Latest news with #Alvarado
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB Insider Floats Phillies as a Landing Spot for Rockies' Star Reliever Jake Bird
MLB Insider Floats Phillies as a Landing Spot for Rockies' Star Reliever Jake Bird originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's been a month now since veteran southpaw José Alvarado was suspended for PED use, and the Philadelphia Phillies are still reeling from the loss. Perhaps the loss of Jeff Hoffman in conjunction with the acquisition of Jordan Romano has been responsible for their seemingly endless bullpen woes, but rather than focus on the problem, it's past time to focus on the solution. Advertisement In an article on MLB insider Mark Feinsand might have suggested the perfect reliever to solve the Phillies' biggest problem. When discussing prime trade candidates and their potential suitors, Feinsand linked the Phillies to Colorado Rockies' breakout star Jake Bird. He had this to write about Bird: 'The Rockies should try to sell any player who draws interest, but the club doesn't have many attractive pieces to shop. Bird is one of the exceptions; the 29-year-old has a 2.23 ERA in 40 1/3 innings and comes with three additional years of club control.' Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jake Bird (59) pitches in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Coors Field. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Bird is probably the most intriguing name on the relief market this season. Despite the notable disadvantage of playing in hitter-friendly Colorado, Bird has been one of the best relievers in the game. With his stats and years of control, there isn't a team in baseball where he wouldn't be a perfect fit. If the Phillies have a shot at Bird, they should grab him as quickly as possible. Advertisement However, the emphasis here is on the 'if.' Colorado doesn't usually deal their best players. It would make perfect sense for them to trade Bird for the best package they could get, but even in times of severe underperformance, the Rockies usually avoid the trade market. This archaic Colorado tradition has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the relief market. Still, it never hurts to call. Related: Phillies' Rob Thomson Sends Heartfelt Message to Nick Castellanos Despite Latest Development This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. ICE raids leave people ‘scared to leave the house' in Hawthorne
The truck carrying two men suspected of living in the country illegally was pinned between a white rusty fence and two border patrol vehicles near a busy intersection in Hawthorne. Standing by the passenger door, two federal agents were handcuffing a pregnant woman, a U.S. citizen, angering the crowd that had gathered there and prompting masked agents to stand guard with less-lethal weapons and batons. 'Let her go, she's pregnant,' a woman screamed out. 'That girl is pregnant, let her go!' 'Get back!' yelled an agent with a steel baton. 'We are back!' a man responded loudly. The sweep near 120th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard this month was one of several that took place in this working-class city; all part of an immigration enforcement blitz in Southern California that has mostly affected workers living in the country illegally — similar to those that President Trump has employed in the past. The incident, which was captured on video and shared on social media along with subsequent raids in the city, has sparked outrage, fear and anxiety in a town where half the population is Latino. At least 30% of the total population is also foreign born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some businesses said the raids have had an impact on them as well. Recently elected Mayor Alex Vargas has not spoken about the immigration issues his city is facing. He did not respond to requests for comment. But two days after the incident at the intersection, a small group of young people gathered to protest the immigration raids. They waved American and Mexican flags as dozens of cars honked in support. The pregnant woman, Cary López Alvarado, told NBC Los Angeles that the agents had been tailing her husband and co-worker when they pulled into the parking lot of a building where they were doing maintenance. She said she opened the gate for her husband to drive in when the agents pulled up. She said she refused to let the agents into the property. In a video she recorded and shared with the news station, Alvarado tells the agents to leave and that they were on private property. She said the agents then took her into custody for obstruction but later released her. Soon after that, she began experiencing pain in her belly and went to the hospital. Alvarado could not be reached for comment. