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California’s big bloom aids seed collectors as climate change and wildfires threaten desert species

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. (AP) — Flowers that haven’t been seen in years bloomed across Southern California this spring after massive winter downpours, creating not only colorful landscapes but a boon for conservationists eager to gather desert seeds as an insurance policy against a hotter and drier future. In the Mojave Desert, seeds from parish goldeneye and brittlebush are scooped up by staff and volunteers working to build out seed banks in the hope these can be used in restoration projects as climate change pressures desert landscapes. Already this summer, the York Fire burned across the Mojave National Preserve, charring thousands of acres in the fragile ecosystem including famed Joshua trees.“This definitely highlights the importance of proactive seed banking as a fire management tool and how challenging it can be to keep up with the fire threats,” said Cody Hanford, joint executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust.Wildfires across the West can be deadly and wreak hav...

Broncos RB Javonte Williams feels 100 percent after first game since ACL tear

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Under the bright lights at Levi’s Stadium, Broncos running back Javonte Williams admitted he was a bit nervous.Denver’s second preseason matchup against the San Francisco 49ers didn’t count toward anything record-wise, but for Williams, it was his first game since tearing his ACL in October. He spent the offseason grinding through the recovery process just to be cleared for training camp. On Saturday night, he faced another hurdle: live contact.So, what did the third-year running back do? He dropped a wide-open pass from quarterback Russell Wilson on the first play of the game.“He must not like screens that are wide open,” head coach Sean Payton joked. “I gave him a hard time on that first play, but it was good to get him back in.”Preseason football might be the only time there are small victories within tough defeats. In the Broncos’ 21-20 loss to the 49ers, in which they blew an 8-point lead in the fourth, they walked away knowing Williams had returned.“I fee...

It might be just preseason, but referees drew Broncos coach Sean Payton’s ire Saturday: “Don’t know what time flights are leaving tonight”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It’s hard to miss Sean Payton on the Broncos’ sideline, especially if you happen to wear black and white stripes during the game.Payton might have missed coaching, but he said Saturday he wished he didn’t have to chew on the officiating crew’s collective ear about an end-of-half situation.Denver quarterback Jarrett Stidham hit receiver Jalen Virgil for a 50-yard gain to the 1-yard line. Though he was close to the end zone, he was ruled short of the goal line with about 15 seconds to play. The Broncos had no timeouts, and Virgil injured his knee on the play. He was helped up to get lined up, but by the time Stidham snapped the ball again and spiked it, the officials ruled the game clock had run out and sent the teams to the halftime locker room.Payton, miffed at the sequence, barked at the line judge and the umpire on his way off the field.“I was a little disappointed at the end of the half. I thought we had time left; obviously the...

RB Jaleel McLaughlin is making his case for Broncos roster one TD and one practice at a time: “I wouldn’t say anyone’s surprised”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Making a flashy play or two in a preseason game doesn’t land a young player on a 53-man roster.Having a good day in practice won’t do it, either.But when a guy makes plays day after day in practice and then does it every time he gets an opportunity in a game, too? That’s the path from undrafted free agent to a spot on the other side of the Aug. 29 cutdown day.If Jaleel McLaughlin has more work to do still to make the 2023 Broncos, he’s shown no sign that he’ll let up now.The former Youngstown State running back scored two more touchdowns Saturday night against San Francisco, accumulated 53 offensive yards and 44 more on a kick return, and made his loudest public statement yet that he’s going to be awfully difficult to keep off the regular-season roster.The thing is, he’s been doing this essentially since rookie minicamp in May. Earlier in training camp, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi marveled that McLaughlin “seems to break a big run at least once a day.”He...

Ron Cephas Jones, 'This Is Us' actor who won 2 Emmys, dies at 66

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ron Cephas Jones, a veteran stage actor who won two Emmy Awards for his role as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the NBC television drama series “This Is Us,” has died at age 66, a representative said Saturday. Jones' manager, Dan Spilo, said in an emailed statement the actor died “due to a long-standing pulmonary issue.” “Throughout the course of his career, his warmth, beauty, generosity, kindness and heart were felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him," Spilo said. Jones had a double lung transplant in 2020 because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and spent nearly two months in a Los Angeles hospital. On “This Is Us,” Jones played William “Shakespeare” Hill, a biological father whose life is renewed through his relationship with the family of his son Randall Pearson, played by Sterling K. Brown. “One of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us,” Brown said in an Instagram post after Jones' death. “Th...

