Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

TheCincinnati Bengalsand Hamilton County finalized a new 11-year lease on Friday that includes $470 million in renovations to Paycor Stadium. Hamilton County commissioners approved a version of the lease on Thursday but the Bengals did not sign because they had not seen the version that county officials approved. Both sides negotiated through the night before the Bengals signed off and commissioners approved during a special meeting on Friday. The lease keeps the team at their downtown home through at least 2036. It also includes 10 additional option years that could extend it through June 2046. "The Bengals thank Hamilton County and its Commissioners for demonstrating leadership and taking steps that continue moving Cincinnati forward," Bengals Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn said in a statement. "It solidifies the future of the Bengals in Cincinnati, our beloved home, for many years to come. Today's deal embodies a responsible approach for the future, while at the same time keeping Paycor Stadium a great venue that can provide our great fans the great gameday experience they deserve." The county will contribute $350 million toward the renovations, and the Bengals will pay $120 million. The plan is far less than the $830 million the Bengals originally proposed. The Bengals and Hamilton County will also work to secure state funding. The Cleveland Browns are receiving $600 million from unclaimed funds in Ohio's budget recently signed by Gov. Mike DeWine. The Browns are planning to build a new domed stadium in Brookpark, Ohio, near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The Bengals have proposed improvements to the club lounges, stadium suites, concessions and scoreboards. A permanent indoor facility is also on the long-term wish list. Cincinnati was the only northern NFL team without an indoor practice facility for many seasons until 2022, when it added an indoor practice bubble across the street from its outdoor fields. Owner Mike Brown said on July 21 that the planned improvements and requests were in line with other medium- to small-market NFL franchises. "We aren't looking for fancy, new things," Brown said. "We're going to try to spruce up the club area. There are some areas around and about in the concession area. There are things that are going to be improved but we aren't going to put a dome over the top. We aren't going to put a mammoth scoreboard in. It is going to be what it has been, pretty much, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that." The Bengals have called Paycor Stadium home since 2000. It was originally named Paul Brown Stadium until the teamsold the naming rightsin August 2022. The finalized lease wraps up what had been a long and at times contentious period of negotiations between Hamilton County and the Bengals. The original 1996 lease has been cited by many as what city, county or state governments should not do when trying to build a new stadium or arena for a team and giving that franchise too much control of the process. "We stood firm on what we thought was best. I think that this lease agreement is good for the people and the team. This I feel is the people's lease and I feel proud of that," Stephanie Summerow Dumas, one of Hamilton County's three commissioners, said on Friday. ___ AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium

Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County finalize new lease, $470M deal to renovate Paycor Stadium TheCincinnati Bengalsand Hamilton County fi...

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Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski gave up right-handed pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait, a pair of top 100 prospects,to get closer Jhoan Durán from the Minnesota Twins. Then Phillies manager Rob Thomson gave up his jersey number for the flame-throwing pitcher. After being traded to Philadelphia on Wednesday, Durán inquired about wearing No. 59. "They said, 'No, only one person has it,'"Durán recalled Friday. "And I said, 'Who?' They said, 'You don't know who has that number?' I said, 'No.' They said, 'It's the manager.'" Durán added before smiling: "I said, 'Damn.'" Reporters broke out in laughter. Durán laughed, too. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Durán didn't push for Thomson's number. Thomson made the next move, especially for a pitcher who is 6-4 with a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves this season and averages 100.2 mph when he throws his four-seam fastball. While the trade cost Thomson his number and the Phillies two significant prospects, the team also gained one of the best closer entrances in baseball. Duran made his Phillies debut on Friday and threw a perfect ninth inning to close outa 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers. Jhoan Duran entering the game for the first time as a Phillie at Citizens Bank Park was CINEMApic.twitter.com/0lLFLoi8JY — Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia)August 2, 2025 Although the trade happened on the road during the Phillies' 9-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Thomson called Durán afterward. "We were chit-chatting, and I just said, 'Hey, look, the number really doesn't mean much to me,'"Thomson told reporters Friday. "'But if it makes you feel better, I'm all in.' "He said, 'Well, you know ... yeah, I've had it my whole career.' And I said, 'Then it's yours.'" Durán said he's "got that number everywhere," including as part of the design of his family swimming pool in his native Dominican Republic. When asked Friday how much it meant to him that he was able to keep No. 59, Durán gave a sigh of relief. "My wife almost cried," he said. Thomson's wife, on the other hand, has to get used to a new number. "The only one that's upset at this point is my wife," Thomson joked. "Because all her merchandise has 59 on it. Now we got to go buy her new stuff." Thomson will be wearing No. 49, which he said is a nod to former New York Yankees star Ron Guidry. Thomson coached for the Yankees from 2008-17 before joining the Phillies' staff. The wardrobe change is one Thomson welcomes. He's got his closer for a potential second-half run that the Phillies are hoping ends with their first World Series championship since 2008.

