‘Straight Pride’ march clashes with protesters in California

A march celebrating “straight pride” outside of an abortion clinic in California devolved into violence as participants clashed with more than 200 pro-LGBTQ and pro-choice counter-protesters, according to a report.

The National Straight Pride Coalition, which organized the event, held for the fourth consecutive year in Modesto on Saturday, described its cause as backing heterosexuality, the “natural nuclear family,” Western civilization, Caucasians, Christianity and nationalism.

The handful of straight pride demonstrators was joined by members of the far-right group Proud Boys outside of a Planned Parenthood building ahead of the rally’s start — and were met by counter-protesters draped in rainbow flags and waving signs reading “Fascists not welcome here,” the Modesto Bee reported.

The straight pride marches clashed with counter-protesters draped in rainbow flags.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Police officers separated the rally-goers from the opponents across the street, but physical conflict ensued when a Proud Boy attempted to bypass the cops, and counter-protesters retaliated by chucking water bottles, the Bee reported.

A firecracker reportedly went off, setting fire to a bush near the clinic and filling the scene with smoke.

The Modesto Police Department warned on Facebook around 11:17 a.m. local time, that there was “an unlawful assembly of demonstrators along McHenry Avenue” and warned people to stand clear of the area.

Counter-protesters clash with local police after a confrontation with Straight Pride Parade attendees at a rally outside a Planned Parenthood office in Modesto, California, U.S., August 27, 2022.
Police officers in tactical gear fired pepper balls and bean bags.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
A counter-protester marches in front of police.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Three people were arrested for “failure to disperse.”
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Police officers in tactical gear arrived at the assembly to disperse the crowd and clashed with the counter-protesters, firing pepper balls and bean bags. 

“We have two armies to go up against when we stand for our rights: We have to deal with the cops attacking us and we’re about to get a second wave of right-wing extremists,” Odette Zapata, a counter-protester from Sacramento, told the Bee. “We’re fearful of them attacking us as well.”

Three people were arrested for “failure to disperse,” including one counter-protesters and two people affiliated with the straight pride rally, police department spokesperson Sharon Bear said, the Bee reported. 

The demonstration appeared to be over by 1 p.m. local time, leaving McHenry Avenue littered with trash and debris from the clashes earlier in the day.

A straight pride march organized by the same group last year similarly ended in violence.

At that event, members of the Proud Boys and other supporters of the group once again clashed with counter-protesters outside of the Modesto Planned Parenthood on McHenry Avenue after about an hour of mostly avoiding each other.

A firecracker reportedly went off, setting fire to a bush near the clinic and filling the scene with smoke.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Modesto Police and staff from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department were deployed after a fight broke out and someone used bear spray, the Bee reported, and two people were arrested on misdemeanor charges.

Chiropractor Don Grundmann, founder and director of the group, previously told city council members at a meeting ahead of the first straight pride march in 2019 that his organization was “a totally peacefully racist group,” prompting a deafening roar of laughter and jeering from at least one local pol and many audience members.

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Taylor Fritz knows his time is now

The question has been asked so many times that it’s become a cliche: When is an American going to win a men’s Grand Slam title in tennis?

“We joke about the question,” 24-year-old Taylor Fritz told The Post ahead of this year’s U.S. Open. “It comes up so much. I’ve been hearing it since I was 18.”

Taylor Fritz tries to hit a tennis ball from the stands into a tub on the court with members of Dude Perfect during Arthur Ashe Kids Day.
Getty Images

“I don’t think it’s a flag issue,” Frances Tiafoe, also 24, added.

In case you haven’t heard the joke, or you’ve been living in a cave for the last two decades, the last time a men’s player from the U.S. won a major was nearly 20 years ago, when Andy Roddick captured the 2003 U.S. Open, where he beat Juan Carlos Ferrera in straight sets.

What’s happened since?

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, of course. The Big 3 have combined for 62 of their collective 63 majors in that span, with Federer’s 2003 Wimbledon victory the lone stand out.

But with Federer still out as he recovers from knee surgery, Djokovic watching from home because of his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine and Nadal coming off an abdominal tear that knocked him out of the Wimbledon semifinals, there is more than just hope for everyone else.

As for the Americans’ best chances, take your pick.

