Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Charlie Gaddy, one of North Carolina’s most recognizable broadcasters and a longtime anchor on WRAL-TV, has died at age 93.

Before beginning his television career, Gaddy worked for a time at WPTF, the flagship station of the North Carolina News Network. In a 2024 interview marking WPTF’s 100th anniversary, he recalled the early days of local radio programming, including a show called Ask Your Neighbor.

“It was just something that somebody came up with as an idea, and they tried it to see how it would work,” Gaddy said. “And it worked beautifully. It was a very popular program and lasted a long time. But that’s how it started.”

Gaddy was born in Biscoe, North Carolina, attended Guilford College, and served in the U.S. Army. He became a household name across central North Carolina during his years anchoring WRAL’s evening newscasts, known for his calm demeanor and trusted presence.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

House approves Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid

House approves Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House narrowly voted Thursday to cut about $9.4 billion in spending already approved by Congress as President Donald Trump’s administration looks to follow through on work done by the Department of Government Efficiency when it was overseen by Elon Musk.

The package targets foreign aid programs and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides money for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service as well as thousands of public radio and television stations around the country. The vote was 214-212.

Republicans are characterizing the spending as wasteful and unnecessary, but Democrats say the rescissions are hurting the United States’ standing in the world and will lead to needless deaths.

“Cruelty is the point,” Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said of the proposed spending cuts.

The Trump administration is employing a tool rarely used in recent years that allows the president to transmit a request to Congress to cancel previously appropriated funds. That triggers a 45-day clock in which the funds are frozen pending congressional action. If Congress fails to act within that period, then the spending stands.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, your taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the vote. “Instead, they are being directed toward priorities that truly benefit the American people.”

The benefit for the administration of a formal rescissions request is that passage requires only a simple majority in the 100-member Senate instead of the 60 votes usually required to get spending bills through that chamber. So if they stay largely united, Republicans will be able to pass the measure without any Democratic votes.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate would likely not take the bill up until July and after it has dealt with Trump’s big tax and immigration bill. He also said it’s possible the Senate could tweak the bill.

The administration is likening the first rescissions package to a test case and says more could be on the way if Congress goes along.

Republicans, sensitive to concerns that Trump’s sweeping tax and immigration bill would increase future federal deficits, are anxious to demonstrate spending discipline, though the cuts in the package amount to just a sliver of the spending approved by Congress each year. They are betting the cuts prove popular with constituents who align with Trump’s “America first” ideology as well as those who view NPR and PBS as having a liberal bias.

Four Republicans voted against the measure — Reps. Mark Amodei of Nevada, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Nicole Malliotakis of New York and Mike Turner of Ohio. No Democrats voted for the measure.

The bill looked like it was in danger of going down, but two lawmakers — Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Nick LaLota of New York — changed their votes to yes, allowing it to advance to the Senate.

LaLota had an extensive conversation with Johnson on the House floor as Johnson could be seen trying to win him over. Afterward, LaLota called it “private discussions” to make sure “my constituents will get what they need.”

Bacon said he was reassured by House Republican leadership that PBS would receiving funding for next year. He said he was also told that funding for the U.S.-led global response to HIV, known as PEPFAR, will not be affected.

“Because of these reassurances, I voted yes on H.R. 4,” Bacon said.

In all, the package contains 21 proposed rescissions. Approval would claw back about $900 million from $10 billion that Congress has approved for global health programs. That includes canceling $500 million for activities related to infectious diseases and child and maternal health and another $400 million to address the global HIV epidemic.

The Trump administration is also looking to cancel $800 million, or a quarter of the amount Congress approved, for a program that provides emergency shelter, water and sanitation, and family reunification for those forced to flee their own country.

About 45% of the savings sought by the White House would come from two programs designed to boost the economies, democratic institutions and civil societies in developing countries.

Democratic leadership, in urging their caucus to vote no, said that package would eliminate access to clean water for more than 3.6 million people and lead to millions more not having access to a school.

“Those Democrats saying that these rescissions will harm people in other countries are missing the point,” said Rep. Lisa McClain, House Republican Conference chair. “It’s about people in our country being put first.”

The Republican president asked lawmakers to rescind nearly $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which represents the full amount it’s slated to receive during the next two budget years. About two-thirds of the money gets distributed to more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations. Nearly half of those stations serve rural areas of the country.

“Cutting off federal funding to public media will not only damage local stations, it will be disruptive for millions of Americans who rely on it for news and information that helps them make decisions about their lives and participate in their communities,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Several advocacy groups that serve the world’s poorest people had urged lawmakers to vote no.

“We are already seeing women, children and families left without food, clean water and critical services after earlier aid cuts, and aid organizations can barely keep up with rising needs,” said Abby Maxman, president and CEO of Oxfam America, a poverty-fighting organization.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said the foreign aid is a tool that prevents conflict and promotes stability, but the measure before the House takes that tool away.

“This bill is good for Russia and China and undertakers,” said Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.

Republicans disparaged the foreign aid spending and sought to link it to programs they said DOGE had uncovered.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said taxpayer dollars had gone to such things as targeting climate change, promoting pottery classes and strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Other Republicans cited similar examples they said DOGE had revealed.

“Yet, my friends on the other side of the aisle would like you to believe, seriously, that if you don’t use your taxpayer dollars to fund this absurd list of projects and thousands of others I didn’t even list, that somehow people will die and our global standing in the world will crumble,” Roy said. “Well, let’s just reject this now.”

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Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

JetZero plans to build $4.7B plant in North Carolina, aims to create 14,500 jobs

JetZero plans to build $4.7B plant in North Carolina, aims to create 14,500 jobs

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — JetZero Inc. announced plans Thursday to build its first manufacturing plant for a next-generation passenger jet in central North Carolina, a project that if successful would create more than 14,500 jobs there in a decade.

The California-based startup intends to build the factory at Greensboro’s airport, investing $4.7 billion. The planned hirings from 2027 through 2036 would be the largest job commitment in North Carolina history, according to Gov. Josh Stein.

The company previously identified Greensboro as one of three finalists for the factory to build its fixed-wing — also known as all-wing or blended-wing — Z4 aircraft, which JetZero says will be 50% more fuel-efficient than traditional tube-and-wing airliners.

JetZero has said it’s already received about $300 million in investment in the Z4 project, including a U.S. Air Force grant to build and fly a demonstrator model by 2027.

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines also are project investors and have made conditional purchase agreements for their fleets, the company said. JetZero aims for the planes to go into service in the early 2030s, with a goal of completing 20 airplanes per month at full production.

Stein, on hand with JetZero executives and other officials for the formal announcement at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, cited North Carolina’s robust aerospace industry and the first manned powered flights at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers in 1903.

“North Carolina is the perfect location,” Stein said. “North Carolina was first in flight. We are also the future of flight.”

The jobs would pay minimum average salaries of more than $89,000, according to the state Department of Commerce, which provided details of the project earlier Thursday to a state committee that awards economic incentives.

State and local monetary and training incentives for JetZero and the project described at the committee meeting could exceed $2.35 billion by the 2060s if investment and job-creation thresholds and other requirements are met.

A portion of state incentives awarded by the committee — more than $1 billion over 37 years — is based on a percentage of income taxes withheld from plant workers’ paychecks. The incentives also include up to $785 million from Guilford County and Greensboro and $450 million from the General Assembly to help with infrastructure, officials said. The project includes a research facility for composite structures.

A commerce department official said that JetZero, headquartered in Long Beach, California, looked for over a year for a plant location, examining 25 sites in 17 states.

JetZero, currently with just 225 workers, enters a jet purchasing market dominated by industry behemoths U.S.-based Boeing and European Airbus.

“We have already shown strong commercial interest and momentum to meet the real airline demand for this aircraft,” CEO Tom O’Leary said. “So this is more than just a factory. It’s a launchpad for a new chapter of American aerospace.”