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to questions about the operation. The white Toyota Tundra that had been stopped that day remains in the small parking lot of the building that is home to a Live Scan business. The driver side window was broken and shattered glass lay nearby. It's been a week of upheaval in Hawthorne, the South Bay suburb where the Beach Boys got their start in the 1960s and came to epitomize the postwar beach culture of Southern California. Over the last 50 years, the city of nearly 90,000 has become much more diverse, with a sizable Latino immigrant community. Standing outside her apartment complex at the corner of Acacia Avenue and 120th Street, just across from where the truck had been stopped, Maria Perez, 68, a Cuban and American citizen, smoked a cigarette with a neighbor. She expressed anger over the incident and the raids that have been taking place in the city and Greater Los Angeles. 'I cried when I saw what happened here,' she said. 'I was hurting like everybody else and now there's fear not just here but all over the city.' Her neighbor Ruben Esquivel, 43, said the raids have caused some people to go into hiding. 'I don't see anyone,' he said. 'People who are trying to make a living are scared to leave the house. It's horrible.' Jimmy Butler, 59, was home when he started to hear honking. By the time he traced the noise to the intersection, he saw Border Patrol agents taking the two men into custody as well as the pregnant woman. 'I was upset about what happened that day,' he said. 'How do you take someone who hasn't committed a crime?' Since then he said he has been more alert in an effort to protect his neighborhood, a street lined with apartment buildings where Samoans, Africans, Latinos and Black Americans live. When he heard honking again recently, he feared federal agents had returned but he was relieved when he learned it was related to the group of young demonstrators. 'People are living in anxiety,' he said. At the corner of 119th Street and Acacia Avenue, where Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church can pull in about 1,000 parishioners, Father Arturo Velascos said it was unclear what effect the June 1 incident, and other immigration raids, will have on attendance. 'The fact that they were here has us asking ourselves: How is this Sunday going to be?' he said. 'I know people are scared. Anyone who is undocumented has that basic fear that if they go to church or leave their home they'll be captured by ICE and get deported.' Velascos said the church has told people to remain vigilant and has held know-your-rights workshops to inform parishioners and the community. He said some people have expressed to him that they're afraid that immigration agents will enter the church to grab people. 'If they ever tried to come into our church packed with parishioners it will go bad for them because people will not tolerate that,' he said. 'You don't want 1,000 people angry at you.' Elsewhere in the city, the raids seem to be keeping people away. On Hawthorne Boulevard, some businesses said there are fewer shoppers. At 132nd Street, Gilberto Alvarez, 32, general manager at Denny's, said he was expecting a boost in sales recently after another diner in the area burned down. 'Right away we saw a bump in sales,' he said. But after Sunday's incident, he saw the number dip again. 'I was expecting to have $13,000 in sales instead I got $9,000,' he said. He said daily sales have also decreased from 500 to about 300. Business owners in the area said they too have noticed a decline in sales. They said workers have called in sick, fearing they will be detained by federal agents. However, some smaller stores said they haven't noticed a difference yet. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Sergio Hernandez, 49, stood at the mouth of his driveway, contemplating life. For more than 30 years, Hernandez has been living illegally in the country. But now, amid the immigration raids, he's considering self-deporting to Mexico. He said the raids have left him in a constant state of fear and anxiety. They've also placed an economic burden on him. Four years ago, he said, he suffered a stroke and lost the movement of his right arm and therefore his job as a polisher at a metal shop. Since then, he's been selling used items at a local swap meet. But the presence of Border Patrol vehicles has forced him to stay home. They've scared customers away as well and the few times he's taken the risk to sell items at the swap meet, he's noticed half the stalls are empty. Unable to work, he's had to dip into his savings and is afraid he'll run out of money soon. He said if he's unable to pay the $1,300 in rent and bills, he'll return home. Hernandez paused for a moment, spotting a white Chevy Escalade with tinted windows at the intersection nearby. 'See, that's the second time that vehicle has passed by here, it's immigration, you can see the lights,' he said. He said it's moments like those that cause him to be on high alert whenever he has to go to the store. 'Before you could go out and be out and about, you know — living life,' he said. 'But now people are always telling you when they spot immigration and whether it's true or not, you'd rather not find out.' Hernandez said he doesn't know when he'll return to Mexico. What's delaying his decision is the simple fact that he's become accustomed to living his life in the U.S. 'I don't understand,' he said. 'There are people living in the streets, getting drugged up and I'm here trying to work. Why are they coming after me?'
