House explosion in northern Virginia was caused by man igniting gasoline, authorities say (2024)

Friday

Friday

Stuart Skinner is the biggest question going into the Stanley Cup Final. The play of the Edmonton Oilers goaltender will be a determining factor in the series against the Florida Panthers. Skinner just this postseason has been at times unplayable to the point of being pulled and at others nearly unbeatable. Oilers management and coaching have now firmly put the team's championship hopes on Skinner's shoulders. The 25-year-old hometown product now has the chance to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993.

MLB

Nick Cannon, television host and polarizing procreator, has secured a $10 million insurance policy for his testicl*s.

All Times EDT

United States forward Josh Sargent could miss Saturday’s friendly against Colombia and could be dropped from the Copa America roster. A 24-year-old from O’Fallon, Missouri, Sargent scored 16 goals in 26 league games with Norwich in England’s second-tier League Championship but finished the season while playing with foot swelling. After the U.S. plays Colombia at Landover, Maryland, it meets Brazil on Wednesday at Orlando, Florida. At the Copa America, the U.S. has first-round matches against Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay. Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright are the other forwards on the U.S. roster.

Hunter Ensley went 3 for 4, including a three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning, and No. 1 national seed Tennessee beat Evansville 11-6 on Friday to begin the Knoxville Super Regional. Tennessee (54-11), playing in its fourth consecutive super regional, can advance to the College World Series with a victory over Evansville (38-25) on Saturday. Christian Moore became the first Tennessee player ever to hit 30 home runs in a season when he blasted a shot in the third for a 3-2 lead. His error on a routine play at second hurt the Vols in the fifth as Evansville had a two-run double off the wall and an RBI single to center to tie it at 5-all. Ensley hit his 10th home run of the season.

SAN FRANCISCO — Twenty years after he issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of federal law as mayor of San Francisco, Gov. Gavin Newsom returned to the city Friday to try to convince voters that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights isn't over.

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New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is scheduled to make a second minor league injury rehabilitation start for Double-A Somerset on Sunday, remaining on track for a possible return to the New York rotation in mid-to-late June. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner threw 45 pitches over 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the Patriots on Tuesday night. That was the 33-year-old right-hander’s first game action his only spring training start on March 1. He was diagnosed then with nerve inflammation and edema and told to rest. A usual progression to is increase pitch count by 10-15 per outing.

Thousands of pages of Maine Department of Public Safety documents are providing new details of the chaos and carnage surrounding the state’s deadliest mass shooting. Officers arrived at the two shooting scenes in Lewiston last October not knowing if the gunman was still there, and with living and dead victims on the floors. One officer described desperate survivors screaming for help. The descriptions of the scenes where 18 people were killed and 13 others wounded were included in more than 3,000 pages of documents released Friday. The Associated Press and other news organizations requested the documents under the Maine Freedom of Access Act.

A teenager who was convicted of fatally shooting four students at his high school in Michigan is appealing his life sentence. Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to murder and other charges in the shooting at Oxford High School in 2021 when he was 15. He was sentenced in December. His parents were convicted of manslaughter this year because they failed to secure a gun at home and did not address their son's mental health problems. The state Appellate Defender's Office said Friday that new evidence shows witnesses could have testified about Crumbley's childhood troubles. The office also is questioning whether he knew what he was doing when he pleaded guilty. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has not responded to a message seeking comment.

New charges brought against the man accused of a string of killings on New York's Long Island are raising questions about another man’s murder conviction. Prosecutors said Thursday that Rex Heuermann was responsible for the death of Sandra Costilla in 1993. For years prosecutors believed that Costilla’s death may have been linked to the killings of two other young women who disappeared around the same time and were found in similar positions. John Bittrolff was convicted in 2017 of killing those two women. His lawyers say the new indictment against Heuermann casts further doubt on their client's guilt and are asking for prosecutors to reopen the case.

Authorities in Washington state are responding to reports of a plane crash near the San Juan Islands. San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said a report came in around 11:40 a.m. Friday that an older model plane crashed into the water and sank near the north end of Jones Island. The sheriff says it’s unclear whether anyone other than a pilot was on board at the time. He says the sheriff's office, U.S. Coast Guard and personnel from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife were conducting search and rescue efforts.

A prosecutor says he will not file any criminal charges over the purchase of a $19,000 lectern by the office of Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The purchase last June has attracted nationwide scrutiny. An audit found it potentially violated state laws on purchasing, state property and government records. But Pulaski County Prosecutor Will Jones said Friday that after a thorough review, his office determined there was insufficient proof of criminal conduct in the audit or supporting documents. Auditor Roger Norman said he had no comment. Sanders served as press secretary for former President Donald Trump and has been widely viewed as a potential candidate to be his running mate.

A judge has ruled that information about how much money three GOP-backed initiatives would cost the state of Washington must appear on the November ballot. A Thurston County Superior Court judge said Friday the initiatives require financial disclosures under a law that requires the state attorney general to spell out how funding would be affected by initiatives that repeal, impose or change any tax or fee. Opponents of the measures say they would have massive impacts on the state’s ability to provide critical services. Republican backers of the measures who sued to keep the fiscal impact off the ballot, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to rack up a laundry list of provocations against the state’s oil industry, but the administration’s own oil and gas regulator approved 10 new permits for new drilling this month.

