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BY SETH ROBSON PACIFIC Stars and Stripes nakes, spiders and thick jungle added real- ism to training on Oki- nawa, where Marines spent last week honing sSkills they’d need to fight and win against a well-equipped enemy force on Pacific islands. About 800 Marines participated in the Jungle Warfare Exercise in Okinawa’s Northern Training Ar- ea from May 24 to 28. The scenario pitted members of the 2nd Battal- ion, 2nd Marine Regiment, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., against an opposing force from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment out of Ma- rine Corps Base Hawaii. The training simulated the sort of engagements Marines might face going up against a peer-level adversary contesting key mari- time terrain in the first island chain, which runs through Okina- wa, Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo. The area is the focus of great power competition between the U.S. and China, which claims sov- ereignty over Taiwan and numer- ous other islands in the region, some of which are administered by neighboring countries. China has been rapidly modern- izing its military and building up Rumble in the jungle amphibious forces that could be used to seize contested territory. Marines train on Okinawa for island warfare The event last week was the largest such event in the Northern Training Area in decades, said UJIAN GOSUN/U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Kurt Stahl, a 3rd Marine Di- U.S. Marines participate in force-on-force training during Jungle Warfare Exercise in the Northern Training Area on Okinawa, Japan, on May 24. This unscripted exercise tested and strengthened the Marines’ ability to fight a well-equipped enemy on Pacific islands. SEE RUMBLE ON PAGE 7

Alex, left, and Josh Dobhailen are both Air Force couple, both victims of sexual assault, say victims of sexual assault and recently disclosed this disparity in treatment shows gender discrimination information to their units to attend BY ROSE L. THAYER ■ Military leaders vis Air Force Base, Calif., in February therapy. Josh’s Stars and Stripes 2020, in part to get distance from Alex’s career was When Air Force officers Alex Gib- wary of changes in accused perpetrator. unaffected. Alex’s son and Josh Dobhailen first met at the After just four months at Travis, po- security clearance service’s Intelligence Officer Course sexual assault policy lice called to inform the couple that her was suspended and in 2017, each was recovering from a Page 3 perpetrator might be living at an ad- she may lose her sexual assault. They married later that dress near them. Meanwhile, Alex suf- military career. year, believing that their similar trau- After a stint in Florida, the Dobhai- Alex Dobhailen ma allowed them to quickly bond. lens moved across the country to Tra- SEE DISCRIMINATION ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 BUSINESS/WEATHER

EUROPE GAS PRICES EXCHANGE RATES

Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel  Military rates South Korea (Won) 1117.32 Germany $3.302 $3.725 $3.974 $3.530 Azores .. .. $3.874 .. Switzerland (Franc) .9032 Euro costs (June 4) $1.19 Change in price +0.7 cents +0.5 cents +0.9 cents +0.2 cents Change in price .. .. +0.9 cents .. Thailand (Baht) 31.19 Dollar buys (June 4) 0.7986 Turkey (NewLira) 8.7063 Netherlands .. $4.191  $4.496 $4.163 Belgium .. $3.058 $3.332 $3.081 British pound (June 4) $1.38 Japanese yen (June 4) 107.00 Change in price .. +0.7 cents +0.7 cents +0.7 cents Change in price .. No change No change No change (Military exchange rates are those available South Korean won (June 4) 1082.00 to customers at military banking facilities in the U.K. .. $3.624 $3.873 $3.429 Turkey .. .. $3.759 $4.030* Commercial rates country of issuance for Japan, South Korea, Ger­ Change in price .. +0.5 cents +0.9 cents +0.2 cents Change in price .. .. +0.9 cents No change many, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Bahrain(Dinar) .3767 For nonlocal currency exchange rates (i.e., pur­ Britain (Pound) 1.4110 chasing British pounds in Germany), check with Canada (Dollar) 1.2107 your local military banking facility. Commercial China(Yuan) 6.4032 rates are interbank rates provided for reference PACIFIC GAS PRICES Denmark (Krone) 6.1235 Egypt (Pound) 15.6800 when buying currency. All figures are foreign Country Super E10 Super unleaded Super plus Diesel  Euro .8234 currencies to one dollar, except for the British Japan .. $3.769 .. $3.319 South Korea $3.109 .. $3.779 $3.329 Hong Kong (Dollar) 7.7580 pound, which is represented in dollars­to­ pound, and the euro, which is dollars­to­euro.) Change in price .. +1.0 cents .. No change Change in price +1.0 cents .. +1.0 cents No change Hungary (Forint) 285.23 Israel (Shekel) 3.2531 Okinawa $3.089 .. .. $3.319 Guam $3.099 $3.529 $3.779 .. Japan (Yen) 110.11 INTEREST RATES Kuwait(Dinar) .3010 Change in price No change .. .. No change Change in price No change +1.0 cents +1.0 cents .. Norway (Krone) 8.3752 Prime rate 3.25 Philippines (Peso) 47.80 Interest Rates Discount rate 0.75 *DieselEFD **Midgrade Poland (Zloty) 3.67 Federal funds market rate 0.09 Saudi Arabia (Riyal) 3.7506 3­month bill 0.02 For the week of June 4­10 Singapore (Dollar) 1.3271 30­year bond 2.28 WEATHER OUTLOOK FRIDAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY IN EUROPE SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC

Misawa 68/54

Kabul Seoul 89/53 75/58 Baghdad 102/73 Tokyo Drawsko Osan Kandahar Mildenhall/ 76/58 70/64 105/64 Pomorskie Busan Lakenheath 66/53 68/62 63/53 Iwakuni Kuwait City Bahrain 68/63 Brussels Zagan Sasebo Guam 110/88 93/91 Ramstein 75/52 70/63 72/58 74/57 84/82 Riyadh Lajes, 108/77 Doha Azores Stuttgart 111/84 64/62 75/58 Pápa Aviano/ 75/52 Vicenza 76/56

Naples 79/62 Okinawa Morón 79/78 86/58 Sigonella Rota 81/59 The weather is provided by the Djibouti 70/57 Souda Bay American Forces Network Weather Center, 94/82 70/62 2nd Weather Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. TODAY IN STRIPES American Roundup ..... 36 Classified ...... 46 Comics ...... 38-39 Crossword ...... 38-39 Faces ...... 35 Opinion ...... 40 Sports ...... 41-48 Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 3 MILITARY Leaders wary of changes in sex assault policy Associated Press service leaders could provide a librand, a New York Democrat, change. He met with service sec- But he cautioned that the change WASHINGTON — Military measure of ammunition for those who now has bipartisan, filibus- retaries and chiefs on Tuesday to could inadvertently have a nega- service leaders are privately ex- in Congress who oppose taking ter-proof support for a bill that discuss the issue. Pentagon tive impact on commanders’ pressing reservations about re- the chain of command out of sex- would take prosecution decisions spokesman John Kirby said Aus- leadership or accountability. The moving sexual assault cases from ual assault prosecutions. Support- out of the chain of command for tin held a “listening session” to Air Force said commanders play the chain of command, The Asso- ers of change, however, argue major crimes, including sexual hear their concerns in person. a critical role in prevention, vic- ciated Press has learned, striking that the current system has failed assault, rape and murder. The Officials said the Army ex- tim support and creating a re- a note of caution as momentum to address to a problem that has legislation has been stalled in a pressed doubts about the accura- spectful command climate, and builds toward changing a military long plagued the military. procedural struggle in the Senate cy of any data suggesting that re- any changes must not erode that. justice system that has come un- Officials said that all service that supporters moving commanders from the Several expressed opposition der increasing criticism. leaders recognize that change is see as an effort process will result in more sexual to the recommendation that the In memos to Defense Secretary virtually certain and that they to delay and wa- assault prosecutions. The acting new special victim prosecutor of- Lloyd Austin, the service leaders agree more needs to be done to ter down the bill. Army secretary, John E. Whitley, fice be under the jurisdiction of laid out their concerns about the improve and professionalize the In testimony in the memo, said that the change the Defense Department, rather growing push to shift prosecution judge advocate corps. But they on Capitol Hill could reduce commander effec- than having offices overseen by decisions on sexual assault and are concerned about how quickly last week, Aus- tiveness and accountability and each military service. possibly other major crimes to in- changes are being made and tin said the mil- may reduce criminal convictions, The military service memos dependent judge advocates. They whether there is room for nego- itary must not officials said. were signed by the three men Austin said the shift could decrease the tiation about how they are imple- be afraid to As a result, Whitley said, more serving as acting secretaries of number of prosecutions, delay mented. change how it addresses the cases may be settled with admin- the Army, Navy and Air Force — cases and potentially provide less Earlier this year, an independ- problem of sexual assault. He istrative discipline, and that can all holdovers from the Trump ad- help for victims. ent review commission created added: ”Clearly what we’ve been erode victims’ trust in the system. ministration. Since then, Chris- While they indicated they are by Austin recommended that the doing hasn’t been working.” The Navy offered some support tine Wormuth has been con- open to changes and improve- prosecution of sexual assaults be Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of for the change. Acting Navy Sec- firmed as the Army’s new secre- ments in the justice system, most shifted to judge advocates report- the Joint Chiefs of Staff, previ- retary Thomas Harker, in his me- tary, but she took office after the were worried about how that ing to a civilian-led Office of the ously opposed removing com- mo, said the Navy agrees with the memos had been finalized. would be done while ensuring no Chief Special Victim Prosecutor. manders from the process, but he concept of having an independent Wormuth has not specifically unintended harm is done to unit The independent judge advocates told the AP and CNN recently judge advocate. But he said there addressed the recommendations, leadership or readiness. Several would decide two key legal ques- that he had changed his mind. are a number of questions and but in a message to the force on said it would create additional tions: whether to charge someone While he has not publicly en- concerns about how the change is Wednesday she said: “We must burdensome bureaucracy, ac- and whether that charge should dorsed any specific change, he implemented. A key Navy and also eliminate harmful behaviors cording to officials familiar with go to a court martial. said the time had come to try Marine Corps concern is that the that undermine readiness. There the memos. Members of Congress are also something different because shift may cause delays in prose- is no place in our Army for sexual Several officials described the pushing for a similar — and in “we’ve been at it for years, and cutions, particularly since many harassment and assault, domestic memos to the AP on the condition some respects more expansive — we haven’t effectively moved the sailors and Marines are deployed violence, extremism, or racism.” of anonymity because they have change. Because any such needle.” overseas or on ships for month- During her recent Senate confir- not been made public. The me- change would amend military Austin sought input from the slong tours. mation hearing she also said that mos submitted to Austin were law, it will require an act of Con- service leaders on the review Acting Air Force Secretary the Army must put more focus on from the civilian secretaries of gress and cannot be done unilat- board’s recommendations, and he John Roth also said the force was improving the command climate the Army, Navy and Air Force erally by Austin. is now assessing their memos be- open to new approaches, includ- at all levels so younger soldiers and from the National Guard. A longtime advocate for chang- fore he reaches a conclusion on ing removing cases from the feel safe and able to make com- The reservations expressed by ing the policy is Sen. Kirsten Gil- his own, final recommended chain of command, officials said. plaints if needed. Eyeing China, Defense budget puts emphasis on weapons development

BY CAITLIN DOORNBOS “The budget dropped for ’22 is a saries] are launching strike pack- Stars and Stripes very important statement from the ages that take on the order of min- WASHINGTON — Emphasis on department about the importance utes and our strike packages take high-end weapons development in of hypersonics,” said Mike White, on the order of hours, that’s a time- the Defense Department’s pro- principal director for hypersonics scale asymmetry that we need to posed 2022 budget is crucial to in the Office of the Under Secreta- make sure we’re not allowing to maintaining the U.S. military ad- ry of Defense for Research and En- stand.” vantage amid rising tensions with gineering. “We’ve got strong com- The budget for fiscal year 2022, China, the Pentagon’s director of mitment from the new administra- which begins Oct. 1, requests a 5% hypersonics said Wednesday. tion for our strategy and moving boost in its research, development, The Defense Department bud- forward to really rapidly mature testing and evaluation, part of get released Friday allotted $112 and deliver hypersonic-based ca- which will be spent on developing billion to research, development, pabilities.” and procuring hypersonic capabil- testing and evaluation of defense Hypersonic missiles fly at least ities. Hypersonics will become systems — the largest-ever five times the speed of sound. The more critical to maintain the U.S. amount earmarked for that pur- U.S. does not have any deployed defense advantage as adversary ELLIOT VALDEZ/Defense Media Activity pose in department history — to now, but is developing such strike capabilities continue to improve, In March, the Army began delivering the first prototype hypersonic compete with what Pentagon offi- systems that can travel about 500 White said. equipment to soldiers with the arrival of two training canisters. cials described as the “pacing miles in 10 minutes, White said “We’re going into a highly con- threat” of China. during a webinar presented by tested environment that is defined White said the United States ing to come from a carrier and they Beijing has already fielded hy- CSIS. The U.S. stockpile of subson- by our adversaries’ very thought- must diversify its weapons as ad- keep my carriers out because personic weapons such as the ic long-range missiles takes about ful development of high-end sys- versaries develop capabilities that they’ve got DF-21s and DF-26s or Dong Feng-17 hypersonic glide ve- an hour to reach the same distance. tems that challenge our domain could challenge key American as- whatever, then I kind of lose,” hicle, capable of speeds of up to “You can just look at the com- dominance in space, in the air and sets, such as aircraft carriers. For White said. “So, I want to be able to Mach 10, according to the Wash- pression of the timescale on the at sea,” he said. “We have to make example, China’s Dong Feng-26 present multiple opportunities to ington think tank Center for Stra- battlefield — that’s going to be a sure that we’ve got enough flexibil- missile is dubbed by analysts as deliver the effects I need to deter tegic and International Studies' critical value proposition for the ity to be able to deliver effects from the “carrier killer” for its reported [adversaries].” Missile Defense Project, which hypersonic systems,” White said. multiple domains so that we don’t ability to strike a moving target studies ballistic and cruise mis- “If you are in a battlefield time- make their problem too easy for from as far away as 960 miles. [email protected] siles around the world. scale environment where [adver- them.” “If I have an effect that’s only go- Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos PAGE 4 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 MILITARY Discrimination: Female captain fears career is coming to an end rare, according to the Defense De- Weber said. FROM PAGE 1 partment. The military has re- But it wasn’t only the way Alex’s fered a miscarriage, and the stress leased information for service unit reacted to her need for treat- of it all left them both reeling. members to counter concerns af- ment that has felt unfair or strange Both are captains who work in ter a Rand study in 2018 found it to to the couple. As the two officers military intelligence for different be a leading reason for people to attended therapy, Josh’s ther- units on base, and they each decid- not seek treatment. apist, who was the flight com- ed to self-identify with leadership “This is not the case,” according mander of the clinic, told him his about their past assaults, which to a 2020 fact sheet from the De- wife was “too far gone,” even had been formally reported, and fense Counterintelligence and Se- though he was not her care provid- seek behavioral health treatment. curity Agency. “A detailed analy- er, Josh said. While Josh, 26, received support sis of denial and revocation statis- “I was told by my therapist that from his leadership, Alex, 29, said tics involving psychological con- of the two of us, only one of us can her job and her security clearance ditions clearly demonstrates that be saved to have a career in the were taken from her and she now a cleared individual is not likely to military. I was told that at this faces a medical board evaluation lose or fail to gain clearance eligi- point my therapist believed that that could end her military career. bility after seeking mental health was me. So he said he was going to “It means a lot to me to wear this care or experiencing mental do everything he could to focus in uniform,” Alex said. “I’ve seen, I health symptoms.” on me,” Josh said. “And I’m just hate to say it, a lot of gender dis- Between 2012 and 2018, only 12 sitting here like, ‘Where’s this crimination or a lot of retaliation out of 2.3 million clearance adjudi- coming from? There’s no reason or reprisal over this last five-year cations were denied because of for it.’” journey since my assault.” psychological issues, according to Alex’s perpetrator was in the the fact sheet. None of those 12 was ‘Lives the core values’ process of separating from the related to an individual seeking Meanwhile, his wife’s unit tried military at the time of the assault care. to force her into a command-di- in 2016, she said. Her commander “There are absolutely no words. rected mental health evaluation at Grand Forks Air Force Base, My whole intent and purpose was without reason. Soon after, she N.D., where the assault occurred, to go and get help to handle the sit- learned they intended to send her deferred to the civilian authorities uation responsibly so I can be ev- before a medical evaluation board to prosecute. erything that I needed to be to my for lower back pain, something “The easiest way to sum it up is airmen and to my people, and to do she has never been treated for, she the base commander there ended the best at my job,” Alex said. “Be- said. up saying to certain staff mem- cause I’m a sexual assault victim Her physical evaluation board bers, ‘She can’t tell me she didn’t and because of my gender, and be- liaison officer has made that point know what she was expecting cause of my willingness to say ALEX DOBHAILEN clear to try to stop the process, but when she let him into her house.’ something, I ended up being that Both captains in the Air Force, Alex and Josh Dobhailen said the it has not worked. Medical boards And that was a just in the second one in 2.3 million-person statistic. reactions of their leadership at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., show that tend to move faster than security month of my investigation and It shows the disparity between my gender discrimination still exists within the military for victims of clearance evaluations, which that pretty much dictated how the husband and me.” sexual assault. means Alex could be medically re- rest of my case went,” Alex said. The Travis Air Force Base Pub- tired before the clearance issue is The local authorities declined to lic Affairs Office said it could not told her leadership about her past vering from our sexual assaults resolved, Weber said. prosecute the case. Only about 5% speak directly to Alex’s situation assault and need to return to ther- and his career has been complete- Travis Air Force Base officials of all sexual assault cases in the because of privacy concerns, but apy. ly untouched and his career will declined to comment on the med- United States lead to an arrest, ac- said “commanders have discre- “The next business day after I recover, if it really had any ram- ical board evaluation because of cording to the Rape, Abuse & In- tion to remove members’ local ac- went to mental health and identi- ifications at all. But I’m most likely privacy concerns. A statement re- cest National Network. cess to classified information.” fied as a sexual assault victim, in- staring down the end (of) my ca- garding the process in general The Air Force Office of Investi- Any suspension or revocation of formally, I was removed from my reer in the next couple of months.” said it’s “designed to determine gation handed Josh’s case over to security clearances rests with the job,” Alex said. “I stopped being Weber, a former Army JAG of- whether a service member’s long- German state authorities to inves- Defense Department’s Consoli- included in all the meetings and ficer working with Tully Rinckey term medical condition enables tigate, he said. dated Adjudication Facility. everything like that.” PLLC, said she responded to the him/her to continue to meet med- To try to save her military ca- “Our leadership takes these al- Her chain of command sus- paperwork. If the command went ical retention standards, in ac- reer, Alex hired an attorney to legations seriously and ensures all pended her clearance at the local forward and sent the request to re- cordance with military service help file formal complaints and service members are treated with level and moved her to a position voke her security clearance to the regulations.” other documents to escalate her dignity and respect,” base offi- that doesn’t require one. After Defense Department, it will take Joining the Air Force was a concerns to the levels above her cials said. “Seeking mental health eight months, her commander months until they hear any up- childhood dream for Alex. Her immediate command that could services does not affect one’s abil- served Alex paperwork to revoke dates. husband described her as the intervene. Together, Alex and ity to gain or hold clearance eligi- her clearance. The news came Adjudicators could disagree “poster child” for the Air Force, Josh decided to speak out about bility. Adjudicators regard seek- about a week after she met with with the command’s decision or because of her enthusiasm to the disparity in their treatment for ing mental health treatment as a personnel from the Inspector ask for additional information, serve. seeking help at the same time for positive step in the security clear- General, the Office of Special In- Weber said. An appeal process ex- “She quite literally lives the the same issues. Since she began ance process. It is important for vestigations and Security Forces ists that could also grant Alex an core values day in and day out, and speaking up, she said other wom- the cleared workforce and pro- to report the misconduct of her opportunity to fight a decision to also with her performance. She’s en in her unit have come to her and spective employees to understand command, said Allison Weber, revoke her clearance. exactly what you imagine when told her they have also faced dis- there are no automatically dis- Alex’s attorney. Instead of stonewalling the offi- you see all the recruiting videos,” crimination. qualifying conditions or treat- While the Inspector General is cer, Weber said “the United States Josh said. “I love my Air Force. I love my ments.” looking into the case on some lev- military, and specifically the Air “If you look at the word uni- military, but in order for us to ad- By contrast, avoiding care when el, the two criminal investigative Force, needs to improve the way form, it’s so everybody’s the same. vance and move forward and to needed can raise security con- agencies have declined to move they work with military sexual as- So when people look at us, they put an end to the gender discrimi- cerns, officials said. forward, Weber said. sault victims who continue to should not be looking at who’s nation or even racial discrimina- Alex said she received her high- “I’ve undergone proper evalua- serve.” wearing the uniform, whether tion or … the retaliation or reprisal est authorized clearance after her tions by accredited individuals, “Capt. Dobhailen did exactly you’re male or female, whether that victims face in the military, assault, after she initially received and I’ve been cleared, and I still what she’s been trained to do — you’re African American, wheth- somebody’s got to be willing to do therapy and was diagnosed with have not been returned my securi- seek help when needed, keep her er you’re Asian, whether you’re something. It seems like the har- post-traumatic stress disorder. ty clearance,” Alex said. “I love leadership informed of her status white. What matters is what you der I … try to do something to She then set up a new intelligence my husband and I would never and work to overcome any hurdles stand for and what you do. And bring attention to it, the worse it’s shop at Eglin Air Force Base in want anything bad to happen to to return to duty. The military there are certain individuals in getting to me here.” Florida and received high marks him, but it can be hard sometimes should not use her self-referral for our service that do not see it that on her evaluations. to come home every day and ride treatment against her to justify re- way.” Clearance suspended In her role at Travis, she contin- in the same car on the way home moving her from her position, sus-

Losing a security clearance for ued to receive positive reviews for and see that we are experiencing pending her clearance and/or [email protected] seeking mental health services is her work until the moment she the same thing. We’re both reco- threatening to separate her,” Twitter: @Rose_Lori Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 5 MILITARY Reservist faces probe after campaigning in uniform BY COREY DICKSTEIN “Mr. President, MRFF is re- He has in several instances and broadcast appearances, has Stars and Stripes spectfully asking you to ensure, claimed to be an Army chaplain, said he is running for Congress The Army is investigating a as our American military’s com- but his service records show he in Arizona to oppose Rep. Alex- Reserve officer for wearing his mander in chief, that [1st Lt.] is a chaplain candidate, essen- andria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., uniform while promoting his Alex Stovall is justly, expedi- tially a chaplain-in-training. who he labeled in a campaign campaign for Congress on a tiously, aggressively and visibly Stovall appears to have in recent advertisement as a socialist who right-wing television network punished for his incredibly rep- days altered his campaign’s “hate[s] ... God and America.” and making statements that rehensible actions, as detailed Twitter profile to reflect he is a “I don’t fight for this country denigrated President Joe Biden, in this open letter to you,” Wein- chaplain candidate and not a full to watch it be taken over by service officials said. stein wrote in the letter to Biden chaplain. His campaign web- AOC,” Stovall said in the ad, us- First Lt. Alex Stovall, 26, is a dated Tuesday. “Sir, we simply site’s “About me” page, howev- ing Ocasio-Cortez’s initials. chaplain candidate in the Army cannot have Army [first lieuten- er, still reads that he was “a pri- Stovall’s Army records show Reserve who has announced he ants] bragging and boasting or non-commissioned officer he has not served in combat. is running as a Republican for a ALEX STOVALL FOR CONGRESS/Facebook about calling our president a pe- who served overseas as a chap- If Stovall wins the seat — in a House seat representing Arizo- First Lt. Alex Stovall is chaplain dophile and illicitly leveraging lain,” as of Thursday. district that voted 61% last year na’s 9th Congressional District. candidate in the Army Reserve their military status to win elec- Stovall’s service records show to reelect Democratic Rep. Greg A spokesman for the Army Re- who has announced he is running tions to Congress in blatant vio- he first enlisted in the Army in Stanton — he would become the serve said Tuesday that the ser- as a Republican for a House seat lation of DoD regulations, direc- 2013. They also show he has re- youngest Black Republican ev- vice was aware Stovall had ap- representing Arizona’s 9th tives, instructions and the ceived an Overseas Service Rib- er elected to Congress. peared in his combat uniform Congressional District. UCMJ!” bon, indicating he has deployed during an interview about his Stovall also faces accusations outside the United States. [email protected] campaign on the One American would call this sleepy guy in of- of embellishing his service. Stovall, in campaign material Twitter: @CDicksteinDC News Network last month and fice,” Stovall said on the radio he had publicly questioned Bi- program. den’s legitimacy as commander In a May 29 tweet, Stovall also in chief. attacked comments made by Bi- “We are aware of the situation den about a young girl. The first and are investigating,” said Ar- lieutenant wrote: “Resident Bi- my Lt. Col. Simon Flake, an Ar- den believes a 6 year old looks my Reserve spokesman. “The 19[.] In or out of uniform I will U.S. Army Reserve follows the never accept these comments as Department of Defense’s long- normal or acceptable[.] How standing policy regarding ser- many people feel good about his vice member involvement in statements? ... [I’ll] wait. I said partisan political campaigns to what I said.” avoid the perception of DoD The tweet was in reference to sponsorship, approval or endor- Biden’s apparent attempt one sement of any partisan political day earlier to compliment a candidate, campaign or cause. young woman on stage with him Standard procedural steps are during a speech that he gave at being taken to ensure the inves- Joint Base Eustis-Langley, Va. tigation is conducted in a timely Biden told the crowd the young and thorough manner and ap- woman with her family at the propriate rights will be afforded event “looks like she’s 19 years to all involved.” old, sitting there like a little lady Flake declined to detail spe- with her legs crossed.” Accord- cifics Tuesday about the probe ing to the New York Post, the into Stovall’s actions. girl “appeared to be elemen- Service members serving in a tary-school age.” Reserve capacity are allowed to Stovall did not respond to a re- run for partisan political office, quest for comment Wednesday. though they must not appear in In an interview with Military- uniform as part of their cam- .com, he defended his actions, paign or use their military ser- telling the website that he had vice to imply Defense Depart- not broken any rules or regula- ment “sponsorship, approval or tions. Military.com reported endorsement” of their activ- Tuesday that Stovall ended the ities, according to department interview abruptly after he was directive 1344.10. asked about specific allegations. Stovall’s appearance in uni- In an open letter to Biden, form, which he told OANN dur- Weinstein called for Stovall to ing the interview occurred after be prosecuted under the Uni- he “got a last-minute call” to form Code of Military Justice, military duty, violated that di- labeling his actions “one of the rective, according to Mikey most repulsive acts of criminal Weinstein, the founder and contemptuousness towards a president of the Military Reli- U.S. president by a uniformed gious Freedom Foundation, member of the Department of which advocates for the separa- Defense (DoD) we at MRFF tion of church and state within have ever heretofore wit- the military. nessed.” Weinstein also accused Sto- Under UCMJ Article 88, a vall of illegally denigrating the commissioned officer in the U.S. president. In an April 14 appear- military is barred from using ance on the streaming radio net- “contemptuous words against” work Gun Freedom Radio, Sto- top officials, including the pres- vall said he did not consider Bi- ident. Those found guilty under den a legitimate president. Article 88 face up to one year in “We saw the inauguration of military prison, forfeiture of all the — well, I don’t think he’s pay and dismissal as a commis- president — [what]ever, you sioned officer. PAGE 6 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 MILITARY US airman works to help Kenyan village

BY KYLE ALVAREZ Stars and Stripes RAF MILDENHALL, England — An en- counter with a Maasai tribesman during a deployment to Kenya created a lasting bond for Air Force Tech. Sgt. Fariht Gomez, who is spearheading a grassroots effort to get supplies to a village whose economy was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Gomez, who is based at RAF Lakenheath in England, first visited the Maasai Mara National Reserve in 2018 while deployed to Kenya on a civil engineering construction mission. The villagers there, many of whom PHOTOS BY FARIHT GOMEZ lived in homes built from sticks and mud Maasai villagers gather in southern Kenya, Tech Sgt. Fariht Gomez, right, and other service members package supplies donated by with grass-thatched roofs, made a deep im- where Air Force Tech. Sgt. Fariht Gomez the RAF Lakenheath community in April to help a Maasai village in southern Kenya. pression. first visited in 2018. At the time, the people living near the kenheath, which was when he saw the need The bill for sending supplies came to Oseki Mara Camp were trying to build a The donations “slowly but surely helped to “go big” with his fundraising. around $5,000. Gomez’s friend, Tech. Sgt. school. Gomez made a donation after talk- us rebuild our lives,” Shinka said. “I hoped that with social media and wing Stephanie Hunt, suggested he start a Go- ing with Dennis Shinka, the camp’s co-own- The village that Gomez supports has a lit- support we would be able to deliver aid that FundMe page to help with the costs. er and host. tle over 400 people and is part of a larger would not only help with their education “Even though he did not receive the full “His drive and need resonated with me community of nearby villages. and lifestyle, but also with (personal protec- amount requested, around $2,000, it is still on a personal level,” Gomez said. “Over the last couple of years, the local tive equipment) to combat the pandemic,” better than him spending the full amount Now the village, which relies on tourism tribesman and I built a good rapport,” Go- he said. himself,” Hunt said. as a main source of income, is trying to re- mez said. “The school they built not too long Gomez set up collection points around the The Maasai villages in the area are grate- bound once again. ago has been destroyed by a fire. Knowing base and asked people to drop off items at ful for Gomez’s help, Shinka said. “2020 was an especially bad year for us,” that I cannot support [them] every time their convenience. He collected around two “From his (first) visit, Gomez did prom- said Shinka, whose camp helps support they need, due to financial constraints or tons of supplies, including clothing, shoes, ise to support the community,” Shinka said. multiple villages. “Apart from the total my personal life, weighs on me from time to school supplies and PPE. “We are very happy he kept his promise.” shutdown of tourism, we also lost thousands time. All the same, I try to support them The amount of supplies collected was of livestock to a foot and mouth (disease) when I can.” greater than any previous year, which [email protected] outbreak.” In early 2020, Gomez moved to RAF La- brought up another problem: the cost. Twitter: @Kalv2931 States hit by disasters seek larger Guard forces

