Utash said. “I think that’s a really important thing for this community.” Rick Muma, interim provost at WSU, said the two schools already cooperate “but when we’re together, there are less barriers. When dealing with a student who’s a WATC student and not a WSU student, the fact that we’re separate creates barriers for them. They can’t image the pathway to what’s greater, if that’s what they desire.” Officials at the two schools say the move SEE WATC DEGREES, 4I
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
Wichita Area Technical College president Sheree Utash walks through the Wichita Mall where WATC is expanding, taking in 80,000 square feet.
WATC IS THE STATE’S LARGEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE, WITH 3,600 STUDENTS AT THE MAIN CAMPUS AND TWO SATELLITE LOCATIONS. THE SCHOOL OFFERS MORE THAN 100 DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE OPTIONS IN FIVE AREAS: AVIATION, MANUFACTURING, HEALTH CARE, BUSINESS AND POLICE SCIENCE, AND SPECIALIZED TRADES AND TRANSPORTATION.
SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS
NEWMAN UNIVERSITY
INTERESTED IN A FACTORY JOB?
MORE TRAINING IN HEALTH CARE
Training for the jobs that Spirit AeroSystems needs to fill can be completed in two to four months, depending on the skilled job. 2I
The new Bishop Gerber Science Center will open new doors for research in areas such as biology and cancer strains. 3I
KOCH INDUSTRIES
HELPING VETS ADJUST TO WORKPLACE
The corporation’s transition program helps smooth the journey from military life to a civilian workplace. 5I
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
Russell Armstrong, left, a Spirit AeroSystems retiree, has been brought back to train new hires, like Kevin Breen. Spirit is looking to hire 800 skilled aircraft workers in 2018, followed by another 200 in 2019, as part of its $1 billion, five-year expansion.
Trained workers will be in demand as Spirit expands BY JERRY SIEBENMARK
jsiebenmark@wichitaeagle.com
For the first time in a decade, a Wichita aircraft manufacturer is looking to add 1,000 well-paying jobs to its already hefty 11,000 employee workforce. Spirit AeroSystems plans to fill the bulk of those jobs, about 800, this year. The remaining 200 openings are expected to be filled in 2019. The jobs, on average, will pay $56,000 annually, according to the Greater Wichita Partnership. That figure doesn’t include overtime
or bonuses. While the supplier of aerostructures to Airbus and Boeing has said it is looking to fill a variety of jobs as part of its $1 billion, five-year expansion, most of the hiring will be for three factory jobs: sheet metal assembly, composite fabrication and CNC machine operation. All three require technical training. Spirit is encouraging experienced workers with that training to apply at spiritaero.com/careers. But it’s unlikely the company will find enough experienced workers to fill most of those new, skilled jobs, a company
Sedgwick County aims to bolster area workforce
BY DAVID DENNIS
Economic development is a key topic for the Board of County Commissioners and for me in particular. Right now we have a lot of momentum to make our community a more attractive place for people and businesses. We know there are many facets to economic development. In Sedgwick County, we are focusing on three main areas to promote economic development: workforce development, innovative and collaborative initiatives, and infrastructure support. A number of years ago, Sedgwick County had the foresight to invest in the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) and create development opportunities for local talent. NCAT was created to help with the demand for skilled employees. Through NCAT and part-
nerships with Wichita State University and the newly named WSU Tech, Sedgwick County has been able to actualize on that talent and support local industries. Having a highly skilled workforce – people who are trained and qualified – is critical to the success not only of our major industries but of the county and region as a whole. Sedgwick County has a 3.4 percent unemployment rate as of December 2017. This is great news, but it also means that we need to focus on attracting new people and retaining our current workforce. Traditional governmental incentives are a thing of the past. There are no more blank checks from Sedgwick County for businesses. We have limited resources and are charged with ensuring that they go to necessary and useful community services. The board and I prefer finding new ways of doing business; we look for innovative ideas and ways to collaborate to achieve one common goal. For example, Spirit AeroSystems recently
official said. So how do you get one of them? The training is available at Wichita Area Technical College. It’s also likely that other area colleges will add to their course offerings in these skilled positions, Suzanne Scott, Spirit’s director of HR global services, said in an interview last month with The Eagle. The training is “a great way for people to get a one up, at least getting a foot in the door here,” Scott said, adding that the company provides further training for all new hires so they can work on Boeing aircraft and parts.
People who successfully complete WATC training for a technical certificate in sheet metal, composite fabrication or CNC operator will get a guaranteed interview with Spirit AeroSystems, said James Hall, WATC’s dean of aviation technologies. “And they hire a good number of them (WATC students),” Hall said. Each of the programs include such courses as math fundamentals — but no algebra, Hall said — and blueprint familiarization. Tuition costs can be offset by the Wichita Promise scholarship, which is available to new
announced a major project that will bring in 1,000 new jobs. Due to their $1 billion capital investment to expand its imprint in Sedgwick County and Wichita, we chose to invest in the infrastructure needed to support this endeavor. One of the main ways for local governments to increase economic development in the area is through infrastructure and improving the quality of life here. Businesses and our economy cannot succeed without adequate roads and access to water. Sedgwick County is using our resources to bolster the growing areas of our community to help them remain successful. We are able to use our resources to have great highway systems to move people and freight, our outstanding Sedgwick County parks, investments in the Sedgwick County Zoo, Exploration Place, and Intrust Bank Arena. This infrastructure and amenities, along with the low cost of living here, make our community more attractive and make it easy to stay. There is a lot of momentum and forward movement in our community right now and I’m encouraged to see what we can achieve as a team.
KU Med impacts Wichita workforce
David Dennis is chairman of the Sedgwick County board of county commissioners.
adult students at WATC who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent and maintain a 2.5 grade point average, in addition to other requirements. Because of the high demand for sheet metal training, a WATC spokesman said a new scholarship program has been created just for aviation sheet metal students, called the Aviation Sheetmetal Assembly Scholarship. The Wichita Promise scholarship is open to application for students enrolled in the the three programs for the fall and spring semesters. The
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Amount of local volunteer faculty inside three partner hospitals: Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wesley Medical Center and Via Christi Health BY GAROLD MINNS
The next time you visit your doctor’s office in Sedgwick County, take a moment to read the degrees that may be hanging on his or her wall. Did you see one from the KU School of Medicine-Wichita? There’s a very good chance you did. In fact, there’s about a 50-percent chance. These Wichita physicians are graduates of the KU School of MedicineWichita or one of its 13 accredited residency programs. They are locally educated doctors from a school that has been serving Wichita for nearly 50 years and has the backing of a university with more than 150 years of academic excellence. We believe this should give you peace of mind about the quality of health care you are receiving. One of the reason our students receive a wellrounded education at the Wichita campus is because of the knowledge and
experience our faculty are sharing with them through time-tested courses and programs, but also because the faculty isn’t afraid of change and embraces innovation. Another benefit is that our school is a communitybased campus thanks to more than 650 local volunteer faculty inside three partner hospitals (Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wesley Medical Center and Via Christi Health), as well as in doctors’ offices and clinics. There are more than 250 additional volunteer faculty outside of Wichita. These valuable physicians are sharing their time and talent with our students, giving them an opportunity to watch, work and learn in an environment of expertise. These committed and caring physicians and faculty provide education service through preceptorships, grand rounds, classroom and laboratory instruction, research and other present-
sheet metal scholarship is open for applications for students now. Here are some details of each of the three training programs offered at WATC, including the cost. A Aviation sheetmetal assembly: The coursework in this 18-credithour program has been accelerated and can be completed in eight to 10 weeks. WATC has expanded the number of classes it offers because of demand and Spirit’s need to fill sheet metal jobs. The classes can be taken during the weekday for eight hours a day, or on weeknights for six hours a night, James said. The cost to complete the program and receive a technical certificate is $3,083. A Composite fabrication: This 21-credit-hour program fills the requirements for a composite technician job at Spirit, which involves constructing and manufacturing composite airplane parts. Unlike the sheet metal program, it takes up to 16 weeks, or about four months, to complete. WATC offers eight-hour day classes and five-hour evening classes Monday through Thursday. The cost to complete the program and receive a technical certificate is $4,677. A CNC operator: This up-to-16-week program trains people to operate computer numeric controlled machines that cut, form and finish metal parts. It is offered for six hours a day or five hours at night, Monday through Friday. The cost of the 20-credit-hour program is $4,385. James said the key to successfully completing any of the three programs is for the student to be motivated and dependable, things his instructors can’t teach. They’re qualities that also will ensure their success at Spirit, he added. “You’ve got to show up on time and be ready to go to work,” he said. “It’s not that hard.” Jerry Siebenmark: 316-268-6576, @jsiebenmark
ations. In addition, research shows that teaching practices have very high standards and accommodate change very well. In 2005, the board members of the Guadalupe Clinic were presented with an opportunity to increase the number of uninsured and medically underserved members of our community that they could help by partnering with our medical students and later our pharmacy students. According to David Gear, the clinic’s executive director, he and the board answered with a “resounding approval.” That was the beginning of the JayDoc Community Clinic. Today, students provide care under faculty supervision at two locations for four different types of programs: diabetes, women’s health, homeless outreach and general healthcare. During 2017, the students oversaw nearly 500 patient visits — about one in every 16 patient visits. In addition to the volunteer faculty and KUSM-W doctors in the Wichita workforce, we employ nearly 275 full- and parttime faculty and staff. We are all proud to be a vital part of the Wichita community, educating tomorrow's physicians and health care leaders to improve the health of Wichitans and all Kansans. Dr. Garold Minns is dean of the KU School of Medicine-Wichita.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
BY DIANE MCCARTNEY
Eagle correspondent
Even before the construction of a $24.5 million stateof-the-art science center, and major renovations to its nursing and allied health spaces, Newman University was a leader in educating health care professionals in southcentral Kansas. With August’s opening of the Bishop Gerber Science Center, and recent upgrades to Eck Hall that include hightech laboratories for handson training in nursing, respiratory care and radiologic technology, the private Catholic liberal arts university is poised to train even more workers in the growing fields of science and health care. New simulation labs for nursing and nurse anesthetist students “are enabling us to prepare people better for clinical placement and future employment,” said Noreen Carrocci, Newman’s president. “In our occupational therapy and respiratory therapy facilities, students can do simulation to be better prepared for clinical placements. And our radiologic technology is as good as any X-ray facility in town.” About 60 percent of the students at Newman are enrolled in science and health care studies, and many are expected to stay in the area after graduation to practice, said David Schubert, chemistry professor and dean of arts and sciences. The 52,400-square-foot Bishop Gerber Science Center, which houses the university’s chemistry, biology and physics programs, was a “huge investment in instrumentation and technology,” and will open new doors for research in areas such as biology and cancer strains, Schubert said. The center, which replaced the 50-year-old Heimerman Science Center, has been open only a few months, so it’s too early to measure its impact on Wichita and the region, Schubert said. “But what we expect is an increase in the number of science students, including those in health science-related categories — medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy — and an uptick in the number of those who will go out to practice in the region,” he said. JOB GROWTH Career opportunities in health care rose 106 percent in the last quarter of 2017 from the third quarter, according to data from the Blueprint for Regional Economic Growth for the 10county south-central Kansas region. Its site lists about 1,440 postings for health care jobs, ranging from physicians and surgeons to registered nurses, sonographers and physical therapy aides. Newman is particularly proud of its nursing program,
‘It’s a joy’
New science center will allow Newman University to train more health care workers
JAIME GREEN The Wichita Eagle
Chemistry professor Russell Thiel, left, works with Newman University student Max Bajza in the Bishop Gerber Science Center on Feb. 18. The 52,400-square-foot Bishop Gerber Science Center, above, houses the university's chemistry, biology and physics programs. It opened in August. JAIME GREEN The Wichita Eagle
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Carrocci said. One hundred percent of students “passed on first try their licensure exam,” she said. “That’s rare air to be in.” The University’s pre-med students have a 95 percent acceptance rate to medical school, she said. Newman provides the only degree programs in the region in sonography, respiratory care, occupational therapy assistant and radiological technology, Carrocci said. The only other nurse anesthesia program in the state, she said, is at University of Kansas School of Medicine, with which Newman has a partnership. First-year medical students learn cadaver-based anatomy in Newman’s state-of-the art cadaver lab in the Bishop Gerber Science Center, Schubert and Carrocci said. “Every station is properly ventilated,” he said, so students can safely spend adequate time without being exposed to chemicals. The new lab, with capacity for eight cadavers, “enables us to accommodate more students, and that will mean more science and health science workers for our community in the future,” Carrocci said. The acquisition of hightech equipment, including a DNA sequencer, prepares Newman to partner with business and industry in the region, Carrocci said. Newman is working with local companies to tweak its curriculum in fields such as chemistry to improve its relevance to industry and the jobs market, said Kimberly McDowall Long, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We are always looking at the impact of the curriculum on business,” she said. “We invite members to serve in an advisory capacity as to how our science training can serve them to build their workforce.” The new science and health spaces help showcase the diversity at Newman, “one of the strengths we are proud of,” Schubert said. They provide a venue for students from different backgrounds and experiences to follow their career aspirations and work toward a common goal, he said: “Ready to transform society, that’s the mission.” The science center — named for Eugene Gerber, bishop emeritus of Wichita — and other improvements were about seven years in the making for Newman, and would not have been possible without the generosity of donors to its Facing Forward campaign, Carrocci said. “We are blessed and grateful.” The bright and spacious science center is “a magnet for students,” with “wonderful group study and socialization spaces,” Carrocci said. “It’s a joy to be able to have facilities that are commensurate with the quality of our programs, finally.”
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
WSU Tech: where careers start
BY SHEREE UTASH
As of Jan. 1, the affiliation of Wichita State University and Wichita Area Technical College has been approved and our name is transitioning to WSU Tech. What does this mean for our students, for our community and for our college? For students, it creates
educational opportunities as we consolidate all levels of postsecondary education from GED to PhD and encourage the kind of faculty collaboration that leads to innovative methods of teaching and applied learning. WSU Tech will continue to be an open-access institution for all students, tuition will continue to be competitive for a two-year college, and career technical programs in aviation, manufacturing, health care, IT, engineering, police science and interior design will continue to be our foundation, resulting in a certificate or degree. The
Shocker Pathway, which provides an affordable and convenient way to earn a two-year Associate degree, will continue. For our community and for business and industry, WSU Tech will remain the developer of workforce human capital for our region. WSU Tech will continue to work with business and industry to train and provide a highly qualified workforce for today, tomorrow and the future. We will remain nimble, flexible, and responsive to the needs of industry. For our college, this marks the end of a 53-year
history of WATC and the beginning of a bright future as WSU Tech. The name of our college will change, but our employees’ dedication to our mission to provide students an opportunity for a chance for a better life and to prepare and train the best workforce for our community remains top of mind. A strong partnership between WATC and WSU has existed for many years through collaborative efforts like the National Center for Aviation Training, the Shocker Pathway, and WSU Old Town, where we share space for healthcare pro-
grams. The transition to WSU Tech pushes our two institutions to collaborate more as we redefine what education looks like and drive toward developing the next generation of workforce. WSU Tech will continue to work in collaboration with WSU to ensure the state of Kansas remains competitive and to explore new approaches to innovation and creativity. As you watch for our name to change at our campuses and in our marketing, as we transition from blue and green to black and yellow and begin the enrollment of our new Shocker students for Fall 2018, be assured that we are still driven to be the leading provider of higher education, special-
FOR OUR STUDENTS, THE CHANGE WIDENS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. AND IT WILL HELP BUILD THE AREA’S WORKFORCE. izing in the delivery of career technical education, utilizing state-of-theart facilities with highly qualified faculty, and offering a competitive advantage that drives economic development in the region. Sheree Utash is president of WSU Tech.
FERNANDO SALAZAR The Wichita Eagle
Students in an Introduction to Sealing class at Wichita Area Technical College work on some airplane parts at the North Webb campus.
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should also benefit the local economy by producing better-qualified workers as well as innovations in research and teaching. WATC is the state’s largest technical college, with 3,600 students at the main campus on north Webb road and two satellite locations. The school offers more than 100 degree and certificate options in five areas: aviation, manufacturing, healthcare, business and police science, and specialized trades and transportation.
Expected benefits form the affiliation include: A The development of new certificate and degree programs at WSUWATC, as well as the likely creation of new four-year and advanced degrees at WSU. “For instance, we have a new degree in cyber security,” Utash said. “Credits will be transferable to possibly a new degree that WSU is putting together through its College of Education.” A The option for WSUWATC students to live in WSU housing and take
part in campus activities such as athletic events through a student fee. The availability of that housing should help the Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology attract students from around the region, nation and world. “We think there are going to be some (WSU-WATC) students, probably not a whole lot initially” who live on campus, Muma said. A The expansion of WSU’s student recruitment efforts, which already reach around the world, to include technical training. “We’re going to be able to cast a wider net,” Utash said.
A The addition of 4,000 full-time students to WSU’s enrollment, helping it surpass Fort Hays State University as the state’s third-largest university and bringing it closer to the school’s goal of 22,000 students. WSU currently has about 15,000 students. The affiliation isn’t a full-blown merger, as was originally proposed, although it’s close. The new school will keep its own accreditation process and receive federal and state funds targeted for technical schools. But the school will be run by WSU, under ultimate authority of the Kansas Board of Regents. WATC’s current governing board will become an industry advisory board, appointed by WSU’s president. Utash will become president of
the the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, responsible for day-to-day management but reporting to WSU President John Bardo. No immediate changes are foreseen in personnel at either school. The new partners have been collaborating for several years. In 2012, they created the National Center for Aviation Training, which trains workers for jobs in the aviation industry. In 2015, they launched “Shocker Pathway,” which lets students who start at WATC finish a two-year associates of arts degree at WSU. “We have a lot of (students) get their degree,” Utash said. “While they’re there, we’re talking to them about pathways so they can go to work, see a progression of
what a career ladder looks like, and what the education looks like.” Other WATC students already have good technical jobs, Muma noted, but need additional education to move into management roles. The WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology will be the third incarnation of the technical school, which began life in 1965 as the Wichita Area VocationalTechnical School. Utash noted that the WATC bookstore on Webb Road “is already full of Shocker apparel,” as the school transitions from blue and green colors to black and yellow. “When we look back on this in five years,” she said, “I think there will be many, many benefits that we haven’t even identified.”
FERNANDO SALAZAR The Wichita Eagle
Southeast graduate Tam Nguyen, 18, decided it was smarter for her to get an aviation maintenance degree from WATC than to attend a traditional four-year university.
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Helping veterans transition can fill workplace gaps BY DAVID BURKE
Eagle correspondent
Tammy Garner had spent 26 years as a U.S. Marine, stationed in Iraq for two tours and during Desert Storm. But her greatest battle came after she left the military, in trying to find a job. “There was a lot of crying on my end, a lot of second-guessing myself,” the 47-year-old Oklahoma native said. “What do I do now that the military is not an option for me anymore? It was all I knew.” Early in her transition from military to civilian life, Garner reached out to John Buckley, a retired U.S. Army colonel who now serves as the military relations manager for Koch Industries. She finished degrees and accounting from Kansas Wesleyan University, and began at Koch last June as an accounting assistant with the Wichita-based company’s minerals division. Garner had studied the company and knew it would be a good fit. “I knew people who worked for them, and the Koch values line up with my own and with what I was taught in the military too,” she said. “I just felt like it would be a great place to work.” Garner is not alone. Buckley estimates that 10 percent of Koch’s employees in the United States are veterans. Buckley, a veteran stationed in Iraq, Bosnia, Germany, Spain and “all over” Europe and Asia, believes Koch’s program – which also encompasses military spouses and those
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
Koch Industries has started a program to help veterans transition back to civilian work life. About 10 percent of Koch’s employees in the United States are veterans.
in the National Guard and Reserves – is one of the best transition programs in the country. It’s based on four pillars: Transition, broadening experiences, assimilation and retention, and educating the nonveteran work force. “We find the military values are the perfect match for Koch and its market-based management,” Buckley said. Nationally, half of all veterans hired leave their job in the first year, and 80 percent in the first 18 months, he said. Buckley said the emphasis on hiring and keeping veterans employed helps fill a skills gap that he says is broadening in the U.S. workforce. About 10,000 baby boomers a day reach retirement age, he said, and their successors have inadequate training to take over. “We see 3 million or so openings coming up in the next couple of years,” he said. “And with the manpower that we have in the U.S. workforce, we believe about 2 million of those will be unfilled.”
Universities meet evolving need of employers
BY AMY BRAGG CAREY
Friends University offers programs and expertise in cyber security, health science, special education, business, computer information, music performance education, family therapy, spiritual formation and many other fields. Wichita State is known for its engineering and entrepreneurship programs. Community colleges offer associate degrees and a head start on fouryear programs. Wichita Area Technical College trains students in sheet metal, robotics, health care and more, filling essential needs in aviation, manufacturing and other businesses. Some students seek the environment a Christian school like Friends University can provide. Some prefer the one-on-one support of a smaller campus, while others choose a big state school. Others seek technical training so they can get right to work. They are all important pieces of Wichita’s diverse system of private colleges,
WICHITA AREA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ADAPTING TO THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE. community colleges, technical schools and a state university. Together, with their ability to meet each student’s individual needs, they can address the evolving needs of our employers and economy. Wichita area colleges and universities are accustomed to adapting to the economic landscape. Right now, institutions are responding to Spirit AeroSystems’ big hiring rampup. An interrelated part of that challenge is where Friends and Wichita’s other institutions fit in. Many of the 1,000 employees Spirit plans to hire in the next couple years are production workers, but those jobs require support in numerous ways. Health care is one, as statistics from last year bear out, showing nearly as many area jobs available in this field as in manufacturing. Education, engineering and high-tech are others. For example,
The answer, he says, is in training and hiring veterans. “Most veterans are very agile and adaptive,” Buckley said. “They’ve had to be, to succeed in their military careers. A lot of nonveterans and those who aren’t in the military don’t appreciate that.” It’s a challenge for Koch and other private-sector companies face, where the civilian employer and the veteran don’t always see eye-to-eye. “Most people in the military come from what I define as a tribal society, where the success and survival of the team is more important than the individual,” he said. “In the private sector, it’s a little more individual and independent. The perceptions from either side of each other is not as transparent, because of the cultural biases they each bring to the table.” Buckley said about 70 percent of the veterans hired by Koch work in manufacturing and manufacturing operations. The rest are represented in engineering, information technology, supply chain
Friends has added bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cyber security, helping companies fend off threats to their data – and possibly yours. In response to the needs of school districts, we’ve increased our elementary education and special education offerings. Higher education is critical to helping our community make up lost ground. Wichita trails comparable cities such as Omaha, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the percentage of adults who have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to a report by analyst and Wichita native James Chung. Those degrees matter, with every 1 percent increase in college attainment adding $273 to the median income of everyone in the city, Chung found. We are well positioned to make up that ground, as education costs less here than in many parts of the country. Higher education isn’t just an economic equation, though. Friends and other colleges contribute immensely to the arts, culture and vibrancy of our city. The Singing Quakers and our university’s Jazz Festival – which turned 25 this year – are just two examples. Higher education’s economic and quality-oflife contributions play a vital role in making Wichita a place where young people want to stay or come to. That’s an investment worth making. Dr. Amy Bragg Carey is president of Friends University.
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MOST VETERANS ARE VERY AGILE AND ADAPTIVE. THEY’VE HAD TO BE, TO SUCCEED IN THEIR MILITARY CAREERS. John Buckley, military relations manager for Koch Industries
and environmental health and safety, which initially surprised Buckley. “Their focus on compliance and safety,” he said. “That comes as second nature to most veterans.” Among those finding success working with Koch is Bryon Mace, whose nearly 20-year military career was split between the U.S. Army
and the Coast Guard. Mace works as a supply and demand planner for Koch’s INVISTA division, hired in October 2016. Mace said Buckley and his transition program helped smooth the journey from civilian life to everyday work. “The military system is designed to, when necessary, become a 24/7 operation that deploys to different parts of the world. No matter who you are and what you’re doing, that could be short notice,” the Minnesota native said. “You’re concerned about the welfare of your team at all times, not just at work but what’s going on at home with the family. Are they doing all right with other areas of their lives? “It is not a 24/7 commitment or requirement in the same way,” he added. “You look after your team in a different manner now. You’re not as concerned about some of those things outside of that work environment.” Mace said an advantage in hiring veterans is their calm thinking under pressure. “One of the things the military does very well is they cause you to mature pretty quickly because of the responsibilities you’re given very early in your career – it doesn’t matter if you’re in enlisted or officer ranks,” he said. “The organization entrusts you and expects you to manage people and equipment. They expect you to do that responsibly early
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on, compared to your peer group from the outside sector. It pays big dividends, from what I can see. It’s very valued.” Buckley, Garner and Mace all said that one of the biggest transitions from military to civilian life is in the language – where different words and phrases have different meanings in the workday world. “It’s a language that civilians don’t necessarily understand,” Garner said, recalling her first job interview. “The lady on the other end was like, ‘I don’t understand anything you’re saying.’ I was using the military language. The language was the most difficult, trying to adjust from military terminology to civilian terminology.” Kim Young, a 28-year Marine and Kansas Army National Guard veteran who has been working for Koch for more than 20 years, helped Garner with the transition to work life. “Some of the biggest hurdles people have to get over is translating what they do in the military to the civilian world, and how that’s valuable,” said Young, who works for Koch Business Solutions. “They have experience they rely on that’s just as good, if not better in some cases, to what’s on the civilian side.” Buckley is a one-man operation at Koch, but said he receives help from many of the veterans who work for the company in helping bring their own to the company’s workforce and help keep them there. “Most veterans come out with this warrior ethos that you never leave behind a fallen comrade,” Buckley said. “So it translates to, after you’ve made your successful transition, you turn around and help the next veteran.”
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JAIME GREEN The Wichita Eagle
The Aviator's Cafe at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in November 2015.
A welcome site
Wichita plays up assets to catch the eyes of gatekeepers of firms looking to move BY STAN FINGER
sfinger@wichitaeagle.com
The plain boxes would show up on the desk of officials who are constantly gathering information on places their clients may want to be. Inside those boxes were red view masters, evoking the childhood toys popular decades ago, and a reel of 3D images touting high rankings in a variety of business categories. It wasn’t until the end of the disk that the viewer discovered the rankings were for Wichita. The colorful promotional tool was a hit among the site selectors who received them,,
officials for Greater Wichita Partnership said. “That was great,” a longtime site selector wrote to Andrew Nave, executive vice president of economic development for the agency, after receiving the view master more than a year ago. “I haven’t seen something like that in a long time.” Catching the eye of site selectors is important, because they’ve become the gatekeepers for companies looking to move or expand to new locations. As much as 70 percent of all such projects involve site selectors, said Mark Williams, chairman of the board for the Site Selectors Guild, an association of professional site selection consultants. They’re not just looking for a good place to buy
or build, officials say, they want to know what kinds of workers are in the area and whether there’s a nice quality of life available, too. ‘WINE AND DINE’ Up until the early 1990s, most expansions or relocations were “the old guard of ‘Do you know somebody?’ Come into my town, wine and dine you and you strike up a deal,” But that began to change as mergers and acquisitions took place, the marketplace became more competitive and the economy sagged and surged. Now, every major accountSEE SITE, 2J
AS MUCH AS 70 PERCENT OF ALL SUCH PROJECTS INVOLVE SITE SELECTORS, SAID MARK WILLIAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE SITE SELECTORS GUILD, AN ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL SITE SELECTION CONSULTANTS.
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
DOWNTOWN
I-35 CORRIDOR
DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN THE WORKS FOR 2018
TAPPING INTO HIGHWAY PERKS
In addition to Cargill’s upgrade downtown, there will be six other development projects. 4J
‘Amazing’ growth in student recruitment to Wichita State from the corridor is emerging, officials are saying. 5J
Cargill's $60 million headquarters at 825 E. Douglas begins to take shape.
FORECAST
TREND OF ‘TIER 2’ CITIES FAVORABLE
Cutting-edge technology, a high quality of life and affordable living are all seen as talent magnets for Wichita. 2J
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
It’s time to take a good look at the city we love
BY JEFF FLUHR
Our time is now. There comes a time in our lives and in our communities that we have a choice to make. Do we seize the moment or do
we let it go? It’s exciting to see our community and region seizing its moment. Working together, we have achieved significant wins over the last couple of years. Cargill’s Protein Division headquarters is changing our city’s skyline. Spirit AeroSystems is hiring 1,000 people and investing $1 billion in our community. A new ballpark is being planned with expanded riverfront development, and new con-
struction is underway at Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus. As projects are completed in downtown, new ones launch. And the Wichita flag continues to rally community pride. This momentum has been years in the making with thousands of smart decisions by a wide variety of organizations that have passionate volunteers and leadership. A tremendous opportunity
now is to take this momentum to the next level. The way this is going to be achieved is through a cohesive, holistic vision. “Our time is now” was further reinforced as more than $300,000, in just a couple of weeks, was raised to seize this opportunity. A massive listening and visioning effort took shape recently with the announcement of Project Wichita. We applaud and thank the Co-Chairs for stepping forward to shepherd this exciting process: Aaron Bastian, Debbie Gann, Scott Schwindaman and Juston White. The community listening will begin in March and last through the sum-
mer. There will be multiple opportunities to share your vision and your priorities. It is important that all voices are heard, so we encourage you to sign up for more information as it becomes available at www.ProjectWichita.org. Thriving communities always ask themselves – what’s next? The success we’ve had today is built on the foundation of previous community decisions and priorities. For example, about 10 years ago the community provided input into Project Downtown, the master plan for our urban core, creating a foundation for millions of dollars in new
Wichita’s vision is positive and vibe can include you
BY SHELLY PRICHARD
Three years ago, the work of the Wichita Community Foundation changed forever. Our visionary board of directors shifted our work from transactional to transformational grant making. We spent a couple of years figuring out what that meant, and then James Chung came to town. James and his team of researchers at Reach Advisors have been studying Wichita – and Wichitans – from every angle. The challenges he identified as necessary focus points for Wichita are perception, human capital, entrepreneurial, and business cycle. Perception is the most elusive work. And the proverbial chicken-andegg scenario is ever present. How do we attract the talent we need? How do we make sure that talent has the critical education and training? How do we encourage our entrepreneurs to grow, and ensure they see Wichita as a viable place to live?
PERCEPTION IS THE MOST ELUSIVE WORK. But, without that talent here, how do we justify the money and energy to support, and grow, the quality of life components we have? The ChungReport.com, created by the Bastian family, is your connection to these questions, with intriguing potential solutions and insight into Wichitans who
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ing firm and many large real estate companies, along with other sectors, have site selection divisions. “Most major companies are using site selection consultants,” Williams said. “These are decisions they don’t make often. They’re very complex. “If mistakes are made, they’re for the life of the project.” Whether a business is spending tens of millions or hundreds of millions on a relocation or expansion, “they absolutely want to get it right,” Nave said.
have the courage to ask hard questions and face these issues head on. Measurement of this challenge is also elusive. Every business person worth her salt knows what gets measured, gets done. Anecdotes and personal testimonies go a long way to tell the story, but how else can we quantify this work? That’s not a rhetorical question – email or call me if you have any ideas. But it’s worth it. And we’ll figure it out. Project Wichita, recently launched, is an amazing example of collaboration with private business, the city, the county, nonprofits – all people who care about Wichita and have a vested interest in our success as a community. There will be the naysayers, the people who refuse to see that our community is being left behind in the fight for talent, growth and a thriving economy. I’m convinced many of those people have never lived anywhere else. They don’t have a perspective of this gem that is our home. Chung will be back in Wichita in late spring. Watch social media for details. Chung’s parting words during his last public presentations were that we are seeing growth and movement. But don’t let up off the gas. I’m in Wichita on purpose. I believe in the promise of what we have, the foundation of growth that is in place, and the vibrancy that is rumbling just under the surface. If your perception of Wichita is negative, take a look in the mirror and see if you can really identify why. And if you can, do something about it. This is your home, too. Shelly Prichard is president and CEO of the Wichita Community Foundation.
“They especially want to make sure that they minimize their risk. There are probably a lot of locations they can do very well, but maybe a few locations that are ideal or perfect.” One of the most common mistakes economic development agencies make, site selectors say, is not emphasizing what makes their location stand out. “Especially if you’re looking for a project that’s less than unique,” Williams said. “It’s one thing to look for a 1,000-acre site with heavy utilities. There’s not that many of those. “But if it’s a 50-acre site with regular utilities and labor draw requirements
TRAVIS HEYING The Wichita Eagle
The Experiential Engineering Building on WSU's Innovation Campus hosted an open house on Tuesday.
High tech, low cost of living are big draws for Wichita BY STAN FINGER
sfinger@wichitaeagle.com
Wichita officials are hoping an emerging trend will help them attract the caliber of workforce talent that will allow the city to thrive. Historically, economic development officials say, it’s been tough for “Tier 2” cities such as Wichita to compete with major cities such as Denver, San Francisco and Dallas for talent because of the glamor and glitz of “Tier 1” cities. But in recent years, more and more people have grown weary of — or avoided entirely — such cities because the cost of living and factors such as commute times really limited their quality of life. “We’re starting to see...new opportunities” for cities like Wichita, said Jeff Fluhr, president of the Greater Wichita Partnership. “They don’t have that level of fatigue for talent because the cost of living is much more affordable.” Wichita is banking on at
that aren’t extreme, there are a lot of communities that fit that bill. They need to differentiate themselves. “Every community has assets and liabilities. It’s incumbent on communities to understand what their assets are.” WICHITA’S ASSETS Wichita’s strongest assets include its workforce, varied housing stock and a solid network of “transportation connectors” such as Eisenhower National Airport and the major highways of U.S. 54, K-96, I-235, I-135 and the I-35 corridor linking Kansas City to Dallas, said Jeff Fluhr, president of Greater Wichita Partnership.
least a handful of strengths to compete well for talent — both those already building their careers and those who just earned their degrees, officials say. ‘A FRONT DOOR’ One of them is Eisenhower National Airport. “Having a first-class airport for the Air Capital is huge,” said Andrew Nave, executive vice president of economic development for the Greater Wichita Partnership. “Especially as a front door.” When a group flew into Wichita in mid-January, he said, “that’s the first thing they talked about was our gorgeous airport. That really resonated with them.” The new airport tells visitors that Wichita is current and modern, Nave said. The city’s blossoming dining and culture scene reinforces that. “I didn’t realize how much art was available in the city, and the diversity of the restaurants — the really good, locally owned restaurants and business-
Even with a clear sense of strengths and weaknesses, officials say, it can be a challenge to capture the attention of site selectors. With more than 2,000 economic development agencies around the country and only a few hundred site selectors, Nave said, “there’s a lot of us and very few of them.” That’s where gestures such as the red view masters come in. “A lot of site selectors had those when they were kids,” said Jaimie Garnett, executive vice president of strategic communications for the Greater Wichita Partnership. It was a conscious choice to evoke pleasant childhood memories while
es,” said Leah Sakr Lavender, talent specialist for the partnership who moved here with her husband more than a year ago. “Those are the kinds of things we want current and future residents to know about.” TWO DISTINCT GROUPS Human resource executives talk about having to recruit in two distinct sectors, and how the strategies are quite different for each, Nave said. The workforce just emerging from college wants a fun place to call home — a place they’ll enjoy living, not just working. “They’ll want to know, ‘What is the nightlife like?’ as well as the cultural aspects,” Nave said. Studies show young millennials are drawn more to urban centers to live, and that’s why the recent surge in downtown residential space is both important and timely, Fluhr said. Wichita attracts more than 1,000 interns each summer to various busi-
spreading the word about Wichita, she said. One of the nation’s first site selectors, with decades of experience, sent Nave a note calling the view master “great....that was perfect.” ‘SITE ELIMINATION’ But getting the attention of site selectors is just the start of the process. They’re called site selectors, but “their real job is site elimination,” Nave said. Once site selectors are considering your city or your region for a new call center or manufacturing plant or whatever their client wants, “it’s about making the next cut,” he said.
private investment catalyzed by strategic public investment. Our community, experiencing the rewards of that planning now, is positioned to create an even larger dynamic and driving economic force for our community and region. Momentum spurs opportunities. Working together, we can harness and increase these opportunities for everyone in our region. We’ve shown that when we come together, great things happen. It is our time. Jeff Fluhr is president of the Greater Wichita Partnership.
nesses, and those companies wanted to show those workers a good time. Greater Wichita Partnership developed a “bucket list” of fun things to do last summer. The range of activities really surprised the local companies, Lavender said, and that list now helps in recruiting efforts. “We’re trying to fill the gaps and equip employers with the knowledge they need” to attract and keep talent in Wichita, she said. Workers in the middle of their careers are going to have different priorities, such as affordable homes and good schools. The area’s availability of good housing in different price ranges is a strength for Wichita. WORKING HAND-IN-HAND Local workforce development officials hope cutting edge technology will help draw students to Wichita, and strong connections to local employers will keep them here once they graduate. For examples, they pointed to the Bishop Gerber Science Center — a 52,400-square-foot facility housing chemistry, biology and physics — that opened last fall at Newman University, and Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research and Innovation Campus. In conversations with various executives, “they wanted students to have experience,” said John Tomblin, NIAR’s executive director. Studies have shown that it takes about two years for a new employee with a traditional education to become productive in an industry position, Tomblin said. A partnership with Beechcraft had 80 students working an average of 26 hours a week on various programs, he said. Upon graduation, all 80 students found jobs. More than a third stayed with Beechcraft, while more than 80 percent stayed in Wichita or the surrounding region. Stan Finger: 316-268-6437, @StanFinger
When real estate representatives are in town considering potential locations, “that’s a whole different set of challenges,” Nave said. If the deal is so clos that the chief executive officer comes to town to see things firsthand, that’s another layer of questions and issues. “There are different strategies with each round” of discussions and negotiations, Nave said. “When you think of all the great places in America, and they select you, that’s what it’s all about,” he said. Stan Finger: 316-268-6437, @StanFinger
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Community’s vacant spaces need new uses
BY KYLE KOBE
As Wichita evolves, we turn toward long-range planning work to guide our decisions and give us a road map for how our city will look in five, 10, even 20 years. The Community Investments Plan was adopted in 2015 as the development framework for the future for Wichita and Sedgwick County. It provides a 20-year vision for the future, and serves as a guide and compass for our development. Robust community engagement helped align the plan to the goals and priorities of the community. The importance of community participation in planning for the future of our community cannot be overstated. A major goal of the plan was the development of a Wichita Urban Infill Strategy. Infill is the process of taking spaces that are vacant or underutilized, and transforming them into thriving parts of the city again. We cannot grow unless we maintain what we already have, and there are enormous financial benefits to fully utilizing our infrastructure and urban fabric. The Infill strategy addresses downtown and the Established Central Area, focusing on opportunities for development, reducing government red tape, improving infrastructure, and increasing housing accessibility and affordability. Development of this strategy is now under way. The Wichita Urban Infill
Strategy will engage the community in a ninemonth process to identify the goals and priorities of the neighborhoods in Wichita’s central area. Keep your eye out for ways to get involved in this important process, including the Visioning Summit on March 6, Walkability Summit on April 16, and Development Summit on June 12. The participation of our fellow citizens in the work we do is absolutely essential to our process. Wichita belongs to all of us. Some of the most important planning takes place at the neighborhood level. An example of this is the Delano Neighborhood Plan, which is currently being updated to address exciting new opportunities. These opportunities include the future of Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, a new multi-use path, and continued riverfront development. The Delano Plan, and others like it, incorporate a community vision for the next 15 years established by members of the neighborhood. Area plans help shape the development, character, economy, and composition of a neighborhood on a finer-grained and more personalized scale. These plans are critical in helping elected officials and neighborhood leaders steer their community in the right direction. When a plan is adopted, it means that it’s time to get busy with the job of implementing it. As we move forward, community input — your input — will remain crucial as we work to fulfill Wichita’s vast and vibrant potential. Kyle Kobe is associate planner for the WichitaSedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department.
Wichita State’s focus is on strategic vision
BY JOHN BARDO
The new buildings, roads, walkways and landscaping you’re seeing on the east side of our main campus are attractive, visible signs of Wichita State’s progress, but the real action is what’s going on inside the classrooms, laboratories and minds of our students. Progress will be measured by how we fulfill our strategic vision for Wichita State to be internationally recognized as the model for applied learning and research and our mission as an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. This vision and mission are inspiring our faculty and staff to focus on becoming a new American university, driven by the emerging educational needs of a much broader range of students than traditional universities, as well as concentrating on how we can increase global competitiveness for the benefit of the people, the region and the state we serve.
In short, we are driven to provide education and research that leads to employment opportunities, prosperity and economic inclusion for those living in south-central Kansas. What’s happening at Wichita State is attracting attention nationally and internationally. Two prominent leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives have visited in the past several months to get a better understanding of what we’re doing on Innovation Campus, at the National Institute for Aviation Research, in our formal affiliation with Wichita Area Technical College, our engineering outreach programs and the partnerships we’re continuing to build with companies growing through technological innovation. Much of the interest we’re attracting has to do with excellence in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – and the mentoring, training and apprenticeships WSU has developed. Apprenticeships and longer-term internships with local employers can be important components of an overall strategy for STEM, but thinking differently about how to educate the students on campus also plays a critical role. That is why WSU’s stra-
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
River Vista apartments are under construction along the Arkansas River near First and McClain.
Seven downtown development projects for 2018 BY JOE STUMPE
Eagle correspondent
2018 looks to be the biggest year for downtown development, at least in dollar terms, since the opening of Intrust Bank Arena in 2010. That’s largely due to the expected opening of Cargill Meat Solution’s new $60 million headquarters at 825 E. Douglas this summer. The city breathed a sigh of relief when Cargill decided to not only keep this division and its 800 employees in Wichita but also build them a new workplace. “That project in itself is a benchmark” of downtown progress, said Jeff Fluhr, president of the downtown development corporation. The design of the Cargill building will evoke that of the converted warehouses that make up Old Town, with open floor plans, patio and courtyard spaces and other features. Cargill’s upgrade is one of
tegic plan calls for all students to have applied learning experiences, regardless of major. It also is why the university is experimenting with new programs and program design. One possibly unique example of a program that is designed to increase competitiveness is WSU’s Master of Innovation Design. This program is based on the concept of “design thinking” and upon completion of the program it is expected that the student will develop: A A portfolio, patent application, process or prototype A Willingness and ability to experiment with their ideas A A network of individuals and businesses with whom they can continue to collaborate A Desire to continue to design solutions to problems they identity Demand for this program already exceeds available resources, but this type of innovative approach to education linked to technology and other forms of STEM can be a crucial part of the infrastructure and ecosystem that produces new businesses that are globally competitive and can drive demand for STEM educated workers within our metropolitan region. We expect 2018 to be another year of great progress for Wichita State and the community. Dr. John Bardo is president of Wichita State University.
several downtown projects coming to fruition this year, including: A Hilton Garden Inn, 383 E. Douglas, expected to open this spring. The $14.2 million project is transforming the former Commerce Plaza building and a parking lot at Douglas and Topeka into a hotel with more than 100 rooms, a restaurant and rooftop bar. A Union Station. Some 400 employees of a new call center for Faneuil, a Virginia-based business outsourcing company, could soon start moving into the city’s historic train station, which is in the midst of a $54 million renovation. A Meritrust Credit Union, 151 N. Main. The credit union announced
plans to take over the space being vacated by Cargill. More than 200 employees will move downtown, with a branch at that location also being considered. Credit union officials cited the potential for expansion and a chance to provide employees with an “exceptional work environment.” Although the actual move probably won’t happen until next year, preparations will begin as soon as Cargill departs. A Colorado Derby Lofts, 201 N. Water. The former administrative headquarters for the Wichita school district is being remodeled into 105 one- and two-bedroom apartments by Old Town developer Dave Burk. The $9.5 million project – complete
with rooftop reflection pool – is expected to be finished this year. A Douglas Avenue Underpass Renovation. The railroad underpass, seen as a key connector between downtown and Old Town, will get a $2.1 million facelift compete with painting, decorative handrails and creative lighting. The city also hopes to make the underpass less attractive to pigeons. Expected completion date is August. A First Street Improvements. Curb extensions and landscaping that enhances pedestrian safety are being finished along 1st Street at Mead, Rock Island, Mosley and Washington, resulting in the street being reduced to one lane there. Although technically not in downtown, a couple of major improvements to the west side of the Arkansas River are expected to have a major impact on the area. The Advanced Learning Center and River Vista Apartments are expected to bring more foot and vehicle traffic to downtown by residents and out-of-town visitors alike.
Forward Wichita
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
Project Wichita to forge action plan for region BY AMY GEISZLER-JONES
Eagle correspondent
What’s your vision of Wichita? Over the next few months, Wichitans and residents of nearby cities and in the region will be asked to provide input on what issues they think are important in a new initiative called Project Wichita. Project Wichita, announced Feb. 1 to a soldout crowd of about 550 people who attended the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce annual chairman’s lunch, is going to move “at lightning speed,” said co-chair Scott Schwindaman, owner and CEO of Lubrication Engineers. Over the next few months, residents and others will have chances to be heard through online surveys, traditional town hall meetings, small group discussion groups and
Scott Schwindaman
Aaron Bastian
Juston White
Deborah Gann
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, RESIDENTS AND OTHERS WILL HAVE CHANCES TO BE HEARD THROUGH ONLINE SURVEYS, TRADITIONAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS, SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA. social media, according to organizers. Updates will be posted on the projectwichita.org website, as well as the project’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Both donors and participants can start getting involved by signing up at projectwichita.org website. “We intend to work
quickly to deliver a conclusion by the fall,” said co-chair, Aaron Bastian, president of Fidelity Bank. The other co-chairs are Juston White, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of South Central Kansas and Deborah Gann, Spirit AeroSystems vice president of communications and public af-
fairs. Wichita State’s Public Policy and Management Center, experts at information-gathering of this kind, will be facilitating much of the engagement part of Project Wichita. “We’ve had a lot of positive momentum in the last couple of years with
new jobs, development and growing community pride,” Schwindaman said, in the release announcing the project. “With that momentum also comes more questions and opportunities for us to address and make sure that we as a community establish a vision for this generation and those to come.” With Project Wichita, Bastian said, “We’ll be able to hone in on the things that people want.” As a backer of The Chung Report, Bastian has been hearing from a lot of people in the community about what’s ahead for Wichita. The Chung Report is a website with information tied to four challenges for Wichita that were shared in a 2015 study by strategist James Chung. “I hear it from people across generations. I hear it more from a younger generation. I think that’s in large part because they see the potential of Wichita,” Bastian said. The project is going to involve people of every generation, from high schoolers to retirees, according to the news release. Organizers have already heard from Wichita school district officials
The 2,249 days that mold a student’s future
BY ALICIA THOMPSON
The largest gathering of people each day in Kansas is in Wichita Public Schools’ classrooms. Nearly 60,000 students, employees, parents and volunteers come together with a common purpose – educating ALL of Wichita’s children so they are prepared for college and career success. Our students count on us to make every one of the 2,249 days they are with us days that change the trajectory of their future. We heard what citizens told us last fall about the future of Wichita schools. You expect focus on the whole child, investment in our staff, engaged families and community partners, active communication, and alignment of resources and infrastructure to support student success. Thousands of stakeholders shared feedback, and the Wichita Board of Education and district leaders will now craft the Wichita Public Schools’ five-year strategic plan incorporating your thoughts and ideas. Pathway programs that prepare students for successful careers with Wichita employers will become stronger and more focused, responding to business needs as well as our students’ future aspirations. Business partners, mentors, volunteers and families will be actively engaged to prepare students for life beyond graduation. Critical initiatives that impact college and career readiness throughout each student’s 2,249 days will help write Wichita’s next chapter. Individual plans of study for every middle and high school student will focus on what a stu-
dent likes to DO, which can help them determine what they want to BE. Robust choices and opportunities to personalize success will remain a hallmark of our educational menu. Current options — including the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, 24 magnet schools, and the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program – will not be diminished. Adequate resources will allow for additional career pathway programs, expanded dual credit options and initiatives to increase graduation rates. Sadly, some students in our community come to school with burdens that no child should bear. Many community resources families used to rely on no longer exist. Engaging partners to help meet the needs of the whole child is essential if we are to prepare ALL students for success. Focus on student behavior and the trauma that impacts social and emotional development will be a central piece of our new strategic plan. Our students need you. Wichitans count on today’s students to be successful as tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, laborers, doctors, firefighters, teachers, parents – even the next superintendent. Help us support the future our community envisions for its schools by getting involved as a business partner, mentor or classroom volunteer. Visit our schools to see the tremendous college and career opportunities in action today. Insist that public education is adequately and equitably funded in Kansas. Help us be sure that every one of the 2,249 days a student spends in our classrooms contributes to their successful future. Dr. Alicia Thompson is superintendent of schools for the Wichita school district.
File/The Wichita Eagle
Wichita State University is trying to recruit students from the I-35 corridor from Dallas to Kansas City. WSU president John Bardo calls it an economic megaregion.
