Latest news with #Curtis'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
State track and field preview: What to watch for at Mount Tahoma this weekend
The WIAA's State Track and Field meet is on the horizon at Mount Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma. Here's what to watch, events to follow and schedules for the three-day championship from May 29-31. Don't blink, or you just might miss a slew of South Sound runners in this year's 100-meter dash. Locals make up five of the state's 10 fastest-recorded sprints this spring, including each of the top three. Curtis senior Nicholas 'Nico' Altheimer (10.35) and Kentridge teammates Berry Crosby (10.43) and Jordan Miller (10.48) are chasing the gold medal this weekend from the 4A ranks — a race projected to feature all three seniors on the podium. They'll run in Thursday's preliminary heats at 3:10 p.m. for their chance to race in Saturday's 100-meter 4A final at 11:40 a.m. Altheimer continues his quest to be crowned Washington's top sprinter, the Vikings standout with the state's best 100-meter (10.35) and 200-meter (21.02) times this season. He runs the final leg of Curtis' state-record 4x100 relay and will contend in the 4A Boys 300-meter hurdles (39.34). Can he bring multiple gold medals back to University Place? 'He's a really special athlete,' Curtis head coach Ben Mangrum said of Altheimer. 'They don't come around very often like him. Just really natural, but also has worked really hard for a long time at this. 'His talent is remarkable, but his work ethic is pretty excellent as well. He's like 6-foot-4, probably 200 pounds, but just eats up the track every step.' When Curtis' 4x100 relay team dashed to victory at the West Central District III championships at Kent-Meridian High School May 21, it became the first in state history to break the 41-second mark (40.97). Now, they've arrived at the state's biggest stage. Jayden Rice-Claiborne, Isaac Brooks, Kamil Ross, and Altheimer are the favorites in Saturday's final, should they advance through Friday's preliminaries. 'Those guys have been working hard for a long time, so it's no accident that they're running really well right now,' Mangrum said. 'They've put in the time to do that.' And who's right on their tails? Kentridge's Crosby-Miller sprinting duo join Jacob Satchell and Josiah Brown to comprise the Chargers' 4x100 relay, whose 41.18-second race at the NPSL Championships on May 14 stood as the state's best time for a week (before Curtis stole the top of the leaderboard for themselves). The South Sound remains rich with 4x100 relay talent, including 4A's Curtis and Kentridge quartets. Lincoln will contend in 3A with Ramon Jones, Eddie Bruner Jr., Kasey Williams, and JoMierre Askew-Poirier. The Abes claimed last week's district relay title with a personal-record 41.59 — second-fastest among 3A programs in 2025. And look for Tumwater's speedy 4x100 relay, tops in 2A so far this spring. Xavier Bunn, Cash Short, David Malroy, and Blake Kirkpatrick ran a 41.99-second race on May 9, the classification's best time statewide. Kanai Kennedy just took the West Central District III championships by storm. Will he save his best run for last on his home track? Mount Tahoma's budding freshman stole the show in the 3A 100-meter run at Kent-Meridian last Wednesday, notching a personal-record (10.61) that cleared the field by nearly a quarter-second (10.85). It's the seventh-fastest 100-meter time spanning all classifications in Washington this season, placing Kennedy directly in contention at home this weekend. He'll run in three events at Mount Tahoma Stadium: The 3A Boys 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4x100 relay as the final leg. ▪ Curtis features a trio of contending distance runners: Kellen McInelly (1600m, 3200m), Dima Serafimovici (3200m) and junior Owen Mangrum (1600m, 3200m). McInelly broke three-decade-old Curtis records in both events and is 'one of the more dangerous guys in the state right now,' Mangrum said. Owen Mangrum, Ben's son, makes 'everything fun' for Curtis' head coach. 'When I was about 10 or 12 years into coaching, my kids were growing up and they were starting to get into activities, and I saw that I was missing out on what they were doing,' Ben Mangrum said. 'I actually coached Owen in baseball for a number of years. ... I've never had to be the coach that comes down hard on his own son. He's always been a great example for everybody else. 'He took on running a couple of years ago, and it was kind of a blessing for me because I didn't want it to be something that was mine. It was something that he chose, that he wanted to do, and then it totally snowballed into something that he cared more about than I could have imagined.' ▪ Bonney Lake distance specialist Latham West goes for gold in this weekend's 4A Girls 1600- and 3200-meter runs. The Panthers junior is the state's reigning 3A Girls 1600-meter fourth-place finisher and grabbed the state's top seed in the 3200 with a dominant, 16-second win at last week's district championships at Kent-Meridian (10:31.58). ▪ Federal Way's Geron White is a heavy favorite to claim repeat titles in the boys high jump at Mount Tahoma. White battled unrelenting wind and rain to win last year's 4A Boys title (6-6) and competes from 3A with the Eagles this spring. White has already cleared the 6-10.25 mark, the event's top seed by more than a six-inch margin. ▪ Emerald Ridge sophomore Iren Derricks burst onto the local track scene by capturing last year's 4A Girls 100-meter