BY SARAH CAMMARATA sions facing the National Guard. stances of the past year have high- members of the House Armed review the recommendations of Stars and Stripes “Strain on the National Guard lighted the strain our Guard units Services Committee, including the report titled “Impact of U.S. WASHINGTON — Dozens of has been building for years as hur- have been under for too long, po- Reps. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Stepha- Population Trends on National House lawmakers from Florida, ricane response in Florida, winter tentially hurting recruitment, re- nie Murphy, D-Fla., Ken Calvert, Guard Force Structure,” as well as Texas and California want to in- storm, and flood rescue in Texas, tention, and readiness,” the law- R-Calif., Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., resource allocations to increase crease the size of National Guard and combatting wildfires in Cali- makers wrote. and Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, and the size of Guard bureaus in the forces in their states as years of fornia has been persistent,” the The states represented by the Marc Veasey, D-Texas. three states. growing extreme weather events lawmakers wrote in the letter. lawmakers have the lowest Guard Recommendations from an in- “We have an obligation to en- has put a strain on troops who are Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of member-to-civilian ratios in the ternal report by the National sure that these civilian warriors, helping to respond. the National Guard Bureau, testi- country, they wrote. Guard Bureau sent to Congress in and our state bureaus, have the re- In a letter to Defense Secretary fied to Congress last month that Limited resources have put April included the Guard “may sources they need to fulfill the full Lloyd Austin dated June 1, 59 Guard members from 22 states greater demands on Guard fam- need to evaluate reallocating mis- range of missions we task them House members from some of the supported 22 severe weather ilies because of the Guard bu- sion sets to other geographic areas with,” the lawmakers wrote. most populated U.S. states ex- events in 2020 and a record of 12 reaus’ lack of ability to rotate per- to keep pace with changing demo- pressed concern over a lack of re- storms. sonnel. graphics across the country.” [email protected] sources to fulfill the range of mis- “The extraordinary circum- The effort was mostly led by The lawmakers asked Austin to Twitter: @sarahjcamm Fort Hood soldier arrested in death of toddler in Arizona BY ROSE L. THAYER Bell County the 1st Cavalry Division, accord- urgent care facility that he was the ton’s account because they were Stars and Stripes Jail in Texas list- ing to Fort Hood. His arrest is re- child’s stepfather, though police not consistent with an accidental A Fort Hood soldier was arrest- ed him as an in- lated to an investigation from determined he was the boyfriend injury. ed at the Army base in Texas on mate Wednes- more than two years ago, accord- of the child’s mother. Patton later The injuries indicated abuse, charges of murder and child day as he waits to ing to the Tempe Police Depart- said he was alone with the child police said. abuse in Tempe, Ariz., where local be extradited to ment. while his girlfriend was at work The toddler was pronounced law enforcement said his actions Maricopa Coun- On Jan. 9, 2019, officers were and the toddler had hit his or her dead at the hospital. led to the death of his girlfriend’s ty in Arizona and called to Cardon Children’s Med- head on a stereo, according to po- Tempe detectives said Fort Patton 13-month-old child in January arraigned on a ical Center, now named Banner lice. Hood criminal investigators have 2019. second-degree murder charge, Children’s, where a 13-month-old Police did not name the child, been coordinating with them since Fort Hood law enforcement ar- two counts of child abuse and a child was in critical condition af- the mother or release the child’s Patton’s arrest. rested Pfc. Khairee Ammar Pat- charge for failure to provide care. ter being transported from a gender. ton, 21, on May 25 without inci- Patton is assigned to the 15th Phoenix urgent care facility. The attending doctor told police [email protected] dent, according to base officials. Brigade Support Battalion within Patton initially told staff at the that the injuries did not match Pat- Twitter: @Rose_Lori Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 7 PACIFIC US bases find 17 cases in Japan, S. Korea BY MATTHEW M. BURKE tive after displaying symptoms. three days in quarantine in a gov- down 1,496 from the same day last Okinawa prefecture reported Stars and Stripes Their infections were confirmed ernment-designated facility upon week, the Yomiuri newspaper re- 297 new infections Wednesday, CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — sometime after May 24, said base entering, according to a Facebook ported. The government has according to NHK. The U.S. military in Japan and spokesman Sam Samuelson. post by the U.S. Embassy in To- counted 750,000 cases during the Japan’s top coronavirus adviser South Korea reported 17 new U.S. Forces Korea had four ser- kyo. The 15 states join a list that al- pandemic and more than 13,000 on Wednesday called for the To- cases of COVID-19 as of 6 p.m. vice members and three family ready includes Florida, Michigan, deaths, according to the World kyo Olympics, scheduled to begin Thursday. members test positive after arriv- Minnesota and Tennessee. Health Organization. on July 23, to be scaled down “as Kadena Air Base on Okinawa ing at Incheon International Air- However, travelers associated Tokyo on Wednesday reported much as possible,” Kyodo News had seven people test positive for port on commercial flights May with the U.S. Defense Department another 487 people newly infected reported Thursday. the coronavirus respiratory dis- 16, 18, 25, 29 and Sunday, accord- are not required to comply with with the coronavirus and 13 Speaking to a House of Repre- ease “over the last few days,” ac- ing to a U.S. Forces Korea news the quarantine order, according to deaths, according to public broad- sentatives committee in Tokyo, cording to a base Facebook post release Wednesday. U.S. Forces Japan. caster NHK. New infections are Shigeru Omi, an infectious disease Wednesday evening. Five tested positive on the man- The Enhanced Quarantine 256 fewer than the same day last expert and head of the govern- Four became ill with COVID-19 datory COVID-19 test before en- Alert does not affect individuals week, continuing a trend. ment subcommittee on the virus, symptoms and self-isolated. The tering quarantine and two tested under the status of forces agree- Osaka prefecture, the nation’s said hosting the games during a remaining three were already positive on the test required to exit ment, according to an email second-largest metro area, report- pandemic is “not normal.” quarantined as close contacts of quarantine. All seven were isolat- Thursday to Stars and Stripes ed 213 new coronavirus patients Tokyo and nine other prefec- previously infected individuals. ed at either Camp Humphreys or from USFJ spokesman Marine Wednesday and 27 deaths, ac- tures, including Osaka and Okina- Naval Air Facility Atsugi, 26 Osan Air Base, according to Staff Sgt. Jonathan Wright. SOFA cording to NHK. While the num- wa, are in a state of emergency miles southwest of Tokyo, report- USFK. defines the legal status of the U.S. ber of deaths is up 11 from a month through June 20. ed three new coronavirus cases Starting Friday, travelers to Ja- armed forces stationed in host prior, the number of cases has fall- Thursday, according to a post on pan from another 15 U.S. states, in- countries. en dramatically in recent weeks. Stars and Stripes reporter Joseph Ditzler contrib- uted to this report. its Facebook page. A sailor and cluding Arizona, California and Japan reported 3,037 new coro- There were 845 new patients on [email protected] two base employees tested posi- New York, are required to spend navirus cases on Wednesday, May 3, according to data. Twitter: @MatthewMBurke1 Rumble: Marines prepare to face peer-level force in island jungles prey and CH-53 Super Stallion FROM PAGE 1 aircraft, Maj. William McCabe, vision spokesman, during a con- 35, of York, Pa., operations officer ference call Wednesday. for 3rd Battalion, said during the At the start of the exercise, 3rd call. Battalion Marines air assaulted “I would rather be out in the jun- into the jungle while others ar- gle than in an office,” said Staff rived in small boats to secure key Sgt. Drew Toboy, 32, of Detroit, maritime terrain, said Maj. Mat- another member of 3rd Battalion thew Chomiak, 33, assistant oper- on the conference call. ations officer for 4th Marine Re- The Marines have done plenty giment, which oversaw the exer- of force-on-force training but, in cise, during the same call. recent years, it has usually been Meanwhile Marines from 2nd done in a desert or urban setting, Battalion arrived in helicopters to he said. seize an objective, he said. “It’s not easy operating in the The Marines battled it out with jungle,” he said, noting that visi- blank ammunition in engage- bility there is only 65 to 100 feet. ments refereed by observer con- Another 3rd Battalion Marine, trollers before the larger 2nd Bat- Cpl. Justin Rohn, 24, of San Ber- talion force was victorious, Cho- nardino, Calif., said he expected to miak said. go to either the desert or the jungle The training tested the Marines’ when he enlisted. ability to insert, persist and estab- “The toughest thing was nego- lish command and control and sit- tiating the terrain and trying to uational awareness in a tough en- make movements through it,” he vironment that replicates the con- said of the training area. “It is al- ditions they would face fighting in ways changing, and no map will be the first island chain, he said. able to accurately depict it.” The Marines trained to tap into The Marines traversed about 25 joint force support such as aircraft miles of jungle during the event and artillery, Chomiak said. and “expected to be drenched in The Marines traveled light, car- sweat after every movement,” he rying items they could pack into a said. helicopter or move on golf-cart UJIAN GOSUN/U.S. Marine Corps sized Utility Task Vehicles, which [email protected] First Lt. Eunwon Lee, the fire support team leader with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, calls for fire can also be carried by MV-22 Os- Twitter: @SethRobson1 support during a jungle warfare exercise at Okinawa’s Northern Training Area on May 26. PAGE 8 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WAR ON TERRORISM Afghan pilot once denied refuge arrives in US BY J.P. LAWRENCE But the Defense Department ghans under threat for working numerous death threats. America have set up a charity Stars and Stripes later withdrew its approval, say- with them. After the U.S. military with- drive, at https://www.go- KABUL, Afghanistan — An Af- ing that senior officials had not However, a Pentagon spokes- drew its endorsement, Asadi and fundme.com/f/help-the-asadi- ghan air force pilot who had been been consulted. man told The Wall Street Journal his family went into hiding, first at family, to help with their living ex- promised refuge in America last The decision angered former last year that so Bagram Airfield and then in a penses. fall, only to be rejected at the last advisers who vouched for Asadi’s many military house on the outskirts of Kabul As the family prepared to leave minute, finally arrived on U.S. soil bid to come to America. As a ma- personnel are while he reapplied for refuge in Afghanistan on Tuesday, Zainab Wednesday with his family. jor in the Afghan air force, Asadi under threat that America. played with a rose and said “good- Mohammed Naiem Asadi, his protected the life of a downed U.S. letting them all With the family’s departure bye” to people in English as her wife, Rahima, and their daughter pilot last year and, by one former seek refuge in from Afghanistan, supporters of parents loaded their luggage into Zainab, 5, have been conditionally chief warrant officer’s estimate, America would the family hope to greet the Asadi a car bound for the airport. approved for parole, a temporary had been in the cockpit for 70% of “absolutely gut family in person soon. Among While in the air Wednesday on status for noncitizens to come to all missions in southern Afghanis- the Afghan secu- these is Capt. Laurie Wither- the way to the family’s new home, Asadi America, U.S. immigration ser- tan in recent years. rity forces.” spoon, an Army chaplain who met the former pilot Asadi reflected vices said in a letter to the family. “It’s shameful what happened Some advisers who supported the family as they hid at Bagram on his life growing up in a small “This is a real recognition that on that last day, that someone Asadi’s bid to come to America ac- last fall. She said she began visit- rural village, and then flying in this man’s life is in significant changed their mind in the DOD,” knowledged that helping one of ing the family regularly, giving the skies in the war ravaging his danger in Afghanistan,” said the said Andy Miller, a retired Army the country’s few elite pilots leave stuffed animals and coloring country. He recalled the friends family’s lawyer, Kimberly Mot- chief warrant officer who helped the country weakens its ability to books to their daughter. he lost, and thanked those who ley, who came to Kabul to escort train Asadi. “At the last minute, stave off the Taliban. The chaplain said she spoke helped him come to America. He the family to America. the rug was yanked out from un- But in addition to threats from with the family almost daily over wrote that he hoped for peace one The family passed through im- der them.” the Taliban, Asadi feared retribu- the last six months. day in Afghanistan. He remained migration and plans to file for asy- Asadi and his family received tion from the Afghan military for “Lots of emotional highs and hopeful for a life without fear in lum in the U.S., Motley said in an death threats from the Taliban trying to leave the country with lows,” Witherspoon said in a text America. interview Monday. that were determined credible by his family. message. “Asadi’s faith, humility Before landing on U.S. soil, he Asadi, a helicopter pilot reputed U.S. investigators last fall. Pilots who report threats and courage has strengthened the wrote: “I am glad that today it was to have killed more insurgents The Taliban have launched at- against them often receive little roots of our international friend- proved once again that humanity than anyone else in the Afghan air tacks all over the country as U.S. sympathy and may be threatened ship.” knows no boundaries and human force, received a rare endorse- and NATO troops withdraw from with punishment or imprison- Once the family comes to Amer- beings can embrace each other ment by the Pentagon last fall to Afghanistan, with assassinations ment, said Niloofar Rahmani, Af- ica, Witherspoon said she plans to with love in all their differences.” move to the U.S. with his family killing politicians, journalists and ghanistan’s first female fixed- help give English lessons to Rahi- because he was in “imminent dan- military personnel. The contin- wing pilot and also a client of Mot- ma, in exchange for Afghan cook- Zubair Babakarkhail contributed to this report. ger of being killed by the Tali- uing violence has raised calls for ley. She was granted asylum in ing classes. [email protected] ban.” the U.S. to protect or evacuate Af- America in 2018 after receiving The family’s supporters in Twitter: @jplawrence3 Parents still searching for loved ones, answers after bombing of school

BY J.P. LAWRENCE AND Fatima Jafari, the headmistress ZUBAIR BABAKARKHAIL of the school in western Kabul’s Stars and Stripes Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood, KABUL, Afghanistan — Abdul- said she knew Shukria. The 11th lah Ahmadi still hasn’t seen his grader had been marked present daughter in the weeks since three that day. bombs killed at least 85 students Jafari doubts Shukria is truly and wounded 186 at a girls’ school missing, and wonders whether in the Afghan capital. the girl's body vanished in the Ahmadi refuses to believe that force of the blast. None of the oth- Shukria, 18, is dead. He searches er wounded girls saw her at any of for her each day, with the idea the hospitals, Jafari said. that she might have been brought Like others, Jafari has vivid to a hospital with minor wounds, memories of the horror of that after he found a singed notebook day. of hers at the site. “I still feel that sound of that ex- “No one knows what hap- plosion in my ears sometimes,” pened,” Ahmadi said. she said, “and get really terrified Since the May 8 attack on the when I cross that place when go- Sayed al-Shuhada school, located ing to the school.” in a neighborhood with a large As many as 100 other survivors J.P. LAWRENCE/Stars and Stripes Shiite minority presence, no one of the attack are struggling with Abdullah Ahmadi holds a picture of his daughter Shukria, 18, on Monday. Shukria has been missing since has claimed the attack or been trauma and psychological condi- a bombing killed more than 60 students at a girls’ school in western Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 8. held responsible by the Kabul au- tions, Afghanistan’s Tolo News re- thorities. ported. the attack. Islamic State militants, But the announcements mean lack of response to the bombing The lack of answers and ongo- Despite the trauma, survivors who consider the ethnic Hazara little to those who lost loved ones and fears for his country’s future ing questions of security as U.S. of the attack still want to go to Shiites religious apostates, have in the attack. in light of the U.S. withdrawal. and foreign forces prepare to school, Jafari said. often targeted the area. “This is the responsibility of the But he remained optimistic he leave the country have left many “I haven’t seen any family tak- Victims’ families have urged government to find what exactly would one day see his daughter in the community angered and ing their girls out of the school,” the Afghan government to explain has happened,” said Rohullah Ah- again. worried, but also determined to she said. “They believe in educa- how so many of their daughters madi, Shukria’s uncle. “I am 100% hopeful,” he said. preserve the education rights tion and they will continue to died that day. The country’s sec- Shukria loved poetry, drawing, “She is not dead.” gained by women in the city since learn.” ond vice president, Sarwar Da- and above all, wanted to be a news the fall of the Taliban two decades The Afghan government nesh, recently announced a plan anchor, her father said. [email protected] ago. blamed the Taliban, who denied to protect Dasht-e-Barchi. He is angry at the government’s Twitter: @jplawrence3 Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 9 NATION GOP senator, Biden discuss infrastructure

Associated Press he thinks about working with peo- WASHINGTON — For nearly ple even when there’s disagree- an hour, President Joe Biden and ment,” White House Press Secre- the top Senate Republican nego- tary Jen Psaki said ahead of the af- tiating infrastructure met behind ternoon session. JOSH EDELSON/AP closed doors — two seasoned leg- Privately, the president has Boat docks sitting on dry land at the Browns Ravine Cove area of drought­stricken Folsom Lake, currently islators engaged in another round sized up the GOP’s latest $928 bil- at 37% of the normal capacity, in Folsom, Calif., on May 22. of conversations, but emerging lion offer as unworkable, in large with few outward signs of tangible part because it taps unused CO- progress ahead of a deadline next VID-19 funds. Instead, Biden week. wants to hike the corporate tax Droughts ravage reservoirs in The White House billed the pri- rate — a nonstarter for Senate Re- vate meeting Wednesday as more publicans — to generate revenue of a conversation with West Vir- for his $1.7 trillion package. California ahead of hot summer ginia GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Ca- Friday’s next round of talks be- Associated Press cause there wasn’t enough water ing the electrical grid during the pito, rather than a formal negotia- tween Biden and the Republican OROVILLE, Calif. — Each to hold them. Blackened trees peak demand of the hottest part tion. No new offers were expected senator would overlap with the re- year Lake Oroville helps water a lined the reservoir’s steep, of the summer. to be presented. More than any- lease of the May jobs report, as quarter of the nation’s crops, sus- parched banks. In Northern California’s Butte thing, the session in the Oval Of- private economists estimate a tain endangered salmon beneath In nearby Folsom Lake, nor- County, low water prompts an- fice was seen through the political meaningful increase from the dis- its massive earthen dam and an- mally bustling boat docks rested other emotion: fear. The county lens of the president and Repub- appointing April figures. May’s chor the tourism economy of a on dry land, their buoys warning suffered the deadliest U.S. wild- licans trying to show the public jobs figures could provide evi- Northern California county that phantom boats to slow down. fire in a century in 2018 when 85 what Americans say they want — dence as to whether Biden’s earli- must rebuild seemingly every Campers occupied dusty river- people died. Last year, another 16 a willingness to work together, er $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief year after unrelenting wildfires. banks farther north at Shasta people died in a wildfire. even if no deal is within reach. package has helped put the coun- But now the mighty lake — a Lake. Walking along the Bidwell Ca- Biden and Capito had a “con- try on track to recover the jobs lost linchpin in a system of aqueducts But the impacts of dwindling nyon trail last week, 63-year-old structive and frank conversation,” to the pandemic. and reservoirs in the arid U.S. reservoirs go beyond luxury Lisa Larson was supposed to have according to a White House offi- Heading into the meeting, Capi- West that makes California possi- yachts and weekend anglers. a good view of the lake. Instead, cial granted anonymity to discuss to was expected to reup the GOP’s ble — is shrinking with surpris- Salmon need cold water from the she saw withered grass and trees. the private talks. The senator’s of- push to repurpose the coronavirus ing speed amid a severe drought, bottom of the reservoirs to “It makes me feel like our plan- fice said she is encouraged by the relief fund to pay for infrastruc- with state officials predicting it spawn. The San Francisco Bay et is literally drying up,” she said. ongoing conversations. The two ture investments, said Senate Re- will reach a record low later this needs fresh water from the reser- “It makes me feel a little unset- agreed to reconnect Friday. publican leader Mitch McConnell, summer. voirs to keep out the salt water tled because the drier it gets, the Still, talks over Biden’s top leg- who has tasked her to lead the dis- While droughts are common in that harms freshwater fish. more fires we are going to have.” islative priority have been moving cussions. California, this year’s is much Farmers need the water to irri- Last year was the third driest slowly, a daunting undertaking “That’s the key to getting a bi- hotter and drier than others, gate their crops. Businesses need year on record in terms of precip- given the massive infrastructure partisan agreement,” McConnell evaporating water more quickly reservoirs full so people will itation. Temperatures hit triple investment, and time for a deal is said at a press conference in Ken- from the reservoirs and the come play in them and spend digits in much of California over running out. The administration tucky. He said he particularly sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack money. the Memorial Day weekend, ear- has set a June 7 deadline to see wants to halt unemployment as- that feeds them. The state’s more And everyone needs the water lier than expected. State officials clear direction and signs of pro- sistance that he says is preventing than 1,500 reservoirs are 50% to run hydroelectric power plants were surprised earlier this year gress. Americans from returning to lower than they should be this that supply much of the state’s when about 500,000-acre-feet of “The fact that the president is work. time of year, according to Jay energy. water they were expecting to flow having Sen. Capito here today and For Republicans, the corporate Lund, co-director of the Center If Lake Oroville falls below 640 into reservoirs never showed up. has been having ongoing discus- tax hikes are a red line they will for Watershed Sciences at the feet — which it could do by late “In the previous drought, it sions with Republicans in the Sen- not cross. They instead want to University of California-Davis. August — state officials would took (the reservoirs) three years ate and that he’s eager to find a pay for the infrastructure invest- Over Memorial Day weekend, shut down a major power plant to get this low as they are in the path forward on bipartisanship ment with virus aid money as well dozens of houseboats sat on cin- for just the second time ever be- second year of this drought,” work certainly tells you, I think, as gas taxes and other fees on con- derblocks at Lake Oroville be- cause of low water levels, strain- Lund said. what you need to know about what sumers. US jobless claims drop to 385K, another pandemic low Associated Press pace of layoffs, has fallen steadily all year, this year — an average of more than state unemployment benefits rose by WASHINGTON — The number of though it remains high by historical stan- 450,000 a month — and the government’s 169,000 in the week of May 22 to nearly 3.8 Americans seeking unemployment bene- dards. May jobs report on Friday is expected to million. fits fell last week for a fifth straight week to The decline in applications reflects a show that they added an additional 656,000 “Reviving a labor market after a deadly a new pandemic low, the latest evidence swift rebound in economic growth and the last month, according to a survey of econo- pandemic is complicated,” she said. “Not that the U.S. job market is regaining its job market’s steady recovery from the cor- mists by the data firm FactSet. The econo- all indicators move at the same speed or health as the economy further reopens. onavirus recession. More Americans are my remains down 8.2 million jobs from its take the same recovery path. Hopefully, The Labor Department reported Thurs- venturing out to shop, travel, dine out and level in February 2020, just before the vi- the COVID-19 cases continue to decline as day that jobless claims dropped to 385,000, congregate at entertainment venues. All rus tore through the economy. the number of fully vaccinated individuals down 20,000 from the week before. The that renewed spending has led companies AnnElizabeth Konkel, economist at the rises. Fully returning to pre-COVID nor- number of weekly applications for unem- to seek new workers. Indeed Hiring Lab, noted that the number mal is essential to a full labor market re- ployment aid, which generally reflects the Employers have added 1.8 million jobs of people who are collecting traditional covery.” PAGE 10 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 NATION Home stops taking in ‘at-risk’ youths after gun battle Associated Press they ran away from is not a part of DELTONA, Fla. — A Florida its program. children’s home that two children “When a youth is arrested in ran away from before engaging Florida, the courts determine sheriff’s deputies in a gun battle whether or not they are held in se- this week will stop accepting “at- cure detention or released into the risk” children, officials said. community,” the statement said. The 14-year-old girl and 12- The children’s home, mean- year-old boy left the Florida Unit- while, announced a 30-day mora- ed Methodist Children’s Home torium on accepting “at risk” chil- near Deltona on Tuesday and dren, after which it will only take broke into a house where they them when they can adequately found guns and ammunition, care for them. The home’s Emer- Sheriff Mike Chitwood said. They gency Shelter Care program cur- began firing on Volusia County rently houses three such children, DARIO LOPEZ­MILLS/AP Sheriff’s deputies who were the statement said. Minors lie inside a pod at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, in Donna, Texas, in searching for them. Deputies fi- “The level of children who are March. nally shot and wounded the girl, being sent to us through Emergen- who was reported to be in stable cy Shelter Care at times is beyond condition after surgery, the sheriff the scope of our capabilities to said. provide the care required and lim- Texas’ move to close shelters “What the hell is the Depart- its who we can serve as part of our ment of Juvenile Justice doing? mission,” Kitwana McTyer, Presi- Sending these kids to places that dent and CEO of the home, said in for migrant kids alarms groups can’t handle them,” a visibly an- the statement. Associated Press ations by Aug. 30. reunited with family in the U.S. gry Chitwood said. The girl had McTyer said Tuesday’s incident AUSTIN, Texas — A move by After that date, it says, “if you “This is a transparent and been in trouble various times over is “the result of the system failing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to shut- are still providing care for indi- troubling ploy to politicize a hu- the past year, accused of stealing our children.” She said these chil- ter more than 50 shelters hous- viduals who are not lawfully pre- manitarian crisis,” Krish O’Ma- puppies and setting fires, the sher- dren “are in desperate need of ing about 4,000 migrant children sent in the United States under a ra Vignarajah, head of Lutheran iff said. care in the appropriate setting, could seriously disrupt a nation- contract with the federal govern- Immigration and Refugee Ser- Juvenile justice officials said in which is a higher level of care than al program that already faces ment, HHSC will take necessary vice, said in a statement. “Be- an email that the children’s home we provide.” strained capacity to properly steps to comply with the procla- cause Texas-based shelters care for minors crossing the mation.” comprise a significant portion of U.S.-Mexico border alone. The highly unusual move to U.S. capacity, this order could do The U.S. Department of order a disaster declaration — real damage, and to the serious Candidate interrupted by Health and Human Services, usually reserved for natural di- detriment of children’s well-be- which cares for migrant chil- sasters or health crises — comes ing.” dren, said Wednesday that it did amid Abbott’s criticism of re- The increasing arrival of mi- sex toy on drone, punched not intend to close any facilities cord numbers of border cross- grant children has tested the Bi- Associated Press ence on Wednesday that he be- but that it was “assessing” the ings in recent months. He has in- den administration, with the U.S. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M — A lieved Dreyer was with several Republican governor’s late creased the presence of the Tex- government picking up nearly New Mexico sheriff who is run- companions and spotted someone Tuesday disaster declaration. as Department of Public Safety 19,000 children traveling alone ning for mayor of Albuquerque standing on the other side of a The proclamation directs a state and National Guard in south across the Mexican border in was interrupted while on stage at a fence who he believes was flying agency to deny or discontinue li- Texas. March and more than 17,000 in campaign event by a flying drone the drone. censes for child care facilities Abbott also has been critical of April. with a sex toy attached to it and a “It became so distracting from sheltering migrant children emergency facilities that lack The record-setting numbers man who punched him. the sound and everything, I within 90 days. state licenses, which may end up come as the administration de- Bernalillo County Sheriff Man- couldn’t really get my point Groups that represent migrant taking in more children if his or- cided to exempt unaccompanied uel Gonzales’ campaign said the across,” Gonzales said. children and reunite them with der succeeds in shuttering children from federal pandemic- Democrat was unharmed and Dreyer has been charged with their families said the order smaller shelters. related powers to immediately “will not be intimidated.” petty misdemeanor battery and could be harmful because it may In April, Texas officials an- expel most migrants from the The Albuquerque Journal re- misdemeanor resisting, evading mean more minors are sent to nounced they were investigating country without giving them an ported that a video posted on or obstructing an officer. Accord- mass-scale, unlicensed facilities three reports alleging abuse and opportunity to seek asylum. Facebook shows Gonzales an- ing to a deputy in the report, that attorneys and advocates say neglect at a San Antonio coli- The pandemic also has meant swering questions from the audi- Dreyer said that he did not intend endanger their health and safe- seum holding more than 1,600 less capacity at small and medi- ence while standing on a stage at to hit Gonzales, but was upset at ty. Abbott argues that the federal migrant teens. There also have um-size shelters that care for an events center when the drone the way Gonzales answered a government can’t force Texas to been abuse or neglect investiga- minors. The program lost thou- bearing the sex toy started buzz- question and intended to swing his keep issuing state licenses in re- tions at state-licensed facilities, sands of beds due to COVID-19 ing near the stage. fist through the air. sponse to a federal problem. and Texas lists 18 total citations restrictions, bringing down the A sheriff’s office report said the Gonzales suggested Wednesday The U.S. government funds 56 between April and May. tally to about 7,100 by February. owner of the event center grabbed that the stunt with the drone may shelters in Texas, out of about Some critics worry the disas- Doing away with more state-li- the device and that 20-year-old have been sent by the rival cam- 200 licensed shelters in the ter declaration could set a prece- censed shelters is a “wronghead- Kaelan Ashby Dreyer unsuccess- paign of incumbent Mayor Tim country. The last census taken dent for other Republican gover- ed approach,” said Wendy fully tried to grab it. Keller, also a Democrat. Keller’s on May 19 showed 4,223 children nors to thwart efforts by the Bi- Young, president of Kids in Need The report said Dreyer turned campaign condemned the stunt as in 52 of those state-licensed shel- den administration to increase of Defense, which provides legal his attention to Gonzales, swing- “disruptive, rude and immature” ters, according to the Texas capacity in a network of licensed services to immigrant children. ing his fist and calling him a “ty- and denied any involvement. Health and Human Services shelters. Governors in Iowa and “At a time when the United rant.” A deputy wrote that Dreyer Dreyer denied to the Albuquer- Commission. Nebraska have rejected federal States needs far more licensed punched Gonzales’ hands and was que Journal that he was working The agency was directed to re- requests to house migrant chil- placement settings for unaccom- then removed from the event by for Keller’s campaign and said move the licenses and sent a no- dren, saying they oppose Presi- panied migrant children, the or- deputies. he’s not a fan of the incumbent ei- tice to providers Wednesday dent Joe Biden’s stance on car- der threatens to leave the nation Gonzales said at a news confer- ther. telling them to wind down oper- ing for minors before they are with far less,” Young said. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 11 WORLD China now vaccinating at Netanyahu foes push for quick fast pace after slow start BY HUIZHONG WU it possible to even consider vacci- Associated Press nating more than a billion people vote to end his 12-year rule TAIPEI, Taiwan — In the span of this year, but also the risks to civil just five days last month, China gave liberties — a concern the world over BY LAURIE KELLMAN on Thursday, signaling that he will some unity.” out 100 million shots of its COVID-19 but one that is particularly acute in Associated Press continue to exert pressure on for- The owner of the coffee shop, vaccines. China, where there are few protec- TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Min- mer allies who joined the coalition. Yosi Zarifi, said he trusts that Neta- After a slow start, China is now tions. ister Benjamin Netanyahu’s oppo- “All members of Knesset who nyahu will return to power — and doing what virtually no other coun- “The Communist Party has peo- nents pushed Thursday for a quick were elected with right-wing votes distrusts the coalition. try in the world can: leveraging the ple all the way down to every village, parliament vote to formally end his need to oppose this dangerous left- “Everybody is clear that this power and all-encompassing reach every neighborhood,” said Ray Yip, lengthy rule, hoping to head off any ist government,” he wrote on Twit- trick will not last, there won’t be of its one-party system and a matur- former country director for the last-minute attempts to derail ter. any glue (to keep it together) ing domestic vaccine industry to ad- Gates Foundation in China and a their newly announced coalition The drama riveted Israelis at a here,” he said. minister shots at a staggering pace. public health expert. “That’s the government. time when tumult has not been in The anti-Netanyahu bloc an- The rollout is far from perfect, in- draconian part of the system, but it The latest political maneuver- short supply: four inconclusive nounced the coalition deal just be- cluding uneven distribution, but also gives very powerful mobiliza- ing began just hours after opposi- elections in two years followed by fore a deadline at midnight Chinese public health leaders now tion.” tion leader Yair Lapid and his main an 11-day war in the Gaza Strip last Wednesday. The agreement trig- say they’re hoping to inoculate 80% China is now averaging about 19 coalition partner, Naftali Bennett, month that was accompanied by gered a complex process that is of the population of 1.4 billion by the million shots per day, according to declared they had reached a deal mob violence between Jews and likely to stretch over the next end of the year. Our World in Data’s rolling seven- to form a new government and Arabs in cities across the country. week. As of Wednesday, China had giv- day average. It’s still unclear how muster a majority in the 120-mem- The country is also emerging from The coalition has a razor-thin en out more than 704 million doses many people are fully vaccinated — ber Knesset, or parliament. the coronavirus crisis that caused majority of 61 votes in parliament. — with nearly half of those in May which can mean anywhere from The coalition consists of eight deep economic damage and ex- Now the question is whether the alone. China’s total is roughly a third one to three doses of the vaccines in parties from across the political posed tensions between the secu- group’s votes will hold together in of the 1.9 billion shots distributed use — as the government does not spectrum with little in common ex- lar majority and the ultra-Ortho- order to name a new parliament globally, according to Our World in publicly release that data. cept the shared goal of toppling Ne- dox minority. speaker, who would then preside Data, an online research site. Zhong Nanshan, the head of a tanyahu after a record-setting 12 Yet the political debate has fo- over a vote required to confirm the The call to get vaccinated comes group of experts attached to the Na- years in power. The alliance in- cused squarely on Netanyahu, who new government. from every corner of society. Com- tional Health Commission and a cludes hardliners previously al- is facing corruption charges — and If the group can’t manage that, panies offer shots to their employ- prominent government doctor, said lied with Netanyahu, as well as whether he should stay or go. the current speaker, who is a Neta- ees, schools urge their students and on Sunday that 40% of the popula- center-left parties and even an “We never had a coalition like nyahu ally, could use his position to staffers, and local government tion has received at least one dose, Arab faction — a first in Israeli pol- this,” said Hillel Bar Sadeh at a cof- delay the vote and give Netanyahu workers check on their residents. and the aim was to get that percent- itics. fee shop in Jerusalem. “We like to more time to sabotage the coali- That pressure underscores both age fully vaccinated by the end of Netanyahu lashed out at his foes have a new spirit, we like to have tion. the system’s strength, which makes the month. PAGE 12 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 13 MLB The Show 21 WEEKEND spectacular but flawed Video games, Page 19

HATE ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ on steroids: Disney’s ‘Cruella’ presents a stylish origin story of ‘101 Dalmatians’ COUTURE villain Cruella de Vil

Artists, designers infuse high fashion with punk sensibility, Page 16

Review, Page 17

DISNEY/AP

Travel, Food & Drink — 20-27 Music — 28-29 TV — 31 Health — 32 Crossword — 34 PAGE 14 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: GADGETS & TECHNOLOGY

