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More than 1,000 law enforcement officials will be monitoring the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day to keep crowds safe during Pasadena’s annual celebration. While it is a day of celebration for football fans and community members alike, Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris said there will be “zero tolerance for shenanigans.” Officials from local, state and federal law enforcement, including more than 250 members of the Pasadena Police Department, will be in attendance. Uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be stationed around the parade route and the stadium to monitor for safety hazards and handle any problems that may arise, Harris said. Law enforcement will strictly enforce rules prohibiting public alcohol consumption throughout the event, Harris said. “There won’t be any breaks,” he said. “If you come up and ask for a break on something, we’re going to assume you want an arrest.” Harris said officers still want attendees to enjoy the day-long celebration. Throughout the parade route and stadium, he said, attendees will see law enforcement smiling as they enjoy the festivities, too. “It’s a day that we welcome the world to Pasadena,” said Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo. The city expects restaurants and hotels to be filled with community members and visitors celebrating. Gordo recommended that anyone planning to grab a meal or stay in the area make reservations in advance. Planning for the parade and bowl game begins the year prior to ensure attendees have a safe experience, Gordo said. At last year’s parade, a woman in her 20s rammed into a barricade at Colorado Boulevard and Chester Avenue. The barriers set up in the area stopped the woman, but if she were successful, officials said she could have injured numerous parade watchers. Police arrested the woman for suspected assault with a deadly weapon, and her vehicle sustained significant damage from the crash. Harris said police presence at the parade and the barricades allowed them to stop the assault before anyone was hurt. Law enforcement will continue to patrol the area and pay attention to make sure they prevent any other safety hazards. Just blocks away, last year’s parade was also interrupted for about 15 minutes, when a group of Pasadena interfaith communities led a pro-Palestinian protest calling for a ceasefire in Gaza before peacefully dispersing under police orders. No arrests were made. The 136th annual Rose Parade’s theme is “Best Day Ever,” celebrating friends, family, community and the happiest moments in life, said Tournament of Roses President David Eads. Grand Finale performances will include singers Debbie Gibson and Betty Who and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, and the parade will feature traditional floral floats, marching bands, equestrian units and musical performances. In the Rose Bowl, Oregon will face off against the winner of a Dec. 21 game between Ohio State and Tennessee. On New Year’s Eve, visitors can arrive and claim spots along Colorado Boulevard starting at noon to watch the parade the following day. The Pasadena Fire Department along with around 15 other fire agencies will also be monitoring the parade route and stadium for illegal bonfires that can spread to structure fires or injure or kill others. “Here we are in December, and we’re still dealing with major brush fires,” said Fire Chief Chad Augustin. “We only have to look to our neighbors in Malibu and the Franklin Fire, how devastating that’s been.” Attendees are allowed to have small professionally manufactured barbecues that are elevated at least one foot off the ground, if they are kept at least 25 feet away from buildings. Fire officials recommend anyone with a barbecue also have a fire extinguisher on hand just in case. Augustin reminded attendees to dress in layers, bring gloves and beanies and stay hydrated, as officials expect frigid temperatures overnight and warmer temperatures during the day. Parking lots at the Rose Bowl Stadium will open at 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day, where visitors can pay to park and walk to the parade route, said stadium CEO Jens Weiden. The stadium’s public Fan Fest celebration will start at 9 a.m., and gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Ticketholders are asked to take their seats by 1 p.m. for pre-game festivities before kickoff. The city website will also have a schedule for when attendees can arrive to camp out and where they can park. Attendees should double check for temporary no-parking signs and other restrictions before they park. Vehicles blocking emergency travel lanes or in restricted areas at the stadium or along the parade route will be towed at the owner’s expense.