title (12.23) as a freshman last spring and enters this year's meet with a personal-best 11.90. Can she bring home gold once again? ▪ Lincoln's Eddie Bruner Jr. sports the state's fastest 400-meter dash this spring (47.38) and defends his title at Mount Tahoma this weekend. The Abes star claimed last year's 3A Boys 400-meter title (48.53) over Liberty's Jackson Moffitt (48.95). Mount Tahoma Stadium — Tacoma, WA (May 29-31) Thursday: Events begin at 1 p.m. Field events are held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and running events begin at 2 p.m. Final awards and team scores are announced at 8 p.m. Friday: Events begin at 9:50 a.m. Field events are held from 9:50 a.m. to 3 p.m., and running events begin at 11 a.m. WIAA Academic Awards are announced at 1:40 p.m. and final awards are revealed at 6:25 p.m. Saturday: Events begin at 10:20 a.m. Field events are held from 10:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and running events begin at 10:30 a.m. Final team scores and awards begin at 4:35 p.m. Here's a full, detailed schedule of this weekend's state meet provided by the WIAA.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
John Curtis weaves pioneer legacy, clean energy and fighting debt into first Senate floor speech
WASHINGTON — As Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, stood at the top of Ensign Peak, he placed himself in the shoes of his ancestors who climbed the same peak almost two centuries ago. Times have certainly changed, he said, but the values that drove them there remain the same. Curtis thought of the trials facing his predecessors: An empty and barren desert staring back at them as they searched for a new home. They were driven by hard work and resilience, he said — the same principles that have elevated the state to become one of the best in the nation. Principles that lawmakers in Washington, D.C., should emulate. 'But even though I couldn't see it all — I knew the secret to Utah's success. It's not just in the buildings or the businesses. It's in the people,' Curtis said in his first speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday. 'We don't get everything right in Utah, but we've built something remarkable — a strong economy, fiscally responsible government, educational opportunity, and real upward mobility. These aren't accidents. Washington could use a little more Ensign Peak thinking — and a lot more pioneer doing.' Those sentiments came during Curtis' maiden speech, a tradition in which newly elected senators deliver their first remarks before the chamber. The address provides an opportunity to introduce oneself to his or her colleagues and outline priorities for their six-year term. Curtis described giving the speech as a 'pinch-me, almost surreal moment.' When he was mayor of Provo more than a decade ago, Curtis recalled, he was taken on a tour of the U.S. Capitol and he got a peek inside the Senate chamber. 'While we were walking, we got to look in, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. That was the coolest moment I could possibly imagine,' Curtis told the Deseret News in an interview. 'You can kind of imagine the feelings of that coming full circle.' As Curtis quietly took his place behind the podium before his speech began, the Senate floor slowly began to fill with senators from both sides of the aisle. The room began to buzz in the typically poised chamber. More than a dozen senators took their seats on the floor as some of his colleagues, like Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., greeted him on their way in. 'You've got this,' Britt whispered as she gave Curtis a fist bump. Curtis' counterpart, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also took his seat in the chamber as he watched the junior senator with a smile. In preparation for his debut speech, Curtis embarked on an interstate journey visiting four landmarks in Utah and Washington as part of what he called the 'Think Before I Speak: A Pilgrimage to American Principles' tour. The tour was inspired by Curtis' great-grandmother, who served as the first female school board president of the Salt Lake City School District: Genevieve Curtis. 'Grandma Genevieve — we called her Nana— said: Listen first, speak when it matters, and let your actions carry the weight. That may sound radical in our social-media-driven world and D.C. politics — but I am committed to following her advice,' Curtis said on the floor. Curtis traveled to four sites as part of his pilgrimage, visiting each landmark alone in order to 'listen, to feel, to seek inspiration.' However, the junior senator encouraged constituents to join him virtually by sending personal stories and memories from the destinations. Beginning at Ensign Peak, Curtis finished his tour at three different sites in Washington, D.C. 'My listening tour next took me to hallowed ground,' Curtis said: Arlington National Cemetery. There, Curtis said he wandered from stone to stone, reading the inscriptions of those who had been buried there. As he walked, Curtis paused to hear the voices from those laid to rest. 'What would they say to me?' he asked. 'Sometimes their voices whispered gently; sometimes they spoke with striking clarity. But never — ever — did they ask about my political party,' Curtis said. Next, he ventured across the Potomac River to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was there, he said, that values such as moral clarity and commitments to peace took on a deeper meaning. 