While a variant of the Z4 would have tanker and transport uses in the military, JetZero has said that it would focus first on building a commercial jetliner with about 250 seats and a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

The 5-year-old company says the plane’s shape will reduce drag and the mounting of engines on the top and back of the plane will make it much quieter than traditional airliners. The Z4 would run on conventional jet fuel but could be converted to hydrogen fuel, according to JetZero.

JetZero says Z4 travelers will board through larger doors and into shorter but wider cabins, and aisles will be less congested as bathrooms will be far away from galleys where meals are prepared.

“It’s going to deliver a better passenger experience than you’ve ever had before on any other plane,” O’Leary said.

The state is already home to more than 400 aerospace companies. And the Piedmont Triad airport has emerged as an industry hot spot, with Honda Aircraft placing its headquarters there and Boom Supersonic building its first full-scale manufacturing plant for next-generation supersonic passenger jets.

The central location and easy access to interstates also lured Toyota to build an electric battery plant in adjoining Randolph County.

North Carolina’s previous largest economic development project, measured by employment, was revealed in 2022, when Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced plans to build an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Chatham County, promising 7,500 jobs.

US Open tee time awaits Docherty less than a month after horrific car accident

US Open tee time awaits Docherty less than a month after horrific car accident

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — What Alistair Docherty thought was smoke was really the powder bursting out of the freshly deployed airbag.

There was no mistaking the blood and glass covering everything in the wrecked white minivan.

Docherty was driving May 20 when he got T-boned in an intersection, two days before the Korn Ferry’s Visit Knoxville Open. On June 2, the 31-year-old, who missed his PGA Tour card by two spots at the end of last season, qualified for the U.S. Open.

At 6:45 a.m. Thursday, Docherty will tee off at Oakmont. It’s no stretch to say he’s happy to be here, but Docherty wants more than just a good memory to close out this wild three weeks.

“It’s not a miracle,” Docherty said after wrapping up a practice round that hardly looked possible less than a month ago, as he was tangled in the blood and glass. “I’m very thankful. But it’s definitely where I believe I’m supposed to be. Everything works out for a reason. I’m just trying to take advantage.”

The pictures tell the story best.

One is of the passenger’s side of the minivan, sitting in the grass near the intersection, crumpled almost beyond recognition after getting slammed by an SUV that ran a red light.

Another is Docherty lying in a hospital bed, lips pierced, eyes barely open, wearing a hospital gown draped over part of his neck collar.

“My car spun around a few times. I felt glass and everything come at me,” Docherty said. “I opened my eyes and thought I saw smoke. I jumped out of the car as quickly as possible. It ended up being the stuff coming out of the airbag. I walked around a little dazed, and I was covered in blood and glass.”

At the hospital, doctors and nurses were able to clean the glass off his body — no major damage there. The scans came back clean — nothing broken, either.

Docherty said his shoulder and legs took the brunt of the crash. Constant work with the physical therapist allowed him to set his sites on June 2 at Duke University Golf Club. He shot 72-64 in the 36-hole qualifier to earn one of seven spots available there.

The third part of that photo essay is him holding his invitation to play in the U.S. Open this week.

Docherty knows he’s lucky to be here but he’s aiming for more — knowing a strong performance in this, his first major, could result in his second life-changing moment in a month.

“This is a great test to see where my game is at right now,” he said. “If you show up thinking ‘I don’t have a chance here,’ then you’re done. so, I believe I have a chance to play my best here and see where it puts me.”