GADGETS Video security doorbell that’s easy to install BY GREGG ELLMAN Tribune News Service It wasn’t that long ago when video securi- ty doorbells were considered advanced, high-tech gadgets requiring professional installation. While they are still high-tech, products like the Ezviz DB1C show how easy it is to add a much-needed layer of security. The Ezviz DB1C connects to your exist- ing doorbell wiring ensuring that the cam- era is always powered. A feature of Ezviz DB1C that stood out is the Wi-Fi connection to dual-band Wi-Fi of both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. If the router is Feels Good Man Film LLC close, a 5GHz frequency connection pro- Cartoonist Matt Furie draws Pepe the Frog in the documentary “Feels Good Man.” An NFT — non­fungible token — of Furie’s originalvides a faster speed at the shorter range. 2006 drawing recently sold at an online auction for the equivalent of nearly $1 million. The 2.1mm, f2.4, view angle lens pro- vides a 170-degree vertical field of view in 1080p HD. When the doorbell button is pressed, it initiates a notification to Back in the picture the Ezviz app on the user’s smart- phone. From there you’ll see Pepe cartoonist is trying to reclaim character through NFTs who is at the front door along with BY MICHAEL CAVNA sale as “Pepe the Frog NFT Genesis.” The winner was a prolific two-way audio The Washington Post but secretive collector who goes only by the handle “punk4156.” communication. att Furie is a patient man. After many on the The top bid: 420 in Ethereum currency for the stoner frog, as Another great internet co-opted his most famous cartoon cre- recorded on the OpenSea marketplace — which converted at the feature, which ation more than a decade ago, he was long will- time to about $1 million. was easy to test, is ing to live and let live. And when his same Pepe So why is ownership of a Furie art token called “1pantsdown- the new Ezviz AI the Frog character popped up on the forefront pee.jpg” worth a million bucks? “It’s my view that this will even- algorithm, allow- Mon the crypto-art scene about five years ago, Furie watched from tually be one of the most valuable digital originals in the world,” ing the DB1C to the sidelines and waited. punk4156 told Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, noting send alert noti- Now, he’s moving fully into the world of NFTs and their experi- that given how widely the Pepe image has been copied, the origi- fications only mental possibilities. nal “should rightfully be our generation’s Mona Lisa.” when people are In April, an image of Pepe — the first authentic crypto-art of This week, Furie is planning to unveil PEGZ — Pog-like digital detected. The Furie’s iconic character — sold at auction for about $1 million. portraits of his creature characters in 2-D, 3-D and animated American flag And the artist is planning to unveil a universe of collectible NFT form. “Everything else is a bootleg, and I’m very inspired by outside my front characters — some of them his latest takes on Pepe. bootlegs in my life and in my art,” he says — including Grateful door has always To Furie, the NFT realm is about more than coin. During the Dead mixtapes — “but nothing beats the real thing.” been a problem EZVIZ/TNS era of Donald Trump, extremist social media users adapted Pepe Furie enters this world fascinated, too, by its sense of commu- for doorbell cam- The Ezviz DB1C so often that the Anti-Defamation League deemed it a hate sym- nity — intrigued by how NFTs can “provide a tangible connection eras until now. The bol. But the exploding world of crypto-art is allowing the cartoo- between a digital artwork and a collector who owns it.” new algorithm didn’t send alerts for the nist to reclaim a character who was never meant to stand for Many people are minting their unique works as NFTs because flag blowing in the wind. much beyond love, peace, hedonism and altered-state chillaxin’. blockchain technology — as a ledger of transactions across a It’s in your control what the camera “The NFT world is new, and there are a lot of optimistic people network of computer systems — can now create a fixed digital detects with the settings for motion alerts creating cool things,” Furie says of his interest in exploring non- record proving who owns each work. So creators are selling elec- in the app. The app manages and controls fungible tokens — unique digital files whose origins and own- tronic tokens of everything from music to social media content — all Ezviz products including indoor and ership can be verified. “Pepe does not have the baggage here that including the viral “Charlie Bit My Finger” video (which fetched outdoor security cameras. he does in the ‘real world,’ and I like working with utopians and $760,999 at auction) and Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey’s A built-in microSD slot supports your optimistic freethinkers. There are so many possibilities.” first tweet ($2.9 million). memory cards up to 256 GB of recorded Furie became intrigued when his cousin Frank Musarra, a “This new space is laying the groundwork for the Internet 3.0,” content. Video and images can be stored in Brooklyn-based multimedia artist, contacted him in February Furie says. “In the future, you’ll be able to trace memes back to the Ezviz Encrypted Cloud with different with an invitation to show his work on Chain/Saw, a new online their source.” payment plan options available to store up gallery of crypto-art featuring like-minded creators. Musarra And as Giorgio Angelini, writer-producer of the documentary to 30 days of video history. envisioned a “middle ground between crypto-utopian zealotry “Feels Good Man,” puts it: “Pepe is the ur-meme.” As stated by Ezviz, the data transmission and grouchy anti-tech naysayers.” As chronicled in that film, Pepe has had many online lives: The between the camera and the Ezviz Cloud is They soon were on a Zoom call with dozens of fellow artists, anthropomorphic frog jumped from the panels of a relatively encrypted from end to end using AES 128 kicking around ideas about just what the site would look like. obscure comic about benign bro-creatures, transmogrified into a bit encryption, TLS encryption protocol Furie embraced the opportunity to show the world he was much meme on the forums of 4chan and was posted on social media by and multiple authentication steps. more than the Pepe Guy. Yet as the site’s April launch neared, such pop singers as Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj. But Pepe’s im- Measuring 5.05-by-1.82-by-0.76 inches, Furie and Musarra, the site’s official founder, knew something age was also swiped by the alt-right and white supremacist the DB1C video doorbell has a built-in was missing. “We both felt pressure to show a Pepe NFT,” says groups and plunged into the political mainstream during the 2016 speaker, white faceplate and an IP65 wa- Furie, who’s based in Southern California. presidential election cycle, with Donald Trump Jr. sharing an ter-resistant rating, so it can withstand The cartoonist found a scan of the original 2006 “Boy’s Club” image of Pepe among GOP figures, in a spoof movie poster titled outdoor mounting. Night vision captures comic art in which Pepe utters his catchphrase, “Feels good “The Deplorables.” content up to 16 feet away. The DB1C is also man” — the panels that launched countless memes across online “The NFT space allowed him to claim something that was his,” compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google forums and platforms. Musarra says. “This is something that has evaded him for years, Assistant. In an April auction, Furie put a digital token of the art up for and this was a powerful thing.” Online: ezvizlife.com; $79.80 Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 15 WEEKEND: MOVIES Bigger isn’t always better Theater industry exec says midrange films would help bring audiences back and shouldn’t be ceded to streaming

BY ANN HORNADAY several weeks, such seemingly The Washington Post surefire blockbusters as “Black emorial Day has Widow” and “The Suicide always been a do- Squad” will arrive in multiplex- or-die weekend for es, as well as the musical “In the MHollywood. As the Heights” and “Space Jam: A New unofficial beginning of summer, Legacy,” starring LeBron James it has launched myriad “Star and Bugs Bunny. Hulu Wars,” “Indiana Jones” and The message to stir-crazy Strait­laced high school student (Kuhoo Verma, right) and her slacker best friend (Victoria Moroles) have “Mission: Impossible” install- audiences is unmistakable: The 24 hours to hunt down a Plan B pill in America’s heartland in “Plan B,” a film that’s available only on Hulu. ments, not to mention family movies are back! And they’re films like “Aladdin” and “Pirates way too big to watch on a laptop! Another example of the mid- of the Caribbean: At World’s That message isn’t wrong, but range summer hit is “Legally End.” it might be incomplete. Blonde,” the delightful Reese This year, the stakes were even While studios double down on Witherspoon comedy that came higher. With theaters reopening the bigger-louder-noisier strate- out in 2001. It’s now part of a in earnest after being shuttered gy — their business model for the library of films recently acquired due to the coronavirus pandemic, past several years — they’re by Amazon from MGM. It’s un- studios that had been delaying ignoring movies that have been clear the extent to which future big movies tested the waters with just as successful at getting rear MGM movies will open in thea- high-profile titles. Disney ends in seats: medium-budget, ters or go straight to Amazon’s brought “Cruella,” a splashy human-scale movies that don’t Prime streaming service. live-action origin story starring feature big stars in Spandex suits MGM’s “Respect,” the Aretha Emma Stone, to in-person thea- or fighting CGI aliens in front of Franklin biopic starring Jennifer ters, while Paramount finally a green screen. It wasn’t all that Hudson, is still scheduled to open released “A Quiet Place Part II,” long ago that movies like “Magic in theaters in August, as is “CO- the highly anticipated sequel to Mike” and “Girls Trip” became DA,” a crowd-pleasing coming- John Krasinski’s 2018 horror must-see theatrical experiences, of-age tale that Apple TV+ film, whose crafty sound design not just because they were funny picked up at Sundance. Along made it that rare movie that had and hugely entertaining on the with “Stillwater,” an internation- to be seen in theaters. According screen, but because whooping at al thriller starring Matt Damon to the website that opens in the-num- July, they ex- bers.com, “It’s not that people don’t want to emplify the “Cruella” kind of movie earned about go to the movie theater; it’s that that Hollywood $21.5 million in has increasingly theaters there’s not enough of what they ceded to through the streaming — a Memorial Day want to see. That’s why we need strategic mis- weekend, and take, according Focus Features the “Quiet that range of movies. We need to Patrick Cor- Camille Cottin, Matt Damon and Lilou Siauvaud star in “Stillwater,” Place” sequel coran, vice the type of drama increasingly ceded to streaming. took in about everything, frankly.” president and $47.5 million Patrick Corcoran chief communi- of South Dakota, has all the trap- “We don’t want to send a mess- through the cations officer pings to become a similarly be- age that this (type of movie) isn’t same time vice president, National Association of Theater Owners at the National loved breakout hit. But it’s avail- here for you. And you never period. Association of able only on Hulu, meaning that know what’s going to break out It’s understandable that stu- Channing Tatum’s umbrella Theater Owners (NATO). even if it’s a success for the and ... become a huge movie.” dios would lure audiences out of dance or laughing at Tiffany “Look at the ratings for the streamer in terms of views and If Hollywood has any hope of their pandemic cocoons with Haddish was exponentially more Oscars and the Golden Globes, subscriptions, it has little chance achieving the $11 billion at the spectacle and reliable genres like enjoyable in a crowd. and think about what movies got of achieving the pop-zeitgeist box office it earned before the horror: “F9,” the latest iteration It’s the same impulse that talked about, and for how long,” liftoff that a national theatrical pandemic — and stopping the of the hugely successful “Fast made “My Best Friend’s Wed- Corcoran says, adding that a run still provides. slide in admissions that started and Furious” franchise, has al- ding” a summer phenom in 1997, film’s theatrical presence is “vi- In recent weeks, NATO’s CEO, more than a decade ago — it ready done impressive business a pattern followed more recently tal” to creating awareness. With- John Fithian, has been meeting must recommit to the kind of overseas, earning more than by “Bridesmaids” and “Crazy out it, he observes, “movies have with studio executives to encour- midrange comedies and dramas $239.7 million since opening on Rich Asians.” (Inevitably, indus- been missing from the cultural age them to make a wide range of that millions of people mean May 19. (It opens in the U.S. on try experts called these “sur- conversation, big and small.” movies available to theaters, not when they say “movie.” June 25.) “Spiral,” a spinoff of prise” sleeper hits, noting that Case in point: a popular sub- just the “F9s” and “Suicide “It’s not that people don’t want the “Saw” movies starring Chris they “overperformed” at the box genre of the summer sleeper hit Squads” of the world. to go to the movie theater; it’s Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, has office, overlooking the fact that genre, the teen raunch-com, such “We have big movies that that there’s not enough of what become another big hit, earning their momentum is often spurred as “American Pie” and “Super- bring in big audiences, but the they want to see,” Corcoran says. about $19.7 million through the by female audiences that have bad.” The new movie “Plan B,” overall audience is made up of “That’s why we need that range Memorial Day weekend, despite long been ignored by Holly- about two girls on the hunt for a small audiences that add up to a of movies. We need everything, dismal reviews. Over the next wood.) morning-after pill in the exurbs big audience,” Corcoran says. frankly.” PAGE 16 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: MOVIES

Emma Stone, right and bottom, who also was a producer, Emma Thompson, had nearly left, and Joel Fry, 50 costumes right, in “Cruella.” in the film.

DISNEY PHOTOS/AP Sew impressive In a punk ‘Cruella,’ dogs play second fiddle to designs

BY LINDSEY BAHR produced something new, (Stone) seemed to take to it album cover. Associated Press like a duck to water and make it work. She is, absolutely Stone, she said, was game for anything. She didn’t erman punk princess Nina Hagen isn’t the and without a doubt, totally fabulous.” have to dye her hair for the role, but Stacey said she most obvious inspiration for a Disney movie, One of the final looks that stood out for Beaven was would have in a heartbeat. but “Cruella” is not your typical Disney Cruella’s military-styled jacket paired with a big skirt “I weighed in a bit, but there were geniuses that were Gmovie. The live-action origin story about the and Doc Martens. creating her look,” Stone said. “Putting on all black-and-white-haired cartoon supervillain is less Stacey said she was given one rule for Cruella: of that really did make you feel like Cru- about a maniacal dalmatian-skinner than an aspiring The black and white hair needed to be on the ella de Vil.” designer with a punk sensibility out to disrupt the stuffy same sides as in the cartoon. Anything else was The endeavor was an epic under- ways of the past in 1970s London. fair game. taking with a reported $200 million Departments like hair and makeup “I sort of went at it with a punk spirit, like, budget. There were some 277 cos- and costume design work overtime to you know, I’m just going to do this and go for it tumes for the principal cast, 47 blend into the fabric of a film. In “Cru- and see what happens,” Stacey said. “The changes for Cruella/Estella and 33 ella,” the story itself gives them the punk revolution was such a change in fashion for Emma Thompson’s Baroness. spotlight. So director Craig Gillespie and music and makeup and hair. It does really “Every week I’d come in and my and star and producer Emma Stone kind of follow the narrative of Cruella as well.” (assistant director) would be like, ‘Oh, enlisted some of the best in the busi- Stacey found inspiration not only in Nina we’ve got a big week this week,’ and I ness to help: Two-time Oscar-winning Jenny Beavan, Hagen but Blondie frontwoman Debbie said, ‘Every week is a big week.’ costume designer Jenny Beavan, who a two­time Harry, who she said often paired edgy We have four to six hundred has mastered everything from Mer- Oscar winner stylings with pink lipsticks. extras and balls and galas,” chant Ivory period films like “A Room (and 10­time “That sparked an idea that I could Gillespie said. “We were just with a View” to the post-apocalyptic nominee), make stuff punky or messed up but keep racing all the time.” looks of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and designed the a beauty element to it, which makes it One gala scene alone re- BAFTA-winning hair and makeup costumes for not just period and punk, it gives it a quired 152 wigs and dressing designer Nadia Stacey, who trans- “Cruella.” fresh take and makes it modern,” Stacey 149 members of the supporting formed Stone into an 18th century said. “So if you are doing a really graph- cast. Another pivotal party had social climber in “The Favourite.” ic, harsh (look), you can do a softer beau- 80 dresses and 88 wigs, each “I never thought I would do it. It was never a film that ty lip with it. Or if she’s hanging off a of which required four hours would come up in my range of stuff because I’m not garbage truck, she can still have pink of prep. really into fashion,” said Beavan. “Of course, I was and blue jewels that contradict with the “I’ve never seen such around in the ’70s. This film and script triggered my situation. There’s that kind of juxtaposi- attention to detail before,” memory of what it was like.” tion, a real clash of things that I tried to said actor Kirby Howell- With the script and Gillespie’s comprehensive mood keep in mind when creating.” Baptiste, who plays Anita board and soundtrack in mind, Beavan and her team set One of Stacey’s most striking looks Darling. “It also just kind off both designing originals and scouring London’s (and one that many beauty bloggers have of felt like a party, like, vintage stores for real pieces and things that had at already re-created and sent to her) fea- the scene where we least the spirit of the ’70s, when the buttoned-up styles tures Cruella with a black spray paint were outside and essen- of Dior and Balenciaga were giving way to the likes of mask across her eyes with the words tially, like, at a rock Vivienne Westwood with zippers and holes everywhere. “The Future” stenciled out. The font, concert felt just like “It was just really fun,” Beavan said. “Every time we she said, was inspired by a Sex Pistols that.” Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 17 WEEKEND: MOVIE REVIEWS A different kind of superpower In ‘Cruella,’ the stylish prequel to ‘101 Dalmatians,’ formidable opponents Emma Stone, Emma Thompson go head to head in a battle of wills, outfits

BY MOIRA MACDONALD Need I tell you that Stone and Thomp- The Seattle Times son make formidable opponents? Stone, magine “The Devil Wears Prada” on speaking in a dark-syrup British accent, steroids, set in ’70s London, with makes Estella/Cruella slightly feral and Anne Hathaway’s character venge- wickedly smart; she’s got a way of narrow- Iful rather than sweet. Sounds kind of ing her eyes at people that makes you great, right? worry that they might burst into flames. When I first heard about “Cruella,” the (At one point, appropriately, she wears a live-action Disney origin story of the “101 red gown seemingly made of fire.) Dalmatians” villain Cruella de Vil, I may Thompson, tottering around under tur- have rolled my eyes a bit. This is me going bans and enormous pastries of hair — the GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT/TNS back in time to retract that eye-rolling: Baroness’ look is slightly dated; Estella’s is “Moby Doc” is a peek behind the curtain “Cruella” is an absolute kick, and if you’ve up-to-the-minute London punk — is a of oddball musician and producer Moby. been looking for a reason to go back to queen who’s scornful of her kingdom. movie theaters, here it is. “Go” is her most frequent word, delivered The fashion alone, designed by the great witheringly; though I quite liked her Jenny Beavan (an Oscar winner for “A clenched-teeth delivery, to a luckless ‘Moby Doc’ Room with a View” and “Mad Max: Fury Emma Thompson is the Baroness, maid, of “You’re. In. The Way.” Though Road”), is worth the ticket price; if that a couture icon, in “Cruella.” there’s never any doubt who will prevail in doesn’t do it for you, there’s also slyly this battle of wills — the movie isn’t called explores the brilliant work from the two Emmas — fit in as a child, thanks to her two-toned “Baroness,” after all — it’s a fair fight, and Stone and Thompson — working hard to hair and quick temper. Her mother agrees you find yourself rooting for both of them. upstage the gorgeous outfits in which that they should move to London, but Crammed full of ’70s music and in- global star’s they’re swathed. something terrible happens on the way. sanely chic eye candy, “Cruella” is a Directed by Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya,” Fast-forward 15 years or so and Estella more-is-more treat, right down to its un- “Lars and the Real Girl”), “Cruella” feels (Stone) is an embittered grifter, surviving expectedly sweet coda (stick around as the rise and fall like a wildly imaginative superhero movie, on her street smarts but dreaming of be- credits start). Bring on the summer movie but with fashion instead of superpowers. ing a fashion designer. An opportunity at a season! If the rest are as much fun as this BY ADAM GRAHAM (Actually, fashion is the superpower.) It famous London department store — Lib- … well, that’s what we all deserve right The Detroit News begins, as all origin stories do, with a erty’s, beautifully handling its star turn — now, isn’t it? Moby knows you probably don’t like flashback: Young Estella — Cruella is a turns into a job with The Baroness him and you probably don’t want to see a teasing nickname her loving mother gives (Thompson), the world’s most famous “Cruella” is rated PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements. Running time: 134 minutes. Now playing in theaters documentary about him. her, for the girl’s dark side — struggles to couturier. and streaming on Disney+ (Premier Access). Weirdly, that’s why he made “Moby Doc,” his unconventional, self-effacing, self-aggrandizing look at his rise and fall (and rise and fall, again) and why any of it matters in the grand scheme of things. In terms of the planets and the universe and the cosmos, the life of the electronic musician, producer and DJ doesn’t really matter. But while we’re all here on this planet, tales of celebrity are captivating, and Moby’s is full of the triumphs and the tragedies, the sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll that we’ve grown accustomed to in these tales. The 55-year-old doesn’t tell his story in a linear fashion: There are arty flourishes, “Twin Peaks”-style interludes, moments of staged narratives and a constant ques- tioning of the music documentary form. Beyond those matters — some of which work, others of which don’t — there’s the story of Richard Melville Hall, a loner born in Harlem, N.Y., who gravitated toward music and animals because people never quite made sense to him. Naturally, he went on to be a global star and was forced to deal with everything that came along with it, good and bad. Moonshots and crash landings ensue. Director Rob Gordon Bralver frames “Moby Doc” as a farce, a peek behind the curtain and ultimately as a cautionary tale of fame, and in it Moby comes off as a ball of contradictions: sad, confident, vulner- able, human, indestructible. Say what you will about the man: There’s nothing you can come up with that he hasn’t already said or thought about himself. PHOTOS BY DISNEY/AP “Moby Doc” is unrated. Running time: 92 minutes. Now avail- able on demand. From left to right: Paul Walter Hauser, Emma Stone and Joel Fry costar in “Cruella,” the origin story of Disney villain Cruella de Vil. PAGE 18 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: MOVIE REVIEWS Conjuring up more terror and thrills ‘Devil Made Me Do It’ another satisfying witch hunt with Lorraine and Ed Warren

BY KATIE WALSH ous films in the trilogy, but also with “The Tribune News Service Exorcist,” particularly in the opening n 2013, a movie about a haunting sequence that depicts the possession of called “The Conjuring,” starring the young David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard). charismatic duo of Vera Farmiga The Warrens have a deep library of lore Iand Patrick Wilson as real-life para- from which to mine scary stories, but the WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT/AP normal investigators Lorraine and Ed case of David Glatzel and Arne Johnson is Paranormal investigators Vera Farmiga, left, and Patrick Wilson star once again in a third Warren, helmed by “Saw” and “Insidious” deeply disturbing. It’s 1981, and the War- “Conjuring” movie, “The Devil Made Me Do It.” auteur James Wan, proved so popular it rens are summoned to assist in the exor- spun out into a multi-film universe with a cism of 8-year-old David, during which his just out of frame. Chaves, working with signature style. older sister’s boyfriend, Arne (Ruairi franchise cinematographer and camera Sequels and spinoffs filled with old O’Connor), demands the demon take him operator Michael Burgess, also works with fables and creepy dolls shot with carefully instead. When he later murders his land- the idea of vision, but takes a far more choreographed long takes have tumbled lord, the Warrens urge his lawyer to argue bombastic approach than Wan’s more into theaters year after year since, from Arne was possessed. As Ed (Wilson) as- sleek, sophisticated style. Several se- the “Annabelle” trilogy, to “The Nun,” to serts, if the court assumes the presence of quences are genuinely rattling, sowing “The Curse of La Llorona.” The third God every day, they may as well assume chaos with sound and shadow, and one Warren-focused film, “The Conjuring: The the devil is present too. The challenge for climatic scene pitting light against dark Devil Made Me Do It,” takes an investiga- the Warrens is to prove Arne was pos- both literally and figuratively is terrifying, tive approach to a good old-fashioned sessed, not to any church, but a court, and especially because it’s Ed and Lorraine demonic possession, covering the true their investigation sets them tracking who are at odds. case of Arne Johnson, the first murder down cursed totems they presume to have WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT/AP For the many reasons that this franchise suspect to plead “not guilty by virtue of been placed by a satanist. Ruairi O’Connor plays a man who works, Farmiga and Wilson are chief possession.” “La Llorona” director Mi- The “Conjuring” movies coax belief out paranormal investigators attempt to prove among them, as they take what could chael Chaves is behind the camera, work- of the audience by visualizing Lorraine’s has been possessed. otherwise be hokey 1970s ghost-hunter ing from a script by “Conjuring 2” writer psychic visions, but the central conceit of characters and infuse them with a deep David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. these films is the interplay between proof what only one person can see. That beauti- sense of faith, humanity, and above all, Johnson-McGoldrick’s facility with both and faith, the seen and unseen, the record- ful, unknowable friction between the love. Indeed, “The Devil Made Me Do It” the tropes of the “Conjuring” films, and ed and the unrecordable. Like its prede- earthly and the metaphysical is physically is ultimately an expression of Ed and the Warren’s relationship, keeps the film cessors, “The Devil Made Me Do It” mani- embodied by Ed and Lorraine themselves. Lorraine’s love story, which, naturally, swift and emotionally resonant, while fests the act of recording and collecting In the first two films, Wan deployed a started at the movies. Chaves pushes the cinematic aesthetic to evidence: tapes, photographs, evil objects roaming camera that played with point of “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is rated R for terror, the max. Thematically and stylistically, collected and sealed in a basement gal- view in such a way as to trap the viewer violence and some disturbing images. Running time: 112 Chaves dialogues not just with the previ- lery, as well as the blind, loving faith in into lines of sight that suggested terrors minutes. Now playing in select theaters. Teen sex comedy ‘Plan B’ follows familiar but solid formula BY JAKE COYLE most adults. But her brash style and two-toned hair are Associated Press regularly ridiculed by her more conservative father. Both A painfully awkward sexual encounter. An impromptu Sunny and Lupe are outsiders in small-town South Dako- road trip. A tested friendship. No, the outlines of Natalie ta, where their ethnicities are only foggily understood. Morales’ “Plan B” aren’t revolutionary. This is the tried- The sharp-witted script, by Prathi Srinivasan and Josh- and-true framework of the high-school comedy. But teen ua Levy, is best in the movie’s first half, set largely comedies, almost as a rule, are made by their leads. And around high school and, as the genre’s laws decree, at a with Kuhoo Verma and Victoria Moroles, “Plan B” is party thrown by Sunny when her parents are away. If you overwhelmingly a winner. think you’ve seen enough Sex Ed scenes by now, you’ll Morales’ film seems destined to be compared to Olivia want to make an exception for one with Rachel Dratch as Wilde’s “Booksmart,” in theaters almost exactly two an in-over-her-head teacher, helpless when her students years ago. Both are helmed with a veteran filmmaker’s take a car metaphor for virginity and run with it. The sense of timing by actors-turned-first-time-directors. party scene, too, has its tropes (a poorly concocted punch) HULU (Morales has been a familiar face in film and TV for the and its unique touches. Sunny, feeling spurned by her “Lupe,” Victoria Moroles, left, accompanies her friend past 15 years.) Both feature a pair of breakthrough per- crush (Michael Provost), ends up in the bathroom instead “Sunny,” Kuhoo Verma, in a scene from “Plan B.” formances. And both bring a funny, feminist spin to a with Kyle (Mason Cook), a sincere kid into both magic traditionally boyish and often boorish movie genre. and Jesus — and to Sunny, about the most regrettable alent to “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” a poignant But “Plan B” has a comic rhythm and perspective of its person in South Dakota to lose her virginity to. commentary on the hurdles to abortion. Sunny and Lupe own. And while most teen comedies have gone for packed The next morning, panic sets in and Sunny needs a drive Sunny’s mom’s Honda minivan to a Planned Par- movie theaters, “Plan B” — more scruffily indie, more morning-after pill. Yet when Lupe (speaking for the too- enthood in Rapid City, a three-hour trip that turns longer all-the-way R-rated — is only streaming. So it’s fitting ashamed Sunny) asks the pharmacist (Jay Chandrasek- and more surreal than most Dakota drives. Here, “Plan that the characters of “Plan B” offer us a new phrase in har, the comedy director-actor of “Super Troopers”), he B” sometimes drifts off course, but all of their adventures the streaming lexicon that can sit alongside “Netflix and declines on the basis of the state’s “conscience clause,” are a reminder why the typical conquests of the teen chill”: “Disney-plus and thrust.” which gives pharmacists a right of refusal due to religious comedy are more complicated for young women. Verma, who had a small role in “The Big Sick,” stars as beliefs. Pointed as the message of “Plan B” is, nothing super- Sunny, the high-achieving, low-self-esteem daughter of Here, “Plan B” doesn’t turn sober, by any means. sedes just letting these two characters — traditionally bit demanding Indian American parents. Her best friend There are still scenes to come involving a drug-dealer’s players at best in high-school comedies — be themselves.

Lupe (Moroles, from MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and the Disney pierced penis, an accidental dose of speed and a stolen “Plan B” is unrated, but contains language, sexual situations, drug use and graphic Channel’s “Liv and Maddie”) is more self-possessed than car. But the film’s inherent setup is, like the comic equiv- nudity, all involving teens. Running time: 107 minutes. Now streaming on Hulu. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 19 WEEKEND: VIDEO GAMES Latest MLB The Show spectacular but flawed

BY EBENEZER SAMUEL ing idiosyncrasies and stadiums New York Daily News all feature more detail than they The future of baseball is bright ever have. MLB The Show has with Fernando Tatis Jr. MLB’s always been a good-looking new superstar in the making hits game, but forging onto a new era home runs, steals bases and of consoles creates the expected plays a defensively challenging elevation in visuals, with stron- position (shortstop) with aplomb. ger lighting and many more little Then again, he also strikes out a details. This feeds onto the field, ton and has yet to play a full where every hit seems to have its injury-free season. own story. There are He’s equal parts more options for spectacular and how balls glance off flawed — and that your bat than ever makes him the before. Defenses too perfect coverboy seem smarter, shift- for MLB The Show ing more frequently, 21. The latest base- to mirror a real-life ball video game game that’s been from the team over defined by the shift at San Diego Studio more than ever. is as groundbreak- It’s satisfying to ing as they come, play MLB The Show HandyGames the first time Sony’s 21 in any situation, Chicken Police ­ Paint it RED! follows anthropomorphic investigators around a noirish city to solve a crime.published its title on both Play- even online. Only once has the Station and Xbox platforms, game dropped on me, and the complete with a data vault action smartly shifts between shared between the two consoles, gameplay and cutscene so seam- Noir title rules the roost and crossplay online action. It’s lessly that neither you nor your an instant triumph that gets more opponent will realize if some- people playing one of the best body’s taking a few seconds to Chicken Police - Paint it RED! a dryly hilarious animal adventure sports games of the past decade. guess the next pitch. This is MLB And yet it’s a flawed experi- The Show’s best online experi- BY CHRISTOPHER BYRD With the help of Sonny’s ex-partner, Marty Mac- ence, slightly sluggish on Micro- ence yet. Good thing, too, since it Special to The Washington Post Chicken, a gun-loving agitator with keen intuition soft’s highest-level console, with spans across both consoles. here is a perfect little joke at the start of who plays the straight man to the sad-sack and little annoyances throughout. It’s It’s sad, however, that the the closing credits for Chicken Police - dryly comedic Sonny, the Chicken Police delve into also a game that’s seen limited Franchise mode still hasn’t taken Paint it RED! It would be rash of me to Clawville’s demimonde. The case takes them to the evolution in some areas. Make no any appreciable steps forward. Tgive away the punchline — it’s a slight workplaces of informants, a high-end brothel, the mistake: MLB The Show 21 is It’s a solid enough experience, to thing — but it so thoroughly fits the spirit of what office of a shady medical professional and the home plenty of fun, just like Tatis Jr. be sure, and it’s plenty of fun. came before that it made me chuckle. Usually, I get of the city’s most notorious gangster. Just like Tatis, it has plenty of But the list of things missing fidgety during credit sequences, but not here. I was Chicken Police is studded with a few basic mini- room for improvement, too. from the Franchise mode is pleased to look at photographs of the people who games that task players with things like tracing the The good, however, is plentiful. growing longer and longer. Ev- created this love letter to the knots of a rope to make a quick escape or picking You get the standard flood of ery other sports game out there noir genre that made me lol off targets at a shooting range. These distractions sports games modes, a collectible lets you build custom draft class- many, many times. amount to little more than filler. The real amuse- card mode, a spectacular Road to es, but not The Show. NBA 2K Chicken Police is a mash- ment simply comes from chatting up the menagerie the Show mode and a strong tracks advanced stats, but The up of classic noir such as of anthropomorphic animals who are generally Franchise mode. And the stan- Show hasn’t embraced the Fan- “The Big Sleep” and internet some combination of jaded, guarded and broken, dard gameplay is a site to behold, graphs era and doesn’t give you culture. In an interview with with a touch of don’t-give-a-damn. especially on next-gen consoles. hard-hit data, launch angle data, the web site bg4ghub, the Flipping through the screenshots I took of the It’s a fully customizable experi- or anything that feels current game’s writer/director Bánk game, I laughed again when I saw Mullen, an old ence that continues to scale as with the new analytics era of Varga said the seed for the beaver who runs the city’s most venerable news- impressively as any sports game, baseball. In fact, its stat tracking project arose from a You- stand, verbally jab Marty with the compliment: courtesy of dynamic difficulty feels more convoluted this time Tube video “where two real “Anyway, you look good. You’re in good shape. You settings for both pitching and around, buried in a new menu roosters provide justice in look more like a turkey than a rooster, if you ask hitting, which adjust as your structure that seems to waste someone’s backyard.” There me.” gameplay adjusts. screen real estate. is something inherently meme-worthy about the Naturally, over the course of his investigation, Getting better at hitting? Even- Essentially, the Franchise’s game’s signature sight of a rooster decked out in a Sonny interrogates suspects. During these episodes, tually, you’ll go from beginner biggest issue is that stat-keeping. necktie and a trench coat. It gives added zest to players are given a small range of questions to difficulty to advanced as the Baseball is a game that’s histor- observations such as: “She had a bygone look in her choose from and are graded at the end of the in- game watches you improve. ically been about its numbers, eyes, older than this ancient building and perhaps terrogation on the pertinence of their choices. Ulti- Struggling with pitch mix and but historical stat-keeping is the whole city itself. Or maybe I’m just drunk. But mately, these conversations lead to low-stakes in- timing after coming back to the limited, and the menu design she was the first womanly thing in place for a long vestigation scenes where players must try to draw game after several weeks? Watch overall just doesn’t prioritize any time, so I had to give her a chance.” connections between clues and suspects. your difficulty slide slightly, until of the special numbers about Santino “Sonny” Featherland utters those lines at The game’s point-and-click puzzles are basically you adapt and ascend again. This baseball. The fundamental on- the beginning of the game after a mysterious lady speed bumps between its dialogue chat boxes isn’t a new feature, but it’s exe- field gameplay in MLB The Show appears in his less-than-tidy office. On suspension which, all together, works in its favor. Kerry Shale, cuted as fluidly as ever. is as good as ever, but not getting from the Clawville Police Department, Sonny has who voices Sonny, delivers an outstanding Hum- The gameplay itself is also the franchise right, after several been boozing it up and getting by as a private detec- phrey Bogart impersonation. Shale is given plenty highly versatile. Hitting, fielding, years of failing to give the mode tive operating out of a hotel room. His New Year’s of good zingers to work with, and the rest of the baserunning and pitching can all any TLC, is a bothersome issue. night becomes interesting after Deborah Ibaneza, voice cast also make the residents of Clawville be tuned the way you want, cre- To be fair, MLB isn’t alone in this an alluring impala, hires him to look into a job for endearing. ating more or less challenge and (Madden has barely touched its her employer, Natasha Catzenko, a nightclub own- In the tiny pantheon of visual novel/adventure inviting plenty of playstyles. And franchise either), but MLB fans er. Widely considered the most desirable woman in games of which I am a fan, Chicken Police - Paint it however you play, you’ll be do deserve better. the city, Catzenko has received threatening mess- RED! has a spot. greeted by the most visually Platforms: PlayStation 4, Play- ages that touch on a secret from her past. Although Platforms: Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One complete baseball game you’ve Station 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series Sonny has been counting down the days until his Online: handy-games.com/en/games/chicken- ever seen on the field. X/S retirement, he decides to accept the case. police Players, hitting stances, pitch- Online: theshow.com PAGE 20 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: TRAVEL Italy’s Riviera: Beyond the Cinque Terre

