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Jason Sudeikis stars in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 4 official trailer

Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham in 'Ted Lasso' season 4. (Apple TV)

Believe it — the official trailer for Ted Lasso season 4 has arrived.

Apple TV has released a new trailer for the fourth season of its hit comedy series. According to the streamer, season 4 finds Ted returning to Richmond to coach a second division women's football team. The official description calls it Ted's biggest challenge yet.

"Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would," the synopsis reads.

Jason Sudeikis is back starring as the titular coach. Also returning are fan favorites Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift.

New to the show this season are Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern and Grant Feely.

The trailer finds Ted welcomed back to Richmond by his good pal Roy Kent, who is played by Goldstein.

"Oi! Welcome back. It's good to see you," Roy says before hugging Ted in front of the pasted-back-together BELIEVE sign.

At the end of the trailer, Hunt's Coach Beard asks a member of the second division women's football team, "But football is life?"

She responds, "No, life is so much more than football."

Ted smiles, before saying, "Not as catchy, but true."

New episodes of Ted Lasso will premiere to Apple TV each Wednesday from Aug. 5 to Oct. 7.

Tornado that carved a path of destruction in Wisconsin stayed on the ground for more than 20 minutes

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — First responders searched damaged homes and buildings on Tuesday for possible victims of a powerful tornado that carved a path of destruction through several northeastern Wisconsin communities.

The twister touched down in the Fox Cities region, which includes Appleton, Menasha and Neenah, at around 1 p.m. Monday and remained on the ground for more than 20 minutes as it cut a roughly 12-mile path of destruction through an area, the National Weather Service reported. It was nearly a mile (1.6 kilometers) across at its widest, and it destroyed homes and businesses, flipped cars and knocked down rows of power lines in the region, which is roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.

The timing — it blew in when most people were awake and after warnings had been issued — could be why there have been no reported deaths, authorities said.

“I think what helped us was it was during the week,” Menasha Police Chief Matt Albrecht said at a news conference Tuesday. “Everybody was at work. It was the middle of the day. Most people were not at home and at their place of employment.”

Authorities said a number of people were injured and treated at hospitals, but they didn’t know exactly how many or how seriously.

“The depth of the tornado and its impact is incredible, devastating. We’re really still at the assessment stage,” Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz told reporters.

Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency for the affected areas.

As chain saws roared in the background, Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford said a number of neighborhoods were “truly devastated.” Like elsewhere in the region, electricity lines were tangled around broken trees, making power restoration a slow, risky process.

More than 14,000 customers in Winnebago and Outagamie counties were still without power Tuesday afternoon, about 1,000 fewer than earlier in the day, according to PowerOutage.us. It could be several days before power is restored.

Shelters were opened for displaced residents. A boil water advisory was issued for part of a water system in Fox Crossing that lost pressure.
It was a relatively powerful twister

The twister was spun off by a large storm system that moved through the Great Lakes, fueled by a buildup of heat and humidity, the weather service said.

Weather service officials were assessing the damage Tuesday, said Roy Eckberg, an agency meteorologist.

“To get that kind of tornado is pretty rare in northeast Wisconsin, but they do happen from time to time,” he said, adding that it was unusual that the twister moved southward instead of to the east or northeast.

Preliminary data indicates it was an EF3 tornado, the weather service said, stronger than the EF2 estimate they made Monday.

Residents describe terrifying moments

Heather Schroeder said she heard cracking and popping all around her as the twister tore apart a laundromat, bakery and tavern along a street corner in Menasha.

Rescue workers pulled someone out of one of the buildings and it wasn’t clear if they had survived, said Schroeder, who works nearby. Cars were turned upside-down, and there was a gas leak at the laundromat, she said.

“There’s nothing left,” Schroeder said.

Aerial video Tuesday showed homes in Menasha without roofs or that had been completely hollowed out.

Greg Van Driest was working in downtown Appleton when the sky got as dark as night.

“The word we all were using was ‘ominous,’” he said. “It’s like, ‘Whoa, look at that.’ … You looked outside and you thought it was three in the morning, it was that dark.”

Hintz, the Winnebago County executive, said he received multiple reports of buildings destroyed and vehicles overturned. All storm warnings that could be made ahead of time to get people to safety were activated, he said.

“Obviously when you look at the damage, Mother Nature doesn’t really care,” he said.

Defending national champion Indiana has a league-high three players earn Big Ten preseason honors

CHICAGO (AP) — Defending national champion Indiana has three of the 12 players selected for preseason honors to lead all teams.

Rather than putting together a traditional preseason all-conference team, the Big Ten has a media panel select 12 players for preseason honors without regard to position. Indiana’s representatives include wide receiver Charlie Becker, linebacker Rolijah Hardy and defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker.

Ohio State, Oregon and Rutgers each had two players selected. Quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith made it for Ohio State. Oregon’s picks were quarterback Dante Moore and defensive back Koi Perich. The Rutgers honorees were wide receiver KJ Duff and running back Antwan Raymond.

Other players earning preseason honors included Iowa offensive lineman Kade Pieper, Minnesota defensive lineman Anthony Smith and Southern California quarterback Jayden Maiava.

Chicharito signed by expansion Atlético Dallas in the USL Championship

DALLAS (AP) – Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, the all-time leading scorer for the Mexican national team, has signed with Atlético Dallas in the USL Championship.

Hernández is the first player signed by the expansion club, which will begin play next year in the second-tier of U.S. professional soccer, below Major League Soccer. The 38-year-old Hernández signed a two-year-deal with an option for a third year, Dallas announced on Monday.

“I believe Dallas deserves a club that reflects its passion for football, its diversity, and its future,” Hernández said in a statement. “I want to help create a winning culture, inspire young players across North Texas, and give our supporters a team they can believe in from the very beginning. I didn’t come here simply to finish my career. I came here to help build the future of football in Dallas.”