'The values our nation needs … can't be manufactured by government, or mass-produced by culture,' he said. 'They must be grown, like they always have been, in the cottage industries of family and community.' Finally, Curtis walked just 10 minutes away to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It was there that Curtis reflected on unity and humility — and it was there that he was reminded of his late colleague, former Rep. Mia Love. 'Mia broke barriers as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress,' he said. 'She used her voice to lift and to call us to our better angels, and now Mia is one. At her funeral, her children read a final message she had written to the nation — words that deserve to be remembered.' Curtis' tribute to Love struck many in the chamber, and Britt was seen wiping tears from her eyes as she listened to Curtis' speech. As Curtis reflected on his pilgrimage, the newly elected senator used those experiences to dictate his top priorities for his term. At the forefront, Curtis is asking his colleagues to engage honestly and transparently as they move forward with the new administration. Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has turned the federal government upside down — but Curtis urged his colleagues to ensure policies improve the country. 'I don't think you can separate a successful president from a successful country, and I think that's why — sure, they may not be totally aligned with the president's agenda, but we do want him to be successful, because that is the country being successful,' Curtis told the Deseret News. At the same time, Curtis warned that the Republican Party cannot be 'just the rubber stamp' for his agenda without any pushback. 'I view us in ways kind of like his board of directors,' Curtis said in an interview. 'You want a board of directors to see things you don't see, that gives you feedback no one else is giving you.' To do that, he said, lawmakers must be honest — especially about the things that his GOP colleagues have sought to avoid in the past. Chief among that list: clean energy. 'Consumers are asking for cleaner, more responsible energy choices,' Curtis said in his remarks. 'At the same time, we need to be realistic about the demands of powering a modern nation. Affordability matters. Reliability matters. And we must protect — not surrender — our energy independence.' Lawmakers must also be honest about the national debt and deficit, he said — two topics at the top of mind of lawmakers as Republicans attempt to push through Trump's agenda. Much of that agenda hinges on a massive budget framework making its way through the House, which encompasses spending cuts to programs such as Medicaid. While lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have weaponized the proposal with opposing messages, Curtis urged his colleagues to be honest about the underlying issue: federal programs need reform. '(We) are not being honest with the American people when we pretend that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid don't need reform,' Curtis said in his floor speech. 'And we are all equally dishonest when we weaponize fear — telling seniors that reform means abandonment. It doesn't. It never has." Curtis joins his Utah colleagues in the House and Senate in his push to return federal lands to the state as more than 65% of Utah's land is owned by the federal government. Lee nodded his head as Curtis expressed his desire to return those lands to Utah farmers. 'We can have an honest conversation about these challenges now—or we can be the ones who have to deliver the devastating, draconian, and harmful cuts that will inevitably come to our seniors if we don't,' Curtis said. 'And, our success as a nation depends on each of us — and all of us — in this chamber being unflinchingly honest and working together to make America wildly successful.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
John Curtis weaves pioneer legacy, clean energy and fighting debt into first Senate floor speech
WASHINGTON — As Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, stood at the top of Ensign Peak, he placed himself in the shoes of his ancestors who climbed the same peak almost two centuries ago. Times have certainly changed, he said, but the values that drove them there remain the same. Curtis thought of the trials facing his predecessors: An empty and barren desert staring back at them as they searched for a new home. They were driven by hard work and resilience, he said — the same principles that have elevated the state to become one of the best in the nation. Principles that lawmakers in Washington, D.C., should emulate. 'But even though I couldn't see it all — I knew the secret to Utah's success. It's not just in the buildings or the businesses. It's in the people,' Curtis said in his first speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday. 'We don't get everything right in Utah, but we've built something remarkable — a strong economy, fiscally responsible government, educational opportunity, and real upward mobility. These aren't accidents. Washington could use a little more Ensign Peak thinking — and a lot more pioneer doing.' Those sentiments came during Curtis' maiden speech, a tradition in which newly elected senators deliver their first remarks before the chamber. The address provides an opportunity to introduce oneself to his or her colleagues and outline priorities for their six-year term. Curtis described giving the speech as a 'pinch-me, almost surreal moment.' When he was mayor of Provo more than a decade ago, Curtis recalled, he was taken on a tour of the U.S. Capitol and he got a peek inside the Senate chamber. 