Los Angeles, Ca
Dodgers slugger Hernández wins MLB Home Run Derby
The 2024 winner of the MLB Home Run Derby is a Los Angeles Dodger.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández captured the home run crown Monday evening, the first Dodger in the history to win the beloved event.
Hernández hit a total of 49 homers through the competition.
He battled in the final round with Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., edging out his opponent with a final score of 14 to 13.
The Dodgers All Star eliminated Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm in the semifinals, taking the win after a swing-off after both sluggers notched 14 home runs.
Prior to that, Hernández hit 19 dingers in the opening round, advancing to the semifinals and earning the fourth-seed in the elimination tournament.
Pete Alonso of the New York Mets was eliminated in the first round after hitting only 12 homers, putting a hold on his pursuit to join Ken Griffey Jr. as a three-time derby champion.
This was the 31-year-old Dominican’s first appearance in the Home Run Derby. It’s also his first year as a member of the Dodgers.
The field of competitors lacked some of the big names of the National League and American League, including each league’s home run leaders in New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and Hernández’s teammate Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani had previously voiced interest in competing, but ultimately decided to sit this one out to allow himself some extra time to recover from elbow surgery.
Hernández and Ohtani will share the field Tuesday during the MLB All Star Game, alongside fellow Dodgers in first baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Will Smith.
Shortstop Mookie Betts and starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, also named 2024 National League All Stars, are not expected to play.
The All Star Game take place Tuesday at 5 p.m. exclusively on Fox.
For complete results of the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby, click here.
Los Angeles, Ca
FAA probing near-collision involving Gonzaga basketball team charter jet at LAX
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – The FAA is investigating an incident at Los Angeles International Airport where a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another plane was taking off.
The close call occurred last Friday afternoon and was livestreamed by Airline Videos.
The Key Lime Air jet was told to stop by air traffic controllers as a Delta flight took off.
“When the Embraer E135 jet proceeded to cross the hold bars, air traffic controllers told the pilots to stop,” the FAA said in a statement. “The jet never crossed the runway edge line.”
No injuries were reported.
The livestream included audio of the controller urgently saying, “Stop, stop, stop.”
Gonzaga was in Los Angeles for a game against UCLA.
“We understand that the incident at LAX is under investigation and we will review this information as it becomes available. Our team members aboard the aircraft were unaware of the situation as it occurred and we are grateful that the incident ended safely for all,” the university said.
Key Lime Air did not respond to the Associated Press’s requests for comment, and Delta reported no issues with its flight.
“Delta flight 471 operated as normal, and we are not aware of any communication from the FAA regarding this flight. We are cooperating with aviation officials on their investigation,” the airline said.
The Key Lime Air flight had taken off from Spokane International Airport earlier that day. The FAA continues to investigate the situation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Los Angeles, Ca
Unlicensed DUI suspect makes wrong turn into San Bernardino County concrete plant
A motorist recently found himself face-to-face with a bulldozer after making a wrong turn into a concrete and asphalt plant in the Inland Empire.
The incident captured on surveillance video and shared Monday by the Upland Police Department took place Friday at the Holliday Rock property in the area of North Benson Avenue and Base Line Road.
The video showed the driver had trouble maneuvering through a muddy area before nearly crashing into a bulldozer.
“His Ford Escape quickly reminded him it was no Bronco and threw in the towel,” the Police Department stated on the post.
The unidentified driver exited the vehicle wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and was immediately taken into custody.
The driver, who was unlicensed and suspected of driving under the influence, “went to jail and his vehicle impounded,” police said.
No workers were injured and no equipment was damaged during the incident.
Holliday Rock is one of the largest independent producers of asphalt, aggregate and concrete in the United States with locations in San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Kern, Orange, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties, according to its website.
Los Angeles, Ca
New California law aims to reduce homework burden on students
(FOX40.COM) — Many Californians can look back at their time growing up and remember spending hours after school bogged down in homework, but one lawmaker hopes to change that for the next generation.
As students and teachers prepare to return to school in January 2025 from the holiday break, a new law set to go into effect could eventually lead to less homework. When the bell rings and the school day is over, for students like Sofia Johnson, the day is nowhere near over. The sixth-grader blames that on hours spent doing homework.
“Homework is exhausting. It’s overwhelming,” Johnson said. “It’s depressing that my whole day from when I wake up to when I go to bed is taken up doing school work.”
That’s why Johnson’s mother, assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clara) says she authored AB 2999, also known as “The Healthy Homework Act.” It was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this year to take effect in 2025. The legislation will not ban homework, but it formally encourages local school boards and educational agencies to establish homework policies that consider impacts on students’ physical and mental health all with input from parents, teachers, and students themselves.
“It’s addressing homework, which is the top stressor for kids,” Schiavo said. It’s often number one.”
The new law comes as a survey of more than 300,000 American students conducted by Stanford University and the nonprofit organization Challenge Success found that 45% of students say workload and homework is their number one source of stress. 13,000 California high school students who took the survey report an average of 2.5 hours of homework every night.
“I just toured a school in my district where they talked about how they are trying to reduce the kids who are missing school or dropping out of school. The top reason they hear is because kids are getting behind,” Schiavo said. “They just get into a hole when you miss homework. You have homework the next day, you are trying to catch up from the old homework – too much homework can overwhelm them.”
Schiavo said the bill was also tailored around equity – something California teacher of the year Casy Cuny believes is crucial, noting students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may not have access to resources at home like high-speed internet.
“A child’s grade should not be dependent on the resources they have at home to do the homework,” Cuny said. “I truly believe the resources should be dependent on the learning that takes space in the classroom with the professional. That’s why I support this bill – because in the end, it will be what’s best for kids.”
The legislation calls for the California Department of Education to put homework guidelines on its website for the upcoming year. It also requires school districts to come up with a homework policy by the start of the 2027 school year. It has no formal opposition.
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