A striker, Hernández played for Mexico in three World Cups. He has scored an team high of 52 goals in 109 matches, but has not played for the national team since 2019.

His club career includes stops in the Premier League and the German Bundesliga. He played for Manchester United from 2010-14, with 37 goals in 103 appearances. More recently he played in MLS for the LA Galaxy from 2020-23, scoring 38 goals in 74 games, before spending the 2024-25 season with Guadalajara in Liga MX.

Hernández was part of the FOX broadcast team for the recent World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, serving as an analyst.

“Javier gives us world-class quality on the field, but just as importantly he brings professionalism, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to winning. Those qualities become contagious inside a locker room, and they’re exactly what we want this club to represent from day one,” said sporting director Brian Corcoran. “His willingness to mentor, combined with the qualities he will bring on the field makes this a perfect first signing for our club.”

Former LaLiga and Ligue 1 midfielder Peter Luccin was named the team’s first coach in February.

Nuggets match Thunder’s offer sheet and will bring back Spencer Jones for a third season

DENVER (AP) — Spencer Jones will return to Denver for a third season after the team matched the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offer sheet, the Nuggets announced Monday.

The Thunder had offered a guaranteed two-year, $12 million offer sheet, according to ESPN.

The Nuggets signed Jones out of Stanford as a free agent in 2024. His retention as a restricted free agent brings with it severe financial implications for Denver, which faces a $32 million increase in current luxury taxes, according to multiple reports.

Jones started 37 of 64 games last season and averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. He shot an NBA-best 69.2% on 3-pointers in the playoffs.

Female athletes surge in NIL deals as Learfield reports a 123% jump in participation

NEW YORK (AP) – College sports marketing company Learfield saw a 123% increase in female athlete participation in name, image and likeness compensation activities over the 2025-26 fiscal year, the company revealed in a report released Tuesday.

Solly Fulp, Learfield’s head of NIL, doesn’t think the rapid surge is a coincidence.

“What we’re discovering with female student-athletes and their engagement with our brands is they’re excellent content creators and storytellers, they’re generally social media savvy and they have a genuine brand enthusiasm,” Fulp said.

Since the NCAA approved NIL compensation in July 2021, high revenue-generating sports like football and basketball have topped the list of earners. Five years later, women’s sports are beginning to close the gap, with women’s basketball ranking third in all sports and softball creeping into the top five behind baseball.

“It’s not just an emerging market now — it’s accelerating,” Fulp said. “It’s awesome for us to see when it comes to not just the focus being on football, men’s basketball and the revenue sports, but seeing the Olympic sports really step front and center.”

Brands most frequently partnered with athletes through production shoots, social media content, ambassador programs, public appearances and autograph sessions. Restaurants led all sponsor categories, followed by financial services, health care and business and professional services.

Twenty-two national brands struck deals with college athletes over the fiscal year, including Geico, SeatGeek, State Farm, EA Sports, Uber, AT&T and Marriott. More than 260 athletes across 69 schools were featured in national campaigns.

Fulp said the return on investment is high for all parties when athletes pursue deals catered to their specific passions and interests.

“The authenticity is coming out in the content and storytelling that they provide in these campaigns … it humanizes the partnership and provides that deeper connection,” Fulp said. “The brands are definitely seeing the benefits with the engagement rates related to those campaigns.”

Rangers put themselves in good position as only AL West team with a winning record

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have put themselves in a good position in the AL West just by having a winning record.

Texas (54-52) is the only team in the division not under .500 with about one-third of the regular season remaining, and now less than a week before next Monday’s trade deadline. The Rangers have a two-game lead over in-state nemesis Houston (53-55) and are 2 1/2 games in front of reigning division champion Seattle (52-55) after taking three of four against the Mariners.

“Every win matters, but I think the ones right before the deadline, there’s always a little more stress … especially in a situation where you could go either way,” said Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson, who homered twice in the series-ending 7-3 win over Seattle on Monday. “But I think we put ourselves in a good spot, and we’ve got to continue to play like that.”

The Mariners, who last year won their first AL West title since 2001, have lost 11 of 16 games. They led for only three innings during the four games in Texas, all after a four-run seventh inning Sunday on the way to a 6-4 win, the first time in 46 games this season the Rangers lost when leading after six.

“I think we looked at the series as if we split it, it was a failure, with where the AL West is and the AL wild card is,” Texas first baseman Jake Burger said. “I think we showed what type of team we can be.”

The Rangers won their only World Series title in 2023 after getting into the playoffs as a wild card, but last won the West in 2016. They missed the playoffs the past two seasons, when only the AL West champion made the postseason — which could very well happen again this year.

Houston (53-55) won seven of the previous eight AL West titles before last season. The Astros had been in third place for a month before a four-run rally in the ninth inning Monday night gave them their sixth win in seven games, 6-4 over the last-place Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game series.
Head-to-head in the West

Texas has already clinched its season series — and potential tiebreaker — against the Mariners, up 7-3 with a three-game series left at Seattle in early September.

The Mariners still have five games to play against Houston, but have that season series in hand by a 7-1 margin.

As for the Lone Star State rivals, the Astros are 6-4 against the Rangers. They wrap up their season series with three games in Houston next weekend, after Texas plays three games at AL-best Tampa Bay.

“There are guys in there that are doing whatever they can to make that second-half push, because they know what it means when you get there,” first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “Whatever we do, we’re focused on winning to try to get in. … It’s go-time.”
Staying on top despite injuries

The Rangers have stayed in first place even with two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager missing the past 20 games because of lower back inflammation. He also was out for 19 games earlier this season because of his back, and missed another 12 following a concussion.

Third baseman Josh Jung is sidelined by a left calf strain. Both of the team’s opening-day catchers, Danny Jansen (right forearm strain) and Kyle Higashioka (right flexor strain), are also on the IL.