Officials: Tapping into I-35 corridor for talent is vital for city BY STAN FINGER
sfinger@wichitaeagle.com
As far as Wichita State University is concerned, Dallas is part of the Sunflower State. So are Oklahoma City, Tulsa and the metropolitan area of Kansas City, Mo. Prospective students in all of those cities are being allowed to pay in-state tuition if they attend Wichita State. The chosen cities all have something in common: They are along or near I-35. “That was a very deliberate decision, concentrating on the I-35 corridor,” said John Tomblin, vice president for research and technology and the executive director of the National Institute for Aviation Research at WSU. With just 2.9 million people, Tomblin said, Kansas is a fairly small state in population. That prompted a question among officials trying to grow Wichita’s economy. “How we can increase the population draw and
make sure we have enough talent?” Tomblin asked. The in-state tuition incentive is one answer to that question, he said. Undergraduate students enrolling in 15 hours per semester save more than $8,700 per year paying in-state tuition, according to the university. Graduate students enrolling in nine hours per semester save more than $3,700 per year. It’s already paying dividends. Wichita State has seen a 38 percent increase in freshmen from those targeted cities from 2016 to 2017. The in-state tuition for corridor cities has been introduced in phases beginning more than two years ago. The Kansas City metro area was added just last fall. As recently as 2012, WSU attracted just 18 students from the targeted cities. In the fall of 2017, the number was 168. “That, to me, is amazing,” said Andrew Nave, executive vice president of economic development
for the Greater Wichita Partnership. “It’s not huge yet, but it’s growing. “A few years ago, we knew them (students from those five areas) by name.” The goal, Tomblin said, is to have half of the students from those targeted cities find jobs in or around Wichita when they graduate. “We’re growing our economy” by doing that, he said. Yet WSU president John Bardo cautions that Wichita must do more to take advantage of its place on the I-35 corridor. An economic megaregion, centered around the DallasFort Worth metroplex, is emerging along I-35, he wrote in a 2016 essay called “Renewing Wichita’s Promise.” “As the corridor is emerging, Wichita is not a major consideration,” Bardo said in the essay. “And, perhaps more importantly, Wichita itself has not focused a great deal of attention on how it can and should link itself to this emerging driver of
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to involve students, said Schwindaman. Initially about 20 organizations – small and large employers, nonprofits and other community groups – were approached to determine interest and support before the Feb. 1 announcement. Of the $300,000 raised for the effort, about 75 percent is from private funding, Bastian said. Other organizations can still contribute, with the money paying for project costs such as the analysis and marketing. Both Schwindaman and Bastian emphasized, however, that this won’t be a pay-to-play visioning effort. “If we have groups that need to have their voices heard, we’ll make sure they’re there at the table,” Schwindaman said. The names of financial backers will be announced soon, both said. The two co-chairs also said while named Project Wichita, the process and action plan will include a wider geographic area. “This is not just about Wichita and within the city limits,” Schwindaman said. “It’s also about what will benefit south-central Kansas. We see it as regional.”
the Midwestern regional economy. “This is a crucial issue and without a refocusing of economic development efforts in the area, it is possible that Wichita will become an increasing economic backwater.” Wichita is projected to grow at little more than a third of the rate of the I-35 corridor as a whole between now and 2022, according to statistics provided by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research. Median household income growth is projected to lag more than a half-percent behind the corridor as a whole. For more than a year now, the Greater Wichita Partnership, through the Blueprint for Regional Economic Growth, has been meeting with local officials and agencies within the 10-county region to get a clearer picture of transportation patterns and infrastructure needs. “We would set their county maps in front of them and have them tell stories” about how their roadways are used by commuters, shippers and even tourists, said Heather Denker, manager of special projects for Greater Wichita Partnership. There hasn’t been a unified voice when outlining infrastructure needs feeding into the I-35 corridor from south-central Kansas, she said. That’s important when seeking state and federal dollars for improvements or additions. Manufacturers looking to relocate or expand are going to want a strong infrastructure to connect efficiently with the corridor, Nave said. That’s a must, he said, “when there are so many other good locations you can consider.” Old barriers are falling as economic development officials across the region are recognizing the value of working together rather than competing for finite resources, he said. “It’s not mutually exclusive anymore,” Nave said. “It’s not, ‘If I win, you lose.’ “There’s understanding that this (corridor) is the network for all of us.” Stan Finger: 316-268-6437, @StanFinger
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Forward Wichita
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
File/Wichita Eagle
An 11-year-old jumps from a trampoline into a pit of foam blocks while playing at Wichita Sports Forum.
Sports venues bring big business BY MELINDA SCHNYDER
Eagle correspondent
To see how hosting sporting events can impact a community, all you have to do is take a look at flurry of development in northeast Wichita near K-96 and Greenwich. There’s been a wave of new hotels, restaurants, retail stores and attractions there that coincides with the opening of the Wichita Sports Forum in late 2015. About 1.3 million people visited the 148,000-square-foot multi-use complex during its first year of operation. In 2017, 1.8 million used the facility. “We had a very good increase from our first year to our second year, and our 2018 calendar is already booked more than the last two years,” Brian Hargrove, general manag-
er, said in mid-February. “We have 48 of the 52 weekends in 2018 booked with some sort of tournament and we expect to fill the remaining.” The main part of the complex has enough hardwood for six full-size basketball courts that can convert to 10 volleyball courts, a full-size turf field that can be used for soccer or as a softball or baseball infield, eight batting cages and indoor sand volleyball courts. On any given weekend, you’ll find events featuring local teams, athletes from surrounding states or even teams from across the country. There are the traditional activities the developers expected to use the facility most often, along with off-brand sports that they hoped to attract with flexible space. That has included national roller derby and wrestling
competitions, as well as Ultimate Frisbee and a local boxing event featuring law enforcement that drew the facility’s largest crowd of 3,500 spectators. National business picked up, Hargrove said, after the Wichita Sports Forum was included in SportsEvents magazine’s 2017 list of top 10 multiuse sports facilities in the country. “Because of that publication, we’ve received many calls from people across the country wanting to bring tournaments or camps here,” he said. “These are people who didn’t know about our facility or that a place like Wichita would have a facility like this.” Similar to meeting planners, organizers of sporting events are generally looking for facilities that meet their event’s requirements and good hotel
options, said Moji Rosson, vice president of sales for Visit Wichita. Additionally, they are looking for a community that offers a great experience for their athletes on and off the field. “They want to make sure their competitors are happy, healthy and enjoy the time they have here,” Rosson said. Rosson leads the sales and service team that works to attract conventions, meetings and sporting events to Wichita. The sports market is big and unique enough that one sales manager, Josh Howell, dedicates all of his time to recruiting athletic events. Visit Wichita is just one of many entities working to bring in these events. The city of Wichita, Sedgwick County, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission and local uni-
versities all work alongside venues and local sports organizations. Wichita has unique facilities that help secure events, these groups said. For example, Mystic Lakes Ski Club, just northwest of Wichita, has world-record capability water ski lakes that attracted the USA Waterski and the American Water Ski Association National Championships coming in August. Having three sheets of ice within about eight blocks (Intrust Bank Arena and the Wichita Ice Center) landed the Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships that brought more than 2,500 athletes and their families to Wichita two months ago. They also said the city is missing out on opportunities due to facilities and amenities. For example, some youth events only choose communities with theme parks or large water parks for their athletes to enjoy during downtime. Some need space Wichita doesn’t have. “We have some great baseball fields but we don’t have a giant baseball complex,” said Troy Houtman, the city’s director of Parks and Recreation.
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“Another one we are missing is a competitive swim location. We have some great pools but nothing to the caliber of hosting large swim meets.” Public and private projects to address facility needs are in various stages of development. A major reconstruction of the 60 acres near Wichita Sports Forum is underway to turn the city’s Stryker soccer complex into a 10-field, multi-sport complex with artificial turf, lighting, seating and an indoor component. According to a study by the Wichita State University Center for Economic Development and Business Research, the complex should draw 100,000 to 150,000 visitors and generate $16 million to $24 million in economic impact annually. Houtman said progress should speed up during the next two to three years, as projects like these are completed and begin to attract more athletes and a wider range of sports. “We can and we should be hosting more of these types of tournaments,” he said. “It saves our residents from having to travel to other places and it brings revenue into our community.” The economic impact is significant. Visit Wichita touts that the four major sports events in Wichita this year will bring in more than $14 million alone: January’s synchronized skating event ($3.4 million), NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship first and second round games in March ($10 million), August’s waterski national championships ($500,000) and United States Bowling Congress’ U.S. Open in October at Northrock Lanes ($375,000). The convention and visitors bureau said beyond the immediate economic boost, hosting the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship games for the first time since 1994 legitimizes Wichita as a sports city among visitors and planners. “It’s a very recognizable event, so when you say that you’re hosting the NCAA basketball tournament it puts you on another level of competition,” Rosson said. “We’ve entered the big leagues and we’re ready to play ball.”
Wichita prepares for residents’ input on fate of Century II BY MATT RIEDL
mriedl@wichitaeagle.com
In late 2016, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell predicted Century II would be a hot discussion topic in 2017. And was it ever. Last year, the city was abuzz with debate: Should the iconic blue-domed Century II be razed, a newly constructed performing-arts/convention center to take its place? Or should the city just make necessary renovations to the nearly half-century-old building and preserve it as much as possible? Realizing the intense public emotion surrounding this issue, the city has elected to spend the majority of 2018 listening to Wichitans’ opinions, according to John D’Angelo, director of the city’s Division of Arts and Cultural Services. A Century II steering committee of sorts was announced earlier this month – and it will be led by Mary Beth Jarvis, president and CEO of Wichita Festivals.
This committee – a private, non-governmental body – will be tasked with informing the public about the research that has already been done on Century II, collecting opinions and gauging the general public’s appetite for this multimillion-dollar project. It will operate independently from Project Wichita, another private visioneering initiative announced alongside the committee. That effort will be more wide-ranging than Century II, however. Expect to see both small and large focus groups, as well as surveys online in 2018, D’Angelo said. By the end of 2018 or early 2019, Wichitans will likely start seeing more discussion at the City Council level, D’Angelo said. “I think you’ll see ‘18 really as an opportunity to make sure we understand what the public wants,” he said. “This is an emotional issue.” BACKGROUND These discussions didn’t just materialize out of thin
air. The city has actually been studying the Century II issue for the past eight years. Various studies have been commissioned on the feasibility of a new center or of renovations to the existing building – the most recent of which was released last September. Here’s the issue: Century II is aging, and if nothing is done, experts think it will be detrimental to the city. Some of the specific issues with Century II: A Its round design isn’t compatible with modern convention standards. A The halls are not sound-proof. A There is limited prefunction space both on the performing-arts side and the convention side – places to gather, mingle and perhaps shop/dine – an amenity that has become standard in venues across the country. A Its concrete infrastructure suffers from the maintenance problems a nearly 50-year-old building presents. Its elevators have been known to break down, it occasionally has
heating and air-conditioning issues and internet connections can be spotty. Last year, City Manager Robert Layton recommended that the City Council keep the current Century II building, but modernize it, expand it and change the way it is managed. His suggestion came after a presentation of a study by the San Francisco-based Arup Advisory, Inc., which concluded significant renovations to Century II would likely cost the city $272 million. Razing the building and starting over was projected to cost anywhere up to $492 million. QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT No matter what solution the city proposes, there are a few questions that need to be thoughtfully considered. There are obviously more questions that need to asked, but here are just a few to think about: A How much allegiance does Wichita have to the blue dome? Is it something you could see Wichita without? And if so, what
BO RADER The Wichita Eagle
Century II is 45 years old and city leaders are at a crossroad of whether to update the current building or rebuild a new facility to adapt to the ever-changing convention market and growing performing arts needs.
sort of building should take its place? A How will the city pay for this? Are Wichitans ready to support this project through means such as a sales tax, property tax, or hotel tax? A What level of involvement should the city have with Century II? The Arup report recommended the city privatize its operations and potentially pave the way for private development on the city-owned land surrounding Century II. A What would you like to see in a renovated Century II? Perhaps a restaurant, boutiques, a museum? What would happen if, say, CityArts, the cityowned art center with galleries and classrooms,
was relocated to a renovated Century II? A Can a renovated facility better utilize its prime riverfront location? As it is now, the convention center essentially turns it back to the Arkansas River. Could a renovated facility make use of its proximity to the Arkansas River, perhaps with walls of glass or other such means? A If the current Century II could be devoted entirely to the performing arts, where could a new convention center be built? The city owns various parcels of land downtown, but building a completely new center would likely cost more. Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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PLUS Wolfgang Puck’s Oscar-Night Nibbles, p. 14
IDOL MAKERS KERS & BREA Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry & Luke Bryan
6 THINGS You Need to Know About the New
AMERICAN IDOL Who’s the meanest judge?
The best advice they ever received
How Seacrest consoles the losers
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
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WALTER SCOTT ASKS
David OYELOWO
The star of the Oscar-winning 2014 film Selma stars in the action-packed dark comedy Gringo (March 9). The British native, 41, plays a mild-mannered businessman, Harold Soyinka, who is sent to Mexico by crooked business colleagues (Joel Edgerton and Charlize Theron), where he is kidnapped by drug lords, captured by a mercenary and becomes a wanted criminal. What appealed to you about this movie? >Ă›ÂˆÂ˜} `œ˜i Lˆœ}Ă€>ÂŤÂ…ÂˆV>Â? >˜` Â…ÂˆĂƒĂŒÂœĂ€ÂˆV wÂ?Â“Ăƒ [including Queen of Katwe and Ć‚ 1Â˜ÂˆĂŒi` ˆ˜}`œ“], I felt the need to change things up. ĂŒÂœÂ?` “Þ >}iÂ˜ĂŒ] Âş Ăœ>Â˜ĂŒ ĂŒÂœ `Âœ >VĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜] Vœ“i`Ăž ÂœĂ€ ĂƒVˆ‡w° What is Harold’s story? He’s a Nigerian immi}Ă€>Â˜ĂŒ] >˜` >Â˜ĂžÂœÂ˜i ĂœÂ…Âœ ˆ““ˆ}Ă€>ĂŒiĂƒ ĂŒÂœ Ƃ“iĂ€ÂˆV> V>˜ ˆ`iÂ˜ĂŒÂˆvĂž ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ… ĂŒÂ…i v>VĂŒ ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ ĂžÂœĂ• Vœ“i vĂ•Â?Â? Âœv Â…ÂœÂŤi° -œ“iĂŒÂˆÂ“iĂƒ Â…ÂœÂŤi V>˜ “i>˜ ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ ĂžÂœĂ• ĂŒĂ€Ă•ĂƒĂŒ ÂŤiÂœÂŤÂ?i Â“ÂœĂ€i ĂŒÂ…>˜ ĂžÂœĂ• ĂƒÂ…ÂœĂ•Â?`° /Â…>ĂŒ ÂˆĂƒ ĂŒÂ…i Â?ÂœĂ•Ă€Â˜iĂž >Ă€ÂœÂ?` ÂˆĂƒ œ˜° 7i ĂœiĂ€i Ă›iÀÞ VÂ?i>Ă€ ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ Â…i ĂƒÂ…ÂœĂ•Â?` Ăƒii“ VÂœÂ“ÂŤÂ?iĂŒiÂ?Ăž ÂœĂ•ĂŒ Âœv Â…ÂˆĂƒ `iÂŤĂŒÂ…] ˆ˜ > Ă›iÀÞ Ă€i>Â? Ăœ>Þ° You’re going to play Inspector Javert in a new BBC version of Les MisĂŠrables. ĂŒÂ˝Ăƒ iĂ?>VĂŒÂ?Ăž ĂŒÂ…i Žˆ˜` Âœv Ă€ÂœÂ?i ĂœÂœĂ•Â?` Ăœ>ĂŒVÂ… Â?œ˜}ˆ˜}Â?Ăž œ˜ Ă€ÂˆĂŒÂˆĂƒÂ… ĂŒiÂ?iĂ›ÂˆĂƒÂˆÂœÂ˜ ĂœÂ…i˜ Ăœ>Ăƒ > ĂžÂœĂ•Â˜} LÂœĂž] ÂŽÂ˜ÂœĂœÂˆÂ˜} ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ ĂœÂœĂ•Â?` ˜iĂ›iĂ€ }iĂŒ ĂŒÂœ ÂŤÂ?>Ăž ÂˆĂŒÂ° Ć‚Â˜` Â…iĂ€i Ăœi are; the culture has shifted. What does your downtime look like? Ăž ĂœÂˆvi] iĂƒĂƒÂˆV>] >˜` Â…>Ă›i vÂœĂ•Ă€ V…ˆÂ?`Ă€i˜° 7i Â…>Ă›i > Ă›iÀÞ Ă€ÂœLĂ•ĂƒĂŒ] >VĂŒÂˆĂ›i Â?ˆvi ĂŒÂ…>ĂŒ ÂˆÂ˜Ă›ÂœÂ?Ă›iĂƒ ÂœĂ•Ă€ `Âœ}Ăƒ and constant sports—basketball, soccer, table ĂŒiÂ˜Â˜ÂˆĂƒ] LˆŽi Ă€Âˆ`ˆ˜} ÂœĂ€ ĂƒĂœÂˆÂ“Â“ÂˆÂ˜}° ÂœĂƒĂŒÂ?Ăž ĂœÂ…i˜ ½“ Â˜ÂœĂŒ ĂœÂœĂ€ÂŽÂˆÂ˜}] ½“ w˜`ˆ˜} Ăœ>ĂžĂƒ ĂŒÂœ Ă•Ăƒi Ă•ÂŤ ĂŒÂ…i i˜`Â?iĂƒĂƒ >Â“ÂœĂ•Â˜ĂŒĂƒ Âœv i˜iĂ€}Ăž “Þ V…ˆÂ?`Ă€i˜ Â…>Ă›i° What annoys his kids so much about his use of social media? Go to Parade.com/oyelowo VQ Ć‚PF QWV
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The Upside
FROM TOP: JOHN SHEARER/GETTY IMAGES FOR PEOPLE MAGAZINE; THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY/ZUMAPRESS.COM
Bromance Nicole Kidman, 50, loved watching the budding bromance on the set of The Upside (March 9). The w Â?“ ÂˆĂƒ >LÂœĂ•ĂŒ > Ăœi>Â?ĂŒÂ…Ăž ÂŤ>Ă€>ÂŤÂ?i}ˆV] Phil (Bryan Cranston, 61), who Â…ÂˆĂ€iĂƒ > Ă€iViÂ˜ĂŒÂ?Ăž ÂŤ>Ă€ÂœÂ?i` VÂœÂ˜Ă›ÂˆVĂŒ] Dell (Kevin Hart, 38), as his careĂŒ>ÂŽiÀ° /Â…i Vœ“i`ˆV] Âœ``‡VÂœĂ•ÂŤÂ?i ÂşLĂ€ÂœÂ“>Â˜ĂŒÂˆVÂť ĂƒÂŤ>ÀŽ Âœv ĂŒÂ…i ĂŒĂœÂœ actors was remarkable to behold, Ăƒ>ĂžĂƒ ˆ`“>˜] ĂœÂ…Âœ ÂŤÂ?>ĂžĂƒ *…ˆÂ?Â˝Ăƒ >ĂƒĂƒÂˆĂƒÂ‡ ĂŒ>Â˜ĂŒÂ° Âş/Â…iÞ½Ài >“>Ă˘ÂˆÂ˜}]Âť ĂƒÂ…i Ăƒ>ĂžĂƒÂ° “I got to stand back and watch the two of them have this incredible VÂ…iÂ“ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€ĂžÂ°Âť
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AWARDS NIGHT BINGO
Visit Parade.com/bingo to `ÂœĂœÂ˜Â?Âœ>` V>Ă€`Ăƒ ĂƒÂœ ĂžÂœĂ• V>˜ ÂŤÂ?>Ăž >Â?œ˜} during the 90th Oscars. MARCH 4, 2018 | 3
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Don’t let your blue go bad or your manchego mold. The Capabunga Cheese Vault is made of food-grade silicone to let your cheese breathe while wicking away moisture. $30, surlatable.com
Parade
Edited by Alison Abbey | Visit PARADE.COM/PICKS for more
SAY
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here were almost 240,000 photographs of cheese boards on Instagram by the end of 2017. And no wonder—they can be beautiful as well as delicious. Here’s how to up your own cheese game.
If you love ooey-gooey cheese, the Portable Cheese Melt Utensil will be your new favorite toy. It’s powered by tea lights and comes with a built-in spatula. $25, uncommongoods.com For inspiration, check out Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual Spreads for Every Occasion (Chronicle Books) by author and food blogger Shelly Westerhausen. Available March 20. $25, amazon.com
The Elephant Cheese Board, made of acadia wood, brass and marble, has room for all your favorites. $68, anthropologie.com
Assorted Cheese Papers are a fun way to serve your guests. Set of 12 for $17, crateandbarrel.com
Wine and cheese go together like… wine and cheese. This Halo Decanter holds 34 ounces of the good stuff. $40, bedbathand beyond.com Nuts, olives and condiments look extra tasty in Fishs Eddy Nut Bowls. Set of eight for $23, westelm.com
Add one exotic cheese to your board for a little excitement. “My favorite is Epoisses. The riper, the better,” says Andrew Zimmern, host of The Zimmern List, premiering March 13, 9 p.m. ET on Travel Channel. “Don’t forget the fig jam, please.” French Epoisses cheese, prices vary, fromages.com Fig preserves, $7, harryanddavid.com
Pretty and practical, there’s an Aldana Cheese Knife for creamy, sharp and aged cheeses. Set of three for $36, anthropologie.com
4 | MARCH 4, 2018
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
Books We Love
BOUND FOR THE SCREEN
Some of the most celebrated movies of all time began as best-selling books. Here are three to read before you buy your popcorn. Red Sparrow (Scribner) Jennifer Lawrence stars in the movie based on Jason Matthews’ thriller about a Russian ballerina-turned-spy. $28 Where’d You Go, Bernadette (Back Bay Books) / i w ÛiÀÃ v >À > Semple’s novel about a 15-year-old in search of her missing mother, played by Cate Blanchett, is out May 11. $16 The Little Stranger (Riverhead Books) Sarah Waters’ haunting 2009 novel about a country doctor in the 1940s caring for patients at a crumbling estate hits theaters Aug. 31. $17 Available in bookstores and online
Visit Parade.com/screenbound for more best-selling books à >Ìi` Ì LiV i w ð
THE BEST
PARTS
SISTER ACT
They may come from the same family, but each of the sisters in Cimorelli has a very distinct personality . . . and voice! We can’t get enough of the harmonies in their music videos (have you seen their Justin Timberlake mash-up?) or of their sisterly love (and squabbles). Oh, and did we mention they have their own album? Visit Parade.com/bestparts to check out everything we love about these California girls. MARCH 4, 2018 | 5
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
Ask Marilyn By Marilyn vos Savant
Normal human body temperature is often stated as 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Can different people have different normal body temperatures? —Tina Shaycort, Melissa, Texas
Yes. The 98.6 degrees standard is just an average. Normal adult temperatures may range from about 97 to 99 degrees or so. (Normal temperatures for babies and children are a little higher.) Also, your normal temperature varies, depending on factors such as the time of day, your sleepwake cycle, your level of activity, how old you are and even what you’ve had to eat or drink. In general, medical professionals consider a temperature over 100.4 to be a fever, but this varies according to the individual too. Send questions to marilyn @ parade.com
Numbrix
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Complete 1 to 81 so the numbers follow a horizontal or vertical path—no diagonals.
37
35
33
27
25
45
15
71
13
75
11
77
79
61
57
9
Visit Parade.com/numbrix for more Marilyn vos Savant Numbrix puzzles and today’s solution. 6 | MARCH 4, 2018
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© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
IDOL MAKERS & BREAKERS
Get ready for high hopes and heartbreak as Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan join Ryan Seacrest on the new American Idol. Here are six things you need to know.
1
T HE NEW
JUDGES
The pursuit of a dream. Ryan Seacrest says that’s why American Idol was a runaway hit from its launch 16 years ago—and why the wildly successful reality series is still so successful today. “Everybody’s got a dream,” he says. Starting Sunday evening, March 11, at 8 p.m. ET, a new group of aspiring stars will embark on the journey to realize their dream to become the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. After a two-year hiatus, the granddaddy of singing competitions, which scored 30 million viewers a week in its heyday, is back for its 16th season. And though the host network has switched from Fox to ABC, the song remains the same. Those Golden Tickets to Hollywood? Check. Seacrest, 43, as the amenable host? Obviously. The trail of tears when a contestant is eliminated? Bring it. Here are six things you need to know about the new season. “I want to give someone a career and a record deal. Someone is going to be a star from this show.” —Katy Perry, 33, pop queen with nine No. 1 singles and nearly 100 million records sold
“It’s pretty inspiring when contestants know they’re going to get a no from us and you can see the determination. Like, ‘Please, I’ll do everything I can.’” —Luke Bryan, 41, Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year in 2015 and 17 No. 1 country songs
“I’ve been around long enough to know when there’s never a chance in hell they’re going to make it. So I fire someone, but with encouragement.” —Lionel Richie, 68, R&B legend and four-time Grammy winner, 2017 recipient of a prestigious Kennedy Center Honor
COVER AND OPENING PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG SJODIN/ABC
By Mara Reinstein
8 | MARCH 4, 2018
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
2
WHAT THE JUDGES ARE
LOOKING FOR
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ABC/ERIC LIEBOWITZ; PAWEL KAMINSKI, DISNEY/ABC HOME ENTERTAINMENT AND TV DISTRIBUTION; RAY MICKSHAW/WIREIMAGE/GETTY IMAGES; JASON MERRITT/FILMMAGIC/GETTY IMAGES; RAY MICKSHAW/WIREIMAGE FOR FOX TELEVISION NETWORK/GETTY IMAGES
PERRY
“There are a lot of good voices out there. It’s not just about a singing voice. It’s an ‘it’ factor. It’s a combination of things.” BRYAN
“We’ve let people go through with the hopes that they’ll show us that fire . . .” RICHIE
“. . . because they had it, but they were wobbly. They need to go home and get it.” BRYAN
“Sometimes there’s somebody we want to roll the dice with.” PERRY
“It’s all about the contestant and helping that diamond in the rough.” Go to Parade.com/idol to find out how the Idol judges and host give back.
THE JOKESTER Perry says that she and Bryan are the whoopeecushion pranksters, while the vet Richie is the designated room monitor. “Katy asked, ‘Can we call you papa?’ and I said, ‘You can call me daddy!’” says Richie, himself the father of three (including Great News actress and former reality star Nicole, 36).
3
WHO IS...
THE SOFTIE “Some of us are more cut-and-dried, but at the end of the day we believe in constructive criticism,” Perry says. “We all know how it feels to stand there as artists and be judged and have everything on the line and know that this opportunity can change your life, your family’s life and your whole world. We know that exactly.”
THE POP CHART EXPERT It’s definitely Katy Perry, says Richie. “There are some days where Katy’s talking about someone and I’ll be like, ‘Who the hell is that?’ and she’ll say, ‘That’s a No. 1 recording artist!’”
Clockwise from top left: Daughtry, Hudson and McPhee
THE CONSOLER Seacrest has seen it all in his role as host/ringleader/feelings-soother for 15 seasons. He’s consoled finalists such as Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry, who all got voted out (and went on to greatness). “You call them learning experiences and not failures. You point out that the experience can be life-affirming even if you don’t win,” he says. “I also learned through those experiences that I’m best when I listen and don’t talk.”
THE NEW SIMON Though acidic original judge Simon Cowell departed the show back in 2010, his shadow still looms. “We’re not going after certain personas for TV purposes,” says Bryan. “We’re just saying what we feel in our hearts. But I know I will say something and viewers will be like, ‘Dang!’” Richie, he says, is especially good about letting contestants know they just don’t “have it.”
THE CAFFEINE KING “There must be two or three of Ryan,” says Richie. “I’m not kidding. I don’t know how he does it,” he says of the 43-yearold host of red carpets and co-host of Live With Kelly and Ryan with Kelly Ripa. “Do you do lots of caffeine?” Perry asks Seacrest. “Lots of it,” he says. “I go full-on. I like it really strong.” continued on page 10 MARCH 4, 2018 | 9
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
4
from page 9
THEY EVER GOT
If you look at your career as a graph chart, Perry says, don’t get hung up on all the highs and lows. Instead, “it’s about staying on the graph and making sure every move is authentic.” Her friend, alt-rocker Alanis Morissette, advised her to be transparent— so that whenever anyone looked at her career, anywhere on that graph, they’d look through it and see the “real” her. Seacrest blazes through his impressive hosting career using the words of his celebrity mentor, legendary American Bandstand and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve host Dick Clark, for inspiration. “He told me, ‘You’ve got to make it look like everyone at home could do your job. If everyone thinks, I can do that, then you’re doing it well and doing it seamlessly.’” Bryan’s favorite piece of advice comes from his dad: “He preached to do something right the wÀÃÌ Ì i Ã Ü Õ ` ½Ì have to do it again.” Richie’s go-to is also courtesy of his father, who told his son that he “could experience life by crawling in every hole and learning à iÌ }] À w ` out where the holes are and walk around them,” he recalls. “So, when I got to Hollywood, I learned how to walk around the drug and alcohol holes. If you can avoid something, avoid it.” continued on page 12
FROM TOP: BIRDIE THOMPSON/ADMEDIA VIA ZUMA WIRE; KRISTIN CALLAHAN/ACE PICTURES VIA ZUMA PRESS; BIRDIE THOMPSON/ADMEDIA VIA ZUMA WIRE(2)
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THE BEST ADVICE
10 | MARCH 4, 2018
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
from page 10
-GNN[ %NCTMUQP NGHV YQP VJG XGT[ Ć‚TUV Idol (2002); Carrie Underwood took home the top honor in season four (2005).
5
and the Gang. You sound like Otis Redding.’ It was a lesson for us; it was the thing that changed our lives. From that point on, we knew we had to be different.�
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Before Idol contestants hit the stage in Hollywood, they’ve been selected through auditions in 23 locations across America, a process that winnows thousands of hopefuls down to hundreds, and eventually down to a dozen, then to > ĂƒÂŤiVˆ>Â? Â…>˜`vĂ•Â?] >˜` w˜>Â?Â?Ăž down to one.
6
HOW FAILURE HAS
FUELED THEM X “You have to get used to the word ‘no,’â€? says Richie. In the early 1970s, his group the Commodores “failed more than we won. We `ˆ` >Ă•`ÂˆĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜Ăƒ] >˜` ĂŒÂ…i wĂ€ĂƒĂŒ question was, ‘Who are you guys? You sound like Kool
X Bryan has his own audition nightmares from his early days in Nashville. “I came in town from iÂœĂ€}ˆ> ÂŤĂ€iĂŒĂŒĂž Vœ˜w`iÂ˜ĂŒ]Âť Â…i says. “But I would hyperventilate and freak out. I had one showcase where I had a record label head watching me and I was particularly bad. I went back to the drawing board and worked hard.â€? The label executive later ended up signing him. “Thank the Lord he was able to see beyond my nerves,â€? Bryan says. X Seacrest’s life lesson dates back to the seventh grade, when he was set to play a major role in a school show in Atlanta and forgot his lines. “I realized at that point that I needed to prepare for everything.â€? He’s studied up for every awards-show red carpet and celebrity interview ever since. X “I’m learning all the time; everything turns into a lesson for me,â€? says Perry. Last year, when she radically changed her look and took a more futuristic pop approach with her fourth album, Witness, she got mixed reviews. “I’m starting to realize that, after doing this a decade and reaching the highest heights, nobody is going to hit the bull’s-eye every single time,â€? she says.
KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES (2)
IT’S A LONG ROAD TO FINDING THE
12 | MARCH 4, 2018
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© PARADE Publications 2018. All rights reserved.
ENTERTAINING
RED CARPET SNACKS
SPARKLING MARGARITA Christy Vega, owner of longtime Hollywood hangout Casa Vega (popular with everyone from the Kardashians to Pharrell Williams), makes this simple Oscar-night sipper. Combine 1½ oz tequila, 1 oz lime juice and ¾ oz Cointreau in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a wineglass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lime wheel. Serves 1.
The Oscar party is tonight!
No worries: These winning appetizers and sparkling cocktail are easy lastminute additions to your Academy Awards viewing lineup. —Alison Ashton
WOLFGANG PUCK’S PARTY NUT MIX Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, who caters the post-Oscars Governors Ball every year, always has a version of these addictive mixed nuts on the menu. Use any combo of nuts you like, as long as they're raw and skinless. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, toss together 14 oz mixed shelled skinless raw nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, etc.) and 2 oz diced dried pineapple. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 8–12 minutes or until golden-brown, stirring once. In that same bowl, combine 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, ½–1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp dark brown sugar and 1½ tsp kosher salt. Drizzle with 1½ tsp melted butter; stir well. Add warm nuts to bowl; toss to coat. Spread mixture in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake 3–5 minutes or until sugar coating is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 3½ cups.
Go to Parade.com/salad for one of Old Hollywood’s favorite salads.
BROWNED BUTTER AND TRUFFLE POPCORN Guests at the Governors Ball will nibble a version of this upscale popcorn. Melt 4 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook 1–2 minutes or until butter is browned and smells nutty. Pour butter into a small bowl; set aside. Wipe out pan; return pan to heat. Add 2 Tbsp canola oil and ½ cup popcorn kernels; stir to coat. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until popcorn finishes popping, shaking pan occasionally. Pour popcorn into a large serving bowl. Drizzle with browned butter, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with 1½ tsp black truffle sea salt (available at most grocery stores), smoked sea salt or plain sea salt; toss again. Sprinkle with edible gold dust, if desired (available on amazon.com or at baking supply stores). Makes 10 cups.
RECIPES: SPARKLING MARGARITA: CHRISTY VEGA; SPICY-SWEET ROASTED NUTS: WOLFGANG PUCK; BROWN BUTTER AND TRUFFLE POPCORN: ALISON ASHTON; PHOTO BY MARK BOUGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY / STYLING BY TERESA BLACKBURN; SMALL SOSSI BOWL ($18)/MIMIRA SMALL PLATTER ($24)FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE.COM; METALLIC CONFETTI STEMLESS WINE GLASS (4 FOR $28) FROM WORLDMARKET.COM
Eats
What America
14 | MARCH 4, 2018
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Comics
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018 KANSAS.COM
BEETLE BAILEY By Mort Walker
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
CONSCIENCE OF LATE-NIGHT TV Find out what makes Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel a favorite with latenight fans. Page 29
DAILY BONUS eEDITION ‘Pure madness’: Dark days inside the White House BY PHILIP RUCKER, ASHLEY PARKER AND JOSH DAWSEY
Washington Post WASHINGTON ILLUSTRATIONS BY LOUISA BERTMAN NYT
Brian Williams, 23, New York, licensing assistant at Tory Burch.
Emily Davidson, 27, Baltimore, brand consultant at a financial services firm.
Garrett Young, 26, Boston, bank examiner at the Massachusetts Division of Banks.
Millennials are saving for the future, if they can afford to
Kirk Vaclavik, 26, Chicago, brand strategist at a digital ad agency.
Mauricio Maluff Masi, 27, Madison, Wis., technical services analyst.
Morgan Richardson, 27, Chicago, career adviser at a professional coaching firm.
Travis Olson, 27, Silver Spring, Md., program associate at a nonprofit.
BY ZACH WICHTER
The conversation has been edited and condensed.
Kirk Vaclavik, 26, Chicago, brand strategist at a digitalad agency. Brian Williams, 23, New York, licensing assistant at Tory Burch. Garrett Young, 26, Boston, bank examiner at the Massachusetts Division of Banks.
New York Times
Millennials are often criticized for not doing enough to plan for retirement, and the advice they get is usually from their parents or financial advisers who are much older and in different financial situations. Recently, a group of people in their 20s – four of whom went to college with the writer – took part in a Google Hangout to discuss their thoughts on retirement and what they are doing to save.
THE PARTICIPANTS Emily Davidson, 27, Baltimore, brand consultant at a financial services firm. Mauricio Maluff Masi, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, technical services analyst at a health care software company. Travis Olson, 27, Silver Spring, Maryland, program associate at a nonprofit education policy program. Morgan Richardson, 27, Chicago, career adviser at a professional coaching and training firm.
THE CONVERSATION Zach: What does “retiring” mean to you? Morgan: Retirement for me is saving up
Adviser to UAE emerges as focus for Mueller, indicating broadened inquiry BY MARK MAZZETTI, DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK AND MAGGIE HABERMAN
New York Times WASHINGTON
George Nader, a LebaneseAmerican businessman, has hovered on the fringes of international diplomacy for three decades. He was a back-channel
negotiator with Syria during the Clinton administration, reinvented himself as an adviser to the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates and last year was a frequent visitor to President Donald Trump’s White House. Nader is now a focus of the investigation by Robert Mueller, the special counsel. In recent weeks, Mueller’s investigators
have questioned Nader and have pressed witnesses for information about any possible attempts by the Emiratis to buy political influence by directing money to support Trump during the presidential campaign, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. The investigators have also asked about Nader’s role in
SEE RETIREMENT, PAGE 2
White House policymaking, those people said, suggesting that the special counsel investigation has broadened beyond Russian election meddling to include Emirati influence on the Trump administration. The focus on Nader could also prompt an examination of how money from multiple countries has flowed through and influenced Washington during the Trump era. How much this line of inquiry is connected to Mueller’s origiSEE MUELLER, PAGE 4
Inside the White House, aides over the past week have described an air of anxiety and volatility – with an uncontrollable commander in chief at its center. These are the darkest days in at least half a year, they say, and they worry just how much farther President Donald Trump and his administration may plunge into unrest and malaise before they start to recover. As one official put it: “We haven’t bottomed out.” Trump is now a president in transition, at times angry and increasingly isolated. He fumes in private that just about every time he looks up at a television screen, the cable news headlines are trumpeting yet another scandal. He voices frustration that son-in-law Jared Kushner has few on-air defenders. He revives old grudges. And he confides to friends that he is uncertain about whom to trust. Trump’s closest West Wing confidante, Hope Hicks – the communications director who often acted as a de facto Oval Office therapist – announced her resignation last week, leaving behind a team the president views more as paid staff than surrogate family. So concerned are those around Trump that some of the president’s oldest friends have SEE TRUMP, PAGE 3
HELLO, FROM EXTRA EXTRA! Welcome to Extra Extra, a new eEdition bonus section exclusively for our subscribers. Every day, Extra Extra will feature more of what you want — additional content from across the nation and around the world, as well as stories that highlight trends in politics, opinion, sports and more. Plus, you can look forward to themed pages each day focused on style, religion, photography and more. Because Extra Extra features the best of what readers see in this and McClatchy's other 29 daily newspapers, some content may appear in or be duplicated from our regular printed sections. Let us know what you think: Send your feedback to us at extraextra@mcclatchy.com, and be sure to include the paper to which you subscribe. — THE EDITORS
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 2
COVER STORY
China sets stage for Xi’s grab to rule indefinitely BY GILLIAN WONG
Associated Press BEIJING
President Xi Jinping is poised to make a historic power grab as China’s legislators gather from Monday to approve changes that will let him rule indefinitely and undo decades of efforts to prevent a return to crushing dictatorship. This year’s gathering of the ceremonial National People’s Congress has been overshadowed by Xi’s surprise move – announced just a week ago – to end constitutional twoterm limits on the presidency. The changes would allow Xi, already China’s most powerful leader in decades, to extend his rule over the world’s second largest economy possibly for life. “This is a critical moment in China’s history,” said Cheng Li, an expert on elite China politics at the Brookings Institution in Washington. The move is widely seen as the culmination of the 64-year-old Xi’s efforts since being appointed leader of the ruling
Communist Party in 2012 to concentrate power in his own hands and defy norms of collective leadership established over the past two decades. Xi has appointed himself to head bodies that oversee national security, finance, economic reform and other major initiatives, effectively sidelining the party’s No. 2 figure, Premier Li Keqiang. Once passed, the constitutional amendment would upend a system enacted by former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1982 to prevent a return to the bloody excesses of a lifelong dictatorship typified by Mao Zedong’s chaotic 19661976 Cultural Revolution. “Deng Xiaoping’s abolishment of lifetime tenure for the leadership and more institutionalized transitions in power are very much in question,” Li said. Passage of the proposed constitutional amendment by the congress’ nearly 3,000 handpicked delegates is all but certain. But observers will be looking to see how many delegates abstain from voting as an indication of the
reservations the move has encountered even within the political establishment. Chinese authorities have tightly controlled discussion about the removal of term limits, scrubbing social media of critical and satirical comments. State media have been largely muted about the topic, but the official People’s Daily sought to reassure the public by saying in a commentary that the move did not signal a return to lifelong rule. “This amendment does not mean changes in the system of retirement for party and state leaders and also does not imply that leaders will have lifetime tenure,” the party’s mouthpiece said Thursday. Still, a number of prominent Chinese figures have publicly protested the move, despite the risk of official retaliation. Li Datong, a former editor for the state-run China Youth Daily, wrote that lifting term limits would “sow the seeds of chaos” and urged Beijing’s lawmakers to exercise their power by reject-
NG HAN GUAN AP
Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, arrives with Premier Li Keqiang, left, for the opening session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Saturday. Xi is poised to make a historic power grab as China’s legislators gather from Monday and prepare to approve changes that will let him rule indefinitely and undo decades of efforts to prevent a return to crushing dictatorship.
ing the amendment. Wang Ying, a businesswoman who has advocated government reforms, called the proposal “an outright betrayal.” Many expressed shock and disbelief at what they perceived to be a return to the Mao era, and the massive upheaval, violence and chaos of the Cultural Revolution 50 years ago that has barely faded from memory. Already, the blanket and entirely positive coverage of Xi in official propaganda has drawn comparisons of a cult of personality to rival Mao’s. State network China Central Television broadcasts near-daily segments
featuring anyone from factory workers and farmers to space engineers and soldiers applauding for Xi in uniform enthusiasm for several minutes. His airbrushed, blemish- and nearly-wrinkle-free face often dominates the front pages of state newspapers. But some analysts note there are a number of key differences between Xi and communist China’s revolutionary founders that mean any major policy failure could obstruct Xi’s ambitions. “Xi Jinping is not loved and admired the way that Deng Xiaoping was. Xi Jinping is feared within the party,” said Steve Tsang, director of the
China Institute at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. Xi has also overseen an expansive anti-corruption crackdown that some perceive as at least in part a purge of his rivals. This has surely won him many enemies, making the prospect of ceding power potentially risky. Tsang said the party would follow Xi as long as things went well but that any serious economic misstep over the next five years would threaten Xi’s ability to extend his rule. “I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that he will have a third term,” Tsang said.
FROM PAGE 1
RETIREMENT as much as I can so that by hopefully 60 at the latest, I have enough money to live off for a good 20 years. Maybe somewhere warm. Kirk: It’s not a one-anddone moment in life in my mind at all, it’s going to be more like a slow fade of reaching a point where I’m financially independent enough to make whatever choice I want about how I spend my time. Brian: I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been working for a short amount of time, retirement doesn’t seem exciting. I feel like I don’t want to work to just retire. Garrett: Retirement to me is just not having to work. Not necessarily that you won’t work, but there’s no necessity for it. Emily: The idea of sitting in a condo in Boca fills me more with dread than anything. Maybe that’s just a foolish millennial dream, thinking you won’t be tired at the end and want to put your feet up for 20 years, but the idea of not working if I have my mind and my health doesn’t feel like me. Zach: What are you doing to save? And does your savings plan affect your life at all? Travis: I’ve recently been trying to figure out the investing game using some educational apps like Stash – putting a little away here and there, and learning about what it actually means to invest in the stock market. Learning how it all works so it’s not just magic numbers behind closed doors. Garrett: I’ve been pretty aggressively investing in
mostly index funds since I got out of college. Morgan: I used to have crazy online shopping binges. So now it’s like, OK, be a responsible adult and put that money in your IRA instead of just spending it. So I wouldn’t say I’m making any sacrifices, I’m just being responsible. I have a Roth IRA, and I put the maximum in it annually that I can. Travis: My partner and I consciously chose to live in Maryland in the suburbs because it was just too expensive to live closer to work in D.C. Emily: I don’t think I’ve ever taken a vacation as an adult – a real vacation, not driving home or flying home for Thanksgiving to go spend three days in your mother’s house. Kirk: For me the “set it and forget it” type of savings methods have definitely been what helps. I would say that 90 percent of what I’ve saved has been through passive methods. Brian: I opened a CD after graduating college, with my savings, and I’m putting into my 401(k). I’ve been treating the rest of my income as fun money, but my mindset has really changed in the past few months. I’ve started to cut down on my excess spending. Zach: What’s the best and worst financial advice you’ve received? Emily: I knew it was going to be bad advice when my mother prefaced it the first time with, “So, I know I’m a boomer and that means that you think that I don’t
ALYSSA SCHUKAR NYT
Morgan Richardson near her office in downtown Chicago on Feb. 5.
know anything but …” and then she started pushing me to start looking for at least a condo to buy, or a house, even saying the classic phrase, “Don’t waste your money paying your landlord’s mortgage.” I said, “OK, but then when the laundry machines stop working the same month that the heat goes out and they have to replace everything, it’s also not my checkbook.”
think that building habits is so hard to do, and breaking them can be so easy to do.
Morgan: The best advice I got was not dumping out my retirement fund to pay for my year living in London, because now I still have that. It would be bad if I had no retirement at all. It’s better to take out student loans than empty your savings.
Zach: What about retiring hasn’t come up that we should be talking about?
Kirk: I think “never break the habit” was the best advice I ever got. Even when you’re dirt poor, just completely broke, still at least throw a dollar into your savings account. I
Travis: I’m going to start telling my younger siblings that they have to start investing because it’s so easy now with these apps like Stash. It invests $5 for you every week. I had $5 when I was 16 and that would be worth so much more now.
Mauricio: I want to question the assumption that to have a decent retirement requires a high amount of literacy right now. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m playing the game as much as anybody, and I’m doing whatever I can to save as much money for myself, but there are alternative systems that wouldn’t require that
every individual be thinking about this and picking the best mutual fund or that sort of thing. The older model of pensions or something like that on a national scale would mean that people can retire without having to be financial gurus by the time they’re 60.
tract worker with no access to benefits? A huge percentage of people our age are in contract positions. They’re like internships. You may get to 28, 30, 35 and you’re building up work history, but you’re structurally not given 401(k)s or things like that.
Kirk: I’m worried that we’re just not on a good track. And it’s not just about the Social Security rug getting pulled out from under us. It’s about our own personal habits. I don’t know that we’re putting less into our personal savings than previous generations, but we don’t have pensions to fall back on in the way that they did, and if it’s all on our own behavior and our own responsibility, I think a lot of us are going to be in trouble.
Travis: I think it’s a good idea that we do the work, but I also think it’s a good example of how millennials are being told that we’re lazy because we’re not doing this work that no one else had to do before us. It’s something that people have to get angry about and start organizing around, that all of these systemic protections are being taken apart. It’s really easy to play into this narrative that millennials are doing everything wrong and they’re not planning, but there’s limits to individual behavior. At some point, there also has to be systemic support.
Emily: What if you work a 9-to-5 making a decent salary but you’re a con-
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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COVER STORY FROM PAGE 1
TRUMP been urging one another to be in touch – the sort of familiar contacts that often lift his spirits. In an unorthodox presidency in which emotion, impulse and ego often drive events, Trump’s ominous moods manifested themselves last week in his zigzagging positions on gun control; his shock trade war that jolted markets and was opposed by Republican leaders and many in his own administration; and his roiling feud of playground insults with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Some of Trump’s advisers say the president is not all doom and gloom, however. He has been pleased with the news coverage of his role in the gun debate and lighthearted moments have leavened his days, such as a recent huddle with staff to prepare his comedic routine for the Gridiron, a Saturday night dinner with Washington officials and journalists. Still, Trump’s friends are increasingly concerned about his wellbeing, worried that the president’s obsession with cable commentary and perceived slights is taking a toll on the 71-year-old. “Pure madness,” lamented one exasperated ally. Retired four-star Army general Barry McCaffrey said the American people – and Congress especially – should be alarmed. “I think the president is starting to wobble in his emotional stability and this is not going to end well,” McCaffrey said. “Trump’s judgment is fundamentally flawed, and the more pressure put on him and the more isolated he becomes, I think, his ability to do harm is going to increase.” This portrait of Trump at a moment of crisis just over a year after taking office is based on interviews with 22 White House officials, friends and advisers to the president and other administration allies, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss Trump’s state of mind. The tumult comes as special counsel Robert Mueller III’s investigation of Russia’s 2016 election interference and the president’s possible obstruction of justice has intensified. Meanwhile, Kushner, a White House senior adviser, was stripped last week of his access to the nation’s top secrets amid increasing public scrutiny of his foreign contacts and of his mixing of business and government work. Trump has been asking people close to him whether they think Kushner or his company has done anything wrong, according to a senior administration official. Two advisers said the president repeatedly tells aides that the Russia investigation will not ensnare him – even as it ensnares others around him – and that he thinks the American people are finally starting to conclude that the Democrats, as opposed to his campaign, colluded with the Russians. Still, the developments have delivered one negative headline after another, leading Trump to lose his cool – especially in the evenings and early mornings, when he often is most isolated, according to advisers.
ANDREW HARNIK AP
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Saturday to board Marine One for a short trip to the White House.
