Latest news with #INDIANA
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
‘We have been here before.' Thunder players try to look ahead in aftermath of painful Game 1 loss
OKLAHOMA CITY — 'It sucks, but we have been here before.' Jalen Williams' summation of Oklahoma City's gut-punch Game 1 loss — where the Thunder led until Tyrese Haliburton's shot with 0.3 on the clock — summed up the postgame mood of the Thunder. HALIBURTON WINS GAME 1 FOR THE PACERS. THEY TRAILED BY 15. ANOTHER CRAZY INDIANA COMEBACK 🚨 Disappointed? Absolutely. However, the Thunder dropped Game 1 at home to Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets in the second round and came back to win that series in seven games. After Haliburton's shot, OKC players drew on that experience and how they had turned things around. 'We played good enough to win that game, controlled it for the most part. Was up double-digits most of that game, as well,' Alex Caruso said of the Game 1 loss to Denver. 'Then they made some big shots. We made a couple mistakes down the stretch to give them free throws. There's some similar stuff from that. I think moving forward, the mentality of this team is good.' The Thunder's postgame vibes flowed from their leaders. 'The biggest experience we've had is understanding that every game's a new game,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'The most important game of the series is always the next one, regardless of the outcome… Would've liked to get the game, but need to be a better game in Game 2.' 'The series isn't first to one, it's first to four,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We have four more games to get, they have three. That's just where we are. We got to understand that and we got to get to four before they get to three, if we want to win the NBA championship. It's that simple. It's not rocket science. We lost Game 1. We have to be better.' The other postgame theme from the Thunder's perspective was that they lost the game more than the Pacers took it from them. 'It sounds weird — it wasn't like they won the game, but I feel like we lost the game,' Isaiah Hartenstein said, speaking for a lot of Thunder players. 'There was a lot of things where it was closeouts, executing and slowing down the pace a little too much at the end.' 'We lost the game. I thought we played good enough to win. We just didn't finish the game,' Caruso said. 'Credit to them, that's how they've played for the whole post-season. They kind of strayed true to themselves, their brand of basketball. They threw in a couple big shots down the stretch.' The team's mantra seemed to be 'it's just one game.' 'It counts the same as when we lost by 40 in Minnesota in the last series. Counts the same as when we lost by two or three at Denver Game 3 that series. It's all worth one,' Caruso said. Game 2 is Sunday in Oklahoma City. Drop that one and the postgame mood from the Thunder may be very different.
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Arkansas moves to ban 'junk food' from SNAP program: 'Definition of crazy'
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a plan to restrict the types of food that can be purchased with food stamps, becoming one of the first governors to seek federal permission to ban items like soda and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At a news conference at the Arkansas Capitol Tuesday, Sanders said her administration had submitted a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for soft drinks, artificially sweetened candy and snacks made with flour, while expanding eligible items to include hot rotisserie chicken, which is currently excluded. "Right now you can use food stamps to buy a soft drink or a candy bar from a gas station, but you can't use them to buy an Arkansas-raised hot rotisserie chicken from a grocery store," Sanders said. "That's the definition of crazy." U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins praised Sanders' move in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Gov. Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume," Rollins said. "Today's waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again."KENNEDY APPLAUDS 'VISIONARY' INDIANA GOVERNOR'S MAHA EXECUTIVE ORDERS The waiver request is part of the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" or MAHA agenda, which seeks to address chronic disease and healthcare costs by reforming federal nutrition programs. "We finally have a president who, along with Secretary Rollins, has put a laser focus on solving America's chronic disease epidemic," Sanders said. "Reforming food stamps is a great place to start." Trump's policies on food and health are taking the spotlight in his second administration, with a shift toward state-driven solutions focused on prevention rather than treatment. The MAHA initiative is led in part by Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also appeared Tuesday at a similar SNAP reform announcement in Indiana. Speaking in Arkansas, Rollins praised the state's leadership. "What we