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Needing to hold on to the ball late, fourth-ranked Penn State made the plays it needed to for its great escape and keep its playoff hopes alive on Saturday night. A dreadful 1-for-11 on third down, the Nittany Lions came up with three huge fourth-down conversions on their final drive, and managed the three timeouts at their disposal to effectively run out the clock for a 26-25 at Minnesota pn Saturday night. With the win, the Nittany Lions finish the regular season 5-0 on the road for the first time since 1994. They are now 10-1 overall and host Maryland in next week's season finale. "We just wanted to end the game on our terms," Penn State coach James Franklin said. "We had (an extra point) earlier in the game that they returned 93 yards, or whatever it was. We wanted to be able to possess the ball with the game on the line, and you've got to be able to get one yard, and we've been able to do that for the most part this season." Facing a fourth-and-1 with 3:38 left, the Nittany Lions faked a punt — direct snapping to upman Luke Reynolds, who scampered 32 yards to extend the drive. Having punted the ball away on fourth down earlier in the game in short yardage situation, Franklin and the Nittany Lions' gutsy gamble paid off. "(Offensive lineman) Dom Rulli deserves a ton of credit," Franklin said. "He's the quarterback of that play. We've called it in other games this year, but unless you have the right look, you can't run it. Typically, they're going to be in safe. They had their defense on the field. I thought it was going to be safe again. And then, when we ran our punt team on, they ran their punt return team out, so I thought we had a chance. "And then, the look allowed us to run it. Luke Reynolds, that was a huge play for him." On the second conversion, Drew Allar rammed forward for 2 yards on another fourth-and-1 for a first down. Then, on the final play with 26 seconds left, Allar found Tyler Warren wide open on the left side for 11 yards on fourth down and the Nittany Lions ran out the clock. "He goes to the backside, we make the surrender call, which means once you get the first down, get down whether you can score or not," Franklin said of the final play. "Tyler Warren does exactly the way he's coached. We're hoping to hit the back in the flat there, and Drew extends to play and then finds Tyler on the backside. "There were some times when you're the quarterback and you're expecting things to be picked up and guys are coming clean. You've got to keep your poise and composure right there, and I thought for the most part, he did that." Penn State outgained Minnesota 361-281, and despite rushing for just 10 yards in the first half, ended up with 117 yards on the ground. Nicholas Singleton led the rushing attack for Penn State with 13 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Overcoming two sacks and some scratchy moments early, Allar finished 21-of-28 for 244 yards with two total touchdowns, as he also had nine carries for 30 yards with a rushing score. Warren led the way receiving with eight catches for 102 yards, while Omari Evans caught a pair of passes for 51 yards with a 45-yard touchdown to his credit. Minnesota had a look at the end zone with 5:51 left, but its 11-play, 67-yard drive stalled out as quarterback Max Brosmer fired over the middle into the end zone for Elijah Spencer, but the pass sailed incomplete on third-and-goal from the PSU 8. Story continues below video Rather than going for the touchdown, the Gophers settled for a 26-yard field goal by Dragan Kesich to cut the Penn State lead to 26-25 with 5:48 remaining. Zakee Wheatley recovered a fumble by Brosmer on the first play of the fourth quarter. Off the takeaway, Penn State threatened but couldn't get into the end zone after Allar threw incomplete looking for Warren in the right corner of the end zone on third-and-10 from the Minnesota 15. But despite the incompletion, the Nittany Lions came away with points as Ryan Barker hit from 32 yards to extend the Penn State lead to 26-22 with 11:51 left. After forcing a three-and-out on Minnesota's second drive of the half, Penn State hitched its momentum to Warren and Singleton. Allar hit Warren on three straight passes for 30 yards before Singleton broke a 15-yard gain down the right side. Then on first down, Singleton busted out to the left and rolled 12 yards to give Penn State its first lead of the night 23-22 with 3:43 left in the third quarter. Coming out of the locker room with the ball to start the second half, the Gophers used a 9-play, 51-yard drive to extend their lead to 22-16 on a 42-yard field goal by Kesich with 9:59 left in the third quarter. A 4-yard touchdown run by Allar set up a potential game-tying score, but Minnesota's Jack Henderson had other ideas. Henderson blocked Barker's extra point, and Ethan Robinson returned for a two-point conversion with 19 seconds left to give Minnesota a 19-16 lead at the half. Henderson's blocked extra point was