US sends more planes to Afghanistan - Stripes Lite
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FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021
US sends more planes to Afghanistan
Associated Press “There continue to be sustained levels of government forces after the troop with-
WASHINGTON — The United States has violent attacks” by the Taliban against Af- drawal is complete, including possibly train-
deployed a dozen additional warplanes to ghan security forces, Milley said, speaking ing Afghan security forces in another coun-
bolster protection of American and coalition alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin try. That would be in addition to urging the
troops making a final withdrawal from Af- at a Pentagon news conference. He said Congress to authorize continued financial
ghanistan as Taliban insurgents step up there have been no attacks against U.S. or assistance to the Afghan forces, which has
pressure on Afghan government forces, top coalition forces since they began pulling out been in the range of $4 billion a year for
Pentagon officials said Thursday. of the country on about May 1, and he de- many years, and possibly providing aircraft
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint scribed the Afghan forces as “cohesive,” maintenance support remotely from anoth-
Chiefs of Staff, said F/A-18 attack planes even as speculation swirls around Kabul’s er country.
have been added to a previously announced ability to hold off the Taliban in the months “We haven’t figured that out 100% yet,”
ahead. Milley said.
package of air and sea power — including
Both Milley and Austin, a retired Army Milley said Afghanistan’s air force is cen-
the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft car-
general, are veterans of the war in Afghan- tral to the strategy for holding off the Tali-
rier in the North Arabian Sea and six Air
istan. ban, but the durability of those planes is in
Force B-52 bombers based in Qatar — that “They’re fighting for their own country some doubt. The U.S. Special Inspector
can be called upon as protection for with- now, so it’s not a foregone conclusion, in my General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
drawing troops. Also part of that previously professional military estimate, that the Tali- said in an April 30 report that without con-
announced package are several hundred ban automatically win and Kabul falls, or tinued foreign contractor support, none of
Army Rangers. any of those kinds of dire predictions,” Mil- the Afghan air force’s airframes can be sus-
U.S. officials said before the withdrawal ley said. “That’s not a foregone conclusion. tained as combat effective for more than a
began that they expected the Taliban to at- There’s a significant military capability in few months.
tempt to interfere, even as the insurgents the Afghan government. We have to see how Austin acknowledged that holding off the
continue pressuring government forces, es- this plays out.” Taliban without American support on the
pecially in Helmand and Kandahar prov- Milley said the Pentagon is considering ground “will be a challenge” for the Af-
inces in southern Afghanistan. options for continued support of Afghan ghans.
Rights group: Afghan women’s health care is bleak
Associated Press clinics and hospitals are located. on less than $1.90 a day.
KABUL, Afghanistan — After nearly 20 The report says there are 4.6 medical Patricia Gossman, associate director of
years since the ouster of the Taliban and professionals to 10,000 people in Afghan- HRW’s Asia division, said the money that
billions of dollars spent on infrastructure istan; the World Health Organization con- came to Afghanistan after 2001 was
and aid, many Afghan women still have siders 23 medical professionals to 10,000 squandered due to widespread corruption.
desperately poor access to health facilities people a critical shortage. Before that, the Taliban regime, which
and adequate health care, a leading rights “What emerged is a picture of a system was also heavily sanctioned, had mostly
group said Thursday. that is increasingly unaffordable to the ignored women’s health issues.
Human Rights Watch offered a bleak estimated 61% to 72% of Afghan women, Washington alone committed $1.5 bil-
assessment of women’s health care in Af- who live in poverty, and one in which lion to rebuild Afghanistan’s health care
ghanistan in its latest report, saying that women often have more children than sector, according to a 2017 report by the
even basic information on health and fam- they want because of lack of access to U.S. watchdog overseeing the billions of
ily planning is not available to most Af- modern contraception; face risky preg- dollars America invested in Afghanistan’s
ghan women. And even when women can nancies because of lack of care; and un- reconstruction.
get the care they need, the quality is often dergo procedures that could be done “The question everyone should be ask-
poor, the New York-based group said. more safely with access to and capacity to ing is why after 20 years and hundreds of
New health facilities that have opened use more modern techniques,” the report millions of dollars the state of women’s
over the years are often insufficiently said. health care is so grim,” said Gossman in
staffed and inadequately equipped, HRW Most women cannot afford the increas- an email. “Where did the money go ... a
said. The group’s researchers visited sev- ingly costly medicines they need or even horrendous amount has been lost to cor-
eral health facilities in the capital of Ka- the cost of a taxi ride to a clinic, often at ruption, and nothing — nothing — has
bul, where many of the country’s better least a half-hour away. Most Afghans live really ever been done about it.”PAGE 2 • STRIPES LITE • Friday, May 7, 2021
Milley: Sexual assault data First women
graduate from
softened stance on changes Calif. boot camp
The San Diego Union-Tribune
BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS said he would drop his previous opposition SAN DIEGO — There was excitement in
Stars and Stripes to taking prosecution authority away from the air as family and friends of new Marines
WASHINGTON — Army Gen. Mark commanders in sexual-assault investiga- made their way to the grandstands on the
Milley, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, said tions. parade deck of Marine Corps Recruit Depot
Thursday that new data about sexual as- An independent review commission’s San Diego on Thursday morning. At the end
saults and command climates throughout initial report analyzing the Pentagon’s sex- of the parade grounds, 397 freshly minted
the service softened his stance against ual-assault policies and procedures last Marines stood at parade rest in formation.