Falafel

Falafel

Falafel

Photo by Getty Images

Falafel Recipe from Tori Avey

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes + 12 hours

Serving size: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) – you must start with dry, do NOT substitute canned, they will not work!
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 3-5 cloves garlic (I prefer roasted garlic cloves)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon flour or chickpea flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Pinch of ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional – makes the falafel more fluffy)
  • Vegetable oil for frying – avocado oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil all work well (I prefer avocado oil)

Directions

  1. One day ahead: Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the water and stir; this will help soften the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and let them soak overnight in a cool, dark place or chill in the refrigerator. The chickpeas should soak at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours, until tender (change soaking water for fresh water after 12 hours).
  2. They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.
  3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well. Pour them into your food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour or chickpea flour (use chickpea flour to make gluten free), salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom. Note: if you have a smaller food processor, you will want to divide the ingredients in half and process the mixture one batch at a time.
  4. Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that… but don’t over-process, you don’t want it turning into hummus!
  5. Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.
  6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  7. Fill a skillet with oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches. Use cooking oil with a high smoke point (oil suggestions can be found in the ingredient list). Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature to fry falafel is between 360 and 375 degrees F; the best way to monitor the temperature is to use a deep fry or candy thermometer. After making these a few times, you will start to get a feel for when the oil temperature is “right.”
  8. Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop. I usually use about 2 tbsp of mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference. The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry. 
  9. If the balls won’t hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they should bind together and stick. If they still won’t hold together, you can try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour or chickpea flour to the mixture. If they still won’t hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.
  10. Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again. 
  11. When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5-6 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels.
  12. Serve the falafels fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus and topped with creamy tahini sauce. You can also stuff them into a pita.
Wall Street’s rally stalls as US stocks dip for their 1st loss in 4 days

Wall Street’s rally stalls as US stocks dip for their 1st loss in 4 days

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s rally stalled on Wednesday after U.S. stocks climbed back within 2% of their all-time high.

The S&P 500 fell 0.3% for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually unchanged after edging down by 1 point, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5%.

Several Big Tech stocks led the way lower, and a 1.9% drop for Apple was the heaviest weight on the market. It’s been listless this week after unveiling several modest upcoming changes to the software that runs its devices.

The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields eased after a report suggested President Donald Trump’s tariffs are not pushing inflation much higher, at least not yet.

U.S. consumers had to pay prices for food, gasoline and other costs of living that were 2.4% higher overall in May than a year earlier. That was up from April’s 2.3% inflation rate, but it wasn’t as bad as the 2.5% that Wall Street was expecting.

A fear has been that Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs could ignite an acceleration in inflation, just when it had seemed to get nearly all the way back to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target from more than 9% three summers ago. It hasn’t happened, though economists warn it may take months more to feel the full effect of Trump’s tariffs.

“Another month goes by with little evidence of tariffs, but the longer-term inflation challenge they pose remain,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Financial markets also had only modest reactions to the conclusion of two days of trade talks between the United States and China in London.

Trump said Wednesday that China will supply rare-earth minerals and magnets to the United States, while his government will allow Chinese students into U.S. universities in a deal that still needs an agreement by him and by China’s leader. Trump also said that “President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!”

Investors are still hoping for a more sweeping trade deal that would ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Hopes for such deals between the United States and countries around the world have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has charged nearly all the way back to its all-time high after dropping roughly 20% below a couple months ago. Without them, the fear is that Trump’s high tariffs could drive the economy into a recession while pushing inflation higher. The S&P 500 is now sitting 2% below its record.

On Wall Street, Chewy dropped 11% after the seller of pet supplies reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts had forecast. Expectations were high after its stock had already rallied nearly 37% coming into the day for the year so far.

Tesla swung between gains and losses before finishing with a rise of 0.1% to continue its shaky run. It’s been recovering much of its big losses taken last week after Elon Musk’s relationship with Trump imploded, which in turn raised fears about a loss of business for the electric-vehicle company. Musk on Wednesday backed away from some of his earlier comments and said they went “too far.”

All told, the S&P 500 fell 16.57 points to 6,022.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.10 to 42,865.77, and the Nasdaq composite sank 99.11 to 19,615.88.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.41% from 4.47% late Tuesday. Shorter-term yields, which more closely track expectations for what the Fed will do with overnight interest rates, fell more.