the second blocked kick of the half as Derik LeCaptain blocked Riley Thompson's punt with 1:10 remaining in the half. Penn State narrowly outgained Minnesota in the first half, 169-154, but couldn't generate anything on the ground in the first 30 minutes — rushing for only 10 yards on 13 attempts. The Gophers rushed for 84 yards, led by the tandem of Darius Taylor and Marcus Major's combined 83 yards and a touchdown. Major's 20-yard touchdown put Minnesota on the board with 8:57 left in the first quarter after Penn State refused to go for it on fourth-and-1 on its first drive of the game. Allar went 14-of-18 for 159 yards with a 45-yard touchdown on a seam route to Evans for Penn State's first score of the half to make it 10-7 with 12:48 to go in the second quarter. Despite his efficiency, Allar ate a pair of sacks that set the offense back. "The margins this time of year on the road are small," Franklin said. "I thought the turnovers were very, very significant. If we don't have the two mishaps on special teams, then I think it's a very, very different game. So, yeah, I think that was big. When you talk about a team that leads the Big Ten in turnover ratio, we knew that was going to be a major factor in this game." UP NEXT Penn State: Hosts Maryland to finish the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Minnesota: Goes on the road to face Wisconsin next Saturday at 11 a.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — After acquiring Juan Soto for a one-year rental and failing to keep him as a free agent, the New York Yankees are taking the same chance with Devin Williams. New York acquired the All-Star closer from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin on Friday. The Yankees will send $2 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. “He's a year away from free agency but someone that we’ve tried to acquire for a number of years,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “I’m sure we weren’t the only bidders here in the end.” A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn’t make his season debut until July 28 . “Certainly not trying to downplay the impact the Devin had, but we feel like we still have a good amount of strength there with our bullpen,” Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said. Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 among 88 batters over 21 2/3 innings. His fastball averaged 94.7 mph and he threw it on 53.5% of his pitches, mixing in 45% changeups — known as the “Airbender” — and around 1.5% cutters. William's 43.2% strikeout percentage was the highest in the major leagues among pitchers with at least 20 innings. “Certainly doesn’t seem to be afraid,” Cashman said. “You can’t do that job if you’re afraid of the big stage.” An All-Star in 2022 and 2023, Williams was a second-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft. He is 27-10 with a 1.83 ERA and 68 saves in 78 chances over six seasons, striking out 375 and walking 112 in 235 2/3 innings over 241 games. Milwaukee declined a $10.5 million club option in favor of a $250,000 buyout last month, making Williams eligible for arbitration. Williams joins a bullpen that includes Luke Weaver, who took over as closer from Clay Holmes in September, Jake Cousins and Ian Hamilton. The Yankees don’t have a left-handed reliever on their 40-man roster. “If you have right handers that can neutralize lefties, that’s a benefit. It limits your desperation for immediately a left on left,” Cashman said. Cortes, who turned 30 on Tuesday, was an All-Star in 2022 when he went 12-4 with a career-best 2.44 ERA in 28 starts. He made just one start after May 30 in 2023 because of a strained left rotator cuff and was sidelined late in the 2024 season by a flexor strain in his left elbow. He returned for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and entered in the 10th inning of the opener, retiring Shohei Ohtani on a foulout with his first pitch and giving up a game-ending grand slam to Freddie Freeman on his second. "He’s had a fully healthy offseason," Arnold said. “We expect him to come into camp ready to go as normal.” Known for his many deliveries, Cortes is 33-21 with a 3.80 ERA in 86 starts and 49 relief appearances over seven seasons. He is eligible for arbitration and also can become a free agent after next season. “He brings a real stability, I think, to our rotation,” Arnold said. “Somebody that's been a major piece of a really good championship-caliber team in the New York Yankees, I think will fit us very well, especially after the loss of Willy Adames .” New York had an excess of starters after reaching a $218 million, eight-year agreement with left-hander Max Fried that is pending. The rotation also is projected to include ace Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, with Marcus Stroman also available. Durbin, who turns 25 in February, hit .287 with 10 homers, 60 RBIs and 29 