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NEW YORK — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone. When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen’s house in Beverly Hills, Calif., for a presentation last month, the team showed a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver. “Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.” Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games — all for free — and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games. “My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have been here,” Soto said. “It’s one of the biggest things.” Boras had asked for those sweeteners. “We included it at the beginning,” Cohen said. “He made a request, and we were happy to provide.” The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009, in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said. Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball’s highest payroll in search of the team’s first title since 1986. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto. While other teams met Soto at the Pendry Newport Beach, a hotel just a five-minute drive from Boras Corp.’s office, Cohen asked to host the session at one of his homes. “If we’re going to some restaurant, I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be,” Cohen said. “Food’s better at my house.” Cohen and Soto met again Friday at another of the owner’s homes in Boca Raton, Fla. Soto wanted to know how many championships Cohen expects over the next decade? “I said I’d like to win two to four,” the owner recalled. The value of Soto’s contract eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. The 26-year-old Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year and has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven seasons with Washington, San Diego and the Yankees. Boras wouldn’t discuss who finished second in the bidding in Soto’s mind. “When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids,” he said. Soto made the decision Sunday while at home with his family. Boras referred to the group as the “Soto Supreme Court” defined as “mother, sister, father, he’s got a wide group. I think he may have eight or nine uncles.” “My information requests and such were rather unique,” Boras said, detailing that his team asked for OPS by ballpark. Soto’s 1.175 at Citi Field is his highest at any stadium where he’s played 15 or more games. Soto cited Cohen’s relationship with Mets stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz as a factor in his mind. “They are kind of like (a tight) family, a family that wants to win but they definitely want to take care of their players and their families,” Soto said. Cohen had his wife Alex and father-in-law attend the initial meeting to emphasize kinship. “My father-in-law is at every game, every home game,” Cohen said. “I wanted him to see how important baseball is to this family. And Alex grew up with one TV in an apartment, and that Met game was on every night.” Cohen relishes owning the Mets. He spoke earlier in the day to a town hall at his hedge fund. “Whenever you meet somebody, they want to talk about the Mets before they talk about financial markets,” he said. Soto’s success will be determined by World Series titles. The Yankees have 27, the Mets two. “It’s such a big city, right? There’s plenty of room for both of us,” Cohen said. Soto had a more direct definition. “Championships is going to tell you if it’s a Yankees or Mets town at the end of the day,” he said.‘The Six Triple Eight’: This unit delivers!DA Glenn Funk steps aside from murder case, avoiding a hearing on eavesdropping allegations
Name a hot topic, and chances are good there's a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here's a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: Hollywood stars and child influencers California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to rein in the artificial intelligence industry and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. Social media limits New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. A Florida law bans children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also requires parental consent for minors to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at combating political deepfakes are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create fabricated images or videos in political ads. School rules on gender In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their children change their gender identification. The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Abortion coverage Many states have passed laws limiting or protecting abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents to cover abortions with no deductible, copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. Gun control A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with "binary triggers" that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Medical marijuana Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use marijuana for medical purposes. To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wages Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a ballot measure approved by voters in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Safer traveling In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn't banned texting while driving, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tax breaks Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay tax on their monthly rent, thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona's nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is cutting individual income taxes by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. Voting rights An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. "I think it's very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens," Young said. Associated Press writers Trân Nguyễn in Sacramento, California; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware; Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis; Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky; Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix; Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Jeremy Lorenz scored 20 points as Wofford beat Kentucky Christian 100-55 on Saturday. Lorenz shot 