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AP PHOTOS: Napa Valley wine grapes thrive after record rainfall, but cool weather may delay harvest

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

NAPA, Calif. (AP) — As sunlight spilled into California’s famed Napa Valley on a summer day, rows of wine grapes reflected the benefits of this winter’s record rainfall.California has more than 960 square miles (2,488 square kilometers) of vineyards dedicated to the wine industry, perhaps none as iconic as those growing in Napa Valley just north of San Francisco. This year, wine grapes are thriving after record winter rainfall in California, but cool days of spring that have carried into summer are threatening to keep the grapes from ripening. The longer the fruit has to stay on the vine the more exposed it is to possible wildfires in the fall and rain in early winter.The state’s normally bountiful wine grape harvest had been hindered in recent years by a combination of drought and wildfires. California growers reported $600 million worth of grapes lost to smoke damage after the 2020 fire season, the office of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla said. California’s wine industry...

Jewell Loyd scores 24 with 4 steals, Magbegor adds 15 points as Storm beat Mercury 97-74

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Jewell Loyd scored 24 points and had a season-high four steals, Ezi Magbegor added 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and the Seattle Storm beat the Phoenix Mercury 97-74 Saturday night. Sami Whitcomb scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and Joyner Holmes had a career-high 12 points for Seattle (4-9). Phoenix (2-10) got Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi back after each missed the last three games, and lost its fifth straight. The Mercury are off to their worst start since opening 2-10 in 2003, when they finished 8-26. Moriah Jefferson led the Mercury with a season-high 18 points. Michaela Onyenwere added 14 points, T0aurasi scored 13 and Griner 11. The Mercury committed 13 of its 20 turnovers in the first half, while Loyd had 13 points and Magbegor scored 11 on 4-for-4 shooting to give Seattle a 39-34 lead after two quarters. Griner (hip) and Taurasi (hamstring) rejoined the Mercury after double-digit losses in each game during their absence. Skylar Diggins-Smith (m...

As it happened: Wagner Group ‘turning back’ as mutiny nears Moscow

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday raised the specter of civil war after embittered warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin seized control of key parts of the south of the country. Prigozhin, who has long lambasted Russia’s top brass for their handling of the war in Ukraine, has seized the large strategic city of Rostov-on-Don, a crucial command center for the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, some 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow. His Wagner Group mercenary forces also appear to have a foothold around Voronezh, about 500 kilometers from the capital. Putin has condemned the insurrection as “treason” and Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has said his fighters have already been dispatched to take the battle to Wagner — raising the prospect of imminent civil conflict inside Russia. Britain’s Ministry of Defense has called Prigozhin’s uprising “the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times.” Follow the latest developments on POLITICO’s live blog here:

One shot in downtown; suspect at large: SDPD

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police are investigating a shooting in downtown Saturday night that sent one person to the hospital in an unknown condition, law enforcement said.Around 9:46 p.m., officers were dispatched to the scene in the 1300 block of National Avenue after receiving reports of that a person was shot.The victim was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, SDPD said. Their condition and the nature of their injuries is not known at this time. The quality of life conditions that worsened in San Diego last year: study The events that led up to the shooting remain under investigation. The suspect, described as an man of an unknown age and stature, has not been identified by authorities.Road closures are currently in place on Commercial Street from 14th Street to 16th Street while SDPD remains on scene to investigate the incident.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Greeks vote in 2nd general election in 5 weeks, with conservative party favored to win majority

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greeks were voting Sunday in the second general election in less than two months, with the conservative party in power for the last four years a strong favorite to win with a wide majority.The vote is overshadowed by a major shipwreck just over a week ago that left hundreds of migrants dead or missing off the coast of western Greece. But the disaster is unlikely to significantly affect the overall outcome as Greeks are expected to focus on domestic economic issues.The 55-year-old conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is eyeing a second four-year term as prime minister after his New Democracy party won by a huge margin in May but fell short of gaining enough parliamentary seats to form a government. With a new electoral law now favoring the winning party with bonus seats, he is hoping to win enough seats to form a strong majority in the 300-member parliament.His main rival is Alexis Tsipras, the 48-year-old head of the left-wing Syriza party who served as prim...

