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Former Montgomery Co. School department head pleads guilty to misconduct in office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

Todd Watkins was the man who was responsible for making sure the fleet of school buses for Maryland’s largest school district ran on time. And in 2021, he struck a deal that was lauded as the biggest single-district transition from a diesel-powered to an electric-powered school bus fleet.On Friday, Watkins, 56, entered a guilty plea to a charge of misconduct in office linked to his failure to — according to prosecutors — “properly manage the contract for the purchases of school buses and the use of purchasing cards” in his department. The charge is a misdemeanor and carries a penalty that ranges from probation to six months in jail.Watkins, who lives in Jefferson, Maryland, will be sentenced on Sept. 11. He entered his plea in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Friday.It’s the second guilty plea from a former school official in the MCPS transportation department in three months.Charles Ewald of Knoxville, Maryland, served as Assistant Director of Transportation under Watkins and in ...

AP’s Global Week in Pictures: June 24 – June 30

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

June 24 – June 30, 2023Life returned to normal in the Russian capital after the abortive coup mounted by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, riot police faced off against demonstrators reacting to the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, and Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha. In the world of sports, disabled swimmers took part in a test event ahead of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from around the world made or published by the Associated Press in the past week.The selection was curated by AP photo editor Subramoney Iyer in New Delhi, India.Follow AP visual journalism:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews/AP Images on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_ImagesSource

Pirates take on the Brewers on home winning streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

Milwaukee Brewers (43-39, second in the NL Central) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (39-42, third in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Saturday, 4:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Corbin Burnes (5-5, 4.10 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 89 strikeouts); Pirates: Johan Oviedo (3-8, 4.06 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 80 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Brewers -144, Pirates +123; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Milwaukee Brewers looking to continue a four-game home winning streak.Pittsburgh has gone 22-19 at home and 39-42 overall. The Pirates have a 25-4 record in games when they scored at least five runs.Milwaukee is 43-39 overall and 21-21 in road games. The Brewers have hit 87 total home runs to rank ninth in the NL.Saturday’s game is the fifth meeting between these teams this season. The Brewers hold a 3-1 advantage in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Suwinski is fourth on the Pirates with 24 extra base hits (eight doubles and 16 home runs). Carlos Santana is 13-for-4...

Mets host San Francisco Giants, look to end home losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

San Francisco Giants (46-36, third in the NL West) vs. New York Mets (36-46, fourth in the NL East)New York; Saturday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Giants: Anthony DeSclafani (4-7, 4.28 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 69 strikeouts); Mets: Justin Verlander (2-4, 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 49 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -144, Giants +122; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets aim to stop their three-game home losing streak with a win over the San Francisco Giants.New York has a 36-46 record overall and an 18-19 record in home games. The Mets are fourth in the NL with 100 total home runs, averaging 1.2 per game.San Francisco is 23-17 in road games and 46-36 overall. The Giants have a 24-6 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.Saturday’s game is the sixth time these teams square off this season. The Giants are up 3-2 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso has six doubles, a triple, 24 home runs and 55 RBI for the Mets. Brandon Nim...

Padres take on the Reds looking to end road skid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

San Diego Padres (37-45, fourth in the NL West) vs. Cincinnati Reds (44-38, first in the NL Central)Cincinnati; Saturday, 1:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Michael Wacha (7-2, 2.90 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 69 strikeouts); Reds: Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.82 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 29 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -163, Reds +139; over/under is 11 runsBOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres visit the Cincinnati Reds looking to break a four-game road slide.Cincinnati has gone 22-20 in home games and 44-38 overall. The Reds are 33-19 in games when they record eight or more hits.San Diego has a 17-23 record in road games and a 37-45 record overall. The Padres have the eighth-best team ERA in the majors at 3.85.The matchup Saturday is the fifth time these teams meet this season. The season series is tied 2-2.TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Fraley has nine doubles, 11 home runs and 50 RBI for the Reds. Matt McLain is 12-for-45 with four doubles and four home runs over the last 10 games.Fernando Tat...