Six of them in the draw are ranked in the top 50 in the world — Fritz, Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Max Cressy, Jenson Brooksby and Jon Isner. Just outside that group is 52nd-ranked and 22-year-old Sebastian Korda, who many in tennis say has the most talent among the group. But he’s still young and lacks experience on the big stage, having only twice gotten beyond the third round of a major.

Similarly, 19-year-old Ben Shelton is poised to be “The Next Big Thing” in U.S. men’s tennis. The University of Florida alum recently turned pro and in just two months reached his first Challenger final, won his first ATP match and secured his first top-five victory. The future looks bright for the son of former tour player Bryan Shelton, but again, experience.

If there is one American whose time should be now, though, it’s Fritz — and he knows it.

“I’m really over [being] close,” Fritz told The Post. “I’ve been close to beating [the Big 3] for years. I’ve taken that ‘positive’ [of a good match] away too many times. I can’t be happy about almost winning anymore.”

Early in the year, it looked like maybe he was over it. Two months after blowing a two-sets-to-one lead against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16 at the Australian Open, he knocked off Nadal in straight sets at Indian Wells for his first ATP 1000 Series title. A few months later, he beat Cressy to claim another title at Eastbourne the week before Wimbledon.

Taylor Fritz reacts to a point during his match against Andrey Rublev at the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports

Then came another showdown against Nadal, this time at the All England Club. Fritz was twice a game away from knocking out the wounded Spaniard and reaching the semifinals, only to lose in a grueling five-set tiebreak. Going into the match, Fritz felt good given his earlier victory. He left devastated, and pissed off.

“To be able to beat one of those guys when there’s a title on the line and play a clean match and not be scared of it is big,” he told The Post. “I was so much more confident because I’d already beaten him and grass is suited for me. I was more upset that I lost.”

The next month in Washington D.C., though, Fritz was simply “embarrassed” after retiring from heat exhaustion in his Round of 16 match against Dan Evans, who was up 3-6, 7-6(6), 4-1 when he quit. He later apologized on social media.

Perhaps it was a wake-up call.

Earlier this month in Cincinnati, Fritz dusted arguably the hottest player on the planet, Wimbledon runner-up and Citi Open champ Nick Kyrgios, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round. Then against world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, he fell in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

A reputation also persists — Taylor Fritz enjoys being Taylor Fritz a little too much, whether it’s the model girlfriend, starring in a Netflix documentary about life on tour or enjoying the spoils of being young, good looking and talented. 

Still, there are reasons for the hard-hitting American with a big forehand to be optimistic when it comes to going deep in Flushing. He’s 35-14 this season, has the two titles on his resume, beaten Nadal once already and has reached at least the fourth round in two of the year’s first three majors.

“If grass isn’t my best surface, hard courts are,” said Fritz, whose best result in the U.S. Open is twice reaching the third round. “I haven’t done historically well this time of year in the past, but I’m also such a different player than I’ve been any other years since end of last year. My game has gone to another level, so I’m excited to go into this for the first time as a different player.”

We’ll see.

At least he doesn’t have to worry about most of The Big 3, and that could go a long way.

“You’re playing in an era of the three best players of all time playing at the same time,” Fritz said. “It’s just now starting to feel like I can contest those guys or win titles. When I was 18 or 19, it was, just hope you get a good draw.”



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Snag this quality, 8-piece Japanese knife set that’s on sale

If you spend a good deal of time in the kitchen, whether it’s for work, play, or you’ve been inspired by the hit series The Bear, then you need a high-quality, long-lasting knife set. If your current knives aren’t cutting it (pun intended), you know what you need to do in order to whip up a tasty meal. Start searching for a set of knives that cut well, are made from excellent materials, and have a good handle grip.

This Seido Japanese Master Chef Knife Set comes with eight different knives in a gift box. Their superior construction is a good balance between sharp edge retention and durability with higher carbon content. Each knife is made from high-quality stainless steel and has a sloped bolster that travels onto the blade face for better comfort and control. They also have a more acute 15° angle for a sharper cutting face.

Buy Now

These knives are equipped with ergonomic pakka wood handles that give you a comfortable grip along with superior hand control. Each Damascus stainless steel blade is sharp and able to retain its edge well.