News18
11-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
'I Was Born Here': 9-Month Pregnant US Citizen Lands In Hospital After Immigration Raid
Last Updated: Cary Lopez Alvarado, 28, experienced sharp stomach pains and was hospitalised, with doctors closely monitoring her and her unborn child following the ordeal A nine-month pregnant US citizen was hospitalised after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Hawthorne, California, sparking outrage and renewed scrutiny over immigration enforcement practices. Cary Lopez Alvarado, 28, was apprehended by ICE on June 8, just a week before her due date. According to Lopez Alvarado, agents 'shoved her", causing her to lose her balance as she tried to shield her stomach. 'They started grabbing me from both sides, and I ducked down to sort of shield my stomach because I was afraid they were going to hurt me," she told Telemundo 52. She added: 'I told them it [her due date] was June 17, and they said, 'OK, your baby is going to be born here, but you're from Mexico, right?' And I told them no." 'I was born here," Alvarado told Telemundo 52 in Spanish. 'I was born in Los Angeles, I was born in Hollywood Hospital." NBC Los Angeles reported that after her release, Alvarado experienced sharp stomach pains and was subsequently hospitalised, with doctors closely monitoring her and her unborn child following the ordeal. What Led to the Arrest The incident began when masked men in Border Patrol uniforms followed a vehicle carrying two undocumented workers, including Alvarado's partner, into a private parking lot, NBC reported. Alvarado and her cousin, both US citizens, opened the gate for the group. When agents attempted to enter the property, Alvarado blocked the door and asked them to leave, citing private property rights. Agents, however, claimed the parking lot was not private and proceeded to arrest Alvarado, her partner, her cousin, and the co-worker. Public Outcry and Context The case has drawn widespread condemnation, especially as it comes amid intensified immigration enforcement efforts. President Donald Trump has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation effort in US history, with increased ICE raids and stricter border controls. Advocacy groups and community members have called for accountability and greater oversight of ICE operations. 'This incident raises serious questions about the treatment of US citizens and the protocols followed during immigration enforcement," said a spokesperson for a local immigrant rights organisation, as reported by NBC News. The incident comes amid several thousand people taking to the streets of New York City to protest the immigration policies of Trump, after a series of raids by ICE sparked protests across the country. 'No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here," chanted protesters who initially gathered at Foley Square, a plaza in front of a courthouse where several migrants were detained by law enforcement, news agency AFP reported. The march in New York was more peaceful than its counterpart in Los Angeles, where ongoing demonstrations between protesters and police have spurred Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines. First Published: June 11, 2025, 16:23 IST
Yomiuri Shimbun
07-06-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
The Last-ditch Race to Save the Orinoco Crocodile
Reuters An Orinoco crocodile is seen at the Masaguaral Ranch, a captive breeding center near Tamarindito. Photos were taken in Venezuela, between April 21 and 24. CAPANAPARO, Venezuela (Reuters) — Venezuelan biologist Carlos Alvarado, 34, has one hand on the young crocodile's neck and another on its tail. With the help of some tape and calipers, he is measuring it, tracking its growth a few days before it will be released into the wild. Alvarado's story — and that of the Orinoco crocodile he is caring for — is a tale of hope and persistence in the face of overwhelming odds. Reuters The eye of an Orinoco crocodile before its release into the wild at the Capanaparo River Fewer than 100 Orinoco crocodiles — one of the largest living reptiles in the world — remain in the wild, according to Venezuelan conservation foundation FUDECI. The animal's natural habitat is in the Orinoco River basin, which covers most of Venezuela and spills into Colombia. For decades, the men and women of the Venezuelan Crocodile Specialist Group have been raising younglings of the critically endangered species in captivity in a race against time to