Wednesday’s better-than-expected reading on inflation raised expectations along Wall Street that the Fed could cut its main interest rate at least twice by the end of the year.

The Fed has been keeping interest rates steady so far this year, going on pause after cutting rates at the end of last year. It has been waiting to see how much Trump’s tariffs raise inflation because cutting interest rates could push inflation up even more, in addition to giving the economy a boost.

“The Fed could be justified in doing some preemptive rate cuts,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management. “They were afraid that inflation would rise before growth would slow, but the script has been flipped and they will likely change their tune.”

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe after rising in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi was one of the best performers and jumped 1.2%.

___

AP Business Writer Yuri Kageyama contributed.

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

By MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain.

The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday’s vote.

“I would imagine that — math being math — that it’s probably a low percentage relative to other bills,” Hall told reporters.

If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would become the 30th state in the country to legalize permitless carrying of a concealed handgun, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. North Carolina would also be one of the last states in the Southeast to implement that legislation.

The legislation allows for eligible people with valid identification over the age of 18 to carry a concealed handgun. More than half of states with permitless concealed carry set their age limit at 21 and older, while the rest have the legal carrying age at 18, according to the NCSL.

Currently, a person must be 21 and older to obtain a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina. To qualify, an applicant must pass a firearms safety training course and not “suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun,” according to state law.

Approving permitless concealed carry has been a goal of gun-rights activists in North Carolina for years, with House Republicans historically supportive of the idea. Some see it as the next step after Republican lawmakers successfully eliminated the permit system that required sheriffs to conduct character evaluations and criminal history checks for pistol applicants in 2023.

Conservative advocates for the bill say it would strengthen Second Amendment rights for North Carolinians. Republican lawmakers also disputed that the bill would make the state more dangerous, as “law-abiding citizens” would be the only people that would benefit from the permit elimination, not criminals, Republican Rep. Brian Echevarria said.

“Rights to keep and bear arms are constitutionally inseparable,” Echevarria said. ”If a person cannot own a firearm, they cannot bear a firearm.”

The bill’s passage tees up one of the first opportunities for a likely veto from Stein if he stays aligned with his fellow Democrats in the legislature. Stein has a more powerful veto stamp than his predecessor Roy Cooper, after Republicans lost their House supermajority last year that allowed them to override vetoes and enact their legislative agenda with relative ease.

Now, House Republicans would need to count on a Democrat to join in their override efforts. Reaching that goal seems especially daunting, considering all of the present House Democrats — and two Republicans — voted against the bill.

The governor’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment on the legislation, but House Deputy Democratic Leader Cynthia Ball said in a committee Tuesday that Stein was opposed to it.

Several Democratic legislators said it would make communities unsafe by loosening who can carry a concealed handgun without training. Democrats also raised issue with the age limit set in the bill, saying it would put guns in the hands of young people who aren’t yet mature enough to have one.

“Do you not remember when you were 18? We are prone and so susceptible to peer pressure, we are hotheaded, we are emotional,” Democratic Rep. Tracy Clark said on the House floor after retelling her personal experience of losing two friends in college to gun violence.

Those seeking a permit for their concealed handgun — such as for the purpose of traveling with a firearm to a state that requires a permit — would still be able to do so. The bill also heightens the felony punishment for those who assault law enforcement officers or first responders with a firearm.

A separate bill that makes gun safety courses available at North Carolina community colleges for people 18 and up passed in a near-unanimous House vote directly after the concealed carry permit repeal legislation was approved.

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Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh contributed to this report.

Female athletes appeal landmark NCAA settlement, saying it violates federal antidiscrimination law

Female athletes appeal landmark NCAA settlement, saying it violates federal antidiscrimination law

By BEN NUCKOLS AP Sports Writer

Eight female athletes filed an appeal Wednesday of a landmark NCAA antitrust settlement, arguing that women would not receive their fair share of $2.7 billion in back pay for athletes who were barred from making money off their name, image and likeness.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement last week, clearing the way for direct payments from universities to athletes and the end of the NCAA’s amateurism model.