Here’s a reminder of the fun pebble beaches. that awaits us in Europe at the These towns can be user- other end of this crisis. friendly home bases for day trips along the Riviera coast, but hen it comes to they’re also worth visiting in basking in the their own right. beauty of the Ital- Levanto, just Wian Riviera, the minutes north by Cinque Terre is tops for me. But train of the Cinque there’s much more to this region Terre resort town on the Mediterranean coast than Monterosso, is the those famous five villages. handiest. Graced A handful of charming towns with a long, sandy lie within an hour of the Cinque beach, it’s packed Terre, with posh ports set against Rick in summer with rugged mountain backdrops that Steves surfers and fam- have drawn poets, authors and ilies. The rest of romantics over the years from the year, it’s just a small, sleepy Lord Byron to Elizabeth Taylor. town with kids playing in the To the north of the Cinque square and locals whizzing Terre is a trio of beach towns: around on bicycles. Levanto also Levanto, the northern gateway to offers an easy, level hike (or bike the Cinque Terre; Sestri Levante, ride) to the sleepy village of Bo- stunningly situated on a narrow nassola. Serious hikers can tackle CAMERON HEWITT/Ricksteves.com peninsula flanked by two beach- the tough route to Monterosso. A bike ride between Levanto and the village of Bonassola includes views of the Italian Riviera’s coastline. es; and Santa Margherita Ligure, A bit farther away, and with a a thriving city with an active little less train service, is Sestri ful of sights (including the Ba- From Santa Margherita Li- humble village shell — has the waterfront and easy connections Levante, a charming town on a roque Basilica of Santa Margher- gure, you can take a bus to Porto- sheen of new money. It’s the kind to yacht-happy Portofino. At the peninsula squeezed between two ita), along with easy access to fino, but a boat makes the 15- of place where the sailing masts south end of the Cinque Terre is crescent beaches. posh Portofino. While Portofino’s minute trip with more class and are taller than the houses. The the pretty resort of Porto Venere. The most appealing town north velour allure is tarnished by a scenery, and without traffic. You tiny harbor, classic Italian archi- When most people imagine the of the Cinque Terre — but also nonstop traffic jam in peak sea- can also hike between the towns. tecture and wooded peninsula “Italian Riviera,” they’re think- the most distant (one hour by son, Santa Margherita Ligure has Portofino is the movie star’s make it an appealing destination. ing of the shimmering resort train) — is Santa Margherita a breezy harborfront with a Italian Riviera. The yacht-harbor Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes Europe- towns north of the Cinque Terre, Ligure. This easygoing, old- beach promenade, and its aris- resort with grand scenery — and an guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. You can with their big, stately, Old World school resort town has an en- tocratic architecture hints at old its jewelry shops, art galleries email Rick at [email protected] and follow his hotels looming over crowded joyable urban bustle and a hand- money. and couture boutiques filling a blog on Facebook. Less populated countries ideal for socially distanced vacations As we stand poised to welcome the return of travel, there are many different notions as to how a vacation Sweden should look in times not yet fully back to normal. While Throughout much of Europe, camping in the wild is some can’t wait to sip café au lait along a crowded side- either illegal or falls into a gray area. In Sweden, Norway, walk in Paris, others are longing for open spaces offering Ireland, Estonia, Latvia and Spain, pitching a tent on more solitude than socializing. Here are a handful of public lands is permissible. Hikers, cyclists and horse- ideas for vacations on less-trodden terrain. back riders in Sweden can set up camp outside towns for not longer than two days. Campfires are not permitted. Iceland The Kungsleden, or King’s Trail, is a long-distance It’s lonely at the bottom for Iceland, which ranks last in hiking route running some 270 miles between Abisko in terms of population density among Europe- the north and Hemavan in the south. The trail is divided an countries. Tourism has been an impor- into four portions, each of which takes about one week of tant part of the Icelandic economy since hiking to complete. The northernmost stretch between the financial crisis of 2008 led to a sharp Abisko and Kebnekaise is the most popular, and peak drop in the value of the Icelandic krona hiking season runs between mid-June to late September. and the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull iStock Manned huts along the routes are available. Online: tiny- volcano two years later turned a spotlight Hikes such as Sweden’s Kungsleden Trail, shown here url.com/wj7nf357 on the awesome force of its nature. Within wending through a birch forest near Adolfsstrom, allow for Karen the space of a decade, tourism morphed as much social distancing as one could hope for. England and Wales Bradbury from a negligible part of the national econ- The some 2,000 miles of canals, rivers and reservoirs omy to its major driver. its abundance of fresh air and unspoiled waters, fishing in that formed the backbone of the transportation network A favorite means of exploring this rugged land is upon both the sea and freshwater lakes is popular with locals during the industrial revolution now provide green spaces the back of an Icelandic horse. Much loved for their com- and international tourists alike. Icy lakes teem with to humans and wildlife alike. These waterways are used pact size, friendly character, intelligence and unique gait, brown trout, perch, pike, grayling and Arctic char. Salm- for a number of recreational purposes, including holidays the rugged animals transport riders across lava springs, on fishing here is legendary. A visit to the far north in aboard a longboat. These sturdy craft with bunks, shower black sand beaches and pristine streams. Farm families midsummer carries the bonus of constant light, but har- facilities and a galley can be piloted by novices, and across the land offer single or multi-day tours and often dier types might wish to time their visits between Janu- there’s no license required for captains of parties less offer accommodation in rustic cabins. An eight-day, all- ary and April, when a large species of cod known as skrei than 12. With one gear to go forward and one for reverse, inclusive tour of the eastern fjords on horseback, rated as migrate past the coasts of Lofoten, Senja and Vesterålen. a crash course is all that’s needed before one sets off. challenging, offers mountains and seascapes by day, For those on a budget in a country where nothing Vacationers can opt to hire a canal boat for an after- storytelling and farm stays by night, and dining like a comes cheap, chipping in with friends to rent a rustic noon or weeks on end. Ample moorings, many of which local. A tour slated for August goes for $2,489. Online: wooden cabin makes good sense. Self-catering facilities are free, make stopping to pick up supplies, checking out tinyurl.com/262mv9mc allow guests to cook their own meals, including their historical sights or dropping by the local pub a dawdle. catches of the day. A license is a must to fish in fresh- Boat hire companies abound along the country’s most Norway water, and fishing for salmon, sea trout or Arctic char scenic routes. One such company, Drifters Waterway The second-least densely populated nation of continen- incurs additional charges. Fjord and sea fishing require Holidays, operates out of 45 bases in England, Scotland tal Europe following Russia has its longest coastline. With no license. Online: tinyurl.com/y2bdd4pf and Wales. Online: drifters.co.uk Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 21 WEEKEND: TRAVEL

iStock To save, or to splurge? How to talk about a budget with your more affluent travel companions

BY BAILEY BERG one is relaxing and enjoying themselves and having fun also means you’re able to plan better and can look for ways Special to The Washington Post together, so let’s have this convo early and make sure we’re to reduce costs. or some travel companions, the “money talk” all on the same page,’” Holeman said. “It lets people know Another element of expectation setting, traveler Arianna wasn’t part of their pre-pandemic planning ritual. that you’re not trying to necessarily take charge of things or Mears said, is repayment plans. If one person puts the But as people start replanning trips canceled by be judgmental, rather you want everyone to feel comfort- lodging on their credit card, it should be discussed how and Fthe pandemic or begin booking their first big able.” when they will be paid back beforehand, so it doesn’t de- vacation for the After Times, it’s probably going to be more Generally, Williams said, people appreciate the transpar- volve into a larger conflict on the road. She also recom- necessary. ency; nobody wants to realize too late that they have entire- mended SplitWise, an app that lets you keep track of bal- “It’s hard to tell where people are at now,” said Nick ly different perceptions of what they want to spend on a ances and expenses. Holeman, head of financial planning for Betterment. “May- trip. Conflict often occurs when people waited until too far be people had to dip into emergency funds or aren’t able to into the planning process to raise issues with costs. Making room for flexibility pay off their credit cards in full for the first time due to the If conversations become confrontational, Williams sug- While pre-booking some activities helps with sticking to pandemic. Now, more than ever, it’s important to have gested asking open-ended questions to better understand the budget, it’s important to not over-plan. those discussions.” the other person’s motivations. Mears said the key to group happiness is to leave plenty Even with those closest to us, talking about money can be “Asking them more about why spending more on this of room for flexibility when making itineraries — it allows challenging. When travel is thrown in, it can be made more element is important to them helps you understand them for people to opt into the larger trip but pick and choose stressful, because neither party wants to feel like they’re and helps them feel heard,” Williams said. activities they would prefer to spend their money on. That being held back or made to spend more than they can. For instance, if your friend says they want to stay at an could look like alternative options or simply free time. It is But if you’re willing to have those conversations upfront, inclusive resort because they want a break from cooking, a better to split up for a few hours and have everyone do it can make the trip more enjoyable, because you won’t be compromise could be that you share a cheaper Airbnb and something they enjoy than have anyone feeling resentful spending your time away constantly looking at a banking offer to handle meals. about being made to do something they weren’t completely app. Here are some tips from financial experts as well as on board with. frequent travelers about how to navigate those talks. Setting budgets (and expectations) “I think if you truly respect your travel partners, you are Traveler Elizabeth Sweet said when traveling, whether also accepting and don’t make them feel bad about not How to start the conversation with a partner, family or friends, setting budgets and ex- joining in on an activity,” Mears said. “I think that’s a really Because discussing money can often be considered taboo pectations go hand-in-hand. While there are myriad ways to important component that people don’t always talk about: or triggering, Beth Williams, founder of Future Wallet, increase or lower costs, if you and your companions are It’s okay for somebody to stay back or do something differ- suggests wading into the conversation by first chatting coming from wildly different places, it can be challenging ent.” about what the ultimate goal of the trip is. to meet in the middle. “Getting everyone aligned and excited about that can be “I think it’s important to be realistic and say ‘OK, if my Enjoying your time together a helpful way to start off the money conversation,” Williams friend is looking to spend $10,000 on a trip and I’m looking Beyond money, many people’s travel-related priorities said. From there, the willingness to be vulnerable and pro- to spend $3,000, then we’re looking at very different trips have changed during the pandemic, ranging from what vide others with the range that they would be comfortable and experiences,’” Sweet said. experiences are important to them and who they spend spending kicks off the very necessary conversation. For that reason, Lacey Cobb, a certified financial planner their time with. For many people, the driving factor for “Being able to take that first step and say ‘I value our with Personal Capital, recommends discussing ballpark planning trips right now is a desire to see those they care friendship, and I’m excited about sharing this time with budgets well before landing on a destination. It might be a about. you, so I also wanted to share something that’s been on my moving target, but it’s a helpful reference point for nailing “I’ve found, at least with my friends, that we’re just more mind,’ which, for example, could be that you’re in a differ- down larger expenses. hungry for human interaction with those that are close to ent financial situation than before,” Williams said. “That “It really comes down to setting expectations upfront,” us, regardless of what we’re doing,” Holeman said. “I think language is useful in helping talk about a budget.” Cobb said. “If you handle the hard conversations first, then it makes those conversations easier. They’re like, ‘Hey, Holeman also thinks language and intent matter when it allows you to relax on vacation and not be constantly we’ll make this work. I just want to see you, catch up, con- going into discussions about money. worrying about money.” nect, see that you’re doing well, and be able to have some “Even just framing it as ‘Hey, I want to make sure every- Cobb added that having that conversation ahead of time new memories with you.’” PAGE 22 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: QUICK TRIPS

PHOTOS BY BRIAN FERGUSON/Stars and Stripes The first room you enter at Voelklingen Ironworks is the Blower Hall. The room is filled with the machinery that would have been used when the ironworks was operational. Imposing edifice of a bygone era Voelklingen Ironworks museum west of Kaiserslautern combines industry and art on a colossal scale

BY BRIAN FERGUSON On the QT Stars and Stripes ith its massive Industrial Location: Rathausstrasse 75-79, 66333 Voelk- Revolution-era machines lingen, Saarland. Google maps leads you to the and science fiction movie set parking area. Cost: 17 euros per adult; free for 18 and under, atmosphere, you would think W or 27 and under with student ID. Tickets avail- that Voelklinger Huette was the birthplace able online. of the steampunk trend. Times: Daily 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Classified as a World Cultural Heritage Information: Phone 06898-910-0100; Online: Site, the ironworks was the first monu- voelklinger-huette.org ment from the era to be included on the Brian Ferguson UNESCO World Heritage list. When I asked my 9-year-old daughter if chines, and how workers must have felt in she wanted to come along, she said sure, that environment. even though I had no idea what we would If you want to brave the site without a see. map, like we did, good luck. We got lost at The site has just reopened after closing least three times. I would suggest one of due to coronavirus measures. They re- the English maps available at the en- quire visitors to make reservations online trance. Voelklingen Ironworks is a 15­acre complex that dominates the city of Voelklingen in and have either a negative COVID-19 test There are seven distinct regions in the Germany. Classified as a World Cultural Heritage site, it was the first monument to the or proof of vaccination before entering. factory. Next time I’ll use the map because Industrial Age to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. We arrived at the enormous plant after we missed the science center, which my just over an hour drive west of Kaiserslau- daughter would have enjoyed. tern. The site is also open to the arts and is The first room visitors enter is the Blow- currently featuring an exhibit called Mon er Hall, where huge generators made Tresor, or My Treasure, with items from compressed air for the blast furnaces. around Europe. Artifacts and images depicting life in the The ironworks combines industry with ironworks adorn the hall. technology, art and culture; there are From there, we explored the almost regular theater and concert performances 15-acre complex that dominates the city of there. It’s the most entertaining museum I Voelklingen. Walkways and bridges lead have ever visited, and my daughter loved you through a maze of corridors and it. This place would make a great location rooms, each more interesting than the for the ultimate game of hide and seek. Tons of iron machinery is displayed in the Monorail cars were used to fill the six Blower Hall at Voelklingen Ironworks in blast furnaces with raw materials at next. It becomes easy to imagine the im- [email protected] mense heat generated by the ore and ma- Twitter: @BrianFerg57  Voelklingen, Germany. Voelklingen Ironworks in Voelklingen. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 23 WEEKEND: FOOD & DINING

Potato salad from Cyprus a regional specialty

BY GRETCHEN MCKAY Pittsburgh Post­Gazette If you’re looking to spruce up your side dishes with a more global focus, consider Yasmin Khan’s lush new book, “Ripe Figs.” It takes readers on a culi- nary journey through the Medi- terranean, with seasonal vegeta- ble-forward dishes from Turkey, Greece and Cyprus that would add flavor to any cookout, picnic or barbecue. This easy potato salad is a regional specialty of Cyprus. Traditional potato salad is made with mayonnaise and hard-boiled eggs, but here, olives, lemon, capers and fresh herbs give it a zesty lift. However you enjoy the salad — it can be eaten hot, cold or at room temperature — you’ll want to toss the potatoes in the dress- ing while they’re still warm so PHOTOS BY KYLE ALVAREZ/Stars and Stripes they can absorb the flavors. Kelly Alvarez serves a cup of breakfast tea just before our food platter arrives May 24 at Barleycorn in Mildenhall, England. Aside from English sandwiches and baked goods, the shop offers teas served in vintage china. A spot of English tradition GRETCHEN MCKAY/Post-Gazette Barleycorn in Mildenhall greets Americans with a bit of history, a marvelous tea Cypriot Potato Salad Ingredients BY KYLE ALVAREZ 2 pounds new potatoes Stars and Stripes AFTER 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for was walking around the streets of Mil- seasoning denhall when I caught the scent of HOURS Finely grated zest from 1 medi­ freshly baked goods, which led me a ENGLAND um unwaxed lemon Ilittle farther to an unassuming shop ¼ red onion, finely sliced called Barleycorn. 1 ⁄3 cup kalamata olives, roughly Upon walking in the door, it feels like a Barleycorn chopped warm and welcoming environment. It’s a 2 tablespoons capers, drained combination of the friendly people working Address: 30 Market Street, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, IP28 7EF. and rinsed there and the handmade baked goods the Handful of fresh mint leaves, shop has to offer. Hours: Tuesday – Friday 9:30 am – 3 p.m; Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Sunday and Monday closed finely chopped “We get a lot of people that have come Prices: Afternoon tea $25.50 per person, breakfast A variety of cakes and sandwiches Handful of fresh cilantro, finely from the States who don’t have friends and platter $22.66, deli platter $17, cheese board accompany a traditional afternoon tea service chopped May 24 at Barleycorn in Mildenhall, England. family here,” said owner Shelby Foord, as she $14.16, quiche of the day $13.46, sandwiches 1 teaspoon dried oregano was hand-mixing scone batter in a bowl. “So, $9.21, various pastries and light bites from $2.83 - 3 tablespoons extra­virgin olive we try to make them feel comfortable and $7.08, coffee and soft drinks $2.83 - $4.25. The second tier had two buttercream cakes oil give them a taste of what English culture is Information: Phone: +44 7914 398555; with jam filling alongside two brownies 2 tablespoons lemon juice like.” Online: facebook.com/barleycornmildenhall topped with whipped frosting. Four pastries Salt and freshly ground black Foord’s sentiment is visible in the shop’s Kyle Alvarez with English sausages at their centers pepper aesthetic. The walls are decorated with polka crowned the third tier. Directions dots, shelves of vintage china and baskets of made it a thing in her court where you go and It all came with, of course, English break- Peel potatoes or leave the skin baked goods. The display counter was in- get dressed up and have tea time together.” fast tea. It was served in vintage teacups, on. Cut potatoes into large (2- viting, with an assortment of sandwiches, These tidbits of English history are offered each with a unique design. inch) chunks. (I used halved scones, cakes, freshly baked bread, hams, to anyone who shows interest. Much of what Barleycorn offers is hand- unpeeled baby potatoes.) cheeses and salads. One of Barleycorn’s main “Sometimes, though, people just come for made, while the rest is outsourced to small Bring a large saucepan of wa- draws is afternoon tea service. It’s been at the the cake and scones, and that’s fine too,” she businesses in the area. ter to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt heart of English food culture since the 19th said with a chuckle. “Supporting local businesses is important and the potatoes to the pot and century, though tea drinking itself in English After the history lesson, I ordered the af- to us,” Foord said. “It also means that every- boil for about 12 minutes or until goes back farther than that. ternoon tea and was fascinated with the dis- thing we offer is fresh.” they are tender. Drain and place “Tea time originated from the Duchess of play. It was a tower of fresh food, elegantly Barleycorn has been in business for the in a serving bowl. Bedford, a lady in waiting for Queen Victo- presented on china. past four years, and they offer catering as Add the remaining ingredients, ria,” Foord said. “She used to get hungry There were savory ham and chutney sand- well as event hosting in their adorable garden along with ¼ teaspoon salt and a between lunch and dinner so she would sneak wiches and others with egg and mayonnaise. out back. good grind or two of black pep- food and drink into her bedroom. Queen Scones with clotted cream and jam accompa- [email protected] per. Victoria thought it was a great idea and then nied them. Twitter: Kalv2931  Serves 4. PAGE 24 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: TRAVEL Travel more, stress less Scott Keyes’ life was changed by the hunt for cheap airfares. Now he shares his finds with other travelers

BY KATE SILVER Special to The Washington Post hen Scott Keyes answers the phone, he is giddy. It’s late April, and he has just found Wout about a ridiculous deal to Japan: $202 round trip, from several cities in the United States. “I’m so, so excited. Oh, man,” he says. “This has been like a week like nothing else I’ve seen in terms of the number of deals.” At age 34, Keyes is a cheap flight hun- ter, to the extreme. What started as a hobby in 2013 has now grown into a busi- ness called Scott’s Cheap Flights, which employs nearly 40 people and has more than 1 million subscribers (there’s a free and a paid option) who are all interested in the same thing: Getting great deals on airfare. Keyes’ personal and professional mission is encouraging people to take more vacations by traveling on the cheap. In fact, that is the title of his new book, which was published last month: “Take More Vacations: How to Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the World.” From Keyes’ excitement on the phone, it is clear he still gets a rush from the hunt, even when it’s not a deal he is plan- ning to use himself. Take this one to Ja- pan: He says it’s painful to pass it up, but he and his wife are expecting their sec- ond child soon, so he’ll settle for living vicariously through subscribers who end up purchasing tickets. (The site doesn’t sell plane tickets; it just publishes deals that his team finds.) “It’s just so exciting to see, especially after the past year Scott’s Cheap Flights where so many of us have not been able The discovery of a cheap flight to Milan in 2013 inspired the creation of the company Scott’s Cheap Flights, founded by Scott Keyes, to get that joy of travel, to have an excit- right. Keyes shares his finds with other travelers through the business. Also pictured: the company’s CEO Brian Kidwell, left. ing trip to look forward to,” he says. His hobby turned obsession turned knew cheap flights were out there, and he When friends and colleagues heard him ness. People clearly want this thing,’” business allows him the pleasure of know- decided to dedicate himself to finding talking about the cheap Milan ticket, they Keyes says. “But that was not me. I was ing that cheap flights aren’t going to them. He dove into message boards and wanted in on the secret. They asked him not a savvy, aspiring entrepreneur.” waste — and people are, indeed, taking searched myriad sites and came upon a to share his future cheap-flight finds, so Over the next 18 months, friends re- more vacations. $130 round-trip ticket from New York to he started a newsletter for a small group ferred other friends to the newsletter, and Start-up stories often begin in a garage. Milan. He had never even considered of people. He didn’t yet see the business it grew from a few dozen recipients to Keyes’ story began with a trip to Milan. It going to Milan, but at that price, he fig- potential, though. “A savvy, aspiring en- nearly 400. In 2015, Business Insider was 2013, and Keyes was a 26-year-old ured, why not? With that, he learned his trepreneur would have realized in that published a story about Keyes and his freelance journalist. His income was low, first cheap-flight lesson: First find the moment, ‘Oh, my gosh, you know, there’s but his travel aspirations were high. He deal, then plan the trip. an opportunity here. This could be a busi- SEE AIRFARE ON PAGE 25 “It’s not just the money that you’re saving, but it lets you take more trips, better trips. ... It ends up bringing vacation back to its core, which is something that’s supposed to take away our stress rather than add to our stress.” Scott Keyes Scott’s Cheap Flights Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 25 WEEKEND: TRAVEL

Airfare: Cheap flights are about more than money FROM PAGE 24 cheap-flight pursuits, and, practically overnight, 5,000 people signed up for the newsletter, prompt- ing the newsletter host service to charge him $50 because he had exceeded the contact limits in the free plan. Here’s where the wheels start turning. Although Keyes hadn’t planned to make money off his hobby, he wasn’t willing to lose money on it, either. So he decided to try a little experiment and see if people would be willing to pay $2 a month to get emails about the deals. He was flabbergasted when, in the first month, 100 people signed up. And the next month, another 100 people signed up. “I felt like Scrooge McDuck, just like swimming through gold coins,” he says. “I could not believe what I had stumbled upon here.” Keyes decided it was time to bring in someone more entrepreneurial than himself. He had recent- ly met Brian Kidwell, a business-minded ideas kind iStock of guy, who was also working in the travel start-up Airlines have pushed pause on serving alcohol as disruptive behavior space. Keyes approached him to come on board as by air travelers seem to be occurring more frequently. co-founder in late 2015. Around that time, Kidwell — who is now CEO, while Keyes has the title of chief flight expert — recalls they were bringing in Airlines propose ban about $2,000 per month from subscribers. Then, in February 2016, Condé Nast Traveler published an article about the site, and revenue shot up to on alcohol to rein in $21,000. In May of that same year, they launched the website ScottsCheapFlights.com, and the repu- tation — and business — has been growing ever HarperCollins Publishers unruly passengers since. Scott Keyes’ book “Take More Vacations: How to Kidwell says one of the things subscribers appre- Search Better, Book Cheaper, and Travel the BY HANNAH SAMPSON tentially exacerbate what can ciate about Scott’s Cheap Flights is its approachable World,” released May 11, offers tips for finding The Washington Post already be a new and stressful tone, thanks to Keyes’ own personality. “People cheap airfares to anywhere in the world. After a marked increase in situation for our customers,” said really felt like Scott was just this friend sending disruptive — and sometimes the memo from Brady Byrnes, them deals that he found,” Kidwell says. “He really Cheap Flights. Since 2017, she has traveled round dangerous — behavior by pas- the airline’s managing director of is that friend. He’s such an easygoing, laid-back trip to Belize ($368), Seychelles ($685), Croatia sengers, some airlines are chang- flight service training and admin- person. He’s authentic, he cares about everyone ($401) Puerto Rico ($335), Montreal ($294) and ing their plans to start selling istration. that he interacts with, and he’s just an all-around Madrid ($429). Before subscribing to SCF, Taylor alcohol in the cabin again. The airline stopped selling good human being.” says she believed travel was expensive. Now, she Southwest, which banned a alcohol in the main cabin last Brian Kelly, who is founder and CEO of travel takes two international trips a year, and booking the woman for allegedly assaulting a March and had previously said it rewards site the Points Guy, says Keyes is known next trip is always on her mind. “If I don’t eat lunch flight attendant last week, said it would return later this summer. for being a nice, knowledgeable guy who is doing out at the restaurant twice a week at work, then in would postpone the return of The May 30 memo said alcohol exactly what he set out to do: Offer advice on cheap four months it’s a plane ticket,” she says. “I’m con- alcohol sales to an unspecified sales would be suspended flights. “I think what separates Scott from a lot of stantly thinking in those terms.” time after an earlier pause due to through Sept. 13, when the feder- others in the travel space is he knows cheap flights She is especially excited for her next trip: In the pandemic. The carrier had al mask mandate for planes, and he sticks to it. Instead of trying to reinvent the 2022, she will be traveling to Tokyo for $280 round planned to resume sales on airports and other public trans- wheel and monetize through other areas of the trip, having purchased one of the flights that Keyes flights to Hawaii this month and portation is set to expire. travel industry, he knows the flights world, he has a was so giddy about. other flights next month. “While we appreciate that great team and technology stack to scour for those Keyes wants people to take more vacations. It has “Given a recent uptick indus- customers and crew members deals, and he delivers on that,” Kelly says, via become his mantra, and he tells people they can do try-wide of incidents in-flight are eager to return to ‘normal,’ email. “Overall, I think he is providing a great ser- that by prioritizing cheap flights. “It’s not just the involving disruptive passengers, we will move cautiously and vice to consumers to save money and to also get out money that you’re saving, but it lets you take more we’re pausing previously an- deliberately when restoring pre- there and explore destinations you might not have trips, better trips. You’re happier after the trip, nounced resumption of alcohol COVID practices,” Byrnes wrote. considered.” you’re happier before the next trip. It ends up service onboard,” the airline said United said that as of June 1, Among travelers themselves, Keyes and his busi- bringing vacation back to its core, which is some- in a statement, adding that it beer, wine and hard seltzer will ness — which devotees refer to as SCF — have thing that’s supposed to take away our stress rather would still expand its selection of be available on most flights over developed something of a cult following. “SCF has than add to our stress,” he says. soft drinks and coffee. “We real- 800 miles. It had previously totally changed the way I decide when and where to Travel isn’t just about getting away from it all. ize this decision will be disap- planned to make it available on travel,” says Victoria Kelly, 59, who lives in Char- It’s also about seeking. Cheap flights can be a portal pointing for some customers, but flights longer than 200 miles, or leston, S.C. Kelly first subscribed to Scott’s Cheap to learning, discovering, meeting new people, find- we feel it to be the right decision about an hour, but decided to Flights about four years ago. Before that, she says, ing new opportunities. In his book, Keyes talks now in the interest of safety and take “a more cautious approach she would find an occasional cheap flight from about how he met his wife, Anya, thanks to cheap comfort of all onboard.” to the roll out.” The airline did Charleston, but it might have three stops. When she travel. At the time, he was living in Mexico and she American followed suit, telling not give a reason for the change. started getting emails from SCF, she realized that was living on the East Coast, and they met and hit it flight attendants in a memo on Airlines have reported a sharp there were incredible deals out there, and she just off on a beach in Puerto Rico. They stayed in touch, May 30 that it was suspending rise in the number of passengers needed to change her approach to be flexible with and cheap travel allowed for regular meetups. It alcohol in the main cabin. Alco- behaving badly on flights in re- her timing, destination and departure city. She ticks was on a cheap trip to Hong Kong — after hiking up hol will still be offered during cent months, including drinking off the places she has gone with pride: New York to Victoria Peak in the middle of the night — that flights in business and first class. their own alcohol, assaulting Rome for $220 round trip; New York to Paris for Keyes asked her to marry him. Now, they have a The memo said many pas- flight attendants and refusing to $300 round trip; Charlotte to Madrid for $274 round 2-year-old daughter and the aforementioned child sengers might have more anxiety wear masks. The Federal Avia- trip; Orlando to Munich for $350 round trip; Char- on the way. than usual and might not be tion Administration said last lotte to St. Thomas for $85 round trip. “Whenever I So when Keyes has to pass up cheap flights — familiar with the COVID-era week that it had received 2,500 see something, even if it’s not a city I want to go like the one to Japan — it may smart a little. But he flight changes, and it acknowl- reports of unruly behavior since into, it’s like, well how close is that to something? can’t help but be grateful for all that cheap travel edged that some “deeply dis- the beginning of the year, in- Where could we go from there? What do we want to has already brought, beyond the trips themselves. turbing situations” had occurred cluding 1,900 reports of pas- do with that?” she says. “Some women get excited And even though he can’t travel as much as he used recently. sengers disobeying federal face- about the shoe sales. I get excited about the travel to, he can still use his cheap-flight hunting skills for “We also recognize that alcohol mask requirements. sales.” good, helping subscribers score inexpensive airfare can contribute to atypical behav- The agency has announced Dawn Taylor, 54, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., and explore the world, never knowing which en- ior from customers onboard and civil penalties against at least 22 has also become an enthusiastic follower of Scott’s counters could shape their lives. we owe it to our crew not to po- passengers since February. PAGE 26 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: TRAVEL Paradise in black, white and blue Dr. Beach says Hawaii’s powerful Hapuna Beach is best in US for 2021

BY CALEB JONES Associated Press ruising along the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island, the land- scape is dominated by ancient Cvolcanic flows and jagged shore- lines. Then you get to Hapuna Beach. There, the contrast of black lava rock, white sand and blue water means you have arrived in paradise — at least that’s what “Dr. Beach” believes. “It’s like an oasis,” said Stephen Leather- man, who has been ranking U.S. beaches on his annual list under the alias “Dr. Beach” for three decades. The sand “looks super white there be- cause of the black lava beside it,” he said. “I think the contrast makes you think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen sand so white in my life.’ ” Hapuna Beach State Park was ranked the best beach in the U.S. in Leatherman’s review of sandy shorelines for 2021. Leatherman, a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International Uni- versity, hopes his 31st annual list will en- courage people to get out and leave the past year of pandemic struggles in the rearview mirror. He acknowledged that people will have MICHAEL DARDEN/AP to pay extra to get tested for COVID-19 Stephen Leatherman, a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University, also known as “Dr. Beach,” has named before coming to the islands. “Hawaii is a Hapuna Beach Park on the Big Island of Hawaii, pictured in the summer of 2006, as the best beach in the country in his 2021 list. really special place, and so I think it’s worth it,” he said. Kandi Miranda, who owns Manuela Dr. Beach’s Top 10 for 2021 Malasada Company and runs a food truck near Hapuna Beach State Park, was born 1. Hapuna Beach Park on Hawaii’s Big and raised on the Big Island. She was able Island to stay open for locals throughout the pan- 2. Coopers Beach in Southampton, N.Y. 3. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in the Outer demic and is optimistic about the return of Banks of North Carolina visitors. 4. St. George Island State Park in Florida “There was a lot of darkness at that time; 5. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks I mean, everyone was closing,” she said of of North Carolina the early days of the pandemic. “I wanted 6. Duke Kahanamoku Beach on Oahu’s people to know that through good times Waikiki and bad, we would still be there.” 7. Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin and Miranda said Hapuna Beach is a power- Clearwater, Fla. ful place — both spiritually and literally. 8. Coronado Beach in San Diego “It’s unapologetically magical,” she said. 9. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, S.C. 10. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Mass. When the water is calm, it’s a great place to be, Miranda said. But when the ocean From The Associated Press rises and big waves begin to crash, it can be “really dangerous.” ing of rip currents because a lot of people “It’s beautiful, but there’s a very strong don’t understand them. They say ‘We can’t undertow there,” she said. see them, then they’re probably not there.’” Growing up on Hawaii Island, a place of Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate active volcanoes, towering waterfalls and beaches, with the most important cate- CALEB JONES/AP huge sea cliffs, she learned to respect na- gories being safety and cleanliness. A woman walks on Waikiki Beach in April 2020 in Honolulu. Kahanamoku Beach, on the ture. Leatherman uses data from the U.S. west end of Waikiki Beach and in view of the iconic Diamondhead volcano in the “The ocean in general in our culture is a Environmental Protection Agency to grade distance, has been named the sixth­best beach in the country by “Dr. Beach.” really powerful place,” she said. “It’s very the beaches on water quality and has been healing, but you know the way that we to all of the beaches on his list. Cigarettes “are the number one form of Last year, Leatherman chose a beach grew up, it gives but it takes away, right?” Beaches in Hawaii are consistently litter in terms of numbers,” Leatherman outside of Hawaii because, he said, island Leatherman agreed and said that while ranked high, and in recent years he has said. lockdowns and quarantine rules made it Hapuna has a well-trained group of life- given them extra points for prohibiting For the first 25 years of rankings, any nearly impossible for people to visit. guards and is great for swimming and smoking. beach that won the top spot on Leather- “I know a lot of people have been vacci- snorkeling on calm days, the winter swells “First of all, it’s a health issue,” he said of man’s list was ineligible for inclusion in nated,” he said. “And so I think this year can be deceiving. wafting cigarette smoke. “But the biggest subsequent years. But in 2015, Dr. Beach it’s fine for Hawaii to be on the list. And I Rip currents cause “the greatest loss of thing is disposal of the cigarette butts. cleared the slate to allow any beach in the encourage people to go there.” life that we have at beaches,” he said. ”I’m People look at beaches like a giant ash- nation to once again be eligible, though “You can really social distance on the trying to give people a better understand- tray.” new winners are now being retired. Big Island,” Dr. Beach added. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 27 WEEKEND: FOOD & DRINK

SCOTT SUCHMAN Bubbles and booze For The Washington Post The newest hard seltzer offerings from Truly, White Claw and other brands are put to the test just in time for summer

