
CLEMSON, S.C. — Quarterback LaNorris Sellers could not be denied against Clemson. Neither could the South Carolina football team. Sellers worked his magic all afternoon and was the best player on the field as the Gamecocks won an instant classic, 17-14, over their biggest rival on the road and advanced themselves even further in the College Football Playoff conversation. Sellers had the go-ahead rushing touchdown with 1:08 to go and South Carolina picked off Clemson QB Cade Klubnik on the final drive to secure a thrilling rivalry win. Game recap In front of a sellout crowd in Death Valley, Sellers showed off his athleticism with a 38-yard run on the game’s opening drive. He avoided about four separate Clemson tackles on that play ... and then got strip-sacked at the Tigers’ 24 four plays later, nullifying a great scoring chance early. It was a missed opportunity in a first half full of them — for both sides. Clemson couldn’t get past midfield after defensive end T.J. Parker’s strip-sack of Sellers and had to punt. After forcing a punt on South Carolina's next drive, Clemson got chunk plays of 36 yards and 28 yards on catches from its two standout freshman receivers. But no points. Star Tigers running back Phil Mafah was tackled one yard short of the first-down marker on a pitch play, and South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight stuffed him on the ensuing fourth-and-1 run at South Carolina’s 11. Klubnik finally opened the game’s scoring with a 13-yard rushing touchdown on a quarterback draw, giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 12 minutes until halftime. South Carolina shot right back with a six-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter after a scoreless first frame, with Sellers, the Gamecocks’ standout redshirt freshman quarterback, making more defenders miss on a highlight 25-yard rushing score. The teams traded punts from there until the halftime break for a 7-7 tie. The Tigers and Gamecocks both produced well with nearly 200 yards of total offense apiece. But two units averaging over 30 points per game played a game of possessions in the opening half — with South Carolina punting twice inside Clemson’s 50 on attainable fourth downs. Clemson came out of halftime hot and put together a steady 11-play drive ending with Klubnik’s second rushing touchdown of the day (this one from 18 yards out) to retake the lead on its rival. The Tigers then had a golden opportunity to go up two scores after cornerback Avieon Terrell forced South Carolina running back Rocket Sanders to fumble. Clemson got to South Carolina’s 32, already leading 14-7. But Clemson got cute with an under-center play that looked like some sort of double-pitch wide receiver reverse. Klubnik tripped taking the handoff, got the ball to Mafah and he tossed it backward to Wesco for a loss of six. Or did he? Refs whistled the ensuing play dead, reviewed it for about five minutes and concluded that Mafah had thrown a backward pass and “never secured” the ball. In other words: South Carolina ball. The Gamecocks had the instincts to dive on Mafah’s pass after a wonky play and, for the second time on Saturday, blocked Clemson from scoring after a South Carolina turnover. But the Gamecocks couldn’t score either. Sellers got South Carolina down to Clemson’s 11 with about 10 minutes to go in the game, but South Carolina got backed up into a second-and-22 after a post-play penalty on offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III. The next play? Clemson safety Khalil Barnes picking off Sellers at Clemson’s 9-yard line to give the Tigers a third forced turnover in a critical situation. But Clemson went three-and-out after a high Klubnik pass and had to punt it back. After a promising drive fizzled, South Carolina’s Alex Herrera hit a 42-yard field goal to cut the score to 14-10 Clemson with 6:42 remaining in the game. South Carolina's ensuing surprise onside kick attempt failed, but it didn’t matter. Even with great field position, Clemson went three-and-out again and gave possession right back to the Gamecocks, trailing 14-10 with 5:09 remaining. Sellers worked his magic from there, before Klubnik’s pick ended it. ©2024 The State. Visit at thestate.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
LOS ANGELES — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks' overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Te-Hina Paopao scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson scored 14 for the Gamecocks, whose road winning streak was third-longest in Division I history. It was the first time UCLA took down a No. 1 team in school history, having been 0-20 in such games. The program's previous best wins were over a couple of No. 2s — Oregon in 2019 and Stanford in 2008. Elina Aarnisalo added 13 points as one of five Bruins in double figures. People are also reading... UCLA (5-0) dominated from start to finish, with the Bruins' suffocating defense preventing the Gamecocks from making any sustained scoring runs. Takeaways South Carolina: The Gamecocks trailed by double-digits at halftime for the first time since Dec. 21, 2021, against Stanford, according to ESPN. Chloe Kitts, who averages a team-leading 14 points, finished the game with 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. UCLA: The Bruins led 43-22 at halftime. Eight different players scored and contributed to 11-0 and 7-0 runs in the first and second quarters as they shot 52% from the field. Key moment The first quarter set the tone for a game in which the Gamecocks never led. They missed their first nine shots and were 4 of 18 from the floor in the quarter. UCLA ran off 11 straight points to take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter. Key stats The Bruins dominated the boards, 41-34, and held the Gamecocks well under their scoring average of 80.2 points. Up next South Carolina travels to Florida to meet Iowa State in the Fort Myers Tipoff on Thanksgiving. UCLA travels to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Hawaii to play UT Martin on Friday. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 18: The exterior of the Texas State Capitol on February 18, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) At the start of the new year, several new Texas bills will go into effect or new sections of old bills will be implemented. From the elimination of mandatory vehicle inspections to more ways to protect Texans’ personal data online, some changes are geared toward the state’s residents. Others clarify changes to government organizations, add courts and change the wording but not the meaning of written laws. Here are the new changes taking effect on Jan. 1, 2025: In 2023, the Texas legislature voted to remove mandatory vehicle safety inspections for noncommercial vehicles. Instead, the $7.50 fee will be assessed as an "inspection program replacement fee" that is added when the vehicle is registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. New vehicles from the two most recent model years that have not been registered before will pay an initial fee of $16.75 that will cover two years. It does not remove emissions inspections where they are required. Counties that require emissions tests are: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Montgomery, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, Williamson and El Paso counties. Bexar County will require emissions beginning in 2026. Commercial vehicles are still required to undergo a safety inspection. Those vehicles will not have to pay replacement fees. Related Texas won't require vehicle inspections starting Jan. 1, do you still need emissions testing? While vehicle safety inspections are going away for some Texans, residents in certain counties will still need emissions tests. Texans can authorize someone else or technology to opt out of having a company process the consumer’s personal information. House Bill 4 went into effect in July. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, Texans will now be able to use internet browser settings and extensions, global device settings or links to websites that allow the user to indicate they want to opt out of giving their personal data. In order to use an automated process, it must be clear that the user is a resident of Texas and requires the user to make the choice. It cannot be the default setting. The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act gives Texans the right to know if a company is collecting their personal data, correct the data collected and opt out of that collection for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data or profiling that person. The legislature passed HB 1535 , which requires more transparency for the San Antonio River Authority as the population in the area that it serves has grown. While a majority of the act is already in effect, beginning January 1, 2025, the new fiscal year-end for the agency is Sept. 30. Passed in 2023, HB 3474 establishes new judicial districts for the state. The 477th judicial district will be established in Denton County on Jan. 1, 2025. The 499th judicial district will be established for Edwards, Gillespie and Kimball counties at that time as well. On Oct. 1, 2025, the 498th judicial district will be established in Kendall County. Other areas of the bill are already in effect, including several other judicial districts and the creation of new probate courts. House Bill 4504 makes changes to the way certain laws are written and compiled and arranged in a "logical fashion." The bill allows changes to various codes. The changes allow altering with changes to the meaning. Beginning January 1, 2025, Senate Bill 2 allows school districts to request more state funding if its budget comes up short after regularly received state funding and local taxes are calculated. The schools are given the money to make up for the loss of tax revenues because of the limitations on tax increases on elderly and disabled homeowners in the district. Additionally, beginning in January, the Texas Education Agency is required to post the maximum compressed rate for each school district. The maximum compressed rate is the tax rate per $100 of taxable property that the school district must implement a maintenance and operations tax in order to receive full funding. Other changes at the first of the year include the repealing of two tax discounts that expired in 2023 and 2022. Information in this article comes from the Texas Legislative Reference Library.DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
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