‘‘
LOSING PEOPLE IS TOO MUCH OF A STORY FOR THE PRESIDENT. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT’S IMPLODING … TRUMP HAD MOMENTUM WITH TAX REFORM, THE STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH. HE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP THAT GOING. Oil investor Dan Eberhart, a Trump supporter and a Republican National Committee fundraiser For instance, aides said, Trump seethed with anger last Wednesday night over cable news coverage of a photo, obtained by Axios, showing Sessions at dinner with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation, and another top Justice Department prosecutor. The outing was described in news reports as amounting to an act of solidarity after Trump had attacked Sessions in a tweet that morning. The next morning, Trump was still raging about the photo, venting to friends and allies about a dinner he viewed as an intentional show of disloyalty. Trump has long been furious with Sessions for recusing himself from oversight of the Russia probe, and privately mocks him as “Mr. Magoo,” an elderly and bumbling cartoon character. But this past week the president was irate that his attorney general had asked the Justice Department’s inspector general – as opposed to criminal prosecutors – to investi-
gate alleged misdeeds by the FBI in obtaining surveillance warrants. On Friday morning, Trump targeted his ire elsewhere. About an hour after Fox News Channel aired a segment about comedian Alec Baldwin saying he had tired of impersonating Trump on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Trump lit into Baldwin on Twitter, initially misspelling his first name. “It was agony for those who were forced to watch,” the president wrote at 5:42 a.m. “Trump’s fundamentally distorted personality – which at its core is chaotic, volatile and transgressive – when combined with the powers of the presidency had to end poorly,” said Peter Wehner, a veteran of the three previous Republican administrations and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. “What we’re now seeing is the radiating effects of that, and it’s enveloped him, his White House, his family and his friends.” Trump jetted Friday to his favorite refuge, his private Mar-a-Lago Club in South Florida, where he dined on the gilded patio with old friends – former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and wife Judith and Blackstone Group chairman Stephen Schwarzman, among others. Trump tried to convince his companions that trade tariffs were more popular than they think, according to someone with knowledge of their conversation. Shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday, he rolled up to the Trump International Golf Course for a sunny, 70-degree morning on the greens. Rather than firing off a flurry of angry messages as on other recent weekend mornings, the president tweeted only, “Happy National Anthem Day!” But then shortly after noon, once he returned to Mar-a-Lago from the golf course, Trump tweeted that the
mainstream media has “gone CRAZY!” Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax and a Trump friend, said, “I’m bewildered when I see these reports that he’s in turmoil. Every time I speak to him he seems more relaxed and in control than ever. He seems pretty optimistic about how things are shaping up.” Trump is testing the patience of his own staff, some of whom think he is not listening to their advice. White House counsel Donald McGahn and national economic council director Gary Cohn have been especially frustrated, according to other advisers. The situation seems to be grating as well on White House chief of staff John Kelly, who had been on the ropes over his handling of domesticabuse allegations against former staff secretary Rob Porter but who now appears on firmer footing. Talking last week about his move from being homeland security secretary to the West Wing, Kelly quipped, “God punished me.” Last Friday, Kelly tried to explain anew the timeline of Porter’s dismissal with a group of reporters – an unprompted move that annoyed and confused some White House staffers, who thought they were finally moving past the controversy that had consumed much of February. “Morale is the worst it’s ever been,” said a Republican strategist in frequent contact with White House staff. “Nobody knows what to expect.” Since Trump entered presidential politics three years ago, Hicks has been his stabilizing constant, tending his moods and whims in addition to managing his image. Within the president’s orbit, many wonder whether Trump has fully absorbed the impact of Hicks’s upcoming departure.
‘‘
MORALE IS THE WORST IT’S EVER BEEN. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT. A Republican strategist in frequent contact with White House staff Trump told one friend that Hicks was a great young woman, who, after three intense years, was ready to do her own thing. He told this friend that he recognized the White House was full of “tough hombres,” according to someone briefed on the conversation. But other confidants said the president feels abandoned and alone – not angry with Hicks, but frustrated by the circumstance. Coupled with last fall’s departure of longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller, Trump will have few pure loyalists remaining. “Losing people is too much of a story for the president,” said oil investor Dan Eberhart, a Trump supporter and a Republican National Committee fundraiser. “It just seems like it’s imploding … Trump had momentum with tax reform, the State of the Union speech. He should try to keep that going.” On Capitol Hill, lawmakers were left in varying states of consternation by Trump’s whipsaw on guns. He suggested publicly last Wednesday that he favored tougher background checks and would forgo due process in taking away guns from the mentally ill, but then sent opposite signals after huddling with National Rifle Association lobbyists the next night. Trump’s aides said his vacillation was a function of the controlled chaos the president likes to sow. Trump recently has come
to favor opening his meetings to the media – “It’s like his own TV show,” said one adviser – where he often chews over outlandish ideas, plays to the assembled press and talks up bipartisan consensus, even if it never leads to actual policy. Trump doesn’t see guns through the traditional prism of left vs. right, but rather as a Manhattan business developer, said one senior administration official, adding that he has told staff that he doesn’t understand why people need assault rifles. The president’s decision last Thursday to announce steep new tariffs on aluminum and steel – and gleefully tout a possible trade war – caught almost his entire team, including some of his top trade advisers, by surprise. Earlier in the week, Cohn was telling people he was going to continue stalling Trump on tariffs. He described the tariffs as “obviously stupid,” in the recollection of one person who spoke to him. “Gary said to him, you can’t do this, you can’t do that,” a senior administration official said. “The more you tell him that, the more he is going to do what he wants to do.” Trump’s allies say that in his past ventures he has thrived in chaotic environments, and he has replicated that atmosphere in the White House. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., recalled visiting Trump in the Oval Office for a billsigning photo opportunity a few weeks into his presidency that was scheduled to last just a few minutes. “We were in there over an hour, and every White House character was in there at one point or another. … It was like Grand Central station,” King said. “He has a way of getting things done. He had the worst campaign ever. On election night, he was the guy smiling and had won.”
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COVER STORY ANALYSIS
Women, young voters will decide the 2018 elections. If they actually vote. BY DAN BALZ
Washington Post
President Donald Trump continues to define the political conversation of the country with tweet blasts, public statements and often-alarming reports of his behind-thescenes behavior and moods. But two groups of voters – women and young people – will define the politics of this year and likely 2020 as well. These are the voters who stand most apart from the president and who are most at odds with many of the priorities he has advanced in office. Their opposition and their energy will determine the level of losses Republicans suffer in the November midterm elections. Come 2020, they are likely to determine whether the president wins a second term, should he decide to seek re-election. There has long been a gender gap in politics, with women more supportive of Democratic candidates in comparison to men. In the latest Gallup Poll tracking of the president’s performance, 44 percent of men give Trump a positive rating compared to just 31 percent of women. But there is something materially different about the gap between men and women when it comes to judging this president that polls alone cannot fully
capture. Many women have a visceral and negative reaction to Trump, and it has changed little during his time in office. They appear less forgiving of the president than many men are. This was true when Trump was a candidate, and women have led the resistance since the start of his presidency, beginning when huge numbers of women turned out for marches in Washington and around the country the day after his inauguration. In a year in which reports of sexual abuse and sexual harassment by prominent men have led to a powerful (hash)MeToo movement, the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the president – including a $130,000 payment by his personal lawyer to a porn star with whom he was alleged to have had an affair – have helped widen the gap further between Trump and many female voters. Trump’s deficit among college-educated women is especially serious. At the one-year mark in his presidency, the Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 71 percent of white college-educated women disapproved of Trump’s job performance, with 61 percent of them saying they strongly disapproved. Among white women without college degrees, a
group in which Trump has consistently enjoyed more support, half said they disapproved of his job performance and 44 percent said they strongly disapproved. For both groups of women, the assessment of the president was markedly more negative than among comparable groups of men. But there is a big question mark about what will happen in the upcoming midterm elections, and that is the issue of just who will show up to vote. Trump’s success in 2016 owed in part to the fact that non-college-educated voters – both women and men – turned out in greater numbers than did those with college degrees. If that’s the case again this year, then Democrats could fall short of their expectations. But if the anti-Trump sentiment propels significantly more college-educated women – white and nonwhite – to vote, then Republicans will likely suffer significant losses. So far there appears to be more energy among those most intensely opposed to Trump, a contrast to sentiments that shaped the 2016 electorate. Polling has sometimes been a misleading indicator of who will actually vote, and exit polls have turned out to be unreliable on who actually showed up. The 2016 exit
polls badly misstated the composition of the electorate, based on education levels-overstating the percentage of voters with college degrees and understating the percentage without degrees. The online polling firm SurveyMonkey cast doubt on the exit poll findings shortly after the election, highlighting the degree to which non-college voters outnumbered collegeeducated voters. Subsequent analyses, including from the Pew Research Center and the Census Bureau, also showed the same thing. Given the issues that have risen to prominence early in this election year – school safety and guns – along with the continuing focus on sexual misconduct in the workplace and elsewhere, women could be more motivated to turn out, especially women in suburban districts that will play a big role in deciding who controls the House next January. Last month’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and the public visibility and lobbying activity by high school students since has again highlighted the potentially important role that young voters could play this November and beyond. They are an increasingly important part of the electorate, with the one big caveat being whether they will turn out to vote. Often, young voters haven’t
turned out in numbers that matched their share of the population. Evidence continues to accumulate highlighting the degree to which the attitudes of younger voters differ from those of older Americans, especially on cultural and social issues. A new Pew study finds that the two youngest groups of voters – millennials and Gen Xers – have markedly different attitudes than among the two oldest groups – baby boomers and those in the “silent” generation – and the gap is wider than ever. Just 27 percent of millennials and 36 percent of Gen Xers approve of Trump’s job performance in the Pew survey, while 44 percent of baby boomers and 46 percent of those in the silent generation approve. Among millennials, the shift from being, by far, the most enthusiastic toward thenPresident Barack Obama at this point eight years ago to their low opinion of Trump is unlike anything seen during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The percentage of millennials who have views that are liberal or mostly liberal on issues such as the value of immigration or the role discrimination plays in holding back progress for black people has risen from 38 percent in 2011 to 57 percent today. Among Gen Xers, the
percentage who hold liberal or mostly liberal views on issues has jumped 10 points in that same period to 43 percent. This is a pattern across all generations-a general rise in liberal attitudes on issues – but it is most apparent among those in the two younger groups. Millennials are now the most Democratic-leaning group in the population, with 59 percent identifying or leaning toward the party, according to Pew. They also support or lean toward Democratic candidates in the upcoming election by a wider margin than others, with 62 percent saying they prefer Democratic House candidates in their districts this fall. Most striking in that finding is the shift since the 2010 and 2014 midterm elections, both of which resulted in sizable Republican gains. In 2010, 53 percent of millennials said they preferred Democratic candidates; in 2014 it was just 50 percent. There is also an increase in interest in this midterm election among millennials, up 16 points compared with 2014 and up 23 points versus 2010. Among many women and younger people, attitudes toward Trump and the issues he has made his own appear relatively hardened. Absent dramatic events, they aren’t likely to change much between now and November. But Democrats can’t take this to the bank. The key will be whether those attitudes result in a surge in turnout among those voting groups. That remains the most important question for this year’s elections.
FROM PAGE 1
MUELLER nal task of investigating contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia is unclear. The examination of the UAE comes amid a flurry of recent activity by Mueller. Last month, investigators negotiated a plea agreement with Rick Gates, Trump’s deputy campaign manager, and indicted 13 Russians on charges related to a scheme to incite political discord in the United States before the 2016 election. In one example of Nader’s influential connections, which has not been previously reported, last fall he received a detailed report from a top Trump fundraiser, Elliott Broidy, about a private meeting with the president in the Oval Office. Broidy owns a private security company with hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts with the United Arab Emirates, and he extolled to Trump a paramilitary force that his company was developing for the country. He also lobbied the president to meet privately “in an informal setting” with the Emirates’ military commander and de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; to back the UAE’s hawkish policies in the region; and to fire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. A copy of Broidy’s memorandum about the meeting was provided to The New York Times by someone critical of the Emirati influence in
Washington. Trump has closely allied himself with the Emiratis, embracing their strong support for the new heir to the throne in Saudi Arabia, as well as their confrontational approaches toward Iran and their neighbor Qatar. In the case of Qatar, which is the host to a major U.S. military base, Trump’s endorsement of an Emiratiand Saudi-led blockade against that country has put him openly at odds with his secretary of state – as well as with years of U.S. policy. Nader, 58, made frequent trips to the White House during the early months of the Trump administration, meeting with Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner to discuss U.S. policy toward the Persian Gulf states in advance of Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia in May 2017, according to people familiar with the meetings. By some accounts, it was Bannon who pushed for him to gain access to White House policymakers. Others said Kushner backed him. Reached by phone last month, Nader said he had dinner guests and would call back. He did not, and attempts to reach him over several weeks were unsuccessful. Nader’s lawyer did not respond to messages seeking comment. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Nader has long been a mysterious figure. In the 1990s, he presided over
DOUG MILLS NYT file
Robert Mueller, the special counsel in the Russia investigation, leaves the Capitol in Washington last June.
an unusual Washington magazine, Middle East Insight, which sometimes provided a platform for Arab, Israeli and Iranian officials to express their views to a Washington audience. Late in that decade, Nader convinced the Clinton administration that he had valuable contacts in the Syrian government and took on a secretive role trying to broker a peace deal between Israel and Syria. Working with Ronald S. Lauder, the U.S. cosmetics magnate and prominent donor to Jew-
ish causes, Nader shuttled between Damascus and Jerusalem, using his contacts in both capitals to try to negotiate a truce. “In the 1990s, George was a very effective under-the-radar operator in the peace process,” said Martin S. Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and a member of a team put together by President Bill Clinton to negotiate peace deals between Israel and its neighbors. “Then, he disappeared.” Indeed, a man with a once very public profile in
Washington effectively vanished from the capital’s policy scene, and his magazine ceased publication in 2002. During the middle part of the last decade, Nader appears to have spent most of his time in the Middle East, especially in Iraq after the 2003 invasion. He developed close ties to national security officials in the Bush White House. At the beginning of the Obama era, Nader tried to parlay his ties to the Syrian government into access to senior members of
President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team, while also seeking to advance business deals with former advisers to President George W. Bush. By the time of the 2016 election, he had become an adviser to Mohammed of the UAE. According to people familiar with the relationship, it was around Trump’s inauguration that Nader first met Broidy, the Republican fundraiser, who is a California-based investor with a strong interest in the Middle East.
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NATION 7 dead, streets flooded and cities paralyzed after storm BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR. AND AMY B WANG
Washington Post DUXBURY, MASS.
For two days, a deadly nor’easter turned a thousand-mile stretch of the East Coast into a wind tunnel, leaving millions without power, paralyzing flooded cities and towns and claiming the lives of at least seven people. With the worst over by Saturday, people from Maine to Georgia emerged from homes to take stock of damage from a storm that could be more destructive than the rapidly intensifying “bomb cyclone” that struck the Eastern Seaboard two months ago. Some of those first glimpses came in the dark. At its peak, winds that got as fast as 93 mph had knocked out power to more than 2 million people, including more than 400,000 in Massachusetts and 320,000 across New York. Thousands of flights were grounded at some of the country’s busiest airports, causing a ripple effect of delays and cancellations around the world. On the ground, highways across the Northeast were clogged with tractor trailers and buses, which were prohibited from crossing some of the region’s massive bridges due to the treacherous winds. In smaller cities and towns, particularly those near the vulnerable coast, roads had turned into rivers. The people killed during the storm included two children. An 11-year-old boy in Putnam Valley, New York, died after a large tree fell and crashed into a home, trapping the boy, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department said. A similar thing happened to a child in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The fire chief there said the child was in bed when a tree limb struck his home, fatally injuring him. The adults who died included a 72-year-old Newport, Rhode Island, man, killed by a falling tree; a 77-year-old woman in Baltimore County, Maryland, who was crushed by a tree branch while while checking the mail; and three men – one in James City County, Virginia, another in Connecticut and a third in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania – who were killed when trees fell on their cars. Many others recounted too-close calls. First responders in Quincy, Massachusetts, spent Friday night rescuing dozens suddenly trapped by rising flood-
waters. “I’m fortunate to get rescued,” Christine WayCotter of Quincy told Boston CBS affiliate WBZ, according to CNN. “Our house is lifted so, like, nothing came into our first floor, but our whole basement is probably six feet underwater.” Alp Yokus, 12, and his parents grew increasingly fearful as the waters rose inside their Quincy home before they were rescued by first responders. “When it really came up, we just stayed in, hoping,” Alp told The Boston Globe. “For the first floor, some of it leaked in through the walls.” Because of the dangerous conditions, more than 3,000 domestic and international flights were canceled in the United States on Friday, including complete ground stops at LaGuardia Airport in New York and Dulles Airport outside Washington, District of Columbia. One flight encountered such heavy turbulence that “pretty much everyone on the plane threw up. Pilots were on the verge of throwing up,” the pilot said in an urgent report from a regional jetliner from Charlottesville, Virginia. Amtrak also briefly suspended train service because of outages in New York City. For most other people, the storm was a blustery inconvenience, dropping large amounts of rain and snow. High tides that neared record levels pushed seawater into nearby neighborhoods. Portions of New York state received more than 3 feet of snow. Syracuse University canceled a full day of classes because of snow for only the third time in its history. Entire towns south of Boston remained in the dark through most of the day, with still-gusting winds making it too dangerous for work crews to go up in bucket trucks. In Duxbury, about 35 miles southeast of Boston, Eric Giumetti, the owner of Duxbury Pizza, reflected on 40 years of bad weather. He remembered his father-in-law keeping the pizza shop open during a 1978 blizzard, lighting the store with headlights from cars in the parking lot. In 2018, he’s kept the lights on with a portable generator, purchased five years ago, when he thought superstorms and the ensuing blackouts would become an annual event. He put a power strip on the wall, so people could charge their phones and told The Post he was expecting a big lunchtime crowd.
MICHAEL DWYER AP
A large wave crashes into a seawall in Winthrop, Mass., Saturday, a day after a nor’easter pounded the Atlantic coast. Officials in eastern Massachusetts, where dozens of people were rescued from high waters overnight, warned of another round of flooding during high tides expected at midday.
Nakesha Williams resisted help from social workers, friends and acquaintances, some who only knew her as a homeless woman, and others who knew of her past.
A note to Nakesha Williams from family members after her high school graduation alludes to a difficult childhood. HANDOUT NYT
A ‘bright light,’ dimmed in the shadows of homelessness BY BENJAMIN WEISER
New York Times NEW YORK
They met on a rainy morning several years ago, at the base of the Helmsley Building in Midtown Manhattan. As others hurried to work, Pamela J. Dearden, an executive with JPMorgan Chase, noticed a woman, unperturbed by the rain or her surroundings, standing on a 36-square-foot sidewalk grate she had chosen as her home. Dearden, known to everyone as P.J., offered her umbrella to the woman, who took it and thanked her. A friendship blossomed. P.J. would often stop to talk with the woman, who sat amid shopping bags, books, food containers and a metal utility cart. P.J. admired her hardiness, but also her smile, her soft features and her humor. If the woman was sleeping or talking loudly to herself, P.J. held back, but other times she engaged her in short conversations, which could go into unexpected places. The woman’s name was Nakesha Williams. She said she loved novels, and they discussed the authors she was reading, from Jane Austen to Jodi Picoult. She and P.J. chatted as time allowed, or until Nakesha veered into topics that hinted at paranoia: plots and lies against her. Yet, P.J. realized she knew little about Nakesha, and she wondered about her past. Nearly three decades earlier, another woman took notice of Nakesha, then an 18-year-old college freshman, and considered her seemingly
GEORGE ETHEREDGE NYT
Pamela Dearden, an executive with JPMorgan Chase, knew that Nakesha Williams would reject her suggestions that she enter a shelter or seek treatment, so Dearden, known as P.J., gave her what she could: gifts, warmth and attention.
boundless future. Sandra Burton, director of the dance program at Williams College in Massachusetts, was struck immediately by Nakesha’s vibrancy and talent as a dancer. She became Nakesha’s teacher and mentor, and she began to closely track her development. Nakesha, she recalled, stood out no matter the setting: the stage, the classroom, even across a kitchen table. But three years after graduation, Burton and other friends started getting strange phone calls and emails from Nakesha, with bizarre claims she was being followed by strangers. She abandoned people who were close to her and spurned their offers of help. In 2010, more than two decades after they met, Burton received what would be her last communication from Nakesha, an email in
which her former student angrily lashed out at her. Burton and P.J. were bookends to a promising life derailed by mental illness and homelessness. But their paths never crossed. One woman held answers to Nakesha’s past, the other to her present. What had happened in between? There are roughly 3,900 unsheltered homeless people in New York City, ever visible but also largely anonymous. They lie in dingy sleeping bags near buildings or construction sites, bury themselves under blankets, ponchos and cardboard boxes, or sit with proppedup signs asking for money. Their presence remains one of the most intractable challenges facing the city: Solutions are complex at best, and finding the proper balance of medical care, casework
and law enforcement to ease them off the streets has proved daunting to the de Blasio administration, as it has been to many that came before. Over the course of more than a year, I delved into Nakesha’s life, trying to understand the events and forces that put her and so many of the city’s homeless on the street. I spoke with dozens of people and benefited from having access to hundreds of emails that Nakesha sent over the years to friends and others, and scores of meticulously typed letters that she copied at libraries and handed to passers-by. In these, she offered a winding, rudimentary diary of her existence on the street. My effort revealed a deeply complicated, at times contradictory, journey – a life of spectacular SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 6
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HOMELESS promise undone by demons. No simple answer to the puzzle of Nakesha emerged. But at the same time, another narrative revealed itself: a story of New Yorkers and others who went to extraordinary lengths to try to help her, only to be left frustrated. On her grate at East 46th Street and Park Avenue, Nakesha was surrounded by a collection of strangers who offered their company, care and generosity. Sidewalk vendors watched over her and her belongings. Restaurant owners let her use their restrooms. People like P.J. brought her food and warm clothing. And yet Nakesha continued to spiral downward. She rejected P.J.’s suggestion that she enter a shelter or seek help. “I was like, ‘I have a friend that you can talk to,’” P.J. recalled telling her, referring to a social worker she knew. “She’s like, ‘Oh, no, I’m fine.’” P.J. tried again. “’Do you need any medication?’” The answer was no. So P.J. tried to address her other needs. She brought her sandwiches and toiletries. She went online and ordered her a raincoat, a duffel bag, two pairs of black pants, shirts, socks and underwear. She bought a pair of black leather boots that she helped Nakesha pull over her swollen feet. She gave her presents on her birthday and at Christmas. Then one day in August 2016, P.J. realized that she had not seen Nakesha for weeks. With a sense of foreboding, she began to search for her friend. A ‘REALLY BRIGHT LIGHT’ As a student at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, New Jersey, Nakesha had excelled. She was class president and a member of the National Honor Society; she sang in two choirs and worked on the school newspaper. The yearbook described her as one of two students who “did the most” for their class and school. She graduated in 1988 third in her class of more than 200 seniors, and her college tuition was covered by scholarships, some from local churches. To Nakesha, Williams College, a competitive private liberal arts school in pastoral Berkshire County, must have seemed a world away from home. Yet she adjusted easily. A former classmate, Valda Clark Christian, now a health care executive in Maryland, recalled how Nakesha had warmly introduced her to the relatives who accompanied her to campus. “I can’t think of anybody who met her and didn’t fall right into some comfort and familiarity,” Clark Christian said. Part of a close-knit group of students of color, Nakesha joined the college’s gospel choir and a traditional African dance troupe called Kusika, which Burton directed. Nakesha, Clark Christian and two other students were seen together so often that they became known on campus as the Four Musketeers. “They were like the women you looked up to, that you admired,” said Tanya Nicholson Miller, another former classmate and now an educational
consultant in New Jersey. “It was just like the way they carried themselves on campus, their sense of self-esteem.” Nakesha was also a source of support for other students – a “really bright light to all of the faculty and her peers,” Burton recalled. Becky Dickinson, who had felt self-conscious about performing, said she joined Kusika only after Nakesha encouraged her. “I do remember her saying like, ‘You can do this,’” Dickinson said. “I admired her. She was inspiring.” In her dorm room, Nakesha kept a photograph of her mother, Geraldine Williams, and she had saved her mother’s cards and letters, which often bore an imprint of a lipstick kiss. In fall 1990, several weeks into her junior year, Nakesha learned that her mother, who had breast cancer, had become gravely ill. Nakesha withdrew from school and returned to New Jersey, moving into the Willingboro home of her aunt, Jacqueline Fattore, who was caring for Geraldine. Nakesha slept in a recliner at the foot of her mother’s bed in the den. “I spent every moment I could at her side,” Nakesha later wrote in an essay about her mother’s final days. Geraldine was an unwed teenager when Nakesha was born in 1970. Although she soon married Nakesha’s father, Marvin Rothmiller, they divorced several years later. Geraldine became involved with an abusive man who repeatedly molested Nakesha when she was just a child, as Nakesha eventually confided to Burton and others. (The man was later convicted in a drug case and has since died.) Nakesha was sent to live with her maternal grandmother, with whom she stayed until leaving for college. But she remained close to her mother, and was devastated by her death in February 1991, at the age of 37. “I looked at her face,” Nakesha wrote. “For the first time in my life, I saw a calm that wasn’t clouded by bitterness, hurt or anger.” Nakesha enrolled for the spring semester at Rutgers University’s Camden campus, and in the fall, returned to Williams College, with a renewed sense of dedication and seriousness, Burton recalled. Over the next two years, Nakesha focused on researching, writing, choreographing and directing an ambitious senior project – a panoramic performance of black dance, from its origins in Africa through contemporary hip-hop. Nakesha, lithe and petite, also performed in the two-hour show in March 1993, which involved some 20 dancers and musicians. It was called “If You Can Walk, You Can Dance, If You Can Talk, You Can Sing.” Navin Girishankar, a drummer, remembered the hours they had spent rehearsing in a campus studio. “Everything I would throw at her, with these little drumming moves, she’d come up with something even more brilliant,”
GEORGE ETHEREDGE NYT
Sandra Burton, the director of the dance program at Williams College who became Nakesha Williams’ mentor, in Williamstown, Mass., on Nov. 9, 2016.
he said. The show was a sensation. “The audience was immediately aware of the great care and love that went into the production,” the college newspaper, The Williams Record, said in a review. Nakesha was awarded a prize established in memory of the college’s first black graduate for the “best scholarly work submitted by a Williams undergraduate in the field of Africana studies.” Reginald Hildebrand, who taught Nakesha African-American history, said he had “expected her to be one of the leading individuals in whatever she was going to do in her generation.” ‘A WANDERING, UNSTABLE STATE’ After graduation, Nakesha went to work at Sewickley Academy, a private school near Pittsburgh that at the time enrolled about 700 students. One former student, Lisa Bevevino, to whom Nakesha taught sixth-grade history, remembered Nakesha as beloved by students, often sitting on the floor with them, talking through their problems and assigning projects that provoked creativity. Once, she said, Nakesha had each student invent a holiday and write about how it would be celebrated, the values it promoted and what artifacts would be involved. “She was one of the foundational people,” said Bevevino, now an assistant professor of French and Latin at the University of Minnesota, Morris, “that really cared about
how we were doing and how we thought about the world.” In 1996, after three years, Nakesha abruptly left Sewickley. Neither Bevevino nor anyone else could recall her giving a clear reason for her departure. Nakesha drifted over the next decade, moving among family members and friends and holding odd jobs, working as a sales clerk at Victoria’s Secret and as a bridge toll collector. She took computer software courses, and a writing class at Temple University in Philadelphia, where she wrote the essay about her mother’s death. Hints of her mental illness began to surface. In 1997, Burton and her husband invited Nakesha to live with them in Hancock, Massachusetts, a short distance from Williams College, where Nakesha found administrative work in the dance department. The couple had been concerned that Nakesha had quit her teaching job, and they sensed that something was not right. One day, Burton said, she arrived home and found all the curtains drawn. Nakesha said she believed someone had followed her home. After a few months, Nakesha, decided to move to New York, against the advice of Burton and her husband. “What could we do?” Burton said. “She was an adult.” By summer 1998, Nakesha was living in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, with Anim Steel, a former college classmate. Steel had been captivated by Nakesha when they first met at Williams, writing in his
journal, “I’ve never met anyone like her.” In Brooklyn, they shopped together, played kickball and visited the Statue of Liberty for Nakesha’s birthday. But Nakesha was having bouts of anxiety, Steel said, and he found a therapist who agreed to see her on a pro bono basis. The therapy did not last; Steel moved to Boston at the end of the summer, and Nakesha stopped seeing the doctor. She moved in with another friend, Greg Holland, a paralegal and friend from high school, whom she once described as being “like a brother.” After about two years, Holland recalled, Nakesha began claiming that the CIA was looking for her. She stopped working and paying her share of the rent. She moved back to New Jersey, first staying with her father and then with other relatives. Her erratic behavior continued, and she began to cut off family members. In summer 2001, a former college classmate, Joan Rocklin, invited Nakesha to dinner in Manhattan. As first-year students at Williams, they lived across the hall from each other, and had remained friends. Rocklin was planning to move to teach at the University of Oregon School of Law and wanted to see Nakesha before leaving. As they relaxed in Rocklin’s apartment, Nakesha mentioned that she had found messages in books she was reading. Rocklin assumed Nakesha meant certain books had seemed meaningful to her; she was disturbed to learn that Nakesha meant ac-
tual written messages. Nakesha moved a few years later to Philadelphia, where she taught at an adult literacy center. Her supervisor recalled her as a talented teacher, but said she began talking to herself and complaining that people were stealing from her, and she eventually left the job without collecting her last paycheck. It was in November 2006 that Rocklin received the first in a stream of emails from Nakesha. “Hey Joan, What’s going on?” Nakesha wrote. “I’m stuck in California right now.” Nakesha said she was “stranded” with no address and could be reached through the Los Angeles library system. Rocklin responded that she cared about Nakesha and was worried “whether you have shelter at night and whether you are getting enough food.” Nakesha, then 36, replied that she was “not exactly homeless,” but was in “a wandering, unstable state that is sad at best.” ‘I’M NOT HOMELESS’ Rocklin continued to receive Nakesha’s emails, which were sometimes copied to politicians and others. She complained that the Los Angeles police had been harassing her and that she needed clean clothes, and money for food. She described picking up pennies on the sidewalk. “I think I now have a whole 35 cents at my disposal,” she wrote. She said her eating habits depended on whether she could find SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 7
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NATION mother. In 2012, Nakesha gave birth to another son, who was allowed to remain with his biological father. The agency’s social worker who oversaw the children’s cases said in an interview that both boys were in loving households, and each was thriving and happy. The older boy, now about 8 years old, is autistic and gifted, his adoptive mother said in a separate interview. She said the two boys had exchanged photographs and messages, and she added, “They look identical.”
GEORGE ETHEREDGE NYT
A homeless woman became a fixture to passers-by at a handful of spots in Manhattan, including this bench on Fifth Avenue. But in the summer of 2016, she vanished.
FROM PAGE 6
HOMELESS free samples somewhere or a church that served food after services. She said her feet were blistered, sore and bleeding, and walking was painful. “The socks are disgusting, the tights have holes and runs, and I have no winter jacket and it’s cold here at night now,” she wrote. Rocklin consulted with a psychiatrist in Los Angeles, collecting the names and numbers of shelters, clinics and a hospital, which she forwarded to Nakesha. “When we were in college together,” Rocklin wrote, “I was always impressed by how bright, creative and resourceful you were. There are resources in West Hollywood and people who can help you. Please reach out to them.” Nakesha thanked her, saying the information seemed “meant for the homeless.” “I’m not homeless,” she said. Her emails indicated otherwise. Nakesha wrote of sleeping in a Los Angeles motel lobby where the clerks knew her and sometimes got her a room, and of sitting in a doughnut shop in Hollywood until she fell asleep. A week before Christmas, Nakesha wrote to say she had collected enough money to buy a bus ticket to the East Coast. A week later, she emailed to say she had arrived in Asheville, North Carolina, where the police had taken her to a Salvation Army homeless shelter. Three days later, Nakesha emailed again, this time from Washington, where, she later noted, she was writing from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. In messages that followed, she described sleeping in the lobby of one apartment building and the laundry room of another, and outdoors on the National Mall. “I still have no money to make sure I’m fed & barely eat, if I eat at all,” she wrote Jan. 14, 2007. A week later, she claimed that she had been “rudely asked” to leave the Greyhound bus terminal and Union Station, and was “desperate as to what to do.” Rocklin tried to arrange for a Washington-based ministry to have a photograph of Nakesha distributed to homeless out-
reach teams and the city’s mental health services department. That July, Rocklin was traveling to Washington and emailed Nakesha, suggesting they have lunch together. They met at the library, then dined at a nearby seafood restaurant, where Rocklin said the conversation was pleasant if awkward; she felt she could not raise Nakesha’s homelessness, since Nakesha had always denied it. She also took Nakesha shopping, buying her CVS gift cards and a fare card for the subway. Nakesha’s emails eventually stopped, Rocklin said. Nearly a year later, in September 2008, Rocklin was in Washington again, for a wedding, and visited the library. She searched for Nakesha on each floor, without finding her. REJECTING OFFERS OF HELP By then, Nakesha had been in New York for nearly a year, arriving in December 2007, according to her letters. Around that time, Burton’s husband, Don Quinn Kelley, a professor at the New School, came upon Nakesha at Grand Central Terminal. He called his wife, saying he was shocked at Nakesha’s appearance: frail, underweight and apparently homeless. “I said, ‘Sweetie, go look for her,’” Burton recalled. “He was really clear that she needed our help – and she needed help beyond us.” The couple invited Nakesha to move into an apartment they kept in Washington Heights, clearing space for her in the living room. But after they broached the idea of her getting treatment, Nakesha moved out. It would not be the last time Nakesha rejected offers of help, often from former classmates who had chance meetings with her on Manhattan streets. Abby Dobson, a singer and songwriter who had known Nakesha from the Williams College gospel choir, recalled bumping into her repeatedly in Manhattan, including several times in Penn Station, where she saw Nakesha standing by the Seventh Avenue escalators, appearing homeless. Their conversations were friendly and they ex-
changed email addresses, but Dobson could see the deterioration in her friend, who mumbled to herself and claimed people were stealing her identity. During one encounter, Dobson gave Nakesha some cash. “Your twenty-five dollar ‘donation’ got me a very necessary new pair of pants,” Nakesha emailed later, “and for once in a long time I was lucky enough to get a shower.” Dobson said that when she suggested delicately that Nakesha might benefit from seeking help, Nakesha rejected the idea. When they next saw each other, on the street, Nakesha snapped at her and accused her of spreading lies. Angelique Feaster, Nakesha’s former college roommate and now a bank vice president, learned of Dobson’s encounters with Nakesha and began a search for her. “You are never alone,” she emailed Nakesha. “I love you, my sister, for life.” She never caught up with her. Wole Coaxum, a banker and former Williams classmate, said he was at Grand Central one night when he heard someone call his name. He was stunned to see Nakesha, bundled on a bench. They had not seen each other since college, where they had been friends. He greeted her, silently trying to process the scene. He asked himself: How did you get here? Why are you sitting here homeless? He gave Nakesha his card, and later emailed her. “How wonderful it was to see you the other day,” he wrote. “Clearly, you’ve been working through a lot.” He offered to help “in whatever way I can.” Coaxum told Nakesha that he was on the board of Phoenix House New York, a nonprofit with a network of resources that could “start the process of helping you.” Nakesha ultimately rejected the offer, saying the agency was not for her, it was for substance abusers. After his offices moved to Midtown, Coaxum continued to see Nakesha, on the grate at 46th Street and Park Avenue, sometimes on cold days when the rising steam kept her warm. He understood that homelessness was a reality, he said, “but it doesn’t necessarily happen to people that you know.” Nakesha’s college friends communicated with one another about
her predicament. But her resistance strained their relationships with her, and one after another they fell out of touch with Nakesha. “There was just a deep sense of helplessness I think we all shared,” said Robyn Carter, a former nonprofit executive in Boston and one of the Four Musketeers on the Williams campus. LABORING ALONE In January 2010, Burton received an email from a colleague in the school’s alumni relations department. “Sandra, FYI,” the email said. “Looks like Nakesha had a baby.” A New York City child protective specialist, Charles Castro, had emailed the college, saying he was seeking any of Nakesha’s “family or friends who can be considered as resources in a time of crisis for her.” Nakesha, now 39, had apparently hidden her pregnancy under clothing and blankets. She was discovered going into labor at Grand Central and was rushed to the hospital. “It’s a miracle,” Nakesha wrote in an email several months later, that the baby “was born at all.” Castro, who has left the children’s services agency and now lives in Minnesota, said he checked on the newborn, a boy, and interviewed Nakesha in the hospital. Their conversation deteriorated quickly. “You’d go from thinking she was very intelligent to what world was she living in?” he said. Burton recalled Castro saying that he was trying to persuade Nakesha to accept mental health treatment, to improve her chances of maintaining a relationship with her child while his fate was decided in family court. “Otherwise,” Burton recalled, “the child was going into foster care.” Nakesha was not receptive. When Burton emailed her in July 2010 to see how she was doing, she responded angrily, threatening to sue her, adding that if Burton intended to discuss social services or doctors, “don’t bother.” The baby was placed in foster care, and though Nakesha took some parenting classes and visited him at the nonprofit social services agency that was supervising the case, her parental rights were ultimately terminated by the family court. The boy was adopted by his foster
‘THIS IS NOT ME’ By the time P.J. Dearden first encountered Nakesha on the sidewalk in 2014, she had been homeless in Manhattan for more than six years, with only occasional breaks, her writing suggests. She described living for several months in Long Branch, New Jersey, a short “home stay” in the Bronx and spending some nights in a Brooklyn motel. Some periods are not documented. For the most part, she stayed on sidewalks near Bryant Park, Herald Square, Grand Central, Penn Station, a heated grate on 32nd Street near Seventh Avenue, and the sidewalk at 46th and Park. On some cold nights, she rode the subway. P.J. and several others had saved copies of the letters Nakesha had handed them on the sidewalk. Nakesha typically wrote the letters on laptops she borrowed at the Grand Central branch of the New York Public Library, a short distance from the grate, and then printed copies. The letters, like her emails, were a mixture of delusional statements, literary references, tart commentary and harsh attacks on other people. Some were addressed to public figures, like President Obama – “Dear Barack” – and others to “Children All Over the World.” “I am still stuck in New York City without housing,” she wrote April 10, 2014. “I don’t care for ‘bag lady’ as a profession any more than ‘homeless lady.’” She later described spending a rainy Christmas under a makeshift tent. “I don’t seem to be welcome in places where I actually should be,” she wrote, “though I keep hearing my appearance and cart & bags are deterrents.” She noted that her bags and property had been stolen “by an FBI team” and that her sons, too, had been “stolen.” She listed the books she was reading and described her favorite hangouts: a Cosi eatery on 45th Street where she would “buy my dinner or get a hot beverage and use the bathroom”; a passageway under the Helmsley Building, where she would “thaw and stay out of the cold”; and an atrium where she went at night after a late-January snowstorm. In her letters, she described rejecting offers of temporary housing by a homeless services outreach worker named “Luis.” “Still a ‘no’ and will remain that way,” Nakesha wrote. For many in the neighborhood, Nakesha was a fixture on the grate at 46th and Park. Daniel Ferrigno, who managed the Grand Café, a lunch counter beneath the
Helmsley Building, said Nakesha was a frequent customer. They talked, he said, though not about her past. “She never needed me to open that door, so why go there?” Ferrigno said. Nakesha was also a regular at the Grand Central library branch, according to Genoveve Stowell, a former managing librarian. Stowell said the branch welcomed the homeless as long as they respected library rules that applied to everyone – no napping, no loud noises, no oversized bags. Ronnie Hicks, another former employee, said that although she had seen Nakesha outside the library talking to herself, “she never did that” inside the branch and had “perfect manners.” Occasionally, patrons complained about Nakesha’s body odor, and Stowell took the matter up privately with Nakesha. “I had to address it,” she said. Others who engaged with Nakesha were often left with more questions than answers. Carolee Hildenbrandt, who passed Nakesha on her way to work, had once been a nurse at Bellevue Hospital Center. “They’re wonderful there,” she recalled telling Nakesha. “They can help you.” Nakesha demurred. Myrna Cruz, a senior executive assistant at JPMorgan, who bought Nakesha a cart, said Nakesha had seemed appreciative, yet within a week, the cart was gone and Nakesha was using an older one. Nakesha’s closest observers were two street vendors. One, Hamid Elhiri, a Moroccan immigrant who each morning parked his coffee cart a few feet from the grate, said he typically made Nakesha a breakfast of eggs and a roll, with iced tea or cranberry juice. When he would ask how she was doing, she would respond, “Alive.” Sometimes, Nakesha stood in line and placed a few dollars at his window, he said. If she did not have money, she would approach the rear of his cart. “She has – how we say – pride?” he recalled. Elhiri said one day a man began taunting her, and Elhiri shouted at him to stop. Another time, he blocked a homeless man from stealing Nakesha’s purse while she slept. Elhiri said he joked with her, “I’m your bodyguard.” But he regretted that one day he failed to stop a security officer from confiscating Nakesha’s belongings after she had asked Elhiri to watch them. “They throw everything away,” he said; Nakesha was enraged. At lunchtime, Nakesha often crossed Park Avenue to sit beside another vendor, Magdy Eltantawy, an Egyptian immigrant, who operated a sandwich cart with his wife and brother. They had known Nakesha for several years, and enjoyed bantering with her and preparing her favorite lunch – chicken over rice, with raw onion. Eltantawy said he remembered Nakesha saying she had children and once showing him a photograph of her holding a baby. Eltantawy said he saw all sides of Nakesha’s personality. One day, he recalled, she began screaming uncontrollably, and he asked her, “What’s SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 8
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HOMELESS going on, Ms. Williams?” “’This is not me,’” she said. “’This is other people in me.’” Eltantawy’s suggestions that she seek help were rebuffed: “I’m functioning very well,” she told him. AN AVID READER LOSES GROUND For Nakesha, Christmas 2015 was a relatively happy time, at least by one measure. On Dec. 28, an outreach worker, Luis Alfredo Garcia, found her on her grate, surrounded by a pile of presents she had received from passers-by. “Lots of gifts, food,” Garcia jotted down in his journal. Nakesha’s holiday bounty did not last long, Garcia noted several days later. “Sanitation took gifts” that she had left unattended, he wrote: “food, blanket, vase.” Garcia – the “Luis” cited by Nakesha in one of her letters – worked for Breaking Ground, a nonprofit contractor for the Department of Homeless Services, which sends two-member outreach teams on daily walks to check on street dwellers in Midtown and to try to patiently encourage them to accept housing, treatment and supportive services. Occasionally, psychiatrists accompany the teams. At first, Nakesha was dismissive of the workers, calling them the “hi and goodbye” people, said Bill Hughes, a Breaking Ground supervisor. Garcia said he drew out Nakesha by discussing the books she was reading; a coworker, Shanna Knotts, said she used the letters Nakesha handed out for hints about what she was feeling and thinking. Garcia’s journal served as a running account of his interactions with the street people he checked on; one entry shows he observed Nakesha as early as August 2013, at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. “Nakesha: Reading. Looked up smiled, waved,” Garcia wrote. The next month, Nakesha was at 46th Street between Park and Lexington avenues, sitting, writing and surrounded by bags. “Spoke but waved off,” he noted. His journal entries offered vivid snapshots of Nakesha’s daily activities: “Counting $.” “Reading War of the Worlds.” “Reading Huck Finn.” “Seated w/ umbrella, rain coat. Reading Anna Karenina.” “Still reading Anna K; about 200 pages left.” “Plans to stay here to keep wind from blowing away her things.” “Standing. Arguing w/ herself.” Breaking Ground’s records show that from April 2014 on, its workers saw Nakesha at 46th Street and Park Avenue 319 times, Hughes said. Three-quarters of those times, they stopped to speak with her. On 10 occasions, they tried unsuccessfully to persuade her to take a room reserved for the homeless at the Harlem YMCA. “I can arrange for a ride there so you can see the place before deciding,” Garcia once told Nakesha in June 2015, his journal shows. “Not today,” Nakesha responded. Nakesha resisted meet-
ing formally with psychiatrists, although several spoke with her briefly on different occasions on the street and read some of her letters, Garcia recalled. He said that one doctor had suspected that Nakesha might have schizophrenia. Garcia said he had hoped Nakesha would agree to treatment, so she could return to the “level of functionality” she had once enjoyed, allowing her to reconnect with her family, become employable and even write in a more coherent way. “That’s really what I wanted for Nakesha,” Garcia said. “She’d have her life back.” He said that he had also wondered whether Nakesha’s refusal to seek shelter on the coldest nights was itself sufficient evidence that she posed a danger to herself and thus could be committed for evaluation. Garcia said he got a new perspective one day in January 2016 when he was surprised to see that Nakesha had been interviewed by a local news station. New York’s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, had just signed an executive order compelling the authorities to move the homeless – forcibly if necessary – into shelters when the temperature dropped to 32 degrees or below. The governor’s order spurred widespread debate, and the television station, WPIX, seeking reaction from the street, found Nakesha. “Nakesha Williams braces for the first really cold night of this winter, hunkering down on the corner of 46th and Third Avenue,” a reporter narrated over an image of Nakesha seated on a bench. Asked what she thought of Cuomo’s order, Nakesha responded that it “makes sense,” but noted that there were risks associated with shelters. “Your choice is between the cold and an unsafe situation,” Nakesha explained. “Is it sanitary enough and is it safe enough? Those are the issues.” Garcia was impressed, he said, that Nakesha, despite her delusions, had cogently analyzed the choices as she saw them: a potentially dangerous shelter, or the street, where she had proved self-sufficient. “So, which is saner?” Garcia said. “It’s such a moment of extreme clarity.” A LAST ENCOUNTER On the morning of July 22, 2016, Scott Erickson, an optician who worked on Fifth Avenue near 45th Street, smiled at Nakesha as he passed her on his way to buy a lottery ticket; she nodded back, he recalled. He had seen her frequently in recent weeks, introducing himself at one point, and had given her small gifts: hand lotion, fresh socks and a pair of unused sneakers from his closet. That day, Nakesha was seated on a bench outside the Barnes & Noble store, surrounded by shopping bags, sandwiches wrapped in cellophane and an empty bottle of Minute Maid lemonade, a green straw inside. A blue utility cart, stuffed with clothing, papers and a floral-pat-
GEORGE ETHEREDGE NYT
Genoveve Stowell, a former managing librarian at the Grand Central branch of the New York Public Library, on Nov. 1, 2016. Nakesha Williams, who frequented the library before her death in July 2016, resisted help from social workers, friends and acquaintances, some who only knew her as a homeless woman, and others who knew of her past.
terned sack, stood a few feet away. When Erickson returned from his errand a few minutes later, he found Nakesha sitting motionless, her head tilted backward, her eyes open but empty. He shook her arm and called 911. He began CPR, until the police and paramedics arrived and took over. “Come on!” he called to Nakesha. “You know her?” a paramedic asked. “Just from seeing her out here,” Erickson replied. Nakesha was rushed to Bellevue, where she was pronounced dead at a minute past noon. She was transported to the medical examiner’s office, where an employee wrote, “Unknown woman of unknown age found dead in a park.” Her photograph was emailed to the Department of Homeless Services. Outreach workers identified her and reported that she was mentally ill and had spurned offers of shelter or safe haven. “The team is not aware of any next-of-kin information,” the workers said. Nakesha had died of a pulmonary embolism, a complication of her obesity, an autopsy showed. She was 5 feet tall and weighed 255 pounds, the report said. There was no evidence of alcohol or drugs in her system. She was 46 years old. Her remains were placed in a white body bag and kept in a basement mortuary, where she lay unclaimed. A CALL TO A REPORTER P.J. Dearden had been searching for Nakesha on the streets near the grate, and in and around Grand Central. Finally, she approached Elhiri, the coffee vendor, who said a customer had told him that Nakesha had died. P.J. sought a confirmation. Her wife, Dawn Dearden, a federal employee in Manhattan whom I knew, called me. How could she find out if Nakesha was alive? I suggested she call the medical examiner’s office. Dawn did, and she learned that Nakesha had died and her body had been in the morgue for nearly six weeks. If no relative claimed her remains, Dawn was told, Nakesha would most likely be buried on Hart
Island, where the city inters unclaimed bodies in mass graves. P.J. resolved to not let that happen. She claimed Nakesha’s remains, had her cremated at a Greenwich Village funeral home and had her ashes placed in an urn made with mother-of-pearl with flecks of gold. She left her phone number with Elhiri, in case anyone asked about the woman on the grate. An office worker, Karen Davis, who had known Nakesha and learned of P.J.’s efforts through Elhiri, emailed the secretaries in her office, collecting money to help defray the funeral expenses. Davis gave P.J. about $300 in an envelope that listed 21 donors. I, meanwhile, used copies of Nakesha’s letters, which P.J. and others had provided to me, as a guide to track down her relatives and former classmates. Nakesha’s aunt, Fattore, sobbed at the news of her death. But she also seemed to have found a sense of relief. She said the family had not heard from Nakesha in years. In the living room of her house in Willingboro, New Jersey, Fattore, along with Nakesha’s uncle, Danel Williams, and the younger of her two brothers, Cherron Rothmiller, proudly recounted her academic achievements, strong friendships and devotion to family members. “Everybody called her Kesha,” Danel Williams said. Displayed on Fattore’s wall was Nakesha’s high school portrait: She is wearing a blue-and-whitestriped dress and resting her chin on her arms. She looks radiant, relaxed and confident. The family also described Nakesha’s difficult childhood, her molestation and how she had kept it a secret for years. They also talked about her mental deterioration. “We should just be happy that she’s at peace,” Fattore said, weeping. “Because she wasn’t at peace as long as she walked around this earth.” Nakesha’s former college classmates were brokenhearted to learn of her death. Scores of tributes were shared through private group messages on Facebook. One appreciation came from Krystal Williams, who had danced in Nakesha’s senior project but had not seen her
since college. “I am trying to wrap my mind and heart around Nakesha’s final years,” she wrote. “In my mind, I still see her hair in a ponytail with her rocking dance tights and a slightly oversized dance jersey that slides off one shoulder. That is how I will remember her – in light, dancing and leaping over the drum beat.” Burton, sitting in her campus office at Williams College, read through letters Nakesha had written in her final months, including some in which Nakesha had bitterly attacked her. “It’s really powerful for me to know that I was in her mind until her death,” Burton said. She said that as Nakesha had struggled with her illness, she must have asked herself, “How do I anchor myself, right now, in this storm?” “Her discipline was writing every day,” Burton continued. “The names, the places, the jobs, the memories of relationships, the snatches of memories of relationships; the books, the discipline to read all the time and to talk about what she was reading and to have a book list, right? To me, that goes back to the joy that she had as a learner, as a scholar, as a creative person. And those skills remained with her throughout her life.” “Somehow, she was also holding on to all of us,” Burton added, “but she wouldn’t let us hold on to her.” On Oct. 15, 2016, Nakesha’s father, Marvin Rothmiller, then 66, a retired postal worker, arrived at Penn Station with several relatives, including two of his sisters, Norlyn Garlic and Valerie Dillard, who had been close to Nakesha. I accompanied them on the walk to 46th Street, where P.J. and Dawn Dearden were waiting by Nakesha’s grate, with a suitcase containing Nakesha’s urn. P.J. spoke for a few minutes about Nakesha, and the people who had watched over her. She showed the family the passageway under the Helmsley Building where Nakesha had sought refuge from the cold and rain, and the Grand Central library branch, where she had spent so many hours. The family returned to New Jersey, taking the suitcase with them. P.J. still asks what else she could have done for
Nakesha. “Everyone let her down on some level,” she said. “She died on a street corner.” A RECKONING, BY CANDLELIGHT On Nov. 1, 2016, 10 people gathered on Nakesha’s grate to commemorate her life. Nicole Moore, a friend of Nakesha’s from college, had organized the event. Each guest lit a candle and reminisced. Many were Nakesha’s former college classmates, including Becky Dickinson, the once-insecure dance performer; Anim Steel, who opened his apartment to Nakesha in 1998; and Abby Dobson, the singer and songwriter. Many spoke of their regret at not being able to do more for Nakesha. P.J. and Dawn Dearden were also there, as was Karen Davis, the office worker who had taken up a collection and who happened on the gathering as she was heading to the subway. Angelique Feaster, the former college roommate who had been unable to find Nakesha in New York, said she was devastated that she never saw her. “Because I would have grabbed her and just took care of her, crazy or not,” Feaster said. “I would be like, ‘OK, they’re coming after you? Well, we’ll run!’” Dickinson, now a social worker, said that every day she walked by people “who are going through trauma and adversity.” “You never know – you never know anybody’s story,” she said. P.J., who was meeting Nakesha’s college friends for the first time, could barely hold back tears. She said she hoped the group was comforted knowing that “there were people who really cared for her and looked out for her.” When it was Moore’s turn, she spoke about how mental illness did not discriminate. “It could be us tomorrow,” she said. She turned to P.J. “We are grateful for you, for giving her whatever time you had,” she said. With candles burning and a few pedestrians looking on, Dobson began singing a modern-day spiritual she had written years earlier with her cousin. Inspired by the Toni Morrison novel “Beloved,” it was called “Lonesome Child.”