BY EMILY HEIL The Washington Post Truly Extra Michelob Ultra Organic Flavors: Black raspberry and peach mango Flavors: Citrus, mango-apricot, mixed berry ard seltzer first stormed Calories: 220 Calories: 90 the warm-weather drink- Alcohol by volume: 8% Alcohol by volume: 4% Truly’s entry into this subgenre was our panel’s least The flavors of this offering scored points, with one ing scene in 2019 with favorite by about 880 social distancing lengths (that’s a likening it to a nostalgic, albeit grown-up, “juice box.” such ferocity that the sea- mile in pre-pandemic speak). Syrupy and cloying, it elic- But the textures were a major drag for others: After a H ited some primal reactions. A sample: “Nooooo!” “Oh, no, few sips, tasters detected a filmy coating on the roofs of son will go down in pop-culture his- no, no.” From another, a scrunched-up face silently com- their mouths. And it literally fell flat in one category, with tory as the “Summer of White Claw.” municated the verdict. one taster pouring out a sample into a glass and observing Beverage companies are hoping Different tasters imagined both flavors as the product that the bubbles dissipated almost instantly. of cough syrup mixology: The blackberry was “like if you Topo Chico that this year’s party scene will be mixed Dimetapp and Robitussin together,” one suggest- similarly swimming in the fizzy ed, while the peach mango prompted another to imagine Flavors: Lemon-lime, mango, strawberry-guava and drink particularly beloved by young- a demented bartender “pour[ing] Dimetapp in with the pineapple syrup on the bottom of a Dole’s peaches can.” Calories: 100 er drinkers. Big Beverage has reason Alcohol by volume: 4.7% White Claw Surge This much-awaited entry into the market from the to be optimistic: A recent UBS fore- Flavors: Blood orange and cranberry beloved maker of non-boozy fizz had bubbles to spare. cast predicts hard seltzer sales will Calories: 220 “I love aggressive bubbles,” enthused one taster. “Like, reach $15 billion by 2025. Alcohol by volume: 8% I want to hear them in my ears.” Those pops and a hint of Our tasters didn’t love this beefed-up version from the a mineral edge made the drink more refreshing than its To meet the seemingly unquen- reigning champion of the seltzer aisle, but they at least brethren, the panel concluded. chable demand, some of the most favored it over the Truly Extra. Lighter bodied and eas- While we generally gave the brand high marks, there recognizable beverage brands are ier-drinking, it packed a punch without aiming for a taste- was one glaring exception — the mango was the breakout bud-assaulting technical knockout. loser of the otherwise likable bunch. One imbiber com- offering a slew of new offerings just Most preferred the blood orange, which had a bit of plained that it was like “drinking perfume.” in time for “Shot Girl Summer,” pleasant citrusy bite, over the cranberry — but even that Spindrift Spiked earned some praise, with one taster finding it engagingly which seems to be the moniker the (and relatively) “subtle.” Flavors: Pineapple, mango, lime and black tea and zeitgeist is favoring for this year’s lemon Cacti Calories: 82-95 season of patio and poolside hangs. Flavors: Pineapple, lime and strawberry Alcohol by volume: 4% Some of these new kids on the Calories: 150 The all-around, unanimous crowd favorite won us over Alcohol by volume: 7% with its natural fruit flavors and un-cloying sweetness. seltzer block are far different than This concoction from beer giant Anheuser-Busch and Each can contained a relatively high percentage of fruit their progenitors. Market leaders Travis Scott, the rapper who has lent his name to every- juice (between 7 and 10%). White Claw and Truly have debuted thing from Nike shoes to Reese’s Puff cereal, proved Like Topo Chico, the boozy Spindrift closely resembles divisive. Some detected notes of Jolly Ranchers, Kool Aid its nonalcoholic precursors, so if you’re already a fan of new versions of their popular quaffs and ... medicine. One bemoaned the subtlety of the lime the brand’s zero-proof cans, they’re worth a try. that at 8% alcohol by volume and 220 — “it’s so plain” — while another found the dearth of faux The tea and lemon concoction, in particular, brought to flavor made it bearable. Some tasters liked the punchy mind a crisp Arnold Palmer. “I would crush quite a few of calories are far boozier and heavier pineapple, while others found it had a “bitter back end.” these,” said one new fan. than the light-and-bright drinks “I feel like that kombucha meme, where I’m not sure The Spindrift’s more juice-forward profile reminded they’re known for. how I feel,” said one taster, referring to a TikTok of a some of cocktails and inspired one taster to imagine tak- woman tasting fermented tea for the first time and al- ing things in an even boozier direction, which also sort of We put the boozed-up offerings to ternating between a grimace of distaste and an expres- defeats the point of hard seltzer’s easygoing ABVs: “I the test. sion that indicates she might like it after all. want to make a gin cocktail with this,” she said. PAGE 28 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: MUSIC ORIGEN STORY

Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes covers the music that inspired him on 10th album

BY SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS Associated Press fter experimenting with different types of music, Juanes returns to his roots with “Origen,” a covers album in which he pays tribute to the most influential artists in his life and career, from Joe Arroyo and Bruce Springsteen to Bob Marley aAnd Juan Luis Guerra. Through 12 songs including Carlos Gardel’s “Volver,” Joaquín Sabina’s “Y Nos Dieron Las Diez” and Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved,” the Colombian rock star travels to his childhood and adolescence for his 10th studio album. “I think it was something that my soul was ask- ing for,” Juanes said in a recent video interview from Miami. “After experimenting with different types of music, at this point in my career and at my age I realized that returning to that origin was “Origen,” the latest release by Juanes, includes a wide very necessary.” variety of covers in Spanish The album encompasses styles as diverse as and English. tango, merengue, heavy metal, folk, reggae, valle- nato, pop and, of course, rock. It includes the singles “El Amor Después Del Amor” by Fito Páez, in a rock and gospel version, and Springsteen’s classic “Dancing In The Dark” as a slower folk and in Spanish. Released on May 27 by Universal Music Latin, “Origen” is accompanied by a documentary on Amazon Prime, produced by José Tillán and directed by Ka- cho López, in which Juanes explains why he chose each of the songs. He also talks to Guerra, Sabina and Páez about their songs, and channels iconic per- formances from the ’60s through the ’80s including the first Beatles appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The two-time Grammy and 23-time Latin Grammy winner told the AP about the influence of Kraken — a rock band from his native Medellin — on his deci- sion to be a musician and laid out how he plans to make music from now on. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

SEE STORY ON PAGE 29

Juanes performs at the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala in his honor at the MGM Conference Center on Nov. 13, 2019, in Las Vegas. AP Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 29 WEEKEND: MUSIC REVIEWS

John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band St. Vincent Leftover Feelings (New West Records) Daddy’s Home (Loma Vista) On “Leftover Feelings,” the powerhouse pairing Every St. Vincent album comes with a fresh of John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas starts by introduc- concept and persona. ing a new musical form: the 12-bar blues gone On 2014’s “St. Vincent,” singer and shape- green. shifter Annie Clark was a “near future cult “I’ve got a long black leader.” On 2017’s “Masseduction,” she was electric Cadillac,” goes “like a dominatrix at a mental institution,” Hiatt’s opening verse. pealing off wicked guitar solos while done up in latex and high heels. “She’ll go a thousand miles With “Daddy’s Home,” Clark time-travels back to 1970s New York. on a charge.” She’s calling the new aesthetic “Gena Rowlands in a Cassavetes film,” Such is the spark created evoked in a “color palette of the world of ‘Taxi Driver.’” by this smart collaboration. Musically, that means touches of early ’70s Stevie Wonder funk and Hiatt remains at the top of swirling Pink Floyd prog, hard-hitting horns on the opening “Pay his game at age 68, his Your Way In Pain,” and gauzy interludes on several tracks that turn unvarnished tenor still a fount of wit and wisdom, into drifting mood pieces. She continues to work with New Jersey while Douglas and his crack combo elevate the producer-to-the-stars Jack Antonoff — also a go-to guy for Taylor already charming melodies and buttress the rustic Swift, Lorde and Lana Del Rey, among others. grooves. No drummer needed. The sweet twang of “Daddy’s Home” also has an autobiographical bent, on the title Douglas’ Dobro and lap steel season the set, which track, which is about the return of Clark’s father from prison after he produced. serving 10 years for his role in a stock-manipulation scheme. It helps that Hiatt brought excellent material to After that news broke in the tabloid press, Clark decided to take the recording sessions, held in Nashville’s historic control of the narrative in the endearingly tender song. “You still got RCA Studio B. Hiatt sings about a colicky baby on it in your government green suit, and I look down and out in my fine “Little Goodnight,” offers love counsel on “Buddy Italian shoes,” she sings. “We’re tight as a Bible with the pages stuck Patrick Sheehan Boy” and gives the term “hollow roots” new mean- like glue.” Singer­songwriter John Hiatt, left, and Dobro/lap ing on “Sweet Dream.” The spirited “Keen Ram- At its best, the new album is richly rewarding. “Down and Out and steel player Jerry Douglas are an inspired pairing. bler” echoes a Chuck Berry car song, but it’s about Downtown” gurgles with an inviting warmth. walking. ing burnt orange and avocado green kitchens all But “Daddy’s Home” often fails to connect: The mean streets Clark Eyes will well in response to “Light of the Burn- across the Midwest.” is inhabiting have been well trodden, and the soulful milieu she’s ing Sun,” a wrenching remembrance of Hiatt’s “Leftover Feelings” shows the blues can come in chosen isn’t a natural fit for an artist who has previously specialized eldest brother and the life he led before committing any color. in operating at a cool distance. suicide in the early 1960s. — Steven Wine — Dan DeLuca “Doing his job, doing his best,” Hiatt sings, “sell- Associated Press The Philadelphia Inquirer

Story: Musician uses documentary to channel artists he admires

FROM PAGE 28 Springsteen’s response to your Spanish against those versions would be impos- first outstanding bands. It was the first AP: The album includes 12 songs. version of “Dancing in the Dark”? sible. So what we did was getting away as rock concert I went to, and to see how this Were any left that you would have liked to He loved the song. We sent the song to much as we could, while respecting the character and the band itself impacted me include? his management months ago before we melody and the tempo of the song and the — when I saw them I said: “Wait! I want Juanes: So many! I made a giant playlist shot the documentary, and he loved it. He tonality of most of the songs. I co-pro- to be up there! I want to do that for life.” It of songs that had connected with me in my said, “OK, this is good for me; you guys duced this album with Sebastián Krys, and transformed me so much that I remember life, but we chose these 12 for many pow- can release that.” And for me, that was our work together was very special. It was that concert like it was yesterday. erful reasons. These are the ones that had huge, you know? We got his OK, and that like when we were in school and the Now that you’ve gone back to your more impact on the memory of my youth, was really important. Not just from him, teacher said “free drawing,” that you origins, where do you see yourself my adolescence, my childhood. It was an but from all the other artists. could do whatever you wanted, and that moving forward? incredible exercise to put on another song You sing “Could You Be Loved” in creative freedom was very cool — being I’m definitely gonna keep going in the sort of like a dress, as if I were an actor. English. Why translate “Dancing in the able to go for the bachata, the reggae, same direction, close to this sound, you And you don’t only wear it Dark”? bringing elements of Colombian percus- know, organic and rock-oriented, and also metaphorically. In the documentary, you You know, when I went to Bruce Spring- sion, the guitar’s rock, the drums. And the bring elements from folk music like per- channel the Beatles and other artists, steen’s song and I saw the lyrics, I found way we recorded the album was very cussion, all the percussion from the Pacif- transforming yourself with wigs and the song very powerful in a way that is organic; there is nothing programmed ic and the Atlantic and the Caribbean; I makeup and outfits. What was that like? very human and very vulnerable, and I here, these are people playing. I really really love that kind of thing. I wanna play We had a lot of fun doing this docu- think at that point — that was during CO- needed that too. with musicians. I wanna feel the drum mentary. We wanted to have that visual VID — I just wanted for all Spanish- You talk in the documentary about the behind me and the bass guitar and the element and also we took a risk by doing speaking people to understand it. And we band Kraken and what a great influence it guitar and the keyboards, and I wanna feel this, because we said, “What if we are like take the song like to a mid-tempo, it’s had on you. What memories do you have that on the stage and also on the recording the Beatles in ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’, more like a folk kind of vibe, but with the of that time? studio, because I’ve been experimenting when they came to the United States, but lyrics in Spanish, it sounds so powerful. I Well, with Kraken, I was in high school with different types of music and actually singing ‘Volver’ by Gardel, or Juan Ga- just love it. and I remember Hugo Restrepo going to I work by myself with a computer most of briel?” It was so fun just to experience that You played quite a bit with the rhythms school and it was as if a hero came to the time, but I wanna record again with kind of acting. of the songs. Guerra’s “La Bilirrubina” is school because he was Kraken’s guitarist. musicians. I really love that, and I missed You also show in the documentary the no longer only a merengue, for instance. And at that time there was no rock music that a lot. reactions of some creators of the original Part of the initial idea was not to stay playing on commercial radio, it was some- songs to your covers. What was Bruce close to the original because competing thing impossible. Kraken was one of those

“I found the song very powerful in a way that is very human and very vulnerable, and I think at that point — that was during COVID — I just wanted for all Spanish-speaking people to understand it.”

Juanes on his decision to sing Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” in Spanish

TAIMY ALVAREZ/AP PAGE 30 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: BOOKS Making people ‘feel like they’re really there’ CNN anchor Jake Tapper researched 1960s Hollywood and politics for 2nd historical thriller, ‘Devil May Dance’

BY ELLEN GRAY yet you manage to keep scenes in places that are fun for The Philadelphia Inquirer publishing. When do you write? the reader, hopefully. Like I’m act and fiction become When I’m writing, I try to have not going to set a scene in a li- partners in “The Devil a rule of writing for at least 15 brary; I’m going to set a scene at May Dance,” a new minutes a day. Because everyone the Academy Awards. Fnovel by Philly’s Jake can find 15 minutes in their day. Certainly, it was a welcome Tapper that the CNN anchor set Even if you have a busy day, you break in my day to go hang out in the Rat Pack world of early can find 15 minutes before you go with Sinatra for an hour or two, 1960s Hollywood. to bed or at lunch. And if that’s in Rancho Mirage or Las Vegas. In the sequel to Tapper’s 2018 what you do, at the end of the As a way of clearing my mind. bestseller, “The Hellfire Club,” week you have an hour, 45 min- At the insistence of your the fictional New York congress- utes of writing under your belt. editors, you mention at the end man Charlie Marder and his That’s three or four pages. That’s of the book that there’s no point zoologist wife, Margaret, find something. in Googling the Sinatra song themselves on the West Coast, More often than not, if you sit “The Devil May Dance” because mixing it up with Frank Sinatra, down for 15 minutes, you look up you made it up, along with a Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and an hour has gone by. So couple of other songs whose and JFK’s brother-in-law, Peter that’s just my rule. It’s like a lyrics are included. Lawford. It’s all at the behest of commitment to anything, you So I knew from [“The Hellfire Attorney General Robert F. Ken- know, whether it’s diet or exer- Club”] that you’re only allowed nedy, who’s acquired leverage CNN cise, or writing, or staying in to quote one line of a song, ac- over the Republican congress- touch with your relatives, you cording to the lawyers at Little, man and is using it to gather just have to make the commit- Brown. Songwriting lyrics are a information about Sinatra’s ties Tapper: For nonfiction, it’s I make the outline and start writ- ment and then do it. valuable commodity. When I to mob boss Sam Giancana. because I want to get the facts ing. But while I’m doing that, I’m But this was also fun. It’s en- handed this in, and it has lyrics Scientology founder L. Ron right. For fiction, it’s because I also looking [for more details]. joyable for me, and hopefully for for songs, including “The Devil Hubbard, “Psycho” star Janet want to make people feel like For instance, [there is] a scene in the reader, to dive into this world May Dance,” which Sinatra sings Leigh, Shirley MacLaine and they’re really there. I wasn’t the book that takes place in April that I created. at the Academy Awards, the director John Frankenheimer alive in 1962, and I didn’t hang 1962 in Los Angeles, and, oh, For all the seriousness of lawyers were so frustrated. They also put in appearances. out with the Rat Pack. I thought Dodger Stadium opened. And some of the issues at the heart said, “Have you not been listen- We talked with Tapper, whose that if I knew what I was talking then I’m off and running with a of this book, it’s also ing to anything we’re saying? You nonfiction work includes the 2012 about, it would be more believ- little more research. over­the­top enough to be can’t quote an entire Frank Si- bestseller “The Outpost,” about able than if I went purely by my And just to be clear, the books escapist. Was writing this a good natra song; you can’t do that.” why even made-up stories re- own imagination. in the bibliography, I skimmed break from the daily news cycle, And I said, “It’s not a real song. quire research and about why The bibliography and list of them; I read parts of them. I and the pandemic? I wrote it; I made it up.” And you shouldn’t bother Googling sources for “The Devil May didn’t read every one of them Yes. God, yes. It was a great they were so relieved. That’s the the lyrics for the Sinatra song Dance” go on for several pages, cover to cover. But as a journal- escape from covering the mad- greatest compliment you could “The Devil May Dance.” which is a lot for a novel. Did you ist, you want to make sure that ness of Washington, D.C., and give me, that the lawyers were This interview has been edited do most of the research before you attribute your sources. also the tragedy, the nonstop mad. and condensed. you started writing? Or did you Research is also a sadness of the pandemic. Did you also have a tune in Philadelphia Inquirer: One get to points in the story where time­honored journalistic The book is based on a uni- mind for “The Devil May thing your fiction has in common you needed to know more, and technique for avoiding writing. verse of facts, but some wild Dance”? with your nonfiction is the level went back down the rabbit hole? You have other excuses not to things happen in it. I tried to No, no, no. And even if I did, of research. I do a lot of research, and then write, including a full­time job, stretch it as far as I could go. I set you couldn’t get me to sing it. Charlie’s wife Margaret now an action hero in ‘Hellfire Club’ sequel

BY COLETTE BANCROFT published in 2018, was set in Washington, President Kennedy and campaigned for of Scientology — and heads straight for its Tampa Bay Times D.C., in the late 1950s. It introduced Charlie him avidly. But his mob ties are not exactly LA headquarters and a scary run-in with L. CNN’s Jake Tapper gets away from the as a rookie member of Congress and Mar- secret, and Robert Kennedy has directed Ron Hubbard, whose literal clutches she pressures of covering current politics by garet as a reluctant political spouse. Amid the energies of the Department of Justice escapes by making highly unauthorized writing novels about historical politics. the high political drama of the McCarthy toward bringing down organized crime. use of the religion’s vaunted E-meter. Tapper published three nonfiction era, the two discovered an ugly conspiracy (And that’s just the tip of the criminal/ Charlie has a pretty impressive scene in books, including the bestselling “The Out- rooted in blackmail and power. political iceberg.) which he faces off with John Wayne — and post” in 2012, before turning to fiction. His “The Devil May Dance” takes place The attorney general tells Charlie they wins — but it’s Margaret who tears into new book, “The Devil May about eight years later. Charlie is a moder- know that mob boss Sam Giancana, a close Sinatra in a confrontation over Holly- Dance,” is his second ate “Eisenhower/Rockefeller Republican” friend of Sinatra’s, has asked the singer for wood’s complacency about the sexual historical thriller featur- (a species now extinct) ensconced in his a favor. He has to know what the favor is. exploitation of teenage girls — and gets a ing fictional U.S. Con- congressional seat and more acclimated to All Charlie has to do is “cozy up to Frank surprising response. gressman Charlie Marder Washington’s backscratching protocols. and find out,” and he’ll be doing a service to Sinatra is the most intriguing and fully and his scientist wife, But that doesn’t prepare him for a phone his country. Oh, and getting Winston out of developed of the book’s famous characters, Margaret. call from his father, Winston Marder, a jail. but Tapper deftly sketches all of them. The Set in the early 1960s, it powerful Republican political operative. Charlie was the main character in “The book is deeply researched, and he incorpo- sends the Marders on an Winston needs his son’s help because he’s Hellfire Club,” and he’s still co-protagonist, rates some actual conversations and per- undercover mission that in jail at the Tombs in New York, charged but Margaret more than reclaims her time formances, which can be shocking in their sounds groovy and glam- with consorting with notorious criminals. in “The Devil May Dance.” From early on, casual expressions of racism and misogy- orous: Hang out with Frank Sinatra and his He’s been put there by one of his worst we know she chafes at having put her ca- ny, all too true to the era. famous Rat Pack in Los Angeles to find out enemies: Robert Kennedy, U.S. attorney reer as a zoologist on hold to have kids, “The Devil May Dance” is rich in re- just how tight the singer’s ties to the Mafia general and brother of the recently elected though she loves them dearly. She’s all in search, packed with pop culture and histor- are. president. “Find out what Bobby wants and on the Hollywood mission in part because ical detail. The book is set six decades ago, It is indeed groovy and glamorous, and it give it to him,” Winston tells Charlie. she’s just plain bored with being a polite but neither politics nor show business have also nearly gets them killed, several times. What Bobby wants is for Charlie and political wife, and she turns out to be a born changed as much as we might hope. Tap- Not to mention the dead girl in the trunk of Margaret to undertake that secret mission. action hero. per connects the dots, but does it with a their rental car ... The situation with Sinatra is complicated. It’s Margaret who sniffs out a connection light hand that doesn’t slow down the Mar- Tapper’s first novel, “The Hellfire Club,” The singer is an enthusiastic supporter of in the case to the newly organized Church ders’ adventures. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 31 WEEKEND: TELEVISION

MirrorA dish from episode one, “Our Roots,” is shown above. to the American diet

Netflix photos Netflix’s limited series ‘High on the Hog’ reveals “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America” host Stephen Satterfield and Dr. that the roots of many US dishes are in Africa Jessica B. Harris, whose book served as a blueprint for the show, appear a scene from episode one. BY BILL ADDISON Jessica B. Harris. Her “High on the Hog: A Culinary spired raspberry-hibiscus cheesecake in Houston. Los Angeles Times Journey From Africa to America” weaves academic re- For Satterfield, his participation in “High on the Hog” he macaroni pie is ready, so steamy and golden search with personal narrative, tracking foods of the is another facet of his mission to reframe ownership of you want to reach through the television screen African diaspora and positioning the ways that Black history and recast the chroniclers. to scoop up a big helping. Historian Leni Sore- cooking traversed class and often fueled enterprise “I can’t even begin to speculate what the show’s impact Tnsen hovers over a kitchen hearth at Monticello, throughout our fast-evolving history. will be,” he says, “but I can tell you that had it not been the Virginia plantation built by Thomas Jefferson. She Both the book and the series open in the Dan-Tokpa for food media, I would not be here. The Food Network, uses a pot hook to remove the cast-iron lid and reveal the Market in Coconou, Benin, the small West African coun- Jacques [Pepin], Julia [Child], Martha Stewart: Consum- casserole dish inside the baking vessel. try that was once a major departure point for the trans- ing this kind of media was so formative that I decided as a “Oh, it’s sizzling,” she says, the sound audible in the atlantic slave trade. Harris joins Satterfield in this first teenager to dedicate the rest of my life to food. Now we background like distant applause. episode. The food stalls hold up mirrors to their American have a whole generation of Black youth who are going to Then the camera zooms in on a sight familiar to gener- diets: They remark on bushels of okra, banter about the see this program. I know how high the stakes are.” ations of Americans: grated orange cheddar melted into a differences between yams and sweet potatoes and linger Satterfield also said yes because of the Black creators glossy blanket over tube-shaped pasta. over various shades and textures of rice. They share a involved, including Los Angeles-based executive pro- “It’s beautiful,” says Stephen Satterfield, the host of the lunch in which pepper sauce makes the meal. The two of ducers Karis Jagger and Fabienne Toback, Academy limited series “High on the Hog: How African American Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams, film direc- Cuisine Transformed America,” which debuted May 26 tor Yoruba Richen and producer Jonathan Clasberry. on Netflix. James Hemings, whom “Why does this team matter? Because stories are cen- Cooking the late-1700s-era recipe comes in the third of tral to power,” Satterfield says. “People who don’t have the show’s four episodes, which focuses on the contribu- Thomas Jefferson sent power are written out of the story, which is why we could tions of the chefs enslaved to the earliest presidents of the get all the way to 2021 and say, why haven’t we seen this United States. They include Hercules (sometimes known to France for training, story about macaroni and cheese told this way on televi- as Hercules Posey), who cooked for George Washington, sion before? We have the opportunity for the first time to and James Hemings, whom Thomas Jefferson sent to perfected the recipe for what tell our own story in our care. It’s rare and powerful.” France for training. Hemings perfected the recipe for Harris left many threads for the producers to follow. what so many of us know and love today as mac and so many of us know and love “The themes are so strong in the book: survival, self- cheese. When bartering successfully for his freedom, reliance, entrepreneurship, connectivity,” Jagger and Hemings wound up training his younger brother Peter to today as mac and cheese. Toback conveyed through a joint email. “There were take over his responsibilities. Historical records can trace stories we gravitated to in the book that we were really how a lineage of cooks from Jefferson’s kitchens spread them visit scenes of past horrors and meet strangers for a attached to and felt were necessary to the series: Carolina throughout the growing nation, circulating Hemings’ base meal that feels remarkably like a reunion. Harris all but Gold Rice, Hercules Posey, James Hemings, the catering of knowledge. passes a baton to Satterfield, sending him back to Amer- families of Philadelphia, Thomas Downing … We wanted “High on the Hog” is a revolutionary moment for ica to follow the narrative ripples that their time in Benin to interweave history, modern influences and locations in American food and travel television programming. It has sets in motion. forming the narrative structure.” the come-hither trademarks of the genre — the fascinat- Satterfield has worn many hats: chef, sommelier, jour- Harris also cleared paths for them to Chicago; to New ing glimpses into regional and international cultures, the nalist and, in his current day job, a founder of Whetstone Orleans; through Prohibition to the civil rights era; to sweeping cinematography of, say, South Carolina coast- Media. He is a natural on screen. Charismatic and in- immigrants with African heritage from the Caribbean, line and dusty Texas trails, the shots of shrimp sputtering quisitive, he also shows a remarkable ability to hold emo- Central and South America; and to other cultural cross- in oil on the stove and barbecued beef being sliced slo-mo tional space for the chefs, writers, farmers and other roads via Africa. into lush slivers. tradespeople as they relate their tales. You see it in his During a meal filmed for the show in Philadelphia, chef The difference lies in the piercing axiom that drives the eyes. He isn’t simply a personality ushering you along on Omar Tate notes that “a lot of times our history is dark … series: The roots of our national foodways stem from a journey; he’s personally invested in this effort to re- but there is so much beauty between the lines.” Black hands and minds. Mapping that veracity fills the claim and clarify Black culinary identity. The four episodes of “High on the Hog” are an incred- beautiful, absorbing and sometimes painful frames. He’s also brilliant at describing dishes: You want to be ible, belated start to floodlighting the achievements of The show takes its name — and its blueprint — from there as he talks through his first sip of Bellevue broth in Black culinarians. This limited series could — should — the invaluable 2011 book by scholar and cookbook author Philadelphia or samples Jerrelle Guy’s Juneteenth-in- be endless. PAGE 32 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: HEALTH & FITNESS Better brain function just a break away Experts offer tips to maximize productivity at work by recognizing, optimizing our limited ability to focus BY KERI WIGINTON under a lot of stress and anxiety for the Schedule your breaks brain function and productivity,” Bonak- Special to The Washington Post past year,” said Borna Bonakdarpour, a darpour said. “But the thing is, it does take Michalska takes five-minute rests after y mind gets a little fuzzy behavioral neurologist and assistant pro- energy. The next day, you may feel tired. her working blocks, making sure she leav- when I concentrate for too fessor of neurology at Northwestern Uni- And you need to consider that and plan for es extra time for lunch. She recommends long. So, to protect my fo- versity’s Feinberg School of Medicine in it.” planning your week with your downtime cused time, I rearranged my Chicago. “That, by itself, affects our fo- M as a priority. life, trading a steady salary as a multime- cus.” Protect your most creative time “I would put in the breaks first,” she dia journalist covering the tech world for Pandemic aside, Bonakdarpour said the You probably have a certain time of day said. “Put in the run, the lunch, the break. flexibility as a freelance writer focusing main culprits behind our limited ability to when you’re most productive. If possible, Otherwise, you’re never going to do it.” on health and wellness. Working less, not focus are cognitive overload and energy tell your boss and colleagues you’re going In her schedule, she also leaves a little more, holds the key to my productivity. use. to set aside those hours for focused work, room for transitions between tasks, which I do the bulk of my work in four or five “When you increase the metabolism of and you’ll get to your other work outside include writing, researching, teaching, 55-minute chunks throughout the day, the brain, it comes with byproducts that that time. and meeting with students. She said these taking half-hour breaks when my mind need to be cleared out and cleaned,” he “I’m not particularly effective from 1 buffers felt counterintuitive at first, but starts to wander. This schedule puts me in said. “The brain needs to rest.” According p.m. to 3 p.m.,” Michalska said. “So, I just they help keep her on schedule. good company. Although there’s not much to Bonakdarpour, research shows that for schedule all my emails at that time, when “You need a little time to shift the task, hard science behind it, a lot of produc- every two hours of focused work, “you I don’t have to think that much.” to get water, to take a walk, the mail tivity gurus push the idea that we get our need about 20 to 30 minutes to break.” comes, somebody calls,” she said. “I would best work done with about four or five Of course, some of the work we do Keep tabs on your productivity fall behind, because something unexpect- hours of focus a day. doesn’t require 100 percent of our atten- You can think about your focused time ed would happen when I didn’t put a little They came up with this range partly tion, Bonakdarpour added. kind of like your finances, meaning you downtime in between.” because of a well-known study of music “That’s why you can kind of get through should create a detailed list of how you While work breaks can feel like road- training, led by psychologist K. Anders even when you’re tired,” he said. “But as a spend it. blocks, you might be surprised at what Ericsson, that inspired the “10,000-hour general principle, your brain is function- “Every 15 minutes, jot down what happens when you give your thoughts a rule.” (The concept, popularized by writer ing at a lower level.” Studies show that as you’re actually doing,” Michalska said. little room. Malcolm Gladwell, is that it takes at least our focus slides, we’re less motivated, we This can be tedious at first, she said, but “Your creative or subconscious mind 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to be- make more mistakes and we get distracted it’ll show you how often you make a snack doesn’t stop working while you’re waiting come an expert at something, although more easily. or check social media when you think in line for coffee or you’re taking a walk Ericsson has said this is an oversimplifica- This truth is recognized in some profes- you’re working. around the block,” Pang said. This can tion.) What’s the connection to four or five sions where attention failure can be life- lead to “those moments of insight that hours of focus? That’s how long the “best” threatening. Air traffic controllers, for Guard against interruptions we’ve all had.” students in Ericsson’s research tended to example, only manage live traffic for an My most productive days are when practice. average of about four hours out of their Avoid work during downtime work feels so effortless that I fly through Such a schedule is not uncommon eight-hour shifts, according to the Federal Bonakdarpour goes for a walk during my breaks because I don’t feel the need among the accomplished, according to Aviation Administration. his breaks, because physical activity for them. This state of “flow” — a term Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a Silicon Valley But most of us are not air traffic con- boosts blood flow and brain function. But a coined by Hungarian psychologist Mihaly writer and consultant who specializes in trollers with bosses who understand the conversation with a colleague can also Csikszentmihalyi — is when “you feel productivity. Alice Munro, Charles Dar- limits of focus. If we only have four or five help, he said. Just make sure you “talk stretched to the edge of your abilities but win and Gabriel García Márquez are hours of peak attention within a normal about things that don’t have anything to do not beyond them,” Pang said. among the creative people with similar workday, how can we optimize them? with work.” To cultivate an environment to make habits, a topic Pang dedicated a chapter to Here are some tips from our experts. flow more likely, limit your distractions; in his 2016 book, “Rest: Why You Get Rest more when you overwork research has found that it can take from More Done When You Work Less.” Work in chunks to rest the brain We all have days or weeks when dead- 30 seconds to 60 seconds to refocus on a “Rather than working super long hours, Michalska first tried the Pomodoro lines pile up. But your concentration task when your attention is diverted to a they maximized the amount of depth of method: You work for 25 minutes, then doesn’t have to suffer if you occasionally second one. I set “do not disturb” on my focus time they had per day,” he said, rest for three to five minutes. After four of overwork. In fact, deadline crunches can devices. I don’t get alerts for emails, text “and really protected that and organized those blocks, you take a half-hour break. sharpen your focus and help you work messages or news headlines. their day so they could put in about 4 or But she found herself more focused on faster. This kind of disconnection might seem 4½ hours of really intensive deep work.” the timer than her work. She eventu- “A little bit of positive anxiety — impossible where you work. But a grow- While there isn’t extensive research into ally settled into a longer period: “I I’ve got to get this done by this ing number of companies are redesigning working and focus, the four-to-five-hour try to do 45 minutes, and then I time — can boost their workdays so employees can unplug sweet spot sounds about right to Kalina take a break.” for several hours each week, Pang said. Michalska, a developmental neuroscientist “They carve out time where everyone can and assistant professor in the Department be heads down, a little antisocial, ig- of Psychology at the University of Cali- nore the Slack channel, not fornia at Riverside. She stops short answer the phones and just of applying this number to concentrate on their most everyone, however. Humans important tasks.” have individual differences It’s a simple shift, he “in attentional networks said, but it goes a long and circadian way in boosting worker rhythms,” she productivity and well- said. being. There are also “There are plenty of differences in how people who’ve recog- we manage our emo- nized that it’s possible tions, something most to change work,” he workers have had to said, “and to change it deal with during the for the better.” coronavirus pandemic. “We’ve all been