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried'

Jhoan Durán on Phillies manager Rob Thomson handing over No. 59 jersey: 'My wife almost cried' Philadelphia Phillies president of ba...

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A Tunisian musician was detained in LA after living in US for a decade. His doctor wife speaks out

A Tunisian musician was detained in LA after living in US for a decade. His doctor wife speaks out

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dr. Wafaa Alrashid noticed fewer of her patients were showing up for their appointments at the Los Angeles area hospital where she works asimmigrationraids spread fear among the Latino population she serves. The Utah-born chief medical officer at Huntington Hospital understood their fear on a personal level. Her husband Rami Othmane, a Tunisian singer and classical musician, began carrying a receipt of his pending green card application around with him. Over the past few months, immigration agents have arrested hundreds of people in Southern California, prompting protests against the federal raids and the subsequentdeployment of the National GuardandMarines. Despite living in the U.S. for a decade as one of thousands of residents married to U.S. citizens, he was swept up in the crackdown. On July 13, Othmane was stopped while driving to a grocery store in Pasadena. He quickly pulled out his paperwork to show federal immigration agents. "They didn't care, they said, 'Please step out of the car,'" Alrashid recalled hearing the officers say as she watched her husband's arrest in horror over FaceTime. Alrashid immediately jumped in her car and followed her phone to his location. She arrived just in time to see the outline of his head in the back of a vehicle driving away. "That was probably the worst day of my life," she said. The Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has ensnared not only immigrants without legal status but legal permanent residents like Othmane who has green cards.Some U.S. citizenshave even been arrested. Meanwhile, many asylum-seekers who have regular check-in appointments are beingarrested in the hallways outside courtroomsas the White House works toward its promise ofmass deportations. Alrashid said her husband has been in the U.S. since 2015 and overstayed his visa, but his deportation order was dismissed in 2020. They wed in March 2025 and immediately filed for a green card. After his arrest, he was taken to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown Los Angeles where he was held in a freezing cold room with "no beds, no pillows, no blankets, no soap, no toothbrushes and toothpaste, and when you're in a room with people, the bathroom's open," she said. The Department of Homeland Security in an emailed statement noted the expiration of his tourist visa but did not address the dismissal of the deportation order in 2020 nor his pending green card application. The agency denied any allegations of mistreatment, and said "ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE." Alrashid said for years her husband has performed classical Arabic music across Southern California. They first met when he was singing at a restaurant. "He's the kindest person," Alrashid said, adding that he gave a sweater she brought him to a fellow detainee and to give others privacy, he built a makeshift barrier around the open toilet using trash bags. "He's brought a lot to the community, a lot of people love his music," she said. More than a week after his arrest, fellow musicians, immigration advocates and activists joined Alrashid in a rally outside the facility. A few of his colleagues performed classical Arabic music, drumming loud enough that they hoped the detainees inside could hear them. Los Jornaleros del Norte musicians, who often play Spanish-language music at rallies, also were there. "In Latin American culture, the serenade — to bring music to people — is an act of love and kindness. But in this moment, bringing music to people who are in captivity is also an act of resistance," said Pablo Alvarado, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. Leading up to the rally, Alrashid was worried because she hadn't received her daily call from her husband and was told she couldn't visit him that day at the detention facility. She finally heard from him that evening. Othmane told her over the phone he was now at an immigration detention facility in Arizona, and that his left leg was swollen. "They should ultrasound your leg, don't take a risk," she said. Alrashid hopes to get her husband out on bail while his case is being processed. They had a procedural hearing on Thursday where the judge verified his immigration status, and have a bail bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Until then, she'll continue waiting for his next phone call.

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

A Tunisian musician was detained in LA after living in US for a decade. His doctor wife speaks out

A Tunisian musician was detained in LA after living in US for a decade. His doctor wife speaks out LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dr. Wafaa Alrashid not...