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NATION
Police: Student killed parents with his dad’s gun BY RICK CALLAHAN
Associated Press MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH.
A 19-year-old student suspected of fatally shooting his parents at a Central Michigan University dormitory had been acting so strangely the day before the killings that campus police talked to his mother and then took him to a hospital for suspected drug abuse, authorities said Saturday. University police Chief Bill Yeagley told reporters that James Eric Davis Jr.’s parents had just picked him up from that hospital and brought him to his dorm to pack up for spring break when Friday’s shooting happened. He said the gun used in the shooting belonged to Davis’ father, James Davis Sr., a part-time police officer in the Chicago suburb of Bellwood. Yeagley would not say whether the father had brought the gun to the university’s campus in Mount Pleasant, Michi-
gan, when picking up his son, but he noted that Davis Jr. can be seen on video in the James Eric dorm’s Davis Jr. parking lot with the gun before he entered the residence hall where his parents were shot around 8:30 a.m. The university is considered a gun-free zone, and Yeagley said it would have been a violation of campus policy for Davis Sr. to bring a gun on campus. “We can make a lot of assumptions, but I’m not going to make those assumptions. But I can tell you for sure that the gun came from outside, in the parking lot, with (Davis Jr.) through the building,” Yeagley said. Yeagley would not say what type of gun was used or whether it was Davis Sr.’s service revolver. He also declined to say whether drugs were found in Davis Jr.’s system. Davis Jr. was arrested
without incident shortly after midnight following an intensive daylong search that included more than 100 police officers, some heavily armed in camouflage uniforms, authorities said. Authorities found him after someone aboard a train spotted a person along railroad tracks in Mount Pleasant, and called police, Yeagley said. Yeagley said Davis Jr. was under guard at a hospital Saturday and would be moved to the Isabella County jail when he’s discharged. Mount Pleasant is about a 285-mile drive from the family’s hometown of Plainfield, Illinois. The shooting occurred on a day when parents were arriving to pick up students at the university for the beginning of a weeklong spring break. Yeagley said witness statements and video indicate that at the time they were shot, Davis Jr.’s parents were in the dorm “simply packing up for spring break.”
He said police had first come into contact with Davis Jr. on Thursday morning when he came running into a community police officer’s office in his dorm “very frightened” and but “not making a lot of sense.” “He said someone was out to hurt him, someone was going to harm him, and the officer calmed him down and tried to gain more information about what was going on. … Mr. Davis was very vague and he kept talking about someone having a gun,” Yeagley said, adding that Davis Jr. said he had not actually seen the person with a gun. “We said, ‘How do you know he was going to hurt you if you didn’t see a gun?' He was saying things like, ‘It’s just a feeling. I know it,’ ” the chief said. Davis Jr. eventually talked about riding in a dorm elevator with the person, and police went to talk to the individual Davis Jr. had identified. Yeagley said that when offi-
cers determined that the person posed no threat – and reviewed video from the elevator that showed Davis Jr. and that person laughing – Davis Jr. said he was fine and was leaving campus Friday for spring break. Hours later, officers spotted Davis Jr. in a dorm hallway with his suitcases, Yeagley said. When officers tried to talk to him, he again wasn’t making sense, Yeagley said. They asked Davis Jr. to call his parents, which he did. An officer then spoke to Davis’ mother, Diva Davis, told them about her son’s behavior, their concerns about possible drug use and asked her whether he had a history of drug use, Yeagley said. “The mother said she too was concerned this could be drugs,” he said. Yeagley said Davis Jr. had not been previously identified by campus officials as someone that others on campus were concerned about. “Mr. Davis was not ever reported, and we had no interaction that we’re aware of with him in any negative fashion – with anybody – prior to this incident,” he said.
BY AARON RANDLE
arandle@kcstar.com KANSAS CITY
Typically, when Pat Clarke uses the BP gas station at Indiana Avenue and Linwood Boulevard, he winds up giving the cashier behind the bulletproof window a piece of his mind. “That place pisses me off,” Clarke says. “And I let them know that.” The station is a far cry from the BPs on the other side of Troost Avenue, like the station at 87th Street and State Line Road with its adjoining car wash, high-tech pumps and full-service convenience store. At the station on Linwood, the signs and overhead canopy are dingy and weather-beaten. Landscaping is reduced to untended shrubs and patches of gravel, dirt and malnourished lawn. The pavement is covered in engine oil and trash. Only regular fuel is available. The premium and midgrade options at each of the eight pumps have been covered with duct tape and plastic. Kansas City Police say they have received more than 150 calls about incidents at the station’s address since May. “This might as well be a dope house,” says Clarke, president of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association. “They don’t give a (expletive) about us.” Clarke’s frustrations highlight the socioeconomic chasm between residents of the East Side and the businessmen from the suburbs who have set up shop in their neighborhoods. On the East Side, it’s gas stations — not niche shops, restaurants, drugstores or grocery stores — that dominate the landscape. In place of those other storefronts, gas stations, with their convenience stores, have become less a community amenity than a lifeline. Citing what they believe to be a widespread brand of careless commercial ownership, neighbors
KEITH MYERS kmyers@kcstar.com
Pat Clarke, president of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association, echoes the frustrations of many East Side residents who would like to see the owners of gas stations such as this one at Linwood Boulevard and Indiana Avenue be better neighbors.
TARGETING UGLY GAS STATIONS Amid decay, neglect, neighborhoods taking action lament that these gas stations are hurting areas already at risk when they could be catalysts of community improvement. In a survey of more than a dozen gas stations there, The Star found widespread decay and neglect. But there is a glimmer of hope. A new crop of sparkling stations has sprouted along East Side roadways, and with them a new blueprint for collaboration. The only questions: Will other stations follow their lead? And if not, what should East Side neighborhoods do next?
‘GHETTO OR GOLD MINE’ As head of his neighborhood association, Clarke keeps a watchful eye over the community that stretches from Linwood south to Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard and from Prospect Avenue east to Cleveland Avenue. He’s built relationships with the residents and the churches, the barbershops and mom-and-pops. When a business opens in the neighborhood, Clarke says he’s there: “I’ve got to know who’s coming in here. I’ve got to know who I’m dealing with.”
But Clarke didn’t know the owners he was dealing with at his neighborhood BP on Linwood. All he knew is that the operating partners don’t live in the area. “These guys, they come in here, they make their money and they go back to wherever they’re from.” The Linwood BP is operated by Mid KC Petroleum Inc., and lists Arfan Paroya of Kansas City, North as its president, according to the Missouri secretary of state’s office. In an email, Paroya said
Man dies after shooting himself at White House BY JOHN WOODROW COX
Washington Post WASHINGTON
A man standing alone amid a crowd of more than 100 people shot himself along the north fence line of the White House midday Saturday, according to witnesses. The man died of his injuries, according to Associated Press reports. Authorities held back the man’s name until his relatives could be notified. Philipos Melaku-Bello, who was manning a nearby peace vigil, said the gunman was standing just inside the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Avenue, across from Lafayette Square. Melaku-Bello heard two shots fired in quick succession before he saw the man drop to the ground as people fled the area. No one else was injured, according to the Secret Service. President Donald Trump was at his Mar-aLago resort in Florida.
go,” Clarke says. “Let us find someone who’s willing to work with us.” An example of the collaboration he’d like to see between a business and its community is flourishing barely a mile away. The Key Coalition neighborhood association has been working closely with Jamal Farrukh, who owns the Shell Xpress Mart gas station at 31st Street and Brooklyn Avenue, to create an unforeseen source of community pride. “We couldn’t be happier,” says association president Karen Slaughter. The Shell station’s lot is nearly three times bigger than the Linwood BP’s and is kept free of trash. Its grounds are lined with manicured trees and shrubs. The pumps are new and fully functional. The convenience store offers hot and cold drink stations and an island for foods like nachos, hot dogs, popcorn and doughnuts. Neighbors work the cash register. Farrukh doesn’t live nearby but still has made himself an active, participating member of the community since erecting his business there two years ago. The station is one of the newest on the East Side and an example, Slaughter says, of what happens when businesses and communities work together. Farrukh could not be reached for comment. But from the onset, Slaughter says, he created a partnership that would make both sides happy. “Mr. Jamal has been a very good neighbor,” Slaughter says. Farrukh first approached the neighborhood association three years ago. Already keen on adding economic development, members invited him to a community meeting to present his vision. Farrukh mentioned another Shell he had opened the year before at Swope Parkway and Prospect. “We decided to stop through unannounced and
that he has operated Kansas City gas stations and convenience stores since 1999 and that he works his best “to please the community and shall continue to strive and improve it.” He said he is open to any suggestions “for improvements the community may have.” To Clarke, the statement is just empty words: “You look at the station and you don’t have to wonder how much they care about the community.” “If you can’t do better, if you can’t treat us better, you need to get up and SEE GAS STATIONS, PAGE 10
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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NATION ment, and it was marketed as accessible and easy to personalize. For those who love the rifle, it is seen as a testament to freedom – a rite of passage shared between parents and children, a token to welcome soldiers home, a tradition shared with friends at the range. But in its relatively short life span, the AR-15 has also become inextricably linked with tragedy and has been vilified as the weapon of mass murder. Nineteen-year-old Nikolas Cruz confessed to gunning down 17 people last month at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in which an AR-15 was used, the latest mass shooting to prompt a new round of the intractable gun debate. Whether beloved or reviled, the AR-15 is more than just a gun for much of the United States.
ERIN SCHAFF NYT
Steve Clark, the owner of Clark Brothers Gun Shop, inside his store in Warrenton, Va., Feb. 25. At the shop, Clark said his customers are drawn to newer and more modern rifles. “If the whole world went to ARs, that’s what I’d be selling,” Clark said. “It would make me sad, but I’m going to sell them what they want.”
Once banned, ‘America’s rifle’ is fiercely loved and loathed BY ALI WATKINS, JOHN ISMAY AND THOMAS GIBBONS-NEFF
The New York Times
Jeff Swarey bought his AR-15 rifle five years ago after shooting guns in video games. Jessie K.
Fletcher, a former Marine sniper, was given one by his platoon after he stepped on a bomb in Afghanistan that blew off his legs. Jessica Dorantes, a Texas police officer, will not go on patrol without hers.
FROM PAGE 9
GAS STATIONS check it out and were really impressed with how the station was run. The stockroom, the grounds, the bathrooms, everything was immaculate. It just seemed different from what we were used to gas stations in this part of town looking like,” Slaughter says. “We asked Mr. Farrukh if this was something we could expect, and he said yes.” What they didn’t expect was just how much Farrukh, who lives in the Kansas suburbs, would ingrain himself into their community. When the neighborhood holds its annual family appreciation event, Farrukh supplies and offers to cook the food. He attends neighborhood meetings to keep an open ear to how he can serve the neighborhood. Meetings that, for instance, led Farrukh to hire employees from the neighborhood — an early concern residents had about the station. Slaughter mentions the slain civil rights activist Bernard Powell, who was integral to the Key Coalition community. “He had a motto: ‘Ghetto or gold mine, the choice is yours.’ We decided to work with Mr. Jamal to show that this neighborhood is a gold mine, worth respect and support from people within and outside the community.” ‘AN ENGAGED CITIZEN’ Jacob Wagner understands the success that can come when a business and community work together. Wagner is an
associate professor of urban studies at University of Missouri-Kansas City and co-directs its Center for Neighborhoods, a research and outreach unit that offers free training to help neighborhood leaders attack issues. “The key factor to changing a neighborhood is an engaged citizen who knows what the options are,” he says. “Who knows how to put pressure on city hall and how to allocate resources necessary to either get the businesses to clean up their act and be a good neighbor or to go directly to the neighbor like, ‘Hey, I need you to clean up your act.’” Ike Graham has been president of the Vineyard Neighborhood Association for years, and, like Clarke in Oak Park, had no idea who owned the BP gas station at 45th Street and Cleveland Avenue. “The owners never reached out to us at the association or came to any community meetings,” Graham said one January afternoon. “I don’t know who owns the station, I just know I don’t like it.” Says Virginia Flowers, the association’s secretary: “I don’t fuel my car there.” The station opened in 2005 barely a quarter of a mile from their neighborhood association’s headquarters, but Graham says he’s more likely to drive to a QuikTrip in Raytown for gas. QuikTrip operates 20 stations in the Kansas City area, including a $15 million investment in Lee’s
Their shared communion is a firearm that has in recent decades become a staple of American gun culture. Its iconic silhouette is immediately recognizable – and polarizing. The AR-15 won its place
in American culture through a confluence of circumstances, described in interviews by more than 15 gun industry professionals, hobbyists, lawyers and gun owners. They pointed to 2004, when the AR-15 re-entered the gun
market after the end of the federal assault weapons ban, at a time of heightened interest in the military. It was popularized by the rise of a video game culture in which shooting became an accessible form of mass entertain-
Summit last year, but has none in Kansas City’s East Side. Graham and Flowers echo the common concerns about the BP station: too much trash, not enough beautification or job creation for people in the community. This was all news to Azam Mahfooz, one of the station’s owners. Mahfooz moved to Olathe from New York years ago and opened more than half a dozen stations on the East Side. He thought that building the stations showed goodwill. “I didn’t put my money in the bank, I put it in the community,” Mahfooz says. In the past few months, he says, he’s refurbished his Cleveland Avenue station’s aging canopy and started selling fresh, inexpensive produce in the convenience store as an alternative to the junk food often found in gas stations. He’s planning a new sign and fueling stations and is hoping to buy the property to the south so he can expand the convenience store and offer more amenities, similar to Farrukh’s Shell Xpress stations. At The Star’s request, Mahfooz met Graham in February, for the first time, and had Graham walk him around the property and air any concerns. “It’d be great, too, you know, if you could come to the meetings and meet the people in the community,” Graham told Mahfooz as they walked the aisles of the station’s convenience store. A request Mahfooz said he would commit to, and more: “How about a community day?” Mahfooz pro-
posed. “I can buy drinks and food and we can invite everyone out and we can all get to know one another.” Mahfooz continued: “If the community is happy, then they’ll come. And when they come, we make money. We’re all happy.” The scene is a textbook example, Wagner says, of the cooperation needed between communities and owners to bring about change: “If owners aren’t being held accountable, they can let their standards slip,” he says. “If no one is saying, ‘Hey come to our neighborhood meeting, your store is a mess, we’re going to start putting pressure on you,’ well, then they can ignore it.”
hopes, partly with the purpose of trying to invite the owners to hang out and come to meetings to make them aware of our concerns and to let them know that we wanted to work together, but that would never work.” Nailah M’Biti, an Ivanhoe resident who lives blocks from the station and also works with the neighborhood association, echoes the same: “The owner doesn’t care what happens at that station.” “The people behind that station, they come in, they work, they leave. Nothing else,” she says. “From a standpoint of ownership it would surprise me if he’s actually visited that station.” The Missouri secretary of state’s office lists Arfan Paroya as the president of AMPK Fueling Inc., Paroya and his attorney, Shahzad Ghafoor, declined further comment about the complaints and would not elaborate on Paroya’s stated plan to improve the stations. “I think these station owners on the East Side are taking advantage of decades of disinvestment,” says Stephanie Frank, an assistant professor at UMKC who specializes in urban environments. “There’s a perception also that people around these communities don’t care or that they’re not going to withhold their business,” she says. “So the attitude becomes, ‘I don’t have to invest, because the people there aren’t going to go elsewhere.’” It’s up to communities, Wagner says, to enlist local government to force subpar owners to be better neighbors.
COLLABORATE OR COMPLAIN For years as executive director of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council, Margaret May says she has tried to get the owners of the BP station at 35th Street and Prospect Avenue to collaborate with the community. Neighbors worry about loitering and worse crimes at the station and surrounding lots. Since May, Kansas City police report receiving 105 calls about incidents at the station’s address. May, who had helmed the neighborhood association for nearly 16 years before retiring in December, says she had tried numerous times over the years to work with the station but was roundly ignored: “We would try to contact him by phone, stop by the station. We would have events with food and music on the vacant lot to the north of the station in
‘AMERICA’S RIFLE’ Light, precise and with little recoil, the Colt Armalite Rifle-15 Sporter hit the market in the early 1960s as the first civilian version of the military’s M16 rifle. What set it apart was, much like its military counterpart, inventor Eugene Stoner’s patented gas operating system, which allowed for rapid fire and reloading. The weapon could easily handle a 20-round magazine, was easy to disassemble and was marketed, in one of Colt’s early advertisements, to hunters, campers and collectors. Billed as “America’s rifle” by the National Rifle Association, the AR-15 is less a specific weapon than a family of them. When Stoner’s rights to the gas system expired in SEE RIFLE, PAGE 11
The city’s neighborhood and housing department can take action on property troubles such as excessive trash, weeds and damaged storefronts — but only if a resident files a complaint. Which, on the East Side, apparently doesn’t happen often. Despite the high number of criminal complaints, city records show no property violation complaints filed against either the Prospect or Cleveland gas stations. The Linwood station was cited twice in 2015 and 2016 for “rank weeds or unattended growth” and “rubbish on exterior property area.” “Ours is a complaintbased system,” says John McCullough, the public information officer for the department, which employs 40 code inspectors. “We cover 319 square miles and have about 13,000 open cases at any time.” McCullough says the complaints are addressed in order of severity but says his office answers most complaints within 30 days. May, however, says Ivanhoe is concentrating more on police issues, like loitering and other crimes, than on filing complaints about the way the gas stations are maintained. It’s why M’Biti says she has tried to work with the station directly. She would love to see the station take specific measures, like erecting a fence or gate as the Walgreens pharmacy down the street did, to prevent loitering. Aaron Randle: 816-234-4060, @aaronronel
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NATION
Bans on plastic straws in restaurants expand to more cities BY DANIEL VICTOR
The New York Times
The latest is Malibu, California. Before that came Seattle; Davis and San Luis Obispo, California; and Miami Beach and Fort Myers, Florida. They’re all cities that have banned or limited the use of plastic straws in restaurants. Straws, routinely placed in glasses of water or soda, represent a small percentage of the
plastic that’s produced and consumed but often end up on beaches and in oceans. Advocates said laws aimed at cutting back on the use of plastic straws can help spur more significant behavioral changes. “I think a lot of people feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the plastic problem,” said Diana Lofflin, the founder of StrawFree.org, an activist organization based in San Diego. “Giving up plastic
straws is a small step, and an easy thing for people to get started on. From there, we can move on to larger projects.” The City Council in Malibu voted on Monday to bar restaurants from giving out plastic straws, utensils and stirrers. Similar measures are being considered in other coastal cities, including Berkeley, California. A bevy of restaurants across the country have also voluntarily stopped providing
straws. It’s not just happening in the United States. Scotland plans to be rid of plastic straws by 2019, and Taiwan is banning single-use plastic items, including straws, cups and shopping bags, by 2030. Around the world, people have wrestled with the environmental effect of plastics, which do not naturally degrade and are frequently used once before settling in landfills, clogging storm drains or
collecting in the ocean, often for long periods of time. Many countries have banned, limited or taxed the use of plastic bags. The American Chemistry Council has taken a softer approach to straw bans than it did with bags, suggesting that restaurants provide straws only when a customer asks for one. “We believe providing straws through an ‘ondemand’ system gives customers choice and
dy,” Swarey said of buying his first AR-15 about five years ago, when, he said, the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting was fueling talk of another assault weapons ban. “It was one of those things, that I wanted to get one before they were impossible to get.”
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RIFLE 1977, it opened the way for dozens of weapons manufacturers to produce their own models, using the same technology. The term AR-15 has become a catchall that includes a variety of weapons that look and operate similarly, including the Remington Bushmaster, the Smith & Wesson M&P15 and the Springfield Armory Saint. Over the ensuing decades, as the U.S. military modified the M16’s exterior to allow for accessories such as sights, grips and flashlights, the civilian market followed. Today, gun enthusiasts consider the AR-15 the Erector Set of firearms. Online message boards, video games and advertisements all provide how-to guides for customizing the rifle. But the guns were taken off shelves after President Bill Clinton signed a law in September 1994 banning what Congress called “assault weapons.” Prompted by a string of mass shootings – including one in 1989 in Stockton, California, in which five children were killed and 32 wounded in a schoolyard – the legislation stopped production of civilian rifles like the AR-15, and introduced the term “assault weapons” to the public. The number of assault weapons recovered by police in crimes and reported to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives dropped sharply after the ban was carried out, according to a Justice Department report. But it stops short of directly tying the ban to a decrease in gun violence, and the ban’s broader effect remains in dispute. Gun rights advocates say loopholes allowed for the sale of slightly modified versions throughout the ban. Its defenders cite law enforcement statistics showing a drop in the criminal use of automatic and semi-automatic weapons during that time. The number of rifles manufactured in the United States has steadily increased since the ban ended through congressional inaction when the ban sunset in 2004, though it is not clear how many are semi-automatic firearms. Some 3.7 million rifles were manufactured in the United States in 2015, the most recent year for which the ATF has publicly available data. Determining the true effect of the ban is all but impossible because federal regulations prohibit the government from tracking the guns. Though gun
helps prevent waste by ensuring that straws are distributed only to those who need them,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the organization’s plastics division. Scott DeFife, vice president of government affairs for the Plastics Industry Association, said in an interview that the problem of ocean debris was complex, stemming more from inadequate resources for waste management. “We, as a nation, are not going to solve our marine debris issues by banning straws in restaurants,” he said.
ERIN SCHAFF NYT
Betty Cain, center, shoots her Smith & Wesson Model 500 revolver at the Clark Brothers Gun Shop shooting range in Warrenton, Va., on Feb. 25.
industry lobbyists touted the popularity of AR-15s, no public information is available on how many Americans own them, where they are bought or concentrated or exactly how many exist. EXPLOSION IN POPULARITY Culturally, the ban did what marketers could not: In outlawing it, the government made the AR-15 tantalizing. “If you want to sell something to an American, just tell him that he can’t have it,” said Mark Westrom, who owned Armalite, the gun’s original manufacturer. When the ban ended, enthusiasts could finally buy what for a decade had been forbidden. And when the AR-15 reappeared in gun stores that fall, American culture had changed. Now, this civilian-model military rifle was being sold amid not only a swell of anticipation but also post-9/11 patriotism and at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Special Operations forces were being mythologized in news segments, shown carrying their rifles through the desert in imposing tactical gear. Children were shooting the AR-15’s military equivalent in wartime video games. Manufacturers designed rival versions, creating a competitive market that made the AR-15 more affordable. “So you want to buy a rifle like our troops are using in Iraq?” National Public Radio asked in November 2004. “Well, step up to the counter and tell the man what you want.” Gun store owners scrambled to meet de-
ERIN SCHAFF NYT
An employee takes a gun off a display inside Clark Brothers Gun Shop in Warrenton, Va., on Feb. 25.
mand, contemporaneous news accounts show. Shops that historically sold traditional bolt-action guns and older firearms started stocking AR-15s. Steve Clark, whose family has owned Clark Brothers Gun Shop in Warrenton, Virginia, since 1956, said his customers are drawn to newer and more modern rifles. “If the whole world went to ARs, that’s what I’d be selling,” said Clark, who prefers older firearms for what he views as superior craftsmanship. “It would make me sad, but I’m going to sell them what they want.” AR-15 owners, asked why they bought the firearms, cited recreation as well as the larger mythology that has enveloped the rifle of embodying freedom and the Second Amendment. Joshua Boston, a Marine who spent two deployments in Iraq and two in Afghanistan and owns several AR-15s, said he keeps them for personal
defense. He is looking for the serial number of his old military rifle so he can engrave both it and the Colt logo onto the AR-15 he plans to give years from now to his son, now 11 months old. Chris Cerino, a former federal law enforcement officer and firearms instructor in Ohio, said he hated the AR-15, until he used one. “It was so fun to shoot,” said Cerino, 48. Now, he and his wife, who has a purple AR-15, love them. “It’s an icon,” he said. “It’s a symbol of freedom. To me, it is America’s rifle.” Critics say the firearm’s branding positioned it for notoriety. Josh Koskoff – a lawyer who represents parents of victims of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in a lawsuit against the gun manufacturer Remington – cited a concerted effort by the gun industry after the assault weapons ban to use the
AR-15 to shape popular opinion around semiautomatic weapons – rebranding them as “modern sporting rifles.” “When they market it to young men, there’s no ‘sporting rifle’ angle to it,” Koskoff said. “It’s all military. It’s all violent. And it’s all incendiary marketing.” Indeed, the AR-15 is also inextricably linked to tragedy. Mass shootings are central to the gun’s narrative, and its popularity. Police departments stocked up on them after a string of massacres in the 1990s. Some supporters attribute their fondness to fear of being outgunned should they encounter an aggressor. Hobbyists, like Swarey, 23, have swarmed to gun shops after mass shootings, fearful that they could be a catalyst for the government to outlaw them again. “It was right around the time of the first school shooting that made the news and scared everybo-
‘CHICKENS HOME TO ROOST’ Compared with pistols, assault rifles are used rarely in shootings. According to FBI statistics, 374 people were murdered with any kind of rifle in 2016; 7,105 were killed by a handgun. But the AR-15 has been a recurring character in some of the United States’ most infamous violent crimes. Adam Lanza used his to kill 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook. Stephen Paddock used an enhanced ARstyle gun to kill 58 concertgoers and wound hundreds on the Las Vegas Strip in October. A month later, Devin Kelley murdered 26 congregants with a Ruger AR-15 variant at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. And the rampage last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, renewed calls for assault-style rifles to be banned – a common refrain after mass shootings. It is unclear when and how the rifle worked its way into the United States’ lexicon of violent crimes. In 1982, George E. Banks shot to death 13 people with the weapon, and in 1997, an AR-15, among other semi-automatic military-style rifles, was used in the North Hollywood shootout, a daytime robbery in California that devolved into a nearly hourlong firefight and was televised live across the country. During the gunbattle, police officers were forced to run to a local gun store and take rifles to try to contend with the robbers’ firepower and body armor. Afterward, police departments around the country started making AR-15s standard issue for officers. Koskoff, the lawyer for Sandy Hook victims, criticized the marketing of the AR-15 as hypermasculine and inflammatory, aimed at attracting young men, “ringing the bell of the lone gunman.” “What we’re seeing right now with the increasing velocity of shootings with AR-15s is a little bit of a ‘chickens coming home to roost’ scenario,” he said. “They sold so many to so many, and so indiscriminately to this younger demographic, that it’s just become a risk that increases with each sale.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 12
POLITICS GUEST LINEUPS FOR THE SUNDAY NEWS SHOWS ABC’s “This Week” – Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross; Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.
NBC’s “Meet the Press” – Ross; Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.
CBS’ “Face the Nation” – White House trade adviser Peter Navarro; Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Manchin, DW.Va.; Andrew Pollack, father of student killed in Florida school shooting.
CNN’s “State of the Union” – Navarro; Manchin; Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio.
“Fox News Sunday” – Navarro; Business Roundtable President Joshua Bolten. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
NOT REAL NEWS
A look at what didn’t happen this week Associated Press
Here’s a roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue headlines of the week. The Associated Press checked these out; here are the real facts:
JEFF TUTTLE For The Washington Post
Four of the Kansas candidates on stage at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro: Alex Cline (running mate of candidate, Jack Bergerson), Ethan Randleas, Tyler Ruzich and Dominic Scavuzzo.
Six teens are running for governor in Kansas, and suddenly it doesn’t seem so preposterous BY MONICA HESSE
Washington Post MERRIAM, KANSAS
A report from the Midwest, where a gangly hope has arrived in the form of children enrobed in various assortments of khakis and blazers, because six teenage boys are running for governor of the state of Kansas. The would-be boy governors of Kansas. This was a funny concept for a while, and then it became absurd, and then a national tragedy happened and it became not funny but actually an emotion approaching tender, even aching. But on the Monday before Valentines Day, as a half-dozen minors vied for the highest office of a state that had never bothered to codify any gubernatorial age requirements, it was still absurd. And so on that afternoon, while a suburban mom named Carrie Stracy debated whether to make meatloaf or use up the salmon in the fridge, her son, Tyler Ruzich, sat in his bedroom and discussed his candidacy. “I have always thought of myself as more moderate, almost an Eisenhower Democrat,” said Tyler, 17, whose opponents in the Republican primary this summer include the current governor and the Kansas secretary of state. “For me, the question of government is a question about adequacy. There shouldn’t be an effort to grow, but there should be
adequate funding to cover programs.” Regarding the so-called “Kansas Experiment,” a tax cut enacted by former Gov. Sam Brownback that left the state topsy-turvy with ballooning class sizes and shuttered social programs – “I am most certainly against that,” Tyler said. Tyler has a slight build, dark blond hair and an earnest way of saying, “I’m not too sure about that” when he wants to think something over. He drives a rustbucket Oldsmobile to get to Shawnee Mission North High School, where he is a junior, or to pick up his girlfriend at a different high school. The girlfriend didn’t know Tyler was running when they met, but she learned shortly thereafter when they were walking through town and someone jauntily shouted, “Hello, Guvnor!” At present, Tyler was a long way from his party’s nomination, but he did have a slogan – “A Republican for the Next Generation” – and he did have a website, and he did have an 11-year-old sister named Sadie who had taken to wearing a pale blue T-shirt reading “Ruzich for Governor,” especially when she heard company was coming. Tyler was technically the second teenage gubernatorial candidate to join the race. The first was Jack Bergeson, a 16-yearold Democrat from Wichita, who declared partly to offer a full-throated Oba-
macare defense – the ACA helped his family – back in the summer of 2017. Tyler heard of Jack through social media and reached out; it was Jack who convinced him they could make a big statement about Kansas’s sorry state of affairs if there were teen candidates from both parties. Tyler, who was the captain of his school’s debate team and whose wall was plastered with a poster-size U.S. Constitution, logged onto the state’s website and downloaded the necessary forms. The third teenage candidate was Ethan Randleas, a 17-year-old Wichita Libertarian. The fourth was Dominic Scavuzzo, 17, a Republican from Kansas City; Scavuzzo’s classmate Joseph Tutera, 16, became the fifth a few weeks later. The sixth was Aaron Coleman, 17, a Green Party candidate, although several of the others confessed they were not entirely sure Coleman was still running (”I’ve never seen him at anything,” Dominic told Tyler recently) and his Twitter account seemed to operate in fits and starts. Still, it could be said with certainty that either five or six teenage boys were running for governor in the state of Kansas. They had come to mean something. They had come to reflect the morass of the country. Fifteen months ago, Donald Trump had won the presidency based on the idea that politics were so corrupt, Americans could only trust an outsider with
no experience. Now Trump’s polling numbers were in the toilet and the boy governors of Kansas represented yet another reboot: Truly outsiders. Truly no experience. If Kansas laws permitted a passel of hormonal teenagers to clog the ballot – well, then, some onlookers ruefully shrugged, maybe those were the candidates we deserved. The aspiring boy governors had been to debates. Granted interviews. They traveled in a pack dressed in their best sport coats – the kind parents buy teenage sons, with room to grow in the sleeves, giving the illusion that the candidates themselves were proper-sized; it was their clothing that was too big. At around 4:30 p.m., Carrie knocked on her son’s door frame. “Did you find someone?” she asked. A few hours before, a producer from Soledad O’Brien’s news show, “Matter of Fact,” had called, inviting Tyler to Washington for the show Thursday morning. The producer offered the stipulation that Tyler needed an adult chaperon. Carrie said she could chaperon while Tyler’s stepdad watched Sadie, but offered the additional stipulation that Tyler must find someone to cover his shift bagging groceries at the HyVee. “I’ve been texting people,” Tyler told her. “I thought Kelsey could do it, but she has choir practice.”
Eventually, with no luck, Tyler pulled on his parka and drove to the store, rationalizing that it would be harder for coworkers to turn him down in person. “I’ll just wander,” he decided, scanning the aisles and spotting a kid in an apron. “Hey, Houston? Are you working Wednesday?” “I don’t know.” “Can I check your schedule? I need someone to cover my 4-to-8. I have to go to Washington.” The swap arranged, Tyler grabbed a Sprite and took it to a register where an older woman named Sherry was rubbing her lower back. “Tyler!” she said, perking up as she scanned the soda. “How’s your back doing, Sherry? Are you back up to 35 hours yet?” One of the things Tyler appreciated about HyVee was how he got to interact with people of all ages. He liked his colleagues, how they came from different walks of life. “You know, lots of people ask me, what can you, Tyler Ruzich, do for people my age?” Tyler said, back in his car. “I say, we keep continuing these Old Man Principles that aren’t working. In [Alexander] Hamilton’s time, someone my age could be commander of a frigate. Did the Founding Fathers consider that a 17-year-old might be governor? I don’t know. Did they consider that a reality-television businessman would become president of the United States after losing the popular vote? Probably not.” The next morning, Tyler got up and drove to a nearby Steak ‘n Shake. The aspiring boy governors had been invited to debate each other in a little town called Hillsboro, and Tyler planned to carpool with Dominic. “Jack’s not going to be there,” Tyler told Dominic SEE TEENS, PAGE 13
NOT REAL: Michelle Obama didn’t say that the Florida school shooting is President Donald Trump’s fault, despite a story spread on social media that says she did. The story contains a made-up quote attributed to the former first lady, along with things she said months before the tragedy. THE FACTS: The story on the site conservativesay claims Mrs. Obama said at an Obama Foundation “worldwide event” that the shooting “is clearly our president’s fault.” But the foundation hasn’t held any public event since Feb. 14, when a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. And a spokeswoman says Mrs. Obama’s only public statement was a Wednesday tweet in which she said she’s “in total awe” of the Florida students seeking stricter gun laws. The false story also recycles a series of her remarks about raising children. They came from her talk in November at an Obama Foundation summit in Chicago. NOT REAL: A viral online video claimed victims in the Florida shooting are fictitious because their birth records don’t appear on a genealogy web site, but Ancestry says it has no birth records from the state. THE FACTS: The site pewtube says the Feb. 14 shooting is a “Hollywood creation” with “assumed, disposable identities.” The video appears to show 13 Ancestry.com searches for birth records with no results. Ancestry spokesman Dallin Hatch said this week that the site has no birth records from the state of Florida, and said the database is designed to help people find longdead ancestors, not people who had been living in 2018. Florida birth records are confidential, said Brad Dalton, a state health department spokesman. The state can’t share them with anyone other than the parents and the person whose record it is, he said. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office listed the names of the victims, with Detective John Curcio writing in a booking report that, “multiple dead persons were also observed on the scene.” Students also told many Associated Press journalists that they saw bodies at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 13
POLITICS
ZACH GIBSON Bloomberg file
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to members of the news media near the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 18.
Cruz campaign calls don’t want Texans to know about primary BY ANDREA DRUSCH
adrusch@mcclatchydc.com WASHINGTON
Days before the Texas primary, one of Sen. Ted Cruz's primary opponents was the target of the senator's own campaign calls. Rather than asking Stefano de Stefano, a Republican running against Cruz, for his support in the March 6 pri-
FROM PAGE 12
TEENS once their burgers arrived. “He couldn’t miss any more math.” “Got it,” said Dominic, whose gubernatorial preparation had involved working at his mom’s frozen yogurt shop and joining his school Spanish club. “His running mate will be there, though,” Tyler said. “And Ethan will be there. That will be … fun.” Dominic laughed. A byproduct of the boy governors’ youth: outsiders had begun to think of them as a unit, as if they all belonged to the same political party, called “Young.” But they believed in different things. Tyler was the most liberal of the Republican candidates. He supported “LGBTQ-plus rights.” He supported protecting the Ogallala Aquifer, the water table beneath the Great Plains states. At debates, Tyler often found himself tangling with Ethan the libertarian, who opposed him on almost every issue. The only thing that they agreed on was that the lawmakers making decisions about the state’s education didn’t have to go to the state’s schools. And that the politicians running the country weren’t the ones who were going to inherit it. Wasn’t it a civic responsibility for the teenagers to become politically involved?
mary, the caller, paid by Cruz’s campaign, repeatedly refused to acknowledge that race exists. In a recording provided by de Stefano, the caller insisted that Cruz is in a general election contest against Democrat Beto O’Rourke and ignored inquiries about the March 6 primary. Asked by de Stefano whether there are any Republicans running
against Cruz, the caller replied, “right now sir this is a general election, it’s just him going up against Beto O’Rourke, a two-way ticket for that Senate spot.” O’Rourke and Cruz both face primaries before that race. Cruz is expected to win his primary easily, and his challengers have struggled to raise funds or endorsements. The caller who reached
If they didn’t change things, who would? “Have all the TV people been reaching out to you?” Dominic asked as they drove past flat fields and rusty water towers. Dominic told Tyler he’d gotten a call from Lionsgate. “Lionsgate?” Tyler repeated. He wasn’t sure about the people wanting to make movies. It was hard enough to be taken seriously without bringing Hollywood into the mix. Especially for the Republican candidates. While Jack, the 16-year-old Democrat, had been invited to participate in events with the party’s older candidates, the GOP had shut out Tyler and Dominic from anything official. A Republican state lawmaker was now trying to pass a bill saying that in all future elections, candidates must be 18. “We have age requirements on voters,” one of the bill’s supporters, Rep. Keith Esau, had told the Kansas City Star. “Anybody who’s running should be able to vote for themselves.” Tyler felt wounded by this exclusion but compensated by accepting every news interview. This seemed the best way to gain exposure for his positions, but the interviewers almost never wanted to talk about his positions, just his age. He practiced deflection: “I guess if I’m governor, I could keep pardoning myself for truancy,” he said when reporters asked, winking, how he could finish high
school from the governor’s mansion. “But on a more serious note. . . .” On a more serious note, he wanted to talk about governmental transparency, he told the reporters. On a more serious note, he wanted to talk about how his party could connect more with young people. On a more serious note, could they have a conversation about net neutrality, and how he saw its repeal as a way of taxing poor people? “Yes, I am old enough to drive,” he repeated wearily to a reporter on the telephone. He paused. “I drive a ’94 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera.” Tyler and Dominic arrived at the Hillsboro debate a few minutes late, victims of a faulty GPS, and by the time they got to the high school auditorium, Ethan and Jack’s running mate, Alexander Cline, were already onstage (Alexander later described Jack’s absence as an “unavoidable scheduling conflict,” sidestepping the question of math class). Alexander wore a traditional boy-governor suit. Ethan, the Libertarian, wore a T-shirt with a cartoon snake and the slogan, “No step on snek” – a “Don’t tread on me” interpretation for the 21st century – and was expounding on family farms. “The way to help is to get the government out of the farm,” said the candidate, who had worked on his own family’s since he was 11. “The struggle for small
de Stefano identified himself from a campaign firm based in Iowa, Campaign HQ. Cruz paid that firm roughly $50,000 last month, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission. Campaign HQ’s website calls it a conservative fundraising, voter identification and campaign firm, known for its “creative solutions” and “quick turnaround.” Cruz’s campaign declined to comment on the calls, but confirmed that it uses Campaign HQ as a vendor. The firm works for a number of conservative politicians, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “I find it insulting to Texas that Cruz – as the frontrunner, no less –felt it necessary to bring in activists from outside our
farms is too great.” “That’s why you subsidize them,” offered Tyler, joining him on the stage. The candidates talked about tax rates and their views on abortion, and then a teenage audience member went to the microphone for the next question: “Tyler, do you plan on keeping conceal-carry laws the same? If not, what do you plan on doing to change them? Tyler nodded. “I believe, first of all, that the Second Amendment needs to be upheld. However, I still believe that when it comes to – Now wait, I haven’t even said anything controversial yet,” he said as Ethan began to protest. “What I’m going to say is that public university students should not be allowed to carry guns on campus. We are too many school shootings too late.” “My sister goes to Kansas State,” Dominic jumped in, citing a campus that permitted concealed weapons. “Professors do not feel safe there. It’s just spun into madness.” After the debate, the candidates posed for a photo, and then Dominic and Tyler drove home and Tyler went to his job and spent the next five hours standing at a cash register, ringing up ice cream tubs and packages of frozen chicken. Tyler and his mother were driving to the airport the next day, Valentine’s
state to interfere in Texas’ elections with blatant omissions to his constituents regarding his primary challengers,” de Stefano said. It’s not the first time fellow Republicans have complained about Cruz’s campaign tactics. In Cruz’s 2016 presidential bid, Iowa Republicans accused him of misleading voters with targeted mailers warning them of a “voting violation” that doesn’t actually exist. Versions of that tactic have been used by other campaigns to apply social pressure to their likely supporters. Cruz publicly defended the mailers, which helped him win the Iowa caucus. Iowa election officials disagreed, and Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate said at the time that the mailer "misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law.” Then-candidate Donald Trump called them “dishonest and deceptive.” A spokesman for Texas’ Secretary of State said the office had not received a complaint of an Election Code violation regarding the Cruz calls in Texas. The caller who reached de Stefano, who has voted in Texas Republican primaries, went on to warn that “[Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and other national Democrats are already ready to send millions to defeat [Cruz] and replace him” with a candidate like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Schumer raised money with O’Rourke in Houston earlier this year, but national Democrats have shown no indication they’re eager to spend in expensive Texas to help O’Rourke.
Moore seeks donations to legal defense fund Associated Press MONTGOMERY, ALA.
Andrea Drusch: 202-383-6056, @AndreaDrusch
Former U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore has issued a plea for money to pay legal bills, saying his “resources have been depleted.” In a Thursday post on his campaign’s Facebook page, Moore asked for contributions to his legal defense fund. Moore has sent regular fundraising emails for the fund since losing the 2017 election to Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat. However, the link to the donation site indicated that Moore had raised just $32,000 of a $250,000 goal. “My resources have been depleted and I have struggled to make ends meet, but I have not lost my faith in our God, who is our true source of strength and will never leave or forsake us,” Moore wrote. Moore lost the election amid accusations that he pursued romantic and sexual relationships with teens as a man in his 30s. Moore denied accusations of sexual misconduct, and said he never dated “underage” girls. Leigh Corfman, who accused Moore of sexually touching her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s, has an ongoing civil lawsuit against Moore. She claims Moore and his campaign defamed her as he denied the allegations. A state board in December approved a $135,000 annual retirement for him because of his years on the state bench.
Day, when his phone buzzed with a news alert: Police were seeking an active school shooter in a Florida town called Parkland. By the time they checked in for their flight to Washington, Tyler’s phone told him the death toll was rising. He thought about his own school. What if the shooter had been there, and Tyler had been caught, hiding for his life? Or what if, because he’d skipped his last class to make it to the airport, he’d been safe while his classmates were left to hide alone? He decided that would have been worse. By the next morning, the teenage students of Parkland were already making their voices heard. Tyler watched as David Hogg went on CNN and implored lawmakers: “We’re children. You guys are the adults. You need to take some action.” There were videos of bloody bodies on Snapchat, and Tyler was putting on his blazer and going to the Newseum for Soledad O’Brien’s show. Jack had been invited, too, and the two sat in armchairs across from their interviewer, who for once didn’t ask whether they were old enough to drive. “One of the big stories of the week is another school shooting,” O’Brien said. “What would be your strategy for bringing an end for what people would agree is clearly a crisis?” Tyler and Jack told her they both believed in
gun-control measures. Did Tyler realize, O’Brien asked, that this put him in opposition with most Republicans? Tyler had bags under his eyes, and AP exams he needed to register for, and he needed to be back in Kansas by that evening because he had to be in school the next morning. His voice was a little hoarse. “If I’m making an enemy of the NRA, that’s something I’m kind of proud of, to be honest,” he told O’Brien. “I’ve seen what gun violence does. It’s time that we change the rhetoric and the discussion. Because clearly we are too far gone to say it’s a mental illness problem.” Was that the right answer to have given on national television? He wasn’t sure. It was what he believed. Why couldn’t any of the adult politicians seem to say what they believed, he wondered. The kids were all saying what they believed. Whatever the consequences, the kids believed in something. Tyler spent the rest of the week following the news back home in Kansas, along with all of the other boy governors. In quieter moments, when he wasn’t trying to spin things, he admitted that his chances of winning were not very good. But then again, he would turn 18 by the time the primaries rolled around this summer. And because of that, he at least had already registered to vote.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 14
POLITICS Florida Senate rejects ban on assault weapons BY MARY ELLEN KLAS, STEVE BOUSQUET AND LAWRENCE MOWER
Miami Herald TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
The emotional fault lines that have divided Florida since the school shootings in Parkland were on display in the Florida Senate Saturday as lawmakers passionately debated an assault weapons ban and then rejected it along primarily party lines. A 20-17 vote defeated
the ban. Supporters included two Republicans, state Sens. Anitere Flores and Rene Garcia of Hialeah, who joined 15 Democrats. The vote came in a rare weekend floor session as the Senate spent the day on legislation aimed at responding to the Feb. 14 Parkland attack. The bill would inject millions of dollars into mental health and school safety programs that lawmakers have long ignored and do something unseen in Flor-
ida for decades: impose new limits on gun access. “If anything has come out of that tragedy, it is the realization that we have not done enough to this point comprehensively to have mechanisms in place … to prevent this from occurring,” Republican state Sen. Bill Galvano said as he introduced a new draft of the Senate plan. The Senate had planned to take up its version of the legislation Friday, but with dozens of amendments drafted by Democrats, Senate leaders decided to spend much of Saturday debating the issue. Galvano also revised the proposal to include some components sought by House leaders in an attempt to send the
bill to the other chamber and have it approved in time for it to reach the governor’s desk before the session ends on March 9. Galvano called the legislation a compilation of “many, many ideas,” informed in part by the parents of victims and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and many in the Parkland community who traveled to Tallahassee last week. “I think this journey is just beginning,” Galvano said. “This is not the end all and be all. I think we have much to do in this area, and I plan to do much in this area” so that all people are “safe to lead their daily lives and be productive in this state.” The four-part legislation focused on mental health,
firearms safety, school safety and communication and includes what Galvano said was “the most frequent request” – to raise the age for buying a rifle or shotgun from 18 to 21. He did not note that many of the parents and thousands of activists who rallied at the Capitol also wanted lawmakers to ban assault weapons. For more than an hour, the Senate debated an amendment by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, to add an assault weapons ban to the package. State Sen. David Simmons, an opponent of the ban, cited Adolf Hitler for seizing guns from German citizens and defended the need to allow civilians to have access to them. Democratic state Sen.
Kevin Rader, who is Jewish and represents Parkland, called the analogy “absolutely unfair.” He recalled the evening he spent with parents waiting for the bodies of the victims to be identified. “Everyone (from Parkland) is in agreement about banning assault weapons,” he said. Galvano said he included what he thought was necessary for school safety, and he “did not want to include at this point a complete ban on firearms” because he said he thought an assault weapons ban would not be constitutional under the privacy and right to bear arms provisions of Florida’s Constitution.
Trump, press trade barbed jokes at Gridiron BY JILL COLVIN
Associated Press WASHINGTON
TODD SPOTH NYT
An operator welds coil ends together on Friday at the Insteel Industries factory in Houston. With the prospect of higher steel prices, the company fears losing business to foreign competitors paying less for raw materials.