stolen bases this year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. “We just felt it was harder to acquire someone at the level of Devin Williams than it would be to try to figure out the infield circumstances,” Cashman said. Durbin was with the big league team last spring training “I think he’s a stud,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said last month. “Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a base stealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond, second base. He’s really started over the last year-plus to create some position flexibility, too. He’s played some short, he’s played some third. We introduced him to some outfield this year.” Durbin hit .312 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 29 steals in 24 games at the Arizona Fall League. “We love the style of game that he brings to our team,” Arnold said. “I think that’s going to be a really nice fit with Pat Murphy's style of baseball.” Cashman said he's spoken with Scott Boras about the agent's remaining free agent clients, who include third baseman Alex Bregman and first baseman Pete Alonso. “Certainly respect the player and his ability and how much winning he’s been a part of,” Cashman said of Bregman, “but that’s about as far as I will say at this point.” This story has been corrected to note New York is sending cash to Milwaukee, not the other way around. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
NoneLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Allowing two kickoff return touchdowns and missing an extra point all in the final few minutes added up to the Washington Commanders losing a third consecutive game in excruciating fashion. The underlying reason for this slide continuing was a problem long before that. An offense led by dynamic rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels that was among the NFL’s best for a long stretch of the season put up just nine points and 169 yards for the first three-plus quarters against Dallas before falling behind 20-9 and teeing off on the Cowboys’ conservative defense. “We just couldn’t really get it going,” said receiver Terry McLaurin , whose lengthy touchdown with 21 seconds left masked that he had just three catches for 16 yards through three quarters. “We’ve got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives, and that’s everybody: the whole coaching staff and the offensive players just going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field.” This is not a new problem for Washington, which had a season-low 242 yards in a Nov. 10 home loss to Pittsburgh and 264 yards four days later in a defeat at Philadelphia. Since returning from a rib injury that knocked him out of a game last month, Daniels has completed just under 61% of his passes, after 75.6% over his first seven professional starts. RELATED COVERAGE Late kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skid Austin Ekeler was concussed late in the Commanders’ loss and taken to hospital for evaluation Seibert misses an extra point late as the Commanders lose their 3rd in a row, 34-26 to the Cowboys Daniels and coach Dan Quinn have insisted this isn’t about injury. The coaching staff blamed a lack of adequate practice time, but a full week of it before facing the Cowboys did not solve the problem. It is now fair to wonder if opponents have seen enough film of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s system to figure it out. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . “I think teams and coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they could incorporate that into their scheme,” Daniels said after going 12 of 22 for 80 yards passing through three quarters in the Dallas game. “We’ve been in third and longer a lot these past couple games, so that’s kind of where you get into the exotic pressures and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.” Daniels has a point there, and it predates this losing streak. The Commanders have converted just 36% of third-down opportunities (27 for 75) over their past seven games after 52% (31 for 60) in their first five. That challenge doesn’t get any easier with Tennessee coming to town Sunday. The Titans, despite being 3-8, have the second-best third-down defense in the league at 31.6%. What’s working The defense kept the Commanders in the game against Dallas, allowing just 10 points until the fourth quarter and 20 total before kickoff return touchdowns piled on to the other side of the scoreboard. Even Cooper Rush’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker with five minutes left came after a turnover that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Washington 44. The defense spending more than 35 minutes on the field certainly contributed to fatigue as play wore on. What needs help The running game that contributed to a 7-2 start has taken a hit, in part because of injuries to top back