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Letters: Saved lives | Support compromise | Respect differences | Israelis are right

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Lockdowns likelysaved many livesRe: “School closures were failure of leadership” (Page A6, Nov. 22).People who criticize the COVID lockdown because of its effect on education should be reminded that it was instituted when nearly 1,200 people a day were dying of the disease. Imagine the number of additional lives lost — and the effect on the surviving children — if there were no lockdown.It’s too bad that some memories are so short.Karen Lee CohenWalnut CreekSupport is buildingfor compromise, peaceRe: “Palestinians have prolonged conflict” and “In Mideast war, experiences of both sides valid” (Page A6, Nov. 22).Ms. Spink overgeneralizes, claiming flatly Palestinians have “rejected the offer” of a state because “they cannot accept” a Jewish one.In fact, then-Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Leader Mahmoud Abb...

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard enters the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard will be away from the team indefinitely while he receives care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.The league and union announced Girard’s status in a joint statement Friday before the Avalanche visited the Minnesota Wild.Girard, 25, had been away from the Avalanche for personal reasons and did not play in either of their past two games. He will continue to be paid while getting treatment and can return to the team when cleared for on-ice competition by program administrators. His father, Tony, said in a social media post earlier in the day that Girard was in good hands and asked others to respect his son’s privacy.“Just to reassure everyone, we can however tell you that we are staying in touch with him and your get well soon messages are touching him immensely,” Tony Girard posted. “Our man is a fighter, a great fighter and will always honor our region and all of Quebec. Hockey is still his big ...

Ferentz revisits fair catch call, says Iowa got ‘screwed’ out of 11 wins

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Less than an hour after Iowa recorded win No. 10 with a dramatic 13-10 victory over Nebraska, Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz suggested his team actually should have had a chance to win 11 games in the regular season.A month after Cooper DeJean’s punt return for a touchdown was called back because he was found on video review to have made an invalid fair-catch signal late in a 12-10 loss to Minnesota, Ferentz passionately revisited the episode when he was asked about the importance of winning 10 games.“That means a lot because it’s the best we could do after after losing to, yeah, I won’t go down that road,” he said.And then he did.“We got screwed, OK? I’m just gonna tell you we got screwed on that one by the replay system,” Ferentz said. “I’m still not happy about that, quite frankly. So it’s a different discussion for a different day.”And then he continued.“I don’t want to play that card. But I’m playing it right now. That’s still the most ridicu...

Alex DeBrincat leads Detroit Red Wings past Boston Bruins 5-2

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings beat Boston 5-2 on Friday for their second victory over the NHL-leading Bruins this season.Robby Fabbri, Dylan Larkin and David Perron also scored for the Red Wings, who are the only team to beat Boston (14-2-3) in regulation. Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists and Ville Husso stopped 25 shots.In their third meeting in a month — the Bruins won the first game on Oct. 28 — Detroit took advantage of six Boston penalties to improve to 10-0-2 when scoring four or more goals.Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen scored for the Bruins, who had been 5-0-2 since losing at Detroit on Nov. 4. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves on his 25th birthday.PREDATORS 8, BLUES 3ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored for Nashville in his return to St. Louis, and the Predators earned their fourth consecutive victory.Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista each had two goals and an assist for Nashville, which dropped six o...

Belichick still mum on whether Jones or Zappe will start against Giants

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots are heading to New York without identifying a starting quarterback.Two days before Sunday’s game against the Giants, coach Bill Belichick refused to say whether Mac Jones will be benched. Bailey Zappe relieved Jones in a Week 10 loss to Indianapolis, but was no more effective. New England also has Will Grier on the roster and Malik Cunningham on the practice squad.“Whoever we put in, I hope they’re ready to go and play well whenever that is,” Belichick said on Friday in his last media availability before the game. “It could be the first play of the game, or it could be the last play of the game. I don’t know.”Jones was pulled during the final two minutes of a 10-6 loss to the Colts that carried the Patriots into their bye week. A 2021 first-round pick, Jones has been removed from games on three separate occasions; the first two were on the wrong end of a blowout.But Zappe was brought into the Colts game when New England s...

Hohn’s 18 help UC Irvine knock off Rice 83-68

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Justin Hohn’s 18 points helped UC Irvine defeat Rice 83-68 on Friday night.Hohn added nine rebounds for the Anteaters (6-1). Derin Saran scored 16 points, going 7 of 12 and 1 of 3 from the free throw line. Pierre Crockrell II shot 3 of 5 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line to finish with nine points. It was the sixth victory in a row for the Anteaters.Travis Evee led the way for the Owls (1-5) with 17 points and seven rebounds. Rice also got 16 points from Mekhi Mason. In addition, Max Fiedler finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Acker puts up 22 in Long Island’s 83-68 win against Texas A&M-CC

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (AP) — Eric Acker scored 22 points as Long Island beat Texas A&M-CC 83-68 on Friday night.Acker had nine rebounds for the Sharks (1-4). Tai Strickland added 21 points while shooting 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 9 of 9 from the free throw line, and he also had six rebounds and three steals. Tana Kopa had 12 points and was 3 of 8 shooting, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the line.The Islanders (2-4) were led in scoring by Dian Wright-Forde, who finished with 19 points and three steals. Shilo Jackson added 10 points and six rebounds for Texas A&M-CC. Lance Amir-Paul also put up 10 points and six rebounds.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Lions hope to get season back on track after Thanksgiving loss to Packers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions haven’t won a division title in 30 years. Ending that streak wasn’t going to be easy.Ten days ago, the Lions were 7-2 and facing a pair of home games against the struggling Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. A pair of victories would have put them in commanding position to win the NFC North and host their first playoff game since moving to Ford Field in 2002.On Friday, the Lions were glad things didn’t go even worse.Detroit needed 17 points in the final three minutes to beat the Bears 31-26, then couldn’t pull off another comeback in a 29-22 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers.“I know what it looks like — we haven’t been good enough out there — but I’m not panicked,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “If we don’t play our best game and the other team is perfect, it doesn’t matter who we are facing, things like this are going to happen.“We’re the type of team that is going to have to fight and scra...

Merzlikins makes 37 saves as Blue Jackets edge Devils 2-1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Boone Jenner and Eric Robinson scored first-period goals and Elvis Merzlikins made 37 saves — including 20 in the third period — as the Columbus Blue Jackets downed the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Friday.Columbus won for the second-straight time after a nine-game losing streak while New Jersey lost its third in a row and for the sixth time in seven games.“We’ve seen him since the beginning of the season. He’s been really good for us,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said of his winning netminder. “Elvis has been through a lot and it’s good to see the team regrouping around him and playing the right way in front of him.”Jenner opened the scoring at 10:04 with his 11th of the season. Johnny Gaudreau had the assist. Jenner has 14 points overall.Devils forward Alexander Holtz tied it at 13:15 of the first, snapping a wrist shot past Merzlikins for his fifth goal of the campaign. Ondrej Palat drew the lone assist.Columbus had a four-minute power play late in the ...

Ducas’ 23 lead Saint Mary’s over Davidson 89-55

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:30:30 GMT

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) — Alex Ducas scored 23 points as Saint Mary’s beat Davidson 89-55 on Friday night.Ducas added five assists for the Gaels (3-3). Augustas Marciulionis scored 17 points while shooting 6 for 11 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free throw line. Aidan Mahaney had 17 points and shot 6 for 10, including 5 for 8 from beyond the arc.The Wildcats (3-3) were led by Grant Huffman, who posted 13 points. Angelo Brizzi added 12 points and five steals for Davidson. David Skogman also had nine points.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source