avoid its extinction. Reuters Orinoco crocodile eggs are seen in a hatching area at the Leslie Pantin Zoo. But they say they are losing that race. Decades of poaching for leather pushed the Orinoco crocodile to the brink, and now struggling Venezuelans who hunt the animals for meat and take their eggs for food threaten to deal the final blow. The members of the Crocodile Specialist Group are not getting any younger — and the next generation of biologists has mostly fled turmoil in Venezuela for jobs elsewhere. Alvarado remains alone to take up the baton. It is, he says, 'a great responsibility.' He has a sense of mission. He is trying to persuade university students to take part in the conservation effort. Federico Pantin, 59, is not optimistic. He is director of the Leslie Pantin Zoo in Turmero, near Caracas, which specializes in endangered species and is one of the places where the crocodile hatchlings are raised. 'We're only delaying the Orinoco's extinction,' he says. Reuters Alvaro Velasco shows a tattoo of an Orinoco crocodile on his shoulder, at the Terepaima Ranch near Elorza. Pantin and his colleagues keep on going, however — researching, measuring, transporting. The scientists log the sites where the long-snouted Orinoco are known to nest, collecting their eggs or hatchlings. They also breed captive adults kept at the zoo and at Masaguaral Ranch, a biodiversity center and cattle farm near Tamarindito in central Venezuela. The scientists raise the babies, feeding them a diet of chicken, beef and vitamins until they are about a year old and grow to a weight of around 6 kilograms. Adult Orinocos can reach over 5 meters in length, and can live for decades — a 70-year-old named Picopando resides at Masaguaral Ranch. The adults have tough, bony armor, fierce jaws and sharp teeth. They are not to be trifled with. Reuters A small museum at the Masaguaral Ranch But when they are first hatched, a researcher can cradle one in their hands. Omar Hernandez, 63, biologist and head of FUDECI, tags the tiny foot of a hatchling at the Leslie Pantin Zoo. To save the species, a number of efforts would be necessary, he says: research, protection, education and management. 'We are doing the management, collecting the hatchlings, raising them for a year and freeing them,' he says. But 'that is practically the only thing being done. And it is not being done at scale.' Every year the group releases around 200 young crocs into the wild. Reuters 203 Orinoco crocodile hatchlings raised in captivity before their release into the wild at the Capanaparo River The biologists wait until they are a year old, as that is the most critical period in their life, Hernandez says. It is when they are young that 'almost all are hunted.' In April, Reuters accompanied the scientists as they released this year's batch. The young animals were placed in crates, their jaws bound, for the journey from the zoo to the Capanaparo River, deep in western Venezuela not far from the Colombian border, where human habitations are few and far between. This part of the river passes through private land, reducing the likelihood that the animals will immediately be hunted. Alvaro Velasco, 66, who has a tattoo of an Orinoco crocodile on his right shoulder, covered the eyes of a juvenile with tape to avoid it becoming stressed during the journey. 'People ask me, 'Why crocodiles? They're ugly,'' said Velasco, president of the Crocodile Specialist Group. 'To me, they're fabulous animals. You release them and they stay there, looking at you, as if to say 'What am I supposed to do in this huge river?' And then they swim off.' Reuters Omar Hernandez carries an Orinoco crocodile hatchling raised in captivity before its release into the wild at the Capanaparo River. Pickup trucks drove the scientists, crocodiles and volunteers along muddy tracks to a camp near the river, where the humans spent the night sleeping in hammocks. The next day, they gently removed the crocodiles from their crates and carried them to the river. The juveniles slid into the muddy, greenish waters. 'Maybe many of these animals are going to be killed tomorrow or the day after tomorrow because of a lack of awareness among people and of course because of hunger,' said Hernandez. He echoed Pantin's comments that ultimately the Orinoco crocodile was likely doomed. But, he said, 'we're stubborn. It's a way of delaying extinction and it's something that is in our capacity to do. If we waited for the perfect circumstances, they would never come.'