are doing here today is affirming the value of federalism in all aspects of governance," she said. "No federal bureaucrat can understand the needs of Arkansas families better than their own governor." Rollins added that SNAP reform was a key issue for Trump. "This is one of the things he campaigned on, and this is what the American people voted for," she said. Sanders said the program, originally designed to fight hunger, has been twisted by outdated regulations and perverse incentives. "One third of our state has diabetes or is prediabetic," she said. "We're paying for it on the front end and the back end." The waiver would affect nearly 350,000 Arkansas residents enrolled in SNAP and is scheduled to take effect in July 2026 if approved. According to Sanders, 23% of SNAP spending, or $27 billion per year, is used on soft drinks, candy and desserts, while the state spends $300 million annually treating chronic illness through MILK SHOULD BE BACK AT SCHOOLS, EXPERTS SAY: 'NUTRITION SCIENCE HAS EVOLVED' "This is not about taking anything away," she said. "It's simply saying that taxpayers are no longer going to cover the cost of junk food like candy and soft drinks." Rollins praised Arkansas's SNAP reform plan as a bold step toward improving public health, calling Sanders "courageous" for addressing childhood disease through nutrition. "We are working to realign USDA and every taxpayer dollar around what is the best and most effective spend," Rollins said. Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam noted that the same state agency running SNAP also manages Medicaid. "In one program, we've subsidized foods that we know make people less healthy. In the other, we're devoting significant resources to treating the same conditions brought on by unhealthy food," she said. "This makes no sense." Critics, including the Food Research and Action Center, have argued the restrictions are punitive and unsupported by data. Trade groups representing beverage and candy manufacturers have also criticized the move. As reported by The Associated Press, American Beverage accused officials of "choosing to be the food police," while the National Confectioners Association called the plan "misguided." Sanders addressed concerns about food costs, noting her administration's work to eliminate the state grocery tax. "I think you'd be hard-pressed to say that you're gonna be better off having purchased a pack of Skittles and that your hunger is gonna be satisfied after that purchase," she said. Rollins stressed that funding levels for SNAP would not change. "It just opens up the opportunity to buy better and more healthy food moving forward," she said. The Arkansas waiver request was formally submitted Tuesday and includes a 30-day public comment period. The USDA and the governor's office are expected to begin coordination on implementation details this week.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Big Ten Spotlight: Concern level for programs lagging behind on 2026 class
Spring official visits have kicked off around the country and players are still taking unofficial visits to check out spring practices. As we enter a very busy time on the recruiting calendar, which programs currently lagging behind should be truly worried about their recruiting classes and which of them will be just fine? Advertisement We'll start with a look at the Big Ten. RELATED: Big Ten team recruiting rankings RUMOR MILL: Intel flows from trip to North Carolina CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker INDIANA Big Ten Rank: 17th out of 18 Level of concern: High Smith's Take: As of right now, Indiana only has one commitment for the 2026 recruiting class, three-star OL Samuel Simpson. That's an extremely slow start for a team that had a historic season last year. Advertisement The Hoosiers are hosting plenty of players for spring practices including three-star safety Brayden Reilly out of Ohio. But things need to pick up in a big way for them to get the type of recruiting momentum they need after last season. INDIANA'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH INDIANA FANS AT MICHIGAN STATE Big Ten Rank: Tied for 14th out of 18 Level of concern: Low The Spartans are in an interesting position heading into Year 2 of coach Jonathan Smith running the program. They stay under the radar and quietly do their work even as rival Michigan has been among the biggest stories in college football. That approach has paid off early and they have some very high upside players in the class, such as quarterback Kayd Coffman and tight end Eddie Whiting. Advertisement But Michigan State will need to show improvement on the field this season to improve this recruiting ranking, and I have a sneaky feeling it will. MICHIGAN STATE'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN STATE FANS AT NEBRASKA Big Ten Rank: 16th out of 18 Level of concern: Medium Nebraska is among the programs in the Big Ten in need of a huge official visit season. The program has three commits now but rising four-star defensive back CJ Bronaugh is a very soft commit. The Huskers hosted a lot of good players for spring practice visits but will they be able to close them? How they finish with players such as defensive end Titan Davis, running back DeZephen Walker and receiver Nasir Rankin will go a long way in determining the success of the cycle. Advertisement NEBRASKA'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT WISCONSIN Big Ten Rank: Tied for 14th out of 18 Level of concern: Low The Badgers are facing a critical recruiting class and season under coach Luke Fickell. Things have not gone to play yet but there is still hope in Madison. The 2026 recruiting class is starting to gain steam. Wisconsin got a major steal in getting a verbal from Chicago pass rusher Carmelow Reed. I also really like the pickup on Tuesday of versatile defensive back Carsen Eloms. The Badgers have a lot of good regional targets left on the board scheduled to come in for spring/summer official visits. Those will be critical to where this recruiting class ultimately lands. WISCONSIN'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH WISCONSIN FANS AT
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Picklr Will Open in Westfield, Indiana, in Early 2026
NORTH AMERICA'S PREMIER INDOOR PICKLEBALL FRANCHISE SET TO OPEN THIRD INDIANA CLUB INDIANAPOLIS, March 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Picklr, North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, headquartered in Kaysville, Utah, announced that its third Indiana club is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026. The 32,000 sq. ft. Picklr will feature 12 courts—including 2 championship-sized courts—with high-quality proprietary outdoor surfacing from Just Courts, the official court layer for The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and The Picklr; as well as a full pro shop; private community/event room; and a patio for outdoor events. The Picklr Westfield will be located in a newly built, free-span building as part of a retail development project at 191st Street and Grand Park Boulevard, directly across from the giant Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana. Members of The Picklr will have access to unlimited open play, league play, and tournaments, and an option to enroll in private and semi-private lessons and clinics by The Picklr's certified trainers. Additionally, members will have the ability to use their membership at all of The Picklr locations Picklr's indoor courts feature high-quality outdoor surfacing with overhead sound baffling and lighting. A full pro shop, a private community/event room, and an outdoor patio will be a few of the amenities at The Picklr in Westfield, Indiana. 'We are very excited to bring The Picklr to Westfield as our third location in central Indiana,' commented Dave Gilreath and Ron Brock, local Indianapolis businessmen, managing partners of Pickle Indy, LLC, franchise owners of The Picklr Indianapolis Keystone Crossing and co-owners of The Picklr Noblesville. 'This new location across the street from Grand Park, the Midwest's premier sports campus with 2.5 million visitors a year, is perfect for avid pickleball players and a great location for expanding the reach of this sport. We'd like to thank Scott Willis, Mayor of Westfield, and Birch Dalton for their enthusiasm and support.' This new club continues The Picklr's commitment to meeting the demand for top-notch indoor pickleball experiences while partnering with enthusiastic franchise owners who support and nurture The Picklr's pickleball communities nationwide. This new club is part of The Picklr's national expansion, including more than 475 new locations with roughly 4,750 courts being built over the next few years. Gilreath and Brock have plans to open six new locations throughout central Indiana. Players can learn more about the Indianapolis Keystone Crossing and Noblesville locations here. Players can learn more about the Westfield, Indiana, location at: The Picklr Westfield will be located in a retail development project on the northeast corner of 191st Street and Grand Park Boulevard in Westfield, Indiana. Media will be invited to attend the grand opening. For preview features and visits, please email picklr@ ABOUT THE PICKLR: The Picklr is North America's fastest-growing network of premium indoor pickleball courts, offering an unparalleled experience for players of all skill levels. With more than 475 state-of-the-art clubs sold nationwide, The Picklr provides programs for beginners to pros, and a vibrant atmosphere. Membership to The Picklr includes access to all club locations nationwide, free court reservations, four clinics per month, and unlimited participation in leagues, competitive play/events and tournaments. Follow The Picklr on Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok for news on locations and tournaments, or visit to learn more about owning a franchise. The Picklr Media Contact:DKC Newspicklr@ The Picklr Media Contact in Indiana:Barb Smith A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