In this set, you’ll receive an 8″ chef knife, 8″ slicing knife, 8″ bread knife, 7″ cleaver, 7″ Santoku knife, 5″ Santoku knife, 6″ boning knife, and a 3.5″ paring knife, all which are great for food that requires precise attention to detail.

This 8-piece knife set is originally priced at $429, but since we’re celebrating National Knife Day (August 24th), it will only cost you $139.99 until August 31st. Although the actual day has passed, we’re celebrating it all week! So it’s not too late to take advantage of this sale. You can find everything from pocket knives, utility knives, kitchen knives, and knife sharpeners in this sale. Take a stab at this event and see if there’s anything that you can add to your kitchen today.

Prices subject to change.

 

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Three Giants’ things to watch for in preseason finale vs. Jets

Three Giants’ things to watch for in their preseason-finale battle vs. the Jets:

Slim pickings

Brian Daboll does not need a whole bunch of tight ends for his offense. He does need some of them, though, and the pickings are slim. This is why newly-signed Tanner Hudson has a real shot and why this game is important to him. Hudson has five career NFL receptions, and the other tight ends on the roster have a total of three.

Safety first

The back end of the defense is coming into greater clarity — the move is to youth at safety. Undrafted rookie Trenton Thompson (San Diego State) is a strong contender, and another rookie, Yusuf Corker (Kentucky) is making a push. Yet another rookie, fourth-round pick Dane Belton (Iowa), made a strong impression and will be on the field as soon as his broken collarbone heals.

Special skills

Darius Slayton
Bill Kostroun

Once again, it is impossible to ignore the competition going on at the back end of the wide receiver depth chart. Figure that Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson are locks. Figure that just two stick from the next group — Darius Slayton, David Sills, Richie James and Alex Bachman. Something to consider: James and Bachman offer the most special teams value.

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New Jaguars receiver a bargain

As the 2022 NFL season rapidly approaches and fantasy football drafts are in full-swing, we are witnessing an interesting draft trend regarding wide receivers.

Though running backs continue to dominate the first round, the next five rounds are seeing a massive uptick in the number of receivers being drafted. Looking at recent fantasy football ADP, we are seeing an average of 32 wide receivers drafted within the first six rounds of 12-team leagues, with just 24 running backs, and a combined 16 quarterbacks and tight ends.

This trend has seemingly made it more difficult to land upper-tier wideouts if you prefer to draft running backs early, but it has also unearthed a few mid-to-late round sleeper receivers you will want to draft.

Christian Kirk
USA TODAY Sports

If you find yourself in need of a strong wide receiver in the middle rounds, take a look at Christian Kirk of the Jaguars. His current ADP has him just inside the top 100, which makes him a fantastic bargain.

As the team’s new No. 1 receiver, Kirk has bonded well with Trevor Lawrence and had a strong camp. Most overlook Kirk simply because he plays for Jacksonville, but with new head coach Doug Pederson implementing a proven and successful offense, these will not be the same old Jaguars. Looking back, at every stop as head coach or offensive coordinator, Pederson’s top wideout saw at least 120 targets and, when healthy, posted a 1,000-yard season.

If you need to dig deeper, then draft Isaiah McKenzie of the Bills in the 13th round. We all know Stefon Diggs is the man in Buffalo, but though most people assume a breakout season for Gabriel Davis, McKenzie is the guy no one sees coming. Last season, Emmanuel Sanders had the most snaps as the Bills No. 2 receiver, but it was actually slot receiver Cole Beasley who received the second-most targets. The Bills used an 11-personnel package 70 percent of the time last year, and with that unlikely to change, McKenzie should be on the field often. With Josh Allen’s penchant for hitting his slot receiver more, McKenzie becomes an intriguing target.

The receiver position is plenty deep, so if you see them coming off your draft board in a hurry, don’t panic. There is some quality depth still to be had at the position. If you can come away with one or two strong receivers in your first six rounds, you won’t miss a beat adding these late picks.

Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy sports advice, player projections and average draft positions.



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Yankees drop ugly 11-inning loss to A’s as five-game win streak ends

OAKLAND, Calif. — After the Yankees were two outs away from a sixth straight win, they blew a lead in the 10th and lost to the hapless A’s, 3-2, in the 11th Saturday night.