New York Post
06-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Jockey Junior Alvarado savoring Sovereignty's run in roller-coaster spring ahead of Belmont Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS — No jockey in the nation — perhaps no athlete, for that matter — has seen more ups and downs this spring than Long Island-based Junior Alvarado. He's been injured falling off a horse that had suffered a heart attack, won the Kentucky Derby aboard Sovereignty, been fined and suspended for alleged whip abuse in that life-changing triumph, and felt the letdown of his horse being held out of the Preakness, ending his Triple Crown hopes. There's still so much more to the Alvarado and Sovereignty story to be told, beginning Saturday in the 157th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. There will be seven other horses in the field, including Preakness winner Journalism, who is the 8-5 morning line favorite, just ahead of 2-1 Sovereignty. 5 Jockey Junior Alvarado will ride Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes. Jason Szenes for the NY Post Other top contenders include Baeza, who ran third in the Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez and Bobby Flay-owned Crudo. Alvarado wasn't sure he'd get to ride Sovereignty for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in the Kentucky Derby. On March 23, he was aboard Term in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park. Term suffered a fatal heart attack, throwing Alvarado and fracturing his shoulder blade. He missed his Florida Derby ride on Sovereignty but was back for the Derby. 5 Jockey Junior Alvarado arrives to the barn on June 4, 2025. Jason Szenes for the NY Post At Churchill Downs, Sovereignty outdueled Journalism down the stretch for the 39-year-old Alvarado's crowning glory. 'It's the greatest achievement I have in my career as a jockey,' Alvarado told The Post in a wide-ranging conversation outside Sovereignty's barn at Saratoga. 'Even personally, it's taken me to many good places. It's been a really good experience, not only for me but with my family.' Alvarado's victory tour has included throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium and having an ice cream flavor — Junior Mint — named after him by his sponsor, the 98-year-old Hildebrandt's of Williston Park. 'We've been a team and it's nice to have a teammate that can participate in something like that,' Mott said. 'He's been very loyal to us in terms of being willing to ride whatever we wanted him to ride and he's done a good job for us. So that's special.' 5 Jockey Junior Alvarado kisses his horse Sovereignty at the barn on June 4, 2025. Jason Szenes for the NY Post The jockey, who resides in Garden City with his wife, Kelly, and three children, became an instant local celebrity after his victory at Churchill Downs. 'It's been very interesting. When we got home Sunday morning, we had a 'Congratulations' on the front door, we had an inflatable horse, I couldn't even believe people already knew that and were putting stuff up at the house,' he said. 'Everywhere in town where we go, someone recognizes me. It's been very heartwarming.' The joyride did not include a chance to win the Triple Crown, however, as Mott and ownership at Godolphin Racing quickly opted to skip the Preakness and rest up for the Belmont. 'For me, the dream was to win the Derby,' he said. 'Once I won the Derby, a few days later, I started thinking I probably could have a chance at a Triple Crown. 5 Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates after winning the Kentucky Derby on May 3. USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'But I know the way Bill Mott works and that there would be a slim chance he would get to run in the Preakness. Eventually he did say to me that they wanted to skip that. So you're a little bummed about it. You want to have a Triple Crown, you have the ability to [win] one, but you've got to do what's best for the horse.' Alvarado is the son of Venezuelan jockey Rafael Alvarado. Junior — his legal first name after his parents listed it as Junior Rafael Alvarado on his birth certificate — came to the U.S. in 2007 as a bug boy (apprentice jockey). 5 Jockey Junior Alvarado reacts after winning the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2025. USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images His Kentucky Derby joy was tempered by a two-day suspension and $62,000 fine by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority for allegedly whipping Sovereignty eight times (the limit is six). Alvarado says an appeal is pending and that although he presented the whip eight times, he struck the horse only six times. Mott agrees, telling The Post he's watched the video numerous times and counted only six strikes. 'I don't think they can count,' he said. None of that will matter Saturday, and Alvarado believes he has the best horse in the Belmont. 'He's very smart,' Alvarado said of Sovereignty. 'He lets me know. He tells me when he's ready. At a certain point in the race, he kind of jumps on it and, 'Hey, I'm ready to go.' After that you just take the reins and guide him and most of the time he's there for me.'