changes to how the military prosecutes month suggested removing the chain of Passing family members stole glances try-
those cases. command from sexual-assault investiga- ing to find their Marines among the uni-
Milley told reporters at the Pentagon tions and immediately starting the dis- formed mass.
that his opinion was “significantly influen- charge process for service members cred- While the San Diego depot graduates
ced” by recent data “about the confidence ibly accused of such a crime, according to about 40 companies of new Marines each
in the chain of command by junior soldiers a report by The Associated Press last year, Thursday’s ceremony was special. It
— men and women alike — in their ability week. was only the third graduation open to family
to deal successfully with sexual assault.” The commission, ordered by Defense and friends since they were suspended in
“We have lost the trust and confidence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Feb. 26, was March 2020 due to the coronavirus. And in
of those subordinates in our ability to deal given 90 days to conduct its analysis. The one of the six graduating platoons were 53
with sexual assault,” the general said. Pentagon has not yet received its complet- women — the first women to graduate from
The Defense Department estimates ed report with its final recommendations, Marine Corps’ San Diego boot camp in its
about 20,000 service members were sex- but Austin on Thursday said he would con- 100-year history.
ually assaulted in 2020 based on “some sult the services before deciding how to Until now, all women enlistees in the Ma-
pretty solid data” collected in recent sur- proceed. rine Corps trained at the service’s East
veys, Milley said. “People like me keep going behind a mi- Coast boot camp in South Carolina — and,
“If we had 20,000 killed or wounded in crophone in front of committees saying, until recently, trained in segregated compa-
Afghanistan or Iraq — those are casual- ‘We need to do this and we need to do that; nies away from their male counterparts. In
ties. That’s huge, that’s significant,” he we need to this and that’ and it hasn’t 2019, Congress ordered the Marines to fully
said. “And that number hasn’t significantly changed,” Milley said. “So, we need to take integrate both its boot camps within a dec-
been reduced over time.” a hard look and I welcome the independ- ade — Parris Island, S.C., by 2025 and San
Milley’s comments came days after he ent review commission and their views.” Diego by 2028.
Lima Company’s graduation Thursday
marked a “significant milestone” in the de-
Fort Jackson trainee charged with pot’s history and represents a top priority
for the service, the Marines said in a state-
ment.
19 kidnapping counts in bus theft “The inaugural integrated training com-
pany will help inform infrastructure and
BY COREY DICKSTEIN razor-wire fence at about 7 a.m. toting an personnel requirements to support perma-
Stars and Stripes unloaded M-4 carbine that he was issued for nent gender-integrated recruit training,”
ATLANTA — The Fort Jackson Army training, said Brig. Gen. Milford H. Beagle the statement said.
trainee who hijacked a school bus full of ele- Jr., Fort Jackson’s commander. The women training at MCRD San Diego
mentary school children using a service-is- The general said he was thankful none of had to accomplish the same training mile-
sued rifle was charged Thursday with 19 the 18 children aboard the school bus nor its stones as men — including the grueling 54-
counts of kidnapping, law enforcement offi- driver were injured in the incident. He said hour Crucible exercise at Camp Pendleton.
cials in South Carolina said. he would order a review of procedures be- Pfc. Katey Hogan, 18, said the historic na-
Jovan Collazo, 23, also faces counts of cause the incident highlighted problems in ture of her platoon’s accomplishment
armed robbery, car-jacking and weapons Fort Jackson’s accountability processes. wasn’t lost on the women of the platoon. But
charges after fleeing Fort Jackson on In addition to charges from the Richland for the most part, they were just focused on
Thursday morning during his third week of County Sheriff’s Department, Collazo could training.
Basic Combat Training, said Richland also face Army charges including theft of “Boot camp is just boot camp to me; it’s
County Sheriff Leon Lott. the rifle and going absent without leave, another part of my journey and another
Collazo, who is from New Jersey, was said Beagle, who added the trainee would chapter that I’m trying to get through,” she
likely trying to go home when he hopped a also be disqualified from future service. said.
Stars and Stripes digest is produced by the news desk at our central office in Washington, D.C. The internet address is: http://slite.dma.mil. You may contact us by calling
(202) 886-0003 or by sending an email to SSCcopydesk@stripes.osd.mil. Visit Stars and Stripes online at stripes.com.Friday, May 7, 2021 • S T R I P E S L I T E • PAGE 3
Federal grand jury indicts 4 in Floyd death
Associated Press with medical care. on bond. They were allowed to remain free
MINNEAPOLIS — A federal grand jury Floyd’s arrest and death, which a bystan- after Friday’s federal court appearance.
has indicted the four former Minneapolis der captured on cellphone video, sparked Floyd, 46, died May 25 after Chauvin
police officers involved in George Floyd’s protests nationwide and widespread calls pinned him to the ground with a knee on his
arrest and death, accusing them of willfully for an end to police brutality and racial ineq- neck, even as Floyd, who was handcuffed,
violating the Black man’s constitutional uities. repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Kueng
rights as he was restrained face-down on Chauvin was also charged in a second in- and Lane also helped restrain Floyd — state
the pavement and gasping for air. dictment, stemming from the arrest and prosecutors have said Kueng knelt on
A three-count indictment unsealed Fri- neck restraint of a 14-year-old boy in 2017. Floyd’s back and Lane held down Floyd’s
day names Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Lane, Thao and Kueng made their initial legs. State prosecutors say Thao held back
Kueng and Tou Thao. court appearances Friday via videoconfer- bystanders and kept them from intervening
Specifically, Chauvin is charged with vio- ence in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis. during the 9 ½-minute restraint.
lating Floyd’s right to be free from unrea- Chauvin was not part of the court appear- Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, argued
sonable seizure and unreasonable force by ance. during his murder trial that Chauvin acted
a police officer. Thao and Kueng are also Chauvin was convicted last month on reasonably in the situation and that Floyd
charged with violating Floyd’s right to be state charges of murder and manslaughter died because of underlying health issues
free from unreasonable seizure, alleging in Floyd’s death and is in Minnesota’s only and drug use. He has filed a request for a
they did not intervene to stop Chauvin as he maximum-security prison as he awaits sen- new trial, citing many issues including the
knelt on Floyd’s neck. All four officers are tencing. The other three former officers judge’s refusal to move the trial due to pub-
charged for their failure to provide Floyd face a state trial in August, and they are free licity.
