With back-to-back wins over the Sparks at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, including a 76-69 victory on Tuesday night, the Liberty have won seven of their last eight games heading into tomorrow’s matchup with the Minnesota Lynx on the road. They are 20-6 and have the second-best record in the WNBA behind the 24-2 Las Vegas Aces.
Guard Courtney Vandersloot led the Liberty with 23 points and Breanna Stewart added 16 points despite missing eight of nine 3-point attempts. In defeat, the Sparks’ Nneka Ogwumike’s 20 points put her ahead of Candace Parker for second on the Sparks’ all-time scoring list.
The 33-year-old Ogwumike, who played college ball at Stanford, ended the game with a career total of 5,691 points as a Spark. She now stands behind only 2015 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, who has 6,263.
On Sunday, the Liberty took down the Sparks 87-79 behind Stewart’s 25 and guard Marine Johannes’ 15 off the bench for the team’s deep bench.
The Liberty’s championship aspirations continue to grow as their loaded roster has gelled. Forward Jonquel Jones averaged more than 13 points in the month of July and was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games from Tuesday, July 18, through Sunday, July 23.The Liberty’s only defeat during their current stretch was last Friday against the Lynx at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. They fell 88-83 when guard Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 and Stewart contributed 23. Stewart is second in the WNBA in scoring at 22.9 points per game behind the Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd at 24.3 points per game. The Liberty face the Lynx tomorrow on the road and will have a big meeting with the Aces at the Barclays Center on Sunday.
The Mets came into this season with credible World Series aspirations.
By Tuesday’s Major League Baseball trade deadline, they had reshaped their roster, trading their two pitching aces and closer.
High-priced hurler Max Scherzer was dealt to the Texas Rangers last weekend and the franchise’s prized winter free-agent signing, 2022 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, was dealt back to Houston Astros — with which he won the World Series a season ago — on Tuesday.
The Mets also traded closer David Robertson to the Miami Marlins this past weekend and outfielder Mark Canha to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. The collective deals by and large yielded the Mets a bevy of talented but unproven prospects. It’s a roster reconstruction, no matter how Mets general manager Billy Eppler framed the upheaval.
“It was a strategic decision,’’ explained Eppler after moving Scherzer and Robertson and prior to reuniting Verlander with the Astros. “We took this opportunity to serve another goal of the organization, which is to enhance the farm system. But I do want to be clear, it’s not a rebuild, it’s not a fire sale, it’s not a liquidation. This is just a repurposing of (team owner) Steve’s (Cohen) investment in the club and kind of shifting that investment from the team into the organization.”
At his first press conference on Tuesday as a Ranger, Scherzer said he was informed by Eppler when inquiring about the Mets’ front office’s immediate plans that the organization would be pivoting from contending this season to shaping the outlook for the future.
“His answer was that the team is now kind of shifting vision and that they’re looking to compete now for 2025 and 2026, and that 2024, that it was not going to be a reload situation in New York, and that it was going to be more of a transition in 2024,” Scherzer revealed.
The Mets were 50-56 when they faced the Kansas City Royals Wednesday on the road, fourth place in the National League with virtually no chance of catching the Atlanta Braves, which were in first place at 68-37. The Mets were a disconcerting seven games behind the Brewers for the third wildcard spot, with another four teams ahead of them in the race.
Scherzer, 39, posted a 9-4 record with a 4.01 ERA this season with New York. He was signed by the Mets in November 2021 to a three-year, $130 million contract. The three-time Cy Young Award winner went 11-5 in 23 starts last season with a 2.29 ERA, helping the Mets to a 101-61 mark, tied with the Braves for the third-best record in the league.
The 40-year-old Verlander, also a three-time Cy Young Award recipient, was inked to a two-year, $86.7 million contract last December and had his final start with the Mets on Sunday, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 at Citi Field and earning his 250th career win. He was 6-5 in 16 starts during his brief Mets tenure with a 3.15 ERA. So now, during the next off-season, the Mets will look to leverage their acquired assets for more established players via the trade route, develop the youngsters they believe have the potential to be impact players on the Major League level and continue to use Cohen’s deep pockets in free-agency.
The Mets, who began this season with the highest payroll in MLB history at $353.5 million, have been an abject disappointment to fans that rightly had high hopes the team would end what is now a 37-year World Series winning drought.
House Democratic Leader and Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries spent this past Sunday distributing kosher and halal food with the Met Council, the nation’s largest Jewish charity, in Starrett City, Brooklyn. Jeffries also announced $1 million in federal funding for the organization.
“Met Council has really been a shelter in the time of storm for the people that I represent here in the 8th Congressional District,particularly East New York, Canarsie, Marine Park, Brighton Beach and Coney Island,” said Jeffries in a statement. “Met Council has done tremendous work—but that work was urgently necessary when a once in a century pandemic struck our community, struck the nation, and struck the world.”
Met Council is the largest free distributor of kosher food in the nation, and helped deliver over 21 million pounds of food to more than 250,000 New Yorkers last year, said the organization. Each month, it serves over 20,000 people in the surrounding district, which is mostly made up of immigrants and people of color.