Seager had consecutive days of live batting practice and could begin a short minor league rehab assignment Tuesday. There are also questions about whether the Rangers might consider trading the 32-year-old shortstop, who is in the fifth season of his $325 million, 10-year contract.

Veteran left-hander Jordan Montgomery, part of the Rangers’ World Series title after being a trade-deadline acquisition that summer, is close to making his season debut, maybe in the finale at Tampa Bay. He left in free agency after the 2023 season for a deal in Arizona, then missed all of 2025 after a second elbow reconstruction surgery. He re-signed with the Rangers at the start of spring training.

David Rancken’s App of the Day 07/28/26 – AntiZuck Smart Glasses Scanner!

How would like a meta glasses radar on your iPhone so that you can know if you are being recorded? Find David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called AntiZuck Smart Glasses Scanner. You can get AntiZuck Smart Glasses Scanner in the Apple Store.

Runway expansion vote coming

ATHENS – Athens City Council members are expected to approve two resolutions totaling $3 million next Monday to provide a major financial boost for a new expanded runway at the Athens Municipal Airport.

According to our news partner KETK, this local funding adds to the $14 million allocated by Texas lawmakers in 2025 for airport improvements serving Henderson County. The local funding includes a $1.5 million contribution from the Athens Economic Development Corporation.

Before construction can begin, the project requires several approvals. Athens City Manager Elizabeth Borstad said the next step is to obtain approval for an amendment to the airport’s layout plan. Continue reading Runway expansion vote coming

Wall Street’s flip from AI stocks to elsewhere accelerates, while oil prices keep easing

NEW YORK (AP) — Most of Wall Street is rising Tuesday, even as stocks of computer chipmakers continue to tumble worldwide. Oil prices, meanwhile, are easing further from the two-month high they hit last week.

The S&P 500 rose 0.3% in midday trading, but the modest move masked big swings underneath the surface. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 567 points, or 1.1%, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite, which is full of AI stocks, was down 0.1% after briefly dropping 9.3% below its record set last month.

The majority of the U.S. market rose after more companies delivered stronger profits for the spring than analysts expected. Coca-Cola climbed 6.1% after its revenue rose 7% despite what CEO Henrique Braun called “a dynamic consumer landscape.”

Sherwin-Williams rallied 8.1%, and Illinois Tool Works rose 4.4% after both likewise reported stronger earnings for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Stock prices generally follow the trend of corporate profits over the long term, and expectations are high for this most recent round with the U.S. stock market still near its all-time high.
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AP AUDIO: Wall Street’s flip from AI stocks to elsewhere accelerates, while oil prices keep easing

Most of Wall Street rises as oil prices ease, even as chip stocks keep dropping.

Such expectations are weighing particularly heavily on stocks of chipmakers and other companies that have been huge winners from the boom in artificial-intelligence technology.

Micron Technology’s stock has more than tripled this year following gangbuster growth, for example. During the quarter through May 28, its revenue more than quadrupled from a year earlier.

But worries are rising about whether such growth is sustainable. Big spenders on computer memory could pull back on their investments if AI does not produce as much profit or productivity as promised. Lower-cost AI models from China could also mean less demand for memory and computing power than earlier expected.

Micron dropped 9.1% and was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500. Others also helping to drag the market lower were Advanced Micro Devices, down 7.8%, and Applied Materials, down 7.9%.

The losses for AI chip stocks were even sharper earlier in the day in other markets worldwide.

Sharp drops for SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics dragged South Korea’s Kospi index down 10.8%. The market’s losses were so big that trading was temporarily halted at times in Seoul.

“We believe the market was likely spooked by the progress of China’s chipmaking equipment capabilities, and was worried that this progress would threaten the competitive position of global chipmaking and chip equipment leaders,” said equity analyst Jing Jie Yu of Morningstar.

“That said, we believe the sell-off today is largely a knee-jerk reaction and overdone,” he said. The dominant position of global chipmaking leaders is unlikely to be threatened meaningfully, he said.

Several huge spenders on AI chips and data centers are scheduled to report their latest quarterly results this week, which could offer updates on how much they’re planning to invest. Meta Platforms and Microsoft are reporting on Wednesday, while Amazon is due on Thursday.

Because AI superstar stocks have grown so big, their movements carry more weight on the S&P 500 and other indexes than many other companies. But Wall Street could hold up despite their swings if other, less-loved areas of the market are able to keep rising. It’s a rotation that some strategists have suggested could be healthy for the overall stock market.

In the oil market, the price for a barrel of Brent crude to be delivered in October fell 4.2% to $82.24.

It’s been falling since late last week, when the price for a barrel to be delivered in September briefly shot as high as $102.

Pushing up on prices have been worries that worsening fighting in the Middle East could slow the global flow of oil. On the other side, though, are hopes that the United States and Iran could still negotiate something to allow oil tankers to use the Strait of Hormuz to move crude.

Lower oil prices helped to ease Treasury yields in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.59% from 4.65% late Monday.

A weaker-than-expected reading on confidence among U.S. consumers also weighed on yields. Fewer consumers are saying they feel good about current business conditions, according to the latest survey released by the Conference Board Tuesday.

The drop in oil prices helped push traders to trim their bets that the Federal Reserve could announce a hike to interest rates following its latest meeting on Wednesday. They’re forecasting a 31.5% probability, down from more than 36% a day before, according to data from CME Group.

Higher rates could keep a lid on inflation, but they would also slow the economy by making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow. Long-term mortgage rates have already hit their highest level in nearly a year, chilling the housing industry.

Kentucky governor calls on McConnell to ‘verbally address’ Kentuckians or resign

Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at the 38th Annual Michigan Democratic Women's Caucus Legacy Luncheon on April 18, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on Monday for Sen. Mitch McConnell to either "verbally" show proof to Kentuckians that he can still serve in the Senate or to resign from Congress.

"Important events are happening in our country right now during your absence," Beshear, a Democrat, wrote in a letter to the Republican senator, according to a copy obtained by ABC News.