Sheriff: Girl shoots 3 at middle school in Idaho
Associated Press held her until law enforcement arrived and “Me and my classmate were just in class
BOISE, Idaho — A sixth-grade girl brought took her into custody, authorities said, with- with our teacher — we were doing work —
a gun to her Idaho middle school, shot and out giving other details. Authorities say and then all of a sudden, here was a loud noise
wounded two students and a custodian and they’re investigating the motive for the attack and then there were two more loud noises.
then was disarmed by a teacher Thursday, and where the girl got the gun. Then there was screaming,” 12-year-old Yan-
authorities said. “We don’t have a lot of details at this time of del Rodriguez said. “Our teacher went to
The three victims were shot in their limbs ‘why’ — that is being investigated,” Anderson check it out, and he found blood.”
and expected to survive, officials said at a said. “We’re following all leads.” Both of the students who were shot were
news conference. Jefferson County Sheriff The girl is from the nearby city of Idaho being held at the hospital, and one of them
Steve Anderson says the girl pulled a hand- Falls, Anderson said. He didn’t release her might need surgery, said Dr. Michael Lemon,
gun from her backpack and fired multiple name. trauma medical director at Eastern Idaho Re-
rounds inside and outside Rigby Middle Police were called to the school around 9:15 gional Medical Center.
School in the small city of Rigby, about 95 a.m. after students and staffers heard gunfire. “It’s an absolute blessing” that they weren’t
miles southwest of Yellowstone National Multiple law enforcement agencies respon- hurt worse, Lemon said. The adult was treat-
Park. ded, and students were evacuated to a nearby ed and released for a bullet wound that went
A female teacher disarmed the girl and high school to be reunited with their parents. through an extremity, the doctor said.
Texas House passes GOP-driven elections bill
Associated Press/Report for America Briscoe Cain, appeared unprepared at times cations to high schools and instructed the
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republican law- to answer. Finally, an agreement was reac- state to develop an online format for tracking
makers advanced a sweeping elections bill hed between Republicans and Democrats early ballots.
early Friday following hours of discussion leaving the bill with 20 amendments that sig- Thursday’s bill was combined with a simi-
that would put America’s biggest red state nificantly watered down some of what advo- lar bill, which already passed the Senate, and
closer to imposing a raft of new voting re- cates called the most problematic aspects of both chambers still need to negotiate a final
strictions in the face of growing warning the bill as it passed the key vote 81-64. version before it goes to Republican Gov.
from corporations. The amendments lowered initially pro- Greg Abbott, who has broadly defended the
The key vote at 3 a.m. in the Texas House posed enhanced criminal penalties, allowed measures. The session ends May 31.
followed hours of debate as Democrats, who poll watchers to be removed if they breach Abbott reiterated his support Thursday.
had little means of stopping the bill in the the peace and clarified that election judges “I made election integrity an emergency
GOP-controlled state Capitol, deployed tech- and volunteers wouldn’t be held liable for item this session to help ensure every eligible
nical challenges and hours of questioning honest mistakes. Additionally, they instruct- voter gets to vote & only eligible ballots are
that the bill’s author, Republican state Rep. ed the state to send voter registration appli- counted,” Abbott tweeted.PAGE 4 • STRIPES LITE • Friday, May 7, 2021
US job growth slows in sign of hiring woes
Associated Press on travel, entertainment and than their 206,000 increase in has been so fast that many busi-
WASHINGTON — America’s dining out over the past year. March. nesses, particularly in the hard-
employers added just 266,000 Millions of consumers have be- In its monthly report Friday, hit hospitality sector — which
jobs last month, sharply lower gun spending their extra cash the government also sharply includes restaurants, bars and
than in March and a sign that on restaurant meals, airline lowered its estimate of March’s hotels — have been caught flat-
some businesses are struggling tickets, road trips and new cars job gain to 770,000 from its earli- footed and unable to fill all their
to find enough workers as the and homes. er estimate of 916,000. job openings. Some unemploy-
economic recovery strength- Among industries, the sharp- Most economists expect job ed people have also been reluc-
ens. est loss last month was in tempo- growth to strengthen as more tant to look for work because
With coronavirus cases de- rary work, which shed 111,000 vaccinations are administered they fear catching the virus.
clining and states and localities jobs. Construction companies and trillions in government aid Others have entered new oc-
easing restrictions, businesses added no jobs in April after hav- spreads through the economy. cupations rather than return to
have added jobs for four straight ing added 97,000 in March. Even if another uptick in CO- their old jobs. And many wom-
months, the Labor Department Manufacturing lost 18,000 posi- VID-19 cases were to occur, en, especially working mothers,
said Friday. Still, the unemploy- tions after hiring 54,000 the pre- analysts don’t expect most have had to leave the workforce
ment rate ticked up to 6.1% from vious month. And transporta- states and cities to reimpose to care for children.