‘America first’ policy creates blue-collar winners and losers BY NATALIE KITROEFF AND ANA SWANSON
New York Times
President Donald Trump’s announcement that he planned to impose steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum delighted some blue-collar industries he had championed. “Enthusiastic and gratified are probably understatements,” said Michael A. Bless, the president of Century Aluminum. Behemoth steel buyers like Boeing and General Motors weren’t as pleased. Their shares fell on the news, and the most obvious aluminum dependents – the brewing giants Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors – warned about the risk of job losses. But it is people like H.O. Woltz III who feel most vulnerable. Woltz is the chairman and chief executive of Insteel Industries, which operates 10 plants from Arizona to Pennsylvania producing steel wire products for concrete rein-
forcing. He has about 1,000 workers, most without college degrees. “The jobs that we have are good jobs,” Woltz said. “Our guys make a lot of money.” Now his business calculus is being upended. A levy on imports also allows domestic steel and aluminum producers to charge higher prices, affecting manufacturers across the United States. As industrial America sorts out the tariffs’ prospective impact, one thing is clear: The divide between the metal producers and their customers slices directly through Trump’s blue-collar constituency. Trump argues that free trade has hollowed out America’s industrial base and saddled the country with huge trade deficits. He has promised to recover lost ground with an “America first” trade policy. But putting America first may not put all American workers ahead. “There are more losers than winners,” said Mon-
ica de Bolle, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “If the point is to protect American jobs, if the point is to protect small and medium-sized businesses, this is exactly the wrong way to do things.” The mills and smelters that supply the raw material, and that would directly benefit from the tariffs, have been shrinking for years. Today, those industries employ fewer than 200,000 people. The companies that buy steel and aluminum, to make everything from trucks to chicken coops, employ more than 6.5 million workers, according to a Heritage Foundation analysis of Commerce Department data. Woltz, who is based in North Carolina, counts himself among hundreds of specialized businesses that will bear the brunt of the tariffs. He pays around $20 an hour on average, and he has been able to increase his payroll despite stiff competition from abroad.
If you have seen a bridge being hoisted over a highway in the last 20 years, he said, you probably caught a glimpse of Insteel’s handiwork. The wire product he makes is not unique, though, and he fears that if he has to charge commercial builders more, he will lose business to foreign competitors paying much less for their raw materials. “If the customers have the option of purchasing from Malaysians or Colombians, who don’t have to pay that extra cost, that’s what they are going to do,” Woltz said. He buys most of his raw material from domestic mills, but he expects them to raise prices as their foreign competitors are hit by tariffs of up to 25 percent. Right now, he pays around $600 per ton of steel wire rod. The impact of a 25 percent tariff would add $150 to that price. He makes only $40 in profit per ton, though, so the math would destroy his balance sheet. It is not clear yet whether employers like Woltz will cut jobs because of the tariffs. Economic growth has been strong, and the corporate tax cut will give companies more cash to work with. For now, the mood at Century Aluminum is jubilant. “Finally we have got an
administration who is willing to say, ‘It might make a lot of people around the world mad, but if we don’t do it now, then when?’ ” said Bless, Century’s president. The tariff on aluminum, prospectively 10 percent, would allow Bless to restart some production of high-purity aluminum for military use at Century’s plant in Hawesville, Kentucky, which it partly shut three years ago, he said. He plans to hire 300 people this year on top of the 1,850 he already employees and invest more than $100 million in the smelting operation. “These are jobs that are sorely needed,” Bless said. That is the kind of response that labor unions have been waiting for. Leo W. Gerard, the president of the United Steelworkers union, which also represents aluminum workers, said his members were tired of enduring layoffs because of an onslaught of artificially cheap steel and aluminum produced by “cheaters” in China. “Some of these idiots that say we are going to start a trade war – well, we are in a trade war now, and we are just sitting back,” Gerard said. His union represents more than 200,000 Canadian workers, though, and Gerard said he hoped Trump would not apply the tariff to Canada.
President Donald Trump and his political allies and opponents found common ground with members of the Washington press corps Saturday night, taking and giving humorous jabs at each other at the annual Gridiron Dinner. “Nobody does selfdeprecating humor better than I do. It’s not even close,” said Trump, who skipped last year’s dinner. He also said: “I was very excited to receive this invitation and ruin your evening in person. That’s why I accepted.” The annual dinner of the Gridiron Club and Foundation, now in its 133rd year, traced its history to 1885, the year President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Every president since has come to at least one Gridiron. “Rest assured, Mr. President, this crowd is way bigger than Cleveland’s,” Club President David Lightman, congressional editor for McClatchy News, told the white-tie audience at the Renaissance Washington Hotel. The organization said the event attracted about 660 journalists, media executives, lawmakers, administration officials and military officers. Members of the Washington press corps sharpened their wits for musical and rhetorical takedowns of the president, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Trump’s own oneliners closed out the evening and included: A On his son-in-law: “We were late tonight because Jared could not get through security.” A On Vice President Mike Pence: “He is one of the best straight men you’re ever going to meet … he is straight. Man.” Trump also said, “I really am proud to call him the apprentice “ A On Attorney General Jeff Sessions: “I offered him a ride over and he recused himself. What are you going to do?” A On The New York Times: “I’m a New York icon. You’re a New York icon. And the only difference is I still own my SEE GRIDIRON, PAGE 15
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 15
POLITICS
ing out more active citizens and not just scholars.” The new emphasis on voting – among a population that tends to vote Democrat – comes as the nation gears up for a highstakes midterm election. It is unclear whether the efforts to increase student turnout will impact the nation’s political map. Among the students who vote, many cast absentee ballots for districts where they grew up. But about three dozen House races considered competitive this year were won in 2016 by margins smaller than the number of college students living in the district. Rep. Darrell Issa, RCalif., won by 1,621 votes in a district with more
than 51,000 students. More than half attend the University of California, San Diego, which has set up a student-organized “voter access” committee to push turnout in the fall. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., won by 15,178 votes, a number smaller than the student body at Binghamton University, which is giving out prizes – such as foosball tables or television sets – to the residence hall that registers the highest percentage of voters. And Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., won by 10,456 votes in a swing district that is also home to the University of Central Florida, with 66,000 students. That school has set a goal of achieving a 70 percent student voting rate by 2020. School administrators involved in raising student turnout insist that their efforts are not focused on any one election or political party. Instead, they cite an urgent need to combat a troubling decline in political participation. Voter turnout in the United States has declined since the 1960s for nearly every age group. Young people have the lowest turnout rates of all because they are more transient and have not yet established the habit of voting, said Kenneth R. Mayer, a political-science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “They don’t have concerns of property taxes, schools and other things that make older people go to the polls,” he said. The likelihood of voting increases steadily with age, until about 80, when illnesses begin to prevent habitual voters from casting a ballot, he said. Young people who do vote tend to favor Democrats. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 58 percent of 18- to 25-year-
olds either identify as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party. That is the reason some conservatives complain when students flock to the polls, especially in rural places where students outnumber lifelong residents. In New Hampshire, where Rep. Carol SheaPorter, a Democrat, won by 4,904 votes in 2016 in a district with more than 30,000 students, student voting has ignited fierce debates and baseless charges of fraud. Despite a Supreme Court ruling that college students can vote where they attend school, New Hampshire is one of a number of states weighing new measures that would make it harder for out-ofstate students to vote. Citizens Count NH, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group promoting citizen engagement in New Hampshire, has received hundreds of complaints from state residents about students who vote locally for Democrats and then swiftly move away. “Must be a LEGAL resident, to vote in state,” one man wrote on the group’s online forum. “Not a temporary guest of the educational system.” School administrators say they are simply encouraging civic participation, and many make no distinction between students who vote locally or absentee. Efforts to bolster student turnout have been aided by a new national study that analyzes voting behavior on campuses across the country. For the first time, schools can get detailed data on how many of their students cast a ballot, either locally or absentee, thanks to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, put out by researchers at Tufts University. The study aims to assess how well schools are doing at preparing students to be active citizens in a democracy, said Nancy Thomas, director of the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University, who oversees the study. The study, which matches enrollment records with voting records, began in 2013 with a modest expectation of getting a few hundred colleges to participate. Today, it includes voting data from more than 9 million students on 1,100 campuses in all 50 states. Identifying information has been removed from the data to protect students’ privacy. The data has unearthed a series of fascinating insights about the 2016 elections: Social science majors had higher turnout than math and science majors (53 percent versus 44 percent). Female students had higher turnout than males (52 percent versus 44 percent). Asian students turned out at a far lower rate than their peers (31 percent versus 53 percent for white students, 50 percent for
black students and 46 percent for Hispanic students). “This initiative will hopefully motivate educators to teach students across disciplines why they should not take democracy for granted,” Thomas said. In the last election, there were big increases in student turnout in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, but declines in Georgia, Wisconsin and Mississippi. Some campuses have especially low turnout rates – for instance, only 30 percent of eligible voters during a presidential election year – while others have rates as high as 70 percent. Student turnout nationwide was 49 percent versus about 60 percent overall. The emergence of data has also led schools to compete with one another over voter turnout, which is increasingly seen as a proxy for a politically engaged student body. Two college athletic conferences have begun giving out trophies to the schools with the highest voter turnout and the most improved turnout, based on the data generated by the Tufts study. A new initiative called the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge offers awards to schools that stand out in civic engagement. And this year, for the first time, Washington Monthly magazine intends to include voter turnout rates in its college rankings. The Tufts study affirmed the efforts of campuses that had already made civic engagement a priority. The University of Missouri-St. Louis held a series of forums about race, equity and trauma in the wake of the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, a black teenager, in Ferguson, Missouri. In 2016, 67 percent of students there turned out to vote. “On these campuses with high voting rates, they talk politics all the time,” Thomas said. “Students say ‘I see myself as a voter.’ Not ‘I voted today,’ but ‘I am a voter.’ It is an identity.” And at Northwestern University, which incorporated voter registration into orientation for new students in 2011, over 91 percent of students were registered to vote. In 2016, 64 percent of Northwestern students cast ballots, up from 49 percent in 2012. Looking ahead to this fall, colleges and students are beginning to plan activities to bolster their voting rates. At Arizona State University, staff are hoping to hire musicians to perform for students waiting in line to vote to generate excitement around the election. Mercer University in Georgia has changed its online portal so that students who are registering for classes online can also register to vote through TurboVote.
of “unparalleled” press attacks. The major political parties found themselves skewered in parody songs in musical skits. By Gridiron tradition, rebuttals came from one Republican, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and one Democrat, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Cotton made light of what he called the source of his personality: the
common touch of Harvard, the sensitivity of the army, and the personal touch of Dick Cheney. On the Russia investigation, he said, “Everyone knows the Trump campaign couldn’t collude with the RNC in Pennsylvania.” The only senator in his 30s says he’s looking for a role model and “the search continues.” With an eye on the president, Landrieu said:
“We’re both overweight and balding. I just have an easier time admitting it.” Noting that Trump had a lonely job, the mayor remarked, “I understand lonely because I’m a Democrat from the South.” The New Orleans official also observed, “No matter how many times we say it, we don’t drain the swamps either.” The Gridiron Dinner’s reputation as a night of
bipartisan mirth was evidenced by those who accepted invitations, including last year’s headliner, Vice President Pence. Also accepting invitations were at least eight members of Trump’s Cabinet, six senators, four House members, and presidential relativesturned-advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the foundation said in a statement.
LAURA MCDERMOTT NYT
Corey Walker checks his voter registration during a “Bagels and Ballots” event at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Feb. 19.
How college campuses are trying to tap students’ voting power BY FARAH STOCKMAN
New York Times
The University of Michigan has a long tradition of politically active students, dating back to the Vietnam War protests. That is why Edie Goldenberg, a political-science professor there, was shocked to learn the percentage of students at the school who cast ballots in the last midterm election: just 14 percent. “It was a wake-up call,” Goldenberg said. “Nobody realized that so few students were turning out to vote.” Goldenberg has now set a goal for this November’s elections of more than doubling student turnout. And the university itself is getting behind the effort by challenging its Big Ten football rivals to a competition to see which school can get more students to vote in the midterms. College campuses are often seen as hotbeds of political engagement, with controversial speakers routinely kicking up loud protests. But abysmally low turnout among young people has long been a hallmark of U.S. elections, particularly in midterm years. Data suggest that only 18 percent voted in 2014, compared with about 37 percent in the overall population. Now a growing number of universities are using
TRAVIS DOVE NYT
Student volunteers help to register voters during a Comic-Con event on the campus of East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City, on Feb. 17.
their institutional power to increase student turnout on their campuses, spurred by a desire to develop students into better citizens. And schools like the University of Michigan are armed with data showing them for the first time which kinds of students are voting and which are not, so they can target their efforts and measure which strategies work. “It’s exciting that colleges are starting to wake up to the role that they should play to teaching people how to be citizens of democracy,” said Robert J. Donahue, associate director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Northwestern University. “Hopefully we’ll live up to the charge and start turn-
FROM PAGE 14
GRIDIRON buildings.” A On former chief strategist Steven Bannon: “That guy leaked more than the Titanic.” Appearing to be a good sport at the dinner – he laughed and applauded at times during the evening’s entertainment – Trump
had fired off a tweet at the national press hours earlier: “Mainstream Media in U.S. is being mocked all over the world. They’ve gone CRAZY!” He linked to a story by a conservative pundit saying Trump and his family are victims
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 16
POLITICS Pentagon’s new problem after years of crying poverty: Spending all the cash BY DAVID S. CLOUD
Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON
After complaining for years that it was starved for cash, the Pentagon now says it may have more money than it can possibly spend. The windfall is due to a budget deal between Congress and the White House last month that promises an added $80 billion for defense this fiscal year, including a requested $19.6 billion hike for “operations and maintenance” – an allpurpose Pentagon account used to fund troop training, ammunition, maintenance of tanks, warplanes and ships, and other daily needs. Defense Secretary James M. Mattis pushed for a sharp increase in the account this year, arguing that years of budget wrangling had degraded the military’s readiness to wage war. Congress is still finalizing 2018 appropriations levels for the Pentagon, a delay that has generals and admirals worried about spending all the promised cash in the five months remaining before the end of the fiscal year. “We have a year’s worth of money … and five months to spend it,” Gen. Glenn Walters, the
assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, warned at a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing. Critics say that giving the military more money than it can absorb invites waste and abuse, warning that the Pentagon has a long history of overpayments, cost overruns and fiscal shenanigans. “They cried wolf and now they have more than they can possibly put to use,” said Mandy Smithberger, the director of the Center for Defense Information, a policy organization critical of Pentagon budget practices. “I think it’s dangerous because you are going to see a use-it-or-lose-it kind of spending.” Pentagon officials are worried about giving money back after claiming that mandatory spending caps since 2011, known as a sequester, had affected training, planning and maintenance. There is no guarantee Congress or the White House will prove so generous next year. Due to Congress’ delay in passing appropriations bills, Pentagon officials are urging lawmakers to allow them to carry over unspent funds into 2019 or to shift them to other accounts if they are unable to disburse all the operations and maintenance money by Sept. 30,
Ex-Trump adviser sold stock ahead of tariff news Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO
DREAMSTIME TNS
The Pentagon has seen a large windfall due to a budget deal between Congress and the White House.
the end of the fiscal year. “We’re going to do our best to spend it in that time frame,” Gen. Stephen Wilson, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, told Congress at a hearing. “The add is so significant that we’re going to have to look at having the ability to transfer some of that money from account to account.” By long-standing tradition, the House and Senate appropriations committees require the Pentagon to spend operations and maintenance funds the same year they are provided – or turn the money back to the Treasury. That’s different than other categories of defense spending, like research and development money, which is usually available for up to two years, or procurement funds for buying ships, planes and vehicles, which are provided for up to three years.
At $206 billion in 2017, the operations and maintenance account is around 40 percent of the Pentagon’s annual base budget of $523 billion. Its spending has been under tight control since Congress imposed budget caps aimed at reducing the deficit in 2011. The additional funds are earmarked for stepped-up training, spare parts, fuel, and restocking supplies of bombs and bullets, among other items. The increase comes on top of a decades-old expansion in operations and maintenance funding, according to a report made public in January by the Congressional Budget Office, a federal agency that provides nonpartisan analysis to Congress. With even more money coming their way, Pentagon officials say it will take time to sign contracts and allocate the additional dollars, perhaps well into
Trump’s most riveting reality TV show airs live from the West Wing BY JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
New York Times
The chief executive sits at a long wooden table, putting his invited guests on the spot to defend their positions, occasionally needling them with biting comments, often shocking them with blunt talk – all for a rapt television audience. The tableau was a routine occurrence on President Donald Trump’s reality show, “The Apprentice,” punctuated each week for one unlucky contestant with his signature “You’re fired!” Now, it has become a staple of life at the White House, where Trump is presiding over a different kind of televised ritual: the hourlong discussion session with members of Congress or ordinary citizens. In West Wing meetings over the past several weeks, Trump has held discussions on immigration, school safety and gun control with cameras rolling and attendees speaking their minds. The sessions are extraordinary for the rare glimpses they provide of unscripted conversations at the White House on critical issues. They have featured plot twists of their own, with the president, at least while viewers are tuned in, breaking sharply with his own party. They are also a form of performance art for a president who has the instincts of a showman, and whose focus on build-
TOM BRENNER NYT
President Donald Trump’s talent for showmanship goes on display Wednesday during a roundtable discussion about gun control at the White House. Such meetings have become a staple of life at the White House — and a form of performance art for Trump.
ing suspense and captivating an audience drives many of his decisions. Like the fiery, freewheeling rallies that powered his campaign, the presidential “listening sessions” are one way in which Trump has brought his reality show instincts to his next act as a politician. CANDOR, DRAMA AND CONFUSION The meetings have produced little in the way of concrete movement on major policy issues, and some Republican officials complain privately they have undercut the potential for such progress, because they show a president devoid of clear views. But they are nothing, lawmakers in both parties agree, if not entertaining. “I thought it was fascinating television, and it was surreal to actually be
there,” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, said this past week of Trump’s meeting on gun legislation. “Wild,” was the assessment from Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. Perhaps more important for the White House, they are, advisers note, one hour of live television when nobody is criticizing the president. Trump put on a particularly riveting show Wednesday, when he openly challenged the National Rifle Association, which has strongly supported him, and lectured Republicans on their approach to gun policy. “You’re afraid of the NRA, right?” he asked Sen. Patrick J. Toomey, R-Pa. Shortly afterward, he cut off Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the Republican whip, who was shot and seriously injured at a baseball practice last year.
“You’ll never get it passed,” Trump said of a bill to vastly expand the concealed carrying of weapons, stunning Scalise into silence. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., an ardent champion of gun control, sat immediately to Trump’s left, grinning giddily as he encouraged her to “add what you have” to a bipartisan gun safety measure. “If you help,” Feinstein quickly replied, a glint in her eye. WHAT HE ACHIEVES The president’s aides say the sessions feed his desire to pull back the curtain to allow the public to witness him doing his job. “He’s in his element,” said Hope Hicks, Trump’s communications director. “It’s what he does best, whether it’s in real estate as a negotiator, but also as a television executive, he understands the value of showing people what happens inside the room.” Other observers hold a less charitable view: that like much of what happens on reality television, Trump’s meetings are manufactured spectacles that have no impact on the president’s decisions. “These meetings are fictions,” said Michael D’Antonio, Trump’s biographer, who has watched him for decades. “He knows that he’s good TV, and it’s as if he’s saying, ‘Come on in, cameras, come see how it’s really done,’ but, of course, it isn’t how it’s really done. It’s another performance.”
next year. Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters that allowing operations fund to be spent through 2019 will “make better use of taxpayer dollars.” “I can ensure more soldiers are trained and well-trained and I think overall we can deliver a much better product,” he added. “I think it is a completely reasonable request, especially given how late Congress is in passing appropriations this year,” said Todd Harrison, a Pentagon budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington policy analysis organization. “The rush to spend money before it expires at the end of the fiscal year puts pressure on managers within (the Department of Defense) to sign contracts quickly rather than in a fiscally responsible manner.”
Trump, he added, has always reveled in presenting a spectacle – he tried his hand at producing on Broadway when he was a 23-year-old fresh out of the Wharton business school. “He really likes stage sets and all of what makes for good theater,” D’Antonio said. “This was his first love.” TV MEETINGS CAN BACKFIRE White House officials regard the sessions as a way of disrupting what had become a frustrating cycle in which Trump’s private discussions with lawmakers or ordinary citizens would yield unflattering disclosures. That was the case in January when the president made a profane reference to Haiti and African countries during a meeting with lawmakers on immigration. It is customary for the White House to allow reporters and news cameras to document a few minutes of a president’s meetings with lawmakers, activists or ordinary citizens. On most days, such “pool sprays” are the only opportunity for the White House press corps to lay eyes on the president and ask him questions directly on the news of the day. Barack Obama promised as a presidential candidate in 2008 that he would have negotiations on a health care overhaul televised on C-SPAN. Those sessions never materialized, but in 2010, Obama allowed cameras into a nearly seven-hour bipartisan meeting on the issue at Blair House, across the street from the White House. He grew testy at times, sparring with Republicans he argued were being intransi-
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn sold nearly 1 million shares of stock in a company tied to the steel industry leading up to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose costly tariffs on steel and aluminum imported into the U.S. Icahn also has ties to Trump; he was an unpaid adviser to the president before resigning last August. A recent regulatory filing disclosed Icahn sold $31.3 million worth of stock in crane manufacturer Manitowoc Co. last month. Manitowoc could be hurt by Trump’s tariffs, a threat that caused the company’s shares to drop by 9 percent to $26.93 since the president’s announcement. Icahn sold his Manitowoc stock at prices ranging from $32.47 to $34.31 from Feb. 12 to Feb. 22. Icahn’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. Before the recent sale, Icahn had not actively traded any Manitowoc stock since January 2015, according to regulatory filings reported by the Washington Post.
gent. It was never repeated. ‘I LIKE HEAT’ Trump has found the format more satisfying. Broadcasting the president’s meetings, contended one senior White House official, deprives his political opponents of the ability to drive the discussion and forces lawmakers to stake out a public position in front of television cameras. It also produces the kinds of headlines Trump plainly adores – about how he has reached out across the political aisle, expressed openness to new ideas, and been willing to stake out an unpopular position. “I’ll take the heat,” Trump declared during his nearly hourlong televised session on immigration in January, when he shocked attendees by saying he was open to a sweeping deal that would eventually grant millions of unauthorized immigrants a pathway to citizenship. “My whole life has been heat,” the president added. “I like heat, in a certain way.” But not long after the cameras exited, Trump retreated, saying that any immigration overhaul would have to come with stiff new restrictions. The cycle appeared to be repeating itself this past week after the session on guns. The White House was noncommital about what measures Trump would accept, and the NRA said after speaking with him that he opposed “gun control.” “One hour of television,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Senate Democrat, “won’t get assault weapons off our streets.”
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 17
WORLD
Missiles made in Pyongyang, and sold in Cairo embassy BY DECLAN WALSH
New York Times CAIRO
On an island in the Suez Canal, a towering AK-47 rifle, its muzzle and bayonet pointed skyward, symbolizes one of Egypt’s most enduring alliances. Decades ago, North Korea presented it to Egypt to commemorate the 1973 war against Israel, when North Korean pilots fought and died on the Egyptian
side. But now the statue has come to signify another aspect of Egypt’s ties to North Korea: a furtive trade in illegal weapons that has upset President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s otherwise cozy relationship with the United States, set off a painful cut in military aid and drawn unremitting scrutiny from U.N. inspectors. Egypt has purchased North Korean weapons and allowed North Korean
diplomats to use their Cairo embassy as a base for military sales across the region, U.S. and U.N. officials say. Those transactions earned vital hard cash for North Korea, but they violated international sanctions and drew the ire of Egypt’s main military patron, the United States, which cut or suspended $291 million in military aid in August. Tensions may bubble up again in the coming weeks with the publication of a
U.N. report that contains new information about the cargo of a rusty North Korean freighter intercepted off the coast of Egypt in 2016. The ship was carrying 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades worth an estimated $26 million. The report, due to be released this month, identifies the customer for the weapons as an arm of the Arab Organization for Industrialization, Egypt’s main state weapons conglomerate. El-Sissi heads
the committee that oversees the group. Egypt has previously denied being the intended recipient of the weapons, or breaching international sanctions. In response to questions about the U.N. finding, the State Information Service said this past week: “The relevant Egyptian authorities have undertaken all the necessary measures in relation to the North Korean ship in full transparency and under the supervision” of U.N.
officials. After the Trump administration slashed aid last summer, Egyptian officials said they were cutting military ties to North Korea, reducing the size of its Cairo embassy and monitoring the activities of North Korean diplomats. The relationship with North Korea is “limited to representation, and there is almost no existing economic or other areas of cooperation,” Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said at a news conference with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Cairo last month. But that diplomatic representation, in an embassy that doubles as a regional arms dealership, SEE MISSILES, PAGE 18
WHO’S WHO
New faces, old hands battle in Italy’s election BY FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press ROME
With Sunday’s Italian election potentially giving birth to a deeply divided parliament, here is a look at some of the key players in what could be a long and laborious process to form Italy’s next government. YOUTH ON HIS SIDE He may be only 31, but Luigi Di Maio has his eyes set on becoming the populist 5-Star Movement’s first premier. The son of a local official of a now defunct neofascist party, Di Maio ran unsuccessfully in 2010 for the city council in Pomigliano d’Arco, his hometown near Naples. Since his election to Parliament in 2013, he has served as vice president of the lower Chamber of Deputies. His pre-political resume is skimpy, too. He says that before being consumed by politics, he was launching a web marketing startup – “I’ll go back to it,” he insists. He has also served as a steward in Naples’ stadium “welcoming the VIPs.” He always seems to be smiling – even when listening to speeches about dismal events. Unlike his facial expression, his stance on issues shifts. He has backed seeking a referendum on Italy’s use of the euro currency, but has since hedged his bets, saying a vote might not be needed as he doesn’t expect the currency to last. TAINTED EXPERIENCE Silvio Berlusconi, the 81-year-old former threetime premier can’t take the helm again should Forza Italia, the party he created a quarter-century ago, triumph. That’s because a tax fraud conviction bans him for from holding public office. But neither the ban, nor an array of corruption and sex scandals can keep Berlusconi away. He’s dueling with campaign coalition partner Matteo Salvini, who heads the right-wing anti-migrant League party, for dominance of Italy’s cenSEE ITALY, PAGE 19
IVAN VALENCIA For The Washington Post
A boy from Venezuela’s indigenous Yukpa community stands at the entrance to the border bridge in Cucuta, Colombia, last month.
VENEZUELANS ARE FLEEING THEIR CRISIS-TORN COUNTRY EN MASSE BY ANTHONY FAIOLA
Washington Post CUCUTA, COLOMBIA
Thousands of Venezuelans are pouring out of their crippled nation in one of the biggest migration crises in Latin American history, causing growing alarm in the region and prompting neighboring countries to rush thousands of soldiers to the border. The massive scale of the exodus is being compared to the flow of Syrians into Western Europe in 2015. And, just as in that crisis, countries overwhelmed by the flood of new arrivals are beginning to bar their doors. “This is a humanitarian crisis,” said Willington Munoz Sierra, regional director of the Scalabrini International Migration Network, a Catholic charity running a shelter in this border city, where desperate Venezuelans are now living in parks and cheap motels or sleeping on sidewalks. “In Venezuela, children are dying. People are starving and being persecuted. What they’re getting from us is a door in the face.” Nowhere is the crisis more acute than here in Colombia, where 3,000 troops are fanning out
IVAN VALENCIA For The Washington Post
Police detain a Venezuelan woman without a valid visa in Cucuta. “I can’t go back,” the distraught woman told officers.
across the 1,400-mile border to contain an influx of Venezuelans fleeing a collapsing economy and an increasingly repressive socialist regime. Roughly 250,000 Venezuelan migrants have surged into Colombia since August, with 3,000 a day still arriving. The sheer numbers have led to a backlash in Colombian cities and towns, prompting the national government last month to suspend the issuance of temporary
visas for Venezuelans. Colombian authorities are now launching operations in which dozens of Venezuelans a day are captured and expelled. “Let’s go!” Maj. Jarlinzont Zea barked into his walkie-talkie one recent afternoon, jumping out of a police truck in this city of 650,000. Simultaneously, dozens of Colombian officers and migration officials poured out of vehicles and stormed a park, sending panicked Venezuelans scat-
tering. One slight young woman, in a black tank top and denim shorts, didn’t move fast enough. “What’s your name?” an officer demanded. “Andie,” she said, quaking. “Papers,” insisted the officer. “I don’t have any.” “Where are you from?” “Venezuela,” she said, near tears. “Please. I – can’t. I can’t go back.” Latin America has seen
mass exoduses before. In the decades after Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, about 1.4 million Cubans fled the island, many heading for the United States, where they transformed the social and ethnic fabric of Miami. During the 1980s and 1990s, more than 1 million people – more than a quarter of the population – were displaced during El Salvador’s civil war. Yet there is little precedent in the region for the speed and intensity of the Venezuelan migrant crisis. After the leftist firebrand Hugo Chávez became president in 1999, thousands of Venezuelans – especially from the upper classes – moved out of the country. But the current exodus is far more dramatic. Under Chavez’s handpicked successor, President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela has reached a breaking point, with lower oil prices and economic mismanagement leading to the world’s highest inflation rate and spiraling indexes of poverty and malnutrition. At the same time, Maduro’s government has jailed and allegedly tortured opponents, sparking a wave of political asylum seekers. Nearly a million Venezuelans have left their country over the past two years, according to the International Organization for Migration, with experts citing a surge SEE EXODUS, PAGE 20
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WORLD
STR AP file
A ranger takes care of Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia county in Kenya last May.
Last male northern white rhino takes a walk despite illness BY CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
Associated Press JOHANNESBURG
Old and sick, the world’s last male northern white rhino has surprised
his keepers by getting up and walking around at a wildlife area in Kenya. The 45-year-old rhino named Sudan moved during the night and took a “delicious mud bath” after long-awaited rains
FROM PAGE 17
MISSILES is the problem, U.S. officials have said. In addition, Washington worries that North Korea, a longtime supplier of ballistic missile technology to Egypt, is still supplying missile parts, said Andrea Berger, a North Korea specialist at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. “Ballistic missile customers are the most concerning of North Korea’s partners and deserve the highest attention,” she said. “Egypt is one of those.” THE EMBASSY North Korea’s largest embassy in the Middle East, an elegant, threestory Victorian building with a rusty brass plate over the entrance, sits on a leafy street on an island in the Nile. The embassy walls display photos of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, standing in a garden or strolling through a fish market. Its windows are usually shuttered, and security guards discourage passers-by from taking photos. Like those of many North Korean outposts, the duties of the Cairo embassy extend well beyond diplomacy. In Africa especially, North Korean diplomats have engaged in a wide variety of ruses and schemes to earn hard currency, U.N. investigators say. In South Africa and Mozambique, North Korean diplomats have been implicated in rhino poaching. In Namibia, North Koreans built giant statues and a munitions factory. In Angola, they
trained the presidential guard in martial arts. In Egypt, their business is weapons. U.N. inspectors and North Korean defectors say the Cairo embassy has become a bustling arms bazaar for covert sales of North Korean missiles and cut-price Soviet-era military hardware across a band of North Africa and the Middle East. Shielded by diplomatic cover and front companies, North Korean officials have traveled to Sudan, which was then subject to an international trade embargo, to sell satellite-guided missiles, according to records obtained by the United Nations. Others flew to Syria, where North Korea has supplied items that could be used in the production of chemical weapons. Inside the embassy, arms dealing goes right to the top. In November 2016, the United States and the United Nations sanctioned the ambassador, Pak Chun Il, describing him as an agent of North Korea’s largest arms company, the Korea Mining Development Trading Corp. At least five other North Korean officials based in Egypt, employed by state security or various arms fronts, have been sanctioned. One of them, Kim Song Chol, traveled to Khartoum in 2013 as part of a $6.8 million deal for the sale of 180 missiles and missile parts to Sudan. According to this year’s sanctions report, Kim and another sanctioned official based in Cairo, Son Jong Hyok, continue to deal
fell, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy said Saturday on Twitter. It noted that March 3 is U.N. World Wildlife Day and that it had received many messages of concern for the ailing Sudan, who could
be euthanized if he continues to suffer from a deep infection on his back right leg. “He is now resting again and will be attended by the vet team and his keepers throughout the
day,” said the conservancy, which is also home to the last two female northern white rhinos Sudan’s daughter and granddaughter. While the rhino subspecies is on the verge of
with Sudan’s state-controlled Military Industrial Corp. “An arms dealer with a diplomatic passport is still an arms dealer,” Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the Security Council in 2016.
Korean crew had been sent home, which meant the inspectors could not interview them. But one piece of evidence remained, in the form of a name stenciled on the rocket crates: “Al Sakr Factory for Developed Industries (AOI),” Egypt’s principal missile research and development company and a subsidiary of its sprawling state weapons conglomerate, the Arab Organization for Industrialization. Mohamed Abdulrahman, chairman of Al Sakr, did not respond to emailed questions about the shipment. In its statement, Egypt’s State Information Service said the measures taken by the country were “praised” by the United Nations’ sanctions committee, “which reiterated that the way Egypt dealt with this case is a model to be followed in similar situations.”
1990s, U.S. officials worried that Egypt was trying to buy North Korea’s Nodong missile system, which has a range of about 800 miles. “We were sending démarches to the Egyptians to say, ‘Knock it off – we’re sending you hundreds of F-16s, and you don’t need that North Korean crap,’” said Sirrs, who was based in Cairo at the time and now lectures at the University of Montana. It is unclear if Egypt ever acquired the Nodong missiles. Although Cairo has spent billions on highprofile military purchases in recent years, including Russian fighter jets, French aircraft carriers and German submarines, it has been notably cagey about its offensive missile capabilities. In 2013, a shipment of spare parts for Scud-B missiles, which have a shorter range than the Nodong, was intercepted in transit as it was shipped by air from the North Korean Embassy in Beijing to a military-controlled company in Cairo. The missile components had been labeled parts for fish-processing machinery. Egypt denied that the military company had ordered the Scud parts. Such missiles could strike Israel from deep inside Egyptian territory. They could also reach Ethiopia, with which Egypt has a simmering dispute over a new dam on the Nile.
THE SHIP For weeks in the summer of 2016, U.S. intelligence had covertly tracked the Jie Shun, the ship filled with rocket-propelled grenades that has become a focus of Cairo’s ties to North Korea. As it neared the Suez Canal in August, according to a Western diplomat familiar with the case, the Americans warned the Egyptians it might be carrying contraband, effectively forcing them to intervene. The seizure was the largest interdiction of munitions since sanctions were imposed on North Korea in 2006 – a significant victory in the international effort, including an arms embargo and export restrictions, to force Kim Jong Un to abandon his nuclear weapons program. For the next three months, with the Jie Shun impounded at Ain Sokhna port, a diplomatic tug-ofwar played out. The Americans wanted to send officials to inspect the dilapidated freighter and its illicit cargo. North Korea sent a diplomat to negotiate its release. The Egyptians refused both demands, but in November 2016 agreed to allow U.N. inspectors to board the ship. But by then, valuable information about the identity of the customer for the rockets, which had been hidden under mounds of iron ore, was missing. The North
SECRET MISSILE COOPERATION The Jie Shun shipment was a glaring example of how cash-starved North Korea has helped finance its nuclear program by hawking stocks of cheap, Soviet-era weapons to countries that developed a reliance on those systems during the Cold War, U.S. officials and analysts say. But it also pointed to an established smuggling route and an entrenched military-to-military trading relationship that U.S. officials say has long been a conduit for ballistic missile technology. Starting in the 1970s, Cairo and Pyongyang collaborated to extend the range and accuracy of Soviet Scud missiles, said Owen Sirrs, a former agent with the Defense Intelligence Agency. In the late
THE POLITICS OF SANCTIONS EVASION The Trump administration has scored some successes in its drive to isolate North Korea from its allies, notably with the Philippines and Singapore last fall. But Egypt, which
extinction because of poaching, scientists hope to use southern white rhinos as surrogates to carry northern white rhino embryos and give birth. The in vitro process would be conducted using sperm from dead rhinos that is stored in Berlin and eggs extracted by surgery from the females at Ol Pejeta, according to the conservancy. Some conservationists believe the scientific project stands little chance of rebuilding a viable population of northern white rhinos and say funding and resources should be directed to saving imperiled species with a much better chance of recovery. They refer to Asia’s Sumatran and Javan rhinos, with fewer than 100 of each species remaining. There are roughly 20,000 southern white rhinos in Africa. Their numbers dipped below 100 around a century ago, but an intense effort initiated by South African conservationist Ian Player in the mid-20th century turned things around. Even so, the southern white rhino and another species, the black rhino, are under heavy pressure from poachers who kill them for their horns to supply illegal markets in parts of Asia. Northern white rhinos once roamed parts of Chad, Sudan, Uganda, Congo and Central African Republic, and were particularly vulnerable because of the armed conflicts that have swept the region over decades. “They had the bad luck to be living in war zones,” said Jo Shaw, African rhino expert for the WWF conservation group.
receives $1.3 billion annually in U.S. aid, has resisted President Donald Trump’s entreaties. Egypt’s relationship with North Korea runs deep. President Hosni Mubarak was regularly feted in Pyongyang before his ouster in 2011. An Egyptian tycoon, Naguib Sawiris, built North Korea’s main cellphone network and invested in a bank there. Along with the AK-47 monument on the Suez Canal, North Korea built a large war museum in Cairo that is frequently visited by Egyptian schoolchildren. Egypt’s military leaders are reluctant to cut those ties and lose access to Soviet-era weapons and ballistic missile systems, analysts say, a posture bolstered by their reflexive distaste for appearing to bow to U.S. pressure. They may feel that, based on past experience, U.S. criticism will eventually abate. “They think they can evade the consequences,” said Andrew Miller of the Project on Middle East Democracy, who until last year worked on Egypt at the State Department. “That they are continuing to stonewall and obfuscate and pursue this course of action indicates they think they can get away with it, and whatever price will be imposed on them will be bearable.” At the North Korean Embassy in Cairo, now under a new ambassador, business continues as usual. North Korean state media has said little about the ambassador, Ma Tong Hui, other than to note that his previous post was as head of a little-known government body in Pyongyang called the Disarmament and Peace Institute.
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WORLD ANALYSIS
Putin says he wishes the Soviet Union had not collapsed – and many Russians agree BY ADAM TAYLOR
Washington Post
A day after unveiling dramatic new weapons – including a nuclear-powered cruise missile – that sparked talk of a return to Cold War tensions, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested he’d reverse the collapse of the Soviet Union if he could. Putin’s comments on the 1991 collapse of the USSR – which bound Russia and many of its neighbors, while exerting influence in Eastern Europe and abroad for almost seven decades – came at a question-and-answer forum held Friday in Kaliningrad. Taking questions from the audience, the Russian leader was asked what event in his nation’s history he would have liked to change. “The collapse of the Soviet Union,” Putin responded, according to the Russian news agency Tass. Though a fringe idea in the West, regret about the collapse of the Soviet Union is not unusual in Russia – in fact, it is widespread. And with Russian elections just a week away, its a factor still worth watching. The polling agency Levada Center has been asking Russians about their views on the collapse of the Soviet Union since 1992. The most recent numbers, from a survey conducted in November 2017, show that 58 percent of Russians regret the USSR’s collapse, while just over a quarter do not. Despite all the changes in Russia over the past quarter century, this public regret has proved remarkably consistent. Only once since polling began has the number of Russians saying they had regrets fallen below a majority – in December 2012, when 49 percent said they had regrets, though only 35 percent said they did not. The pro-Soviet sentiment peaked in 2000, just as Putin was coming to power, with three-quarters of the country said they regretted the collapse of the USSR. This sentiment is understandable when events are
FROM PAGE 17
ITALY ter-right bloc. Berlusconi is clearly relishing the prospect of being a potential kingmaker and milking a role as a familiar face to reassure European Union partners. That’s some turnaround. After all, in 2011, Berlusconi reluctantly stepped down as premier after markets lost faith in him. Berlusconi is no longer Italy’s richest man. Chipping away at his fortune have been mega-sized legal fees to a stable of lawyers defending him. Also denting are the big alimony awards to his second wife, a former actress who sought divorce following revelations of his “bunga-bunga” parties and dalliances with women a good halfcentury younger.
ALEXEI DRUZHININ Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during a massive rally supporting his re-election at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday. Putin has a huge lead in the polls.
viewed from the perspective of the average Russian. Though the end of the Soviet Union heralded the end of the Cold War tensions with the United States and its allies, for many it was the start of years of political and economic uncertainty, as well as a diminished place for the Russian people on the world stage. Part of the regret may be from the chaotic manner in which the Soviet Union came to an end. The last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, said in 2016 that the end of the union was due to “treachery.” Putin, formerly a KGB officer stationed in East Germany, called the breakdown of the USSR as the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century” in 2005, pointing to how many Russian citizens wound up outside of Russian territory due to the collapse. But the sentiment appears broader than that: The Levada Center’s polling found that a majority of Russians felt bitterness
RIGHT-WING FIREBRAND Matteo Salvini is in a battle to dominate the center-right, and wants to upstage Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party. He has never held public office in Italy, taking over as head of the Northern League in 2013, when the party was engulfed in a scandal over the misuse of funds. While frequently bashing the EU, once calling it “a cage of crazies,” his sole political office has been as a deputy in the European Parliament, a post he has held since 2004. Salvini, 43, has been anti-migrant, while claiming to support legal immigration. He leveraged for political gain the recent shooting of six African migrants by an unsuccessful local Northern League candidate in a local election. The gunman was allegedly motivated by the arrest of a Nigerian in the gruesome
PAVEL GOLOVKIN AP
A man with a flag “I’m for Putin” stands next to police officers during a massive rally in support of Russian President and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin, at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, Saturday. Two weeks before the Russian presidential election, tens of thousands of Putin’s supporters gathered for a rally at Moscow’s sprawling main sports complex.
over the end of the unified economic system, while a smaller group said that they felt Russia was no longer a superpower. Putin has been been leader of Russia in some
form or another since 2000, making him the longest serving Kremlin leader since Joseph Stalin. This week, Putin used his annual address to announce a series of new
weapon technologies that he dubbed “invincible,” including nuclear-powered missiles that would be difficult for conventional missile defense systems to combat.
murder of a young Italian woman. In Europe, he has cozied up publicly with France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen and has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a bid to broaden the party’s base, Salvini has rebranded the party by dropping “Northern” from its title, which was central to the party’s earlier secessionist platform that scapegoated the south. He is divorced from the mother of his two children. He is romantically involved with a TV starlet, who upstaged him in an appearance at the San Remo musical festival in a transparent gown with sequin accents over a lace teddy.
rise from Florence mayor to the premiership, in the process making enemies in the Democratic Party, and becoming, at 39, the country’s youngest leader. But he miscalculated in his assessment of how committed Italians were to ambitious economic and political reforms. After voters rejected constitutional reforms in a referendum, Renzi kept his word and, fighting tears, resigned the premiership in December 2016. A chastised-looking Renzi was an unusual sight. But his humility was short-lived. Brash and sharptongued, Renzi battled to retain his grip on the Democrats, which, since 2013, have been the main partner in the coalition government. But old rancor combined with his drive to steer the party to the center cost him dearly. More left-leaning factions in the party, espe-
cially former Communists, bolted and formed a new grouping and refused to ally with the Democrats in the election. Recent opinion polls are indicating that the Democrats have steadily lost support, with some previous voters opting for the populist-5-Stars, or even Berlusconi’s center-right party.
HUNGRY FOR POWER Like his fellow Florentine, Niccolo’ Macchiavelli, Matteo Renzi relishes political calculation. In 2014, Renzi ruthlessly engineered a meteoritic
DARK HORSE A Roman from a noble family, Paolo Gentiloni, 63, cut his political teeth at a classics high school considered the choice of Rome’s bourgeois class, assuming the role of as a leader of left-wing students during Italy’s hot years of youthful dissent. Turning to journalism, he wrote for, among others, a magazine headed by one of the founders of the communist daily Il Manifesto and later became director of an ecology magazine. His jobs helped him
Thursday’s speech marked a new low in U.S.Russia relations in the post-Cold War period, experts argue. Some analysts say that while Russia already had weapons that could overwhelm U.S. missile defenses if needed, the public announcement of these weapons was likely designed to rally a domestic base ahead of the March 18 election. Putin is easily expected to win the election, with a poll conducted last week giving him almost 70 percent – almost ten times the share of the vote of his nearest rival, a candidate from the Communist Party. Despite his regret about the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin told the audience on Friday he wouldn’t want to live in any other period than the current. Asked about his dreams for the future, the Russian president said: “I want our country to be successful, powerful, stable, balanced and looking ahead.”
become spokesman for Rome Mayor Francesco Rutelli, a former Radical and Greens Party leader who later forged close ties with the Vatican. Though his own candidacy to be Rome’s mayor in 2013 flopped, Gentiloni was available for bigger roles. When Renzi resigned, the Italian president tapped Gentiloni, who had become foreign minister, to be premier. A tennis player known for a mean drop shot, Gentiloni has finessed talk of extending his premiership. Under Democratic Party rules, the party secretary is the de facto candidate for the premiership – Renzi’s the secretary. But with Renzi’s popularity among Democrats in question, Gentiloni is a potential candidate to lead a grand coalition. Even Berlusconi has professed admiration.
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WORLD
IVAN VALENCIA For The Washington Post
A Venezuelan migrant and her children wait for food at a support center after crossing the border into Cucuta, Colombia.
FROM PAGE 17
EXODUS during the second half of 2017, when the economy took a sharp turn for the worse. That figure is in addition to the hundreds of thousands who departed between 1999 and 2015. “Our migration levels are now comparable to Syria or to [the Rohingya going to] Bangladesh,” said Tomás Páez, an immigration expert at the Central University of Venezuela. More than a million Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis and others fleeing war and poverty poured into Europe in 2015, and 650,000 Rohingya Muslims have recently fled persecution in Burma, seeking refuge in Bangladesh. Globally, the growing Venezuelan diaspora is reshaping cities from Miami to Buenos Aires to Madrid. But most Venezuelan migrants are staying in Latin America, where countries are handling a dire situation in different ways. Peru, for instance, is offering temporary resident permits to Venezuelans, granting them the right to work. Last year, nearly 149,000 Venezuelans entered the country, up from 40,000 in 2016, according to Peruvian government statistics. “We’re going to Peru because I cannot feed my children in Venezuela,” said Liuiben De Navarro, a 28-year-old Venezuelan seamstress who, on a recent morning, crossed the Colombia border at dawn with her two young children. She and a host of other Venezuelans – army deserters, laborers, nurses – arrived to a barrage of offers from touts peddling trips on rickety buses to cities such as Quito, Lima and Santiago. A few feet away, desperate Venezuelans sold scrap metal to Colombian junk merchants. “We buy hair!” yelled another Colombian merchant as a young Venezuelan woman sat in a chair under a tree, blushing as the scissors cut her long locks, destined to become a wig. “I love my country,” De Navarro said. “But we cannot get food.” In Brazil, President
Michel Temer declared a state of emergency after a visit to his country’s border with Venezuela last month and pledged $20 million plus a new field hospital to ease the crisis. Four shelters on Brazil’s southern border are now packed with Venezuelans, officials say, with an estimated 40,000 additional Venezuelan migrants residing in Boa Vista, the closest big Brazilian city to the border. Officials say they will treat the newcomers as Brazilian citizens. But Temer also vowed to double the number of troops at the border. In October, overwhelmed Panama imposed new visa requirements on Venezuelans, making it far more difficult for economic migrants and asylum seekers to enter the country. In January, 308 Venezuelans were expelled or agreed to return to their countries when faced with deportation. From 2010 to 2016, Panama deported only
196 Venezuelans in total, according to government statistics. “We’ve been coming here en masse, like people fleeing from a war zone,” said Marcos Ardon, 47, a former business owner in Venezuela now working in a Panama City coffee shop. “You’re on the bus and you hear people speaking with a Venezuelan accent everywhere now. You feel like [Panamanian] people don’t like it, that we’re too many here.” Colombians flocked to Venezuela to find work in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Now the job-seekers are Venezuelans heading in the opposite direction. Venezuelans have enjoyed access to special permits good for two years in Colombia’s border region, allowing them to stay up to seven days at a time. Facing severe food and medical shortages at home, most have stocked up on supplies, or visited hospitals, before returning across the border. But Colombian officials say those visas became a lure for Venezuelans look-
ing to start a new life – bringing a dramatic surge across the border that reached a peak of 90,000 people a day in December. In early February, President Juan Manuel Santos suspended the issuing of new temporary visas and declared a massive militarization of the border. The moves cut the daily flow almost in half – though critics say it has only motivated migrants to cross at dozens of illegal entry points along the border, putting them at risk of harm from guerrillas and criminal bands. Locals, meanwhile, are accusing the Venezuelans already here of harming the economy and driving up crime. “We need to close the border,” said Nancy Pineda, a 30-year-old Cucuta fruit seller. “They come with fruit they buy for nothing in Venezuela and sell for prices here that I can’t compete with. They come here, killing and robbing Colombians. We need take our city back.” That is just what Colombian authorities say they are doing – staging operations several times a day in which they round
up migrants lacking valid visas. Jozef Merkx, representative for the U.N. high commissioner for refugees in Colombia, said the agency is concerned about the operations. But because Venezuela is not at war, its people are harder to classify as refugees in need of international protection. “People fleeing Syria were generally seen as refugees, but that’s not the case with Venezuelans,” Merkx said. “Venezuela is not being bombed. It has some of the dimensions [of a refugee crisis], but not all Venezuelans are refugees.” On a recent morning in Cucuta, however, the scene resembled a refugee crisis, with women clutching babies and exhausted families toting old suitcases streaming across a border bridge. The most desperate headed straight to the hospital. “We don’t know where to turn,” said Jose Urriola, 30, standing next to his 18-month-old daughter, Mavis, who languished in a hospital bed. The family had recently arrived from
Venezuela. The little girl was malnourished and also had developed a life-threatening heart blockage. The hospital was petitioning national authorities for funds before proceeding with the costly operation. Winston Martínez, deputy director of Colombia’s migration agency, said the country was not conducting “mass deportations.” Instead, he said, it was carrying out special operations designed to limit the number of Venezuelans without valid visas. He noted that the government is offering Venezuelans who have passports the chance to apply for special resident visas and has already awarded more than 160,000. “Like any country, we need to have a safe and secure border,” Martinez said. But many Venezuelans weren’t able to get passports in their homeland because of the cost and long wait. The operations are sending as many as 100 migrants a day back to Venezuela. Shortly after Andie, the woman in the black shirt and jean shorts, was detained by police, they loaded her onto a truck. About 15 minutes later, she and three dozen other migrants were released at a border bridge swarming with mosquitoes. One by one, the migrants walked back toward Venezuela as the Colombian officers watched. And then only Andie was left. “You have to go,” said a female officer. More than a dozen Colombian officers surrounded the thin Venezuelan. “I can’t,” Andie said, her voice breaking. “Please. I’m pregnant, and we won’t survive there.” The officer paused. “I’m sorry, honey, but you need to go back.” Andie nodded, then turned. Sobbing and clutching her stomach, she walked across the bridge. The Washington Post’s Joshua Partlow in Panama City; Rachelle Krygier in Caracas, Venezuela; and Marina Lopes in Sao Paulo, Brazil, contributed to this report.
