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Saturday, February 7, 2026

Former Kansas City Royals speedster Terrance Gore dies at age 34

Administrator February 07, 2026

Terrance Gore, one of the last major leaguers to make an impact solely with the most exciting of the game's tools – breathtaking speed –died Friday, Feb. 6, the Kansas City Royals announced.

Martin Chivers, soccer, 1945-2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Billy Truax, football, 1943-2026

Sports figures we lost in 2026

Gore was 34 and, according to a social media post from his wife Britney, died following complications during a routine surgery. Gore is survived by his wife and three children.

A revered teammate and dynamic personality, Gore's tremendous speed kept him in the major leagues for parts of eight seasons and produced one of the most remarkable feats to which a player could lay claim: He was a 2015 World Series champion with the Royals in his second season in the bigs, but had not yet recorded his first major league hit.

In fact, it wasn't until his fifth major league season – 2018 with theChicago Cubs– that he got his first hit, asingle up the middleoff future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer.

Yet his legs held immense value.

Gore, perhaps generously listed at 5 feet 7 and 160 pounds, was clocked at 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and the lower-revenue Royals, always seeking an edge, deployed him as a designated runner during their two-year run as American League champions that culminated in their 2015 title.

He was nearly impossible to catch: Gore was 17-for-17 in stolen bases to begin his career (though he was caught once in the postseason), finallygetting nabbedby Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez in 2016.

By then, though, he was a cult hero in Kansas City, on a Royals team that in a powerball era somehow conjured up memories of its 1980s speed and defense dynasty. Led by All-Star Lorenzo Cain and buttressed by Jarrod Dyson and Gore, Kansas City found a way to topple bigger-market clubs and win its first championship in 30 years.

It was Dyson who famously coined the phrase"That's what speed do,"yet even Dyson could not keep up with Gore, who stole a base and scored a walk-off run in his major league debut.

"I wouldn't say I'm cocky," he told theKansas City Starin 2014, "but I know I'm really fast.

"And it's going to take a perfect throw."

Gore grew into a more fully-formed player in his second tour with the Royals, batting .275 with 14 hits in 58 at-bats in 2019, and swiping 13 bases in 18 attempts.

"Terrance was an unforgettable part of our organization with a unique talent that catapulted him to some of the biggest moments in Royals history," says Royals president of baseball operations JJ Picollo in a statement released by the club. "While his speed and athleticism were what most people immediately noticed, those of us who had the opportunity to know him also remember his energy, his humility, and the impact he made in big moments on the game's biggest stage.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Terrance's wife, Britney, their three children, and all of his family and friends during this difficult time. This is a sad ending to an incredible story."

He'd latch on with the Dodgers, Braves and Mets in subsequent years, and got one more shot at postseason glory, appearing in the 2021 NLDS for Atlanta. Yet he showed how big his heart was once the Braves went on to win that World Series.

As the Braves celebrated closing out the Houston Astros in Game 6 of that Fall Classic, Gore made sure to pull out his phone and shoot a video call to pitcher Charlie Morton, whobroke his right fibulain Game 1 and was home recuperating from surgery.

Simply, he wanted Charlie to be part of the celebration. And somehow, wherever Gore went, a celebration – no matter how unlikely – of some sort was likely to follow.

Gore was born in Macon, Ga. and raised in Gray, a small town to Macon's northeast, before attending Gulf Coast State College in Florida, from which the Royals selected him in the 20th round of the 2011 draft. He settled in Panama City after retirement and worked as a speed and baseball trainer at asports facility there, as hisfamilywith Britney grew to three children.

Gore retired without a major league home run - and just onerun batted in- yet managed to impact the game forever.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Terrance Gore death: Former Royals speedster dies at age 34

NBA finalizes competitors for Slam Dunk, Shooting Stars competitions

Administrator February 07, 2026

Orlando Magic rookie guard Jase Richardson will attempt to follow in his father's footsteps when he competes in the NBA's All-Star Slam Dunk competition next Saturday.

The son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson, who won the event in 2002 and 2003, will be one of four competitors officially named for the event that will take place Feb. 14.

The younger Richardson will compete against San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers 7-foot center Jaxson Hayes and Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. All four players will be making their All-Star Slam Dunk debut.

The NBA also announced the teams for the Shooting Stars competition next Saturday. The teams are comprised of two NBA players and one league legend.

Team All-Star will consist of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren and three-time All-Star Richard Hamilton.

Team Cameron will be comprised of the following Duke alums: Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson, Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel and Corey Maggette.

Team Harper will consist of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr. and sons Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs) and Ron Harper Jr. (Boston Celtics).

Team Knicks is comprised of All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns along with Allan Houston.

--Field Level Media

Flory Bidunga's double-double, 7 blocks lift No. 11 Kansas over Utah

Administrator February 07, 2026

Kansas big man Flory Bidunga had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks, and the No. 11 Jayhawks recorded their seventh straight win by upending Utah 71-59 on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan.

Bidunga made 7 of 8 field goals and 3 of 4 from the line, while Trey White notched 16 points and six boards for the Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2 Big 12).