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Supreme Court raises the stakes in a Louisiana redistricting case

Supreme Court raises the stakes in a Louisiana redistricting case

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday expanded the scope of a Louisiana congressional redistricting dispute that has been pending for months by ordering new briefing on a legal question that could further weaken the landmark Voting Rights Act. The courtissued an orderasking the lawyers to address whether, in seeking to comply with the 1965 law that protects minority voting rights, Louisiana violated the Constitution's 14th and 15th Amendments enacted after the Civil War to ensure Black people were treated equally under the law. If the court rules that the state did violate the Constitution, it would mean states cannot cite the need to comply with the Voting Rights Act if they use race as a consideration during the map-drawing process, as they currently can. Rick Hasen, an election law expert at the UCLA School of Law, wrote on hisElection Law Blogthat the order "appears to put the constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act into question." That provision bars voting practices or rules that discriminate against minority groups. The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority is often receptive to arguments that the Constitution is "colorblind," meaning no consideration of race can ever be lawful even if it is aimed at remedying past discrimination. In 2013, the court struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act in a case from Alabama and further weakened it in a2021 case from Arizona. The justices heard arguments in the Louisiana case on more technical, less contentious questions in March and was originally expected to issue a ruling by the end of June. Even then,the constitutional issue loomed large. The new order did not indicate whether the court will hear another round of arguments before it issues a ruling in the case. The Louisiana map in question, which is currently in effect, includes two majority-Black districts for the first time in years. The complicated case arose from litigation over an earlier map drawn by the state legislature after the 2020 census that included just one Black-majority district out of the state's six districts. About a third of the state's population is Black. Civil rights groups, including the Legal Defense Fund, won a legal challenge, arguing that the Voting Rights Act required two majority-Black districts. But after the new map was drawn, a group of self-identified "non-African American" voters led by Phillip Callais and 11 other plaintiffs filed another lawsuit, saying the latest map violated the 14th Amendment. As recently as 2023, the Supreme Courtreaffirmed the Voting Rights Actin a congressional redistricting case arising from Alabama. But conservatives raised questions about whether key elements of the law should ultimately be struck down.

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

Supreme Court raises the stakes in a Louisiana redistricting case

Supreme Court raises the stakes in a Louisiana redistricting case WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday expanded the scope of a Louisiana...

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Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'

Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'

Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte aren't happy with the way Team USA has performed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Phelps and Lochte expressed their disappointment with the team, sharing an Instagram post proclaiming it was time to hold a funeral for USA Swimming. Lochte was the first to share the image, which features people in mourning at a funeral. The image contains a tombstone, which reads: "In loving memory of United States Swimming." Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte just took some public shots at USA Swimming on Instagram.Agree with them or not, this is a pretty big deal. They're fed up and not afraid to start letting people know.pic.twitter.com/R9nxNBzeuP — Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell)August 1, 2025 The tombstone then lists the dates 1980-2025, suggesting USA Swimming lived 45 years before dying in 2025. Under those dates lies an epitaph, which reads, "They set the bar high — until they stopped reaching for it." It's unclear whether Lochte found the image elsewhere or asked for it to be generated. The image appears to be made by A.I. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Phelps shared the image on Instagram, adding his own critique of USA Swimming. Phelps' comment read, "Is this the wake up call USA Swimming needed? Let's find out....." Lochte and Phelps opted to share the image during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships. Team USA got out to a slow start at the event, as multiple members of the teamdealt with acute gastroenteritis. Despite those early struggles, the teamsecured five gold medalsas of Friday morning. That tied Team USA with Australia for the most swimming medals at the event. Team USA does own the most overall swimming medals at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, with 20. That performance isn't good enough for Lochte and Phelps, who happen to know a thing or two about the sport. Phelps is widely celebrated as one of the best swimmers — and one of the best Olympic athletes — of all time. He won 23 gold medals, the most of any Olympian. He also holds the record for most gold medals in individual events, with 13. Long after his retirement, Phelps remains one of the most prominent names in the sport. Lochte is a six-time Olympic gold medalist, winning events between 2004 and 2016. Two of Lochte's gold medals came in individual events. The other four came in relays, where Phelps was one of his teammates. The pair played a major role in Team USA's swimming dominance during their careers. Between 2003 and 2022, Team USA secured the most gold medals in swimming at the World Championships every year they were held. Team USA finished second to Australia in 2023, ending that streak, but then bounced back to reclaim first at the 2024 Olympics. Despite Team USA tying for the lead in gold medals and leading the pack with 20 overall swimming medals in 2025, Lochte and Phelps clearly view the squad's performance as a major disappointment.

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral'

Olympics greats Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte rip USA Swimming during 2025 World Championships: 'Call it a funeral' Michael Phelps and...

