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Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
California track-and-field championships begin following controversy over trans athlete
CLOVIS, Calif. (AP) — A transgender teen is competing in the California high school track-and-field finals on Saturday, one day after advancing in the competition as a protest plane circled about the meet that has drawn national attention, including criticism from President Donald Trump. AB Hernandez — a trans student who on Friday finished as the top qualifier in the girls high jump, long jump and triple jump — is in the finals Saturday, competing under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body. The California Interscholastic Federation announced the policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez's success. Under the policy, the federation will let an additional student compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The two-day championship kicked off Friday in the sweltering heat at high school near Fresno, with more hot temperatures on tap for Saturday's finals. The atmosphere has been relatively quiet despite critics — including parents, conservative activists and Trump — calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing with girls. A man used a megaphone to shout 'No boys in girls' sports' as Hernandez and her group prepared for the long jump final. Other critics in the stands wore 'Save Girls' Sports' T-shirts. The day before an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour during the qualifying events, carrying a banner that read: 'No Boys in Girls' Sports!' Separately, one person was arrested outside the competition on Friday after getting in a confrontation with another protester that turned physical, according to the Clovis Police Department. In the long jump final, Hernandez faulted on her first attempt but spanned just over 20 feet (6.10 meters) on her second to take the lead. The field had four more tries to go. On Friday, she led in the long jump qualifier with a mark close to 20 feet (6 meters) to advance to the final. She also advanced in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches (1.7 meters) with ease and finished the triple jump with a mark close to 41 feet (13 meters) — nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters) ahead of her closest competitor, San Francisco Bay Area junior Kira Gant Hatcher. California at center of national debate The federation's rule change reflects efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls' participation in youth sports. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,' the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats. The federation announced the rule change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then. The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law by allowing trans girls to compete in girls sports. Some California Republicans also weighed in, with several lawmakers attending a news conference to criticize the federation for keeping Hernandez in the competition. California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The federation said the rule opens the field to more 'biological female' athletes. One expert said the change may itself be discriminatory because it creates an extra spot for 'biological female' athletes but not for other trans athletes. The federation did not specify how they define 'biological female' or how they would verify whether a competitor meets that definition. Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main earlier this month that she couldn't worry about critics. 'I'm still a child, you're an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,' she said. Another student breaks a record California's state championship stands out from that of other states because of the sheer number of competitors. The state had the second-largest number of students participating in outdoor track and field in the nation during the 2023-2024 school year, behind Texas, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet (6.7 meters). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The boys 100-meter dash heats also were a highlight Friday. Junior Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle High School in Concord finished in 10.01 seconds, about 0.2 seconds faster than a meet record set in 2023. Jefferson's time won't count as a record unless he can replicate his results in the final. ___ Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
California track and field championship sees arrest and aerial banner amid transgender controversy
The California track and field state championship prelim round in Clovis on Friday was a scene of conflicting beliefs and even police intervention amid an ongoing controversy involving a trans athlete competing in the girls' category. At least one person was arrested, the Clovis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital. Advertisement The person arrested was a protester who is accused of shattering a car window with a flag pole. The department confirmed the person arrested was an LGBTQ activist. 'This afternoon at 3:55PM, a disturbance between two adults occurred at the intersection of Nees/Minnewawa. One adult on the sidewalk and one in a vehicle at the intersection became involved in a disturbance that turned physical. During the disturbance, one of them used pepper spray against the other. EMS was called and one of the adults was arrested,' a statement read. The person has been arrested for assault with a weapon and obstructing a police, according to Sergeant Chris Hutchison. Advertisement 'We don't have room for violence or property damage or anything like that,' Hutchison. 7 Transgender high schooler AB Hernandez leaves the track after competing in the girls triple jump at the California high school track and field championships in Clovis, Ca. on May 30, 2025. AP 7 Spectators hold up signs protesting transgender athletes competing against biological females in high school sports. AP Meanwhile, a plane flying a banner that read 'no boys in girls' sports' passed over the California track and field championship Friday in Clovis. Advertisement Footage provided to Fox News Digital by California activist Beth Bourne showed the plan flying overhead at Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium. The stunt was organized by two women's advocacy group, Women are Real and the Independent Council for Women's Sports. 