Teen shot during high school football game in Rancho Cucamonga

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

A teenager was hospitalized after being shot during a high school football game in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday night.The victim, identified only as a 16-year-old boy, was attending a game at Etiwanda High School, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Deputies responded to reports of a large group of juveniles fighting in the street in front of the school around 8:23 p.m.During the fight, an unidentified suspect fired gunshots, prompting the group of juveniles to run from the scene. Arriving deputies found the injured victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition, authorities said The suspect fled the scene and remains at large. Authorities are seeking the public's help in locating them.  Store owner allegedly killed over hanging Pride flag in Lake Arrowhead Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California. (Google Earth)The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone ...

Video captures store clerk thwarting armed robbery in Fountain Valley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

Security cameras captured the moment a store clerk was able to thwart an attempted armed robbery in Fountain Valley.The attempted robbery happened at Cousins Liquor & Deli in Fountain Valley on Wednesday night just after 9 p.m.Security cameras captured the suspect’s white Nissan Altima sedan pulling up to the store. A masked man wearing a hoodie stepped out of the passenger side and store clerk Jacko Sadek said he saw the man approaching and prepared himself.“Something's going to happen,” Sadek recalled thinking. “Either he's going to be a shoplifter or somebody’s going to rob me.”Security cameras captured the moment a store clerk thwarted an attempted armed robbery in Fountain Valley on August 16, 2023. (Cousins Liquor & Deli)Security cameras captured the moment a store clerk thwarted an attempted armed robbery in Fountain Valley on August 16, 2023. (Cousins Liquor & Deli)Security cameras captured the moment a store clerk thwarted an attempted armed robbery in Fountain ...

Ryan Mountcastle kicks off a 5-run 10th as Orioles beat A’s 7-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle singled in Adam Frazier with the go-ahead run as part of a five-run 10th inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Saturday night.Austin Hays and James McCann homered in the fourth inning for the Orioles, who had been held hitless for the first three innings.“Really it was up and down the lineup, guys having quality at-bats, quality at-bats,” said McCann, who had three RBIs. “That’s just kind of the way this team’s been operating all season long.”Frazier began the 10th at second base and advanced to third when Adrián Martínez (0-1) threw a wild pitch. Mountcastle’s hit bounced up the middle into center field as Frazier scored for the AL-leading Orioles. Jordan Westburg added a sacrifice fly and another run was scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Hays. McCann followed with a two-run single.“Just total team offense there in that inning,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We weren’t having the best luck. Our pitch...

Moreno hits a grand slam to help the Diamondbacks beat the Padres 8-1 for a doubleheader sweep

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Gabriel Moreno hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday for a sweep of a day-night doubleheader. Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer and tripled to lead the Diamondbacks to a 6-4 victory in the opener. The teams played two games Saturday with Hurricane Hilary expected to hit the Southern California region on Sunday. The surging Diamondbacks (64-61) have won seven of their last nine games and pulled five games ahead of the Padres in the NL wild-card standings.“Every game matters,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I’m really amplifying that message. Wins are really, really important right now. The guys have been fantastic at doing the little things.” The slumping Padres (59-66) dropped to 3-4 on their current 10-game homestand and need a strong finish and some help to rally to a playoff berth. San Diego has lost six of its last nine games.“It was a long, miserable day, ce...

49ers rally late behind Trey Lance to beat Broncos 21-20 on rookie Jake Moody’s kick

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:38:25 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Trey Lance and Jake Moody got some vindication on the final drive for the San Francisco 49ers.Lance shook off an interception on his first drive to set up two fourth-quarter scores, including the winning 32-yard field goal from Moody on the final play of San Francisco’s 21-20 victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday night. Moody bounced back after missing two field goals last week and an extra point earlier in the game to convert the winner as he tries to show why the Niners used a third-round pick on a kicker.“There’s pressure in those situations,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “That’s really what he has to go through, those pressure moments. It was cool to generate some of those for him today. It was a step forward from last week.”Lance followed up last week’s shaky start by throwing an interception on a screen pass on his first possession of the game. But he also threw a 22-yard TD pass to Cameron Latu and two big passes to Ronnie Bell to set...