'While we were walking, we got to look in, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. That was the coolest moment I could possibly imagine,' Curtis told the Deseret News in an interview. 'You can kind of imagine the feelings of that coming full circle.' As Curtis quietly took his place behind the podium before his speech began, the Senate floor slowly began to fill with senators from both sides of the aisle. The room began to buzz in the typically poised chamber. More than a dozen senators took their seats on the floor as some of his colleagues, like Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., greeted him on their way in. 'You've got this,' Britt whispered as she gave Curtis a fist bump. Curtis' counterpart, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also took his seat in the chamber as he watched the junior senator with a smile. In preparation for his debut speech, Curtis embarked on an interstate journey visiting four landmarks in Utah and Washington as part of what he called the 'Think Before I Speak: A Pilgrimage to American Principles' tour. The tour was inspired by Curtis' great-grandmother, who served as the first female school board president of the Salt Lake City School District: Genevieve Curtis. 'Grandma Genevieve — we called her Nana— said: Listen first, speak when it matters, and let your actions carry the weight. That may sound radical in our social-media-driven world and D.C. politics — but I am committed to following her advice,' Curtis said on the floor. Curtis traveled to four sites as part of his pilgrimage, visiting each landmark alone in order to 'listen, to feel, to seek inspiration.' However, the junior senator encouraged constituents to join him virtually by sending personal stories and memories from the destinations. Beginning at Ensign Peak, Curtis finished his tour at three different sites in Washington, D.C. 'My listening tour next took me to hallowed ground,' Curtis said: Arlington National Cemetery. There, Curtis said he wandered from stone to stone, reading the inscriptions of those who had been buried there. As he walked, Curtis paused to hear the voices from those laid to rest. 'What would they say to me?' he asked. 'Sometimes their voices whispered gently; sometimes they spoke with striking clarity. But never — ever — did they ask about my political party,' Curtis said. Next, he ventured across the Potomac River to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was there, he said, that values such as moral clarity and commitments to peace took on a deeper meaning. 'The values our nation needs … can't be manufactured by government, or mass-produced by culture,' he said. 'They must be grown, like they always have been, in the cottage industries of family and community.' Finally, Curtis walked just 10 minutes away to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It was there that Curtis reflected on unity and humility — and it was there that he was reminded of his late colleague, former Rep. Mia Love. 'Mia broke barriers as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress,' he said. 'She used her voice to lift and to call us to our better angels, and now Mia is one. At her funeral, her children read a final message she had written to the nation — words that deserve to be remembered.' Curtis' tribute to Love struck many in the chamber, and Britt was seen wiping tears from her eyes as she listened to Curtis' speech. As Curtis reflected on his pilgrimage, the newly elected senator used those experiences to dictate his top priorities for his term. At the forefront, Curtis is asking his colleagues to engage honestly and transparently as they move forward with the new administration. Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has turned the federal government upside down — but Curtis urged his colleagues to ensure policies improve the country. 'I don't think you can separate a successful president from a successful country, and I think that's why — sure, they may not be totally aligned with the president's agenda, but we do want him to be successful, because that is the country being successful,' Curtis told the Deseret News. At the same time, Curtis warned that the Republican Party cannot be 'just the rubber stamp' for his agenda without any pushback. 'I view us in ways kind of like his board of directors,' Curtis said in an interview. 'You want a board of directors to see things you don't see, that gives you feedback no one else is giving you.' To do that, he said, lawmakers must be honest — especially about the things that his GOP colleagues have sought to avoid in the past. Chief among that list: clean energy. 'Consumers are asking for cleaner, more responsible energy choices,' Curtis said in his remarks. 'At the same time, we need to be realistic about the demands of powering a modern nation. Affordability matters. Reliability matters. And we must protect — not surrender — our energy independence.' Lawmakers must also be honest about the national debt and deficit, he said — two topics at the top of mind of lawmakers as Republicans attempt to push through Trump's agenda. Much of that agenda hinges on a massive budget framework making its way through the House, which encompasses spending cuts to programs such as Medicaid. While lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have weaponized the proposal with opposing messages, Curtis urged his colleagues to be honest about the underlying issue: federal programs need reform. '(We) are not being honest with the American people when we pretend that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid don't need reform,' Curtis said in his floor speech. 