'California is beginning to reap the consequences of defying federal law and brazenly harming girls,' said Kim Jones, co-founder of ICONS in a press release announcing the aerial banner. 7 AB Hernandez lands in the sand pit after completing a jump during the triple jump. AP Advertisement 7 A sky banner is flown above the track and field stadium in Clovis, Calif. during the meet. AP 7 AB Hernandez joins female competitors before the girl's high jump event. AP 'How long will Governor Newsom and legislators in this state continue to prioritize granting a few boys the right to take opportunities and recognition away from girls? Not one single boy should ever be in girls' sports. It's the easiest problem in the world to solve—and the most brazen public 'screw you' to female athletes by Democrat leadership. Since when do we tell a single boy he is more important than every girl in the competition? That he has the right to ruin sports for all of them? It's time for California to pay and it's time to right these wrongs.' Witnesses at the event told Fox News Digital that pro-transgender protesters attended the event in support of transgender athlete AB Hernandez. The meet and the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) entire track and field postseason has been under a national microscope in recent weeks. 7 A sign is posted on a street pole outside the stadium supporting Title IX regulation. AP 7 AB Hernandez leaves the stadium as a large crowd sits in the stands. AP Trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School has dominated the girls' track and field postseason in 2025, prompting national backlash and even the attention of President Donald Trump. Advertisement Trump sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts and orders to local authorities to prevent a trans athlete from competing in the girls' category. Then the Department of Justice announced it would launch an investigation into the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state's law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women on Wednesday. The CIF announced a pair of rule changes on Tuesday and Wednesday in response to the backlash, expanding the size of the competitor pool and even handing out medals to any 'biological female' athlete displaced by a transgender athlete at the meet.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Clovis police arrest and charge man with operating a chop shop
CLOVIS, N.M. (KRQE) — A man was arrested in Clovis after police recovered $200,000 worth of stolen vehicles from an alleged chop shop. Albert Mares, 57, is facing several charges, including one count of operating a chop shop, according to the Clovis Police Department. Judge denies motion to dismiss charges for man accused of assault at Albuquerque McDonald's On Monday at about 9:30 a.m., detectives noticed a newer model Dodge Ram truck parked at 523 Rencher Street. The vehicle's VIN returned to a 2019 Dodge Ram Big Horn edition truck. Detectives spoke with Mares, who allowed them to take a look at the vehicle. A secondary VIN was located. Upon being run, it returned a vehicle reportedly stolen from Bender Doge on Sept. 3, 2024. At nearby Marez Automotive Service, detectives noticed another truck on a lift. The New Mexico license plate returned no results when it was run by detectives, and the VIN did not correspond with the secondary VIN. A search warrant was then carried out at the first Rencher Street location and Marez Automotive Services. Authorities seized three stolen trucks. 'The VINs on the driver's door pillar and dash for the three trucks were altered, but secondary VINs properly identified the vehicles as having been reported stolen,' Clovis police said in a news release. 'The vehicles with altered VINs were registered to Albert Mares.' The three vehicles recovered by detectives were valued at over $200,000. A burned vehicle recovered in Texas with reported association to Mares was worth about $50,000. Mares has been charged with the following: Operating a chop shop Four counts of receiving or transferring stolen vehicles or motor vehicles Four counts of altering or changing engine or other numbers Four counts of forgery Two counts of conspiracy Mares was taken to Curry County Adult Detention Center without incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two 19-year-olds killed in high speed, three-vehicle crash in Fresno County, CHP says
Two were killed Saturday night in a three-vehicle crash in Fresno County. Multiple agencies responded to the crash just before 10 p.m. at Temperance and Belmont avenues. When officers arrived two vehicles were in the middle of a roadway. California Highway Patrol spokesperson Mike Salas said an 18-year-old was driving a Dodge Charger southbound on Temperance Avenue at a high rate of speed when it collided with the left rear of a Toyota Camry that was stopped at the intersection's stop sign. The Dodge continued to drive out of control, Salas said, before the vehicle struck a Chevrolet Tahoe that was going northbound on Temperance Avenue. The Dodge and Tahoe came to rest blocking the intersection. Officers with the Clovis Police Department arrived shortly and provided medical aid until EMS arrived. Two 19-year-olds in the Dodge were pronounced dead. A 20-year-old passenger had critical injuries and a fourth passenger had minor injuries. The driver, Luis Felix of Fresno, suffered major injuries and was taken to Community Regional Medical Center. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, Salas said. The driver and a woman of the Chevrolet sustained moderate injuries, while three minor passengers, ages 9, 4, and 1, suffered minor injuries. The driver of the Toyota also sustained minor injuries, Salas said. An investigation is underway.