iStock Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 33 WEEKEND: FAMILY

Picking my battles with the Mutilation Generation Our 26-year-old son hasn’t trimmed his beard in three years and wears a brown Walmart sweatshirt every day. Our 23-year-old daughter had her café au lait hair dyed orangey copper. Our 20-year-old daughter wears long, wildly-painted fingernails and a fake nose ring. If I had my way, they’d be clean cut and all natural, but I encourage these semi-permanent fashion choices. Why? Today’s kids are under pressure to take risks to fit in, often in the form of permanent tattoos and body piercings. My parents had it so easy. They never worried that I might come home with a tattoo on my thigh or a bolt through my ROBERT COHEN, ST. LOUIS POST­DISPATCH/TNS cheek, because back then, only punk rockers and ne’er-do- Jenny Berla helps her twins Isla, left, and Elodie with their masks as they approach their sister’s school to pick wells did that kind of thing. her up after class May 19. Berla, who is planning to send the girls to kindergarten this fall, is concerned that Well ... unless you count Navy sailors. dropping mask mandates before young children are eligible for vaccinations leaves them open to risk. But today, it doesn’t matter how well we raise our kids. It doesn’t mean a hill of beans what socio-economic category your family falls into. It’s irrelevant whether your kids are on the Dean’s List or in detention, whether your kids want to be doctors or ditch diggers, whether they aspire to live in the One less layer of protection White House or the Big House. Today, behavior that was once reserved for the fringes of As mask mandates lift, some parents worry for their unvaccinated kids society has become mainstream. It’s no longer a question of whether our kids will get tattoos or body piercings, but when. BY MICHELE MUNZ “If stores stop requiring them, that will just be more In 1984, my college dorm mate shoved a needle through St. Louis Post-Dispatch social isolation until they lower the age of who can get my left earlobe and into a raw potato, then inserted a tiny enny Berla has three children, 5-year-old twins vaccinated,” Bowen said. gold stud. That night while dancing to Duran Duran at the and an 8-year-old. And they are really sick of It is too soon to lift mandates, she said. “I feel like frats, I sported my new asymmetrical ears with confidence. nature hikes, she said. the percentage of adults refusing to be vaccinated is The third earring seemed to scream, “Look! I’m not the geek J But, after Berla, her Type 1 diabetic husband too high.” you thought I was!” and their elderly parents were vaccinated against Adults with diseases that weaken their immune That was about as daring as we got back in the ’80s. But COVID-19, she looked forward to doing more things systems and the effectiveness of vaccines share the being cool now requires elaborate tattoos and piercings on with her kids this summer, such as visiting museums, same concerns as young parents about the CDC’s new every body part imaginable: tongues, cheeks, eyebrows, lips, taking theater classes and going on float trips. recommendation, which came as the pace of vaccina- nostrils, and nipples, to name a few. Then in mid-May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Con- tions has slowed. While we were stationed in Germany, I was at my daugh- trol and Prevention said it was safe for vaccinated The CDC based its recommendation on growing ter’s indoor soccer tournament when the moms on either people to go without masks in most settings. St. Louis research showing that being fully vaccinated greatly side of me struck up a conversation. and St. Louis County governments quickly lifted mask reduces the risk of getting infected and spreading the “When I turned 40, I got my lower back tattoo and ...” mandates that had been in place for months. Many virus to the others. The seven-day average of new “Me too!” the other mom interrupted, lifting her shirt to businesses followed. cases in the U.S. — just over 31,000 — is at its lowest show an Asian symbol. “I’m not exactly sure what it means.” The announcements, which came despite the fact level since June. The moms went on to complain that their jeans irritated that less than half of the adult population is fully vacci- Among U.S. adults ages 65 and over who are most at their belly button rings, and I began to worry. nated, took many people by surprise. risk from COVID-19, about 85% are either fully vacci- With everyone (and their mother, literally) mutilating Berla, 38, of Olivette, Mo., suddenly feels a layer of nated or on their way. Deaths from the virus at their their bodies these days, to what extremes will our kids go to protection between the coronavirus and her children lowest numbers since July, and hospitalizations are set themselves apart? And, what will happen when they age? — too young to get vaccinated — is gone. Unvaccinat- dropping to levels not seen since the pandemic began Does a lower back tattoo that says “Juicy” end up looking ed people are expected to continue wearing a mask in to ramp up in April. more like “Jeewillickers” after stretch marks, age spots and public because they can still spread the virus, but she Experts say without mask mandates, children and spider veins? Will Grandma look sexy when it peeks out of worries they will not consider the risk and go without. vulnerable groups can still take precautions to navi- her elastic waistband during morning calisthenics at The While she knows a vast majority of children with gate public spaces safely. Happy Acres Retirement Village? Maybe Grandpa will stop COVID-19 have no or mild symptoms, she wishes Dr. Ericka Hayes, a pediatric infectious disease eating rice pudding long enough to wheel his chair over and mask mandates stuck around until younger kids be- specialist with St. Louis Children’s Hospital, said par- slap her on the tush. Grandma might wink at him, because came eligible for the vaccine, especially as doctors ents can find comfort knowing that a tight-fitting, mul- only she knows that under all that half-chewed rice, his den- learn more about the long-term effects of an infection ti-layer mask worn over the nose and mouth can still tures are hiding a tongue piercing he got when he was 18. and how the vaccines perform against emerging varia- protect their children. Should we give in and buy our kids gift cards from “Nee- nts. “Even if there are individuals who are dishonest dles R Us”? Should we accompany them for their first bolt- “We might never know all these things, but just enough to not be wearing a mask if they are not vacci- fitting and take them out for ice cream afterwards? Should giving them a chance to be vaccinated first would be nated,” Hayes said, “you can feel confident that if you we pick out tattoo designs for ourselves to fit our parental nice,” Berla said. are consistently wearing that mask and doing the so- lifestyles? (I might start with a nice frying pan on my hip, or Berla joins many parents trying to navigate a new cial distancing, which you should be doing as well, that maybe a laundry basket on my ankle.) world where people are ditching masks and returning certainly wearing the mask themselves is highly pro- No, we shouldn’t embrace body mutilation any more than to normal while their young children — anxious for tective.” we should keep badgers as pets, but we should keep trying to interaction after a year of mostly virtual school or Hayes said while vaccinated parents can safely go talk sense to our kids. having to avoid day care — are still at risk of getting without a mask around their children, many may wear My husband and I made a family rule: If you want to get a the coronavirus. one when venturing out to model the behavior in their permanent tattoo or body piercing, you must be a financially Tami Bowen, 46, of St. Charles, Mo., home-schooled kids who have to stick with mask-wearing. Others independent adult. In the meantime, you are welcome to let her children ages 8 and 10 this past year. Her 10-year- might choose to stay masked in public if someone in your semi-permanent freak flag fly as long as we are paying old has dwarfism along with heart and breathing is- their family has a weak immune system. for your phone, car, tuition, health insurance, room or board. sues and difficulty focusing in virtual classes. “Those may be scenarios where people may choose And if you really want to take risks, leave your body un- Going into stores are often the only time they are to continue to wear masks,” she said. “I think for every altered and become a true non-conformist. around others, Bowen said. Now they will not go into household, they kind of have to consider and weigh the Read more at themeatandpotatoesoflife.com, and in Lisa’s book, The Meat and Potatoes of any business where customers can go mask-free. risks and benefits.” Life: My True Lit Com. Email: [email protected] PAGE 34 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 WEEKEND: CROSSWORD AND COMICS

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD

YOU DO THE MATH 12345 6789 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 BY JENNIFER NEBERGALL / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ 22120291 Jennifer Nebergall, of Boulder, Colo., is a former finance director at the University of Colorado. She started doing crosswords several years ago over Sunday brunch as a weekly tradition with her husband. Since the birth of their child, though, they have 62524232 shifted to doing crosswords during naptime. Jennifer writes, “Having spent my career in finance and analytics, this theme appealed to my dual loves of math and wordplay.” It is Jennifer’s crossword debut. — W.S. 03928272

ACROSS 48 Cereal grain 105 Hardly any 12 Long, loose robe 2313 1 Supply for an ultimate 49 Fastener that leaves 106 Car in {plane, car, 13 Leave momentarily Frisbee team a flush surface train, horse, car, car, 14 Brief evocative 140493837363534333 6 2019 box-office flop 51 Modern party- train} account described by one planning tool 113 Pong company 15 Diarist Nin 6454443424 critic as ‘‘Les 52 Lofty 114 Shakespeare 16 ‘‘Hello ____’’ (old 1505948474 Meowsérables’’ 53 Collector’s item character who cellphone ad line) inquires, ‘‘Are your 10 Picks the brain of 55 Word after combat or doors lock’d?’’ 17 Subatomic particle 85756555453525 cowboy 14 Extemporizes 115 Greet grandly 18 Some nice cameras, 58 What two Vikings for short 56463626160695 116 Provide funding for 19 ‘‘Why should ____?’’ have explored 28 Wife of Albert 118 Was accepted 867666 20 Feeling tender 59 Royal staff Einstein 61 Sort represented by 119 ____ mess, English 29 Wipe out, slangily dessert of berries, 87776757473727170796 21 Apartment, in real the emoji 30 ‘‘____ deal’’ estate lingo meringue and 64 Fruits often used in whipped cream 33 Has a tête-à-tête 483828180897 22 How spring rolls are sushi 34 Pale pinkish purple cooked 120 Its merchandise 66 Cattle in [cattle/pigs] often comes with 35 Light-footed 19099888786858 23 Oscar-winning 69 Burrito condiment pictorial instructions 36 Muhammad’s father- 796959493929 actress born Mary 73 Vodka mixer 121 ‘‘Set Fire to the in-law Louise 74 Hopeless Rain’’ singer 37 Cause of a smudge 2011010019989 24 One side of a 2015 predicament 122 Part of a golf club 39 First work read in nuclear agreement 79 Birthstone for 123 Mathematician Columbia’s literature 501401301 25 It’s irreversible Hillary Clinton, Descartes humanities course Kamala Harris and 124 Credit-application 211111011901801701601 26 University of Florida 40 Like some news Alexandria Ocasio- figs. coverage athlete Cortez 711611511411311 125 PC platform popular 41 Squeeze 80 Toffee bar brand 27 ‘‘That was great!’’ — in the 1980s 43 ‘‘Nice going!’’ ‘‘No, it stank!’’ 82 What the nose knows 121021911811 44 Crux of the matter 84 Major move, for short 31 Setting for Jo Nesbo’s DOWN 46 Rating for risqué 521421321221 best-selling crime 85 ‘‘ . . . unless you 1 Grow faint shows novels disagree’’ 2 Coffee-order 50 ____-in-the-hole 32 They have stems and 87 Naturally occurring specification (British dish) white heads hexagonal crystals 67 Co. captains? 78 Mrs. ____, ‘‘Beauty 93 Disney character 107 Texter’s ‘‘Then again 3 Garment whose name 53 Whale constellation who says ‘‘Some 90 ‘‘Dames at ____’’ 68 First line of a Seuss and the Beast’’ . . . ’’ 33 Mild, light-colored sounds like an 54 Massive ref. books classic people are worth (Broadway musical) apology character 108 Cloud contents cigars 56 Have things in 69 Parts of cars and melting for’’ 91 Was fed up 4 Sign of distress 109 Trees under which 36 Have because of common stoves 81 Kind of vaccine used 94 Less sportsmanlike 92 Comics character truffles might grow 5 Like many wildflower 57 Like music that uses 70 High-profile against Covid 38 Drive (from) with the dog Daisy seeds interviewer of Harry 96 Where the King lived 110 ‘‘De ____’’ (response conventional keys 83 Slippery 97 Tennis’s Nadal, 95 Bear x tiger 6 Boutros Boutros- and harmony and Meghan to ‘‘Merci’’) 39 Recurring pain? familiarly 98 ‘‘Billions’’ airer, for Ghali’s home city 71 Style of ‘‘Roxanne’’ in 86 Partly 111 Took too much, for 60 Org. whose website ‘‘Moulin Rouge!’’ 42 Route 70 in {Route 10, short 7 Nearly 5,000 square 100 Make sparkling short has a ‘‘What Can I 72 Drawn out 88 Two-person meeting Route 95, Route 101, 99 Et ____ yards Bring?’’ section 103 Font flourish Route 70, Route 25} 75 Easterlies 89 Certain sots 112 ____ contendere 101 Hamilton, to Burr 8 Comparative word 62 Summer Olympics 104 Tease 76 Done again 91 Words often replaced 117 ____ Moore, 4 5 Snitch 102 Green cards, 9 Matched up host before Tokyo 105 Cartographic antipoverty 77 Chef Waters who when singing ‘‘Take 47 Hit film set aboard informally 10 What has interest in 63 They may come in a pioneered the collection entrepreneur of the spaceship 103 Offering to a a car? boxed set organic food Me Out to the Ball 106 In Touch and Out, the Robin Hood Nostromo houseguest 11 Sound of disdain 65 Summer hrs. in Iowa movement Game’’ for two Foundation

GUNSTON STREET RESULTS FOR ABOVE PUZZLE

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L I O N I T I N U Y H C A E R A C I S P M A V S K S A S T A C S C S I D Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 35 FACES

CBS wins Building in ratings war for 13th year Associated Press some fun In a designation that feels a little less significant every year, CBS has finished the 2020-21 television sea- Host Will Arnett dusts off his son as the nation’s most-watched television network for the 13th con- dad jokes for ‘Lego Masters’ secutive time. CBS averaged 6.28 million prime BY BROOKE LEFERTS time viewers in the Nielsen compa- Associated Press ny’s measurement of live-plus-sev- ill Arnett’s playful sarcasm is en viewing, which includes every- serving him well these days as one who watched a particular pro- both the host of Fox’s “Lego Mas- gram live and within the next week. Wters,” where his “dad jokes” kill, CBS has won 18 of the past 19 years, and on his podcast, “Smartless,” where he ban- the one-time exception being Fox ters with pals Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes. when “American Idol” dominated Teasing comes naturally to the actor, as does TV. working with Legos. He’s been the voice of Bat- FOX/AP Increasingly, however, the mea- man in “The Lego Movie” franchise and is “Lego Masters” Judge Jamie Berard, left, chats with host Will Arnett on the set. The reality surement doesn’t reflect how peo- hosting and executive producing season two of brick building show’s second season premiered on Fox this week. ple experience television, because it “Lego Masters,” a reality brick building com- excludes streaming services and petition that premiered this week. With access AP: Does the “Lego Masters” set put you inlot of Lego stuff because I’ve done a lot of Lego bingeing of programs outside of to 5 million Legos, budding amateur architects the mood to host? stuff over the years. You’d think that their in- their first-week window. Arnett: It’s like being on this, like, crazy Lego terests would have waned. It has not! You walk Even though the pandemic kept put skills and creativity to the test, building spaceship, destination: have fun! We’re on this out on that set and if you’re somebody who’s more people at home, CBS’ prime- motorized mini parade floats, an earthquake amazing set where you have all these building into Lego, it’s like, ‘Oh my God!’ because Lego time viewership was down 18% tower and demolition derby, while vying for a tables or these huge bins filled with 5 million does stir up that sort of creative juice in people. from the previous year, as was sec- $100,000 prize. Lego pieces. It’s absurd, in the best way. It’s so And when you get on that set, you think ‘I could ond-place NBC’s. ABC was down “Smartless” features Arnett, Bateman and fun and definitely puts me in the mood. build anything!’ And so my kids are super into 14% and Fox lost 33% of its audience, Hayes, who are friends in real life and decided Do you ad­lib a lot on the show? it, and I will say, we watch it at home. Nielsen said. to take their love of poking fun at each other I just got to be myself and kind of goof Sounds like you’re having fun with the The CBS drama “NCIS,” which public with a conversational podcast that fea- around. And I make mistakes and I make jokes guests on the “Smartless” podcast. aired its first episode in September tures surprise guest stars like Kamala Harris and I say stuff that is dumb. My kids call them There is no premise to the show. We start re- 2003, was the most popular scripted and Gwyneth Paltrow. The acting trio ‘dad jokes,’ I call them ‘bad jokes,’ and I just try cording the moment we log on. We’ve never show, averaging 12.5 million view- launched it during the pandemic, and it’s been to go out there and have fun. We do have some- once discussed what we’re going to talk about, ers per week. It has been TV’s most a hit with listeners. thing scripted. We have a really funny writer ever. And the guest is truly a surprise to the two popular drama for 11 of the past 12 Arnett, a father to three boys, says he often who helps me ... but I just want to get out there of us, to Jason, Sean and me. So we have a lot of years, a streak interrupted only by feels like a big kid, “in pursuit of having fun” and make people feel comfortable. fun doing it. Having, like, Maya Rudolph, who NBC’s “This Is Us.” with his latest gigs. In a recent interview with Have your older boys visited the set? is one of my favorite people on the planet, hav- In a positive sign for the network, The Associated Press, he talks about his hu- My 10-year-old is nuts for it, so they come to ing her come on and talk to Maya for an hour its second most popular show was mor, visiting the “Lego Masters” set with his set all the time. They can’t believe it. And and laugh until you can’t breathe. I mean, it’s the rookie drama “The Equalizer,” sons, and one of his favorite podcast guests. you’ve got to remember, they’ve been around a just … so much fun. starring Queen Latifah. Every acting role Taylor Swift has ever had, from ‘CSI’ to ‘Cats’ BY CHRISTI CARRAS Efron, Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Jenny Slate, Nasim Pe- Los Angeles Times drad and Betty White. Are you ready for Taylor Swift’s next big-screen appear- ance? ‘New Girl’ (2013) A couple years after starring in Tom Hooper’s certified In the sophomore season of the sitcom “New Girl,” Swift flop of a film adaptation of “Cats,” the pop superstar and made a brief cameo as Elaine, a guest at the wedding of sporadic actor appears to have landed on her feet, booking Shivrang (Satya Bhabha) and Cece (Hannah Simone). her newest acting role in a star-studded project from direc- When the ceremony is eventually called off, Elaine re- tor David O. Russell. unites with her former flame, Shivrang, to “go to Vegas and This week’s casting news comes on the heels of what has elope!” already been a busy professional period for Swift, who has released three studio albums in less than a year. Before UNIVERSAL PICTURES/TNS ‘The Giver’ (2014) “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Evermore” came Taylor Swift played fun and flirty Bombalurina in “Cats.” In the critically panned film adaptation of Lois Lowry’s “Folklore,” which clinched the singer-songwriter’s third dystopian novel “The Giver,” Swift portrayed Rosemary, a Grammy for album of the year in March. style romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” in February 2010. former Receiver of Memory and daughter of the Giver (Jeff Between hit singles and chart-topping albums, the deco- The country-pop powerhouse portrayed shallow high Bridges) whose story is unraveled through flashbacks. rated musician has starred in a smattering of film and TV school student Felicia Miller alongside onscreen love inter- In addition to Swift and Bridges, the movie also starred projects alongside a number of A-list actors. While we await est Taylor Lautner, the “Twilight Saga” actor whom Swift Alexander Skarsgard, Odeya Rush, Brenton Thwaites and her latest cinematic turn, here’s a timeline of Swift’s previ- later dated. Also among the cast of Garry Marshall’s holi- Meryl Streep. ous credits, from “CSI” to “Cats.” day-themed film were Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley ‘Cats’ (2019) ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ (2009) Cooper, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, After a five-year acting hiatus, Swift returned to the big Despite her music industry fame, Swift’s acting career Patrick Dempsey, Shirley MacLaine and George Lopez. screen as the fun and flirty Bombalurina in “Cats,” based on began like many others’: with a guest-starring role in “CSI: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway musical of the same Crime Scene Investigation.” ‘The Lorax’ (2012) name. In the ninth season of the CBS procedural drama, Swift With two live-action credits under her belt, Swift next ex- As with her first feature film, the Grammy winner was portrayed rebellious teenager Haley Jones. perimented with voice acting for an animated adaptation of just one of several prominent entertainers to be converted Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax.” into a computer-enhanced feline for this theatrical train- ‘Valentine’s Day’ (2010) The seasoned vocalist joined the cast as girl-next-door wreck. Also among the sprawling ensemble were Jennifer Hot off her first album of the year Grammy for “Fear- Audrey, a new character who doesn’t appear in Seuss’ book. Hudson, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, James less,” Swift made her feature film debut in the vignette- Rounding out the top-billed “Lorax” ensemble were Zac Corden, Rebel Wilson and Idris Elba. PAGE 36 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 AMERICAN ROUNDUP

Police: Driver hits headstones at cemetery DENVER — Author- CO ities in Colorado have launched an investigation after a woman drove her car into multiple headstones at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver on Memorial Day. The Denver Police Department said the woman sideswiped two ve- hicles parked in the cemetery park- ing lot before continuing on and crashing into the headstones, KMGH-TV reported. “It just got worse and worse,” said Antonio Moran, who was at the cem- etery during the incident honoring his veteran family members. The car drove through the lawn, hit oth- er vehicles and slid into multiple gravestones, Moran said, noting there were several people at the cemetery at the time of the crash. No injuries were reported, and police did not immediately reveal how many headstones were dam- aged. Some headstones were com- pletely ripped out of the ground and others were broken in half, Moran said. The driver was arrested and is be- ing held on suspicion of driving un- der the influence, police said. DON CAMPBELL, THE (ST. JOSEPH, MICH.) HERALD­PALLADIUM/AP Vandals take Elvis’ name Just a bit outside off sign at his birthplace Eli Gould, 5, of St. Joseph, Mich., plays baseball with his father, Michael Gould, on Tuesday, at Milton Park In St. Joseph. TUPELO — Elvis MS Presley’s birthplace in duty officers at the mall had con- THE CENSUS struck the child. The boy then lost Mississippi is offering a $1,000 re- fronted the man. On-duty officers his balance and was run over by his ward to figure out who took the word responded a minute later. The approximate number of people defrauded of more than father’s vehicle, police said. “Elvis” off the landmark’s sign. Police said that the man was tak- 200 $2.5 million in romance and other online scams for which No additional details on the The museum discovered the first en into custody and transported to nine men have been apprehended and indicted, prosecutors said. Grand jury child’s injuries or condition were re- name taken from the “Elvis Presley an area hospital for a medical eval- indictments in federal court in Charleston, W.Va., charged the men with mail leased. Williams drove the child Birthplace, Museum & Chapel” sign uation. Garcia said the man did not fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and receipt of stolen property, prosecutors home and his mother called 911, ac- over the weekend. The word “Elvis” have a gun. said in a news release Tuesday. The men live in the U.S., but six of them are cording to police. had been written as the rock ’n’ roll Nigerian citizens and two are from Ghana. According to the indictments, vic- The Miami Herald reported that tims, many of whom are elderly, were coerced into sending money to bank pioneer’s signature. the father was charged with child Woman treated for burns accounts controlled by the defendants from 2016 to 2020. The museum in Tupelo isn’t sure after attack with liquid neglect with great bodily harm. exactly when the brick sign was damaged. ABINGDON — A Ma- Holdrege, the Kearney Hub report- opened and destroyed mail contain- Car crashes through wall The entire sign was stolen three MD ryland woman was ed. The fire began in a workshop ing cash that was intended for 12 of historic home/museum months ago and had just recently treated for apparent chemical and spread to a lean-to livestock other people in Greenwood and been replaced, WTVA-TV reported. burns after she said two people shelter. Lyon counties. YORK — A historic The singer’s birthplace also sur- yelled homophobic remarks and Holdrege Assistant Fire Chief Court documents did not explicit- ME Maine home that has vived a tornado moving nearby in threw liquid at her, the Harford Jim Wagner said the fire was only a ly state whether Tapscott kept the been converted into a museum suf- early May. County Sheriff’s Office said. couple of feet from the structure money from the mail he destroyed, fered extensive structural damage The site includes the restored The woman told deputies that it that housed between 100 and 150 but he was ordered to repay the vic- when a car crashed through an out- two-room house built by Presley’s happened in the Home Goods store rabbits when firefighters were able tims for the cash they never re- side wall. family for $180. He was born there parking lot in Abingdon on May 27, to pull the animals to safety. ceived. The car struck the Emerson-Wil- in January 1935. according to a news release posted The fire was quickly extin- cox House in York at about 11 p.m. on social media. The woman said guished, and not one was injured, Boy shot by man returning Saturday, Old York Historical So- Man banging skateboard two people in a small black car Wagner said. He was unaware of paintball fire with gunfire ciety Executive Director Joel Le- sends shoppers fleeing yelled homophobic remarks at her, any animals being lost in the blaze. fever said in a Facebook post on then threw an unknown liquid at her MIAMI — Thinking his Sunday. No one was hurt. DALLAS — Panicked before driving off. Ex-postal worker fined for FL home was under attack, a “Over the next several days and TX shoppers rushed out of At first, the woman believed the destroying cash-filled mail Florida homeowner shot and weeks we will work to evaluate the Dallas mall on Memorial Day after a liquid was water and she continued wounded a 10-year-old whose father structural integrity of the building, man banged a skateboard on the with her day, but an hour later, her WICHITA — A former had driven him to participate in a and move collection objects to safe- ground in the food court and made skin began itching and she went to KS postal worker in eastern drive-by shooting with a paintball ty,” he wrote. “Together with the El- hand gestures as if he was shooting, an urgent care for treatment of what Kansas has been ordered to pay gun, police said. izabeth Bishop Perkins Trust, police said. appeared to be chemical burns. $1,100 in fines and restitution for de- Michael Williams, 26, told Opa- which owns the house, Old York will “That sound obviously caused a stroying mail and presumably steal- locka police his son begged him to evaluate next steps towards restora- panic,” Dallas Police Chief Eddie Firefighters save more than ing cash contained in that mail. drive by a home where young peo- tion and repair.” Garcia said. “When the crowd start- 100 rabbits from blaze Dennis Tapscott, 24, of Emporia, ple were gathered Sunday night so Because the house was not sched- ed running the individual focused was fined Tuesday in U.S. District he could fire his paintball out the uled to open to the public this sea- on that and then began doing hand HOLDREGE — Fire- Court in Wichita, the Wichita Eagle window, according to a police report son, nothing was on display in the gestures as if he was shooting into NE fighters in south-central reported. He was ordered to pay a released Tuesday. room where the car entered, he said. the the crowd, which then further Nebraska saved more than 100 rab- $500 fine, $575 in restitution and a Williams drove by the home as his The more than 250-year-old escalated the situation.” bits from a fire that threatened their $25 special assessment fee. son fired off several rounds, police building has been used as a general Garcia said police got a call at 1:27 large hutch in Holdrege, officials Tapscott pleaded guilty last week said. The homeowner confused the store, tavern, tailor shop, post office p.m. Monday reporting an active there said. to one count of delaying mail. Prose- paintball for real gunfire, telling po- and home, according to the society. shooter at NorthPark Center. He The fire broke out about 4 p.m. cutors said that between August lice he thought his family was being said that within three minutes, off- Monday on a property in southwest 2019 and January 2020, Tapscott attacked. He fired one shot, which From wire reports Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 37 PAGE 38 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 56 Sailor’s “yes” 22 Regret 1 Sean of “Rudy” 57 Feudal farmers 24 Superman 6 Heart chart foe Luthor (Abbr.) DOWN 26 Snub

Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 9 Venomous viper 1 NYPD alert 28 Plague 12 Stage 2 HBO competitor 30 Zilch 13 Dundee denial 3 Schedule C, 32 To date 14 TV pioneer for example 33 Comics cry 15 Pugilist 4 “Got it” 34 Singer Carly 16 Fashion designer 5 Brash — Jepsen and film director 6 Main dish 36 Rent sharer 18 Flu symptoms 7 “Get Smart” 38 Played a part 20 Mosque VIP evil agency 39 “Yippee!” 21 Hit show letters 8 Jewel 40 Swift

Non Sequitur 23 “— -haw!” 9 Bakery lure 42 Demolishes, (rodeo cry) 10 “Vamoose!” in Dover 24 Andean beast 11 “Top Chef” 45 Helen’s home 25 Engine noise 27 Defy authority host Lakshmi 46 Traditional tales 29 Saudi neighbor 17 Wood repair 48 401(k) alternative 31 New Hampshire paste 50 Justice Dept. town 19 Haunting agency 35 Coffin stands 21 CIA operative 51 “Mayday!” 37 Ostrich kin Answer to Previous Puzzle

Candorville 38 Terrible 41 Not ’neath 43 Guitar’s kin 44 Baby elephant 45 Sums 47 Tom Cruise legal thriller 49 Remote locations? 52 Fair hirer, in ads

Carpe Diem 53 Marseilles monarch 54 Poet’s muse 55 Speck Beetle Bailey Bizarro Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 39 Eugene Sheffer Crossword Frazz Dilbert

ACROSS 54 Hyper 27 Texter’s “I 1 Attempted personality didn’t need to 6 Humiliate know that!” 11 Baby rocker DOWN 29 Amusing bit

Pearls Before Swine Pearls Before 12 Cuba’s Fidel 1 Treasure stores of trivia 14 St. Ignatius of — 2 Sci-fi zapper 31 “Are you calling 15 Hire 3 Chapel vow me —?” 16 Batting stat 4 First lady of scat 32 Prickly plant 17 Cattle breed 5 College VIPs 33 “For shame!” 19 USN officers 6 Get going 34 Casual shirt 20 Enlist again 7 Cote calls 36 California 22 Resort 8 Request university city 23 “Night” author 9 “Streetcar” cry 37 “Twelfth Night”

Non Sequitur Wiesel 10 Steamy countess 24 Ed of “Elf” 11 Barton of the 38 Viral web 26 Draw in Red Cross sensations 28 Game official 13 Start 41 Gem weight 30 Comic Philips 18 Transcript no. 44 Nastase of tennis 31 Misbehaves 21 Intrinsically 45 Depend (on) 35 Figure of speech 23 Wear down 48 Mineral suffix 39 Emit coherent 25 Old Olds 50 Napkin’s place light Answer to Previous Puzzle

Candorville 40 Asian electronics giant 42 Perry’s creator 43 “Nasty!” 44 Worrier’s words 46 Energy 47 Top Hun 49 Experience anew 51 Countrified

Carpe Diem 52 “Ironic” singer Morissette 53 Type of trapshooting Beetle Bailey Bizarro PAGE 40 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 OPINION