Brian Robinson Jr. The Commanders got 145 yards on the ground because Daniels had 74 on seven carries, but running backs combined for just 57. Daniels could not say how much the rushing attack stalling has contributed to the offense going stagnant. “You’ve got to be able to run the ball, keep the defense honest,” he said. “We got to execute the plays that are called in, and we didn’t do a good job of doing that.” Stock up Linebacker Frankie Luvu keeps making the case to be first-year general manager Adam Peters’ best free agent signing. He and fellow offseason addition Bobby Wagner tied for a team-high eight tackles, and Luvu also knocked down three passes against Dallas. Stock down Kicker Austin Seibert going wide left on the point-after attempt that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left was his third miss of the game. He also was short on a 51-yard field goal attempt and wide left on an earlier extra point. Seibert, signed a week into the season after Cade York struggled in the opener, made 25 of 27 field goal tries and was 22 of 22 on extra points before injuring his right hip and missing the previous two games. He brushed off his health and the low snap from Tyler Ott while taking responsibility for not connecting. “I made the decision to play, and here we are,” Seibert said. “I just wasn’t striking it well. But it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot moving forward.” Injuries Robinson’s sprained ankle and fellow running back Austin Ekeler’s concussion from a late kickoff return that led to him being hospitalized for further evaluation are two major immediate concerns. Quinn said Monday that Ekeler and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie are in concussion protocol. It’s unclear if Robinson will be available against Tennessee, which could mean Chris Rodriguez Jr. getting elevated from the practice squad to split carries with Jeremy McNichols. The Commanders still have not gotten cornerback Marshon Lattimore into a game since acquiring him at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Lattimore is trying to return from a hamstring injury, and the secondary could use him against Calvin Ridley, who’s coming off a 93-yard performance at Houston. Key number 17 — Handoffs to a running back against Dallas, a significant decrease from much of the season before this losing streak. Next steps Don’t overlook the Titans with the late bye week coming immediately afterward. The Commanders opened as more than a touchdown favorite, but after the results over the weekend, BetMGM Sportsbook had it as 5 1/2 points Monday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FDA Accepts Ascendis Pharma's Supplemental Biologics License Application for TransConTM hGH for the Treatment of Adults with Growth Hormone DeficiencyIOWA CITY — Iowa’s 29-13 win over Maryland in the first start of Jackson Stratton’s career at Iowa improved the Hawkeyes’ record to 7-4 with one game remaining in the season. Following the 16-point win over the Terrapins and ahead of a matchup with the Nebraska in a battle for the Heroes Trophy, uncertainty continues to reign at quarterback, the Huskers may have regained their early season rhythm and stakes seem lessened. In his first career start, Stratton led an efficient and effective Iowa offense down the field on three straight drives of 12 or more plays to start the game, resulting in 10 points and lopsided time of possession numbers. However, once the game went final, Stratton’s stat line showed limited usage for the former fourth-string walk on as he finished with 76 passing yards on 10-of-14 passing. The Hawkeyes ran the ball 58 times in the win and, though Stratton flashed the ability to throw to the wide side of the field early, rarely looked to give their third different starting quarterback of the season a chance to showcase his skillset. Following the win, Ferentz praised Stratton and said he assumed the former Colorado State transfer would be the starting quarterback against Nebraska. “He is the leader of the group right now,” Ferentz said. Despite Ferentz’s postgame comments, Cade McNamara, who started the first eight games of the season, issued a statement on social media Friday indicating his intentions of playing against the Huskers if he were cleared from concussion protocol for game action. Answer: Stratton Nebraska topped Wisconsin 44-25 on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2016, when Mike Riley was the head coach. During the win, the Big Red showed flashes of their September selves, racing out to a 34-10 lead behind an efficient and mistake-free Dylan Raiola at quarterback, a strong rushing attack and an opportunistic defense. The Badgers managed to cut the lead to 37-25 with 6:03 remaining in the fourth quarter before a late touchdown sealed the win for the Huskers. The win seemed to demonstrate a return to form for Nebraska as they looked more