McConnell has been hospitalized since June 14, according to his office, which said on July 12 that the 84-year-old senator was recovering from a fall that left him briefly unconscious. He also had to deal with a "mild case of pneumonia," his office said.

"President [Donald] Trump is stuck in a war of his own making and has greatly strengthened the very country he claims is a threat," Beshear wrote. "Prices continue to rise, crushing Americans who are working hard but not getting ahead. Americans' voting rights are being eliminated by the Supreme Court and threatened by congressional action. All while you are absent and refuse to communicate clearly and directly to the people you serve."

"As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign," he added.

ABC News reached out to McConnell's office for comment, but didn't immediately receive a response.

The letter followed a statement issued on Monday by McConnell's office, in which the senator said he would miss an upcoming Kentucky political event in order to continue his rehabilitation.

"I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders," McConnell said in the statement.

McConnell's office also included a new image of the senator and his wife, Elaine Chao, that it said was taken on Sunday, July 26.

Beshear on Monday also sent a separate letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, calling on Thune to investigate McConnell’s condition and, if McConnell does not show he can continue serving in the Senate, to begin the process of potentially expelling McConnell from the chamber.

"Per our research, a vacancy in the Senate occurs when a senator dies, resigns, or is expelled by a vote of the Senate itself," Beshear wrote in the letter to Thune. "If Senator McConnell is unwilling to voluntarily show that he still has the capacity to serve, I will insist that you as the Majority Leader of the Senate fully investigate his condition, report to the American people, and begin the process if warranted."

Beshear as governor does not have the authority to alter McConnell’s standing in the Senate. If McConnell’s seat were to become vacant, Beshear would likely have to set up a special election to fill it.

Kentucky lawmakers previously passed legislation that blocked the governor from having the ability to appoint a temporary replacement.

New facility named after NFL alumn

LONGVIEW – The Longview ISD reported that Monday night’s board meeting played host to the approval the “Trent Williams Multipurpose Indoor Facility.” The building’s construction at Longview High School is part of their 2024 Bond package. According to a social media post from the district, Williams’ parents were present at the meeting and witnessed the public’s applause as the school board passed the motion. Continue reading New facility named after NFL alumn

Powerful earthquake rocks Japan, damaging buildings and mall in south

An infographic titled "7.1-magnitude earthquake hits Japan" created in Ankara, Turkiye on July 28, 2026. (Photo by Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

(TOKYO and LONDON) -- A powerful earthquake rocked southern Japan on Tuesday, damaging building, causing injuries and prompting warnings from officials, according to local authorities and broadcasts.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake measured at a magnitude of 6.8 after initially releasing a preliminary magnitude of 7.1.

It struck Kyushu Island, in the Kumamoto Prefecture, shortly before 4:30 p.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, where a large shopping mall has been damaged.

The shopping mall was evacuated when the quake struck, Japan's NHK News reported, adding that there appeared to have been an explosion in the aftermath of the earthquake and that injuries were reported in the area.

Aerials taken from above the shopping mall appeared to show that a number of walls, as well as the roof, partially collapsed. NHK reported that the fire department said the second floor of the building collapsed.

The quake struck about 6 miles below the island, which is the southernmost of the main Japanese islands, according to local and U.S. weather officials.

The quake prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue and later lift a tsunami advisory for the coasts of the Ariake Sea and the Yatsushiro Sea.

The agency warned that further quakes may strike the area in the coming days, with an official saying, "As the place where the latest earthquake occurred is shallow, this shows that many earthquakes have occurred."

The rumbling on Tuesday afternoon lasted for about a minute, according to Japan's NHK News, which broadcast images of apparent smoke or fire nearby.

The prefecture's airport, Kumamoto Airport, in Mashiki, suspended flights all flights shortly after the quake, according to a notice posted on its website.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said in an emergency update that it had not recorded "abnormalities" at nearby facilities in Ikata, Genkai and Satsumasendai City.

Several thousand homes were without power following the quake, NHK reported.

Officials urged people to stay away from the ocean and the sea shore. They also warned residents to watch for possible landslides.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said strong shaking could be felt in both city of Uki and the town of Hikawa. She warned of potential tsunamis of about a meter, or just over 3 feet, near the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas.

"I urge residents in areas that experienced strong shaking to remain vigilant against the possibility of further earthquakes of similar magnitude," she said in a statement posted in Japanese on social media.

ABC News' Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

In brief: ‘The Chosen’ season 6 teaser trailer and more

Fans of the King of Pop will soon get to watch Michael at home. The music biopic about Michael Jackson will begin streaming on Starz on Aug. 10. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. Jaafar Jackson stars as his uncle in the film, which also features performances by Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Miles Teller and Laura Harrier ...

The teaser trailer for The Chosen season 6 has arrived. Prime Video shared its first trailer for the upcoming season, which premieres Nov. 15. New episodes are set to debut weekly through Dec. 6. Its season finale will arrive as a theatrical film, which is set for release on March 12, 2027. Season 6 will cover the events of Jesus' final day through the lives of the people who loved him ...

Morgan Spector has found his next role. The actor is set to star as Robert Langdon in the upcoming Netflix series adaptation of The Secret of Secrets. This new show will be based on the mystery thriller novel from bestselling author Dan Brown. Specifically, it will cover the sixth installment in his Robert Langdon series ...

Joc Pederson hits first 2 of Rangers’ 4 homers in 7-3 win over Mariners to take key AL West series

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson homered twice to drive in four runs and Ezequiel Duran and Jake Burger also went deep for the Texas Rangers in a 7-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday. They took three of four in the series to stretch their AL West lead to 2 1/2 games.

All four homers came in the first three innings off George Kirby (8-9). The right-hander had been 9-1 with a 1.33 ERA in his previous 13 career starts against the Rangers.