Darryn Peterson scored 14 points, and Melvin Council Jr. had 11 points, six assists and five rebounds as Kansas was 28 of 56 (50%) from the field.

With the victory, the Jayhawks remained in a tie for third place in the conference with No. 7 Iowa State, a 72-69 winner over Baylor.

In losing it fifth consecutive contest, Utah (9-14, 1-9) received a strong performance from Keanu Dawes, who posted a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Terrence Brown had 16 points and four steals, and Don McHenry scored 12 with five boards as the visitors hit 40% (22 of 55) from the floor.

During the first four minutes, Dawes sank a pair of three-pointers and scored eight points as Utah led 12-8 on 5 of 7 shooting from the floor, while the home side missed 4 of 7 tries.

Kansas went back ahead for the second time on a 10-2 run highlighted by an alley-oop dunk tossed up by Council and slammed down by Bidunga at 13:05. The Utes aided the run by missing eight consecutive shots.

After being fouled on a long ball, McHenry canned all three free throws to make it 28-23 at 5:37, and Seydou Traore made three of four freebies to bring the deficit to 30-28.

Despite committing seven turnovers and seeing Utah coming up with six steals, Kansas used an 8-3 run to lead 38-31 at the break behind Council's nine points and four assists.

Utah opened the second half on a 5-0 run to put it at 38-36 and force a timeout by Kansas coach Bill Self, and an alley-oop slam by White and Council's floating jumper at 10:17 gave the home side its first double-digit lead at 54-44.

Peterson's steal and breakaway slam for a three-point play at 8:26 lifted it to 59-44, a margin Utah could never reduce to single digits.

--Field Level Media

Flushing Toilets With Buckets: What Two Weeks Without Power Really Looks Like

Administrator February 07, 2026

It's been almost two weeks since an ice storm cut the power at Barbara Bishop's house in rural Mississippi, and she still finds herself lacking basic amenities such as light and unspoiled food. Light switches that don't work, a fridge full of spoiled food and the unsavory smells that come from it are just a few symptoms of the harsh winter storm they endured.

Barbara, 79, and her husband George, 85, live outside Oxford, where that ice storm didn't just knock out power but turned the entire community upside down. It turned trees into weapons. Ice-coated branches took down power lines and made roads so badly damaged that you couldn't drive on them even if you wanted to.

After the storm hit, the Bishops' home became a refuge. Their son showed up. Then their granddaughter with her two kids. All of them had lost power and water. So now it's seven people in one house, huddled around a single gas heater, trying to stay warm through days of bitter cold. For a stretch, they lost water, too.

"It's just been one of those times you just have to grit, grit your teeth and bare it," Barbara said.

That's what nearly 15,000 people across northern Mississippi were still doing Saturday morning – gritting their teeth two weeks later. PowerOutage.us showed the number had dropped from 180,000 customers in the immediate aftermath, but "dropping" doesn't mean much when you're still one of the thousands sitting in the dark.

Lafayette County, where Oxford is located, still has more than 3,000 customers without power.

Lafayette County had the most outages as of Saturday – about 3,244 customers. Tippah County had 2,879. Panola has over 2,000, while Yalobusha and Tishomingo counties both had more than 1,700 each. These aren't just numbers. These are families heating water on gas stoves. Elderly couples in their 80s wondering when normal comes back.

By Friday, temperatures in Oxford hit 70 degrees. But chunks of ice still covered the ground in shaded spots – a reminder that winter isn't done with them yet. Downed trees had been stacked into massive piles along the roadsides, some still smoldering from controlled burns. Power lines hung low over streets in places, dangling in parking lots. Tree limbs hung overhead like they were deciding whether to fall.

Mother Nature has finally started to bring some relief in terms of temperatures, with more consistently warmer weather expected this week, says meteorologist Rob Shackelford. The high Sunday is in the lower 60s, increasing to the upper 60s and lower 70s starting Monday. Weather shouldn't be too hazardous, with only slight chances of showers Tuesday night into Wednesday and to end the week.

Across the street from the Bishops, Russ Jones and his wife have been living without electricity or water. For days, they filled 5-gallon buckets to flush toilets. Cooked on their gas stove. Stayed warm by the fireplace. It works, technically. But it wears you down.

"It's been a shock to the system," Jones said.

He and his wife started staying with friends a few days ago – the kind of decision you don't want to make but eventually have to.

Friday, his yard was full of volunteers from Eight Days of Hope, a nonprofit that shows up when disasters hit. They cleared snapped limbs, hauled away a massive tree from his backyard and moved with the kind of efficiency that only comes from doing this over and over. The organization has been there for days, helping dozens of homeowners patch roofs and clean up yards. They've served more than 16,000 free meals.

Jones said it was a relief to have one less thing weighing on him. When a volunteer handed him a free T-shirt and a blanket for his wife, he had to hold back tears.

"It's just beyond anything I could ever imagine," he said.

Sometimes the help isn't what fixes everything. It's just what reminds you that you're not forgotten.

Portions of this report are from the Associated Press.