Nationals take 3-game win streak into game against the Phillies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

Washington Nationals (33-48, fifth in the NL East) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (43-38, third in the NL East)Philadelphia; Saturday, 4:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (4-6, 3.89 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 104 strikeouts); Phillies: Zack Wheeler (6-4, 3.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 106 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -208, Nationals +174; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals seek to extend a three-game win streak with a victory against the Philadelphia Phillies.Philadelphia has a 21-15 record at home and a 43-38 record overall. The Phillies have the seventh-ranked team ERA in the NL at 4.15.Washington has a 20-21 record on the road and a 33-48 record overall. The Nationals have a 9-14 record in games decided by one run.The teams square off Saturday for the fifth time this season. The season series is tied 2-2.TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Castellanos leads the Phillies with a .309 batting average, and has 24 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, 23 wa...

Olson leads Braves against the Marlins after 4-hit outing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

Miami Marlins (48-35, second in the NL East) vs. Atlanta Braves (54-27, first in the NL East)Atlanta; Saturday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Marlins: Eury Perez (5-1, 1.34 ERA, .98 WHIP, 54 strikeouts); Braves: Charlie Morton (7-6, 3.81 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 100 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Braves -170, Marlins +144; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves take on the Miami Marlins after Matt Olson had four hits on Friday in a 16-4 win over the Marlins.Atlanta is 28-15 at home and 54-27 overall. Braves hitters have a collective .342 on-base percentage, the highest percentage in the majors.Miami has a 48-35 record overall and a 23-19 record on the road. The Marlins have a 27-4 record in games when they scored five or more runs.The teams meet Saturday for the ninth time this season. The Braves are up 7-1 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Ronald Acuna Jr. has 23 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 53 RBI for the Braves. Olson is 15-for-42 with four doubles, a tr...

France arrests nearly 1,000 rioters in fourth night of violence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

Nearly 1,000 rioters were arrested last night for taking part in the most violent protests France has experienced in years, according to estimates by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.The killing of a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent by a police officer on Tuesday unleashed violent demonstrations in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the teen was shot. The violence then spread across the entire country and its main cities. The shooting of the teen, identified as Nahel M., reignited long-simmering tensions between the youth of the banlieues – typically disadvantaged and multi-ethnic neighborhoods — and the police, accused of brutality and racial discrimination. Nahel’s funeral was set to take place on Saturday, with authorities tensing for more demonstrations. To address the turmoil, France deployed 45,000 police and gendarmes across all major cities on Friday night, of which 5,000 were tasked with patrolling Paris. Authorities also set curfews around the capital, ...

France arrests more than 1,300 people after fourth night of rioting over teen’s killing by police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Rioting raged in cities around France for a fourth night despite a huge police deployment and 1,311 arrests, with cars and buildings set ablaze and stores looted, as family and friends prepared Saturday to bury the 17-year-old whose killing by police unleashed the unrest.France’s Interior Ministry announced the new figure for arrests around the country, where 45,000 police officers fanned out in a so-far unsuccessful bid to quell violence.Despite an appeal to parents by President Emmanuel Macron to keep their children at home, street clashes between young protesters and police raged on. About 2,500 fires were set and stores were ransacked, according to authorities.The funeral ceremony for the teen, identified only as Nahel, who was killed by police in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday, began on Saturday. Family and friends were viewing the open coffin before it will be taken to a mosque for a ceremony and later burial in a town cemetery. As the number of arr...

The Dutch king could offer an apology in a speech on the anniversary of slavery’s abolition in 1863

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:48 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Dutch King Willem-Alexander will deliver a speech Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the country abolishing slavery, amid speculation that he could offer an apology on behalf of the royal house.The king’s speech follows Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s apology late last year for the country’s role in the slave trade and slavery. It is part of a wider reckoning with colonial histories in the West that have been spurred in recent years by the Black Lives Matter movement.Slavery was abolished in Suriname and the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean on July 1, 1863, but most of the enslaved laborers were forced to continue working on plantations for a further 10 years. Saturday’s commemoration and speech mark the start of a year of events to mark the 150th anniversary of July 1, 1873.Research published last month showed that the king’s ancestors earned the modern-day equivalent of 545 million euros ($595 million) from slavery, including profits from shar...