Texas righty Kumar Rocker (4-8) struck out seven while allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He had thrown one-hit ball over six scoreless innings six days earlier in a win against the Chicago White Sox.

The Rangers (54-52), the only AL West team with a winning record, had a half-game lead over the Mariners before winning the first two games of the series. Seattle (52-55) won 6-4 Sunday, when Texas lost for the first time this season when leading after six innings.

Pederson got Texas started with his fifth leadoff homer, and the 32nd of his career. The opposite-field liner to left-center extended his hitting streak to eight games.

After Randy Arozarena’s tying homer in the second, Pederson hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the inning. Pederson’s 19th homer, his 13th hit in a span of 29 at-bats, landed in the first row of seats just beyond the wall in right.

Duran led off the third with a second-deck shot to left for his 12th homer. Three batters later, Burger had a two-run homer, his 19th time going deep, for a 7-2 lead.

It was the third time in Kirby’s 132 starts over five seasons that he allowed four homers in a game. He struck out three without a walk in four innings.
Up next

The Mariners and Rangers both open road series against league leaders on Tuesday night. Texas is at American League-best Tampa Bay, and Seattle heads to Los Angeles to play the National League-leading Dodgers.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pitchers Logan Schmidt and Aidan Knaak only players in top-10 rounds of MLB draft not to sign

NEW YORK (AP) — Pitchers Logan Schmidt and Aidan Knaak were the only two players among those picked in the first 10 rounds of baseball’s amateur draft who didn’t sign by Monday’s deadline to agree to deals.

Schmidt, an 18-year-old left-hander from Ganesha High School in California, was selected 59th overall by Cleveland on the second round, and is likely to attend LSU or a junior college. Because he didn’t sign, the Guardians get an extra selection next year at No. 60.

Knaak, a 21-year-old right-hander selected 163rd by Milwaukee on the fifth round, appears to be staying for a fourth season at Clemson.

Right-hander Gavin Giese, taken 85th by Tampa Bay on the third round, signed on the final day for a $997,500 bonus. His father Dan pitched in the major leagues from 2007-09 with San Francisco, the New York Yankees and Oakland.

Signing bonuses have totaled $409.3 million up from $401.8 million last year. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, selected first by the Chicago White Sox, agreed to an amateur draft record signing bonus of $10,347,500.

Major League Baseball last month proposed shortening the draft from 20 rounds to 12 in 2027, eliminating eligibility players from high school and junior college, and establishing hard slots totaling $200 million.

Just two picks from the top-10 rounds didn’t sign in 2025: right-hander Angel Cervantes, selected 50th overall by Pittsburgh on the second round, and outfielder Mason Ligenza, taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers 195th on the sixth round.

Pittsburgh got an extra pick at 51 this year.

The signing deadline does not apply to players who have exhausted college eligibility, a group that can sign until until a week before next year’s draft.

Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado, Detroit, Houston, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee, the New York Yankees, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and the Athletics all spent exactly 5% over their signing bonus pool, the maximum allowed before incurring the loss of a first-round pick in next year’s draft. No team has ever exceeded its signing bonus pool by more than 5%.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Astros take advantage of Angels meltdown to score 4 runs in 9th inning for 6-4 win

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk that forced home the go-ahead run in a four-run ninth inning, and the Houston Astros came back to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Monday night.

The Astros rallied in their final at-bat on a hit, two walks, two errors and two hit batters to hand the Angels their ninth loss this season when leading after eight innings.

Houston trailed 4-0 after three, but Taylor Trammell homered for a second straight game and the fifth time this season to cut it to 4-1 in the fourth.

Jeremy Peña doubled leading off the eighth against Ryan Zeferjahn, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Yordan Alvarez hit an RBI single to make it 4-2.

José Fermin (3-2) hit Trammell with a pitch leading off the ninth. Christian Walker singled and Trammell scored to make it 4-3 when second baseman Vaughn Grissom let Lucas Spence’s potential double-play grounder go through his legs for a costly error.

Sam Bachman entered and got an out before walking Alvarez intentionally to load the bases. Bachman grazed Isaac Paredes with a pitch to tie it, and Wade walked to give Houston the lead. Alvarez scored the final run when Jose Altuve reached on a fielding error by Bachman.

Tatsuya Imai didn’t make it out of the first inning for the third time this season in a start for Houston. He allowed a sacrifice fly to Nolan Schanuel and an RBI single to Grissom before AJ Blubaugh came in to get the final out of the inning.

Grissom hit his seventh homer — off Blubaugh — and Jo Adell blooped an RBI double to make it 4-0 in the third.

Cristian Javier (1-1) followed Blubaugh and struck out seven over five shutout innings for the win. Josh Hader walked two in the ninth before earning his 13th save.

Angels starter Walbert Ureña allowed a run on two hits in six innings and left with a 4-1 lead. Fermin got one out and was charged with three runs — one earned.

Chiefs assistant Eric Bieniemy’s son charged in shooting of his mother in Virginia, authorities say

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with the shooting of his mother, Mia Bieniemy, the wife of the Kansas City offensive coordinator, authorities in Virginia said Monday.

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded late Sunday to a shooting in Ashburn, Virginia, where the couple still had a home from Bieniemy’s time coaching the Washington Commanders. They found the 57-year-old Mia Bieniemy with multiple gunshot wounds, and she was transported to a hospital where she was in stable condition Monday.

Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of the couple, was arrested early Monday in connection with the shooting. He has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling, and is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation was ongoing.

Eric Bieniemy was with the Chiefs at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier Sunday. He was not present for Monday’s workout involving rookies, quarterbacks and a few veterans, which was closed to the public.

“Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers with them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said afterward. “I can’t get into details on it, but things happen sometimes, and Eric will work through it. He has a great support group here, as does his family, as needed, and we’ll just let time take care of it from there. But Mia is stable, which is a plus.