The A’s scored the winning run when DJ LeMahieu made a throwing error on what should have been an inning-ending double play on Chad Pinder’s ground ball.

LeMahieu’s wild throw after the feed from Isiah Kiner-Falefa got by Anthony Rizzo at first and allowed automatic runner Shea Langeliers to score with one out in the 11th.

Trivino walked Seth Brown to lead off the 11th and was checked on by the trainers.

Stephen Vogt (right) celebrates with Chad Pinder after belting the game-tying homer in the 10th inning of the Yankees’ 3-2, 11-inning loss to the A’s.
AP

The Yankees had their chances earlier, as Ron Marinaccio allowed a game-tying, two-run homer to pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt with one out in the bottom of the 10th, which wasted a two-run rally in the top of the inning, as well as a terrific outing from Domingo German, who tossed 7 ²/₃ shutout innings.

Since second-place Tampa Bay also lost on Saturday, the Yankees’ lead in the AL East remained at 8 ¹/₂ games.

Perhaps worst of all, the Yankees got just one hit in the 11 innings.

They were able to take advantage of some wild pitching by A.J. Puk to score a pair of runs in the top of the 10th. Andrew Benintendi opened the inning by bunting right back to Puk, who threw out automatic runner Kyle Higashioka at third. Aaron Judge struck out, and Benintendi stole second. Josh Donaldson was walked intentionally, and Puk drilled Rizzo high on the shoulder to load the bases.

A clearly rattled Puk then nearly threw wildly with LeMahieu at the plate, but acrobatic catcher Sean Murphy saved him. But Murphy couldn’t bail Puk out later in the at-bat as a wild pitch got away from him to allow Benintendi to put the Yankees ahead.

Murphy’s flip to Puk at the plate was errant, and Donaldson came around to score a second run on the error.

The 10th-inning dramatics came after German and Oakland right-hander Adam Oller both took no-hitters into the sixth inning.

Anthony Rizzo gets hit by a pitch in the 10th inning of the Yankees’ loss.
USA TODAY Sports

In front of a crowd of 36,529 at Oakland Coliseum — many of the fans there for a postgame drone show — the Yankees didn’t get a hit until Oswaldo Cabrera doubled to right-center to open the top of the sixth.

He was then thrown out trying to steal third, when Oller stepped off the mound and fired to third.

Oller allowed just one hit in his eight shutout innings and faced the minimum number of batters.

After Judge made a nice play in center on a long fly ball by Cal Stevenson in the bottom of the sixth, German gave up an infield hit on a comebacker by Nick Allen and threw the ball away, allowing Allen to get to second, but German retired the next two batters.

Earlier in the game, Cabrera was robbed of an extra-base hit in right by Chad Pinder, who crashed into the wall as he made the catch.

Oakland’s only base runner until the sixth came when German hit Jonah Bride with a pitch to lead off the bottom of the third.

The Yankees barely even hit any balls hard off of Oller, who entered the game with an ERA of 6.41, but had pitched better in his previous three starts. Yet he certainly didn’t seem like a likely candidate to shut down the Yankees.

German was even more dominant, needing just 48 pitches to get through five innings.

He allowed a one-out double to Stevenson in the eighth and Stevenson moved to third on a grounder to second by Allen before being replaced by Jonathan Loaisiga, who got Tony Kemp to ground out to end the inning.

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Krispy Kreme unveils doughnut to honor NASA’s Artemis I

It’s a donut out of this world!

To honor NASA’s Aug. 29 launch of the unmanned Artemis I mission, Krispy Kreme is releasing a special edition donut that space junkies and snack fiends can equally enjoy.

The cheesecake-filled donut will be dipped in cookies ‘n Kreme icing that’ll include chocolate pieces to look like the moon.

The Artemis program will look to land humans — including the first woman and person of color — back on the moon by 2025, and Monday’s launch will be an important step toward that goal. Artemis I is set to loop around the moon and test key components in the mission.

Photographers place remote cameras near the Artemis 1 rocket as it stands on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 26, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
AP

Krispy Kreme wanted to honor the space agency’s achievements in a fitting and edible way for all to enjoy. It’s the second time in as many years the doughnut company is honoring a space achievement, as in 2021 Krispy Kreme rolled out a special doughnut for the Perseverance rover.