8 for 10 (2 for 4 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Terriers (6-7). Dillon Bailey scored 16 points while going 5 of 13 from the floor, including 3 for 10 from 3-point range, and 3 for 3 from the line. Anthony Arrington, Jr. shot 4 of 10 from the field, including 2 for 7 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 12 points. D'Angelo Stoxstill led the Knights in scoring, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds. Kentucky Christian also got 12 points from Dejuan Johnson. LeMar Northington also had 12 points. Wofford hosts UNC Greensboro in its next matchup on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jalon Moore scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, freshman star Jeremiah Fears added 19 and No. 12 Oklahoma remained one of the four unbeaten teams in Division I men's basketball by putting away a pesky Prairie View squad, 89-67 on Sunday. Prairie View cut the Oklahoma lead to single digits on several occasions in the second half, but could get no closer than eight before the Sooners (13-0) eventually pushed the lead above 20 points in the closing minutes. Oklahoma took a 43-32 halftime lead despite hitting only one field goal in the final 10 minutes. The Sooners compensated for that drought by hitting 18 of 19 free throws in the first 20 minutes. Duke Miles was 7 for 7 at the foul line and hit both field goal attempts, both 3-pointers, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the first half. Fears, twice the SEC freshman of the week this season, shot 7 of 11 to eclipse his average of 18 points per game. The loss was the 12th straight for Prairie View (1-12), with its only win this season coming against a non-NCAA team. Tanahj Pettaway scored 22 points and Marcel Bryant had 14. Takeaways Oklahoma couldn’t put the Panthers away despite taking double-digits leads on several occasions in the game. Prairie View will finally return home for the first time in two months after playing 12 straight road games. Key Moment Prairie View cut the Sooners' lead to nine for the final time with 8 minutes to play, before Moore sparked a 22-9 finish to clinch the victory. Key Stat Oklahoma shot 35 free throws, hitting 32. Prairie View was just 5 for 7. Up next The Sooners open the new year and SEC play at Alabama on Saturday afternoon. Prairie View hosts Grambling in its SWAC opener Saturday afternoon. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and College Basketball News: Rankings, Scores, Stats & More
Steve Bannon held his microphone out to the crowd. “Should (Mike) Johnson be speaker of the House?” he asked. “Nooo,” came the reply, as Bannon, the longtime ally of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, spoke at a Dec. 19 “AmericaFest” rally of Turning Point USA, a right-wing advocacy organization. Bannon, who said at the event that Johnson “has got to go,” spoke in Phoenix as the U.S. House debated an end-of-session spending package. Congress ultimately passed a Johnson-endorsed, stopgap funding bill signed by Democratic President Joe Biden on Dec. 21 to avert a government shutdown ahead of the holidays. But Bannon’s remarks foretold likely challenges to Johnson. As the opening of the new Congress approaches on Friday, Johnson’s leadership is being questioned by, among others, Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, who heads the House Freedom Caucus, and Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, who previously led the hard-line conservative group. Neither will commit to backing the Louisiana Republican. The speaker will help determine whether Trump can succeed on an agenda that includes policy shifts on taxes, voting and border policy. Underlying the GOP’s turmoil is how closely it should work with Democrats, if at all, particularly on spending issues. “The political class is infected with a malignant cancer. That cancer is bipartisanship, right?” Bannon told the crowd. Johnson, he said, “doesn’t have what we call the right stuff, right? That combination of guts and moxie and savvy and toughness.” Bannon, who previously served four months in prison for defying a congressional subpoena, is awaiting trial in a case alleging he was part of a scheme to dupe donors who contributed to help build a wall on the Mexican border. Other Republicans have also questioned Johnson’s leadership. Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican, recently floated a proposal to elect billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump adviser and ally, as speaker. The speaker is not required to be an elected House member. The election will occur after the new Congress assumes office on Jan. 3. “Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk,” Paul posted on X. “Think about it ... nothing’s impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’ minds).” As Congress raced to avoid a shutdown before Christmas, Musk was instrumental in sinking an earlier spending proposal by House Republicans — Democrats also backed it — to head off a government shutdown. The package contained about $100 billion in disaster aid, including a federal commitment long sought by Maryland lawmakers to pay the full cost of replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge following its March collapse. Musk, citing a pay increase for Congress among other objections, attacked the bill on X, his social media platform, calling it “dead.” Johnson, who has supported Trump, then pitched the alternative that was ultimately approved. He needed a deal acceptable not only to most Republicans but also to Democrats, whose votes were required because the GOP majority was so slim. The final package included the Key Bridge funding commitment but neither the pay raise nor a Trump proposal to suspend the debt ceiling — the amount the government can borrow. Republicans won a “trifecta” — control of the White House, House and Senate — in the November elections, and Trump has claimed a broad mandate for such proposals as mass deportation and reducing the civil service workforce. But his party has split among hard-line spending watchdogs and those more prone to work with Democrats on shared priorities. Among those repeatedly protesting spending levels are Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds and Harris, the only Republican in Maryland’s congressional delegation; his