“She’s a saint, we all know that, those of you that know her. One of God’s great blessings,” Reid added. “But things happen. And you have to work through it. That’s where we’re at right now. Time will have to be involved in this to help heal.”

Reid did not know how long Bieniemy would be away from the team. Pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck will take over his duties as the Chiefs continue with offensive installations during training camp.

“On these things, real life. So you take care of that,” Reid said. “We’ll be able to keep it moving here, but the most important thing is EB has an opportunity to spend some time there are take care of that business.”

Eric Bieniemy was part of Reid’s initial staff in Kansas City in 2013, and spent five seasons as the running backs coach before he was promoted to offensive coordinator. Over the next five seasons, the demanding but popular Bieniemy helped the Chiefs to reach three Super Bowls and win two of them while directing one of the NFL’s best offenses.

He interviewed for several head-coaching jobs but was continually skipped over, so Bieniemy went to the Commanders in 2023 in hopes of burnishing his resume. But the team struggled and coach Ron Rivera’s staff was let go, and Bieniemy spent one season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA before spending last season as the running backs coach with the Bears.

Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs this season to replace Matt Nagy as the offensive coordinator. He was present for offseason workouts in Kansas City over the summer, and he was with the team when it began to report to training camp last week.

The Chiefs are off Tuesday. The first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University is Wednesday.

“It’s great to have (Bieniemy) back in the building,” Reid said last week. “He always brings great energy. I’ve told you, he’s one of the more phenomenal guys I have been around at being a leader of men. He is doing that. He’s in there cranking — works his tail off, and I appreciate that. Doesn’t let anything slide by. Does a good job with that.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning after collision with his teammate

PLANO, Texas (AP) — Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko, who broke his back in a frightening collision with a minor league teammate four weeks ago, posted on social media Monday he has made progress in his recovery and has regained some feeling in his legs.

Lasko had surgery June 30 to address a fractured C6-C7 vertebra. Lasko collided with Double-A Midland teammate Devin Taylor during a game in Frisco, Texas. Both dove for a flyball, and Lasko remained motionless on the field after the play.

“I’m currently feeling much better,” Lasko wrote on X. “I have sensation from my feet up to my knees, along with a lot of involuntary leg movements. I also have been getting some sensation in the side of my thighs, hamstrings and back. I currently have about 75% usage of my left hand and about 50% in my right.

“I’m very happy with my progress and once again, so very thankful for all the love and support. It has continued to help me get up everyday and work my hardest.”

The 24-year-old Lasko was selected by the Athletics in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from Rutgers. He was batting .209 with six homers, 34 RBIs and a .635 OPS for Midland this season.

Lasko appeared in 13 games at Triple-A Las Vegas last year. He also played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League for promising prospects, batting .357 with nine stolen bases.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Zelenskyy will visit Trump at the White House before Sen. Graham’s funeral

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Tuesday ahead of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral, their second sit-down this month and after a far-right activist with the U.S. president’s ear had a widely publicized change of heart on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Trump is set to welcome Zelenskyy to the White House as the Ukrainian leader travels to Washington to honor Graham, whose final act as a public official was visiting Kyiv and securing an agreement on a package of sanctions that seek to punish countries that purchase Russian oil, gas and other exports.

But Zelenskyy is now being bolstered by an unusual source: Laura Loomer, known primarily for her incendiary social media posts and her influence with the president. Traveling through Ukraine, Loomer has witnessed Moscow’s barrage firsthand and interviewed Zelenskyy while admitting she was “bamboozled by Russian propaganda.”

Loomer said she spoke to Trump after she met with Zelenskyy in Ukraine last week, and she also expects to meet with the U.S. president once she returns from her trip.

“It’s looking good for Ukraine, right?” Loomer said during an interview with The Associated Press. “Going into this meeting next week at the Oval Office is looking pretty good.”

Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia has been aiding Iran as the war persists by capturing satellite imagery of U.S. bases in the Gulf region that later appear in Iran. The Ukrainian president also asserted that there was a “clear correlation” between Russia’s images and subsequent Iranian strikes.

“The purpose is clear,” Zelenskyy said earlier this month. “None of us in the world should turn a blind eye to one very simple fact: Evil always seeks ways to make things worse and spread further.”

On Monday, Trump downplayed any impact of potential Russian assistance for Iran.

“I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to Michigan. “And if they have, it has been very un-impactful.”

Still, he said he would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy has a busy itinerary during his latest visit to Washington. In addition to his White House meeting, Zelenskyy will head to the Capitol to meet with senators on Tuesday evening after Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Republican leadership is hoping to advance Graham’s sanctions legislation this week, although the Senate is juggling several other priorities before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.

The bill has dozens of backers from both parties and is seen as the main policy tribute to Graham, who died unexpectedly this month from a tear in his aorta. It imposes tariffs on goods from the world’s top five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas, including China and India.

The legislation also includes sanctions against Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, and Russian financial institutions and energy projects.

Trump met with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, and announced that the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defense systems, a long-running request from Kyiv in order to counter Russian missile attacks.

The air defense systems are expensive to make and are in high demand. Noting that he and Zelenskyy have “actually developed a good relationship,” Trump said the U.S. will help Ukraine produce the Patriots and that the country would be able to produce them “pretty quickly.”

Asian shares slip and South Korea’s Kospi index sinks nearly 11% on heavy selling of chipmakers

HONG KONG (AP) — South Korea’s Kospi index plunged nearly 11% on Tuesday on heavy selling of computer chipmaking stocks that have been battered recently by bouts of sell-offs triggered by fears the boom in artificial intelligence may turn out to be a bubble.

Most other markets in Asia declined and U.S. futures were mixed. Oil prices declined more than 2%.

Trading was temporarily halted at times as Kospi dropped to its lowest level since April, closing 10.8% lower at 6,023.66. Shares in chipmaker Samsung Electronics sank 13.4% while those of SK Hynix tumbled 14.7%.