6% in March. tion and warehousing cut 74,000 tough business restrictions. Ox- Most of the hiring so far rep-
At the same time, optimism jobs after months of solid gains. ford Economics, a consulting resents a bounce-back after tens
about the economic recovery is By contrast, restaurants, ho- firm, predicts that a total of 8 of millions of positions were lost
growing. Many Americans are tels and entertainment venues million jobs will be added this when the pandemic flattened
flush with cash after having re- — businesses that have com- year, reducing the unemploy- the economy 14 months ago. The
ceived $1,400 federal relief plained the loudest about a ment rate to a low 4.3% by year’s economy remains more than 8
checks, along with savings they shortage of workers — added end. million jobs short of its pre-pan-
have built up after cutting back 331,000 jobs in April, even more Still, the economic rebound demic level.
Pressure rises for India Talks resume on US
lockdown; virus cases nuclear deal with Iran
again break daily record Associated Press
VIENNA — World powers be-
fuges. It also pressured the world
powers remaining in the deal —
Associated Press As deaths soar, crematoriums gan a fourth round of high-level France, Britain, Russia and China
NEW DELHI — Indian Prime and burial grounds have been talks in Austria aimed at bringing — for economic relief.
Minister Narendra Modi faced swamped with bodies, and rela- the United States back into the nu- President Joe Biden has said he
growing pressure Friday to im- tives often wait hours to perform clear deal with Iran, with major wants to rejoin the deal, known as
pose a strict nationwide lock- the last rites for their loved ones. stumbling blocks remaining Fri- the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
down, despite the economic pain The situation is so dramatic day but both sides suggesting a Action, or JCPOA, but that Iran
it will exact, as a startling surge in that among those calling for a resolution was possible. needs to return to compliance.
coronavirus cases that has pum- strict lockdown are merchants The U.S. pulled out of the land- Iran, which insists it does not
meled the country’s health sys- who know their businesses will be mark 2015 deal in 2018 after then- want to produce a nuclear bomb,
tem shows no signs of abating. affected but see no other way out. President Donald Trump said the has said it is prepared to reverse
Many medical experts, opposi- “Only if our health is good, will pact needed to be renegotiated. all of its violations but that Wash-
tion leaders and even Supreme we be able to earn,” said Aruna The deal had promised Iran eco- ington must remove all sanctions
Court judges are calling for na- Ramjee, a florist in Bengaluru. nomic incentives in exchange for imposed under Trump, including
tional restrictions, arguing that a “The lockdown will help every- curbs on its nuclear program, and ones outside the JCPOA.
patchwork of state rules is insuffi- one, and coronavirus spread will the Trump administration reim- On the other side is the question
cient to quell the rise in infections. also come down.” posed heavy sanctions in an un- of what Iran’s return to compli-
Indian television stations Infections have swelled in In- successful attempt to bring Teh- ance would look like. Delegates to
broadcast images of patients ly- dia since February in a disastrous ran into new talks. the Vienna talks concede, for ex-
ing on stretchers outside hospi- turn blamed on more contagious Iran reacted by steadily in- ample, that Iranian nuclear scien-
tals waiting to be admitted, with variants as well as government creasing violations of the deal, tists cannot unlearn the knowl-
hospital beds and critical oxygen decisions to allow massive which is intended to prevent the edge they acquired in the last
in short supply. People infected crowds to gather for religious fes- country from obtaining nuclear three years, but it is not clear
with COVID-19 in villages are be- tivals and political rallies. On Fri- weapons, by enriching uranium whether Iran’s new centrifuges
ing treated in makeshift outdoor day India reported a new daily re- to a greater purity and stockpiling would need to be destroyed,
clinics, with IV drips hanging cord of 414,188 confirmed cases more than allowed, and begin- mothballed and locked away, or
from trees. and 3,915 additional deaths. ning to use more advanced centri- simply taken offline.Friday, May 7, 2021 • S T R I P E S L I T E • PAGE 5
AMERICAN ROUNDUP
Feds: Man used bad pit bulls to be unmuzzled in pub- closed to most traffic through center, and gave in. So then ev-
lic and damage to property. May 21 because of the pandem- erybody fell to the rocks below,”
loan to buy alpaca farm Police and Nebraska Humane ic. said emergency management
Society officials have said the
MA BOSTON — The
owner of a Massa-
chusetts pizza parlor lied about
woman’s dogs attacked a hus-
band and wife who were walk-
Customs: Woman hid
drugs in shoes at airport
spokeswoman Amy Maxwell.
The county’s building inspec-
tion department will review the
ing their dog in the neighbor-
the number of employees he had
to fraudulently obtain more than hood Sunday evening, sending
the woman to a hospital with
GA ATLANTA — A Ge-
orgia woman was
caught trying to smuggle
collapse to determine the cause,
authorities said.
$660,000 in federal coronavirus
relief funds, then used some of bites to her face and hands. The $40,000 worth of cocaine in mul- Teen charged as adult in
the money to buy and stock an man suffered bites to his arm, tiple pairs of shoes through the rigged homecoming vote
alpaca farm in Vermont, federal and the poodle underwent sur- Atlanta airport, according to
prosecutors said Tuesday.
Dana McIntyre, 57, of Graf-
gery for severe injuries to its leg.