IVAN VALENCIA For The Washington Post
Venezuelans await food after crossing into Cucuta last month.
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WORLD
Beijing takes cautious approach to US metal tariffs BY KEITH BRADSHER
New York Times
President Donald Trump’s decision to impose broad tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum has drawn condemnation from the European Union, Canada and Brazil. But the intended target of Trump’s action, China, has been fairly cautious. China’s commerce and foreign ministries have publicly criticized the decision, and the Commerce Ministry raised the possibility Friday that China might retaliate. But the threat was carefully
calibrated to say that any retaliation would be based on the direct effects of the United States’ actions on China’s own interests. Those direct effects could be limited. China represents only a little more than 2 percent of U.S. steel imports, and just 0.1 percent of China’s overall steel production. China also exports only a very small share of its raw aluminum production to the United States. China uses most of its aluminum to manufacture everything from auto parts to solar panel frames, although many of these are then exported all over
the world. The Trump administration tariffs are expected to focus on shipments of raw or barely processed metal. The broader message from Beijing since Trump’s announcement Thursday has been that Chinese officials still hope to keep talking to the United States and head off broader disputes over trade and investment. Liu He, a Chinese Politburo member who has clearly emerged this winter as President Xi Jinping’s top personal adviser on economic policy, met at length with senior administration officials in
Washington on Thursday and Friday. Those talks are being portrayed in China as productive even though Trump made his tariff announcement on the first full day of Liu’s visit and even though Trump himself did not meet with Liu. Beijing’s focus has been on two much broader issues. Chinese officials want to maintain the broader trade relationship, which produced a record $375 billion trade surplus for China last year and created millions of jobs in China while providing huge volumes of inexpensive goods for U.S. consumers. And Chinese officials want to preserve the overall ability of Chinese companies to continue investing in the United States. Those investments have allowed China to acquire considerable technology and manufacturing expertise that might be hard to develop independently. The Trump administration
has been working with senior members of Congress on legislation, strongly opposed by Beijing, that would considerably tighten scrutiny of Chinese investments in the United States. Economists generally agree that the steel and aluminum tariffs will be inconsequential to China unless they lead to broader trade restrictions. “Damage to the Chinese economy from these new tariffs will be trivial,” said Andy Rothman, an investment strategist and China analyst at Matthews International Capital Management, a San Francisco money management firm specializing in Asia. Administration officials blame chronic global overcapacity in both steel and aluminum manufacturing on China’s many state-owned enterprises in steel and aluminum, as well as the many direct and indirect government subsidies these enterprises
EMRAH GUREL AP
A Turkish soldier holds a position atop the Bursayah hill in the greater Afrin district, Syria, during a Turkish government-organized media tour into northern Syria, Saturday
Turkey tightens grip on Syrian Kurdish enclave BY MEHMET GUZEL AND EMRAH GUREL
Associated Press MARSAWA, SYRIA
Turkey’s prime minister said Saturday that Turkish troops have captured a strategic village in the Kurdish-held enclave in northwestern Syria, tightening its grip on Kurdish militia in the sixth week of its offensive on the area. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the Kurdish Afrin district has been “surrounded” by the military, special police and paramilitary forces, as well as allied Syrian opposition fighters. “Afrin has been surrounded. We have cleared all areas near our borders of terror nests,” he said at a rally in the central province of Konya, adding that Turkey would not cease its campaign against “terror.” Turkish troops and allied Syrian fighters have been attacking Afrin from the north, west and east, and have formed a crescent around the district. Turkey said it wants to
EMRAH GUREL AP
Holding a child, a woman waits to receive humanitarian aid distributed by the Red Crescent, in Mersewa village, in the greater Afrin district, Syria, during a Turkish government-organized media tour into northern Syria, on Saturday.
oust the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units,
or YPG, from Afrin. It considers the group a
terrorist organization, an extension of a Kurdish
insurgency within its own borders. Turkey said 41 of
receive. That overcapacity has contributed to job losses and lackluster sales for steel and aluminum producers around the world, not just in the United States. But addressing that overcapacity is difficult. Most of China’s steel and aluminum exports go to countries other than the United States, and much of it is processed into other goods before it ever leaves China. But the huge quantity of China’s production and exports has nonetheless caused a cascade effect elsewhere. Countries like Canada, which have lost export markets in East Asia and the developing world to low-cost metals from China, have become dependent on exporting to the United States. These countries could be hit hard by the Trump administration’s tariffs, depending on how the rules of the tariffs are written in the coming days.
its soldiers have been killed since the operation began. Associated Press journalists gained access to Afrin district for the first time Saturday on a tour organized by the Turkishgovernment, visiting a small village recently cleared of the YPG. Captain Ahmed Taqtaq of the allied Syrian forces in Marsawa village said they seized control of three villages in the last 10 days, fighting some 50 Syrian Kurdish fighters. He said, “Since we were in elevated areas, it facilitated our advance toward these villages.” Armed Syrian fighters patrolled the village. Turkey’s Red Crescent and emergency agency distributed beds, blankets and food to some 20 families in Marsawa, where walls were tagged with the logos of the YPG and other Kurdish groups. Further south, Turkish soldiers kept watch with weapons at the ready in Bursayah Hill, captured in late January. A Turkish flag now flutters above a former YPG watchtower. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syria conflict through on-the-ground activists, said fierce clashes were still ongoing in Rajo, in Afrin’s northwest. If confirmed, Rajo would be the largest center in Afrin to be captured since the Turkish offensive began on Jan. 20. Turkish borders run along Afrin’s western and northern borders. To the east lies a Syrian territory controlled by Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters. In the south, Syrian government forces control territory. The offensive has heightened tensions between Turkey and its NATO ally, the United States, which backs the YPG fighting against Islamic State militants in eastern Syria. The U.S. has no troop presence in Afrin, but has said it fears the Turkish offensive could distract from the fight against IS in the east. Complicating matters further, fighters loyal to Syria’s government entered Afrin late last month to support the Syrian Kurdish militia, raising the specter of a possible confrontation between Turkish and pro-government Syrian troops.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 22
WORLD Preconditions for talks rejected by North Korea BY CHOE SANG-HUN
New York Times SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
North Korea said Saturday that it would be willing to begin a dialogue with the United States on “issues of mutual con-
cern” but that it would not accept any preconditions for starting such talks. The statement came days after President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration could enter talks with North Korea, but “only under the right condi-
tions.” That meant North Korea must first commit to denuclearization, U.S. officials have said. North Korea, however, on Saturday said that talks needed to be based on “an equal footing between states.” “The dialogue we desire is the one designed to discuss and resolve the issues of mutual concern on an equal footing between states,” the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying. “There
had been no case at all where we sat with the U.S. on any precondition, and this will be the case in the future, too.” The remarks reflected North Korea’s long-standing insistence that it would engage Washington only if it is treated like an equal as a nuclear power. North Korea claimed to have a state nuclear force after conducting its sixth nuclear test and testlaunching intercontinental ballistic missiles last year. U.S. officials have said that North Korea has used
past negotiations to win economic concessions while continuing to advance its nuclear weapons program. They’ve insisted that this time, they would not start a dialogue until the North first took steps that would convince them of its willingness to negotiate away its nuclear weapons. Vowing not to repeat past mistakes, the Trump administration has said that even if talks started, it would maintain its “maximum” pressure and sanctions campaign until
Hand grenades, gang violence rattle Sweden’s middle class BY ELLEN BARRY AND CHRISTINA ANDERSON
The New York Times STOCKHOLM
In the Stockholm suburb of Varby Gard, it was not unusual to see the figure of a 63-year-old man pedaling a bicycle home after the end of his shift as an aide for disabled adults, hunched against the icy wind of a Swedish winter. Daniel Cuevas Zuniga had just finished a night shift on a Sunday last month, and was cycling home with his wife, when he spotted a spherical object lying on the ground, stopped and reached down to take it in his hand. It was an M-75 hand grenade. Manufactured in great numbers for the Yugoslav national army, and then seized by paramilitaries during the civil war in the 1990s, the grenades are packed with plastic explosives and 3,000 steel balls, well suited for attacks on enemy trenches and bunkers. When Zuniga touched it, he set off the detonator. The shock wave was so powerful that Zuniga’s wife, Wanna, riding ahead of him, was blown off her bicycle and sprawled on the ground, mottled with shrapnel wounds. She tried to crawl toward her husband, she told a reporter later, but the police, who had been patrolling nearby, kept her back. Weapons from a faraway, long-ago war are flowing into immigrant neighborhoods here, puncturing Swedes’ sense of confidence and security. The country’s murder rate remains low, by American standards, and violent crime is stable or dropping in many places. But gang-related assaults and shootings are becoming more frequent, and the number of neighborhoods categorized by the police as “marred by crime, social unrest and insecurity” is rising. Crime and immigration are certain to be key issues in September’s general election, alongside the traditional debates over education and health care. Part of the reason is that Sweden’s gang violence, long contained within low-income suburbs, has begun to spill out. In large cities, hospitals report armed confrontations in emergency rooms, and school administrators say threats and weapons have become commonplace. Last week two men from Uppsala, both in their 20s, were arrested on charges of throwing grenades at the home of a bank employee who investigates
DMITRY KOSTYUKOV NYT
The funeral for Daniel Cuevas Zuniga, a 63-year-old who was killed by a hand grenade he found in a street, in Stockholm, Feb. 18. Surplus weapons left over from Yugoslavia’s civil war are being sold to Swedish gangs, making crime and immigration hot-button issues.
fraud cases. An earlier jolt came with the death of Zuniga, who on Jan. 7 picked up the grenade, which police believe had been thrown by members of a local gang targeting a rival gang or police officers. Paulus Borisho, 55, was in his kebab shop around 50 feet away, and the explosion made his windows shudder. He ran outside to see a thin column of black smoke rising. Zuniga lay on the bike path, curled on his side. Like many of his neighbors in Varby Gard, Borisho had sought asylum in Sweden to escape a war. He knew what a grenade sounded like. As a commando in a Lebanese militia, he had handled grenades, and remembered the strict protocols he complied with, locking up the weapons for safe keeping the minute he returned to camp. That a grenade should be found on the sidewalk outside a kebab shop, steps from an elementary school, was hard for him to take in. “Now, when I think of the future, I am afraid,” he said. “I am afraid for Europe.” Illegal weapons often enter Sweden over the Oresund Bridge, a 10-mile span that links the southern city of Malmo to Denmark. When it opened, in 2000, the bridge symbolized the unfurling of a vibrant, borderless Europe, but in recent years it
has been more closely associated with smuggling, of people, weapons and drugs. The influx of heavy weapons has caught Sweden’s criminal justice systems unprepared. The border with Denmark is open, with insufficient personnel to search every vehicle entering the country. Hand grenades were, until last year, classified as “flammable products” rather than weapons, so sentences for detonating them were mild. The police are struggling to gather information in immigrant neighborhoods, and clearance rates for gun homicide cases have fallen steadily since the 1990s. “We have lost the trust from the people who lived and worked in this area,” said Gunnar Appelgren, a police superintendent and specialist in gang violence. Sweden’s far right-wing party blames the government’s liberal immigration policy for the rising crime, and will thrust the issue to the fore in the fall campaign. Last year, Peter Springare, 61, a veteran police officer in Orebro, published a furious Facebook post saying violent crimes he was investigating were committed by immigrants from “Iraq, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Somalia, Syria again, Somalia, unknown country, unknown country, Sweden.” It was shared more than 20,000 times;
Springare has since been investigated twice by state prosecutors, once for inciting racial hatred, though neither resulted in charges. Even President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue, saying that after taking in “large numbers” of immigrants, Sweden was “having problems like they never thought possible.” Police officials are more likely to attribute gang violence to a failure of integration, citing a recent study of a Swedish street gang that found 24 percent of its members were ethnic Swedes, and 42 percent had been born in Sweden. But they, too, see an urgent problem. Affixed to the wall in Appelgren’s office in Stockholm’s Police Headquarters is a chart showing the increase in the use of hand grenades. Until 2014 there were about a handful every year. In 2015, that number leapt: 45 grenades were seized by police, and 10 others were detonated. The next year, 55 were seized and 35 detonated. A modest decrease occurred in 2017, when 39 were seized and 21 were detonated. Appelgren has watched the trend apprehensively, calling it an arms race among gangs. “I think we’re going to see, if we don’t stop it, more drive-by shootings with Kalashnikovs and
hand grenades,” he said. “They throw rocks and bottles at our cars, and they trick us in an ambush. When will it happen that they ambush us with Kalashnikovs? It’s coming.” Much of the problem is the supply of surplus weapons. The Dayton peace agreement, which ended the Bosnian war, required paramilitaries to disarm and decommission their arsenals. Sellers in Bosnia and Serbia have networks in Sweden’s diaspora and are so eager to unload excess grenades, often rusted from decades in storage, that they throw them in free with the purchase of AK-47s, Appelgren said. In Sweden the street price of a hand grenade is 100 kroner, or $12.50. “It’s odd,” said Manne Gerell, a lecturer in criminology at Malmo University. “I don’t know of any Western country with a similar use of hand grenades. Our hypothesis is that they are used to send a message. Not so much as a weapon, as a tool for intimidation. You don’t need perfect aim. You are not trying to kill a particular person.” As for Zuniga, on the January morning when he spotted the object in his path, he had finally made a big decision. Sweden had been good to him. He had emigrated from Chile in 1985, as part of a wave of left-leaning Chileans allowed into
North Korea denuclearized. Trump has also threatened to use military force if diplomacy fails to end the nuclear crisis. North Korea said it would not give up its nuclear weapons, arguing that it has been driven to develop a nuclear deterrent because of U.S. “hostility.” It demanded that Washington first accept it as a nuclear power before discussing ways of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Sweden by Olof Palme, a liberal prime minister and passionate opponent of Chile’s authoritarian president at the time, Augusto Pinochet. Zuniga found work as a health aide, most recently caring for adults with severe disabilities and Alzheimer’s disease. He was a genial bear of a man who called everyone by a nickname – Bandito, Diablo, Loco, Feya – and no one, not even the stonefaced Swedish head nurses, could resist him. But lately, Zuniga had complained that he did not feel safe in his neighborhood. Varby Gard has produced a street gang, the Varby Gard Network, which the police have been monitoring for two years. It is led by a Tunisian man and populated by first- and second-generation immigrants from Finland, the Balkans and Africa, said Lars Broms, a detective who is investigating Zuniga’s death. Intent on protecting its monopoly on the local drug trade, it is fluid and loosely organized, but like other suburban gangs in Sweden, it is developing quickly, he said. “Give them 20 years, and we’ll have the same as in LA,” Broms said. On Tuesday, police arrested two 18-year-old men on suspicion of throwing the grenade that killed Zuniga. Zuniga had complained about the changes in Varby Gard, frustrated that police did not have better control, friends said. A music lover, he no longer went out to concerts at night, said Hugo Garrido, 60, a close friend. “Crime is increasing and increasing, and they aren’t doing anything about it,” Garrido said. “It’s denial. Swedes are very good people and they want to change the world. They want the rest of the world to be like Sweden. And the reality is that it’s completely different.” So Zuniga, who was nearing retirement, had planned his exit, squirreling money away to build a house in Thailand, where his wife’s family lived. He told friends he planned to go in April. Instead, on a recent Sunday his mourners streamed into an unadorned stone-colored chapel in a Stockholm cemetery, overflowing the pews. A light snow was falling outside. Wanna, a tiny woman with hair nearly down to her waist, stood at the foot of the coffin, her face stretched into a mask of grief. After that she collected herself. “He reiterated that if he died, I must return to Thailand,” she said of her husband. “He didn’t want me to live here after he died. He told me to sell the house and just leave.”
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BUSINESS Here’s how to max out your Roth IRA in 2018 BY ANNA-LOUISE JACKSON
NerdWallet
GIONCARLO VALENTINE NYT
Phillip Picardi, the head of Teen Vogue and an LBGTQ community platform called “them,” in New York on Feb. 6.
Condé Nast’s 26-year-old man of the moment BY SYDNEY EMBER
New York Times NEW YORK
Within 20 minutes of our interview, I knew a lot about Phillip Picardi. He is, for example, an Aries with a Leo rising and a Sagittarius moon. When he was in elementary school, he didn’t smile for three years because he was “so inspired by Victoria Beckham and Posh Spice.” In his teenage years, the background of his Myspace page was a “giant collage of shirtless dudes.” We met for breakfast at the Odeon in Tribeca, a restaurant that has become a meeting spot for the Condé Nast editors and executives who work about nine blocks away, at One World Trade Center. At age 26, Picardi, the head of Teen Vogue, is a rising star at this glossiest of magazine publishers, whose titles also include Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest. Anna Wintour, the empress of fashion and Condé Nast’s artistic director, has signaled her approval of Picardi in ways big and small, and in a phone interview she described him to me as “marvelous.”
GIONCARLO VALENTINE NYT
Phillip Picardi, right, and his team at the LGBTQ community platform called “them” are led through a guided meditation at the start of their meeting in New York on Feb. 6.
He has worked at Condé Nast more or less since he was a freshman at New York University – “I heard the Olsen twins went there” – and distinguished himself with his performance as the digital editorial director of Teen Vogue. Under his guidance, the magazine’s website reached a new audience when it published, soon after Election Day, an online opinion piece by Lauren Duca headlined “Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America.” The #resistance crowd favorited it, the presidentelect’s fans denounced it, and social media users in
the habit of sharing New Republic think pieces were unexpectedly tweeting about a publication known for fashion tips and relationship advice. Teen Vogue gained further momentum when Dan Rather wrote about it on his Facebook page and Tucker Carlson sparred with Duca on Fox News. After that, Trevor Noah welcomed Picardi and the Teen Vogue editor, Elaine Welteroth, to “The Daily Show,” and the publication they oversaw was no longer just another magazine for adolescent girls. Since then, Teen Vogue has shut down its print
edition, but Picardi has collected new responsibilities. After Welteroth left Condé Nast in January, Condé Nast named him the chief content officer of Teen Vogue. He has also started a new digital project at the company, an LGBT community platform called Them, which has drawn support from advertisers including Burberry, Google, Lyft and GLAAD. To Wintour, Picardi is someone who fits the cultural moment – he’s the ideal promoter of a millennial-flavored brand of anti-Trump activism and identity politics that is gaining strength in a stormy political atmosphere. “He understands how young people are thinking today,” Wintour said. “He’s very activist, he’s very engaged. He wants to make waves, which I think is important. He wants to cause a conversation, not in an angry way but in a helpful way.” At the Odeon, Picardi wore an outfit he referred to as his “pajamas” – midnight blue velvet pants and a matching shirt from the Sies Marjan label. Despite his swift rise at a company known for its Versailles-style office politics, Picardi said he was not the calculating sort. “I’m never making an effort to behave any differently or modify my behavior,” he said over poached eggs and avocado. It is not difficult to see why Picardi – who goes by Phill, with two L’s, thank you very much – has impressed his boss, particularly at a time when SEE PICARDI, PAGE 24
Hitting the maximum speed limit for the first time while driving? Exhilarating, but fleeting. Maxing out your Roth IRA? Less exhilarating, but much more rewarding. Whether the balance in your retirement accounts sits at empty or you’re trying to rev up your planning, it may be time to take a Roth IRA for a spin. This type of individual retirement account will grant you access to a broader array of investments that often have lower fees than employersponsored plans. And even with 2017 in the rearview mirror, you have until April 17 to contribute to these IRAs for that tax year. Whether you’re looking to max out last year’s or this year’s contributions, the following tips will keep you on track. Open an account: It’ll be hard to max out a Roth IRA without an account and stuffing money in a shoebox won’t cut it. Why IRA the Roth way? These accounts offer valuable tax advantages – money and investment earnings grow tax-free and there’s no income tax on withdrawals during retirement – plus, you’ll benefit from compounding interest (earning interest on both investments and interest over time). The primary advantage of Roth versus traditional IRAs comes down to taxes. With a Roth, you pay taxes upfront, whereas you’ll pay taxes later with a traditional IRA when you take distributions. Generally speaking, if you’re currently in a low tax bracket (or early stages of your career), consider a Roth IRA because your tax rate may be higher come retirement. Setting up a Roth IRA takes a matter of minutes. You’ll need to decide whether you prefer an account with an online broker or a robo-adviser (the difference being how actively you want to manage your investments). Once you’ve opened an account, select investments. To benefit from both diversification and low costs, consider a portfolio constructed of index funds and ETFs. Look for providers with low account minimums, low (or no) account fees and fund minimums, a large selection of notransaction-fee mutual funds and commissionfree exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the type
of customer service and educational resources you desire. Finding a Roth IRA comparison on the web can help you review providers side-by-side. Envision your future: It can be difficult to prioritize far-off goals, especially with opportunities for instant gratification today. Experts recommend saving up to 15 percent of your pretax income each year for retirement. If you don’t want to work forever, you’ll probably need to save more than what’s allowable in an employer-sponsored plan (a maximum of $18,500 for workers under the age of 50 for tax year 2018). Use a retirement calculator to check whether you’re on-track. Set manageable goals, then make regular contributions: Retirement planning is a decades-long journey and even shorterterm goals, like setting aside $5,500 in one year, can be daunting for most people. This isn’t the type of loose change you likely have laying around – and it’s money you won’t be able to touch (without incurring penalties) for decades to come. But breaking down that $5,500 goal into a more manageable weekly or monthly amount may help. Maxing out contributions this year works out to about $15.07 a day, roughly $105.77 each week or about $458.33 monthly. With those numbers in mind, set up a schedule for making contributions to your Roth IRA. Don’t go for the extremes (oncea-day or once-a-year); instead, opt for a manageable schedule, like the same day each month. This will help ensure you don’t rack up trading costs with a too-frequent schedule and resist the urge to time the market with a too-infrequent strategy. Opt for an automatic trading plan, if possible, to benefit from dollar-cost averaging. This is a strategy of spreading out investment purchases over time to ensure you don’t invest all your money when prices are high. Know your limits: Don’t despair if you can’t max out a Roth IRA this year – this goal may take time to achieve. When in doubt, be prudent: Don’t try to max out an IRA if you’re racking up high-interest debt in the meantime or don’t have enough to cover monthly expenses. Contribute whatever money you can this year and resolve to increase that amount down the road.
ROSS D. FRANKLIN AP
Experts recommend saving up to 15 percent of your pretax income each year for retirement. The primary advantage of a Roth IRA versus traditional IRAs comes down to taxes. With a Roth, you pay taxes upfront, whereas you’ll pay taxes later with a traditional IRA when you take distributions.
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BUSINESS ADVICE
Is a late-career change worth it? BY ROB WALKER
New York Times
Q: I have worked for the same large company for 12 years, ever since entering my current field. It’s a great company and the job is mostly fulfilling, but it can also be stressful. There is a lot of travel (weekends included), which puts a strain on my personal relationships. And while management talks about work-life balance, the true workaholics are rewarded with bonuses. I recently took about six weeks off for some minor surgery. This was the first real break from work travel since joining the company. I really enjoyed working from my home office, spending more time with family and friends. I felt relaxed and energized. Now I am back on the road again and having a hard time. I am sleeping poorly, have developed migraines and find that the multiple demands on Q:
my time make me anxious. At my own request, I am working on a project I thought would get me more home-office time, but it just added to my travel schedule. I am working evenings and weekends to catch up. I am in my mid-50s, and if I keep it up, I can retire in about eight years – but I worry about my physical and mental health holding out. My position is very specialized, so I don’t think there is another job at this company that I can transfer to. I don’t want to return to the field I left. I think it is too late and too expensive to go back to school. What to do? – Anonymous
A: This strikes me as an extreme example of what I suspect is a widespread issue. We could call it The Home Stretch Problem: The finish line of retirement is in sight, but getting there is going to be unpleasant at best. Is it better to risk making a change that could improve your work life – or to grit A:
your teeth and ride it out? Mike Lewis, author of the recent book, “When To Jump: If the Job You Have Isn’t the Life You Want,” offers some useful thoughts, drawn from his conversations with dozens of people who have switched careers at some point in their work lives. It’s possible, he concedes, that a particular job might be so specialized, or perhaps tied to a lucrative “golden handcuffs” situation, that sticking with the shortest road to retirement makes sense. But, Lewis continues, while it’s easy to convince yourself that you have no options, that’s probably more rare than you think – and it’s worth putting your assumption to the test. Look for “wiggle room,” as he puts it: Be openminded and creative about how your skills could be applied to positions that may not be a perfect match, but that have someoverlap. This means considering what could be more of a lateral move, or even a
GIONCARLO VALENTINE NYT
Phillip Picardi, the head of Teen Vogue and an LBGTQ community platform called “them,” in the Condé Nast lounge in New York on Feb. 6.
FROM PAGE 23
PICARDI Condé Nast is looking for its next generation of (younger, cheaper) leaders. Even at his age, he is polished, with a repertoire of life-affirming stories. One of his go-tos: “I got in trouble for bringing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera CDs to secondgrade class because I was in Catholic school and they freaked out and said it was too sexual and I was like, ‘That’s the point.’” During our interview, Picardi noted that Teen Vogue’s monthly traffic under his team had gone from 2 million unique visitors to 12 million. “Not to toot my own horn, that is very hard,” he said. Traffic has since fallen, but his success has resonated inside One World Trade. “People in the building are always referring to things that were instituted at Teen Vogue and now at Them, said Amy Astley, the editor of Architectural Digest and a former editor of Teen Vogue, who hired Picardi as an intern. “I honestly think that people in the company wish him
well and are not jealous of him and are learning from him.” Picardi grew up in North Andover, Massachusetts. His father, a devout Catholic, owned a technology company. His mother was a homemaker and an executive assistant. He had four siblings, including a sister who used to paint his nails pink and a brother named John Paul, after the pope. Family dinners sometimes included Picardi’s grandmother, who moved to America from a mountain village in Italy. “My dad used to pick the sausages out of the sauce and eat them with his fingers, and my mom would cry,” Picardi said. It made for a sometimes challenging environment for the young Picardi. “I was gay,” he said. “G.A.Y., with an exclamation mark and a little asterisk.” He came out to his parents in the summer before ninth grade. It was 2 in the morning, and Picardi, who had just finished watching “Queer
as Folk,” burst into their bedroom and said: “Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you.” His mother sobbed as he had his say. Ten minutes later, his father rolled over and asked what was going on. He had slept through it. His parents sent him to a Catholic therapist and instructed him not to tell his neighbors, his friends or his younger brother. But with his identity solidified, he began shaping his future. Before coming out, he had wanted to be a lawyer. Now, he decided, he should work in fashion. “I watched ‘Will & Grace,’ and that’s what it felt like they were doing, more or less,” he said. At a bookstore, he picked up copies of Out and Details. Then he saw it: Vogue. “I picked up a copy of Vogue just because I was, like, I need to know about women’s fashion now, because I’m gay,” he said. “Jack and Will make fun of everything Grace wears on ‘Will & Grace,’ so I need to be like that.” He helped start a charity fashion show at his high school, Central Catholic High School, called Catwalk4Cancer, which has since raised more
GLENN HARVEY NYT
minor step back – maybe putting you 10 years from retirement instead of eight. “Ten years is going to feel like five if it’s something you prefer doing,” Lewis argues. “And eight years is going to feel like 16 if you’re stuck doing what you don’t want to do.” Think about both your core skills, and your unique knowledge. Might those skills work in anoth-
er field? Might your knowledge be valuable in another position in your current field? Are you certain your company couldn’t use your skills in another capacity? Research every possible option and how you’d make your move. Lewis calls this “pre-jump practice.” Even this process of assertively exploring options will feel more pro-
ductive and hopeful than just giving up. It’s quite easy to find friends and colleagues who will advise against taking a chance. But remember that sometimes, Lewis says, “those people probably secretly wish theydid it.” So think hard about which you’ll regret more: trying to make a change, or preemptively deciding you can’t.
than $250,000. “He had the ability to make people do what he wanted them to do,” said Carmen Lonero, a teacher who served as his adviser on the project. “I always knew he was going to do something that was special.” What set Picardi on a path toward working in magazines was a Vanity Fair cover story he read on Jennifer Aniston and the celebrity love triangle that involved Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. During his first week at NYU, Picardi attended New York Fashion Week, covering an Alexandre Herchcovitch show for the shopping and style website Racked. Some months later, he had the internship at teenvogue.com. He became a beauty intern after writing a blog post, “BrowBeat: Confessions of an Over-Tweezed Teen,” about his eyebrows, after a painful experience with online bullying. He graduated a year early and became head of Teen Vogue’s website at 23. His duties have been expanded as Condé Nast is facing the financial challenges brought about by dwindling print circulations and listless ad sales. No longer a workplace of editors with endless expense accounts, the company is surrendering to the economic realities and staccato rhythms of digital journalism. Radhika Jones, a former books editor at The New York Times, replaced Graydon Carter as the editor of Vanity Fair, which has laid off a number of senior staff members who had worked under him. Samantha Barry, a former executive producer at CNN, has taken over Glamour from another veteran editor, Cynthia Leive. In addition to closing Teen Vogue’s print edition, Condé Nast has reduced the print frequency of titles including GQ , Architectural Digest, W and Allure. In this more parsimonious age, Picardi has emerged as the face of
what Condé Nast calls its Next Gen network, which includes online titles like The Hive and Healthyish. Until recently, another rising star at the company was Welteroth, who was named editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue in April. Not long after the announcement, Wintour asked Picardi to lunch. Over salmon, in a conference room in the building, she asked him what he wanted to do long term. “I had a very pretty clear idea in my mind how he was going to answer, but I wanted it, obviously, to come from him,” Wintour said. Picardi was not surprised by the question. “I was ready for something new,” he said. “And I think she just sensed it.” He pitched her the idea for what would become Them. Wintour was interested. As the magazine business contracts, Condé Nast has been betting on less expensive, digital projects, and Them could serve as a template. “It was a no-brainer,” Wintour said. “It just seemed like, yeah, this is right. This is what Condé Nast should be doing.” For anyone at the company or in the fashion world who had missed it, the bond between the Condé Nast artistic director and her new protégé became all too clear in June at the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America awards dinner. Seated at Wintour’s table in the Hammerstein Ballroom, along with Nicole Kidman, Tory Burch and Huma Abedin, and wearing a Bally summerweight suit the color of rosé, was Picardi. In November, Wintour stood at Picardi’s side at a Condé Nast party held in honor of Them at Mission Chinese Food, a hip restaurant on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Among the guests were Chelsea Manning and Rose McGowan. The LGBT-centric platform is so new that it is hard to tell how it will fare. In its first three
months, it attracted fewer than 1.5 million total unique visitors, according to internal data. Teen Vogue, though still enjoying its run as an online voice for progressive politics, has been unable to sustain its momentum. In the last three months of 2017, it drew on average fewer than 6 million monthly unique visitors. Picardi said he was unfazed. “I think uniques are less and less a standard-bearer of success,” he said. His plans for Teen Vogue include a restructuring that would have one team devoted to the latest news and another focused on features. He also said he would like to turn last year’s outrage into action. But if Picardi’s rise owes something to identity politics, the same line of thinking can be used against him. A recent Daily Beast article, for instance, questioned if he was the right person to run Teen Vogue. “By quietly installing a white man at its helm, Teen Vogue, a platform seeking to empower young intersectional feminists, has arguably taken a step backwards,” the author argued. (“I think whoever wrote that is not looking at the person,” Wintour said.) Picardi’s flair for riding a cultural wave continues to win him key fans in the building. “I think there’s no end to his potential,” Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., Condé Nast’s chief executive, said. “He’s innovative, he knows the marketplace, he knows young people, he knows all ages, he’s not afraid, he’s courageous, he’s a brandbuilder, he’s a culturedriver. And it’s just in his bones – it’s not like you trained him. It’s just there.” When I asked Wintour if she thought Picardi could one day run Condé Nast, she did not swat away the question. “For Phill, anything is possible,” she said. “It’s his road to take.”
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BUSINESS
New tax cut battle is all about data on where that money goes BY JIM TANKERSLEY
New York Times WASHINGTON
The new Republican tax cut is providing a powerful weapon for the law’s supporters and detractors, as well as investors and analysts, who are mining data on how companies are spending their windfalls in a battle to sway the behavior of voters and executives alike. In the two months since President Donald Trump signed the $1.5 trillion tax bill into law, a vast arsenal of spreadsheets has begun to capture, in real time, the effect of the tax cut as it works its way through corporate balance sheets. Traders are compiling data to find value in a volatile stock market. Advocates of corporate responsibility are hoping to shame companies into passing more of their savings on to employees or charities. Partisans are using it to sway public opinion. None of the data, as of yet, yield anywhere close to a full picture of how the tax cuts are flowing through corporate boardrooms and into the U.S. economy. But that has not stopped politicians and organizations from using it to advance their goals. After Congress approved the final version of the tax cut bill, John
DOUG MILLS NYT
President Donald Trump signs the tax reform bill Dec. 22 in the Oval Office. The tax cut’s supporters and detractors, as well as investors and analysts, are mining data on how companies are spending their windfalls in a battle to sway voters and executives.
Kartch, of the conservative-leaning Americans for Tax Reform, started a list that began with AT&T, Comcast and five other companies that had announced wage increases or worker bonuses and credited the moves to the tax cuts. It has since grown to more than 400 companies and emerged as Republicans’ favorite talking point for their new law. Democrats have been building their own list, of companies announcing stock buybacks, and have showcased that as evidence the bill is benefiting the rich rather than trickling down to workers. Wall Street analysts have since released even more detailed estimates of how
companies are responding to the law, which lowered taxes for corporations and so-called pass-through businesses. On Wednesday, the nonprofit research group Just Capital planned to release one of the most detailed accountings to date: a ranking of companies on how much of their tax windfalls are going to workers, customers, communities and shareholders. Advocates are hoping that the more information they can bring to the surface, the more they can bend companies’ or voters’ behavior with it. “What we want to create is sort of a living thing that puts companies on notice,” said Martin Whittaker, chief executive of
Just Capital, a nonpartisan group that has compiled data on how 90 public corporations plan to spend their tax savings, and which was sending letters to 875 companies on Wednesday seeking more information on those plans. Its initial release included breakdowns of how individual companies will allocate their tax savings, based on their public statements and disclosures. Paul Tudor Jones, a hedge fund titan who is a co-founder of Just Capital, said he hopes publication of that data will lead to a dialogue among executives and the general public “about what’s the most equitable way to distribute this windfall we just received.” By the middle of the year, he added, the group should have enough information from public disclosures and survey responses to get a fuller understanding of where the money is actually headed. “We’ll learn a lot,” he said. The group’s initial findings suggest shareholders of 90 large corporations – including Home Depot, Pfizer and Capital One – are reaping far more of the benefits of the law than workers or consumers. Pay or benefit increases for workers account for 6 percent of the savings those companies report from the law, the group
calculates, while job creation accounts for 22 percent. More than half of the money going directly to workers takes the form of one-time bonuses, as opposed to permanent raises or benefits. Those bonus announcements have dominated headlines, though, in part because of the tireless compilation work of Kartch, vice president for communications at Americans for Tax Reform. “Nobody was expecting those announcements,” Kartch said; Republicans had largely argued that corporate rate cuts would unleash business investment, which would raise productivity and, with it, worker pay. When companies began announcing them in late December, after the bill had passed but before Trump had signed it, Kartch sent an email to staff members and affiliates of his organization, asking them to flag “any statements you see from companies raising wages/ paying bonuses/hiring due to the tax bill.” He said he would keep a running list and include smaller businesses that “would otherwise be overlooked by national media.” Bonus and wage announcements are only one slice of the law’s impact. In early December, researchers in the office of Sen. Chuck Schumer of
Lionsgate hopes to ride ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Twilight’ into theme park success BY RYAN FAUGHNDER
Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES
Half a decade after “The Hunger Games” catapulted Lionsgate into the ranks of the major studios, the company is betting its young adult franchises will make it a major player in the theme park business. The Santa Monicabased film and TV studio has high hopes for Lionsgate-themed parks in South Korea and China set to debut in the next several years. By the end of 2020, the studio says its stable of indoor and outdoor attractions should bring in about 20 million visitors. The studio is hoping its budding theme parks business will help turn Lionsgate into an international household name and boost its film brands abroad, assuring that its franchises live outside the multiplex. “One of the things we’re really doing is building out the Lionsgate name,” said Jenefer Brown, who leads an eight-person Lionsgate team focused on theme parks and live entertainment. “We’re canvassing the globe with these largescale projects so that five years from now, people will know the Lionsgate brand in the locationbased entertainment space.” Like Katniss Everdeen fighting the Capitol, Lion-
sgate faces a daunting task in a theme park industry long dominated by titans such as Disney and Universal. Lionsgate executives are confident they can compete by tapping fastgrowing international markets including China, and by catering to the teens and young adults who flock to its films. The audience for the “Hunger Games” and “Twilight” movies represents a prime demographic for theme park operators looking to sell food, drinks and merchandise, experts said. “It’s not Mickey Mouse, and it’s not Superman and Batman, but those franchises have their appeal,” said Martin Lewison, a theme park expert and business management professor at Farmingdale State College in New York. “The majority of people who go to theme parks with lots of thrill rides are teenagers, so I can see how that would be attractive to people in that space.” THE FIRST PARKS Lionsgate opened its first “Hunger Games”themed land in Dubai’s new Motiongate park in October – including a “Hunger Games” roller coaster and flight simulator. Next year, the studio will open Lionsgate Entertainment World, a 237,000-square foot development in Hengqin, China, that will be the studio’s first indoor theme
LIONSGATE TNS
The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride is the first-of-its kind attraction that combines VR technology and a motorcycle simulator base. The attraction will be located at Lionsgate Entertainment World in Hengqin, China, Lionsgate’s first indoor theme park, which is expected to open in early 2019.
park. The building, part of a larger entertainment complex, will feature a virtual reality motorcycle simulation ride based on the “Twilight” vampire movies. Lionsgate’s first outdoor park is expected to make its debut in South Korea in 2020 in the tourism hub of Jeju Island, where the company has partnered with Hong Kong-based developer Landing International Development. The project will boast a re-creation of the “Hunger Games” opulent Capitol, complete with a restaurant based on President Snow’s mansion. The park is also set to have a horror-themed area with attractions based on “Saw” and “Cabin in the Woods.” “You’ll literally feel like you’ve stepped inside the world of the films in each zone you go into,” Brown said. BUSINESS MODEL Unlike the established
giants, Lionsgate doesn’t plan to own and operate theme parks, which are costly and risky ventures. Instead, it will license its characters and work with third parties to mine its catalog of film franchises. Lionsgate collects a cut of ticket sales and merchandise revenue. The studio projects that its location-based entertainment business will generate $250 million in profit during the next 10 years. Other companies – including “Walking Dead” channel AMC Networks – have followed similar licensing strategies to carve out a niche in theme parks. The most successful example is Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter, based on the films by Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. film studio. That attraction, which opened in Universal Orlando Resort in 2010, significantly boosted attendance. And the space is becoming more competitive.
Disney opened an ornate land based on James Cameron’s “Avatar” franchise last year at its Animal Kingdom park in Florida. Disney on Tuesday announced it would invest $2.4 billion to grow its Disneyland Paris park. “For any business that has to create some return for shareholders, there’s no doubt they look at giants like Fox, Disney and Universal, and they’re probably jealous,” Lewison said. Lionsgate’s foray into the theme parks space has had setbacks. The studio had previously agreed to license “Hunger Games” and other film properties to a company that wanted to build a big, technologically advanced theme park near Atlanta. But that $750-million project was scrapped in 2016 after the developer struggled to raise financing. SMALL US PROJECTS The studio’s latest U.S. projects are more small-
New York, the minority leader, began tracking another slice: the surge in stock buybacks that has accompanied the law. The team scours earnings calls, Google and social media for buyback announcements, and frequently blasts the results out to reporters. Schumer has taken to denouncing the buyback increases regularly on the Senate floor. Outside groups are compiling a much broader array of data on what companies plan to do with their savings. Morgan Stanley has surveyed its stock analysts over their expectations of how companies they cover will spend their tax savings. Last week, its researchers released a 23-page report, counting appendixes, that contends stock traders may be overvaluing some companies by underestimating how much of their tax savings they will invest in workers and operations, as opposed to passing on to shareholders. Just Capital is hoping to round out the picture further, by pushing companies that have not disclosed their tax windfall plans to answer 11 questions – including spelling out how much of the savings they will put toward raising workers’ compensation, lowering consumer prices and minimizing environmental impact. Jones said the group would follow up weekly, as necessary, with phone calls and other attempts to collect the information. “My attitude is,” he said, “we’re going to get the data one way or another.”
scale, including a newly opened Las Vegas escape room based on the “Saw” movies. Next year, Lionsgate is planning to debut an indoor space in New York’s Times Square called Lionsgate Entertainment City, with a “Mad Men” restaurant and lounge. A similar project is planned for Madrid, and the company is considering additional locations in the U.S. and Europe. “The U.S. market is fairly saturated for theme parks, so it’s not where the biggest opportunities exist for us,” said Kerry Phelan, head of global franchise management for Lionsgate. “International was a much bigger opportunity.” In addition to the big names such as “Hunger Games,” Lionsgate is milking more obscure movies for its licensed theme parks. “Gods of Egypt,” for example, was a pricey flop at the domestic box office in 2016, but Lionsgate is betting that its relative popularity overseas will justify a virtual reality ride in the planned Chinese park. The Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie “Escape Plan” is getting an escape room game as part of the Lionsgate project in Hengqin. There’s also a stunt show inspired by the “Expendables” movies. “Internationally, people can’t get enough of ‘The Expendables,’ ” said Lionsgate’s worldwide marketing President Tim Palen, whose job includes overseeing the theme parks business. “In China, Sylvester Stallone is a god, for real.”
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PAGE 26
BUSINESS
Casper
At the first permanent store for mattress startup Casper, located in New York, each bedroom, or napping pod, comes with rotating installations aimed at getting customers to unwind.
Startup encourages shoppers to take a nap BY ABHA BHATTARAI
Washington Post
Online mattress startup Casper is opening its first permanent store, a 3,000square-foot location in New York, where shoppers are invited to not only look at the company’s mattresses, pillows and bedding – but also to use them. Dozing off is encouraged, executives say. The startup, founded four years ago out of a one-bedroom apartment in New York, has grown into a $300-million-a-year business. Philip Krim, one of five co-founders, says it began with a simple premise: Mattress shopping was a terrible experience. The industry had long been dominated by a handful of big companies, he said, and many people hated traditional showrooms, where dozens of mattresses were lined up side by side under bright lights. He and his cofounders set out to create a different kind of experience – one where shoppers could pick out a mattress online and have it delivered to their front doors for free. Not happy with it after 100 nights? Casper promised to haul away the mattress at no extra cost. “Before we started this company, the idea of sleeping on your mattress
before you bought it just didn’t exist,” Krim said. “This was a stagnant industry.” The approach worked: The company racked up $1 million in revenue in its first four weeks. In 2015, its first full year, sales topped $100 million. Casper mattresses are now also sold at Target stores. The company’s success has given way to a number of other online mattress startups, including Leesa, Tuft & Needle, Helix Sleep and Pangeabed. Even Walmart is jumping in: Allswell, a premium mattress and bedding brand targeted to affluent online shoppers, is scheduled to launch next week. The basic premise of the companies is the same: Buy a mattress online and try it for 100 nights. If you don’t like it, they’ll give you a full refund. (In most cases, returned mattresses are donated to charity.) FIRST BEDROOM Back in 2014, it wasn’t necessarily an easy sell. Shoppers weren’t accustomed to spending hundreds on a mattress they’d never seen or touched. Krim said he knew it’d be a challenge to get people to buy mattresses sight-unseen, but what he didn’t expect was a steady stream of shoppers who
stopped by Casper’s office, a one-bedroom New York City apartment, to test out the company’s wares. “On day 1, we had someone knock on our door and say, ‘I’m here to try out the mattress,’ ” Krim said. “That’s when we realized, by accident, just how important the physical experience was going to be.” Employees quickly turned a conference room into a makeshift bedroom and invited potential customers to stop by. “We said, ‘Take however long you need. Fall asleep, take a nap,’ ” Krim said. “It felt like a bedroom. It was the antithesis of the traditional big mattress experience with fluorescent lights and a pushy salesman.” NAPPING PODS Over the years, Casper has hosted 16 pop-ups across the country. The company also has “Napmobiles” – trucks fitted with four napping pods – that cruise the country, offering customers a chance to snooze on one of its mattresses. (Having trouble dozing off? The pods come equipped with privacy blinds and prerecorded bedtime stories.) Now Krim says the company is making that experience permanent, with its newest store at 627 Broadway. The location will have six minibedrooms where customers can stop by to test a range of products, including pillows, sheets and duvets. (And as for, um, inappropriate behavior under the sheets, a Casper spokeswoman says, “We’re not worried. We’ve been testing the concept in other locations.”) The company is the latest internet retailer to expand offline. A number of others, including eyeglass maker Warby Parker, shoe company M. Gemi and socially-minded clothier Everlane, have also opened physical locations in recent years. It’s an approach that makes sense, Krim says, as customers seek new experiences. The store will also host community events focused on sleep and wellness. “Buying a mattress or sheets or pillows is one of the most intimate purchases you’ll make,” Krim said. “You should be mentally relaxed and comfortable so you can find the right product.”
YouTube disciplines right-wing channels, steps up moderation efforts BY JONAH ENGEL BROMWICH
The New York Times
YouTube this week cracked down on the videos of some prominent far-right actors and conspiracy theorists, continuing an effort that has become more visible since the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month caused a torrent of misinformation to be featured prominently on the site. A week after the shooting, many of the videos on YouTube’s “Trending” list contained misinformation about the teenage survivors of the shooting. The top video on the list for some time falsely claimed that a student at the school, David Hogg, was a paid actor. That video and others like it led to intense criticism of the site. Since then, many prominent right-wing personalities have reported that YouTube has issued them strikes, which the site uses to enforce its community guidelines. If a channel receives three strikes within three months, YouTube terminates it. The company’s guidelines prohibit “videos that contain nudity or sexual content, violent or graphic content, harmful or dangerous content, hateful content, threats, spam, misleading metadata, or scams.” Mike Cernovich, the right-wing agitator and conspiracy theorist, said Wednesday that his channel, which has more than 66,000 subscribers, had been given a strike. Infowars, the conspiracy theory outlet headed by Alex Jones, said Tuesday that it had received a second strike in two weeks, both for videos about the Parkland shooting. (Infowars, which has more than 2.2 million YouTube subscribers, later said the second strike had been removed.) Infowars’ Washington bureau chief, Jerome Corsi, said on Twitter that his YouTube channel had been terminated without notice or explanation. News outlets from The Outline to Breitbart have noted more than a dozen other right-wing or rightleaning accounts, from “classical liberals” to
neo-Nazis, claiming they have either received strikes or been banned outright in the past several weeks. They include the violent neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen (banned for hate speech) and the YouTube star Carl Benjamin, known by his username Sargon of Akkad, who criticizes feminism and identity politics. Benjamin posted a screenshot on Facebook on Thursday that said he had been locked out of his Google account because “it looked like it was being used in a way that violated Google’s policies.” YouTube said it was not aware of any prominent accounts that had falsely reported strikes, though it did say that Benjamin had violated its policy on copyright infringement. YouTube denied that the deletions and other actions were ideologically driven. It said accounts that had been disciplined or banned were only the most prominent, and vocal, of many across the ideological spectrum who had seen their videos taken down for violating the site’s rules. But critics said YouTube was reacting haphazardly in an attempt to purge actors who have garnered it negative attention. They questioned whether the site was prepared to substantively address the problem of the conspiracy theories that flourish on its platform. And some of the rightwing YouTube stars and conspiracists who were affected saw the disciplinary action as a result of what they say is left-wing ideology flourishing inside Google, of which YouTube is a subsidiary. Benjamin told Breitbart that the company was “riddled with a far-left ideological orthodoxy that has taken hold to a radical degree.” A YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement that its “reviewers remove content according to our policies, not according to politics or ideology, and we use quality control measures to ensure they are applying our policies without bias.” The company is in the middle of hiring a large influx of moderators, and it attributed some of its recent enforcement actions to a group who are
Airlines’ foreign buying spree raises competition questions BY HUGO MARTIN
Los Angeles Times
The nation’s biggest airlines, having consolidated control over most domestic flights, are buying big stakes in foreign carriers, a push they say gives fliers access to more international destinations but critics say only makes it harder for smaller foreign rivals to compete. “They see that as a way of solidifying their presence in these other markets,” said Seth Kaplan, managing partner for the trade publication Airline Weekly and author of a book on Delta Air Lines. For the big U.S. carriers, the strategy behind such deals has several benefits: The airlines can book passengers onto flights
operated by their foreign partners and reap the profits when the partner carrier succeeds. In some cases, U.S. carriers have purchased such a large stake in foreign carriers that they can influence the routes and the services that foreign carriers launch to benefit their own interests, industry experts say. Although U.S. carriers have owned shares in foreign carriers for many years, the practice has grown dramatically in the last five years. In 2015, United Airlines spent $100 million to acquire a 5 percent stake in Azul, Brazil’s thirdlargest airline. Two years later, American Airlines paid $200 million for a 2.7 percent stake in China Southern, one of the big-
gest carriers in China. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has taken a lead in investing abroad due primarily to its strong financial footing in the U.S. Starting in 2012, Delta began investing in shares of GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, one of the largest low-cost airlines in South America. It now owns 9 percent of the Brazilian airline company. In 2013, Delta paid $360 million to purchase a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic, the British carrier launched by Richard Branson. Two years later, Delta acquired 3 percent of China Eastern Airlines for $450 million. Last year, Delta offered $448 million for a 10 percent stake in Air France/ KLM. That deal is pending approval by regulators.