Renee Good's partner addresses Minneapolis immigration crackdown one month after killing

Administrator February 07, 2026

A man visits a makeshift memorial for Renee Good on Jan. 14, 2026, at the site where she was killed a week ago in Minneapolis. (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images file)

A month after Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis, her partner spoke out on Saturday, condemning the federal government's immigration crackdown that took Good's life and urging the city to remember those whose names are never known.

In a rare statement issued through her attorney, Becca Good thanked the city and said she was "so proud to call Minneapolis my home."

She also criticized the federal government's immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities, during which federal law enforcementkilled her partnerand ICU nurseAlex Pretti, 37.

"Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last," she said. "You know my wife's name and you know Alex's name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don't know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don't look like mine."

"They are neighbors, friends, coworkers, classmates. And we must also know their names," she added. "Because this shouldn't happen to anyone."

Becca Good has seldom spoken publicly since her partner's killing on Jan. 7.

The killing occurred about a month after the Trump administration surged 3,000 immigration agents to the Twin Cities in what officials have dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Agents descended on Minnesota after right-wing influencers renewed scrutiny in a state fraud scandal involving Somali nationals.

More than 4,000 undocumented immigrants have been apprehended since the operation began in December,according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The operation, which has led to the apprehensions of some children, has sparked near-daily protests in the Twin Cities. It has alsotransformed the daily livesof many who live there, with people volunteering to deliver groceries to undocumented immigrants and safeguard their neighborhoods from immigration authorities.

A representative for DHS did not immediately return a request for comment.

Weeks after Good's killing, Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Customs and Border Protection agents. Trump administration officials initially defended the agents, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem calling Pretti a "domestic terrorist." However, days after his killing, the administration said it would be drawing down its operation in the state. This week, officials said they wouldsend home 700 agents.

The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into Pretti's death but has not done so for Good.

"Renee and I chose kindness. We believed that every life deserves the same care, treatment, and dignity, no matter who they are or what they look like," Becca Good said in her statement. "That shouldn't be radical. If it is, then I want Renee and our family to be known for how we practiced radical kindness every day."

The killings have prompted calls toreform DHS and forNoem to resign. Two of Renee Good's brothers addressed lawmakers this week at a public forum to raise concerns about the violent tactics used by DHS.

"The deep distress our family feels because of Nee's loss in such a violent and unnecessary way is complicated by feelings of disbelief, distress and desperation for change," Luke Ganger, one of the brothers, testified.

Judge grants continuance in the asylum case of Liam Conejo Ramos and his family

Administrator February 07, 2026

Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro shared this photo of Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, and his father, Adrian, after the pair was released from a family detention center in Texas. - Office of Joaquin Castro

Five-year-oldLiam Conejo Ramosand his family will have more time to make their case for asylum.

At a Friday court hearing for the family's asylum case, a judge granted a continuance, which postpones the case to a later date, family attorney Danielle Molliver told CNN.

There is no indication when the next hearing is expected, said Molliver, who added, "We're grateful for the outpouring from the community and we remain committed to the family and this community."

Attorneys for the family had asked the court for more time to respond to the motion by the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the family is not slated for expedited removal and the motion is standard procedure.

"There is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation's immigration laws," she said in a statement to CNN.

Zena Stenvik, superintendent of Liam's school district, Columbia Heights Public Schools, said Friday's ruling "provides additional time, and with that, continued uncertainty for a child and his family," as she stressed the family is asking for privacy.

"Our concern remains centered on Liam and all children who deserve stability, safety and the opportunity to be in school without fear. We will continue to advocate for outcomes that prioritize children," Stenvik said.

The 5‑year‑old and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, weretaken from their snowy suburban Minneapolis drivewaylast month to a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, sparkingwidespread outrageafter images of a federal agent clutching the boy's Spider‑Man backpack as he looked on beneath a cartoon bunny hat circulated.

Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, is detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after arriving home from preschool, January 20, in a Minneapolis suburb. - Ali Daniels/AP

After more than a week at the Dilley center, the preschooler and his Ecuadorian father areback home in Minneapolisafter a judge ordered them to be released, which ended their detention but left their future in the United States in limbo.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, the Texas Democrat who helped escort them back to Minnesota on Sunday, emphasized at a Friday news conference the father and son "don't have a criminal record" and represent no threat to the community.

"They should leave Liam alone," Castro told reporters, referring to the federal government.

"His family came in legally through the asylum process," Castro said. "And when I left the Dilley detention center, one of the ICE officers explained to me that his father was on a one-year parole in place, so they should allow that to continue."

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WNBA submits new collective bargaining proposal to players' union

Administrator February 07, 2026

When the WNBA and players' union meton Mondayin New York, the league promised a new collective bargaining agreement proposal. It delivered that offer on Friday, Feb. 6, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports. The details of the new proposal were not available.

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike toldthe Associated PressFriday that the gap between the two sides on issues like revenue sharing continues to be vast. But the players' union wants to close it and avoid a lock out or strike.

"I know our players 100% want to play this year," she said. "We want a season.

"We made the point that once we nail (revenue sharing), we can get everything else done."

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates with Chelsea Gray #12 and Jewell Loyd #24 after winning Game Four of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 10, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Las Vegas Aces defeat the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 to win the championship.