Humane Society officials
U.S. Customs and Border Pro-
tection. FL PENSACOLA — A
Florida teen accused
ton, Vt., was arrested Tuesday picked up the pit bulls following Customs officers stopped the of rigging a homecoming queen
and charged with wire fraud and the attack and placed them on a 21-year-old on Sunday after she election with her mother is be-
money laundering, according to 10-day rabies hold. arrived on a flight from Jamai- ing charged as an adult, prose-
a statement from the U.S. attor- The owner of the pit bulls told ca, the agency said in a cutors said.
ney’s office in Boston. the Omaha World-Herald that statement Monday. Her bags Emily Rose Grover was still
McIntyre, who formerly lived she has proof her dogs are vacci- were inspected, and seven pairs 17 when she was arrested in
in Beverly and Essex, Mass., nated. of shoes were found to have a March. She turned 18 in April,
was the owner of Rasta Pasta Police: Motorcyclist powdery white substance con- and the State Attorney’s Office
Pizzeria in Beverly in April 2020 cealed in their bottoms.
when he applied for a Paycheck
speeds across border The substance tested positive
in Escambia County confirmed
Tuesday that Grover will be
Protection Program loan, prose- for cocaine, according to the
cutors said.
But in his application, he falsi-
ME MILLINOCKET —
A New Brunswick
man sped through a U.S.-Cana-
agency. About 3 pounds of the
drug were recovered.
tried as an adult.
Grover and her mother, Laura
Rose Carroll, 50, face multiple
fied an official tax form and dian border checkpoint on a mo- 11 guests injured when
claimed the pizza shop had al- felony charges stemming from
torcycle and led police on a high-
most 50 employees, when re-
restaurant deck collapses the October homecoming vote at
speed pursuit in Maine, police
cords indicate it had fewer than Tate High School in Pensacola.
10, in an effort to inflate the size
of the loan he was entitled to, au-
said.
Jeremy Richard, 27, roared TN SODDY-DAISY —
Eleven people were
injured when a deck collapsed
While employed as an assist-
ant principal at Bellview Ele-
through Maine at speeds top-
thorities said. ping 150 mph before being ar- during a birthday party at a Ten- mentary School in the same
After receiving the loan, he rested Monday in Millinocket, nessee restaurant, authorities county, Carroll accessed the
sold the pizza shop and used the more than 60 miles from the bor- said. school district’s internal system
money to purchase and upgrade der crossing in Houlton, police About 40 people were on the to cast fraudulent votes for her
a farm in Vermont and buy sev- said. deck at Zois Harbor Lights Res- daughter so that she would win,
eral alpacas, authorities said. Richard, who was turned over taurant in Soddy-Daisy on Sat- officials said.
Dog owner cited following to the U.S. Border Patrol, was urday and fell when it collapsed, Multiple Tate students told in-
charged with eluding police, news outlets reported, citing the
attack by pit bulls criminal speeding, driving to en- Hamilton County Office of
vestigators that Grover de-
scribed using her mother’s sys-
NE OMAHA — The own-
er of two pit bull-
mixed breed dogs accused of vi-
danger and reckless conduct,
according to East Millinocket
police.
Emergency Management. Elev-
en people were taken to hospi-
tals, including two with critical
tem access, or of watching her
mother access records, for
olently attacking an Omaha cou- A Maine Forestry Service hel- injuries. years, the report said. Investiga-
ple and their miniature poodle icopter served as a spotter for “They all congregated outside tors learned that since August
now faces several citations, in- police during the pursuit down on the deck to take a group pho- 2019, Carroll’s account accessed
cluding having no proof of vacci- I-95, where Richard topped 150 to. So when somebody went 372 high school records and 339
nations, no proof of licenses, no mph at one point, police said. down to get ready to take the pic- of those were Tate students.
proof of insurance, allowing the The U.S.-Canadian border is ture, the deck caved in, in the — From wire reportsPAGE 6 • STRIPES LITE • Friday, May 7, 2021
NHL fights are embarassing Carter, Pens
beat Sabres
Associated Press time that player is on the ice. Yes, this is actually a Associated Press
The National Hockey League is an embarrass- thing.) PITTSBURGH — Jeff Carter
ment. Turns out, a suspension for Wilson was obvious to scored a career-high four goals
This is not a new development, but it’s worth re- everyone except the Capitals (their coach, Peter La- and the Pittsburgh Penguins
visiting. As long as the league condones the sort of violette, ludicrously described it as nothing more moved back into first place in
mindless, reckless violence we’ve seen this week, it than “a physical play”) and the NHL’s even more the crowded East Division with
will never be anything more than MMA On Ice. absurdly titled head of player safety, George Parros. an 8-4 victory over the Buffalo
To contend the carnage that went on these past Parros doled out a $5,000 fine for the hit on Buch- Sabres on Thursday night.
few days between the Washington Capitals and the nevich — and didn’t even mention the mauling of The 36-year-old Carter, ac-
New York Rangers is simply a part of the game is the Panarin. quired from Los Angeles at the
sort of Neanderthal thinking that keeps hockey in That was it. trade deadline, beat Michael
the dark ages. Incensed, the Rangers issued a scathing state- Houser three times in the first
It is bloodlust, pure and simple, and not really ment that charged the league with “a dereliction of 25 minutes for his first hat trick
worth taking seriously. duty” and blasted Parros, a former player, as “unfit since March 28, 2018. He added
Will this be the light-bulb moment when the NHL to continue in his current role.” his fourth with a pretty back-
finally exorcises this wretched stain that holds back No argument there, yet the problem runs far hander — the 398th goal of his
any chance of it becoming a truly major sport? deeper than this one nasty incident and one hare- career — early in the third peri-
Not a chance. brained suit in the league office. od that put the Sabres away.
