Four astronauts fly SpaceX back home, end 5-month mission

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Four astronauts fly SpaceX back home, end 5-month mission CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four space station astronauts returned to Earth late Saturday after a quick SpaceX flight home. Their capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida coast near Tampa.The U.S.-Russian-Japanese crew spent five months at the International Space Station, arriving last October. Besides dodging space junk, the astronauts had to deal with a pair of leaking Russian capsules docked to the orbiting outpost and the urgent delivery of a replacement craft for the station’s other crew members. Led by NASA’s Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman to fly in space, the astronauts checked out of the station early Saturday morning. Less than 19 hours later, their Dragon capsule was bobbing in the sea as they awaited pickup.Earlier in the week, high wind and waves in the splashdown zones kept them at the station a few extra days. Their replacements arrived more than a week ago.“That was one heck of a ride,” Mann radioed moments after splas...

Longhorns crush Jayhawks (again) to win Big 12 tournament title, automatic bid to March Madness

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Longhorns crush Jayhawks (again) to win Big 12 tournament title, automatic bid to March Madness KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns sewed up the Big 12 Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a blowout 76-56 win over the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 tournament title game Saturday at T-Mobile Center.It's the second time in a week that the Longhorns have hammered the Jayhawks. Texas won 75-59 on March 4 at Moody Center to finish the regular season, and then the squads met again to settle the tournament title with essentially the same result. Texas won its second Big 12 tournament title in program history, the first coming in 2021 under Shaka Smart.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIn a postgame interview with ESPN, Longhorns interim head coach Rodney Terry said Texas had to do a good job defending against Kansas' "supporting cast," and they did exactly that. Big 12 player of the year Jalen Wilson scored a game-high 24 points, but the only ot...

Tailgate planned for Battlehawks opener

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Tailgate planned for Battlehawks opener ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Battlehawks fans are ready for the return of football to St. Louis on Sunday.“Let’s show the XFL that this is the number one city,” said Chris Grayer, a BattleHawks fan with tickets for Sunday’s first home game. He drove to St. Louis from Tennessee to support the team.The Battlehawks are hosting a tailgate party before Sunday’s 3 p.m. game and other area venues, including Ballpark Village, are ready to welcome fans on Sunday. “It’s so exciting,” said BattleHawks fan Kathleen McGuire. “This is exactly what St. Louis needs right now.”The team recently announced ticket sales expanded to the upper level of The Dome at America’s Center for Sunday’s game. BattleHawks fan Lou McGuire was buying tickets on Saturday. He said, “Most people in St. Louis know that St. Louis is a great sports town.”Mike Morreale lives in Chesterfield and drove downtown Saturday to buy tickets for Sunday’s game. He said, I wouldn’t be surprised if they pack the house for football all season...

Teen in custody after fatal north St. Louis County shooting

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Teen in custody after fatal north St. Louis County shooting ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. -- Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in north St. Louis County.Officers were called to the 6900 block of Glenvale Court after noon Saturday to investigate a shooting. They found a man inside a home suffering from a gunshot wound.First responders tried to save his life, but the man succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Top story: St. Louis fire chief warns railroads to hand over life-saving supplies Police took a 17-year-old into custody in connection with the crime. He knew the victim.This remains an active investigation. Call St. Louis County Police at 636-529-8210 if you have any information. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, please contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477.

St. Patrick's parade marches through Downtown St. Louis

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

St. Patrick's parade marches through Downtown St. Louis ST. LOUIS -- The 54th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade is back, painting downtown green and sharing the spirit of Ireland.For Irish Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, this was her first time in St. Louis, attending the parade."I woke up this morning and I could hear the music, and to see so many people dressed in green, honoring my country - honoring our shared heritage, is just a phenomenal feeling," said Irish Senator Fiona O'Loughlin.The parade kicked off at noon at 20th and Market, traveling east on Market, to its conclusion at Broadway and Clark.And kicking off the festivities was the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade Run. It's a tradition that welcomes more than five-thousand runners on a 5-mile course through downtown.The parade had 120 units, 12 Irish arts units, eight marching bands, and eight helium balloons."I'm very proud of all of our volunteers. We have a committee of over 80 people and families that put on this event, hosting 300,000 people through the streets of St. Louis," said...