Max D. Lederer Jr., Publisher Lt. Col. Marci Hoffman, Europe commander Lt. Col. Michael Kerschbaum, Pacific commander It’s not ‘mission accomplished’ in Afghanistan Michael Ryan, Pacific chief of staff BY MADIHA AFZAL — and now, after intense efforts, say they’ll What’s perhaps most disturbing is the Special to The Washington Post only attend if the conference is short, low- narrative the president has presented along t appears that President Joe Biden’s level and doesn’t involve decision-making with the rationale for withdrawal: that we EDITORIAL announced withdrawal from Afghan- on critical issues. They’ve made a farce of went to Afghanistan to defeat al-Qaida after Terry Leonard, Editor istan is proceeding ahead of sched- the whole process, an outcome many of us 9/11, that mission creep led us to stay on too [email protected] Iule, with all U.S. troops set to depart predicted given the unconditional with- long and, therefore, it is time to get out. This by mid-July, and NATO and allied forces drawal. Afghanistan almost certainly takes an incomplete view of U.S. agency in Robert H. Reid, Senior Managing Editor keeping to that schedule as well. But if the seems headed for greater violence, with the war in Afghanistan. The narrative im- [email protected] president wants to tie a neat bow on U.S. in- embassies rapidly reducing their presence plies that the civil conflict in Afghanistan to- Tina Croley, Managing Editor for Content volvement in Afghanistan — saying, as he or shutting down altogether due to security day did not originate with us — that this [email protected] has, that the logic for the war ended once concerns, as the Australian Embassy re- more than 40-year war began with the Sovi- al-Qaida was gutted and Osama bin Laden cently announced. One can imagine how et invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, preceded Sean Moores, Managing Editor for Presentation [email protected] killed — it reveals a stunning lack of intro- tone-deaf a “mission accomplished” narra- us and will follow our departure. spection about the United States’ role in the tive sounds to Afghans living this reality. The fact of the matter is that, by begin- Joe Gromelski, Managing Editor for Digital conflict that will continue in Afghanistan. The U.S. choice came with costs attached ning the campaign in Afghanistan in 2001 [email protected] It is true that the president had no good to each decision. With staying, the cost was and overthrowing the Taliban, who were choice on Afghanistan, and that he inherit- potential U.S. troop casualties and a fear then engaged in their draconian rule, and BUREAU STAFF ed a bad deal from his predecessor. But in that things would not change on the ground. installing a new government, we began a announcing an unconditional withdrawal, With leaving comes the cost of a deeper con- new phase of the Afghan conflict — one that Europe/Mideast he made the situation worse by throwing flict in Afghanistan and a backsliding of pitted the Kabul government and the Unit- Erik Slavin, Europe & Mideast Bureau Chief [email protected] out the minimal conditions U.S. special en- progress made there over the past two dec- ed States against the Taliban insurgency. +49(0)631.3615.9350; DSN (314)583.9350 voy Zalmay Khalilzad had negotiated under ades. In many ways, the costs of staying The Afghan people did not have a say in the Pacific the Trump administration. seem shorter-term and borne by the United matter. That we are leaving Afghan women, Aaron Kidd, Pacific Bureau Chief The refrain from the Biden administra- States, while the costs of leaving will be pre- children and youth better off in many ways [email protected] tion is that the United States is not abandon- dominantly borne by Afghans over a longer after 20 years is due to us, and we should be +81.42.552.2511 ext. 88380; DSN (315)227.7380 ing Afghanistan, that it will aim to do right time horizon. Yet, even if those costs seem proud of that. But that we are leaving them Washington by Afghan women and girls, and that it will remote now, history tells us that they will be mired in a bloody conflict is also due to us, Joseph Cacchioli, Washington Bureau Chief try to nudge the Taliban and Kabul toward a blamed on the United States. because we could not hold off the Taliban [email protected] peace deal using a diplomatic tool kit. But Biden, as the Economist put it, seems to insurgency, and we must reckon publicly (+1)(202)886-0033 Brian Bowers, Assistant Managing Editor, News the narrative ignores much of the reality on have “little time for a losing cause.” His de- with that. [email protected] the ground. On May 8, at least 90 people, cision also reflects his administration’s for- If this is an administration that takes U.S. many of them schoolgirls, were killed in a eign policy for the American middle-class leadership seriously — and I think it is — it CIRCULATION horrific terrorist attack outside a high paradigm, which focuses on domestic con- should do away with the simple narrative it Mideast school in Kabul. The Taliban denied re- siderations over international ones (and is has presented thus far, and reckon with our Robert Reismann, Mideast Circulation Manager sponsibility but have increased attacks this so different from Trump’s “America role and responsibility in this latest itera- [email protected] across Afghanistan. The fighting between First”?). The irony, though, is that the tion of the Afghan conflict. Far from making [email protected] the Afghan security forces and the Taliban American middle class largely doesn’t care us appear weak, such honesty would garner DSN (314)583-9111 has intensified in various cities; in other dis- about Afghanistan — their ambivalence the United States respect and credibility on Europe trict centers, Afghan forces have surren- gave way to support for this decision once it the world stage. Karen Lewis, Community Engagement Manager dered to the Taliban. was announced, but it wouldn’t be hard to [email protected] [email protected] Meanwhile, the Taliban have repeatedly visualize the public approving of a scenario +49(0)631.3615.9090; DSN (314)583.9090 Madiha Afzal is a David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings refused to come to the administration’s pro- that kept a couple thousand troops there for Institution and the author of “Pakistan Under Siege: Extremism, Pacific posed Istanbul conference on Afghanistan a while longer. Society, and the State.” Mari Mori, [email protected] +81-3 6385.3171; DSN (315)227.7333 CONTACT US The world should learn from India’s COVID cataclysm Washington BY MIHIR SWARUP SHARMA have built vast genome sequencing capacity resources and prescribe the right therapies. tel: (+1)202.886.0003 633 3rd St. NW, Suite 116, Washington, DC 20001-3050 Bloomberg Opinion will have to dedicate some of it to tracking Finally, and most importantly, all nations Reader letters n cities at least, India’s nightmarish sec- samples from other parts of the world. should now understand that vaccines work ond wave of COVID-19 finally seems to Emerging nations also need to learn the and that interfering with their supply is dan- [email protected] be ebbing. Delhi has brought its test right lessons about limited health care capac- gerous. The Indian government has argued Additional contacts positivity rate below 2% for the first ity. The tragic scramble in cities such as Delhi that “if just one country shuts down raw mate- stripes.com/contactus I time in two months. The pandemic’s scars for hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and med- rial production, the entire supply chain breaks won’t be easily erased, however — and they icines need not be replicated elsewhere. Indi- down.” Even the locally made Covaxin vac- OMBUDSMAN should be a warning to other developing na- an states that established triage systems — cine from Bharat Biotech International Ltd. Ernie Gates tions. Those countries must learn from India’s telling those with symptoms whether they uses 360 ingredients from 10 countries — 200 The Stars and Stripes ombudsman protects the free flow experience if they don’t want to repeat it. should go to a hospital or a care center, and of them from the U.S. Countries such as the of news and information, reporting any attempts by the The first and most obvious lesson is to avoid which ones had beds free — managed the U.S. and U.K., which have subverted supply military or other authorities to undermine the newspaper’s independence. The ombudsman also responds to concerns overconfidence. A relatively small change in pressure on their creaky public health ma- chains to prioritize their own needs, have a lot and questions from readers, and monitors coverage for how transmissible the coronavirus is can have chinery better than others. Local authorities to answer for. fairness, accuracy, timeliness and balance. The ombudsman welcomes comments from readers, and can be contacted by large, non-linear effects on how fast it spreads. should make plans to set up similar systems in Meanwhile, Indian manufacturers’ shift to email at [email protected], or by phone at That means strategies that kept the pandemic their countries, including by phone and on- supplying huge domestic needs first has 202.886.0003. at bay in 2020 won’t necessarily work in 2021. line. meant that vulnerable countries in the rest of Stars and Stripes (USPS 0417900) is published week- As new variants emerge, health authorities Doctors now have a wealth of data about the emerging world are waiting too long for days (except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) for 50 cents Monday might need to lock down more firmly and in a which therapeutic treatments are most effec- their shots. International cooperation over the through Thursday and for $1 on Friday by Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. Periodicals more targeted fashion to remain safe. tive and which shouldn’t be tried. Patients’ next weeks and months must focus on ensur- postage paid at San Francisco, CA, Postmaster: Send To do so, they’ll also need to test more wide- families spent sleepless nights trying to get ing that the vaccine supply chain is repaired, address changes to Pacific Stars and Stripes, Unit 45002, APO AP 96301-5002. This newspaper is authorized by the ly and perform more genomic sequencing so hold of convalescent plasma or drugs such as export bans end, more manufacturing capac- Department of Defense for members of the military services that they can track which variants are spread- remdesivir before the Indian health establish- ity is created and the existing stock of vaccines overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views ing in the population and where. This won’t be ment eventually admitted they were largely is shared more equitably. of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government. As a DOD newspa- per, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official easy. Even India, with an extensive scientific ineffective and dropped them from treatment What happened in India could happen any- channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to establishment, ranks 102nd in the world in the protocols. High-flow oxygen therapy was where. But it need not if India’s government, remote locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. The appearance of advertising in this publication does proportion of reported cases sequenced. Oth- overused, leading not just to a shortage of its peers in the emerging world and the not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or er emerging nations will struggle even more. medical oxygen but to some extremely nasty world’s richer nations learn the right lessons, Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised shall be made available for Richer nations should help. As a recent pa- additional diseases. work together — and show a little humility purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, per in Science pointed out, there are signifi- Similarly, other governments know now about this awful disease. religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of cant legal barriers to sharing of samples and that when the curve starts steepening, a new the purchaser, user or patron. data internationally. These need to be ad- variant is detected or test positivity rises Mihir Swarup Sharma is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a © Stars and Stripes 2021 senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi dressed so virus samples can move across bor- above danger levels, they should swiftly estab- and head of its Economy and Growth Programme. He is the stripes.com ders quickly. Countries such as the U.K. that lish a centralized task force to allocate hospital author of “Restart: The Last Chance for the Indian Economy.” Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 41 SCOREBOARD/COLLEGE BASKETBALL

PRO BASKETBALL PRO SOCCER DEALS

WNBA MLS LA Galaxy 1, San Jose 0 Wednesday’s transactions D.C. United 3, Miami 0 BASEBALL EASTERN CONFERENCE Sporting Kansas City 3, Houston 2 Coach K EASTERN CONFERENCE Major League Baseball Colorado 3, FC Dallas 0 WLPct GB American League WLTPts GF GA Minnesota 1, Real Salt Lake 1, tie BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Optioned RF Tyl- Connecticut 7 2 .778 — Sunday, May 30 er Nevin to Norfolk (Triple-A East). Re- New England 5 1 2 17 11 7 New York 5 2 .714 1 called LHP Zac Lowther from Norfolk. Philadelphia 4 2 2 14 9 5 Philadelphia 3, Portland 0 LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Purchased the Atlanta 4 2 .667 1½ Austin FC 0, Seattle 0, tie Orlando City 3 1 3 12 8 4 contract of RHP Jake Petricka from High retiring Washington 2 4 .333 3½ Saturday, June 12 Point (Atlantic League). Reassigned RHP NYCFC 3 2 2 11 13 7 Jake Petricka to Salt Lake (Triple-A West). Chicago 2 5 .286 4 Austin FC at Sporting Kansas City CF Montréal 3 3 2 11 10 9 MINNESOTA TWINS — Placed C Mitch Indiana 1 8 .111 6 Garver on the 10-day IL and OF Rob Ref- Columbus 3 2 2 11 7 6 NWSL snyder on the 7-day IL, retroactive to June WESTERN CONFERENCE Nashville 2 0 5 11 9 6 1. WLTPts GF GA Atlanta 2 1 4 10 9 7 NEW YORK YANKEES — Optioned 1B WLPct GB Mike Ford to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Tri- after one New York 3 4 0 9 10 10 Orlando 3 0 1 10 6 3 ple-A East). Recalled RHP Brooks Kriske Seattle 6 1 .857 — D.C. United 3 5 0 9 8 11 Washington 2 1 1 7 4 4 from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Las Vegas 5 3 .625 1½ Inter Miami CF 2 4 2 8 8 13 Portland 2 2 0 6 8 4 SEATTLE MARINERS — Outrighted INF Er- ic Campbell to Tacoma (Triple-A West) af- Phoenix 4 3 .571 2 Toronto FC 1 4 2 5 8 12 North Carolina 1 1 1 4 6 2 ter clearing waivers. Recalled RHP Robert Los Angeles 2 3 .400 3 Chicago 1 5 1 4 4 11 Reign FC 1 1 1 4 2 2 Dugger from Tacoma (Triple-A West). Placed RHP Justin Dunn on the 10-day IL, final year Dallas 2 4 .333 3½ Cincinnati 1 4 1 4 6 15 Gotham FC 1 1 1 4 1 1 retroactive to June 1. Minnesota 1 4 .200 4 Houston 1 2 1 4 5 6 WESTERN CONFERENCE TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed RHP A.J. BY AARON BEARD Cole on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May Tuesday’s games Louisville 1 1 1 4 2 5 WLTPts GF GA 30. Recalled RHP Jeremy Beasley from Buf- Associated Press Connecticut 74, Las Vegas 67 Chicago 1 2 1 4 3 7 falo (Triple-A East) and will be active for Dallas 79, Los Angeles 69 Seattle 5 0 3 18 14 3 Kansas City 0 2 2 2 2 5 tonight’s game. Mike Krzyzewski will make a fi- National League Phoenix 84, Chicago 83 Sporting KC 5 2 1 16 15 10 Note: Three points for victory, one point nal run at a national championship Seattle 88, Indiana 73 for tie. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Designat- LA Galaxy 5 2 0 15 11 11 ed 2B Domingo Leyba for assignment. Ac- Wednesday’s games with Duke. Colorado 4 2 1 13 12 8 Wednesday, May 26 quired 3B Ildemaro Vargas from Pitts- No games scheduled. burgh for cash considerations. The Hall of Famer and winnin- Houston 3 3 2 11 11 12 Orlando 2, Portland 1 Thursday’s games Chicago 2, Kansas City 0 ATLANTA BRAVES — Optioned CF Cris- gest coach in the history of Divi- San Jose 3 5 0 9 11 12 Washington 2, Houston 1 tian Pache to Gwinnett (Triple-A East). Las Vegas at New York Portland 3 4 0 9 9 11 MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Optioned RHP sion I men's basketball announced Chicago at Phoenix Friday, May 28 Alec Bettinger to Nashville (Triple-A East). Indiana at Los Angeles Real Salt Lake 2 1 3 9 9 7 North Carolina 5, Louisville 0 WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Recalled Wednesday that next season will Friday’s games LAFC 2 3 2 8 8 9 RHP Kyle McGowin from Rochester (Tri- Saturday, May 29 ple-A East). Placed RHP Stephen Stras- be his last with Atlanta at Minnesota Vancouver 2 4 1 7 6 9 Houston 2, Chicago 1 burg on the 10-day IL. Dallas at Seattle Austin FC 2 4 1 7 5 8 BASKETBALL the Blue Devils Sunday, May 30 Saturday’s games Minnesota 2 4 1 7 6 11 National Basketball Association program he has Portland 1, Gotham FC 0 DETROIT PISTONS — Named John Beilein Las Vegas at Washington FC Dallas 1 3 3 6 8 11 senior advisor/player development. built into one of Chicago at Los Angeles Orlando 1, Kansas City 0 Note: Three points for victory, one point Washington 1, Reign FC 0 Women’s National Basketball New York at Connecticut Association college basket- for tie. Saturday’s games Saturday, May 29 DALLAS WINGS — Waived F Kristine An- ball's blue- COLLEGE GOLF North Carolina at Chicago giwe. Traded the contract of G Dana Evans CF Montréal 1, Chicago 0 Reign FC at Gotham FC to Chicago in exchange for a 2022 third bloods. The NCAA Men’s Championships New York 2, Orlando City 1 Louisville at Portland round draft pick, the right to swap 2022 New England 1, Cincinnati 0 first-round draft picks, and the contract of school also At Grayhawk Golf Club Columbus 2, Toronto FC 1 Sunday’s games G Shyla Heal. named former Scottsdale, Ariz. Nashville 2, Atlanta 2, tie Orlando at Washington CHICAGO SKY — Waived G Stephanie Krzyzewski Yardage: 7,289; Par: 70 New York City FC 2, Los Angeles FC 1 Houston at Kansas City Watts. Announced G Lexie Brown granted Duke player and Wednesday a hardship release. Championship PRO GOLF FOOTBALL associate head coach Jon Scheyer Pepperdine 3, Oklahoma 2 National Football League as Krzyzewski's successor for the Jonathan Brightwell, Oklahoma, def. Dy- BALTIMORE RAVENS — Waived DT Brax- lan Menante, Pepperdine, 1 up. World rankings 5. Xander Schauffele 6.81 ton Hoyett. Signed DT Jovan Swann. 2022-23 season. Joe Highsmith, Pepperdine, def. Garett 6. Collin Morikawa 6.79 Placed DT Xavier Kelly and WR Donte Sy- lencieux on Injured Reserve. “My family and I view today as a Reband, Oklahoma, 4 and 3. Through May 30 7. Brooks Koepka 6.16 CAROLINA PANTHERS — Waived QB Clay Feagler, Pepperdine, def. Ben Lo- 1. Dustin Johnson 9.98 celebration,” Krzyzewski said in a renz, Oklahoma, 1 up. 8. Rory McIlroy 5.97 Tommy Stevens. Signed WR C.J. Saunders. Logan McAllister, Oklahoma, def. Joey 2. Justin Thomas 8.34 9. Patrick Reed 5.94 CHICAGO BEARS — Signed OL Larry Bo- statement released Wednesday Vrzich, Pepperdine, 1 up. rom, DB Thomas Graham Jr., RB Khalil 3. Jon Rahm 8.21 10. Tyrrell Hatton 5.80 Herbert, WR Dazz Newsome and DL Khyi- evening. William Mouw, Pepperdine, def. Quade 4. Bryson DeChambeau 6.98 11. Webb Simpson 5.45 ris Tonga. Cummins, Oklahoma, 4 and 3. CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed DE Jo- Stadium first reported news of seph Ossai. Signed WR Ja’Marr Chase to a the 74-year-old Krzyzewski's final TENNIS four-year contract. Placed LS Dan Godsil on the reserve/retired list. season with Duke, which he has French Open helina Kalinina, Ukraine, 6-0, 6-2. tina-Andreea Mitu, Romania, def. CoCo DETROIT LIONS — Waived DT John At- led to five national champion- Victoria Azarenka (15), Belarus, def. Cla- Vandeweghe, United States, and Alicja Ro- kins. Wednesday ra Tauson, Denmark, 7-5, 6-4. solska, Poland, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed CB Eric ships, most recently in 2015. He At Stade Roland Garros Madison Keys (23), United States, def. Kveta Peschke, Czech Republic, and Vi- Stokes to a four-year contract. Paris Leylah Annie Fernandez, Canada, 6-1, 7-5. vian Heisen, Germany, def. Hayley Carter, LOS ANGELES RAMS — Signed CB Robert has 1,170 career wins going back to Rochell and DB Daylan Lake. Purse: Euro 16,404,509 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (31), Russia, United States, and Astra Sharma, Austra- his time at Army, with 1,097 wins def. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, 6-2, 6-3. lia, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed CB Tye Surface: Red clay Smith to a one-year contract. Men’s Singles Serena Williams (7), United States, def. Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula, coming during 41 years with the Mihaela Buzarnescu, Romania, 6-3, 5-7, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Placed C West- Second Round United States, def. Jasmine Paolini, Italy, on Richburg on the reserve/retired list. Blue Devils and their frantic fans Alexander Zverev (6), Germany, def. Ro- 6-1. and Nina Stojanovic, Serbia, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Aryna Sabalenka (3), Belarus, def. Aliak- Signed LB James Burgess and TE Mycole man Safiullin, Russia, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (1). Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, and Elise Mertens Pruitt. who have made playing at famous- Casper Ruud (15), Norway, def. Kamil sandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 7-5, 6-3. (1), Belgium, def. Elixane Lechemia and El- SOCCER Elena Rybakina (21), Kazakhstan, def. Majchrzak, Poland, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. sa Jacquemot, France, 6-2, 6-3. Major League Soccer ly hostile Cameron Indoor Stadi- Nao Hibino, Japan, 6-3, 6-1. Raluca-Ioana Olaru, Romania, and Nadi- Federico Delbonis, Argentina, def. Pablo Men’s Doubles MINNESOTA UNITED FC — Loaned F Fos- Andujar, Spain, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. ia Kichenok (16), Ukraine, def. Arina Rodio- um so difficult. First Round nova, Australia, and Lyudmyla Kichenok, ter Langsdorf to Tampa Bay (USL Cham- Laslo Djere, Serbia, def. Miomir Kecma- pionship). Loaned D Callum Montgomery Now Krzyzewski will take a fi- novic, Serbia, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Dominik Koepfer, Germany, and Emil Ru- Ukraine, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. usuvuori, Finland, def. Aljaz Bedene, Slov- Arantxa Rus, Netherlands, and Tamara to San Diego (USL Championship). Henri Laaksonen, Switzerland, def. Ro- VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC — Acquired nal lap — “The Last Ride," as the berto Bautista Agut (11), Spain, 6-3, 2-6, enia, and Jackson Withrow, United States, Zidansek, Slovenia, def. Rebecca Peterson 6-1, 6-4. and Cornelia Lister, Sweden, 6-3, 6-0. F Brian Hand from New York Red Bulls in 6-3, 6-2. exchange for $400,000 general allocation program billed it in a social-media Fabio Fognini (27), Italy, def. Marton Fuc- Hugo Nys, Monaco, and Tim Puetz, Ger- Zheng Saisai, China, and Ellen Perez many, def. Adrian Mannarino and Quentin (13), Australia, def. Venus Williams and money, pending the receipt of his interna- post — around the Atlantic Coast sovics, Hungary, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 6-2. tional transfer certificate and visa. Halys, France, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Coco Gauff, United States, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3. U.S. Soccer Federation Conference and the sport where John Isner (31), United States, def. Filip Chloe Paquet and Clara Burel, France, Krajinovic, Serbia, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 7-6 (5). Oliver Marach, Austria, and Aisam-ul- Haq Qureshi, Pakistan, def. Santiago Gon- def. Renata Voracova, Czech Republic, U.S. SOCCER FEDERATION — Named Pin- he has piled up an incredible run Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Spain, def. zalez, Mexico, and Marcelo Demoliner, and Miyu Kato, Japan, 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. ky Raina chief operating officer. Botic van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, 6-4, Brazil, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Magda Linette, Poland, and Bernarda COLLEGE of success before handing off to 6-4, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4. Luke Saville and Max Purcell, Australia, Pera, United States, def. Alexa Guarachi CHARLESTON SOUTHERN — Promoted Kei Nishikori, Japan, def. Karen Khacha- def. Albano Olivetti and Gregoire Barrere, Mathison, Chile, and Desirae Krawczyk Thomas Butters to men’s basketball asso- Scheyer, currently 33. nov (23), Russia, 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. France, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (10). (5), United States, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3. ciate head coach. “He is clearly ready for this op- Stefanos Tsitsipas (5), Greece, def. Pe- Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen (14), Bel- Sharon Fichman, Canada, and Giuliana CHATTANOOGA — Named Tyrus Ward dro Martinez, Spain, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. gium, def. Andrea Vavassori and Lorenzo Olmos (9), Mexico, def. Heather Watson, defensive backs coach. portunity and has shown it repeat- Reilly Opelka (32), United States, def. Sonego, Italy, 6-4, 6-4. Britain, and Anna Blinkova, Russia, 6-3, 6-2. PENN — Named Alanna Shanahan direc- Jaume Munar, Spain, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. Robin Haase, Netherlands, and Jan-Len- Kristyna Pliskova and Karolina Pliskova, tor of athletics and recreation. edly throughout his playing ca- Marcos Giron, United States, def. Guido nard Struff, Germany, def. Matthew Ebden Czech Republic, def. Aleksandra Krunic, reer and as a coach on our staff the Pella, Argentina, 7-6 (2), 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-4. and John-Patrick Smith, Australia, 6-3, 6-4. Serbia, and Martina Trevisan, Italy, 6-0, COLLEGE SOFTBALL Pablo Carreno Busta (12), Spain, def. En- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Dan Added, 6-1. past eight seasons,” Krzyzewski zo Couacaud, France, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. France, def. Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Spain, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Sinia- NCAA Division I World Series Cristian Garin (22), Chile, def. Mackenzie and Ricardas Berankis, Lithuania, 7-6 (1), kova (2), Czech Republic, def. Amandine said. “Jon is a rising star in our McDonald, United States, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2. Hesse and Harmony Tan, France, 6-3, 6-2. At USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium 6-3, 8-6. Raven Klaasen, South Africa, and Ben Zhang Shuai and Xu Yifan (8), China, def. Oklahoma City profession and Duke basketball Steve Johnson, United States, def. Thia- Mclachlan (15), Japan, def. Lucas Pouille Alexandra Panova, Russia, and Viktorija Double Elimination; x-if necessary could not be in better hands in the go Monteiro, Brazil, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (2), 3-6, and Mathias Bourgue, France, 6-3, 6-2. Golubic, Switzerland, 6-4, 6-4. Thursday, June 3 6-3. Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herb- Zarina Diyas, Kazakhstan, and Varvara Oklahoma vs. James Madison future.” Daniil Medvedev (2), Russia, def. Tommy ert (6), France, def. Jonny O’Mara and Gracheva, Russia, def. Sabrina Santama- Oklahoma St. vs. Georgia Paul, United States, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. Cameron Norrie, Britain, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. ria and Kaitlyn Christian, United States, Alabama vs. Arizona Krzyzewski has led the Blue Women’s Singles Jonathan Erlich, Israel, and Lloyd Harris, 6-3, 7-5. UCLA vs. Florida St. Devils to 12 Final Four appearanc- Second Round South Africa, def. Diego Schwartzman and Lucie Hradecka, Czech Republic, and Friday, June 4 Ana Bogdan, Romania, def. Naomi Osa- Federico Coria, Argentina, 6-1, 6-2. Laura Siegemund (10), Germany, def. Lau- Oklahoma-James Madison winner vs. es and a record 15 ACC Tourna- ka (2), Japan, walkover. Yen-hsun Lu, Taiwan, and Yoshihito ren Davis, United States, and Ankita Raina, Oklahoma St.-Georgia winner Tamara Zidansek, Slovenia, def. Madi- Nishioka, Japan, def. Julian Knowle, Aus- India, 6-4, 6-4. Alabama-Arizona winner vs. UCLA-Flor- ment championships, while his son Brengle, United States, 6-4, 6-1. tria, and David Pel, Netherlands, 6-4, 6-1. Petra Martic, Croatia, and Shelby Rog- ida St. winner teams have spent a record 126 Daria Kasatkina, Russia, def. Belinda Matt Reid and Alex de Minaur, Australia, ers, United States, def. Vera Zvonareva, Saturday, June 5 Bencic (10), Switzerland, 6-2, 6-2. def. Divij Sharan, India, and Federico Del- Russia, and Timea Babos (7), Hungary, 7-6 Oklahoma-James Madison loser vs. Ok- weeks ranked at No. 1 in the AP Marketa Vondrousova (20), Czech Re- bonis, Argentina, 3-6, 7-6 (11), 6-4. (5), 6-3. lahoma St.-Georgia loser public, def. Harmony Tan, France, 6-1, 6-3. Nikola Cacic, Serbia, and Tomislav Brkic, Zhaoxuan Yang, China, and Makoto Ni- Alabama-Arizona loser vs. UCLA-Florida men's college basketball poll. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, def. Martina Bosnia-Herzegovina, def. Jordan Thomp- nomiya, Japan, def. Sara Sorribes Tormo, St. loser Trevisan, Italy, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. son and Alexei Popyrin, Australia, 7-5, 6-7 Spain, and Marie Bouzkova, Czech Repub- Sunday, June 6 Hired at Duke in March 1980, Katerina Siniakova, Czech Republic, def. (4), 6-3. lic, 6-2, 6-2. Teams TBD “Coach K” won national cham- Veronika Kudermetova (29), Russia, 7-6 Women’s Doubles Nicole Melichar, United States, and Championship Series (7), 5-7, 7-5. First Round Demi Schuurs (3), Netherlands, def. Mar- Monday, June 7 pionships in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 Polona Hercog, Slovenia, def. Caroline Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, got Yerolymos and Diane Parry, France, Teams TBD Garcia, France, 7-5, 6-4. and Iga Swiatek (14), Poland, def. Aubane 7-5, 6-4. Tuesday, June 8 and 2015. He broke Army mentor Paula Badosa, Spain, def. Danka Kovinic, Droguet and Selena Janicijevic, France, Anastasia Potapova, Russia, and Aman- Teams TBD Bob Knight's career victory re- Montenegro, 6-2, 6-0. 6-0, 6-1. da Anisimova, United States, def. Oceane Wednesday, June 9 Danielle Collins, United States, def. An- Yulia Putintseva, Kazakhstan, and Cris- Dodin and Salma Djoubri, France, 6-2, 6-3. Teams TBD cord in November 2011. PAGE 42 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 NHL PLAYOFFS

Rantanen puts Canadiens’ Avalanche up 2-0 with OT winner win marred Associated Press DENVER — Mikko Rantanen found himself in the middle of an on-ice swarm from team- mates after scoring the winner. by late hit Wonderful and all, but he wanted to make sure the real star of the show received his fair Associated Press share of the credit, too — goaltender Philipp WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Jesperi Kot- Grubauer. kaniemi and Eric Staal scored early goals Rantanen scored a power-play goal 2:07 into and Montreal beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 overtime, Grubauer outdueled fellow Vezina on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the sec- Trophy finalist Marc-Andre Fleury and the ond-round series, a victory tempered by a Colorado Avalanche beat the Vegas Golden scary late-game hit on Canadiens center Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 Jake Evans. lead in their second-round playoff series. Playing on his 25th birthday, Evans was “Grubi bailed us out today. He had a really, taken off the ice on a stretcher with 57 really good game,” Rantanen said. “He's basi- seconds left after being crushed in the cally the reason why we got to OT.” head and shoulder area by Jets center Rantanen was the reason it ended in quick Mark Scheifele an instant after tucking in fashion. He took a cross-ice pass from Nathan an empty-net goal. MacKinnon and sent a liner over the shoulder Evans chased down the puck behind the of Fleury to set off a celebration in front of a net, tightly circled back around the goal JOHN WOODS/AP boisterous crowd. The goal came with Reilly cage and scored just before Scheifele’s The Canadiens’ Jake Evans, lower right, is protected as he lies motionless on the ice Smith in the penalty box for slashing Ranta- sent him crashing to the ice. after getting hit by the Jets’ Mark Scheifele during the third period of Game 1 of their nen. second­round playoff series Wednesday, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Scheifele was given a major for charg- “Not our best game, but still found a way,” ing and a game misconduct. Rantanen said. "That’s what we’ve been doing Montreal interim coach Dominique Du- “If (Scheifele) gets back in the “No respect for the other players out the whole year. Sometimes we haven’t been charme called the hit “vicious“ and “use- there,” he said. “I’m not saying anything feeling it and Grubi’s been awesome and steal- less,” and said Evans had not yet been series, we’re going to make more than that.” ing some wins for us — like today. That’s what taken to a hospital. his life miserable, but I think Kotkaniemi bumped fists with Evans as you need if you want to win the Cup.” “No, he’s still here, he’s being evaluat- he was being wheeled off the ice. It was Rantanen’s second career overtime ed,” Ducharme said. “He’s doing better, the league’s going to do a “Just seeing him moving after a thing winner in the playoffs. The first came in a but before I came here he was still being good job with that.” like that, it’s huge,” Kotkaniemi said. Game 5 victory over Calgary on April 17, 2019, evaluated.” Joel Edmundson “Even getting the fist bump, you know, it’s in a first-round series. In 2018 during a Canadiens’ rookie Canadiens defenseman, on Jets center Mark Scheifele great to see that. I’m feeling much easier The Golden Knights weren't pleased with showdown game, Evans was hit and taken now just knowing he’s OK.” the slashing call. off the ice on a stretcher to a hospital and Forbort and Kyle Connor scored for Win- Jets coach Paul Maurice acknowledged “Just a soft call,” Vegas coach Pete DeBoer then put in concussion protocol. nipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 28 it was a big hit by Scheifele. said. “I can’t even blame the refs. Because Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is shots. “Well, hopefully the young man is going they’re fighting the embellishment of grabbing Friday night in Winnipeg. Fans were allowed inside Bell MTS to be all right,” Maurice said. “It’s a your face, or falling down, or dropping your “It was a dirty hit, but the league’s go- Place for the first time this season. The heavy, heavy hit. There’s no doubt about stick every period. I can’t even blame the refer- ing to take care of it,” Canadiens defense- Manitoba government allowed 500 fully that. I’m sure the league will have its opin- ee on it. They fooled them on it.” man Joel Edmundson said. “If he gets vaccinated health-care workers to attend. ion.” Brandon Saad and Tyson Jost also scored for back in the series, we’re going to make his It was Winnipeg’s first game since May Jets captain Blake Wheeler expressed the Avalanche, who’ve won six in a row to start life miserable, but I think the league’s go- 24, when it swept the Edmonton Oilers. concern about Evans. the postseason, tying the franchise mark set in ing to do a good job with that.” Montreal overcame a 3-1 series deficit “Just hope he’s OK,” Wheeler said. “I 1987 when the team was based in Quebec. Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher al- and eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs mean, that’s it. Really, that’s all. That’s the Grubauer had 39 saves in becoming the first so scored for Montreal, Edmundson and on Monday night in Game 7. concern. It’s never good to see a guy on goaltender in franchise history to pick up six Jeff Petry each had two assists and Carey Kotkaniemi described the hit on Evans the ice for that amount of time and the straight victories to start a postseason. Price made 27 saves. Adam Lowry, Derek as “disgusting.” stretcher out is scary.” “It’s really important,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of having a goaltending who Scoreboard can steal games in the playoffs. “I thought his Clutch: Captains leading the way performance was exceptional.” Alec Martinez and Smith had goals for the Second round FROM PAGE 48 er,” teammate Andre Burakovsky said. “He’s Golden Knights, who controlled large portions

(Best-of-seven; x-if necessary) ously a key part,” Islanders forward Mathew huge for this team.” of the action after two full days off following a Barzal said of Lee. “He’s been doing every- Staal was huge for the Hurricanes beyond 7-1 loss in Game 1. A fresh Fleury provided a Tampa Bay 2, Carolina 0 Tampa Bay 2, Carolina 1 thing he can on the sidelines to be a great team- his OT heroics against the Predators, showing big boost. He didn’t play in the series opener Tampa Bay 2, Carolina 1 mate and great captain on the outside.” the same leadership tendencies of brother Er- after a grueling seven-game series with Min- Thursday: at Tampa Bay Saturday: at Tampa Bay Stamkos knows all about that after becoming ic, who was the franchise’s captain from 2009- nesota. Fleury stopped 22 shots. x-Tuesday, June 8: at Carolina x-Thursday, June 10: at Tampa Bay the first captain in more than 50 years to hoist 2016. x-Saturday, June 12: at Carolina the Cup after not playing in the final game. Lee “When you have a guy like that as your lead- Boston 1, N.Y. Islanders 1 could join that rare company if New York wins er who does it each and every shift, doesn’t take Boston 5, N.Y. Islanders 2 N.Y. Islanders 4, Boston 3, OT its first title since 1983. any shifts off, it’s easy for the other guys to look Thursday: at N.Y. Islanders Saturday: at N.Y. Islanders The rest of the captains who are playing are at that and react the same way,” GM Don Wad- Monday: at Boston making good on the sports cliché of leading by dell said. x-Wednesday, June 9: at N.Y. Islanders x-Friday, June 11: at Boston example. That’s Bergeron, too. He succeeded Zdeno Montreal 1, Winnipeg 0 Nowhere is that more true than Colorado. At Chara as captain when the defensemen left for Wednesday: Montreal 5, Winnipeg 3 19 years and 286 days, Landeskog became the Washington, and it’s easy to forget Bergeron Friday: at Winnipeg Sunday: at Montreal youngest captain in NHL history in 2012, and in didn’t have the “C” on his chest the entire time. Monday: at Montreal x-Wednesday, June 9: at Winnipeg his ninth season with the “C,” he took excep- “He plays a game that you need to play to x-Friday, June 11: at Montreal tion to a hit from Blues forward Brayden win,” linemate Brad Marchand said. “We love x-Sunday, June 13: at Winnipeg Colorado 2, Vegas 0 Schenn on linemate Mikko Rantanen in the when he scores some big goals and he does it a Colorado 7, Vegas 1 Avalanche’s playoff opener and set the tone for lot, but his game is measured a lot more by the JACK DEMPSEY/AP Wednesday: Colorado 3, Vegas 2 Friday: at Vegas the series with a Gordie Howe Hat Trick: a way he plays and his defensive game and two- The Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen, center, is Sunday: at Vegas goal, an assist and a fight. way game and his responsibility, so don’t let congratulated by teammates after scoring in x-Tuesday, June 8: at Colorado x-Thursday, June 10: at Vegas “The way he played, the way he showed up that get lost with the goals that he scores. But overtime of Game 2 against the Vegas Golden x-Saturday, June 12: at Colorado for every game, that’s a sign of a real true lead- we love when he does that, too.” Knights on Wednesday in Denver. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 43 NBA PLAYOFFS