For some reason, the league thinks that one This is about a league that has taken tepid steps to The four-goal performance
grown man grabbing another grown man by the rein in its unwritten code of cheap shots and unre- was the first by a Penguins play-
hair and slamming him face-first to the ice is not strained brawling — the kind that led to sick jokes er since Chris Kunitz did it in a
even worthy of a single-game suspension. such as “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke victory over Washington on
Which, in the natural order of the NHL, leads to out” — but has never been willing to fully break Feb. 3, 2013.
the next game transforming into Fight Club — ex- from barbarism as a supposed selling point. Tristan Jarry overcame a
cept there’s nothing secretive about the silly, sorry Maybe they view all those “Best Hockey Brawls” sloppy start to finish with 19
little enterprise. videos on YouTube as a sign that this is what the fans saves as Pittsburgh moved two
It’s proudly staged in a giant arena for the entire want. As if pouring salt on a self-inflicted wound, the points ahead of Washington for
world to see. NHL levied an extraordinary $250,000 fine against the top spot in the East.
Instead of easing tensions, the NHL’s hands-off the Rangers for their demeaning assessment of Par- Maple Leafs 5, Canadiens 2:
approach to fists flying and other assorted acts of ros. Auston Matthews scored his
brutality — hey, the players also carry sticks that Anyway, when the Capitals and the New Yorkers NHL-leading 40th goal of the
double as effective weapons — leads inevitably to met again on Wednesday, with Wilson still allowed season to help Toronto beat vis-
the sort of criminal behavior we’ve seen this week on the ice, one didn’t have to be Carnac the Magnif- iting Montreal.
This latest black eye for the league was sparked icent to figure out what would happen next. Bruins 4, Rangers 0: Patrice
by a familiar source: Capitals goon Tom Wilson, The Rangers were in the mood for some vigilante Bergeron scored in his fourth
who already has quite the impressive rap sheet for a justice. straight game, Jeremy Sway-
wide array of illegal hits over the years. Three fights broke out at center ice as soon as the man needed to stop only 15 shots
In Monday night’s game against the Rangers, a puck was dropped. Before the game was a minute for his second career shutout
scrum broke out at the side of the Capitals’ net after old, Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith got into it and host Boston beat New York.
the whistle blew. Wilson wound up on top of Pavel with Wilson. And, yes, two more fights erupted just Devils 2, Islanders 1: At
Buchnevich and figured that would be a good time to past the four-minute mark. Uniondale, N.Y., Michael
show how tough he is, so he delivered a punch to the “I think it was good,” Smith said proudly. “We McLeod scored the tiebreaking
back of the Rangers player’s head. were just trying to stick up for our teammate. It was goal late in the second period,
Coming to the aid of his teammate, Artemi Pana- a good response for sure.” Mackenzie Blackwood stopped
rin jumped on Wilson’s back. But the 5-foot-11, 170- No, it wasn’t. 32 shots and New Jersey beat
pound Panarin was no match for the 6-4, 220-pound Amuch better response would be for the league to playoff-bound New York for its
Wilson, who grabbed his opponent by the hair and follow the path of the NBA, which cracked down fifth win in six games.
slammed him face-first to the ice like a rag doll. mightily after the infamous 2004 “Malice at the Pal- Blackhawks 2, Hurricanes 1
Now, it seemed obvious to everyone that Wilson ace” melee spilled into the stands, involving both (OT): Alex DeBrincat beat Petr
was headed for another suspension, with some players and fans. Mrazek at 2:02 of overtime and
rightly arguing that he deserved to be suspended for Hockey is a graceful, magnificent game when visiting Chicago beat NHL-
the rest of the season — including the playoffs. played the right way. The league where it should be leading Carolina to salvage the
Especially when news broke that Panarin would played at the highest level needs to realize that the finale of a three-game set.
miss the final three games of the Rangers’ season only way to grow the sport beyond its niche fan base Canucks 6, Oilers 3: Travis
with what was vaguely described as a lower-body is to weed out all the needless savagery. Hamonic, Nils Hoglander and
injury. (Side note: In the NHL, they won’t be more Until that changes — and we’re not holding our Jayce Hawryluk each had a goal
specific about injuries other than describing which breath — the first rule of the NHL should be: Don’t and Vancouver beat host Ed-
half of the body they occurred for fear an opponent talk about the NHL. monton to snap a six-game los-
will specifically target the ailing body part the next It’s too embarrassing. ing streak.Friday, May 7, 2021 • S T R I P E S L I T E • PAGE 7
Slumping slugger Pujols cut by Angels
Associated Press wants to be in the field,” Mad- would be different.” received nine All-Star selec-
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert don said. “Hopefully he’s going A 10-time All-Star and the ol- tions, won an NL batting title
Pujols was cut by the Los An- to get that opportunity some- dest active player in the majors, and hit 445 homers while estab-
geles Angels on Thursday, where else, and believe me, Pujols had five homers and 12 lishing himself as one of the
abruptly ending the 41-year-old we’re all going to be rooting for RBIs this year while playing in greatest sluggers of his gener-
superstar slugger's decade with him.” 24 of the Angels' 29 games. Af- ation.