DREAMSTIME TNS
The nation’s biggest airlines are buying big stakes in foreign carriers. United Airlines, for example, spent $100 million to acquire a 5 percent stake in Azul, Brazil’s third-largest airline.
Delta also paid an estimated $622 million last year to increase its stake in Groupo Aeromexico, the largest carrier in Mexico, to 49 percent from 17 percent. Most of those deals came after a series of mergers and acquisitions that narrowed the number of major carriers in the U.S. to four – American, United, Delta and Southwest – that control 80 percent of the domestic
market. Thanks to reduced competition, lower fuel costs and increased demand for travel, the four largest carriers in the U.S. have collected record or near-record profits over the last three years. U.S. carriers have become such avid partners with foreign airlines that antitrust activists worry that smaller and lowercost rivals are being squeezed out. “From a competition
still learning to apply its rules. “With the volume of videos on our platform, sometimes we make mistakes and when this is brought to our attention we reinstate videos or channels that were incorrectly removed,” the company’s statement said. The moderation efforts of YouTube, like those of Facebook and Twitter, have begun to receive more attention in the last year as academics and journalists have focused on how misinformation – like that sown by Russia during the 2016 presidential election – is spread. In a December blog post, YouTube announced it would add many people to its workforce in 2018, hoping eventually to have 10,000 working to moderate or otherwise address content that has violated its rules. The company is in the process of hiring many of those people. A spokeswoman said that applying the company’s standards to any given video required training, and that new moderators were bound to make some mistakes. It said some of the strikes that had been handed out since the Parkland shooting had been mistaken, though it did not specify which. Jonathan Albright, the research director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and an expert on how misinformation thrives on social media, said YouTube has long been inconsistent in its enforcement of its guidelines. “If these accounts are getting deleted at the last minute because people are angry and news organizations are digging into this, should these accounts have existed in the first place?” he asked. Albright said hiring many more people would help. But he said those people would have to be trained to address difficult situations, applying the platform’s rules to nuanced videos in which the right decision was not always clear. “It would take a group of people specifically trained in this kind of situation,” he said. “It’s a problem of scale. This stuff doesn’t scale like algorithms. Humans don’t scale.” “YouTube isn’t in a ‘too big to fail’ situation,” he added. “But they’re potentially too big to moderate.”
standpoint, it is a clear move to entrench the U.S. legacy airlines’ influence over foreign entry into the U.S.,” said Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit think tank that focuses on competition and consumer choice. Moss said the financial ties between U.S. and foreign carriers reduce competition and make it more difficult for low-cost rivals such as Norwegian Air to compete on those routes dominated by the partnerships of bigger, established carriers. Some industry experts disagree, saying there is still enough competition to keep the biggest carriers from charging exorbitantly high fares on specific routes. “The world is a big place and there are still a lot of fair-sized airlines,” said Philip Baggaley, a senior transportation analyst for Standard & Poor’s.
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OPINION FROM THE NEWS TRIBUNE IN TACOMA, WASH.
People, press, governor win fight for sunlight BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Gov. Jay Inslee created national buzz early last week by going toe to toe with President Donald Trump at a national governors’ conference. He challenged Trump on gun policy and chided the president to try “a little less tweeting and a little more listening.” But Inslee saved his greater show of force for fellow elected leaders back home in Olympia. Late Thursday evening, he vetoed Senate Bill 6617, legislators’ deplorable plan to exempt themselves from Washington’s Public Records Act. Even better, the Democratic governor’s involvement helped persuade legislators to go to the bargaining table rather than embarrass themselves further by taking a vote to override his veto.
None of this would have happened but for an extraordinary outcry from ordinary people who were aghast at the Legislature’s sneak attack on government transparency. Washingtonians won’t abide being cheated of their sovereign rights. Sometimes all they need is a nudge from their news media watchdogs. “The public’s right to government information is one we hold dearly in Washington ...” Inslee said in a statement announcing his veto. “I believe legislators will find they can fulfill their duties while being fully transparent, just like state and local governments all across Washington.” These are the credible words of a governor who walks the talk; Inslee long ago waived his executive privilege to withhold records from the public. But even a less commit-
ted governor would have little choice but to issue a veto under these circumstances. It was inevitable after people flooded Inslee’s office with more than 12,500 emails and 6,300 phone calls in the last week expressing broad public condemnation of SB 6617. This sleeping giant was awakened by news organizations who filed suit against the Legislature last year for violating public records law; they joined forces again last week to rebuke legislators for trying to circumvent a judge’s order to obey the law. Newspapers across the state, including The News Tribune, delivered a sustained drumbeat of news coverage and unleashed a barrage of front-page editorials demanding Inslee veto the bill. It’s nice to know we can still make a difference. The combined power of
the press and public opinion should never be underestimated. Great things can happen when motivated by a sincere desire to hold the people who serve us accountable and to maintain the tradition of openness in this state. What about legislators? How much credit should they get for giving ground? Inslee praised them Thursday for approaching him to request a veto –a scenario that seems as improbable as a naughty child coming to a parent, asking to be spanked. There’s no question, however, that some lawmakers started regretting their machinations almost as soon as this half-baked bill was rushed through the House and Senate a week ago on a swift voice vote without public hearings or debate. Most legislators went underground after voting
FROM THE KANSAS CITY STAR
How can schools prevent threats to safety? BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD
With effective laws already on the books to address school safety, it’s going to take creative solutions to remedy the onslaught of recent threats of school violence. Expanding access to mental health services could be a start. That would be a much better option than the nonsensical approach of arming teachers proposed by President Donald
Trump after a deadly shooting that killed 17 people at a Parkland, Florida, high school. Since the Feb. 14 tragedy, several metro-area districts have been besieged by threats, most of them online. In some cases juvenile students were charged. In others, adults were suspected of making the threats. Students in Kansas and Missouri are subjected to detention, long-term suspension or expulsion. Depending on the level of
the threat, misdemeanor or felony criminal charges could be filed in either state. A 14-year-old Raytown Middle School student was charged Monday in juvenile court with one count of making a terrorist threat, a felony. The student is accused of taking images of firearms from Snapchat and posting them to Facebook. As it turned out, there was no immediate danger associated with the threats, police said. Still,
officers received hundreds of phone calls. To help prevent such acts, school districts could improve mental health services for at-risk students. But a lack of funding makes that a steep challenge. Replicating outpatient and day treatment services programs offered by organizations such as Cornerstones of Care could help. Nine full-time therapists are spread across three school campuses and
for the bill; they ducked journalists’ questions and released statements with scripted talking points about how the bill would actually improve transparency. But buyer’s remorse was evident Wednesday from the one lawmaker brave enough to attend a meeting of Washington’s public records accountability committee, also known as the “Sunshine Committee.” “I don’t think we handled that well at all,” said Rep. Larry Springer, DKirkland, referring to the lack of public input in shaping the bill. (Springer, a Sunshine Committee member, also serves as majority floor leader in the House.) And what of the bill’s most toxic element: that all appeals of denied records would be reviewed by an in-house legislative committee, not a judge? Springer called it “a major misstep.” Fortunately, rather than continuing to push a deeply unpopular bill this session, lawmakers agreed to meet with the press and other stakeholders before returning with new legislation in 2019. “We have heard loud and clear from our constit-
uents that they are angry and frustrated,” 57 Democrats acknowledged in letters given to Inslee Thursday. Again, the governor deserves credit for brokering a deal between unified news media leaders and fragmented legislative leaders representing both chambers and both parties. It won’t win him viral video clips on social media or a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper, like his showdown with Trump did. But it’s the kind of behindthe-scenes diplomacy for which good governors are known. Going forward, priority No. 1 must be allowing the public to be heard on any proposed changes to our state’s cherished open records law. The message that Inslee gave Trump on Monday comes to mind, with a slight twist: What we need now is a little less cheating and a little more listening.
facilities in Blue Springs and Kansas City. They also provide intervention services for 50 area public and charter schools. Mental health treatment cannot necessarily prevent threats to school safety, but it can make people more aware of the challenges young people face, said Jerry Keimig, the organization’s vice president of education. “Kids make threats all the time, but when someone says something, we need to listen,” Keimig said. Saint Luke’s Crittenton Children’s Center may have also found an answer with its Trauma Smart initiative in schools in
eight states, including some in the bi-state area. The program prepares parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators, school bus drivers and ancillary school staff to spot the signs of trauma in a child as young as age 4. A $187,000 grant from Jackson County's Children Services Fund will help Crittenton implement Trauma Smart in the Hickman Mills School District next fall. The goal is to build emotional resiliency for the entire community, said Crittenton CEO Janine Hron. And that is a sensible approach to addressing the mental health needs of young people.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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COMMENTARY Shouldn’t there be somebody to defend the president? BY LEONARD PITTS JR.
Shouldn’t there be somebody to defend Donald Trump? Opinion page editors have been wrestling that question for over a year. A good opinion editor, you see, prides herself on ideological balance, mixing and matching pundits who reliably leave the conservative right gnashing its teeth with those who routinely leave the progressive left rending its garments. But Trump has thrown that balance into disarray. It’s easy to find progres-
sive writers willing to lambaste him. But as more than one editor has lamented, when they look for balance to writers on the right who can usually be depended upon to defend a conservative Republican, it turns out they view him with similar scorn. I once heard an editor muse about maybe making a concerted effort to find new voices willing to stick up for Trump, but to me, that smacks of false equivalence — and obscures an important point. If writers who unstintingly praised George W. Bush, John McCain and Mitt
Romney are unwilling to champion this guy, is that not visceral confirmation of what an outlier he really is? The Trump question, though, is just a subset of a larger one. Namely, how should mainstream news media deal with the fever swamp of conspiracy, lies and hogwash that produced and sustains him? To put it another way: should crazy have a place in the public square? USA Today says yes. A few days ago, it published a column that raised eyebrows — and blood pressures – among progressives. It wasn’t the writer’s opinion — teachers should be armed — that rattled them. It was, rather, the writer himself. Jerome Corsi is a birther who heads the Washington bureau of InfoWars, the conspiracy theory empire of Alex Jones. He’s
the guy who says the Newtown massacre never happened and who once promoted claims of Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring out of a pizzeria. As Media Matters put it, “No serious outlet should elevate Corsi’s opinion.” But USA Today did. In a statement to the Daily Beast, editorial page editor Bill Sternberg defended his decision: “USA Today’s Opposing View shows readers more than one point of view on an issue. Our signature debate format reinforces our reputation for fairness, which is one of our core values.” Which is disingenuous on two counts: One, it’s not really the “point of view” people are objecting to, but the author thereof. Two, while fairness is, indeed, a core value, nothing about fairness pre-
cludes the obligation to use judgment. Sternberg implicitly pretends otherwise, but ask yourself: If the paper ran a piece condemning child molestation, would it feel compelled to offer an opposing view from a pedophile? Of course not. Journalists like to pretend judgment is not part of what we do but it is, in fact, at the heart of it. This is not an abstract argument. Mainstream news media have been frustratingly slow to realize that we are under attack. A recent Washington Post story documents how, just 47 minutes after news broke of the shooting in Parkland, online conspirators were already building their “crisis actors” narrative. Fortyseven minutes. There were still bodies on the floor.
BY CHARLIE SAVAGE
New York Times WASHINGTON
A sizable portion of the U.S. population has been convulsing with outrage at President Donald Trump for more than a year. Millions of people who previously took only mild interest in politics have participated in protests, fumed as they stayed riveted to news out of Washington and filled social media accounts once devoted to family updates and funny videos with furious political commentary. Yet public life on the whole has remained surprisingly calm. A significant factor in keeping the peace has surely been anticipatory catharsis: The widespread expectations of a big Democratic wave in the coming midterm elections are containing and channeling that indignation, helping to maintain order. What will happen if no such wave materializes and that pressure-relief valve jams shut? The country was already badly polarized before the plot twist of election night in 2016, of course, but since then liberals and much of what remains of America’s moderate center have been seething in a way that dwarfs the usual disgruntlement of whichever faction is out of power. While nobody can know for sure whether Trump would have lost but for Russia’s meddling, many of his critics clearly choose to believe he is in the White House because Vladimir Putin tricked the United States into making him its leader. For Trump’s opposition, this premise – to say nothing of the question of whether his campaign conspired with Russia or merely benefited from its manipulations – has thickened the faint stink of illegitimacy that would hover over any president who lost the popular vote, supercharging policy disagreements into nearly existential threats to democracy. The regular cycles of consternation spun up by Trump’s unconventional approach to the job of being president help keep that wound raw. Despite simmering unrest, there have been only a few extraordinary moments that broke the mold of public stability. Those include peaceful demonstrations, like the post-inaugural women’s march and the airport protests against Trump’s initial ban on travelers
DOUG CHAYKA NYT
THE DANGER OF WAITING FOR A WAVE from seven Muslim countries. Far more disturbing, they also include the nearfatal shooting of a Republican congressman and several other people at a baseball practice by a man who was furious at Trump and Republicans, and the spectacle of throngs of white supremacists emboldened by the era to march in Charlottesville, Virginia – culminating in an apparent neo-Nazi sympathizer plowing his car into anti-racist counterprotesters, injuring dozens of people and killing a woman. Fortunately, those two moments of extreme political violence have been exceptions. For a counterexample of how a time of intense political bitterness can start to tear this country apart, look back exactly half a century to 1968. In that chaotic year, America slashed and clawed at itself amid the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the riots that followed; the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy as he ran for president; swelling antiwar demonstrations on college campuses amid growing recognition that the government had been lying about the course of the Vietnam War; and the police beatings of protesters in Chicago outside the Democratic National Convention. Factors like the draft and the race relations of
the period made that tumultuous year a particular historical moment. But one difference between then and now is salient: Arguably, there was little reason to believe that the November 1968 election was likely to provide immediate relief. We are lucky that so far 2018 does not look like a new 1968. But the relative calm may be like an unexploded bomb, its volatility not so much defused as contained by the thought that Trump Republicans will be punished in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. These expectations are widespread. After the big Democratic special election victories in places handily carried by Trump in 2016, from Virginia and Alabama to Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers in purple districts are retiring to avoid ending their careers in humiliating defeats. Democrats, meanwhile, relish visions of a new congressional majority wielding its subpoena power to flay the Trump administration with oversight investigations. They can see it now: Making public Trump’s hidden tax returns and otherwise laying bare any financial dealings between foreign governments and his businesses. Inviting the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct to testify at a televised hearing. Unearthing what
his appointees have been doing in places like the Environmental Protection Agency, where collection of fines from polluters has plummeted. Almost taking a House flip for granted, Democrats whisper that a tsunami-level wave would also flip the Senate and stop Trump’s assembly line for turning conservative lawyers into life-tenured federal judges. Some even fantasize about impeachment. Such vivid anticipation steers those sputtering at Trump’s presidency to take deep breaths and bide their time until Nov. 6, which draws closer every day: The 2018 campaign cycle formally starts this week with primary voting in Texas. But a significant Democratic wave may not materialize. Good economic news, for example, tends to blunt anti-incumbent sentiments. The country is still mostly using House districts that were redrawn after the 2010 census, just as Republicans’ big 2010 midterm wave victory gave them an unusual degree of control over state legislatures. Beyond deliberate partisan gerrymandering, the impact of a Democratic turnout surge would be partly diluted by their voters’ disproportionate concentration in cities, piling up extra votes in districts Republicans would have
lost anyway. But inevitably, many eyes would turn to Russia. It appears to still be covertly spreading disinformation and amplifying tensions on U.S. social media with the intention of having “an impact on the next election cycle,” Mike Pompeo, the CIA director, told Congress last month. Another poll-defying election night surprise, like 2016’s, would further fuel suspicions of unseen manipulation. After all, the public only later found out – apparently thanks to the National Security Agency contractor Reality Winner, whom the Justice Department is prosecuting for leaking – that shortly before the 2016 election, Russian hackers infiltrated the servers of an elections systems software supplier and tried to trick 122 state elections officials into downloading malware. While there is no evidence that Russian hackers tampered with Election Day results last time, the government has disclosed that it thinks they probed elections systems in 21 states and penetrated several. “There should be no doubt that Russia perceives its past efforts as successful and views the 2018 U.S. midterm elections as a potential target for Russian influence operations,” Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, recently testi-
“There’s a war going on outside,” one anonymous poster wrote, “…and it is only partially being fought with guns. The real weapon is information and the attack is on the mind.” So yes, this is coordinated. It is intentional. That’s why USA Today’s decision to legitimize Jerome Corsi is appalling. He represents forces that threaten not simply news media, but ultimately, the nation. Yes, fairness is one of our core values. But isn’t common sense one, too? Leonard Pitts Jr., winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, is a columnist for the Miami Herald, 3511 N.W. 91 Avenue, Doral, Fla. 33172. Readers may write to him via email at lpitts@miamiherald.com.
fied. “Throughout the entire community, we have not seen any evidence of any significant change from last year.” Against that backdrop, disappointed Trump opponents will be primed to believe the worst: that Russia rigged two elections in a row for Republicans. And if their anticipatory catharsis and faith in the democratic process evaporates, the anger could seek a different outlet – in turn risking a backlash from Trump supporters and a downward spiral. The White House’s approach to issues raised by Russian election meddling has been backwardlooking, minimizing the problem in a way that seems to preclude focusing on protecting the country from future threats. Preoccupied with defending the legitimacy of the 2016 results, Trump repeatedly insists not only that his campaign did not collude with Moscow but also that Russia’s effort to torque that election was either “a made-up story” or had no impact on the outcome. Asked recently whether Trump has specifically directed the FBI or the NSA to take actions to confront and blunt continuing Russian influence operations, their respective directors testified that the president has not done so. Intelligence community leaders say their agencies are nevertheless trying to mitigate the risk, helping states strengthen cyberdefenses and hinting at other, classified steps. Such efforts to bolster the credibility of the election system are crucial, but may prove insufficient if there is another expectationdefying result. Three days after the directors’ testimony, the Justice Department announced that a grand jury had indicted a group of Russians accused of running the social media manipulation operation. The unsealed indictment quoted internal Russian documents obtained by Robert Mueller, the special counsel. In them, the Russians were said to have described the original stated goal of what they called “information warfare against the United States of America,” before it morphed into helping Trump win, as spreading mistrust toward “the American political system in general.” This November, if the wave turns out to be a mere trickle, we could see the accomplishment of that goal take hold.
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FOCUS: ACADEMY AWARDS Preparing for what could be an unpredictable Oscars BY BROOKS BARNES AND MATT STEVENS
The New York Times
The Academy Awards telecast is an awkward beast to produce under the best of circumstances. It’s a 31⁄2-hour (plus) stage show on TV honoring movies. ABC, which broadcasts the ceremony, wants more celebrity razzmatazz to boost ratings; academy hard-liners would get rid of the red carpet to give the sound mixing winners more time
to talk. But the 90th Academy Awards, which will take place Sunday, will also have to factor in the push and pull between self celebration and social consciousness, and the past and the future. Show organizers have said they want to keep the focus on the movies, and not veer too far into discussion about sexual misconduct and gender inequality. The worry is that many viewers are tiring of stars using such platforms
MONICA ALMEIDA NYT
Red carpet preparations for the 90th Academy Awards, on a rainy Friday in Los Angeles.
to agitate for social and political change. As a spokesman for the Republican National Committee told Variety on Wednesday, “Americans aren’t
interested in Hollywood liberals blabbing about politics.” And yet this is the first Oscars of the #MeToo, Time’s Up and #Nev-
erAgain era. The ceremony’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, is known for his outspokenness. Stars who did not use their moment at the microphone at the Golden Globes to offer support for the Time’s Up initiative drew criticism. And it will be awfully tricky for E! to keep its red carpet coverage frothy: Ryan Seacrest, who anchors that network’s Oscar show, was engulfed this week in allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies. On Thursday, a sculpture titled “Casting Couch” appeared near the theater hosting the Academy Awards. The street art depicts a bathrobe-clad Harvey Weinstein sitting on a chaise longue. Doz-
4 reasons to watch this year’s Academy Awards
second year. He also had signed up to make an unannounced cameo on the wildly popular game-show app HQ Trivia the next day, but promised his wife he’d be home for dinner to spend time with his 3-year-old daughter Jane, who spent the previous evening throwing up, and 9-month-old son Billy, who almost died from a congenital heart defect shortly after his birth. Kimmel’s emotional narration of Billy’s ordeal and his heart-on-a-sleeve commentary on the day’s events have struck a deep chord in the past year. While peers Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert have lost viewers in the key 18-49 demographic, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has enjoyed a 4 percent bump and is catching up with Fallon in the overall ratings, an almost unthinkable scenario a year ago. Time magazine even considered him for its annual Person of the Year honors. A week after our interview, I shot Kimmel an email, telling him how exhausted he seemed during our hour together. He responded within five minutes: “I only look tired because I am tired.” I met Kimmel in 2000 while he was the needling sidekick on “Win Ben Stein’s Money” and kept in touch as he parlayed his image as an amiable frat guy into “The Man Show,” a Comedy Central spoof of male behavior that included models bouncing on trampolines, and “Crank Yankers,” in which puppets made juvenile prank phone calls. But over the course of many visits, I got to see a savvier, more sensitive side to the comedian. About a decade ago, Kimmel surprised a group of high school students I was teaching in Los Angeles, popping by for a Q&A session in which he pressed the importance of working harder than the colleague in the next cubicle, digging deeper and being passionate about your beliefs. The Kimmel those teenagers met on that summer afternoon is the Kimmel the rest of the country got to know in 2017.
BY KARLA PETERSON
The San Diego Union-Tribune
It’s doubtful that someone will give the Best Picture award to the wrong movie again, but that doesn’t mean this year’s Academy Awards broadcast will be free of drama, shockers or #OscarUhOh moments. Like every other awards show in our post-Harvey Weinstein climate, Sunday’s Oscar bash will be operating under the shadow of the sexual harassment scandals that began rocking the entertainment industry last fall. How to acknowledge – or not acknowledge – the elephant in the Dolby Theatre will be a big source of Oscar intrigue, but #MeToo messaging is not the only thing that will make this year’s broadcast worth watching. From red-carpet controversies to perilous punchlines, here is at look at what to watch for at the Oscars. 1. THE RYAN SEACREST CONUNDRUM Well, this could be awkward. Earlier this week, Ryan Seacrest’s former stylist, Suzie Hardy, did an interview with Variety detailing her allegations that the E! host groped and sexually harassed her. The E! network stands by the results of an internal investigation, which found insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations, and Seacrest will be doing his red-carpet interviews on Oscar night as usual. But what will everyone else do? Will celebrities – particularly our many outspoken actresses – give Seacrest the benefit of the doubt and stop by his station anyway? Or will they give him the cold designer shoulder? If you want to see how it all goes down – or doesn’t – E!’s live red-carpet coverage starts at 2 p.m. Beware of flying sequins.
ens of women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein since October. It could all add up to one of the most unpredictable Oscars ever, with the actual awards – oh, right, those! – contributing to the sense of volatility. Some categories are considered locks. (Bet on Frances McDormand of “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and Gary Oldman for “Darkest Hour” to take the top acting prizes.) But the best picture race is still considered too close to call, with “The Shape of Water,” “Three Billboards” and “Get Out” splitting the professional prognosticators.
Q: Does doing the Oscars for the second time alleviate some of the pressure? A: In some ways, it makes it worse. But it does relieve some of it. There’s not so much of the unknown. You’re not going to please everybody, and this idea that you should only please yourself is ridiculous. There were some things last year that went great and others things that people picked apart, but they did some audience testing and almost everything that people said was in poor taste, like bringing a bus full of people into the theater, the home audience really liked. Q:
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F. SCOTT SCHAFER For The Washington Post
Jimmy Kimmel will host the Academy Awards for the second straight year.
Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel has become conscience of late-night TV
Q: What are your thoughts now on the wrong film being called out as best picture last year? A: I don’t think of it as the Titaniccaliber disaster that most people do when they reflect on it. Ultimately, it’s just a bunch of celebrities handing each other trophies. Let’s be honest. If it happens again, literally everyone at ABC should be fired. But I don’t think it will. If it does, I'll admit, it would tickle me deeply. Q:
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Q: For a long time, it seemed like you would never get the Oscar gig, even though it airs on your network. A: I thought I had missed the window on it, to be honest. I enjoyed the speculation. Personally, the best-case scenario as a performer is to not have to do something and everybody says how great you would have been. I liked being in that position. Q:
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2. THE TIME’S UP MOMENT At the Golden Globes, the red carpet went to the dark side, as actresses showed their solidarity with the #MeToo movement and Hollywood’s Time’s Up anti sexual harassment initiative by SEE REASONS, PAGE 30
BY NEAL JUSTIN
Star Tribune (Minneapolis) LOS ANGELES
Jimmy Kimmel looked beat. He had just wrapped up an episode of his late-night talk show – mixing it up with actor Chris Hemworth, a montage of President Donald Trump sound bites, Elvis Costello
singing “Alison” – followed by a video shoot for this month’s GQ cover story. The obligations didn’t stop there, of course. As he loosened his tie on his office couch last month, sitting below a comically large portrait of himself and Howard Stern, Kimmel mentioned that he had just met the night before with his writing team for the 2018 Academy Awards, which he will host Sunday for the
Q: It seems to be that viewers have seen Q:
SEE HOST, PAGE 31
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
PAGE 30
FOCUS: ACADEMY AWARDS
CHRIS PIZZELLO Invision/AP
Greta Gerwig, writer/director of the film “Lady Bird,” poses at the 2018 Writers Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., Feb. 11. Gerwig is among the directing nominees for this year’s Oscars.
Mostly male Oscar nominees reflect dearth of women in film BY SANDY COHEN
Associated Press LOS ANGELES
Academy Awards voters made history this year when they nominated Rachel Morrison for the cinematography Oscar – the first woman so recognized in the organization’s 90 years. Greta Gerwig is also up for best director, only the fifth woman nominated in Oscar history. Yet in nearly every Oscar category, nominees are overwhelmingly male. Three of the 24 awards have no female nominees at all. Outside of acting, 77 percent of this year’s Oscar nominees are male, according to a recent study by the Women’s Media Center. And because the academy can only recognize films that have been released in theaters, the gender-based disparity among Oscar nominees reflects how vastly underrepresented women are in Hollywood. The Oscar nominations are in line with actual employment statistics, said Women’s Media Center president Julie Burton. Citing the most recent Study of Women in Television & Film produced annually out of San Diego State University, she said women were only
JORDAN STRAUSS Invision/AP
Rachel Morrison arrives at the 90th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., Feb. 5. Academy Awards voters made history this year when they nominated a woman, Morrison, for the cinematography Oscar, which is a first in the organization’s 90 years.
three percent of composers and eight percent of supervising sound editors. No women are nominated for best score or visual effects this year. There is one woman, Mary H. Ellis,
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REASONS wearing black gowns. Men got with the program with Time’s Up lapel pins. There will be no colorcoding at the Oscars, so the annual gown watch should be back to its usual fun and flouncy self. But that does not mean Time’s Up is in a time out. According to reports from a recent Time’s Up media day, the organization is working with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to carve out a consciousness-
raising moment during the broadcast. While we wait to see how that plays out, let’s raise a glass of our favorite celebratory beverage to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which has raised $21 million in donations in just two months. Ca-Change! 3. SOAPBOXES AND PUNCHLINES From Natalie Portman’s sly gender shout-out during the Best Director cate-
included among the 25 people nominated in the two sound categories. “In Hollywood, on every level of decision-making, there are far more men calling the shots,
making the deals, and hiring and firing, than there are women, and this power imbalance is reflected in the employment and nomination gender gap,” Burton said. “Wo-
gory (“And the all-male nominees are…”) to Oprah Winfrey’s galvanizing Cecil B. DeMille Award Acceptance speech, some of the best moments of the Golden Globe Awards broadcast were fueled by Hollywood’s collective injustice awakening. And at the Grammy Awards, performers wore white roses to support Time’s Up and #MeToo, and Kesha caused a social-media meltdown with her goosebump rendition of her empowerment ballad, “Praying.” Then the Nielsen numbers came in. Ratings for the 75th Golden Globes
broadcast slipped by 5 percent, and the Grammy Awards dropped by a scary 24 percent. So you can understand why the producers of the Oscar broadcast are emphasizing fun (Jimmy Kimmel is hosting!); starpower (Gal Gadot is presenting! Mahershala Ali is presenting! Tiffany Haddish, Lupita Nyong’o and Mark Hamill are presenting!); and an impressive list of Best Song performers that includes supporting actress nominee Mary J. Blige, former San Diegan Andra Day and rapper Common. You can also under-
men cannot get through the door, and if they can’t get through the door, they can’t be recognized and rewarded for their excellence and impact.” And because who makes movies influences what’s in them, the dearth of women in all areas of filmmaking means “male voices and perspectives are largely responsible for what we see on screen,” she added. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chief Dawn Hudson said the academy, which bestows the Oscars, has actively sought to diversify its membership in recent years. It has pledged to double the number of women and people of color in its ranks by 2020, and she noted, the number of women on its board has more than tripled since 2011. “We look to the rest of the film community to follow suit,” she said. “Boys Don’t Cry” director Kimberly Peirce, who has long been active with the academy and the directors’ guild, said there have been concerted efforts within both organizations to open doors to more women. “When there is a culture of men doing something, they do tend to bring more men in. Like likes like,” she said. “That’s
stand why Oscar watchers will be very interested in seeing how the newly politicized Kimmel walks that fine line between topical and turn-off. Here’s hoping Golden Globes host Seth Meyers warned him about the mood-killing mojo of the Kevin Spacey joke. No one wants to go through that again. 4. THE BEST PICTURE MYSTERY Who’s going to win the Oscar for Best Picture? Who knows. While “The Shape of Water” has the most nominations, there is no clear
why it’s so important to me to hire people of color, hire women, because those people are going to get experience and they’re going to work, and they’re going to hire people like them. But also they’re going to hire the best people.” Visibility is key. Seeing women and people of color in various aspects of entertainment makes other women and people of color think such work is possible for them, too. That’s what inspired San Francisco-based visual effects artist Charmaine Chan to create her documentary series, “Women in Visual Effects.” Chan has interviewed more than 60 female visual effects artists in the U.S. and U.K. and posted the videos online as a way to show the faces of the women in the industry. Chan knew even as an art student in college that she wanted to work in visual effects. Her video series began as a way to better understand the field and find a mentor. She said more women are working in visual effects today than when she started out 20 years ago, but retention of talent remains an issue. “You don’t see other female supervisors or leads, so you don’t assume you have any upward mobility or career growth in visual effects because of that,” she said. “The biggest problem with the visual effects industry is that, like Hollywood, it’s become such a boys’ club, where one guy refers another guy… And it perpetuates that promotion of boys and not bringing in outside voices or other diverse perspectives.” Oscar winner Jodie Foster said those early opportunities must be extended to more women if the numbers are to change. She echoed Chan and Peirce in blaming the Hollywood “boys’ club” on people hiring others who look like them. “I don’t think it was a plot to keep women down,” she said. “I don’t think they all twirled their mustaches and got together and said, ‘What we really want to do is make sure there are no women...’ I think there was no thinking.” Foster pointed to the Swedish Film Institute’s employment of quotas to achieve gender parity. “I would not have thought that it would have worked well, but it works very well,” she said. “Some of it is about that first job and about giving people an equal opportunity. We know that from universities, we know that from every other aspect of trying to create parity. We just need to give people opportunities at the beginning.”
front runner this year. The Oscar could go to “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” which won best drama at the Golden Globes and Britan’s BAFTA awards. But some brave souls are predicting a “Get Out” upset, and what if the Academy’s tradition-minded voters swing for “Dunkirk”? So even if the Oscar marathon has you eyeing your Netflix queue, stick around for the best picture reveal. That “American Pie” marathon will be there when you get back.
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FOCUS: ACADEMY AWARDS
The Oscars turn 90, and the production team leaves no room for error BY AMY KAUFMAN
Los Angeles Times
With the clock ticking down to the Academy Awards telecast, there were no glamorous ball gowns or golden statuettes to be seen backstage at the Dolby Theater late this week. Before any stars turned up to rehearse for Sunday’s ceremony, crew members were busy putting the finishing touches on the elaborate production, rushing around wearing headsets and mainlining coffee from craft services. “I kind of feel like I’m on mile three of a marathon, knowing how long the next few days are,” said Jennifer Todd, the movie producer who has returned alongside Michael de Luca to spearhead the Oscars for the second time. “Last year, we might have been more starry-eyed about the process. Now, we know how much work it is.” And, obviously, how much can go wrong. Coming off of last year’s best
picture announcement mishap, the two producers said Thursday that they are paying extra attention to every detail leading up to the big day. “If something goes wrong this time, I don’t think it will be the envelope,” Todd said with a laugh. “Let’s not even talk about it. I don’t want to jinx it,” De Luca said. “If that did happen, given how hyperaware we are this time, I wouldn’t be surprised if we just marched out on stage.” That stage, meanwhile, will look more dazzling than ever – literally. Designed by Derek McLane – who is returning to the show for the sixth time – the Oscars stage will be surrounded by a proscenium that’s meant to look like the inside of a geode. (No, McLane said, he doesn’t believe in the “mystical” properties of crystals – just “appreciates them” for their beauty.) And what better to replicate the interior of a crystal than, well, crystals? Swarovski collaborat-
ed with McLane on the 10-ton proscenium, decorating it with 45 million tiny crystals. That’s nearly 40 times more than all of the crystals used in the show combined over the past decade. “It’s an event that wants to feel beautiful and glamorous,” McLane said of the glittering stage. “There’s a little bit of escapism and a sense of fun of visiting the glamour of Hollywood when you go to watch the Oscars. I feel like that’s a big part of my job – delivering that.” The production designer, whose work will also be seen in the upcoming Broadway productions of “Moulin Rouge” and “Children of a Lesser God,” began sketching his stage designs in July. By September, the academy had seen his ideas, and the team agreed on a concept around Thanksgiving. The actual build began in December, with pieces of the stage being constructed all over the country, from Rhode Island to Pennsylvania to Los Angeles.
that I mentioned him. You don’t think of Dave as a sentimental guy, but he says he’s a different person and I actually believe it. I did the Mark Twain Award with him and he was very warm, dragging me over to talk to his kid and his kid’s friends. It was all I ever dreamed.
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HOST a more serious, emotional side of you since last year’s Oscars. Has that always been there, or it just a sign of maturity? A: No, that was always me. I’ve very hesitant to admit this, and people may have forgotten it, but I cried on the last episode of “The Man Show,” which is not exactly “Man Show”-caliber behavior. I cry easily. I try to come up with ways to avoid it. I even looked into medication I could take. It’s almost like seeing your beloved uncle at a funeral, where you get to see a side of him you don’t usually get at family dinners. It can be jarring when people see someone they know on TV cry, but people like seeing real emotions. A:
Q: Was there any hesitation in sharing details about something as personal as almost losing your son? A: You know, when something bad happens to me, I always make an effort to turn it into something good, if I can. I think that’s served me well. I run out of gas and I get a funny story out of it. I approach everything in life that way. Q:
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Q: Do you feel more comfortable sharing that part of you now that the talk show is 15 years old? It feels like your desire to make points rather than make jokes is one reason Time put you on their Person of the Year poll. A: That was the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen this decade. I do feel a responsibility to remind people on a nightly basis what we’re facing. All the hosts process in a different way. I think Stephen (Colbert) is so angry, he’s shot out of a Q:
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But the fanciness won’t just exist on stage. Stars who present Oscars – and those who win them – get to lounge in a green room designed by Rolex to look like a Swiss mountain chalet. The room – offlimits to the press during the show – is meant to be a relaxing space for stars to take it easy before heading out onto a stage where they’ll be seen by millions of viewers. There’s a wood-beamed ceiling, plush couches, a bar and soothing images of the Matterhorn lining the walls. And no – even though the space was designed by Rolex’s interior design team in Geneva, the company will not be gifting any star with a free watch. Even Oprah Winfrey. Not that those of us at home will get to see any of the ultra-cool backstage action anyway. But what can the audience expect from the big show? Todd and De Luca say they want to pay homage to the 90th running of the Oscars in grand fashion, so expect a lot of clip packages highlighting iconic Hollywood films. “You want to both give the warm nostalgia of looking back at those films we remember and then, for younger viewers, remind people that film is still a very powerful language,” said De Luca. “If used effectively, it brings people together. There’s something very positive and aspirational about telling a story cinematically.”
Q: Letterman used his clout to produce a number of other shows. Now that you have more power, do you want to follow suit? A: I don’t feel like I have any more clout than I used to. I’ve always felt that if I was excited about something and I pitched it, I could get someone to make it. I just try to be realistic about my life and how much time I have. I wouldn’t say I’m a control freak, but I just can’t leave things alone. I always regret it when I take on other things during the show. We did a game show recently with Andy Richter. He did a good job, but just booking it was a pain, so much energy I didn’t want to spend. You’ve got a different crew. Everyone here (working on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”) knows what I hate; there’s not a lot of breaking in. Here, I don’t have to be nice. Q:
F. SCOTT SCHAFER For The Washington Post
Jimmy Kimmel rests his head on a pillow with an image of himself in Los Angeles. Kimmel is hosting the Oscars again March 4.
cannon and that translates into energy. For me, it translates more maybe into a little bit of depression. It makes me anxious. When I was a kid working in radio in Palm Springs, I went through an earthquake and I was so freaked out about it that I grabbed my daughter Katie, who was a baby at the time, like she was a football and ran out on the lawn in my underwear. My wife hadn’t even stirred. The next day, I went on the air and I was screaming. The general manager called me up on the hotline during the commercial and told me I had to calm down. But after he got to work, he pulled me into the office and said a friend of his had actually felt comforted by my screaming because he was happy that someone else was more upset than he was. I think that’s when I realized you can be a little bit of an outlet for people without even knowing that you are. Q: But you also seem to have fun getting into the thick of things. I’m thinking about your Twitter war with Roy Moore (the Alabamian who ran for U.S. Senate amid allegations of sexual misconduct). A: I don’t know who in Q:
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Roy Moore’s camp thought it would be a good idea to challenge me to a fight and that I wouldn’t be happy about it. When we were exchanging tweets, my wife walked into the room and said she had never seen me so happy. I could barely sit in my chair. It was cold in the room, so I was sweating and freezing at the same time. That’s the kind of confrontation I miss from radio. Q: There are reports that you patched up your differences with former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno. True? A: I wouldn’t say we’re pals, but he called me after Billy’s surgery and he was very nice. I take it at face value. It’s interesting that he’s openly critical of Donald Trump. He doesn’t see it as good comedy. I think he hates the idea that all these late-night talk shows are talking about Trump the whole time, but I do think he hates Trump as much as anyone I’ve ever spoken to. Q:
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Q: You also had David Letterman on your show last year. What did that mean to you? A: Dave was very complimentary after I did the Oscars. He was touched Q:
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Q: Considering your workload and everything that’s gone on in your personal life, have you given any thought to how much longer you want to do the show? A: It is a grind. Right now, if you asked me, I’d say not a ton longer, but that’s because I’m so tired having two kids in my life. Maybe in two years, when they’re a little bit older and I’m not waking up in the middle of the night over and over again, and they’re not sucking every moment of my free time, I might have a different take on it. Q:
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JORDAN STRAUSS Invision/AP file
Ava DuVernay arrives at the 15th annual Hammer Museum Gala in the Garden in Los Angeles on Oct. 14.
Time’s Up will be a part of Oscar show, but no dress code BY SANDY COHEN
Associated Press WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.
The organizers of Time’s Up say the movement to eradicate discrimination in the workplace will have a presence at Sunday’s Oscar show, but there are no plans for a red-carpet dress code. Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, actresses Laura Dern and Tessa Thompson, producer Katie McGrath and attorney Nina Shaw talked about the movement’s progress and next steps with news reporters Thursday. They stressed that while Time’s Up made a splashy appearance at the Golden Globes earlier this year, with most women wearing black and several actresses walking the red carpet with activists, the movement is bigger and broader than awards shows. “We’re trying to build something that’s sustainable, lasting and serious,” DuVernay said Thursday at the meeting at the Sunshine Sachs publicity firm’s offices in West Hollywood, California. Time’s Up was “launched on the red carpet, but was never intended to live there,” Rhimes said. Besides the black dresses at the Globes, Time’s Up supporters wore white roses at the Grammy Awards. No such uniformity is planned for the Oscars. Formed after the Harvey Weinstein scandal revealed widespread sexual harassment in Hollywood, Time’s Up has grown into an international, multifaceted and multipronged approach to fighting workplace discrimination, organizers said. They outlined the various avenues of the effort at Thursday’s news conference. A key element is the legal defense fund, which has amassed $21 million and scores of attorneys to date. In partnership with the National Women’s Law Center, the fund connects victims of harassment or discrimination with attorneys, who are either volunteering their services or having their fees underwritten by donations. Since Time’s Up was founded about two months ago, it has received some 1,700 requests for legal assistance,
said attorney Tina Tchen, a lawyer and former director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. More than 1,200 of those cases have already been referred to attorneys, she said. The movement may have started in Hollywood, but it’s become global, Rhimes said, with participation in Kenya, South Korea, Pakistan and Kuwait. From the tech sector to farm workers, women are coming together to demand fair treatment, she said. “The intention really is that a large portion of our leadership will come from other industries,” Rhimes said. Representatives for farm, domestic and restaurant workers have been actively involved in the expanding movement, she said. On Friday, Time’s Up is announcing its new StoryCorps initiative. StoryCorps is a storytelling collective that invites ordinary people to share tales from their lives, which are eventually uploaded into a Library of Congress collection aimed at fostering greater human understanding. The Time’s Up partnership invites women and men to share stories about their lives at work. It’s not just about sexual harassment, organizers said, but about illuminating what it takes to create fair and equitable workplaces where people of all races, genders and ethnicities are recognized and valued. It’s about seizing on the momentum generated by the outrage over Weinstein and those like him and channeling it toward change. Branches of the Time’s Up movement have been meeting regularly since the beginning of the year. Various sectors of the initiative are dealing with men, people of color and people overseas, organizers said. Hollywood men have held their own Time’s Up meetings, organizers said, and international outreach continues to grow. No invitation is needed to participate, either, they said. Like all grass-roots movements, it grows with personal interest. “There’s actual work being done,” DuVernay said. “It’s not just a press opportunity… It’s not just an awards-show protest movement.”
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NAMES & FACES PEOPLE
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
RAZZIE AWARDS NAME ‘THE EMOJI MOVIE’ WORST FILM OF 2017 Maybe it was destiny for a movie with a pile of poop as a central character. “The Emoji Movie” has received Hollywood’s most famous frown, the Razzie Award , for worst picture of 2017, making it the first animated feature in 38 years to earn the top dishonor. The annual awards bestowed on the worst the movie business has to offer were announced Saturday in their traditional spot, the day before the Academy Awards. “The Emoji Movie” landed four of the 10 Razzies given out this year, also taking worst screenplay, worst director, and worst screen combo, which was given to “any two obnoxious emojis” from the movie. Tom Cruise’s attempted reboot of the “Mummy” franchise landed him worst actor. He now has no Oscars after three nominations, but two Razzies. Cruise and Brad Pitt won for worst screen couple for 1994’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Tyler Perry took worst actress for “Boo 2! A Madea Halloween,” the director’s 10th time donning a dress and playing his signature whitewigged matriarch.
Former Congressional Budget Office director Alice Rivlin is 87. Actress Paula Prentiss is 80. Movie director Adrian Lyne is 77. Singer Shakin’ Stevens is 70. Author James Ellroy is 70. Energy Secretary Rick Perry is 68. Singer Chris Rea is 67. Actor/rock singer-musician Ronn Moss is 66. Actress Kay Lenz is 65. Musician Emilio Estefan is 65. Movie director Scott Hicks is 65. Actress Catherine O’Hara is 64. Actor Mykelti Williamson is 61. Actress Patricia Heaton is 60. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., is 60. Actor Steven Weber is 57. Rock musician Jason Newsted is 55. Actress Stacy Edwards is 53. Rapper Grand Puba is 52. Rock musician Patrick Hannan (The Sundays) is 52. Rock singer Evan Dando (Lemonheads) is 51. Actress Patsy Kensit is 50. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is 50. Gay rights activist Chaz Bono is 49. Actress Andrea Bendewald is 48. Actor Nick Stabile is 48. Rock musician Fergal Lawler (The Cranberries) is 47. Country singer Jason Sellers is 47. Jazz musician Jason Marsalis is 41. Actress Jessica Heap is 35. Actor Scott Michael Foster is 33. TV personality Whitney Port is 33. Actress Audrey Esparza is 32. Actress Margo Harshman is 32. Actor Josh Bowman is 30. Actress Andrea Bowen is 28. Actress Jenna Boyd is 25.
EMMA STONE, VIOLA DAVIS HELP FETE FEMALE OSCAR NOMINEES The Oscars are just a day away but some of the female nominees took time to stop by the 11th annual Women in Film celebration Friday in Beverly Hills. Friday’s event hosted best director nominee Greta Gerwig, best actress nominee Margot Robbie, best documentary nominee Agnes Varda and best original
Sony Pictures Animation via AP
Gene, voiced by T.J. Miller, center, in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s “The Emoji Movie.” “The Emoji Movie” has received Hollywood’s most famous frown, the Razzie Award, for worst picture of 2017.
RICHARD SHOTWELL Invision/AP
Greta Gerwig attends the 11th Annual Women In Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party at Crustacean restaurant on Friday in Los Angeles.
screenplay nominee Emily V. Gordon, among others. Oscar-winner Viola Davis gave some impromptu remarks encouraging everyone to own who they are, imperfections and all. Women in Film president Cathy Schulman says that there has been a slight increase in overall female Oscar nominees from 46 to 48 this year, but that there is work to be done. “We’re at an absolute tipping point right now,” Schulman said. “And it takes all of us to do the important work necessary to turn this tipping point into actual systemic
change so that women’s careers can be long, sustainable and successful.” This marked the 11th annual Women in Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail party, although the organization has been working to advance women’s careers in film and television since 1973. STARS SAY ‘TIME’S UP’ AT FRENCH FILM AWARDS The French film world may be having its #MeToo moment. One after another, stars showed up at the industry’s top awards show Friday wearing a white ribbon in a protest against sexual misconduct.
Throughout the Cesar Awards ceremony, presenters and winners referenced the movement that has campaigned for an end to abuses by powerful men. And the packed concert hall stood in ovation as the presenter called on everyone to support the #MaintenantOnAgit (Now We Act) campaign launched this week, aimed at raising money to help women pursue legal complaints against abusers. Anger over sexual violence and demands for gender equality in the cinema industry charged the atmosphere around this year’s Cesars – much like around the Oscars coming up Sunday in Hollywood. Instead of wearing black – as actors in the U.S. and Britain have done at recent awards shows – French stars chose to wear a white ribbon to make their statement. So did special guests like Penelope Cruz, given a special award for her career’s work. “The entire world is talking about this, it’s not only a problem of our industry, but of all industries and of any woman who does not have the opportunity to have a microphone in front of her as I have myself,” she told reporters. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
Barbra Streisand explains: Why I cloned my dog BY BARBRA STREISAND
The New York Times
In a frank and lengthy interview in Variety this week, Barbra Streisand dropped one very notable aside: that two of her dogs were clones of a previous dog, Samantha, who had recently died. Here, Streisand explains how this medical marvel, born of sadness, came to pass.
I was so devastated by the loss of my dear Samantha, after 14 years together, that I just wanted to keep her with me in some way. It was easier to let Sammie go if I knew I could keep some part of her alive, something that came from her DNA. A friend had cloned his beloved dog, and I was very impressed with that dog. So Sammie’s doctor took some cells from inside her cheek and the skin on her tummy just before she died. And we sent those cells to ViaGen Pets in Texas. We weren’t even sure if the cells would take. Meanwhile I missed Sammie so much that I went out and adopted a
rescue dog. She was a little Maltipoo and I named her Sadie, after the first dog I ever owned, given to me by the cast of “Funny Girl” on my 22nd birthday. Then I got a call from Sammie’s breeder, who said, “I know how upset you are. If you’re interested, I have this little puppy, the only one in the litter, and her mother’s name is Funny Girl.” It felt like fate, as if it was meant to be. How could I refuse that little girl? So I took her, too, and named her Miss Fanny. She’s a straight-haired Coton de Tulear, like most people want. My Sammie was curly haired and that’s why my husband initially picked her out for me as an anniversary present – she was the odd one, different, just like I felt as a little girl. One of the reasons I chose cloning was because I couldn’t find another curly-haired Coton. And then I got a call from the lab. Not only did the cloning process take, but it produced four puppies! Unfortunately the runt of the litter died before the puppies were old enough to be delivered to me.