like the team that raced out to a 28-0 lead in the first half against Colorado than the team that lost to Indiana 56-7. However, did the Huskers fully shake off their struggles after a four-game losing skid? Answer: The fan base hopes so. Saturday will be the test. With Iowa firmly planted at the top of tier two Big Ten teams in the standings with little room to improve their standing and Nebraska reaching bowl eligibility last week, the Black Friday tilt between the two programs does not have the same stakes as in years’ previous. Though Nebraska cannot spoil an Iowa Big Ten Championship bid and the Hawkeyes cannot stop the Huskers from reaching a bowl game, the game remains a pivotal contest for both teams. Nebraska hopes to win to generate excitement into the offseason and important recruiting periods. A three-game winning streak (with a win in a bowl game) would be its strongest finish to a season since winning four straight to cap the 2008 season — Bo Pelini’s first as head coach at Nebraska. For Iowa, a win would once again bring supremacy to the Hawkeyes over the once proud program, give them a chance at closing the season on a three-game win streak and give them nine wins in the last 10 matchups. Though this game possesses no grand national implications on college football, there is still plenty to play for on Friday. Answer: Glory, bragging rights, a trophy — everything that makes college football great. A career-long kick, an early stop and two-way one-two punch help Iowa secure its second road win of the season at Maryland on Saturday. Iowa outgained and out-possessed Maryland while limiting the Terrapins explosive passing attack to a season-low performance to earn its seventh win of the season on Sautrday. Iowa learned from its 2023 mistakes, leaned on the ground game, defense and Drew Stevens's turnaround to beat Maryland in its road finale on Saturday. Get local news delivered to your inbox! University of Iowa Athletics Beat Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Allof anthropologist Julie Peteet’s previous books have focused on Palestine and Palestinian refugees, but her newest volume examines a phenomenon common throughout the Mediterranean region: the hamman, often referred to, though misleadingly, as the Turkish bath. Regardless of the topic, Peteet’s research is always on-the-spot and hands-on, whereby direct observation is contextualized by historical and cultural background. In this case, she visited a large number of the baths she writes about. Countering the common misconception that the hamman began in the Roman or Ottoman era, Peteet instead traces its origins back to the Bronze Age (3600-1200 BC). “In short, the hamman is the product of a long pan-Mediterranean history marked by transformations, exchanges, declines, and revivals... Casting aside a center-periphery model of cultural flows allows us to see things in motion, moving in multiple, often not easy to disentangle, directions, interacting and inflecting one another. A cultural politics of mobility is at work here.” (p. 23) Peteet categorises the baths she examines according to multiple criteria: From private baths for rulers and public ones built to display imperial power, to modest neighbourhood baths and modern spas. Despite its paucity of historical urban baths, Jordan figures prominantly in the book by virtue of the early Umayyad Qasr ‘Amra, famous for its stunning frescoes, and other castles in the Eastern desert, as well as Al Fudayn in Mafraq, and Jerash’s Roman baths. Most of these exhibit a melding of Greco-Roman and Byzantine influence, typical of an emerging Islamic style. (Syria, which is replete with historical baths, is unfortunately only mentioned fleetingly, as it was plagued by conflict at the time of Peteet’s research, as were Iraq and Yemen.) At the other end of the spectrum are the numerous, modern “Turkish baths” built as part of the Ottoman revival and the growing tourist and wellness industry, with several of Amman’s new luxury hammans being mentioned. Yet, despite whether hammans were designed to fulfill the locals’ cleanliness needs or to attract tourists, they have much in common. “Across the Mediterranean from Morocco to Turkey, the bathing ritual has remained remarkably similar over the centuries... the sequencing of the body through space, the tools used to clean the body, notions of the aesthetically clean body, and graduations in temperatures.” (p. 28) Alongside the history, architecture, rituals, and sensory appeal of the hamman, Peteet also explores its social and socialising functions, and thechanging attitudes of different generations and genders towards public baths.While indulging in a bath, she interviewed the work force, both managers and employees, in a number of establishments. Moulding all these different aspects into a smooth and informative narrative, Peteet makes the connection between personal experience and the movement of history. “In the hammam, we indulge in self-care, a self-care that is thousands of years old. Bathing structures have remained a sensorium throughout the ages... [where] we can imagine other worlds, other times, other people, and other ways of socialising.” (p. 330)