his second major league team. The three-time NL MVP for ter a decent start to the season, Angels owner Arte Moreno
The Angels surprisingly an- St. Louis was in the final season Pujols had been in a 7-for-43 persuaded Pujols to leave for
nounced the move to designate of a 10-year, $240 million con- slump since April 20, hitting the West Coast with a lavish
Pujols for assignment one day tract with Los Angeles, but Pu- three homers in that stretch. contract, but the Angels have
after he wasn't in the lineup for jols' determination was incom- Minasian said the decision to not won a playoff game during
the slumping club's fourth con- patible with the Angels' desire cut ties with Pujols was “really the concurrent tenures of Pu-
secutive loss. The decision was to make everyday players out of difficult. These are never easy, jols and three-time AL MVP
made after Pujols, dissatisfied first baseman Jared Walsh and especially with a guy like this Mike Trout at the heart of their
with irregular playing time, had designated hitter Shohei Ohta- who loves the game as much as lineup.
a late-night meeting with gen- ni, who have both significantly anybody I’ve ever met, who And though Pujols has cross-
eral manager Perry Minasian outperformed Pujols as two of works as hard as anybody I’ve ed several statistical milestones
and team president John Carpi- the American League's top hit- ever met. But since I’ve taken with the Angels, the contrast in
no. ters. this job, to me it’s about what’s the two halves of his career is
Pujols, who is batting .198 this “Albert is not a bench play- best for the organization mov- stark.
season, is determined to play er,” said Minasian, the club's ing forward. It really weighed He batted .328 with a 1.037
first base regularly for another first-year GM. “Him being on on me. I think it weighed on all OPS in St. Louis, but hit .256
team after he clears waivers, the bench would not do him any of us.” with a .758 OPS in Anaheim
Angels manager Joe Maddon good, and would not do the team Pujols joined the Angels after along with 222 homers — just
said. Pujols is fifth in major any good. He’s as motivated as 11 successful seasons with the under half his total for the
league history with 667 career he’s ever been. If the situation Cardinals during which he won Cards. Pujols also earned just
homers and 13th with 3,253 hits. was different and there were at- three league MVP awards, one All-Star selection with the
“He wants to play, and he bats for him to play here, it earned two World Series rings, Halos, back in 2015.
Altuve’s homer helps Astros avoid sweep by Yankees
Associated Press solo homers off Gerrit Cole, who Braves 3, Nationals 2: Ehire Indians 4, Royals 0: Triston
NEW YORK — José Altuve turned a 3-2 lead over to Green Adrianza made the most of a McKenzie (1-1) pitched one-hit
responded to jeering fans by starting the eighth. After Torres rare start on a day off for slump- ball into the sixth inning and vis-
marking his 31st birthday with a pulled the Yankees within a run ing NL MVP Freddie Freeman, iting Cleveland beat Kansas
go-ahead, three-run homer off in the bottom half, Martín Mal- providing a nice defensive play City to complete a four-game
Chad Green in the eighth in- donado hit a two-run homer off and a two-run single to back sweep.
ning, and the Houston Astros Justin Wilson in the ninth, end- Drew Smyly’s (1-2) strong out- Blue Jays 10, Athletics 4:
beat the New York Yankees 7-4 ing a streak of of 75 plate ap- ing, leading visiting Atlanta past Randal Grichuk homered, dou-
on Thursday to avoid a three- pearances without an RBI. Washington. bled and drove in five runs and
game sweep. Cole faced the Astros for the Rangers 4, Twins 3 (10): Wil- visiting Toronto beat Oakland to
Booed throughout the series first time since leaving them af- lie Calhoun singled in the win- split the four-game series after
by fans getting to express their ter the 2019 World Series. ning run in the 10th inning and dropping the first two games
anger directly at the Astros Alex Scrubb (1-0) pitched a visiting Texas dropped Minne- against the AL West leader.
since their cheating scandal en perfect seventh, and Ryan sota to 0-7 in extra innings. Rays 8, Angels 3: Mike Zuni-
route to the 2017 World Series ti- Pressly got six outs for his fifth Phillies 2, Brewers 0: Zack no homered, Brett Phillips had
tle was exposed, Altuve turned save. Houston climbed back Wheeler (3-2) struck out eight two hits during a seven-run
on a shoulder-high 96 mph 3-2 above .500 at 16-15. and pitched a three-hitter and eighth inning and visiting Tam-
pitch and drove it over the left- Red Sox 12, Tigers 9: Fran- Alex Bohm homered to help pa Bay rallied to beat Los An-
field scoreboard for a 5-3 lead. chy Cordero came off the bench host Philadelphia beat Milwau- geles.
Gleyber Torres made an in- with three hits to snap an 0- kee for a four-game sweep. Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 1:
credible, daring dash for the for-25 slump, then brought Mets 4, Cardinals 1: Taijuan Adam Duvall hit a tiebreaking
Yankees, scoring from first home the winning run in the Walker (2-1) allowed one hit in homer in the seventh inning,
base on an infield single, but eighth with the help of Detroit’s seven innings and visiting New five pitchers combined on a
New York’s five-game winning fourth error, and host Boston York scored three runs on five-hitter and host Miami beat
streak ended. held on after blowing three pre- bases-loaded walks to beat St. Arizona for its first sweep of the
Yordan Álvarez hit a pair of vious leads. Louis. season.PAGE 8 • STRIPES LITE • Friday, May 7, 2021
Wiz take 4-game lead in play-in race
Associated Press the ball and let my teammates Bulls 120, Hornets 99: Niko- Fighting Golden State for
TAMPA, Fla. — Bradley Beal make plays.” la Vucevic had 29 points and 14 eighth place in the Western Con-
scored 14 of his 28 points in the “I think we had him turned in rebounds and visiting Chicago ference, Memphis couldn’t take
fourth quarter and overtime circles most of the night,” Nurse breezed past Charlotte with advantage of the matchup
Thursday night, and Russell said. Zach LaVine back on the floor against lowly Detroit.