EMILY BERL NYT
Barbra Streisand at her home in Malibu, Calif., July 19, 2016.
But still, five dogs were too much for me to handle, as a person who was used to taking my dog everywhere with me, and who never had more than one dog at a time living in my house. My manager’s assistant really wanted Sadie, and I knew she would give her a good home. And then the 13-year-old daughter of my A&R man bonded with one of the clones, so I gave them that puppy. It was hard to part with both dogs, but since they were going to close friends I
knew I could keep each dog in the family, so to speak, and I can still watch over them as they grow. So now I have three puppies at home, Miss Fanny, Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett, and it’s a bit overwhelming. But we love them so much. Each puppy is unique and has her own personality. You can clone the look of a dog, but you can’t clone the soul. Still, every time I look at their faces, I think of my Samantha … and smile.
TODAY’S THOUGHT
“I AM GLAD THAT I PAID SO LITTLE ATTENTION TO GOOD ADVICE; HAD I ABIDED BY IT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM SOME OF MY MOST VALUABLE MISTAKES.” Edna St. Vincent Millay, American author and poet (1892-1950)
TODAY’S HISTORY In 1193, Saladin, the Muslim warrior who opposed the Crusades, died in Damascus. In 1681, England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn for an area of land in North America that later became Pennsylvania. In 1791, Vermont became the 14th state. In 1793, George Washington was sworn in for a second term as president of the United States during a ceremony in Philadelphia. In 1893, Grover Cleveland was inaugurated for his second, non-consecutive term as president. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge’s inauguration was broadcast live on 21 radio stations coastto-coast. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as America’s 32nd president. In 1943, “Mrs. Miniver” won six Academy Awards, including best picture and best actress for Greer Garson (whose 5 1⁄2-minute acceptance speech became the butt of industry jokes). James Cagney won best actor for “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” In 1952, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis were married in San Fernando Valley, California. In 1968, “Romeo and Juliet,” Franco Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of the Shakespeare play starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, premiered in London. “We’re Only in It for the Money,” a satirical concept album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, was released by Verve Records. In 1977, some 1,500 people were killed in an earthquake that shook southern and eastern Europe. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan addressed the nation on the IranContra affair, acknowledging that his overtures to Iran had “deteriorated” into an arms-for-hostages deal. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment at work can be illegal even when the offender and victim are of the same gender. In 2008, Republican John McCain clinched his party’s presidential nomi-
nation, surpassing the requisite 1,191 GOP delegates as voters in Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island and Texas put him over the threshold. Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton won primary victories in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island, while Barack Obama prevailed in Vermont. Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre retired after 17 years, saying he was “tired.” (Favre later made a comeback with the New York Jets, then the Minnesota Vikings, before retiring again.) Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax died in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, at age 69. In 2013, cardinals from around the world gathered inside the Vatican for their first round of meetings before the conclave to elect the next pope, following the retirement of Benedict XVI. Kenya’s presidential election drew millions of eager voters, but the balloting was marred by deadly violence. (Uhuru Kenyatta beat seven other presidential candidates with 50.07 percent of the vote.) Five-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Hingis headed the 2013 class for the International Tennis Hall of Fame; also named were Cliff Drysdale, Charlie Pasarell, and Ion Tiriac. (Australian player Thelma Coyne Long’s election was announced earlier.) In 2017, President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of tapping his telephones during the 2016 election; an Obama spokesman declared the assertion was “simply false.” From Colorado’s state Capitol to Trump Tower in New York and the Washington Monument, groups of hundreds of people rallied for President Trump. Tommy Page, a former pop star whose song “I’ll Be Your Everything” went to No. 1 in 1990 and who later became a record company executive, died in New York at age 46. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Clayton Yeutter, 86, died in Potomac, Maryland. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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TRAVEL A freewheeling Tour de Taco across Austin BY REID WILSON
Washington Post
The year 2016 opened a deep and divisive rift between two factions already prone to distrust each other. A battle for supremacy raged, insults flew and a long-simmering culture war reignited. This rift had nothing to do with President Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, with coastal elites or rural America. It had everything to do with breakfast tacos, and whether Austin or San Antonio could
properly claim credit for their creation. Unlike Trump and Clinton, the leaders of the warring taco tribes — Austin Mayor Steve Adler and San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor — came together to pledge peace. The “I-35 Accords,” named for the interstate that connects two of the fastest growing metropolises in America, formally declared each city’s tacos equally delicious. “There is more that unites our tacos than divides them,” Adler said in March 2016 at the signing
ceremony. “Let us break our fast with the tortilla of hope and the egg of peace.” Tell someone you’re going to Austin and they will recommend barbecue joints such as Lambert’s and Iron Works. Instead of baking in the Texas heat while waiting for barbecue, I decided to make a careful study of Austin’s taco scene. My Tour de Taco, as I came to call it, took me from the humble taco truck to family establishSEE AUSTIN, PAGE 34
PAIGE WINSTANLEY Washington Post
Migas tacos – scrambled eggs, onions and serranos, with chips and beans – are served at El Arroyo in Austin.
TALK TRAVEL
Where to hike with a family of 5 Washington Post
The Washington Post’s travel section writers and editors recently discussed stories, questions, gripes and more. Here are edited excerpts: Q: Our family (couple, three teens) are looking for a place where we can rent a house or condo (in a town with at least a grocery store) and go for day hikes nearby without a long trip every day to get to a hiking area. We prefer mountains and fewer people, but anything interesting. We like to take a break every few days, so it’s nice to be in a town or within an hour or two of someplace interesting. We loved Grindelwald, Switzerland; Gardiner, Montana; and Mariposa, California and have visited Banff, California. Do you have any recommendations for the U.S. or Canada? A: The Asheville, North Carolina, area would be a good fit, or Estes Park, Colorado. I am in Alaska at the moment and would highly recommend Talkeetna. For Canada, I suggest Jasper, Alberta. — Andrea Sachs Q:
A:
Q: Is the inconsistency in TSA requirements at different airports meant to confuse passengers and keep us on our toes, or is TSA just confused? I recently flew from Norfolk, Virginia to Chicago Midway. In Norfolk I had to remove any electronics larger than a phone along with any food in my carryon bag, plus the usual shoes, sweaters, etc. Returning back from MDW three days later, they didn’t require any electronics or food to be removed. I try to be prepared with that kind of stuff but they make it difficult! A: It is probably a little bit of both. The TSA has always tried to keep its screening “random and unpredictable” but I don’t think it’s always intentional. The agency suffers from chronically low employee morale and underperforms on safety tests. So it’s hard to tell if it’s doing something on purpose or just because it’s incompetent. The optimist in me says it’s all part of the plan. Yeah, that’s it. — Christopher Elliott Q:
A:
SEE Q&A, PAGE 35
LARS LEETARU NYT
TRAVEL TIPS
5 TIPS FOR A LUXURY TRIP TO ROME FOR LESS BY SHIVANI VORA
New York Times
A visit to the Eternal City with all the bells and whistles doesn’t have to put a big dent in your wallet, says Simone Amorico, a native Roman and a co-owner of Access Italy, a company that sells luxury trips to Italy. “If you know where to stay, dine and shop and when to visit, you can come to Rome and have an affordable luxury trip,” he said. Here are some of his best tips to do just that. TIME IT RIGHT January through March and November and December (the week before Christmas is the
exception) are the best times to visit Rome, especially if you’re looking for a break on lodging. High-end travelers can get between 30 and 50 percent off usual rates at fivestar hotels. This also when hotels offer special promotions, like a third night free or a spa treatment and daily breakfast included with your stay. Amorico advised travelers in the United States to consider a trip during Thanksgiving week. “While Americans may have time off, Italians don’t celebrate the holiday, and it’s considered low season which means hotel prices are low,” he said. For those who can’t travel to Rome during off-peak season,
Amorico said that it’s best to stay in hotels in less touristy but still located in well-situated neighborhoods such as Monti, Testaccio and Parioli. The properties in these areas have nightly rates at least 20 percent lower than ones in touristy spots. Or, consider renting a luxury apartment, which can be between 30 and 50 percent less expensive than a luxury hotel. Sites like Access Italy and OneFineStay offer a portfolio of Rome apartment rentals. DINE SMART Stay away from the overpriced, average restaurants situated in Piazza Navona, Pantheon and Campo dei Fiori, Rome’s main squares.
You’ll enjoy less expensive and tastier meals and also get more of a local flavor of the city by dining at spots in Monti, especially on Via Urbani, where there are some excellent trattorias. Other areas worth visiting for great local restaurants include Via del Corallo, Piazza del Fico, Via Giulia and Via del Governo Vecchio. When it comes to lunch, Amorico suggested enjoying a thin-crust pizza (around $10) at a pizzeria or going to a trattoria for a bowl of pasta (around $12) such as his favorite, cacio e pepe. This strategy allows you to save your money for a nice dinner or two with SEE ROME, PAGE 35
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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TRAVEL CARRY-ON
What Lewis Black can’t travel without Probably doctors will say I’m wrong, but it does work.”
BY NELL MCSHANE WULFHART
New York Times
Comedian Lewis Black, known for his abrasive, expletive-laden style of stand-up, appears regularly on late night talk shows and has released 12 comedy albums. His latest, “Lewis Black — Black to the Future,” was released last fall. Black, who does as many as 200 shows a year, is obsessed with finding direct flights. “All I care about are direct flights,” he said. “My life is devoted to direct flights.” He even arranges his travel so that he’s leaving his New York apartment to get to the Newark, New Jersey, airport at low-traffic times. “Between 11 and 12 in the afternoon, that’s the window,” he said. “Plus, usually, traffic in the airport, too, has gone down at that point.” When on the road, he also spends considerable time on the tour bus. “If I have two weeks back-toback out West, or you know, in the middle of the country, then it makes sense that I don’t get off the bus,” he said. “So I’ll spend two or three days on the bus traveling to the next set of shows.” He’s written most of his three books on buses in between shows and recommends it for anyone trying to write. “Yeah, but on a tour bus,” he said. “A Greyhound, it’s not going to happen. You’re going to kill yourself after 12 hours.” Here’s what he takes on every trip:
MARIJUANA EDIBLES “I’m not doing this to get high; I’m doing this to go to sleep. But boy, some of those edibles I have done to try to go to sleep and I’m like, oh no I’m going to sit here and review everything. Once a guy on my tour bus said, ‘Let’s take a little of this and it’ll knock us out.’ But we were up all night and I went through every relationship I’ve ever had — every one — and how I failed, and what was my fault, and it was exhausting. Eventually, I fell asleep but it was mostly because I had run out of relationships.” NETI POT “I bring a neti pot. How sad is that? I’ve always had kind of a sinus-y problem, and flying doesn’t help that at all. You know, it dries you the hell out. Essentially what you’re doing, you’re breathing the filth, essentially. The longer you’re on a plane, the more filth you’re breathing.” ILLUSTRATIONS BY ESTELLE MORRIS NYT
NECKLACE “I wear this goofy thing around my neck that somebody gave me, that supposedly sucks up negative energy. Big bad thoughts get sucked into that. Why not? I don’t know if I believe in it but it was free.” MELATONIN GUMMY BEARS “I got advice from a military friend who travels
a lot and has wackier hours than I do, and they suggested melatonin gummy bears. I find that noth-
ing else can give you a leg up on relaxing. But you don’t do two of them, you do four or five of them.
AUSTIN
DAVE MEAD Washington Post
The neon signage of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, which houses the Juan Pelota Café in Austin
where photos of famous guests — President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden — line the walls. My morning iced tea is delivered in a glass the size of a small bucket. The tortillas, crisp off the grill, has a massive scoop of barbacoa and a zesty, green tomatillo sauce that adds moisture to dry eggs. For lunch, I stop at El Arroyo, the internet’s favorite taco bar. Posi-
tioned on a thoroughfare that guides traffic from Austin’s northern and western neighborhoods into downtown, the restaurant is known for its low-tech, black-letter sign, which is decorated each day with another joke: “Treat your mom to a margarita, you’re probably the reason she drinks.” Inside on a Saturday afternoon, there are few diners. But El Arroyo is a
happy-hour establishment, and generous drink specials await visitors later in the day. The bright yellow and blue walls, with green trim and orange accents, are obscured by the smoke wafting from passing platters of fajitas. My al pastor taco is full of smoky pork, set off with the sweet crunch of pineapple. Hours later, I brave the crowds on Sixth Street; its
THE WEEK “I bring a bunch of The Weeks with me, usually three or four. I use them to catch up if I’ve missed anything over the past month. They’re really good at summarizing news. They also have a bunch of really funny pieces, you know, unusual stuff that’s occurred throughout the United States — congressmen or local representatives who say things that are so beyond appalling that you wonder how these people are in office. Or is there not a psychological unit in the area? Then I use some of that on stage to kind of give a sense to my audience that there is a level of lunacy that continues to go on in this country, and part of it is that we listen to people, who really, we shouldn’t be listening to because something’s wrong with them. And they need to see — we have a big mental health problem and a lot of it is represented by a lot of people in government. I keep saying, the largest outpatient clinic in the world is Congress.”
MOISTURIZER “What it does is provide you with some sense of a regimen. People ask, ‘How do you travel that
FROM PAGE 33
ments, from hipster breweries to high-end establishments with expensive cocktails. My first stage began, appropriately, under the yellow jerseys once worn by a Tour de France champion, Austin’s own Lance Armstrong. His bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, includes an in-store cafe where the 2017 edition of the world’s most famous cycling race played on a big screen above a handful of industrial metal tables. The cafe serves breakfast tacos made by Veracruz, one of the city’s best-loved taco trucks. Refried beans, a light fluffy egg and cheese sit inside a perfect flour tortilla, wrapped to dip in a gentle, red salsa. It is light enough to be a good breakfast without slowing me down ahead of a busy day. That evening, I meet a friend at Lazarus Brewery — a modern throwback space with a lumpy, handmade wooden bar and 13 beers on tap. We dive into homemade chips and a just-spicy-enough guacamole, beset on all sides by a hipster crowd in beards and glasses. The next morning, I drive across town, under the interstate, to a local joint with quite the reputation. Joe’s Bakery has been a draw since the Avila family opened a small grocery store on the site in 1935. Today, a fourth generation of Avilas runs a bustling diner
much?’ Well, you provide yourself with a daily routine. So, if you’re doing the routine in your house, you do it on the road. It helps you maintain a distance between you and the howling that is the void.”
bars give Austin a reputation as a nightlife destination. I head to the Austin Taco Project, inside the Hilton Hotel, for my most upscale meal. Here, executive chef Kevin Spencer brings the fusion trend to tacos. The Good Morning Vietnam marries caramel barbecue chicken with Vietnamese vegetables and a spicy Fresno chile that stings a bit — a banh mi on a flour
tortilla. The Pineapple Express, the typical combination of pork and pineapple, comes on a chewy and substantive corn tortilla. The Oc-Thai-Pus is unexpectedly meaty, and not as chewy as some octopus dishes, thanks to the crunchy garlic cashews. Coconut curry sauce in a saffron tortilla makes this the unique dish of the trip. On my final morning in Austin, I try Fresa’s, a drive-through and walkup. Disney show tunes float on the air outside the brightly painted building as I eat at one of the few outdoor seats. The green salsa that comes with my breakfast tacos is unexpectedly spicy. The Tricky combines avocado and egg; the Margie, with steak, eggs and mild peppers, is a medley of textures. Eager for one more stop, my brother-in-law takes me to Torchy’s, a local chain that started as a fast-food truck and now boasts locations as far away as Denver. He chooses the Brush Fire, full of Jamaican jerk chicken, and a Tipsy Chick, with fajita chicken and a bacon-bourbon marmalade. I go bipartisan: The Democrat has another scoop of barbacoa, this time paired with avocado and cheese. The Republican has jalapeño sausage with cheese and tomatoes. And so my Tour de Taco ends in flavorful victory. But after so many tacos — I count 14 during my stages — I am in no shape to think about pulling on the yellow jersey.
SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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TRAVEL
PETER MORRISON Associated Press
The Lough Erne Golf Resort Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, sits on the banks of two interconnecting lakes that comprise Lough Erne, making it a popular vacation destination, especially for water sports, despite changeable weather.
Northern Ireland’s lake lands: Rain, history and the Mellons .......................................................
BY SIOBHAN STARRS
Associated Press
If you go Lough Erne Resort: https://www.lougherne resort.com
19th centuries — including the roots of a famous and wealthy American family.
thrill. FAMINE, MIGRATION AND THE NEW WORLD We also visited a living museum called the Ulster American Folk Park, about an hour from Lough Erne in Omagh. Buildings from across the province of Ulster and from around the U.S. have been carefully rebuilt or replicated here to help illustrate the stories of the many families who left in the 18th and 19th centuries for a better life in the New World. Those stories include the remarkable odyssey of the Mellons. Their original homestead is the museum’s center, and their descendants remain among America’s wealthiest families. The Mellons were fairly
boats and jet skis often zipped past. But the changeable weather meant we enjoyed a week of sunshine and showers, often at the same time. We also had an opportunity to sightsee and glimpse history, from centuries-old Christian ruins to a park that tells the story of the mass migration of the 18th and
MEDIEVAL RUINS As soon as the winds subsided, we hired a little boat and set off to explore. We landed at White Island, home to ruins of an ancient church built around the year 1200. Its Romanesque archway remarkably remains intact. Among the ruins we found more treasures: six sculptures depicting early Christian figures. One figure holds a shepherd’s crook like a bishop, and is believed to represent St. Patrick. Archaeologists think another depicts Christ. The unusual artworks are thought to date from the ninth to 11th centuries. On this isolated island I felt like I was the first person to discover them. The glimpse of medieval Ireland and early Celtic Christianity was a real
BOOK PRIVATE TOURS ON WEEKDAYS A private guide is a pricey indulgence and worthwhile mainly if you’re interested in learning more about a particular topic, like historic architecture or art. But if you plan to hire one, do it during a weekday. During the week, guides in Rome cost usually around 20 percent
less compared with weekends (and during low season, they can be up to 40 percent less). If you’re in the city between May and October and want to hire a guide to see the Vatican Museum, do it on a Friday night, when the museum is open late. “A guide will charge a lower price on these Friday nights than during the
day because it’s a lot cooler and less crowded,” Amorico said.
Q&A
busiest times. Blocked means busy. The first week of August will be a madhouse. — Elliott
enjoy, including ones that highlight magic, natural history and chocolate. — Carol Sottili
Q: I want to take my kids to Disney World in July or August. Any idea on when the park will be emptiest? I thought the last week of August was good, but the hotel rates are high which usually correlates with high occupancy. A: August can be really busy at Disney World. Aim for September or October. Look at the blockout dates on the silver pass to find out the
Q: I am travelling to Paris next month with my 85year-old father (who is hale and hearty) and my 8-year-old daughter. We have already planned a tour of the Louvre and Notre Dame that are geared towards kids. I know about the gardens and the toy sailboats. Any other ideas for “can’t miss” for our group? A: There are several museums you all might
Q: My parents have offered to pay for rental house for a family vacation next winter to somewhere warm. The group will include our two kids, who will be 3 and 1 . We want somewhere that is a direct flight from the Washington area, has nice beaches, toddler friendly, and an interesting town with good restaurants/ bars. So far, we have discussed Delray Beach,
Florida; Key West, Florida and Aruba. Any other suggestions? A: I vote for somewhere along the southwest coast of Florida between Marco Island and Sanibel Island. Naples has great restaurants and bars and lovely hotels, but it’s pricey. Sanibel Island is very kid friendly. Marco Island had some hurricane damage, but should be good by then. There’s a very nice Hyatt Residence Club in Bonita Springs. No guarantees it will be warm in winter, although chances are good. Aruba is best bet
ENNISKILLEN, NORTHERN IRELAND
We stood at the bar of the grand Lough Erne Resort, looking out at the driving rain. “You see that lake out there,” mused the barman wryly. ”That was a field this morning.” This was my first trip to Northern Ireland’s lake lands in the western region, two hours by car from Belfast and a slightly longer drive from Dublin. We had rented a twobedroom static caravan — what Americans call a mobile home — on the shores of Lower Lough Erne last summer. It was just the right side of cozy for me and my partner Matthew, and our 6-yearold daughter Kitty. Our verandah overlooked the larger of two interconnecting lakes that comprise Lough Erne. Speed
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ROME wine in some of Rome’s terrific seafood and fine dining spots. His top recommendations are Assunta Madre for seafood and Ristorante Tullio for classic Italian dishes like cannelloni and Romanstyle artichokes.
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Ulster American Folk Park: https://www.nmni.com/ our-museums/ulsteramerican-folk-park/ Home.aspx White Island: http://www.megalithic ireland.com/White%20 Island%20Figures.htm ......................................................
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well-off tenant farmers when they decided to emigrate in 1818, several decades before the Great Famine that decimated the countryside. Their son Thomas was just 5 years old when the Mellons left. The family eventually settled in the town of Export, Pennsylvania, where their large sixroom, log farmhouse still stands. The Ulster American Folk Park boasts a replica of that building. Thomas became a lawyer, then a banker founding T. Mellon & Sons in 1869, today part of BNY Mellon. Thomas’ son Andrew, a banker, industrialist and philanthropist, became secretary of the U.S. Treasury in 1921. A school that he founded is now part of CarnegieMellon University in Pitts-
SIOBHAN STARRS Associated Press
A Romanesque archway at a ruined 13th-century early Christian church on White Island, Lough Erne in Northern Ireland.
SHOP DURING SALES Rome’s many designer stores, including big-name luxury brands you may be familiar with, usually have sales twice a year, Amorico said. Winter collections get discounted in early January while summer collections get re-
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burgh. But the Mellons’ affluence was not the usual migrant story. More typical was a one-room thatched cottage with a mud floor at the Folk Park, representing the home of a fictional family of poor farm laborers, eight children and their parents. They ate potatoes for every meal. In 1845, the potato harvest began to fail. By the time the Great Famine ended in 1852, a million people had died and another million had emigrated to England, Scotland, South Wales, North America and Australia. Many ended up in the U.S., where 10 percent of the population is estimated to have Irish ancestry — including a number of U.S. presidents, most recently Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Other houses representing American homes tell stories of real families like the Mellons with connections or roots in Ulster. The townland became a village with a replica pub, drapery, pharmacy and rope-makers. At the far end of the main street we entered the dockside gallery, which contains a lifesize replica of a ship. A fare of $5 would purchase one-way passage to a new life in America. But this was not the Titanic: There were no luxuries onboard. Around 200 people and their belongings spent the duration of the six- to 12-week journey, four to a berth, in the area between decks of the 100-foot (30-meter) vessel. As we traced the migrant experience, wandering from thatched cottage to school house, forge and church, our senses were assaulted by the smell of musty quilts, baking bread and smoldering turf. Chatty guides in costume explained their chores, baking soda bread over an open fire, spinning sheep’s wool into yarn and creating smelly candles from animal fat. When we entered the New World section of the park, the clouds momentarily parted and an American visitor quipped, “The sun always shines in the New World!” Well, the sun often shines in Ulster, but the first rule of packing for a holiday in Northern Ireland, is bring your wellies as well as your sunglasses, as the weather likes to dance across the sky.
duced in early July. The sales last between four and six weeks. But Amorico also suggested checking out the fashionable and wellpriced clothes, shoes and handbags from lesserknown designers for great looks on a budget. They’re usually sold in independently owned boutiques in Monti, Trastevere, Parioli and Fleming.
WALK EVERYWHERE Finally, regardless of your budget, the best way to see Rome is by walking. Don’t bother spending your money on a car and driver or taxis, Amorico said. “Rome is like an open-air museum, and the only way to experience it is on foot,” he said.
for guaranteed good weather, and Southwest flies nonstop from BWI. — Sottili
Q: I get that it’s mostly people with an axe to grind that write the really horrible reviews, but is Aer Lingus as bad as it looks on TripAdvisor? We’re planning a trip to Ireland and they have far and away the best fares, but the negative press gives me pause. A: I take TripAdvisor reviews with a grain of salt. Skytrax gives it four out of five stars, and reviews on its site give it a seven out of 10 rating. — Sottili
Q: My passport expires next year, and I am planning a trip to Ireland, also next year. When I renew it, is the expiration date of the new passport calculated from the date that they process the renewal, or from the expiration date of the current one? A: From the date of processing. The unused months on your old passport don’t roll over to your new one. — Sachs Q:
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SUNDAY MARCH 4 2018
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TRAVEL
CHRISTINE PENDZICH For The Washington Post
The interior of the chapel at Turnu Monastery displays the vivid color and decoration characteristic of the monastery churches.
Exploring Romania, Eastern Europe’s unsung destination . .................................................................................................................
BY CHRISTINE PENDZICH AND EVA VON FALKENSTEIN
If you go
Washington Post
WHERE TO STAY
On a fine, sunny fall morning, we are bouncing around in the back seat of a van as we drive along a rocky road leading into the dense, leafy forests of Romania’s Cozia National Park. After 20 minutes, we round one last bend. Before us lies a hidden valley. A tiny church stands nestled in a dell against steep, forested hills. Wisps of early morning mist still shroud the grounds. We jump out of our vehicle and descend the winding path to the church. As we approach the chapel, admiring the delicate woodwork and perfect geometry of its hexagonal central tower, an elderly church warden in a long, black robe and bushy, white beard emerges into the empty courtyard. He greets us cheerfully, urging us to come in for the service about to start. He then hoists a large, yoke-shaped plank from a hook by the door onto his shoulder and begins striding around the church, clanging a highpitched rhythm on the wood with a mallet to announce the start of prayers. Near the back of the building, he almost bumps into the priest turning the corner. The warden pulls his cap off and bends low in front of the priest, who touches his bowed head and blesses him with a prayer. The warden then goes right back to clanging as he completes his circle around the church. The lost-in-time setting, the warden’s and priest’s traditional garb and their ritual exchange all are part of the mellow charm that Romania offers visitors willing to set aside Gothic fantasies of Dracula Land and give the country a fresh look. Standing at the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Romania has long traded with — and been invaded by — all its neighbors. The country
Refugiul Balea-Tunel: Arefu; 011-40-744-313-207, facebook.com/refugiul.balea.tunel. A cabin located at the top of the Transfaragasan Highway, and at the southern end of the tunnel. Group room accommodations run about $8 a night. Breakfast dishes from about $4, hot lunch/dinner options about $8. Horezu Monastery: Strada Manastirii, Romanii de Jos; 011-40-737-306-830. The guesthouse, located on the monastery grounds, offers simple but spotless rooms in a historic setting. A twin room (with a private shower and fridge) starts at about $40 per night. Meals from the refectory can be arranged on a donation basis. WHAT TO DO Transfagarasan Highway: transfagarasan.info. Explore one of the country’s most scenic mountain drives across the Carpathian Ridge. More than 50 miles in length, the second highest roadway in Europe is open from July 1 to Oct. 31, weather permitting. No fees or road tolls, however snow tires (and chains) may be necessary in the fall. Check website for updates on road conditions before you go. Cetatea Poienari: Four kilometers north of Arefu on the Transfaragasan; visitarges.ro/2012/03/cetatea-poenari. The ruins of this ancient defensive fortification can only be reached by a steep climb. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m daily in the summer. Admission costs about $1.50; about 50 cents for children. Cozia National Park: Strada Lotrului, No. 8A, Brezoi; 011-40-350-421822. The park is characterized by a high habitat and species diversity, and includes two areas of rare primary forest. Hiking the steep mountain terrain is strenuous, but absolutely worth the breathtaking views. Rangers with knowledge in specific areas, such as botany or animal wildlife, can be hired as guides for about $40 per day and can also arrange for transportation to trailheads that are difficult to reach. Accommodation in the Visitor Center (twin bedroom with a kitchen and bathroom) costs about $53 per night. Staff can also assist in finding local hotels and other accommodations. Horezu Monastery: Strada Manastirii, Romanii de Jos; 011-40-250-860190 or 011-40-250-860071. This extensive religious complex is a prime example of historical, uniquely Romanian Brancovenesc architecture. The community of nuns maintains an intact estate of rolling fields, orchards and active pastures. Ask to meet Abbess Sister Ambrozia Serban, who speaks English and might be available to show you some of the hidden treasures of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Open every day, all day, with no admission fee. Stanisoara Monastery: This picturesque, small monastery complex is at the end of a rocky mountain road and is so isolated that it doesn’t even have an address. It is best visited as part of a hike. A trail up to the peak of Cozia Mountain begins in the monastery’s orchard. Staff from Cozia National Park can help arrange transportation in an all-terrain vehicle. ..................................................................................................................
and its people have absorbed the multiple influences and transformed them into a unique cultural tapestry. A four-day road trip in southern Walachia and the central province of Transylvania offered multiple glimpses of the country’s allure.
We each had visited Romania before — after the end of the Communist dictatorship — on environmental and energy work. The devastation of rivers and towns was often severe, as in Ploiesti, where roving packs of feral dogs and sulfurous
air from old oil refineries left a strong impression. Even then, though, the drive between badly contaminated places offered a glimpse of gently rolling green hills in central Transylvania, picturesque villages, and mysterious and cool forests in the mountains. We both left Romania feeling that there were many beautiful things to explore. When Eva moved to Bucharest recently, we decided to visit the countryside again, to see if the lovely views glimpsed in the 1990s survived. Eva designed a circuit that would take us through mountains, a national park and to several beautiful monasteries in an easy road trip out of Bucharest. We left the capital midweek, driving west on the modern main highway through Pitesti — then veering north to Curtea de Arges, on the threshold of Transylvania. After a quick visit to the town’s spectacular Byzantine and Turkish-inflected cathedral, we struck out on the Transfaragasan highway. This scenic route, famous as one of the most sinuous and panoramic in Romania, wound first through dense forest. We had to stop twice while herds of sheep, baaing and clanging their way down from their summer pastures to winter ones, engulfed our car for several minutes. The road then became so steep and narrow that we almost missed our next stopping point: Cetatea Poenari, a castle built by Vlad “the Impaler” Tepes, the historical model for Dracula. Located strategically to block Turkish invaders from the south from entering the fertile, valuable Transylvania territory, the citadel perches on a cliffside high above the road. Tourists eager to prowl the ruins of “Dracula’s castle” just need to climb 1,480 steps to reach it. As we continued toward the Carpathian ridge, the forest closed in once again and the road folded into hairpin bends. Every now and again, awe-inspiring views of deep mountain canyons opened up at the bends. We eventually emerged above the tree line, into fog-shrouded mountaintops. Fortunately, the road was of high quality and had clear side markings all the way. We passed numerous cabanas, guesthouses and restaurants, including a large
mountain cabin at the highest point of the Transfaragasan highway, which serves as a starting point for hikes across the mountains. Then we swung west to enter the picturesque Olt Valley. Our first day ended with a simple but hearty dinner at one of the many roadside restaurants. Waiters brought each of us a small tureen of traditional ciorba soup, with chunks of root vegetables jostling cubes of meat. It was served with a whole raw spicy pepper on the side, for bites between spoonfuls of soup. After dinner, we headed into the small town of Brezoi, just a couple of kilometers off the main road. There, we checked into our spare, clean and spacious rooms in the visitors center of Cozia National Park, where we planned to hike the next day. Cozia is not the largest or the best known of Romania’s national parks. But it harbors an exceptionally high diversity of plants and animals in a small area, has rare inverted tree-growth patterns and includes two areas of primary forest — never cut or planted with other species. This is almost unheard of now in Europe, and a big draw for nature lovers. UNESCO just declared its two oldgrowth beech tree stands a World Heritage site. The accommodating park managers arranged for an early morning ride from the visitors center to the head of our trail at Stanisoara Monastery. We picked up the trail just behind the building, and it soon grew steep; we were glad we had brought hiking boots and trekking poles. Our knowledgeable guide, one of the park’s seven rangers, pointed out late-blooming wildflowers and untouched stands of majestic beeches, and explained the forest’s unique ecological features. We sighted chamois deer several times during the day and numerous bird species. We didn’t see any bears, although our guide said he had encountered some recently. As we gained height, sweeping vistas of the Olt opened up before us, and we stopped several times to admire the silver ribbon of river glistening below us in the distance. At about noon, we reached the peak of Cozia Mountain, where we stopped on the terrace of Cabana Cozia for a picnic lunch, surrounded by magnificent scenery. A couple of local shepherds joined us for a beer, eager to practice their broken English, acquired over years working in Western Europe, and letting us practice our broken Romanian. A steep return descent — trekking poles constantly deployed — plunged us back into the forest and eventually released us into the rising evening fog at Turnu Monastery, where our ride back to the park’s visitors center waited. Our next day in the Olt Valley immersed us in the world of serene Orthodox monasteries along the river. We returned to Turnu and discovered a small complex of a whitewashed chapel, two-story buildings for monks’ quarters, and a tiny cemetery and garden tucked in a glen just out of sight of the valley’s thronging highway. Glowing in the morning sunshine, the buildings were lovingly bedecked with hanging flowerpots. One part of
the monastery grounds tiny caves carved painstakingly out of the rock face — stood in stark contrast. These were the homes of Turnu’s early hermit monks, who consigned themselves to barren, rough-hewed spaces with barely enough room to sleep. The Cozia Monastery, a few miles down the road, is larger and more prosperous. Its church has the red brick and white stone stripes typical of Byzantine buildings on the outside, but inside, its wooden walls shine with color and gold. Pictures from the lives of saints and the Bible cover every inch of the interior walls, instructing and inspiring generations of the faithful who couldn’t read. The pictures climb the walls, leading the eye to a central image of Christ at the center of the domed ceiling, high above the viewer’s head. Possibly the loveliest and most atmospheric monastery in the region, however, is the one at Horezu. Founded in 1690 and now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it maintains an intact estate of rolling fields, orchards and active pastures. The religious complex includes five chapels, and is a premier example of Brancovenesc architecture, unique to Romania. On the outside, brown and gold touches adorn its cream-colored walls, with an intricate interplay of round elements — plaster medallions just under the roofline and rounded outer walls of back chapels — lending dynamism and tension to the beautifully proportioned rectangular main body of the church. Its interior walls, like those of other monasteries in the region, are alive with the icons and scenes from the Bible that long made these monasteries such draws for villagers from throughout the region. The monastery runs its own guesthouse on the grounds, with simple but very comfortable and spotless rooms. Overnight guests can stroll in the inner courtyards in the evening, after most visitors have left and the outer gates have shut. The guesthouse administrators are informal about arrival and departure. Encounters with the nuns made us feel like friends who had stopped by for a visit. Tourists who tire of the chapels at Horezu can enjoy many other attractions in the surrounding countryside. The potters’ community of Olari, where local artisans welcome visitors into their home workshops, is an excellent place to discover authentic and affordable souvenirs. Winding country roads tempt bikers to explore the region on two wheels, while several horse farms in the area offer opportunities to go for another type of ride. Numerous roadside stands sell honey, cheese and the freshest produce — a great way to get a taste of local flavors and meet locals from family farms. Our four-day road trip in Romania revealed a charming, peaceful and varied landscape, with memorable glimpses of culture, spirituality and natural beauty at every turn. It stood up very well to a second look, and its low prices and good accommodations make it both economical and convenient; as we headed home, vampires were the last thing on our minds.
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BOOKS NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLERS Rankings reflect combined print and electronic sales for the week ending Feb. 17, which were reported on a confidential basis by vendors offering a wide range of general interest titles. FICTION 1. THE GREAT ALONE, by Kristin Hannah. (St. Martin’s) A former prisoner of war returns from Vietnam and moves his family to Alaska, where they face tough conditions. (Weeks on list: 2) 2. UNRAVELED, by Helen Hardt. (Waterhouse) The ninth book in the Steel Brothers Saga. (1) 3. NIGHT MOVES, by Jonathan Kellerman. (Ballantine) Homicide detective Milo Sturgis enlists psychologist Alex Delaware to help solve a John Doe case. (1) 4. AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE, by Tayari Jones. (Algonquin) A newlywed couple’s relationship is tested when the husband is sentenced to 12 years in prison. (2) 5. THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, by A.J. Finn. (Morrow) A recluse who drinks heavily and takes prescription drugs may have witnessed a crime across from her Harlem town house. (7) 6. STILL ME, by Jojo Moyes. (Pamela Dorman/Viking) Louisa Clark moves to New York and is torn between high society and the life she enjoys at a vintage clothing store. (3) 7. READY PLAYER ONE, by Ernest Cline. (Broadway) It’s 2044, life on a resource-depleted Earth has grown increasingly grim, and the key to a vast fortune is hidden in a virtual-reality world. (13) 8. THE KREMLIN'S CANDIDATE, by Jason Matthews. (Scribner) A counterintelligence chief and her lover, who is a CIA agent, learn of Vladimir Putin’s plan to assassinate a U.S. official. (1) 9. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, by Celeste Ng. (Penguin Press) An artist upends a quiet town outside Cleveland. (17) 10. LOOK FOR ME, by Lisa Gardner. (Dutton) Sgt. Detective D.D. Warren teams up with a torture survivor to find a missing teenager whose family members were gunned down. (2) 11. DARK IN DEATH, by J.D. Robb. (St. Martin’s) Lieutenant Eve Dallas must find a killer inspired by police thrillers before another victim is murdered. (3) 12. BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, by Lisa Wingate. (Ballantine) A South Carolina lawyer learns about the questionable practices of a Tennessee orphanage. (21) 13. THE WIFE BETWEEN US, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. (St. Martin’s) The story of a love triangle is told from several points of view. (6) 14. ORIGIN, by Dan Brown. (Doubleday) A symbology professor goes on a perilous quest with a beautiful museum director. (20) 15. SURPRISE ME, by Sophie Kinsella. (Dial) A scandal from the past threatens to shake up a seemingly perfect marriage. (1) NONFICTION 1. FIRE AND FURY, by Michael Wolff. (Holt) A journalist offers an inside account of the first year of the Trump White House. (7) 2. ENLIGHTENMENT NOW, by Steven Pinker. (Viking) A case for using reason, science and humanism to counter pessimistic views of Western civilization. (1) 3. ASTROPHYSICS FOR PEOPLE IN A HURRY, by Neil deGrasse Tyson. (Norton) A straightforward, easy-to-understand introduction to the laws that govern the universe. (41) 4. ALL-AMERICAN MURDER, by James Patterson and Alex Abramovich with Mike Harvkey. (Little, Brown) The story of Aaron Hernandez, the New England Patriots tight end convicted of firstdegree murder. (4) 5. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, by Kate Bowler. (Random House) A divinity school professor examines her tacit beliefs when she learns she has late-stage colon cancer. (2) 6. ALL THE PIECES MATTER, by Jonathan Abrams. (Crown Archetype) An oral history of the creation and development of the series “The Wire.” (1) 7. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, by David Grann. (Doubleday) The story of a murder spree in 1920s Oklahoma that targeted Osage Indians, whose lands contained oil. (36) 8. HORSE SOLDIERS, by Doug Stanton. (Scribner) Special Forces operatives fought the Taliban on horseback shortly after Sept. 11. The basis of the movie “12 Strong.” (8) 9. LEONARDO DA VINCI, by Walter Isaacson. (Simon & Schuster) A biography of the Italian Renaissance polymath that connects his work in various disciplines. (18) 10. LOST CONNECTIONS, by Johann Hari. (Bloomsbury) The journalist describes nine causes of depression and anxiety, and offers potential solutions. (2) 11. PROMISE ME, DAD, by Joe Biden. (Flatiron Books) The former vice president recalls his toughest year in office, as his son battled brain cancer. (10) 12. WALLIS IN LOVE, by Andrew Morton. (Grand Central) The story of the U.S. socialite whose relationship with King Edward VIII forced him to abdicate his throne. (1) 13. OBAMA, by Pete Souza. (Little, Brown) More than 300 pictures of the former president by his White House photographer, with behind-the-scenes stories. (10) 14. WHEN, by Daniel H. Pink. (Riverhead) Research from several fields reveals the ideal time to make small decisions and big life changes. (5) 15. THE LAST BLACK UNICORN, by Tiffany Haddish. (Gallery) The comedian recounts growing up in South Central Los Angeles and finding success after a period of homelessness. (11)
‘A Wrinkle in Time’: Let’s hope the movie is better than the book BY MICHAEL DIRDA
Special To The Washington Post
Madeleine L’Engle once said that “A Wrinkle in Time” was rejected by 26 publishers. On the surface, this seems incredible, given that it went on to win the 1962 Newbery Medal and become one of the most beloved of all modern children’s novels (in one poll second in popularity only to E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web”). Over time, the book also served as the seedbed for much of L’Engle’s future fiction, as she returned to its major characters, showing them at different ages. What’s more, on March 9, “A Wrinkle in Time” will acquire our culture’s ultimate imprimatur as a major motion picture, its cast including big-name stars Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon. I wish the film well, but having just reread the novel I can understand why editors turned down L’Engle’s manuscript. Artistically, the book is a mess; it’s illogical, derivative and confusing, with a rushed and unconvincing ending. In 200 higgledy-piggledy pages, L’Engle throws together magic, folklore, science fiction, dystopian nightmare, Christian religiosity, 1950s fears about communism, classic notions about individuality and conformity, mystical transcendence, some slapstick humor and a lot of sentimental pablum. One starts to look for the kitchen sink. Somehow, though, this superabundance of cargo never manages to sink the book. Every chapter is a fresh surprise, nothing goes on too long and the emphasis on family values confers a - slightly tendentious - “It’s a Wonderful Life” charm. As some readers may remember, the mysterious Mrs What-
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A Wrinkle in Time By Madeleine L’Engle
Square Fish. 224 pp. paperback. $6.99 ......................................................
sit bestows a gift on the novel’s heroine: “Meg, I give you your faults.” L’Engle certainly seems to have made a virtue of hers. Few 10- or 12-yearolds complain about the novel’s aesthetic shortcomings; most are too in thrall to its succession of wonders. Like many young-adult novels, “A Wrinkle in Time” conforms to the almost surefire “Ugly Duckling” model. The youthful reader - on the verge of adolescence and consequently possessing the self-esteem of a hamster - quickly identifies with gawky 14-year-old Meg Murry, who can scarcely see without her glasses, wears braces, finds it hard to concentrate at school and is frequently in trouble because of a quick temper. She is particularly sensitive about her father. Mr. Murry - a top-flight physicist has disappeared and everyone in town assumes that he has run off with some “dame” and abandoned his biologist wife and their four children.
How a town of less than 3,000 produced 11 (mostly well-adjusted) Olympians .......................................................
BY FRED BOWEN
Norwich: One Tiny Vermont Town's Secret to Happiness and Excellence
Special To The Washington Post
“Norwich: One Tiny Vermont Town’s Secret to Happiness and Excellence” is a small book with a big message. Here, Karen Crouse, a New York Times sportswriter, examines how an out-of-the-way place with a population of about 3,000 has produced 11 Olympians, including two medal winners. Norwich’s secret, according to Crouse, is the opposite of today’s overheated youth-sports culture with its early specialization, travel teams and expensive individual coaching. The parents in Norwich allow their children to sample a variety of sports, emphasize participation more than achievement, and let their kids find their own way through trial and error. Crouse is a reporter, not a sociologist. While she cites studies and books to support the idea that the “Norwich Way” is the
By Karen Crouse
Simon & Schuster. 276 pp. $26 ......................................................
best, she concentrates on the lives of Norwich’s athletes. She’s a good storyteller, and the stories make her point. Ironically, the family that started Norwich’s incredible run of Olympic success was the opposite of the Norwich Way. Albert O. Snite would have fit in with today’s helicopter sports parents. Snite drove his two daughters, Betsy and Sunny, to be champion skiers. He required the girls to train year round and removed them from school for long periods of time for national and international com-
petitions. In one painful episode, Crouse describes how the father reacted when Sunny, his younger daughter, offered to give up skiing to care for a horse that a relative had offered to the family. “’You are going to ski,’ he told her, ‘come hell or high water.’” In some ways, Snite’s obsessive drive paid off. Betsy made two Olympic teams and won a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in 1960. She also placed fourth in the giant slalom. Sunny, on the other hand,
fell short of her father’s Olympic dreams after a skiing accident injured her back. Crouse makes it clear that Sunny used the injury to step away from the intense pressure of competitive skiing. But skiing success came at a great cost to the Snite sisters. Betsy became a hard partier when she was away from her father on the European ski circuit. She died at age 45 after years of struggling with alcohol addiction. Sunny moved out West, rarely returned to Norwich and suffered through three abusive marriages. Her father died without ever meeting any of her husbands or either of her children. The lesson was not lost on the inhabitants of Norwich. As Crouse writes, “The Snite sisters produced wonderful ski results, but no one in town wanted to raise their children to be like them.” The other Norwich stories are happier. Two families - the Hastings and Hollands - produced five
Besides Meg, who’s a genius at math, the Murry family includes the preschool prodigy Charles Wallace. This 5-year-old is hyper-aware of everything around him, can seemingly read minds, and thinks and behaves like an adult. He reminded me of the super-child in J.D. Beresford’s 1911 science fiction classic “The Hampdenshire Wonder” (well worth reading, by the way). Meg adores Charles Wallace almost as much as she does her missing father. In the course of the novel, her love for both will be severely tested. What really jump-starts “A Wrinkle in Time” is the appearance of three mysterious beings: Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which. (L’Engle was adamant that “Mrs” shouldn’t have a period.) The first dresses like some wild old gypsy, wrapping herself in scarves and tramping around in rubber boots; the second wears granny spectacles and speaks almost entirely in quotations from classic authors; the third is barely glimpsed but sometimes appears as either a stammering, hooknosed crone in a pointy hat or as merely a shimmer in the air. Are they witches? One actually murmurs “When shall we three meet again?” thus calling to mind the Weird Sisters from “Macbeth.” Or could they be fairies? In fact, they are ... but I should say no more. To my mind, the best chapters in “A Wrinkle in Time” are the early ones set on Earth. Once Charles Wallace, Meg and their friend Calvin O’Keefe are transported to other planets by using tesseracts wrinkles in the space-time continuum - the novel starts to go off in several directions at once. The planet Uriel is a Christian heaven, of the sort C.S. Lewis might have imagined. Another chapter
Olympians in ski jumping and Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country skiing). The adventures Crouse describes as the boys encourage and inspire one another to improve and help each other survive will make anyone jealous of this happy band of brothers. When asked how he raised three Olympians out of five children, the Hollands’ father, Harry, observes, “Maybe some of the success of the boys was because we kept out of the way.” “Norwich” offers other lessons: Felix McGrath did not specialize in any sport. He was a four-sport athlete in high school who made the 1988 Olympic team as an alpine skier. Andrew Wheating was a decidedly mediocre basketball and soccer player who discovered a passion for track during his junior year of high school and became an outstanding middle-distance runner. Even the less-thanhappy stories seem to reinforce the Norwich Way. Freestyle skier Hannah Kearney failed badly in her first Olympics. She felt she had let the town down. But the people of Norwich did not turn their
presents a humanoid alien called, believe it or not, “The Happy Medium,” who - given that embarrassing name - could almost be a deleted character from Norton Juster’s pun-filled “The Phantom Tollbooth.” There certainly seems to be no structural purpose for the episode. In due course, the three children learn that a cosmic Evil threatens various planets of the universe. The Black Thing, as they call it, appears as an immense shadow, a smothering blot of darkness. Improbably, Meg’s father has been imprisoned by this alien entity on a planet named Camazotz. Obviously, the trio’s task is to rescue him and save the universe. (This latter notion, only suggested here, is never developed.) Our heroes soon discover that the inhabitants of Camazotz are so highly regulated that they behave like robots. When interrupted with questions, people simply repeat passages from “The Manual.” Their scary leader, The Man with Red Eyes, naturally promises peace and happiness to all those who surrender their free will to a mysterious being called IT. No doubt, we are supposed to think of Orwell’s Big Brother or even the great helmsman of “Red China,” Mao Zedong. Sadly, the ultimate source of the brainwashing exercised on Camazotz turns out to be a trite cliche from 1930s pulp science fiction. Well, that’s enough jaundiced adult criticism. Kids of 8 or 10 or 15 treasure L’Engle’s novel and, even if its incongruities need ironing out, the story provides more than enough material for some boisterous classroom discussions. But as a work of art, it’s no match for its covert model, L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” let alone Kenneth Grahame’s “The Wind in the Willows” or Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden.” Still, there’s one thing that is absolutely perfect about “A Wrinkle in Time”- that magnificent, hauntingly evocative title.
backs on her. They helped her financially and emotionally, and she bounced back to win gold in 2010 and bronze in 2014. Kevin Pearce was a high-flying snowboarder who was ready to challenge Shaun White as America’s best on the flat board. A terrifying crash and head injury shortly before the 2010 Games left him in a coma for 10 days and forced him through a grueling rehabilitation. Although he has lingering effects from the crash, Pearce now speaks on behalf of people with traumatic brain injuries. Crouse makes it clear that after the false start of the Snite sisters, the remaining Norwich Olympians have grown to be happy, well-adjusted adults. Some continue to contribute to the town’s sports programs and inspire younger athletes. With her small but timely book, Crouse has given parents of young athletes a great gift - a glimpse at another way to raise accomplished and joyous competitors. Perhaps the more important question is: Will parents, dreaming of college scholarships and Olympic glory, bother to listen?