More than 3,000 pages of documents released by Maine Department of Public Safety reveal horror of deadly mass shooting.

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal jury found five of seven defendants guilty Friday for their roles in a scheme to defraud the government of money intended to feed hungry children.

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager isn't in the starting lineup after exiting the previous game because of tightness in his left hamstring. Manager Bruce Bochy said before Friday night's series opener against San Francisco that it looks as though Seager will be out at least a couple of days. There are currently no plans for the shortstop to go on the 10-day injured list. Josh Smith is starting at shortstop and batting second. Smith has been the primary third baseman with Josh Jung recovered from a fractured right wrist. Seager left Wednesday's game after reaching for his hamstring after an RBI single in the second inning.

Kayla Sharples is a Chicago kid, through and through. She went to Naperville North High School, then attended Northwestern University. She was drafted by the Chicago Red Stars. On Saturday, Sharples and Bay FC will play in the Windy City’s most renowned venue — and make history in the process.

DENVER — A Denver judge handed down what’s believed to be the longest sentence for a human trafficking conviction in United States history Thursday: 448 years.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has challenged signatures on petitions filed seeking an election to recall him from office. He said Friday that there were not enough valid signatures. The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission has until June 28 to determine whether there are enough to trigger a recall election. The panel rejected the first attempt for not having enough valid signatures. Vos is being targeted by supporters of former President Donald Trump. They submitted more than 9,000 signatures May 28. They need 6,850 valid signatures to force a recall election. Vos says he found thousands of invalid signatures.

Former world champion Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia won the discus throw on the opening night of the European athletics championships. Ceh’s throw reached 68.08 meters to put him ahead of Lukas Weisshaidinger of Austria and world record holder Mykolas Alekna. Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti finished 1-2 in the 20-kilometer race walk. Ireland won the 4x400 mixed relay for its first gold at Euros since since Sonia O’Sullivan swept the 5,000 and 10,000 in 1998. Jessica Schilder and Jorinde Van Klinken led a 1-2 for the Netherlands in the shot put. The six-day championships end on Wednesday.

ATLANTA — A major witness in the state’s case against Atlanta-rapper Young Thug and five of his alleged associates was taken into custody after Judge Ural Glanville held him in contempt of court for refusing to testify.

DETROIT — The Michigan Court of Appeals on Friday denied U.S. Senate hopeful Nasser Beydoun's request to order his name placed on the ballot for the August primary election.

ATLANTA — She used to have a 10-carat diamond ring and a Rolls-Royce. Now Shelitha Robertson, an Atlanta lawyer and business owner once employed by the city as a police officer and attorney, is “dead broke” and facing prison.

LOS ANGELES — "Supernatural" fans, rejoice. Jensen Ackles is returning to the small screen — with fewer angels and demons but just as much mystery.

MINNEAPOLIS — A Washington, D.C.,-based watchdog filed a federal campaign finance complaint against recently endorsed GOP U.S. Senate candidate Royce White on Thursday, claiming he violated disclosure laws in a previous and current campaign.

EL PASO, Texas — Texas Democrats, choosing a different path than state Republicans, will not close their primaries to prevent independent or GOP-aligned voters from participating.

At more than 2,500 miles, Florida-Edmonton is the furthest apart two teams have been while playing in the Stanley Cup Final, eclipsing the previous record of Boston-Vancouver in 2011. The series is a contrast of everything, from hockey history and traditions to weather, ice quality and style of play. The Oilers, led by reigning NHL MVP captain Connor McDavid, are looking for their sixth championship and first since 1990. That was three years before the Panthers came into existence. Florida is still looking to hoist the Cup for the first time.

The San Francisco Victorian that used to house the fictional Tanner family on the hit 1990s show "Full House" can now be yours for a cool $6.5 million.

Receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has signed his rookie contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas was the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft. Thomas was slated to get a four-year deal worth $14.6 million under the NFL’s rookie slotting system. The contract includes a signing bonus estimated at roughly $7.5 million as well as a club option for a fifth year. Jacksonville traded down six spots before drafting the former LSU standout to help build around franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

SUNRISE, Fla. — Veteran forward Kyle Okposo parachuted onto the Panthers’ roster in March, about a month before Florida began its postseason journey back to the Stanley Cup Final. He played six regular-season games with the Panthers, but he quickly learned the team’s attitude.

NEW YORK — Juan Soto, the Yankees and their fans breathed sighs of relief on Friday, as the slugger doesn’t appear to be dealing with a major injury after exiting Thursday’s game with left forearm discomfort following a lengthy rain delay.

Kyle Okposo’s first Stanley Cup memory came as an 8-year-old boy, when he watched the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final. That series — a quick sweep for the Avalanche, who won their first ever trophy — ignited Okposo’s love for hockey. Now, after a career that has lasted 17 years and spans three NHL teams, the 36-year-old Florida Panthers right winger finally gets a shot at his own championship experience. The Florida Panthers, who he joined at the March trade deadline, will host Edmonton on Saturday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Liverpool Football Club is determined to play a Premier League match in New York City, where the team has a sizable fanbase.

BASEBALL

BOSTON — In a city where pre-Revolutionary War history seems to lurk around every corner, the Mavericks have none at all. Nor does the city of Dallas carry any sporting weight in these parts.