Westbrook had his 34th triple- Westbrook had 13 points, 17 for the Bulls. Clippers 118, Lakers 94:
double of the season in the rebounds and 17 assists before LaVine returned from an 11- Paul George scored 24 points
Washington Wizards’ 131-129 fouling out with 15.3 seconds left game absence due to the and the Los Angeles Clippers
win over Toronto that all but in overtime. The triple-double league’s health and safety proto- routed a Los Angeles Lakers
eliminated the Raptors from the was the 180th of his career, leav- cols and scored 13 points on 5- team minus LeBron James,
NBA’s play-in tournament. ing him one behind Oscar Ro- for-11 shooting. moving into the No. 3 spot in the
Pascal Siakam matched his bertson. It was the sixth triple- P.J. Washington, who missed Western Conference playoff
career high with 44 points for double in seven games for West- Charlotte’s last game for the race.
the Raptors, who lost for the fifth brook. birth of his child, led the Horn- The loss kept the defending
time in six games and fell four Mavericks 113, Nets 109: ets with 24 points on six three- NBA champion Lakers at No. 6.
games behind the Wizards for Luka Doncic scored 24 points, pointers. The Staples Center co-tenants
the 10th spot in the Eastern Con- Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 and Pacers 133, Hawks 126: Ca- could potentially face each oth-
ference with five left to play. Sia- Dallas beat visiting Brooklyn to ris LeVert scored nine of his 31 er in the first round.
kam missed a long three-pointer finish a season sweep. points in the final 2:17, and host The Lakers have lost four of
at the end of overtime. Kyrie Irving scored a season- Indiana awoke from a recent five, with six games remaining
“We just needed one of those high 45 points for the Nets. They funk to beat Atlanta. in the regular season. The only
(shots) to go,” Toronto coach lost a season-high fourth The Pacers had lost four of thing they’ve clinched so far is a
Nick Nurse said, “but it was not straight game and dropped two five, including one of the sea- spot in the new play-in tourna-
to be.” games behind Eastern Confer- son’s ugliest losses Wednesday ment, which James has derided.
Beal, who played 45 minutes ence-leading Philadelphia. in which they managed just 93 Still dealing with a high ankle
just a day after the Wizards lost Warriors 118, Thunder 97: points at home against Sacra- sprain, he will be out again Fri-
at Milwaukee, spent most of the Stephen Curry had 34 points mento’s NBA-worst defense. day night for a pivotal game at
game trying to escape Toronto’s and seven assists and host Gold- Trae Young led the Hawks Portland. That season series is
defensive attention. en State raced past Oklahoma with 30 points and 10 assists. tied at one.
“As soon as I walked out of the City. Pistons 111, Grizzlies 97: Kawhi Leonard had 15 points,
locker room they had a guy on Ty Jerome scored 23 points to Wayne Ellington and Cory Jo- eight rebounds and six asssists,
me,” he said. “It was tough, but it lead the Thunder and Darius seph scored 18 points apiece and and Ivica Zubac added 14 points
was effective. It kept me out of Bazley added 22. They have lost Detroit beat visiting Memphis to and eight rebounds for the Clip-
the game. I had to move without five straight and 19 of 20. snap a four-game losing streak. pers.
First of 2 races NASCAR Cup races hits Darlington
Associated Press “We’re certainly excited with what’s oc- the raceway.
Darlington Raceway was strangely busy curred,” said Kerry Tharp, track president When Darlington lost its Labor Day week-
at the start of the pandemic when the old, since 2016. “We consider ourselves like the end date after 2003, the whispers began
country track opened its gates to help NAS- Wrigley Field of NASCAR.” about the track maybe shutting down. It’s
CAR restart its engines during a hectic The South Carolina track hosted two NAS- what happened to two other NASCAR origi-
stretch of three races in five days. CAR weekends a year from 1960 through nals: Rockingham and North Wilkesboro in
It was the perfect warmup for a return to 2004 before the Labor Day race was moved North Carolina are now shuttered.
two scheduled Cup Series races this season to a larger market. But Darlington leaders and officials at
at NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway for the It’s not that Darlington wasn’t appreciat- NASCAR, which now owns the track, have
first time since 2004. ed. Harold Brasington carved the 1.366-mile, worked to modernize the venue by adding
Darlington hosts all three of NASCAR’s egg-shaped oval out of farmland and “The lights, new grandstands, suite areas and a
national series this weekend that closes with Track Too Tough To Tame” is one of the tunnel entry to improve access for teams.
the Cup stars celebrating Mother’s Day on most unique on the circuit. But it opened in Tharp understands Darlington can’t make
Sunday. NASCAR then returns in Septem- 1950, seats less than 50,000 in the grand- the same mistake again by sitting back con-
ber for the Southern 500 on Labor Day week- stands and sits along a four-lane highway on tent with its two-races-a-year status. There
end. the way to the beach. are areas he and NASCAR are targeting for
It is something of a rebirth for a track that Simply put, NASCAR outgrew the place. improvements.
seemed closer to extinction during the 17 But, track officials also took for granted The path back has been rocky. The first big
years since NASCAR stripped the “Lady In Darlington’s status as a staple on NASCAR’s step came in 2015 when Darlington regained
Black” of one of its coveted race dates. schedule and it led to neglect and disrepair at its Labor Day date for the Southern 500.You can also read