Missouri Republican lawmaker wants to require schools to display the Ten Commandments
MORAVIA — It could have gotten really ugly on Friday night. Hillcrest Academy just seemed to be a step ahead of Moravia on both ends of the court on the opening night of the Iowa High School girls basketball season. The Ravens had forced over 20 turnovers by the Mohawks with 20 steals mixed in and had opened a 39-13 lead midway thru the third quarter. Then, all of sudden, Moravia showed glimpses of what could be a bright future for the upcoming season. After struggling to put together scores and stops through the first 20 minutes, the Mohawks scored 14 of the next 17 points cutting a 26-point Hillcrest lead all the way down to 15. By the time the game was over, Moravia had played the Ravens to a dead heat in the second half with both teams scored 26 points in the final 16 minutes. Ultimately, a 21-6 lead after one quarter proved to be too much of a hill for the Mohawks to climb over. The Ravens came out on top, 58-39, in an opening game that left two teams that struggled at times last season with plenty to build on for a better campaigns this season. "We didn't get off to the best start, but we fought hard and made some changes," Moravia head girls basketball coach Matt Finley said. "We started to click on some things. It really helped us out. It gives us a lot of promise for the rest of the season where we can do those positive things and get off to better starts so we're not having to fight from behind." Jaida Spencer and Kaylen Robinson led the sudden charge by Moravia in the second half, combining for 17 of Moravia's 26 points all scored over the final 13 minutes. Spencer sank a pair of 3-pointers during a run of eight straight points for the Mohawks while Robinson scored and fed Spencer for her second 3-point make, pulling Moravia within 39-21. "I think what got us going is that we worked together," Robinson said. "We haven't run a man-to-man defense before, so we're still learning that. Getting into a 2-3 zone allowed us to make the stops that allowed us to put some runs together. "Most of the time in practice, we're working on the defensive end of the court. The offensive end is a little unfamiliar. We're going to work on using both ends to better ourselves." Those early struggles were evident for Moravia right from the start as Malia Yoder opened the scoring with a lay-up off an opening steal. Yoder would finish with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double while also collecting six steals helping the Ravens build a 32-13 halftime lead over the Mohawks. "Defense is going to be big for us this year," Yoder said. "If we can get that defense to open up those easier opportunities on the offensive end, we can have a pretty good year. I think we're much more confident this season. We've been building chemistry over the years." Moravia appeared to build chemistry together in one game, cutting down their turnovers from 22 in the first half to 12 in the second half while more than doubling their point total in just one quarter. If not for a pair of clutch 3-pointers late in the third by Claire Whitlow, who led Hillcrest Academy with a game-high 24 points, Moravia might have been on pace for a comeback win after three quarters trailing 45-27 entering the fourth quarter. Moravia twice got as close as 15 points in the fourth. Delaney Shaw sank a much-needed 3-pointer as the Ravens hit eight of their 23 attempts from 3-point range in the game to keep the Mohawks at bay. Spencer hit all three of Moravia's season-opening 3-pointers on Friday, finishing just two rebounds short of a double-double with 13 points and eight boards. Robinson was able to secure a double-double for the Mohawks, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds while scoring 10 points. "It was tough in there, especially when you've got girls swatting away at the basketball," Robinson said. "It's hard to jump up there and get control of those rebounds. Fortunately, I've got hops, so I can jump up and take control of it." Hillcrest Academy, coming off a 6-15 season after winning just one of 39 games over the previous two years, will carry a 1-0 record into Tuesday's home opener with Cedar Valley Christian. Moravia (0-1) opens Bluegrass Conference play at Melcher-Dallas on Dec. 6 before hosting Cardinal in a non-conference contest the following day. "We kind of took charge and pulled together in the second half," Finley said. "We've got a bit of a brutal schedule coming up after the holiday break with a couple Friday-Saturday back-to-backs coming up. It's going to be tough, but we'll get things figured out."