Scoreboard

First Round Hawks, Young soar into second round (Best­of­seven) x­if necessary Eastern Conference BY BRIAN MAHONEY Philadelphia 4,Washington 1 Philadelphia 125, Washington 118 Associated Press Philadelphia 120, Washington 95 Philadelphia 132, Washington 103 NEW YORK — Trae Young was preparing Washington 122, Philadelphia 114 for his first postseason when a message popped Wednesday: Philadelphia 129, Washing­ ton 112 into his phone. Brooklyn 4, Boston 1 Atlanta interim coach Nate McMillan want- Brooklyn 104, Boston 93 Brooklyn 130, Boston 108 ed to tell his point guard that he was built for Boston 125, Brooklyn 119 this time of a year, the kind of praise that can Brooklyn 141, Boston 126 Brooklyn 123, Boston 109 build a young player’s confidence as he heads Milwaukee 4, Miami 0 into unfamiliar territory. Milwaukee 109, Miami 107 (OT) It was a nice gesture. Also, an unnecessary Milwaukee 132, Miami 98 Milwaukee 113, Miami 84 one. Milwaukee 120, Miami 103 “He didn’t tell me nothing I didn’t already Atlanta 4, New York 1 Atlanta 107, New York 105 know,” Young said. “I have confidence in my- New York 101, Atlanta 92 self. I know I’m built for this.” Atlanta 105, New York 94 Atlanta 113, New York 96 His team might be, too. Wednesday: Atlanta 103, New York 89 The Hawks soared into the second round by Western Conference Utah 4, Memphis 1 beating the New York Knicks in five games. At- Memphis 112, Utah 109 lanta wrapped the series up with a 103-89 victo- Utah 141, Memphis 129 Utah 121, Memphis 111 ry on Wednesday night and will play top-seed- Utah 120, Memphis 113 ed Philadelphia in its first appearance in the Wednesday: Utah 126, Memphis 110 Phoenix 3, L.A. Lakers 2 Eastern Conference semifinals since 2016. Phoenix 99, L.A. Lakers 90 Just 14-20 when they fired Lloyd Pierce on L.A. Lakers 109, Phoenix 102 L.A. Lakers 109, Phoenix 95 March 1, the Hawks are 32-12 since. They had Phoenix 100, L.A. Lakers 92 the best record in the East after McMillan took Phoenix 115, L.A. Lakers 85 Thursday: at L.A. Lakers over, and Young said he isn’t satisfied with just x­Saturday: at Phoenix one series victory. Denver 3, Portland 2 Portland 123, Denver 109 “I know what this team is capable of and like Denver 128, Portland 109 I’ve been saying all year, we have a squad and a Denver 120, Portland 115 Portland 115, Denver 95 team that can surprise a lot of people,” Young Denver 147, Portland 140, 2OT WENDELL CRUZ/AP Thursday: at Portland said. “But we’re not going to surprise ourselves x­Saturday: at Denver because we know what we’re capable of.” Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, left, had 36 points and nine assists to help his team beat the Dallas 3, L.A. Clippers 2 The Knicks beat them in all three meetings Knicks 103­89 on Wednesday in New York to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Dallas 113, L.A. Clippers 103 Dallas 127, L.A. Clippers 121 during the regular season and the teams split L.A. Clippers 118, Dallas 108 the first two games of the series in New York. fan in Game 2, he was never rattled by the New Hawks for finding shooters to put around him, L.A. Clippers 106, Dallas 81 Wednesday: Dallas 105, L.A. Clippers 100 But Atlanta dominated from there, winning York crowd. He probably won’t be now by the which keeps the floor spaced for Young’s Friday: at Dallas x­Sunday: at L.A. Clippers each of the last three games by double digits. notoriously tough fans in Philadelphia. drives into the lane and lobs to center Clint Ca- Conference semifinals (Best­of­seven) The key was Young, who averaged 29.2 “Some respond better than others. Some pela or passes to open teammates at the three- x­if necessary points and 9.8 assists in the series. He closed it have different responses. Trae feeds right into point line when defenders close on him. Eastern Conference Milwaukee vs. Brooklyn out with 36 points and nine assists, bowing to it,” Hawks forward John Collins said. “He New York’s defense, which limited teams to Saturday: at Brooklyn Philadelphia vs. Atlanta the crowd that had jeered him in every game wants the pressure. He wants the spotlight. He the fewest points per game and lowest shooting Sunday: at Philadelphia after hitting a three-pointer with under a min- thrives in it.” percentage during the regular season, was Utah vs. L.A. Clippers­Dallas winner, TBD ute to play. Atlanta is much more than just Young. never able to corral Young. Phoenix­L.A. Lakers winner vs. Denver­ Portland winner, TBD Even while cursed at and even spat on by a Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau credited the Now it’s Philadelphia’s turn to try. Without Embiid, 76ers Jazz take care of Grizzlies, eliminate Wizards in 5 turn attention to Round 2 BY TIM REYNOLDS where you’re at, too, because it BY DAN GELSTON Philadelphia. Sixers fans couldn’t Associated Press can get lost in the shuffle of ev- Associated Press wait, chanting “We want Brook- This time, a 3-1 lead didn’t get erything. PHILADELPHIA — Ben Sim- lyn!” as the seconds ticked off in away from the Utah Jazz. “It’s a moment that I’ll enjoy mons challenged Seth Curry dur- Game 5. And now comes the next chal- for the night, and then get ready ing an afternoon “Call of Duty” Embiid gets a few extra days of lenge: The second round of the to play whoever it is next round.” session to score 30 points and send rest. NBA playoffs. The Jazz probably wouldn’t the 76ers into the next round of the With an NBA title still in sight, The NBA’s No. 1 overall seed is mind if that Mavericks-Clippers playoffs. With Joel Embiid hurt, the team will need its injured fran- headed to the Western Confer- series — Dallas prevailed in Los Simmons told Curry he would do chise center — healthy and ready ence semifinals after Donovan Angeles on Wednesday night to his part and get a triple-double. to roll — in the second round Mitchell scored 30 points and the take a 3-2 lead in that matchup, Maybe there’s something to this against Atlanta. MATT SLOCUM/AP Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies one where the road team has won pregame gaming hobby. “Jo’s been huge for us all year. 76ers forward Tobias Harris had 126-110 on Wednesday night to every game — goes the distance, “Clearly Seth listens to Ben so It’s only right we give him as much 28 points in his team’s 129­112 advance. Utah won four consec- if for no other reason that it’ll we’re going to use Ben as a trans- time as he needs to get right and victory Wednesday over the utive contests after dropping give starting point guard Mike lator for Seth from this point for- come back and help us win it all,” Washington Wizards in Game 1, and now awaits the win- Conley more days off. Conley’s ward,” Philadelphia coach Doc Curry said. Philadelphia. ner of the series between Dallas right hamstring was the lone ma- Rivers said. Tobias Harris added 28 points and the Los Angeles Clippers. jor issue for Utah on Wednesday Fire up the console for another and teamed with Curry and Sim- first-round sweep behind them. It felt like forever to Mitchell, night, forcing him to leave the round. mons to carry the offensive load Embiid gave a sneak peek that who hasn’t been to the second game in the first half with what Curry scored a playoff career- with Embiid out. Simmons had 19 the injury suffered in a Game 4 round since his rookie season — the team called soreness. high 30 points and the Sixers beat points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds loss might not keep him out very the 2018 playoffs. Concern is merited. Conley Washington 129-112 on Wednes- to keep top-seeded Philadelphia in long. The NBA MVP candidate “For me, personally, it’s just has been sidelined twice already day night to end the Eastern Con- the hunt for its first championship had the crowd going wild when he something that I wanted to ac- this season by issues involving ference series in five games, over- since 1983. hit the court for pregame war- complish,” Mitchell said. “It’s the same hamstring. coming Embiid’s absence because Embiid is day to day with a mups. He shot jumpers around the not the end goal, but it’s definite- “He’ll get evaluated after the of a knee injury. small lateral meniscus tear in his perimeter, fadeaways, even some ly something to appreciate along game and over the course of the Atlanta awaits after beating right knee and he was reduced to free throws — all without any sort the way. We did what we’re sup- next 24 hours,” Jazz coach Quin New York in Game 5 later the Sixers’ biggest cheerleader as of noticeable knee brace under his posed to do, but at the end of the Snyder said. “We’ll be able to tell Wednesday. Game 1 is Sunday in they put the misery of last season’s white leggings. day you’ve got to appreciate you more then.” PAGE 44 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 NFL/AUTO RACING June arrival gives teams flexibility BY ROB MAADDI leave Atlanta. The Falcons have salary Associated Press cap issues and Jones counts $23 mil- Now that the calendar has turn- lion against it for 2021. Trading him ed to June, NFL teams can trade or now can save Atlanta $15 million. release players and spread the sal- The 32-year-old Jones had 51 recep- ary cap hit over two years instead tions for 771 yards and three touch- of one. downs in nine games last season. He’s That doesn’t mean Aaron Rodg- guaranteed $15.3 million this season ers is going anywhere but the but it’s possible a team looking to ac- Packers couldn’t afford to deal quire him will restructure his deal. him from a financial standpoint Zach Ertz until now. Other star players such The three-time Pro Bowl tight end as Julio Jones and Zach Ertz are said goodbye to Philadelphia in a tear- more likely to be moved. filled news conference after the season, The Philadelphia Eagles al- but Eagles general manager Howie Ro- ready released wide receiver Al- seman hasn’t found an acceptable trade shon Jeffery and defensive tackle offer. Malik Jackson with a post-June 1st The 30-year-old Ertz is coming off his designation and the Minnesota worst season in which he caught just 36 Vikings did the same with tight passes for 335 yards and one TD in 11 /AP end Kyle Rudolph. games. He’s scheduled to earn $8.5 PHOTOS BY NELL REDMOND With the salary cap expected to million this season. NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) leads the pack to start the Coca­Cola 600 last weekend at increase up to $208.2 million in Trading or releasing Ertz would clear Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Larson won the race from the pole position. 2022, teams have more flexibility $8.5 million in cap space for the Eagles to make blockbuster moves now this year. He’d count $4.2 million in that this important date has ar- dead money in 2021 and $3.6 million rived. in 2022. Here’s a look at some players who could be traded or released: Deshaun Watson The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Return to normalcy Aaron Rodgers wanted out of Houston, but his future is The reigning NFL MVP has expressed uncertain after 22 women filed lawsuits his frustration with the Packers, but the alleging Watson sexually assaulted or team has insisted he’s staying in Green harassed them. Houston police and the NASCAR enjoys regular weekend in Charlotte Bay. The Packers would have incurred a NFL are investigating the allegations. BY PETE IACOBELLI $38.4 million dead cap charge in 2021 The Texans would’ve incurred $21.6 Associated Press by trading Rodgers before Tuesday. The million in dead cap money if they traded CONCORD, N.C. Eagles took a record $33.8 million hit Watson before now. That number has ractice, qualifying, happy fans and a Hen- this year when they sent Carson Wentz been reduced to $5.4 million. Still, his drick Motorsports driver winning at Char- to Indianapolis. By waiting to move off-the-field issues must be resolved lotte Motor Speedway: It doesn't get much Rodgers, the Packers would free up first. more normal than that in NASCAR these $22.85 million in salary cap space in “I have nothing to say about Desh- P days. 2021 and another $25.5 million for aun,” Texans coach David Culley said “It just feels like we're back,” car owner Rick Hen- 2022 while clearing the contract off the last week. drick said Sunday night after his newest driver, Kyle books entirely for 2023. Larson, won the Coca-Cola 600 for the team's record- Of course, the club hasn’t reached Russell Wilson setting 269th NASCAR victory. the point it wants to part with the three- The seven-time Pro Bowl quarter- Marcus Smith, CEO and president of Speedway time league MVP. back became the topic of trade specula- “We want him back in the worst tion when he raised questions about Motorsports and general manager of Charlotte Motor NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Newman, left, smiles for a photo with a fan. way,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said whether Seattle was doing enough to Speedway, said he spoke with so many spectators last month during the team’s rookie put a winning product around him, but thrilled to watch a race in person, along with others minicamp. “I know he knows that and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and gen- who loved competing. way on June 13.) we’ll continue to work at it each and ev- eral manager John Schneider squashed “They were thrilled to be back in what feels like a Those with tickets are eager to see what could shape ery day.” those rumors in April. full-speed NASCAR race,” a smiling Smith said. up as a wild summer, with some of the biggest names Seattle would’ve taken a $39 million Slowly but surely in a sport built on speed, NASCAR in the sport trying to break through to victory lane. Julio Jones cap hit by trading Wilson already. The is regaining its pre-pandemic ways. That was evident Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, who combined The seven-time Pro Bowl wide re- amount has been reduced to $13 mil- at Charlotte where the weekend routine looked like it for 16 victories in 2020, have yet to take a checkered ceiver said last week that he’s ready to lion. did before the COVID-19 pandemic called for protec- flag with only 11 races left in the regular season. Ham- tive masks and contact tracing. lin leads in points on the strength of nine top-five fin- There was a familiar feel to qualifying on Saturday. ishes while Harvick sits in ninth place. And then there was the crowd, some 50,000 or so who Kyle Busch, who finished third in the 600, was filled the track. grateful to see people in the seats, even if they weren't “It's just nice to actually qualify the way we used to pulling for the two-time NASCAR Cup Series cham- qualify and have people around," driver Ryan New- pion. man said. “When we first started coming back to these races The protocols shifted earlier this month. Teams fans were at, the boos were back and everything felt were permitted to bring VIPs and sponsors to events like it was getting back to normal,” Busch said. “It’s starting at Darlington Raceway three weeks ago. nice having them, and they enjoy coming back.” Charlotte was given the green light two weeks ago NASCAR shut down in March 2020 along with the by state officials to have as many people as racetrack rest of the sports world due to COVID-19. Some three officials could bring in. That's the case for races later months later, the sport took its first cautious steps — this summer, too. no fans in attendance — with races at Darlington and NASCAR will stage a road race this week at Sono- Charlotte. ma, Calif., that will be limited to 33% of the 47,000-seat Almost a year later, there was little evidence of capacity. masks or that anyone was worried about the coronavi- Nashville Speedway, the next track where practice rus. BRUCE KLUCKHOHN/AP and qualifying is scheduled ahead of a race, is sold out Tents and campers filled the open areas around the Wide receiver Julio Jones is likely on his way out of Atlanta. Jones said for the Ally 400 on June 20. (In between Sonoma and track. The large fan concession area also included a last week he was ready to leave the Falcons. Nashville is the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speed- place for those who wished to get vaccinated. Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 45 FRENCH OPEN/OLYMPICS

OLYMPIC BRIEFS Top-ranked 10,000 volunteers drop 50 days before Olympics The countdown clock for the To- kyo Olympics hit 50-days-to-go on Barty departs Thursday, and the day also brought another problem for the delayed games. About 10,000 of 80,000 unpaid volunteers for the Tokyo Olym- with hip injury pics and Paralympics have told or- ganizers they will not participate when the games open on July 23. 2019 champ trailed 6-1, 2-2 when she had to retire; Organizers said some dropped out because of worries about CO- Djokovic, Federer make it through to third round VID-19. Few volunteers are ex- pected to be vaccinated since most BY SAMUEL PETREQUIN pire Emmanuel Joseph after be- will have no contact with athletes Associated Press ing given a time warning for slow or other key personnel. PARIS — Bothered by a painful play during the second set on Only about 2-3% of Japan’s gen- hip, top-ranked Ash Barty retired Court Philippe Chatrier. eral population has been fully vac- Thursday from her second-round Federer even asked Cilic for his cinated in a very slow rollout that match at the French Open, leaving opinion. is just now speeding up. Converse- the clay-court Grand Slam tourna- “Marin, am I playing too slow?” ly, the IOC expects at least 80% of ment without any of the top three he asked. athletes and residents of the women in the rankings. Cilic suggested he was. Olympic Village to be fully vacci- The 2019 champion trailed 6-1, But after winning in the first nated. 2-2 when she signaled that she round on Monday, Federer spoke “We have not confirmed the in- couldn’t continue against Polish about the strange feeling of having dividual reasons,” organizers said opponent Magda Linette on Court to handle his own towel, because in a statement. “In addition to con- Philippe Chatrier. of coronavirus rules, and how it MICHEL EULER /AP cerns about the coronavirus infec- “I was battling the pain, and it upset his rhythm. He argued the Australia’s Ashleigh Barty waves goodbye as she retires with an injury tion, some dropped out because just became too severe, and like I point to Emmanuel, and to Cilic. as she was playing against Poland’s Magda Linette during their they found it would be difficult to said, was becoming unsafe,” Barty “I understand the rule,” Feder- second round match at the French Open in Paris, France, Thursday. actually work after checking their said of the injury that had flared er protested to Cilic. ”(But) I’m go- work shift, or due to changes in up during training before the tour- ing from one corner to the next the first round — she said she is an ace. Barty then walked to the their own environment.” nament. trying to get my towel. I’m not do- going to take a break from compe- net to shake the 45th-ranked play- Top-ranked Novak Djokovic ing it on purpose.” tition for mental health reasons — er’s hand. Walsh-Jennings’ bid for and Roger Federer, both former Federer, whose 40th birthday is and No. 3 Simona Halep pulled out Already dealing with her hip champions, advanced to the third Aug. 8, hadn’t appeared on the before the tournament began be- problem in the first round, Barty sixth Olympics denied round. Grand Slam stage since Jan. 30, cause of a leg injury. had struggled through a 6-4, 3-6, Three-time beach volleyball Federer beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 2020, when he lost to Djokovic in This is only the third time at any 6-2 win over 70th-ranked Bernar- gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jen- 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2 for his ninth win in the Australian Open semifinals. Grand Slam tournament in the da Pera. nings was defeated in her bid to 10 meetings against the big-serv- They could meet here, since professional era, which began in “We did everything, absolutely reach a sixth Olympics when she ing Croat and fifth in majors. they are in the same side of the 1968, that the top two women’s everything we could, to give my- and partner Brooke Sweat lost in a “I think I played a really good draw along with defending cham- seeds are gone before the third self a chance,” Barty said. “It was qualifying match Wednesday in match, I surprised myself a bit. I pion Rafael Nadal — who is level round. It also happened at the a small miracle that we were able Ostrava, Czech Republic. didn’t think I could play at this lev- all time on 20 major titles with Fe- French Open in 2014 (No. 1 Serena to get on court for that first round. The early-round loss to the el for 2 ½ hours against Marin," derer. Williams and No. 2 Li Na) and the Again, today it was no better and Netherlands means the U.S. pair Federer said. “I still think the level Djokovic made brief work of U.S. Open in 2018 (No. 1 Halep and getting worse again.” could not overtake fellow Ameri- was high, I tried everything and I beating clay-court specialist Pa- No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki). Barty decided not to defend her cans Kelly Claes and Sarah Spon- had some very good moments, no- blo Cuevas 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, saving In the buildup to this year’s title last year because of the coro- cil on the international tour point tably in the tiebreak. I finished by eight of the nine break points he French Open, Barty played 13 navirus pandemic, choosing in- list. Two-time Olympic medalist serving really well. It shows I have faced. The 18-time Grand Slam matches on clay and won 11. She stead to remain home in Australia. April Ross and her partner, Alix something in reserve, I have some champion next plays unseeded posted a record of 27-5 and won After ending a four-match los- Klineman, have already clinched energy left and that’s really good Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis. three singles titles before Roland ing streak on clay in the previous a berth in Tokyo, and there is a for my confidence." Nadal was set to play during the Garros. But she was forced to re- round, 2020 runner-up Sofia Ke- quota of two teams for each coun- The eighth-seeded Federer night session on his 35th birthday, tire in the quarterfinals in Rome in nin advanced to the third round try in each of the women’s and next faces unseeded Dominik with fans having to leave the May because of an injury to her with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Hailey men’s fields. Koepfer. grounds by 9 p.m. because of coro- right arm. She said that injury had Baptiste. “It’s a terrible, terrible feeling,” Federer looked sharp, and navirus rules. healed and did not hamper her in Kenin has had a tough start to Walsh Jennings said after the could even afford to get a little dis- In addition to Barty’s departure, Paris. the season. The 2020 Australian match. tracted, arguing with chair um- No. 2 Naomi Osaka withdrew after “It’s heartbreaking,” Barty Open champion from the United Scioscia ejected as U.S. said. “We have had such a brilliant States underwent an emergency clay-court season, and to kind of appendectomy in Melbourne in baseball advances get a little bit unlucky with timing, February and her record was 7-8 U.S. manager Mike Scioscia more than anything, to have some- entering the clay-court Grand was ejected after Philadelphia thing kind of acute happen over Slam. prospect Luke Williams hit a two- the weekend and just kind of run Coco Gauff is living up to her ca- run triple in a four-run sixth in- out of time against the clock is dis- reer-best ranking at the French ning, and the United States rallied appointing.” Open. to beat the Dominican Republic The Australian started the Ranked 25th at age 17, Gauff ad- 8-6 Tuesday night in Olympic match with her left thigh ban- vanced to the third round by beat- baseball qualifying to advance to daged and it was immediately ing Wang Qiang 6-3, 7-6 (1). Gauff the super round of the Americas clear she could not move properly. earned her first clay-court final tournament. On Wednesday, Seat- Too slow to chase her opponent’s when she beat Wang in Parma, tle Mariners prospects Julio Ro- shots, she struggled in long rallies Italy, less than two weeks ago. driguez and Luis Liberato hit and with her first serve. Gauff has 23 match victories early home runs, and the Domin- Barty called for a medical time- this season and only three women icans coasted to a 13-3 rout of Nic- CHRISTOPHE ENA/AP out at the end of the opening set, have more. She won the girls’ sin- aragua to advance as well. Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates towards the crowd after defeating then briefly left the court for treat- gles title at Roland Garros three Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas in their second round match. ment. She stopped after Linette hit years ago. Associated Press PAGE 46 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 GYMNASTICS Who will be joining Biles, Mikulak on Olympic team?

BY WILL GRAVES The 24-year-old Skinner fig- Skinner vividly remembers Associated Press ured she’d be retired by now. In- knowing who she was competing FORT WORTH, Texas — stead, she found herself training against during the run-up to the World and Olympic champion Si- at Dickies Arena on Wednesday 2016 Rio Olympics. The picture mone Biles can start getting ready alongside the 24-year-old Biles was crowded. Stacked, too, with for Tokyo. Six-time national and 32-year-old world champion 2012 Olympic champion Gabby champion Sam Mikulak, too. and Olympic silver medalist Douglas and three-time Olympic After that, however, the picture Chellsie Memmel. gold medalist Aly Raisman of who will make the U.S. men’s The three “old girls” as Skinner among those vying for one of the AJ MAST / AP and women’s Olympic gymnas- put it are among the 31 women in spots. Simone Biles performs her floor routine during the U.S. Classic in tics teams is murky at best. And the field, the most for the U.S. For Biles, everything through Indianapolis on May 22. Biles is a lock to make the Olympic squad. the athletes who will try to take Championships since 1995. The the U.S. Olympic Trials later this another step toward that goal this decision to push the Tokyo Games month is a warm-up for what life senioritis vibes where every- championship team member, be- week in the U.S. Championships to 2021 allowed a wave of first- awaits in Tokyo. She can afford a thing is just like nostalgic and I’m lieves the Olympic delay leveled know it. year seniors like 16-year-old Skye slip here or there. The others try- just trying to appreciate it as the playing field in a way. With no “I feel like at this point it’s any- Blakely to crash the party. It also ing to join her, not so much. much as I can, because I think for recent history to bank on, every- body’s game,” 2016 Olympic al- opened the door for Memmel to The issue is much the same on so long I haven’t appreciated it one is starting over in a way. ternate MyKayla Skinner said. mount an unlikely comeback. the men’s side, where Mikulak the way it should have been,” “It gives the younger guys Maybe because it is. Throw in the dearth of interna- figures to be a lock to reach his Mikulak said. “Because I’m like, hope, it gives the older guys a The COVID-19 pandemic and tional assignments — usually a third Olympics barring an injury. ‘Oh, I’ll be back next year.’ I’m al- chance to show,” Moldauer said. the one-year postponement of the good barometer of who the seri- The 28-year-old who is still ways just looking for the next year “It’s going to be crazy. It’s going to Tokyo Olympics forced the ath- ous Olympic contenders are — searching for his first Olympic as well. Now it’s like, ‘Oh, there’s be exciting. And I think it’s cool letes who were pointing toward over the last 16 months and it medal, insists he’s not taking any- not going to be a next year.’” because we’re all so close togeth- the summer of 2020 to recali- gives nationals a much more un- thing for granted. Yul Moldauer, the 2017 national er it’s going to be who performs brate. certain vibe than usual. “It’s kind of like I’m getting my champion and a three-time world well.” Friday, June 4, 2021 • STARS AND STRIPES • PAGE 47 MLB

Scoreboard

American League

East Division WLPct GB Tampa Bay 35 22 .614 _ Boston 32 23 .582 2 New York 31 25 .554 3½ Toronto 29 25 .537 4½ Baltimore 19 37 .339 15½ Central Division WLPct GB Chicago 33 22 .600 _ Cleveland 30 24 .556 2½ Kansas City 27 26 .509 5 Detroit 23 32 .418 10 Minnesota 22 33 .400 11 West Division WLPct GB Oakland 33 25 .569 _ Houston 31 24 .564 ½ Seattle 28 29 .491 4½ Los Angeles 25 30 .455 6½ Texas 22 35 .386 10½ National League

East Division WLPct GB New York 27 21 .563 _ Philadelphia 26 29 .473 4½ Atlanta 25 28 .472 4½ Miami 24 30 .444 6 Washington 23 29 .442 6 Central Division WLPct GB Chicago 32 23 .582 _ St. Louis 31 25 .554 1½ Milwaukee 29 26 .527 3 CHARLES REX ARBOGAST/AP Cincinnati 24 29 .453 7 Pittsburgh 20 34 .370 11½ The Cubs' Kris Bryant watches his hit during a May 7 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Chicago. Bryant is hitting .317 this season. West Division WLPct GB San Francisco 34 21 .618 _ San Diego 34 23 .596 1 Los Angeles 33 23 .589 1½ Colorado 22 34 .393 12½ Bryant showcases versatility Arizona 20 37 .351 15 Wednesday’s games Baltimore 6, Minnesota 3 N.Y. Yankees 4, Tampa Bay 3 Cubs Slugger displaying MVP form while playing different positions Houston 2, Boston 1 Oakland 6, Seattle 0 Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, ppd. BY JAY COHEN consistently saying in the past that he was will- Chicago Cubs 6, San Diego 1 DID YOU KNOW? N.Y. Mets 7, Arizona 6 Associated Press ing to listen, he cast doubt on the possibility of Washington 5, Atlanta 3 Toronto 6, Miami 5 CHICAGO — The Kris Bryant watch is on. Cubs slugger Kris Bryant has made at least five starts getting a deal done ahead of next month’s trade Colorado 6, Texas 3 The sweet-swinging slugger is playing like an at five different positions: third base, first base and deadline. L.A. Dodgers 14, St. Louis 3 Philadelphia at Cincinnati, ppd. MVP again, and he could be the biggest name each of the three outfield spots. He is batting .317 “I feel like it has passed,” Bryant told the AP. Thursday’s games on the trade market this summer. with 12 homers heading into a seven-game West “I think usually if something gets done it’s al- Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees While baseball is watching Bryant, waiting to Coast trip, ranking among the NL leaders with 36 ways in spring training. Why would anybody Boston at Houston RBIs, a .598 slugging percentage and a .996 OPS. Detroit at Chicago White Sox see what the Chicago Cubs do, the 29-year-old want to talk about it during the season? It’s just a Minnesota at Kansas City SOURCE: Associated Press Seattle at L.A. Angels Bryant is watching Kyler distraction. Washington at Atlanta “But, yeah, I don’t know. I just feel like the last Texas at Colorado Bryant, waiting to see what Miami at Pittsburgh his precocious son does next. Bryant struggled with injuries during the couple years, I’ve always felt like I would get Arizona at Milwaukee Cincinnati at St. Louis “Anytime there’s baseball pandemic-shortened season last year, batting a traded, and that was always in my mind, read- Chicago Cubs at San Francisco N.Y. Mets at San Diego on TV, he points and says career-low .206 with four homers in 34 games. ing about it.” Friday’s games ‘Daddy,’ even if it’s a different He also went 0-for-8 with two strikeouts as Chi- Bryant said he feels extension talks at this Boston (Eovaldi 6-2) at N.Y. Yankees team,” a grinning Bryant cago was swept by Miami in the NL Wild Card point are “just a disservice to the people in- (TBD) Cleveland (Civale 7-2) at Baltimore (Akin said. “Like no, I’m right here. Series. volved.” 0-0) Listen, look.” Brushing off his health or any significant me- “And it just doesn’t really happen too often, so Houston (Greinke 5-2) at Toronto (Ryu Hoyer 5-2) Hard to blame Kyler, who chanical adjustments, Bryant offered a simpler it’s like status quo not to do that,” he said. Tampa Bay (Fleming 5-3) at Texas (TBD) Detroit (Turnbull 4-2) at Chicago White turned 1 in April. Dad is everywhere these days. explanation for his success this year. That means Bryant could be on the move be- Sox (Keuchel 4-1) Bryant’s versatility — while producing offen- “It’s just who I am,” he said. “You go through fore the July 30 deadline, even if Chicago is in Minnesota (Shoemaker 2-6) at Kansas City (TBD) sive numbers that belong alongside his NL ups and downs throughout your whole career. contention. Or president of baseball operations Seattle (TBD) at L.A. Angels (Ohtani 1-1) Miami (Poteet 2-1) at Pittsburgh (Bru- MVP season in 2016 — is a big reason why Chi- You have a hundred at-bats that are good, a Jed Hoyer could hold onto Bryant, giving the baker 4-4) Washington (TBD) at Philadelphia cago is on top of the NL Central once again, hundred at-bats so-so, a hundred at-bats that Cubs a better chance of a second straight divi- (Wheeler 4-2) helping the Cubs go on a 22-9 run while dealing are bad, and sometimes they just happen at dif- sion title, but also raising the possibility of los- L.A. Dodgers (Urías 7-2) at Atlanta (An- derson 4-2) with a rash of injuries. ferent points.” ing him this winter with nothing coming back in Arizona (Peacock 2-1) at Milwaukee (Houser 3-5) Bryant has made at least five starts at five dif- With every swing, every routine day at a new return. Cincinnati (Castillo 1-8) at St. Louis (Kim ferent positions: third base, first base and each spot in the field, Bryant is adding to a tricky sit- Shortstop Javier Báez and first baseman An- 1-3) Oakland (Montas 5-5) at Colorado (Gray of the three outfield spots. He is batting .317 uation for Chicago’s front office. After helping thony Rizzo also are eligible for free agency af- 4-5) Chicago Cubs (Arrieta 5-5) at San Fran- with 12 homers heading into a seven-game the Cubs win the World Series in 2016 and ter this season, further complicating matters. cisco (Webb 4-3) West Coast trip, ranking among the NL leaders spending the beginning of his big league career Bryant rested during Wednesday’s 6-1 victory N.Y. Mets (TBD) at San Diego (Musgrove 4-4) with 36 RBIs, a .598 slugging percentage and a with the team that drafted him No. 2 overall in over San Diego, but Báez and Rizzo each had a MLB calendar .996 OPS. 2013, Bryant is eligible for free agency after this big day as the Cubs improved to 32-23 by com- July 11-13 — Amateur draft, Denver. “I mean he’s definitely hitting the high fast- season. pleting a three-game sweep of the Padres. July 13 — All-Star Game, Denver. July 25 — Hall of Fame induction, Coo- ball better,” manager David Ross said. “I think Asked about the possibility of a contract ex- Hoyer said last month there were no contract perstown, N.Y. Aug. 12 — New York Yankees vs. Chicago that’s a mechanical issue he worked on in the tension, Bryant made it sound as if there hadn’t discussions going on with the players. But he White Sox at Dyersville, Iowa. offseason. I see a confidence, I see him on the at- been any conversations with the Cubs for a acknowledged it made sense to reach out again Aug. 22 — Los Angeles Angels vs. Cleve- land at Williamsport, Pa. tack in the box.” while, not even during spring training. After before the trade deadline. PAGE 48 • STARS AND STRIPES • Friday, June 4, 2021 Barty out with injury SPORTS Painful hip forces top-ranked female to withdraw ›› French Open, Page 45

NHL PLAYOFFS Clutch captains Second-round teams all relied on team leaders in order to advance

BY STEPHEN WHYNO Associated Press ight about the time the Boston Bruins made a “C” change by nam- ing Patrice Bergeron captain, the RVegas Golden Knights decided to have a captain for the first time and knew Mark Stone was the only man for the job. “It became clear that he is the leader of the team,” Vegas general manager Kelly McCrim- mon said. “Him wearing the ‘C’ allowed him to take another step both as a player, as a team- mate and then of course as a leader on our team.” The next step is the second round, and every team to advance did so in large part because of a captain leading the way. Bergeron scored twice in Boston’s first-round series clincher, Stone had five points to help the Golden Knights survive Minnesota in seven games, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog put up eight points in a sweep of St. Louis and Carolina’s Jordan Staal scored an overtime winner in a hard-fought series against Nashville. After the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup last year despite Steven Stamkos playing just one playoff game — and scoring a memorable goal in the Final — this NHL post- season is showing the value of captains at the most important time of the year. “There’s obviously a lot of responsibility that comes with being a captain,” said Stamkos, who had two points in Tampa Bay’s clinching game against Florida to give him eight in the series. “You want to go out there and do what- ever it takes to win, and the teams that are ad- vancing, usually their leadership group and the guys that need to step up have stepped up.” Every healthy captain of a team that won in the first round recorded at least four points, and those who couldn’t take the ice — like New York Islanders captain Anders Lee, a fixture around the rink as he rehabs his season-ending knee injury — became rallying points. “We’re playing for each other and he’s obvi-

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Pictured, from top: Carolina Hurricanes cap­ tain Jordan Staal; Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron; and Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. AP photos

Coach K retiring after 2021-22 season ›› College hoops, Page 41