The athletes who appealed the settlement competed in soccer, volleyball and track. They are: Kacie Breeding of Vanderbilt; Lexi Drumm, Emma Appleman, Emmie Wannemacher, Riley Hass, Savannah Baron and Elizabeth Arnold of the College of Charleston; and Kate Johnson of Virginia. They have standing to appeal because they previously filed objections to the proposed settlement.

Ashlyn Hare, one of the attorneys representing the athletes, said in a statement that the settlement violates Title IX, the federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in education.

“We support a settlement of the case, but not an inaccurate one that violates federal law. The calculation of past damages is based on an error that ignores Title IX and deprives female athletes of $1.1 billion,” Hare said. “Paying out the money as proposed would be a massive error that would cause irreparable harm to women’s sports.”

The House settlement figures to financially benefit football and basketball stars at the biggest schools, who are likely to receive a big chunk of the $20.5 million per year that colleges are permitted to share with athletes over the next year. Some athletes in other sports that don’t make money for their schools could lose their partial scholarships or see their roster spots cut.

“This is a football and basketball damages settlement with no real benefit to female athletes,” Hare said. “Congress has expressly rejected efforts to exempt revenue-generating sports like football and basketball from Title IX’s antidiscrimination mandate. The NCAA agreed with us. Our argument on appeal is the exact same argument the conferences and NCAA made prior to settling the case.”

The appeal was filed by the law firm Hutchinson Black and Cook of Boulder, Colorado, and was first reported by Front Office Sports. It would be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Jury convicts Harvey Weinstein of top charge in the retrial of his landmark #MeToo sex crimes case

Jury convicts Harvey Weinstein of top charge in the retrial of his landmark #MeToo sex crimes case

By JENNIFER PELTZ and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted Wednesday of one of the top charges in his sex crimes retrial but acquitted of another, and jurors were as yet unable to reach a verdict on a third charge.

The split verdict meted out a measure of vindication to his accusers and prosecutors — but also to Weinstein — after the landmark case was thrown into limbo.

The partial verdict came after an extraordinary day in which the jury foreperson expressed dismay to the judge about how deliberations were going and Weinstein himself urged the judge to halt the trial, declaring: “It’s just not fair.”

“My life is on the line, and you know what? It’s not fair,” the former Hollywood heavy-hitter declared after making an unusual request to address the court. “It’s time, it’s time, it’s time, it’s time to say this trial is over.”

He spoke before learning there was a verdict on any of the charges.

Weinstein’s initial conviction five years ago seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood’s most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement. But that conviction was overturned last year, and the case was sent back for retrial in the same Manhattan courthouse.

This time, a majority-female jury convicted the former studio boss of forcibly subjecting one woman, Miriam Haley, to a criminal sex act in 2006.

But jurors acquitted Weinstein of another criminal sex act charge. It related to Kaja Sokola, whose allegations of forcible oral sex date to 2006 but were added to the case last year.

And jurors were to continue deliberating Thursday on a charge that he raped another woman, Jessica Mann, in 2013. Under New York law, the third-degree rape charge carries a lesser penalty than the first-degree criminal sex act offense.

Weinstein, 73, denies sexually assaulting or raping anyone.

Jury deliberations had teetered Wednesday.

The foreperson — who complained Monday that other jurors were pushing people to change their minds and talking about information beyond the charges — signaled to Judge Curtis Farber that he wanted to talk.

“He said words to the effect of ‘I can’t go back in there with the other jurors,’” Farber explained later. The discussion was closed to the press and public, but Farber later said the foreperson had expressed that he didn’t want to change his position — whatever it may be — and was being bullied.

“He did indicate that at least one other juror made comments to the effect of ‘I’ll meet you outside one day,’ and there’s yelling and screaming,” the judge said.