'And we are all equally dishonest when we weaponize fear — telling seniors that reform means abandonment. It doesn't. It never has." Curtis joins his Utah colleagues in the House and Senate in his push to return federal lands to the state as more than 65% of Utah's land is owned by the federal government. Lee nodded his head as Curtis expressed his desire to return those lands to Utah farmers. 'We can have an honest conversation about these challenges now—or we can be the ones who have to deliver the devastating, draconian, and harmful cuts that will inevitably come to our seniors if we don't,' Curtis said. 'And, our success as a nation depends on each of us — and all of us — in this chamber being unflinchingly honest and working together to make America wildly successful.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jamie Lee Curtis Sends Urgent Message to Fans Over 'Distressing' AI Video
is setting the record straight regarding a new interview video of herself that she claims has been completely fabricated. In an urgent plea made to her fans on Monday, May 12, the Halloween actress shared a screenshot of a video that was made using AI, which depicts Curtis in an interview appearing to make comments that she never actually made. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Curtis, 67, said she initially refrained from posting about the fake video because she didn't want "to bring attention to it," but now she wants her fans to know the video is definitely not real. "THIS IS FAKE. AI," Curtis wrote in the fired-up Instagram post on Monday. "Just think about the threat of this, forgetting my 'career' but politicians or public servants saying things that they aren't saying. It's like the wild wild West." She continued, writing, "Very distressing and disappointing that with all the TECH and all the billions and trillions that are being made that there are no safeguards." The Oscar-winning actress didn't share exactly what the AI-generated video made it look like she said, but fans who saw the original counterfeit post confirmed that something about it looked "fishy." AI is so scary!!! I don't believe anything anymore!" one user wrote under Curtis' post, while another person chimed in to call artificial intelligence "terrifying," insisting it "has so much potential for harm." "AI is honestly a disaster 😢" someone else added.
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Georgia 5-Star QB Jared Curtis Receives Major NIL Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Georgia Bulldogs were heavily involved in the recruiting process of five-star Nashville Christian quarterback Jared Curtis, but they were facing stiff competition from the Oregon Ducks leading up to Curtis' commitment date. Despite competition from other programs throughout the process, Georgia was able to secure Curtis' commitment. He now projects to be the face of the program in the future at the quarterback position. Of course, something that fans want to know, is how much NIL money will Curtis be getting to start things off with the Bulldogs? Newsweek's best bets for Week 1 of the college football season include Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs to cover the spread vs. Clemson. Newsweek's best bets for Week 1 of the college football season include Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs to cover the spread vs. update has been given about Curtis' NIL deal, although things have not been signed, sealed, and delivered just yet. Read more: NFL Draft Expert Sends Head-Turning Message About Texas QB Arch Manning Pete Nakos, a college football insider for On3 Sports, had reported earlier this week that Curtis would make less than $1 million in his first year with Georgia. He has given a slight update on that report. "Reported this week that Jared Curtis will make under $1 million in Year 1 at Georgia," he wrote in a post on X. "Sources tell @On3sports that he's yet ot sign a contract and negotiations are still not finished. So no final number to report yet." Curtis is going to make a lot of NIL money throughout his college football career. Regardless of whether or not he hits the $1 million mark in year one, he's going to be just fine. Hailing from Nashville Christian School in Tennessee, Curtis was the No. 1 quarterback in the country, according to On3 Sports. He was also ranked as the No. 6 overall player in the nation and the No. 1 recruit in the state of Tennessee. Read more: Former College Football Standout Quarterback Announces Sudden Retirement Following NFL Draft On3 Sports has also revealed a very intriguing comparison for Curtis. They believe he's a similar player to former Bulldogs' star quarterback and current Los Angeles Rams signal caller Matthew Stafford. "Jared Curtis' top-shelf arm talent and ability to make plays outside of structure remind us of Matthew Stafford at the same stage," they wrote. "Curtis has a bigger frame than Stafford, while Stafford was more proven against top competition playing at a high level of Texas high school football." If Curtis can grow and develop into anything close to the kind of player and talent that Stafford was and has been throughout his career, Georgia is going to be in great shape moving forward. For more on college football, head to Newsweek Sports.