Roosevelt girls beat Windsor in Class 5A championship for first hoops title in school history

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Roosevelt girls beat Windsor in Class 5A championship for first hoops title in school history With no seniors on the roster, the Roosevelt girls gritted their way to the first basketball title in school history Saturday at the Denver Coliseum.And with that crown, the uber-tough Rough Riders put the state on notice: The Johnstown school is just getting started. With everybody coming back, mark them down as the favorites in 2024. And 2025 while you’re at it.“This is just the beginning,” said sophomore combo guard Ryanne Bahnsen-Price, who led Roosevelt with 13 points. “We’ve got at least the next two in our sights. This is a young, hungry team and now we’re on the map.”Roosevelt beat Windsor 54-44 in the Class 5A championship, using their trademark pressure plus sharpshooting, hustle and poise to pull away in the second half. It marked the Wizards’ third consecutive title game defeat after losing to Mullen in the Class 4A championship each of the past two years.Freshman forward Kyla Hollier had 10 points and nine rebounds in addi...

Denver East, Rudy Carey make Colorado history with Class 6A title win over Fossil Ridge

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Denver East, Rudy Carey make Colorado history with Class 6A title win over Fossil Ridge At first, D’Aundre Samuels thought it was over. It was the same ankle. The right one. The one he’d injured three or four times already at East, including earlier this season.“Always the same ankle,” Samuels recalled with a bittersweet smile after he’d helped to lead the Angels to the program’s 12th state basketball title Saturday afternoon. “The right leg. Always.”Despite twisting that same ankle during an awkward landing that sent him writhing on the Denver Coliseum floor in pain midway through the third quarter, the senior guard poured in 25 points as East pulled away late from Fossil Ridge, 82-61, to notch the Class 6A boys’ basketball state crown.A gimpy Samuels still finished with eight rebounds and seven assists — including a handful of helpers to teammate Jack Greenwood, who connected on five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 27 points. Classmates Gil Gonzalez and Austin Mohr chipped in with 11 points and nine points, respectively, to pull East into a tie w...

Kiszla: Prep legends Rudy Carey and Dick Kotte proof basketball wisdom never grows old

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Kiszla: Prep legends Rudy Carey and Dick Kotte proof basketball wisdom never grows old The two philosopher kings of Colorado prep hoops, with 17 state championships and nearly 1,800 victories between them, crossed paths in a quiet corner of the Denver Coliseum, far from view of an amped-up crowd buzzing in anticipation of the biggest game of the season.Denver East coach Rudy Carey clasped his hands, bent at the waist like a samurai and respectfully bowed his head toward the heart of Denver Christian legend Dick Katte.Sixty minutes prior to tipoff of the Class 6A championship game between East and Fossil Ridge on Saturday, Katte told Carey: “Go do good, young man.”Then with the calm of a basketball Yoda, Katte reassured Carey: “I know you will do well.”Led by the gravity-defying drives of D’Aundre Samuels and the pure-as-falling-snow jump shot of Jack Greenwood, East then went out and ran a very good Fossil Ridge team into the ground, winning 82-61.Well, could you kindly give me a rewrite of the Colorado prep history book?While eavesdropping on the conversation between...

Cale Makar overtime goal finally dispatches pesky Coyotes after Avs don’t allow shot on goal in third period

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Cale Makar overtime goal finally dispatches pesky Coyotes after Avs don’t allow shot on goal in third period The Avs seem to encounter few obstacles more mystifying than a Coyotes team with nothing to lose.They will see Arizona two more times before the end of March. They’ll have those two chances to more convincingly crack the code of a supposedly easy opponent that has refused to give Colorado any cakewalks.The latest in that dizzying saga was the Avalanche’s 3-2 overtime win Saturday at Ball Arena. It took a Cale Makar sudden-death goal to snap a three-game losing streak against the Coyotes dating back to February 2022.“There’s no guaranteed wins. You’re going to have to go win them all, and that’s a good hockey team,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “I know they are where they are in their rebuild, and whatever. But they are a dangerous team. They’ve beaten some good teams. … You have to play for keeps against them.”Makar usually starts overtime for the Avalanche, but he came off the bench this time while Devon Toews,...

Rockies spring training report: Mike Moustakas goes 1-for-3 in debut

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 10:35:19 GMT

Rockies spring training report: Mike Moustakas goes 1-for-3 in debut Veteran infielder Mike Moustakas, signed to a minor-league contract last week to shore up Colorado’s infield after Brendan Rodgers went down with a shoulder injury, made his Rockies debut Saturday against Seattle. He started at third base and went 1-for-3 with a run scored.Manager Bud Black was eager to see Moustakas in action.“The thing that I’m excited about is that Mike is excited,” Black told MLB.com. “He came in full of energy and committed to showing that he still has something left in the tank, which I think is awesome. The last couple of years he’s been banged up, but he’s in a good spot physically and he wants to contribute.”Roster shuffle: Right-handed reliever Riley Pint was optioned to Triple-A camp on Saturday but there is still a chance that the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft could finally make his big-league debut this season. Pint sustained a setback during camp when he was sidelined by a left oblique injury befo...