On Monday, SK Hynix’s U.S.-traded shares fell to below the $149 initial public offering, or IPO, price for its Wall Street debut earlier this month, closing at $143 a share.

A big factor driving the selling of AI-related shares, analysts said, is the expectation that rising competition from Chinese AI startups and chipmakers might undermine gains for leading global companies whose shares have skyrocketed in the past months due to the AI frenzy.

Traders also are selling to lock in recent profits from the prolonged rally in such shares.

A 466% jump in the price of Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT in its trading debut Monday has underscored such concerns. CXMT raised at least $8.6 billion in its IPO in Shanghai. But its shares dropped 4% Tuesday.

Tuesday’s chip stock sell-off followed a report in the technology news publication The Information that China has begun mass production of homegrown deep ultraviolet, or DUV, chipmaking tools. Such equipment is used to print minute circuit patterns onto silicon wafers.

Most other Asian markets also fell, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropping 4% to 62,364.92. The Taiex in Taiwan skidded 4.7%, with shares of leading chipmaker TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, falling 3%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.3% to 25,289.04, while the Shanghai Composite index lost 1.2% to 3,813.31.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6% to 8,947.80.

India’s Sensex edged 0.1% higher.

Oil prices extended their declines as the U.S. and Iran refrained from strikes in their on-again, off-again war. Regional officials said Monday that mediators had made progress in getting the U.S. and Iran back to negotiations after they paused attacks.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 2.1% to $84.07 a barrel. It was trading around $72 per barrel before the Iran war began in late February.

U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 2% to $80.99 a barrel.

On Monday, the benchmark S&P 500 gained less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.5% higher, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq composite edged 0.2% lower.

Shares of several major chipmaking stocks declined, pulling benchmarks lower. Shares of AMD, or Advanced Micro Devices, sank 5.2%, Nvidia dropped 5%, and Micron Technology fell 2.3%.

In other dealings early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar fell to 163.74 Japanese yen from 163.75 yen. The euro rose to $1.1372 from $1.1369.

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Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok.

Judge orders immigration officials to release key witness in Texas ICE shooting

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday ordered U.S. immigration authorities to release a key witness in the fatal shooting of a Mexican homebuilder by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Houston.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison ordered the release of Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego from ICE custody within 48 hours, after the judge previously blocked his deportation. Ellison agreed with Rojas Pliego’s argument that his detention violates his Fifth Amendment due process rights.

Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, an attorney for Rojas Pliego, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rojas Pliego was one of three passengers in a van driven by Lorenzo Araujo Salgado when Araujo Salgado was shot by an ICE officer during a traffic stop. All three passengers were taken into ICE custody.

The Department of Homeland Security said shortly after the July 7 shooting that Salgado Araujo had “weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer,” and that the officer had fired in self-defense. But Rojas Pliego and another passenger wrote in statements submitted in court that the officers were to the sides of their van, never in front or behind it.

Rojas Pliego described the government’s account as “a lie.”

Araujo Salgado, a 52-year-old father of three, had been living in the U.S. for 35 years and was close to obtaining legal status, according to his family. He had no known criminal record. His killing, one of at least 10 during immigration enforcement operations since the start of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign, sparked widespread protests in Houston and calls for an independent investigation.

Rojas Pliego also had entered the U.S. decades ago and had not gained legal status, according to his stepdaughter, Griselda Silva.

He has a pending application for a U-Visa, a special legal status for victims of certain crimes who have suffered physical or mental abuse and assisted law enforcement, according to the judge’s order. If granted, he would receive a four-year work permit, protection from deportation and a path to a green card.

If immigration agents seek to detain Rojas Pliego again, they’re required to notify him and hold a pre-detention hearing, the judge wrote.

56th M&P Group Texas State Open set to tee off in Tyler

TYLER, Texas (KETK) — The top golfers in Texas have descended on the Rose City this week, as the 56th M&P Group Texas State Open returns to Cascades Country Club for the ninth-straight year.

156 golfers will compete in this week’s tournament out at Cascades, with the winner taking home 40 thousand dollars, and adding their name to an impressive list of past champions, such as Ben Crenshaw and Lee Trevino.

This year’s field includes a handful of East Texas golfers, as well as past champions like Tanner Napier and Shawn Stefani, who each won the event when it was hosted at Cascades.
Getting to know the 2026 Texas State Open golfers in Tyler

Two players who are looking to conquer the field this week in Tyler are former UT golfer Parker Coody, whose grandfather Charles Coody won the 1971 masters tournament, and whose brother Pierce Coody is on the PGA tour, along with Jacksonville native and former Brook Hill and TJC golfer Noah Sandlin.

Coody tees off Tuesday morning at 8:42, while Sandlin tees off at 2:18 p.m. to start the first round.

The field will be trimmed to the low 55 scores and ties after Wednesday’s second round.

UT Tyler head tennis coach steping away from program

TYLER, Texas (KETK)– The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) announced last week that long-time men’s and women’s head tennis coach Chris Bizot is stepping down after accepting a new coaching role out of state.

According to UT Tyler, Bizot, who has been leading the Patriots’ tennis program for over 16 years, has accepted a position as the head women’s tennis coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

“It has been a blessing to lead these programs for so many years,” Bizot said. “I would like to thank Dr. Howard Patterson and Dr. Rod Mabry for hiring a young and inexperienced coach back in 2004. Most importantly, I would like to thank all the players (current and former) who have achieved unbelievable success on and off the court.”

During his tenure at UT Tyler, Bizot led the women’s tennis team to its first Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship appearance in 2025 and led the men’s team to three Lone Star Conference championships.

“Coach Bizot has been transformational for Patriot tennis,” Director of Athletics Sam Ferguson said. “Through multiple Lone Star Conference championships, four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and a historic run to the national semifinals, he built one of the elite programs in NCAA Division II. We are deeply grateful for everything he has given this program.”