The federal funding will be used to stock kosher and halal foods throughout pantries in Jeffries’ district. This represents Jeffries’ “enduring commitment” to his constituents and the Met, said his office.
“We are so thankful for this vital funding from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who has always been a champion for Met Council and for the Jewish community,” said Met Council CEO David Greenfield in a statement. “We know that Rep. Jeffries always has our backs in Washington and fights hard to make sure people have access to food, meals, and the services they need. We are grateful for his leadership and look forward to our continued partnership.”
East New York’s Jewish voters in Starrett City were also considered vital in shaking up the recent city council June primary, where longtime former Councilmember Charles Barron was “ousted” in favor of newcomer Chris Banks, reported Jewish Insider. Barron has been widely called Jeffries’ “rival” since he ran against him for a congressional seat back in 2012. Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1.
The National Association of Women Artists is primarily a volunteer-run organization with members from Harlem to Hollywood. For the last 134 years, NAWA has educated, empowered, and exhibited women artists with the help of volunteer members. NAWA honors these women who over the years have contributed their precious time to continue the mission. Though many…
As families and friends gather on patios and decks to enjoy the warmth of summer and meals fresh off the grill, many are searching for that perfect ingredient that can complement salads, appetizers, main courses, desserts, and more.
This year, you can turn to pecans to elevate meals and give your guests something to rave about. Iconic for their flavor versatility, shining in a wide range of profiles from sweet and spicy to salty, smoky, and savory, they’re a tasty addition for favorite summertime recipes.
From an enjoyable crunch to comforting creaminess and a satisfying chew, pecans deliver a perfect bite and texture. These Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Pecan Salsa, for example, are loaded with fresh flavors for an easy, nutritious warm-weather meal.
Taste is just the beginning—pecans also pack a nutritious punch with a unique mix of health-promoting nutrients and bioactive compounds. Known for their rich, buttery consistency and naturally sweet taste, pecans have a longstanding tradition as a nut topping. They’re sprinkled atop this Spiced Pecan Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese for a refreshing seasonal salad with a nutty crunch.
To find more recipes that take summer entertaining to the next level, visit EatPecans.com.
Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Pecan Salsa
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops (each 1-inch thick)
3/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon, kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 medium peaches, diced
2/3 cup raw pecan pieces
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons lime juice
Season pork chops with 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.
Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Grill pork chops until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook 5–6 minutes until food thermometer inserted in center registers 135 F.
Transfer to plate and let rest at least 5 minutes until internal temperature rises to 145–160 F.
Add salsa on top of each pork chop and place remaining salsa on side.
Spiced Pecan Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Spiced Pecans—
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups pecan halves
Salad—
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons, extra-virgin olive oil or pecan oil, divided
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
pepper, to taste
2 large peaches, halved and pits removed
6 cups mixed baby greens (such as arugula, spring mix and spinach)
4 ounces soft goat cheese
To make spiced pecans:
Preheat oven to 275 F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk egg white, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt until well combined. Fold in pecans and mix until evenly coated in mixture. Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet.
Bake 45–50 minutes, stirring occasionally until pecans are fragrant and golden-brown. Allow to cool completely.
To make salad:
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
In small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Brush cut sides of peach halves with remaining olive oil and grill 3–5 minutes—until grill lines appear and peaches become tender. Remove peaches and cut into slices.
Divide greens among four plates. Top with grilled peach slices and goat cheese. Divide 1 cup spiced pecans evenly among salads and reserve remaining cup for snacking. Drizzle each salad with vinaigrette.
The recently and abruptly shuttered Greenpoint restaurant will be back—for a limited time—thanks to a pop-up at local restaurant incubator Fulgurances Laundromat.
Chef Quang Thái Nguyễn, who led the kitchen at Cool World, will be taking over the former laundromat for special wine bar nights with an a la carte menu. Fulgurances typically offers a dinner tasting menu, so this will be a more casual opportunity to delve into Nguyễn’s food, which will be different from the Cool World menu.
“I couldn’t be more happy to jump at the opportunity of cooking at Fulgurances,” Nguyễn told Time Out. “The food will be summer snacks that I think would be enjoyable to have during these hot summer months. They have a great wine program at Fulgurances, and I’m really happy to cook some fun dishes a la carte with their team.”
To pair with a wide range of natural wine selections, small shareable plates will include mezcal pickled corn ribs, grilled pork lettuce wraps, and mango strawberry popsicles, and more summertime favorites.
Seatings begin at noon and run through 9pm, reservable via Resy, with walk-in space available. Indoor and outdoor sidewalk seating is offered. The pop-up will run for three Sundays, August 6, August 27 and then September 10.
When Nguyễn’s pop up isn’t in session, another local yet long-gone restaurant will be have its chef in the Fulgurances Laundromat kitchen. In residency through October, chef Galen Kennemer, formerly of Bushwick’s Blanca, is cooking dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays. Six courses are $89, with an optional $65 wine tasting. A 20% fee is also added to every bill. Kennemer’s dishes are seasonal and change frequently. Recent menu items included charred octopus and jimmy nardello peppers, goat butter ice cream topped with tart cherry granita and maple crumble, fresh cheese with peas and more.