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Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base

Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base

BOSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa wasn't going to waive his no-trade clause for any other team. But when the Twins told him that they would be rebuilding for the rest of the season – and probably beyond – Correa OK'd a deal back to Houston, where he still owned the house from his first go-'round with the Astros. "My wife hates the cold," the 2017 World Series champion said before making his Astros return inFriday night's 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. "We kept the house in Houston just to come back to, and our family and friends are there. So we live there, so it works perfectly. "You never want to burn bridges in this game. You never know how things are going to end up panning out," Correa said. "My relationship in Minnesota (is) fantastic, same here in Houston when I left. And now you see that I'm back." The top pick in the 2012 amateur draft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year, Correa was beloved in Houston as part of the homegrown core that helped the franchise go from laughingstock to perennial contenders. A two-time All-Star in his seven years with the Astros, he helped the franchise to six playoff appearances, three AL pennants and its first World Series title. He signed with Minnesota as a free agent in 2022 and made another All-Star team but just one playoff appearance, in 2023. On Thursday, with the Twins languishing in fourth in the AL Central and ninth in the race for three wild-card berths,they sold off anything of valueto look toward the future. "After talking to the front office in Minnesota, I understood that the direction where the organization was going was not the one that I was there for," Correa said. "So that's when we agreed that it was best for both parties to just make this trade happen." Houston sent minor-league pitcher Matt Mikulskito Minnesota in return for Correaand agreed to pay $33 million of the more than $100 million remaining on his contract. "That was never a thought until I saw the rumors, and I texted him and he said it was real," said second baseman Jose Altuve, one of the holdovers from Correa's first stint in Houston. "That's when we started as a team getting excited about it." The Astros, who at the time of the trade deadline led the AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners, also picked up outfielder Jesús Sánchez and minor leaguers Chase Jaworsky and Esmil Valencia. Sanchez, who played left field and batted third on Friday night, had two hits. Correa was hitless in four at-bats while playing third and batting cleanup. He had played 1,186 games at shortstop in his major league career, and none at third base; he did play some third base for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. "I'm going to be putting a lot of work at third base and getting to know the position," Correa said before taking grounders during batting practice. "I grew accustomed to shortstop and it's going to a fun challenge." Astros manager Joe Espada said he was at the movies with his children on Thursday afternoon when the news came in about Correa. "A lot of stuff happened on my off day, but it was a really good off day," Espada said. "I didn't finish the movie. The phone kept ringing, but I didn't mind. It happened really quickly. We added all those players in a matter of minutes. And I was very excited. Very, very happy with the outcome." ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/MLB

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base

Carlos Correa is back with the Astros -- this time at third base BOSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa wasn't going to waive his no-trade clause f...

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FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it is planning additional helicopter route changes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the January 29 mid-air collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people. FAA official Nick Fuller said at a National Transportation Safety Board investigative hearing that an agency work group is planning changes on a key helicopter route near Reagan after imposing permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations in March and further restricting where they could operate in June. NTSB officials at the hearing expressed concerns about a "disconnect" between front-line air traffic controllers and agency leaders and raised other questions about FAA actions before the fatal collision, including why earlier reports of close call incidents did not prompt safety improvements. Board members have also raised concerns about the failure of the FAA to turn over documents in a timely fashion during the investigation of the January collision. The NTSB received details on staffing levels at the time of the January 29 crash "after considerable confusion and a series of corrections and updates from the FAA," a board report said. The hearing has run more than 30 hours over three days and raised a series of troubling questions, including about the failure of the primary controller on duty to issue an alert to the American regional jet and the actions of an assistant controller who was supposed to assist the primary controller. "That did not occur and we're trying to understand why. And no one has been able to tell us what the individual was doing during that time," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said. Homendy said earlier this week the FAA had ignored warnings about serious safety issues. "Every sign was there that there was a safety risk, and the tower was telling you," Homendy said. "You transferred people out instead of taking ownership over the fact that everybody in FAA in the tower was saying there was a problem ... Fix it. Do better." FAA officials at the hearing vowed to work more collaboratively and address concerns. Senator Tim Kaine on Friday also cited concerns raised by an FAA manager about the volume of flights at the airport before the collision and the decision by Congress last year to add five additional daily flights to Reagan. "Congress must act to reduce dangerous congestion by removing flights into and out of (Reagan National)," Kaine said. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler and Tom Hogue)

byMario Satorik

in

August 01, 2025

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision

FAA planning more helicopter route changes after fatal collision By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administrat...

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