Small Card Advisory Sunday. Some Rain Sunday-Monday. Cooler Air Arriving

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

The National Hurricane Center issued advisories on Tropical Storm Cindy, located several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands, and the last advisory on the remnants of Bret, located over the central Caribbean Sea.

Armed suspects ransack 7-Eleven stores in Los Angeles County

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

Surveillance footage captured a 7-Eleven store being ransacked amid a string of armed burglaries in Los Angeles County overnight on Saturday.Four 7-Eleven store burglaries took place between 9:30 p.m. and 12 a.m. at locations on the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue, the 5700 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, the 4200 block of Beverly Boulevard and the 2800 block of James M. Wood Boulevard.Surveillance cameras at the Beverly Boulevard store in East Hollywood showed a masked suspect entering the business and pretending to shop around as he waited for customers to leave.Shortly after, he confronted the store clerks and told them he had a gun. That’s when he walked behind the cashier counter and helped himself to cigarettes, cigars and various tobacco products. Surveillance footage captured a 7-Eleven store robbed at gunpoint by two armed suspects in East Hollywood on June 24, 2023. (7-Eleven)Surveillance footage captured a 7-Eleven store robbed at gunpoint by two armed suspects in East...

Adeniran leads St. Louis City over Earthquakes 2-1

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Samuel Adeniran scored his first two goals of the season, the second on a penalty kick in the second half, and St. Louis City ended San Jose’s 10-match unbeaten streak at home with a 2-1 victory over the Earthquakes on Saturday night.Adeniran gave St. Louis City (10-7-2) a 1-0 halftime lead when he took a pass from Rasmus Alm in the 41st minute and scored.Jamiro Monteiro scored the equalizer for San Jose two minutes into the second half, using an assist Jackson Yueill to score his first goal of the season.Adeniran’s PK winner came in the 58th minute.Roman Bürki finished with eight saves for expansion St. Louis City. Daniel de Sousa Brito saved three shots for the Earthquakes (7-7-6).It was just the second home loss suffered by the Earthquakes against an expansion team all-time — 10-2-5. San Jose entered play with a 7-0-3 mark in its last 10 matches at home.St. Louis City had managed just one point and two goals in its previous five road matches. T...

Keaton Parks’ header pulls NYCFC into 1-1 draw with Portland

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Keaton Parks scored in the second half to pull New York City FC into a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday night. NYCFC is winless in its last 11 matches with five losses and six draws. The winless drought matched the longest streak in team history set in 2013. The Timbers (5-8-7) went ahead in the 38th minute when Marvin Loria dropped the ball back to Evander, whose right-footed blast went over goalkeeper Matt Freese. NYCFC (4-7-9) drew even with Parks’ header on a set piece in the 51st. It was his third goal of the season. “The team has a huge drive and huge determination. So they were going to find a way to get back into the game,” NYCFC coach Nick Cushing said. “I said at halftime, I really believed they would find a way to get back into the game because I know my team. The surge of energy was there because they weren’t prepared to lose the game.”It was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2021 MLS Cup final, which NYCFC ...

After blowout win in Denver, Angels acquire Mike Moustakas from Rockies

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:13:33 GMT

DENVER (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels acquired veteran corner infielder Mike Moustakas from Colorado moments after their 25-1 victory over the Rockies on Saturday night.The Rockies got minor league right-hander Connor Van Scoyoc, who was 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 starts at Class A Tri-City this season.Moustakas hit .270 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 37 games with the Rockies after joining them in spring training.“We’ll mix and match and work it out,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin, whose team has lost infielders Anthony Rendon, Gil Urshela and Zach Neto to injuries in the last two weeks. “This week, the lineup hasn’t had the depth we have had all season. We feel like we have that now.”Moustakas has been on five playoff teams and was the starting third baseman for Kansas City when the Royals won the 2015 World Series.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource