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Massachusetts pot boss apologizes as state’s weed sales hit all-time high

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

Cannabis board boss Shannon O’Brien is apologizing for her recent outburst saying she was too blunt in saying the state’s legal weed rollout was in a “crisis.”It came on the same day the commission announced the Bay State has hit a new one-month high in legal weed sales — $136 million in July.The previous record was set in June when 150 marijuana retailers sold $132.9 million in gummies, pre-rolls, drinks and other assorted THC-infused products.“I want to begin by apologizing to my fellow commissioners regarding the way I made an announcement before I left our July 28th meeting. I know I caught you off guard and I know that there was some concern about that,” she said Thursday.“At the time,” she added, “I believed I was alerting you to an important eventuality that I only discovered the day before.”The $181,722-a-year chair of the commission went on to say: “I was not graceful in doing it. I apologize for what I did.”O’Brien explained she was motivated by a desire to comply with the...

Varsho has 5 RBIs, Ryu gets first win since surgery as Jays avoid sweep, beat Cubs 11-4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Daulton Varsho homered and had five RBIs, Hyun Jin Ryu pitched five innings to win for the first time since returning from elbow surgery, and the Toronto Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Chicago Cubs 11-4 on Sunday.Whit Merrifield had four hits, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and two RBIs and Brandon Belt reached base four times as the Blue Jays used 14 hits to snap a three-game losing streak.The Cubs lost for the seventh time in 25 games. Chicago is 19-10 since the All-Star break and 8-4 in August.Varsho hit a three-run home run off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (7-7) in Toronto’s five-run second inning, then added a two-run single off righty Hayden Wesneski in the fourth.Chicago’s Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run home run off right-hander Jay Jackson in the seventh, his 20th.Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson had two hits, including a two-run double in the first. Belt’s fielding error at first base on Ian Happ’s grounder meant the runs were unearned.Ryu...

Sonny Gray strikes out 7, Jordan Luplow homers and leads the Twins past the Phillies 3-0

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sonny Gray tossed two-hit ball over six shutout innings, reliever Caleb Thielbar pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and Jordan Luplow homered to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.The AL Central leaders bounced back from a 13-2 loss in the series opener to win the last two games. Gray (6-5) struck out seven and pitched into the sixth inning in his eighth straight start.Gray allowed just two singles and otherwise quieted a Phillies’ offense that had hit 20 homers over the last eight games.Yet after 80 pitches, that was enough for Gray.It almost cost the Twins.Griffin Jax allowed two singles and hit a batter to load the bases with one out and to send the Philly crowd into a frenzy. Thielbar got the call from the bullpen and the lefty got left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber to pop out. Thielbar then went to a full count on Alec Bohm and caught him looking at strike three on a close call at the knees. Boh...

Rookie Tanner Bibee wins 7th consecutive decision as Guardians beat Rays 9-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tanner Bibee won his seventh consecutive decision and the Cleveland Guardians beat the AL wild-card-leading Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.Bibee (9-2) gave up two runs, seven hits and struck out five in seven innings.Andrés Giménez and Gabriel Arias homered for the Guardians, who had 15 hits. Five starters finished with two or more hits as the Cleveland won for the fifth time in 16 games.Rays starter Zach Eflin (12-7), seeking to become the AL’s first 13-game winner, allowed a season-high six runs and nine hits over three innings in an 82-pitch outing.Tampa Bay is 9-6 in it last 15 games after going an MLB-worse 5-15 from July 1-26. The Rays have lost 12 of 18 at home.Guardians All-Star third baseman José Ramírez served the second and final game of a suspension for fighting with Tim Anderson of the Chicago White SoxArias had a two-run homer and Steven Kwan added an RBI single in the second as Cleveland went ahead 4-0. Cleve...

Derek Carr throws a TD pass in his Saints debut, a 26-24 preseason win over the Chiefs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass in his New Orleans preseason debut and rookie Blake Grupe kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Saints to a 26-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the opening exhibition game for both clubs.Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes started but took just five snaps before Kansas City’s first drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 play on a direct snap to reserve tight end Blake Bell.Carr looked comfortable taking his first live snaps in his new offense, completing six of eight passes for 70 yards on the game’s opening drive.Aftrer twice rolling away from pressure on first-down completions to tight end Juwan Johnson and running back Alvin Kamara, Carr closed out the 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to Keith Kirkwood as the receiver crossed the back of the end zone.With backups in the game for both teams, the Saints rallied late.After rookie Jake Haener’s 2-yard scoring pass to running back Ellis Merri...

Triolo’ 1st big league homer leads Pirates over Reds 4-2 in doubleheader opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jared Triolo hit his first major league home run, a three-run drive as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in a doubleheader opener Sunday.Pittsburgh overcame a 2-0 deficit against the Reds, who lost for the ninth time in 11 games.Alex Williams started the comeback with an RBI single in the fifth.Liover Peguero walked against Lucas Sims starting the seventh and pinch-hitter Endy Rodriguez walked with one out against Alex Young (4-1).Triolo, in his 116th at-bat and 128th plate appearance, drove a full-count changeup to left.Angel Perdomo (3-2) pitched a hitless seventh inning. David Bednar allowed a ninth-inning triple to Will Benson but got his 24th save in 27 chances.Young lost for the first time with the Reds.Mitch Keller allowed two runs — one earned — five hits and three walks in six innings with seven strikeouts. Reds starter Brandon Williamson gave up one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings.Christian Enc...

India’s fightback in Florida comes to an end as West Indies wins Twenty20 cricket series 3-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

LAUDERHILL, Fla. (AP) — West Indies ended India’s fightback in Florida and won their five-match Twenty20 cricket series 3-2 after an eight-wicket victory on Sunday with 12 balls left.India, which lost the first two games of the series in the Caribbean, chose to bat first in the fifth T20 and scored 165-9 at Central Broward Stadium. In reply, West Indies reached 171-2 in 18 overs with both innings interrupted by bad weather.West Indies opener Brandon King propelled the chase from the start. His 55-ball 85 not out included six sixes — one of which brought up his 50 — and five fours. King shared a 107-run stand with Nicholas Pooran (47) for the second wicket. Earlier, India’s openers failed to repeat their dominance from only 24 hours earlier at the same stadium in the fourth T20, where they had a 165-run stand. This time Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) was out in the first over. He was caught and bowled by spinner Akeal Hosein (2-24), who then reduced India to 17-2 after Shubman Gill (9) w...

Western & Southern Open Results

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

SundayAt Lindner Family Tennis CenterCincinnatiPurse: $6,600,000Surface: Hardcourt outdoorCINCINNATI (AP) _ Results Sunday from Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center (seedings in parentheses):Men’s SinglesQualificationArthur Fils (2), France, def. Zhang Zhizhen (8), China, 6-3, 6-3.Corentin Moutet, France, def. Daniel Altmaier (3), Germany, 6-4, 6-4.Jordan Thompson (4), Australia, def. Marc-Andrea Huesler, Switzerland, 6-3, 6-4.Dusan Lajovic (10), Serbia, def. Jason Kubler, Australia, 6-4, 6-4.Alexander Shevchenko, Russia, def. Diego Schwartzman, Argentina, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.Max Purcell, Australia, def. Alexei Popyrin (5), Australia, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4.Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australia, def. Daniel Elahi Galan (11), Colombia, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2.Men’s SinglesRound of 64Ben Shelton, United States, def. Christopher Eubanks, United States, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.Women’s SinglesQualificationAnn Li, United States, def. Alize Cornet (12), France, 6-3, 6-3.Cristina Bucsa, Spain...

Hunter Biden’s lawyer: Expanded charges not warranted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

A lawyer for Hunter Biden said he’s committed to avoiding a trial for the U.S. president’s son, whose legal entanglements are set to remain in focus during the 2024 election campaign after his plea deal collapsed.Going to trial is “not inevitable,” attorney Abbe Lowell said on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday. “We were trying to avoid one all along.”President Joe Biden’s son faces a potentially extended probe after Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday elevated the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden, Delaware-based U.S. Attorney David Weiss, to a special counsel. While that widens Weiss’s powers, Lowell said he sees no reason for further charges after a “painstaking” five-year probe.“If anything changes from his conclusion, which was two tax misdemeanors and a diverted gun charge, the question should be asked what infected the process that was not the facts of the law,” Lowell said.Hunter Biden had been expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax crimes and enter an agree...

Pence confirms indictment details, says Trump asked him to defy Constitution

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:42 GMT

Former Vice President Mike Pence continued his heel turn on his ex-boss over the weekend, taking to the Sunday shows to confirm some allegations included in a felony indictment against the former president which Trump recently denied.Trump called his one-time number-two “too honest” and asked him to ignore the U.S. Constitution, Pence said Sunday of conversations the pair had privately and which are included in a federal indictment charging Trump with three counts of conspiracy that Trump says never occurred.“It’s part of a dialogue that happened between the president and me. And that was related, I think, to a bogus lawsuit that was brought to try and force my hand, to have a federal judge say that I had the right to throw out votes,” Pence said in an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press.Trump has been charged for allegedly entering into a conspiracy with six unindicted co-conspirators to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct the counting of electoral college vote...