CLEVELAND, Ohio — The City of Cleveland has issued some safety and logistical reminders ahead of the Fourth of July celebrations, which they say they expect to attract almost 100,000 people to downtown and Edgewater Park.

The first reminder: the possession and use of fireworks within the city limits is illegal.

“Please leave fireworks displays to the professionals to prevent the risk of physical harm, accidental fires, and damage to property,” reads a post from the city.

Police also caution against celebratory gunfire and “unnecessary loud noise.”

If you’re bringing children to a crowded event, police recommend establishing a reunification point. They say if you lose your child in a crowd, you should call 911 to report them missing. They urge children to look for someone in uniform if they’re lost.

“Watch children closely at events where fireworks are used,” the post reads. “Never let children handle fireworks.”

The division of fire warns the public to not open any hydrants, noting they can deplete the water that could be needed for a fire.

Grilling is a popular pastime on Independence Day, but the division of fire is reminding those celebrating that they should only use propane and charcoal grills outside and at least three feet from their home or anything flammable.

The division of EMS is warning about the dangers of heat emergencies, as people spend their day and evening outdoors. They note that older people, very young people and those with chronic medical conditions are most at risk.

They specify three types of these emergencies: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The first of these can be treated by ceasing activity, getting cool and ingesting fluids.

The third, heat stroke, can be identified by “dizziness, slurred speech, seizures and unresponsiveness.” They recommend an immediate call to 911 in addition to cooling the individual.

“Do your best to avoid becoming overheated,” the post reads. “Wear loose clothing, stay in a cool location if possible, and drink plenty of fluids. Check in on the elderly and watch children closely. These emergencies can come on and progress quickly; if you see any signs of heat illness in yourself or others, be sure to stop activity and cool down.”

The Division of Animal Care & Control recommends pets be left inside if fireworks are occurring in your area, as the loud noises could spook them and cause them to run away.

They also recommend keeping them inside if it is extremely hot, making sure they have water and shade if outside, keeping them off hot asphalt and keeping an eye out for heat stress. They also stress to never leave a pet in the car.

Finally, for some logistical advice, the police encourage the public to expect longer travel times if heading to a popular destination. They also note that some road closures are likely for those planning on heading to Edgewater Park.

They also recommend citizens read parking signs downtown, as various holiday parking restrictions will be in effect.

“The City of Cleveland and its Safety Divisions are working around the clock to ensure a safe holiday for all visitors and residents,” the city’s post reads. “These efforts are part of Mayor Bibb’s Summer Safety Plan, a comprehensive All-Of-Government approach to reducing crime citywide.”

The Cleveland Guardians organization will do something its never done before on the evening of July 14: select the No. 1 pick in the MLB First Year Player Draft.

That event is less than two weeks away and President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti detailed the front office’s mindset heading into the draft, including the opportunity to take the first pick.

“We look at this is an extraordinary and exciting opportunity for us,” said Antonetti. 

“I mean, oftentimes, when you’re thinking about your first pick you’re trying to guess who’s going to be off the board before you get an opportunity to select. This year we don’t have to guess, you know, we have control over that. Now, there are a lot of dynamics at play, a lot of things that will go into consideration for the first pick, but we know we don’t have to rely on other teams.”

Everyone wants to know who the Guardians will select with the No. 1 overall pick. At this point, those conversations are still ongoing and that dialogue will continue leading up to the draft. 

What Antonetti did reveal is that the organization is excited about just how deep this year’s draft class is.

“It’s really hard to say. I think one of the things we’re really excited about with this draft class is there’s a number of good, high-quality players available to us with the first pick. And we think that will be the case actually with subsequent picks we have after the first pick. So, that’s probably the best direction I can give you is that a group that we would be excited about bringing into the organization with the first pick.” 

We’ve already seen this depth in different mock drafts. Some analysts think the Guardians will take Oregon State 2B Travis Bazzana, while others believe it will be Georgia OF Charlie Condon. West Virginia INF JJ Wetherholt could certainly be in the mix, too.  

There are multiple factors that go into deciding who will be the No. 1 overall pick while also managing the other 19 rounds of the draft. Antonetti revealed a few of those aspects with reporters on Wednesday.

“First and foremost, I think what we are trying to solve for organizationally is use the resources and draft capital we have available to us to bring in the most talented group possible, and that’s really what we’re solving for. We think when we look up at the end of the draft, we will feel good about the group of players we bring into the organization.”

Of course, finances and slot value are key factors in the MLB Draft, and Antontti explained how the Guardians plan to approach this crucial detail while also having the first overall.

“That’s why people ask, ‘Who are you taking with the first pick?’ It’s a combination of factors for us because what we’re seeking to do is optimize that total pool. Some of that is based upon the ability in our assessment of the player, but also how much it would take to sign that player as we think about the totality of the group and might be able to use those resources.”

This isn’t to say that money will be the only motivating factor in their decision on who to take first overall. Antonetti made sure to emphasize they’ve offered higher or lower than the slot value with different picks in the past drafts, and that could always be the case here.

We’ll have to wait and see who Cleveland selects on July 14. Either way, it’s an exciting time to be a Guardians fan, given how well the major league team is playing and the bright future that lies ahead for the organization. 

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers suffered an early setback, as they will not have one of their incoming women’s basketball forwards for next season.

Kiara Willliams, a freshman forward, underwent successful surgery on a lower leg injury that will keep her out for the upcoming 2024-25 season, the program announced.

She played for Palm Bay High School in Palm Bay, Fla. and averaged 10.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a senior last season. She helped lead her team to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 4A Girls Basketball Playoffs.

Williams also had six double-doubles and averaged 0.8 blocks per game, ranking first and second in Florida 4A District 8, respectively.

She also had a great junior campaign in the 2022-23 season, where she averaged 13.1 points and 8.0 rebounds, along with 2.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.4 blocks per game.

“We certainly wish Kiara well as she starts her recovery process,” Pitt head coach Tory Verdi said in a press release. “She will work hard with our training staff over the coming months, and we expect her to make a full recovery. Despite this setback, she has a bright future ahead.”

Williams was one of two recruits in the Class of 2024 for the Panthers, along with 6-foot guard Audrey Biggs, who played for Boyd County High School in Ashland, Ky.

Pitt added a number of players to their roster in the transfer portal, including guards in Amiya Jenkins and Brooklynn Miles from Kentucky and Mikayla Johnson from Colorado, plus forwards in Khadija Faye from Texas and Makayla Elmore from Clemson.

The Panthers also added an international wing in Jovana Spasovski from Serbia in early June, who rounded out their additions to two incoming freshman, five transfers and one international signing, for eight overall

There are also returners in guards, like senior Bella Perkins, juniors Raeven Boswell, Marley Washenitz and Aislin Malcolm and sophomore Aaryn Battle, plus sophomore forward Lauren Rust.

Pitt also had a few players depart the program after last season. This includes forwards in All-ACC First Team honoree and ACC Most Improved Player of the Year in Liatu King who transferred to Notre Dame, Rapuluchi Ayodele who transferred to Tennessee, Gabby Hutcherson who transferred to Duquesne and guard Jasmine Timmerson who transferred to Davidson.

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