district includes Harford County, the Eastern Shore and a piece of Baltimore County. Harris chairs the Freedom Caucus, a group that has focused on fiscal conservatism since its inception. Donalds recently posted on X: “It’s time to clean house. It’s time to slash spending & cut debt.” Harris also expressed concerns during the recent negotiations, saying in a written statement that he believed the Key Bridge replacement should be funded, “but with a $2 trillion-dollar annual deficit left from the Biden administration, we should look to offset any cost with savings elsewhere.” Harris did not respond to correspondence seeking comment on Friday. The party was similarly divided in 2023 when its far-right voting bloc expressed dissatisfaction with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, saying he had not forcefully resisted the Democratic agenda. Johnson, who replaced McCarthy, said at the time that he would emphasize bringing up individual spending bills instead of putting funding measures into a large package as executive branch spending authority is about to run out. But Congress needed such stopgap bills in September and again on Dec. 21 to fund the government in three-month increments. ©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.No. 9 SMU aims to improve playoff odds vs. Cal
School committee member in Beverly says colleagues want to break teachers' spirits, divide community
SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case. "You've got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That's what's so cool about it now. The regular season is important," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We'd like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we're worthy of continuing to play this year." The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways. "Obviously they've had a phenomenal season," Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. "As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn't take very long to see why their record is what it is. They're very, very good really in every phase of the game - extremely explosive and quick and fast. They've got a dominant D-line. We've got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that." Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019. SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears' losses have come by one score. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America," Lashlee said. "I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2." Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns. Defensively, Cal has the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC's best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group -- he leads the country with seven interceptions. Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset. "Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now," Mendoza said. "And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU's season." Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957. --Field Level Media
PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys, 41-7, on Sunday. Barkley (Penn State) has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles (13-3) led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee, a career third-stringer, entered the game, and the Eagles finished the drive with a field goal. McKee later threw two TD passes, a 20-yarder to A.J. Brown and a 25-yarder to DeVonta Smith, in front of a roaring crowd delighted to watch the Eagles dominate their fiercest rival to wrap up the division title and at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Hurts was injured in last week’s loss at Washington and remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol — he didn’t practice all week — which opened the door for Pickett to start. Pickett, acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason, played with extra protection under his jersey after he suffered a rib injury when he was pressed into service against the Commanders. Sore ribs or not, Pickett was pumped for this start all week. The Pitt product was raised a diehard Eagles fan in central New Jersey about 80 miles from Lincoln Financial Field and recalled “great memories” of going to games with his dad and grandfather since he was 5 years old. The 26-year-old Pickett said he had plenty of family at the Linc to cheer him on against Dallas (7-9). More than 60,000 other Eagles rooted him on, too, but Pickett’s dream day ended prematurely. He finished 10 of 15 for 143 yards. With the Eagles no longer having a division title to play for, it’s likely Hurts will rest another week ahead of the playoffs. Now, Pickett could be sidelined as well — possibly forcing McKee into the starting lineup. Barkley had 31 carries and his last one went for 23 yards to push him over 2,000. He could also sit out rather than risk injury chasing Dickerson’s record. Barkley, who left the Giants and signed a three-year deal with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed, set the NFL mark for most yards rushing in a player’s first season with a new team. The friends and family that traveled to see Pickett play had to wait a bit after Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned an interception 69 yards for a score on Dallas’ opening drive. Cooper Rush — who threw for 147 yards and had two interceptions — followed on the next drive for Dallas with a 4-yard TD pass to Jalen Tolbert. Pickett connected with Grant Calcaterra for 34 yards and then hit Smith — who had six catches total for 120 yards — for a 22-yard score and a 14-7 lead. The Eagles’ defense broke the game open for Pickett when a recovered fumble led to Jake Elliott’s 31-yard field goal and Gardner-Johnson’s second pick of the day set up Pickett’s rushing score on a tush push. Just like Hurts. Pickett, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards, took two tough shots on the same drive on the third: Odighizuwa was flagged for roughing the passer on a late hit and Parsons delivered the knockout blow. The Eagles were thrilled to have a capable backup QB who went 14-10 as a starter with the Steelers. His performance prompted Pittsburgh legend and Fox broadcaster Terry Bradshaw to say the Steelers never should have gotten rid of him.LeBron James says he’s taking a social media break for now