The university said it will immediately begin a search for the next head coach for the program.

Commissioners debate budget and raises

TYLER — Smith County Commissioners are in the middle of a challenging planning process for the 2027 budget and many residents have voiced confusion surrounding the Reserve Fund’s purpose and why it’s not being used for salary increases for county employees. “They think because we’ve got millions of dollars in this reserve fund that we can just take that and give raises and hire new people,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said.

Judge Franklin explained the Reserve Fund is a savings account used for emergencies, capital expenses and one-time purchases. The fund gets its money from unspent tax revenue and operating in a surplus

“It’d be like you want to go and get a mortgage on a house, but paying with your savings account, it’s going to run out”, Judge Franklin illustrated.

In the proposed 2027 budget, there is a Cost-of-Living raise for all county employees, including the Sheriff’s office, which is asking for $5 million in the budget. Continue reading Commissioners debate budget and raises

Woman arrested for fatal crash

SMITH COUNTY – A woman has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in connection to a Jan. 14 crash that left an 86-year-old Arp woman dead. Smith County arrest records show that on Jan. 14 at around 2:37 p.m., a red pickup truck heading north was slowing down on State Highway 64 to turn left on County Road 294 near Lake Tyler East. According to our news partner KETK, the pickup slowed down but the 2010 Lexus RX350 crossover SUV, that was traveling north on State Highway 64 behind it, allegedly did not slow down in time to stop and swerved the car into the ditch. The Lexus then came back onto State Highway 64, where the Lexus crashed into a 2011 Kia Sorento heading south.

A witness at the crash scene told a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) investigator that she saw the driver of the Lexus was not paying attention and was still traveling at around 75 to 80 miles per hour when they finally noticed the truck and swerved off the road.

The DPS investigator also spoke with the driver of the red pickup truck, who said he saw the Lexus “flying down” toward his truck in his rear view mirror. He reported that the Lexus driver was slamming on their brakes but was still going too fast to avoid his truck, so they swerved around it.

The truck driver also showed his truck’s dash cam video to the DPS investigator for evidence. Continue reading Woman arrested for fatal crash

Former East Texas deputy pleads guilty in child sex crimes case

HOUSTON COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A former Houston County Sheriff’s Office Deputy has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and production of child pornography.
Woman arrested for fatal Smith County crash after driving while intoxicated, records reveal

Federal court records released on Monday show that Skylar Laza, a former Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was arrested for aggravated sexual assault of a child, has signed a guilty plea for two charges of sexual exploitation of children/production of child pornography.

Skylar was tried in federal court because he was under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations division for breaking federal law.

Skylar was fired from the sheriff’s office and arrested in Nov. 2025, after one of his juvenile relatives was interviewed forensically and corroborated videos of that showed Skylar sexually assaulting them.

As a part of Skylar’s guilty plea, he admitted to engaging a minor in sexually explicit conduct with the goal of creating child pornography that he went on to knowingly distribute. Skylar will be sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge John D. Love and that sentence will have to be approved by a United States District Court Judge.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Skylar faces a minimum of ten years to a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

Three of Skylar’s relatives have also been arrested for related crimes in connection to this case.

Police urge drivers to slow down

KILGORE – Police are warning residents to reduce their speeds while driving through construction areas after officers issued several speeding citations last week, according to our news partner, KETK, and Kilgore police. Officers say they gave several dozen citations to motorists speeding through the work area at I-20 and Highway 31. Some drivers reportedly were going over 70 miles per hour through the construction zone, even though the speed limit is reduced to 55 mph, whether workers are on the scene or not. Continue reading Police urge drivers to slow down

Rep. Jay Dean kicks off Beat the Heat

LONGVIEW – As summer creeps toward the height of its simmering heat, an East Texas representative is launching a $50,000 donation campaign to help local nonprofits provide relief from the heat for communities in need.

Rep. Jay Dean announced on Monday his $5,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity, kicking off the campaign to support their Beat the Heat program. The program was started in 2011 by Dean after East Texas endured record-breaking temperatures and one of the worst droughts in its history. Through Beat the Heat, seniors, veterans, families and others in need have access to life-saving air conditioning. Continue reading Rep. Jay Dean kicks off Beat the Heat

‘Air Bud Returns’ gets teaser trailer, new release date

Buddy attends the 'Air Bud Returns' photo call at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United, on April 14, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (David Becker/Getty Images for CinemaCon)

The teaser trailer for Air Bud Returns has arrived.

Cineverse and Air Bud Entertainment have released the first trailer for the latest film in the family-friendly franchise.

Air Bud Entertainment founder Robert Vince wrote and directed the film. He previously produced all 14 other films in the franchise, and wrote and directed 10 of them.

"After the passing of his father, 14-year-old Jacob and his mom move into his dad's childhood home in Fernfield, where anything is possible. Jacob dreams of becoming a basketball star, which seems further away than ever, until he discovers a VHS marked Air Bud," according to an official description of the film. "Jacob has a miraculous chance meeting with a basketball-playing golden retriever, Buddy. The duo embarks on a journey of healing, unites a basketball team of misfits, and chases a championship as the new Timberwolves."

This new movie was announced in July 2025. At the time, Vince said that “Air Bud Returns isn’t just another sequel or remake—it’s a unique story.”

“This movie will engage nostalgic Air Bud fans while introducing a new generation to the beloved basketball-playing golden retriever, Buddy. It builds upon the legacy of the OG Air Bud with all the fun, the magic, heartwarming scenes, and Buddy playing basketball. More than anything, it’s a deeply human story about a dog and boy, centered on themes of adaptation, redemption, and teamwork,” Vince said.

More than 1 billion people in over 30 languages worldwide have watched the original Air Bud film, according to a press release. It was released in 1997 and starred Kevin Zegers.

Air Bud Returns will be released exclusively in theaters on Jan. 22, 2027.