Weinstein lawyer Arthur Aidala characterized the foreperson’s concerns more severely, saying that the man had said he was concerned for his safety after his fellow panelist talked about meeting him outside and added, “you don’t know me.”

“I don’t think the court is protecting this juror. Period,” Aidala said, going on to ask for a mistrial.

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, however, said the foreperson hadn’t seemed afraid or apprehensive, just “stubborn.”

“He said he’d made up his mind, he didn’t want to change it, and people were pressuring him to change it. That’s what jury deliberations involve,” the prosecutor said.

The episode was the latest sign of strain among the jurors. On Friday, one of them asked to be excused because he felt another member of the group was being treated unfairly.

Weinstein’s lawyers asked unsuccessfully for a mistrial then, and again after the foreperson expressed his concerns Monday. The jury kept deliberating and went through Tuesday without sending any more messages about interpersonal tensions.

The seven female and five male jurors started their fifth day of deliberations Wednesday by re-hearing Mann’s testimony that he raped her in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. The group wrapped up Tuesday’s deliberations by asking to revisit that testimony.

Some jurors appeared to take fresh notes Wednesday, while others sat impassively as court stenographers read aloud the requested parts of Mann’s days-long testimony. The jury had already reheard some of the passages last week.

Weinstein, 73, an Oscar-winning producer and former Hollywood powerbroker maintains that he never sexually assaulted or raped anyone, and his lawyers portrayed his accusers as opportunists who accepted his advances because they wanted a leg up in the entertainment world.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they agree to be named. Haley, Mann and Sokola have done so.

Nationals’ bat-retrieving dog Bruce gets call up to majors from Triple-A, set for MLB debut Saturday

Nationals’ bat-retrieving dog Bruce gets call up to majors from Triple-A, set for MLB debut Saturday

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Baseball Writer

A ballpark-tested Golden Retriever named Bruce is going to the major leagues to scoop up bats on baseball’s biggest stage for the Washington Nationals after the team said he worked his tail off in the minors.

Yes, Bruce is the team’s “Top Paw-spect” at 21 months old — in people years.

The Nationals shared the wonderful news Tuesday that Bruce the Bat Dog has been called up, set to make his major league debut Saturday at home against the Miami Marlins — his promotion perfectly timed for Pups in the Park day at Nationals Park.

He won’t be on the field during live game action, however, just for a pregame ceremonial bat retrieval. And the dog will return to Triple-A duties afterward, a spokesperson said.

Bruce was credited by the organization’s front office for “working your tail off” to earn this opportunity. The Nats said Bruce owns a 1.000 retrieving average in three games for Rochester this year and will make a fourth start in Rochester on Friday before traveling to Washington.

The club unveiled an announcement for the dog’s special day featuring three photos of Bruce under “Welcome to The Show Bruce the Bat Dog” — and stated ”no rules that say a dog can’t play baseball.”

Triple-A manager Matthew LeCroy even brought the pooch into his office to give him the great news, and the Nationals posted video of the moment on their social media.

“Hey, I got some news for you, I think you’re going to like it,” LeCroy said. “You know last year you got called up to Triple-A, did a really nice job but we still thought we needed some work down at the lower levels. … You did a nice job coming back to Triple-A this year, but I’m excited to tell you the front office, the GM, the president, the owners, they’re excited to invite you to Nats Park for your call up to the major leagues on June 14.”

More kind wishes poured in, and one fan called the move “pawsome.” The Nationals have never seen him turn down signing a “pawtograph.”

“Our fans and front office are always excited to see our players get promoted to the Nationals, but Bruce’s promotion is a historic call-up to the big leagues that he richly deserves,” Rochester Red Wings General Manager Dan Mason said. “Nobody makes people smile more than Bruce, and I’m sure he’ll do a WOOFtastic job for the Nats! He has proven himself to be ready for the show in a very short time and has earned the phenom status that has been bestowed upon him. He’ll put on a doggone great show for Nats fans on June 14.”

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