“The Artemis I mission is a proud moment, and we are in awe of the amazing Americans behind the world’s most powerful rocket. So, we created these delicious doughnuts to enjoy while you watch the launch,” said Dave Skena, global chief brand officer for Krispy Kreme, in a press release.

“The Orion spacecraft atop the rocket will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station, but our Artemis Moon Doughnut will be available only Monday, so start the countdown and don’t miss it!”

The limited-edition Artemis donuts will only be available Monday at participating locations. As for the Artemis launch, NASA is looking for a time between 8:33 a.m. and 10:33 a.m. ET, according to CNN.

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1,300 NYC school staffers must get COVID vaccine or be fired

Time is running out for some 1,300 city Department of Education employees on unpaid leave for a year since the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Under an agreement they signed a year ago, the staffers must show proof of at least one jab by Sept. 5, before the new school year starts.

If they do so, “they will return to their original school,” officials said.

If not, they will be “deemed to have voluntarily resigned.” 

“I’m very stressed. I’m praying to the last minute that something will change,” said an unvaccinated teacher who worked more than 20 years at a Queens elementary school.

There are around 1,300 NYC DOE employees who have been on unpaid leave for a year.
Getty Images

She took the unpaid leave after her appeal for a religious exemption was denied, but still received city health insurance that covered therapies for a son and daughter with special needs.

To make ends meet, she took out a loan on her pension savings.

“I’m still on the fence,” she said of the decision to vaccinate. “I really don’t want to do it, but if I have to do it for my kids, I will have to.”

The unpaid employees — including hundreds of teachers — have been getting health coverage since skipping the city’s deadline to get vaccinated last Oct. 4.

Another roughly 1,100 unvaccinated DOE employees who rejected the unpaid-leave deal have already been fired, the DOE said.

But if those staffers “provide proof of full vaccination, they will be eligible for rehiring,” with no guarantee of the same position. 

Another 82 teachers accused of submitting fake vaccination cards were taken off the city payroll on April 25 after they were caught up on a Suffolk County criminal investigation, but will be put back on the payroll on Sept. 6 pending the probe.

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Facebook parent company settles Cambridge Analytica lawsuit

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has settled a lawsuit filed against it in the wake of revelations that the company fed data from millions of users to Cambridge Analytica, a research firm which supported Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

Filings in San Francisco federal court requested a 60-day stay of the action while lawyers finalize the settlement.
The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed but filings in San Francisco federal court requested a 60-day stay of the action while lawyers finalize the settlement, suggesting more details could emerge in late October.

Both Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his former top deputy Sheryl Sandberg would have faced hours of grueling deposition had the case gone forward.

The case emerged after Cambridge Analytica, a firm with ties to former Trump campaign strategist Steve Bannon, paid a Facebook app developer to receive access to personal data of 87 million Facebook users — which Cambridge than used to better place targeted political ads in support of Trump, who went on to win the 2016 election.

The lawsuit, which had sought certification as a class action representing all Facebook users, maintained that the privacy breach proved Facebook is a “data broker and surveillance firm,” as well as a social network.

With Post Wires

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President Biden to name Arctic ambassador

President Biden will create a new ambassador to manage US interests in the Arctic, as global climate change makes the region increasingly accessible to energy exploration.

President Biden’s Arctic ambassador expands the role of the current US Arctic coordinator job.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

The job calls for advancing US policy in the region, engaging with Indigenous groups, state, local and tribal governments and others, the State Department said in a news release.

“As one of eight Arctic nations, the United States has long been committed to protecting our national security and economic interests in the region, combating climate change, fostering sustainable development and investment, and promoting cooperation with Arctic States, Allies, and partners,” the State Department noted.

The announcement upgrades the current US Arctic coordinator job and comes at a time of increased regional tension, with several other nations also angling for an advantage as ice in the area melts.

Russia, which has a long Arctic coastline, has already moved aggressively to stake claims in the region amid new sea lanes which have opened due to receding ice. China has also billed itself a “near-Arctic state” and has been looking to expand its footprint in the region.

President Biden’s Arctic ambassador will focus on sustaining “national security and economic interests.”
ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images

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