Fitch’s stepmother, Aleita Fitch, 80, alleges that the attorney general directed officers to arrive at her home and that they took guns, money and other belongings unannounced. Aleita Fitch also said the officers showed up at the hospital where Fitch’s father, Bill Fitch, 88, is being treated. “I think Lynn’s probably allowed to have these guys with her when she goes places,” Aleita Fitch’s lawyer, Ray Hill, told AP on Thursday....

Graham Williamson, 38, pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges after admitting one count of interference with housing rights and one count of conspiring to use fire to commit a federal felony. The Department of Justice announced that Williamson admitted to planning and carrying out a racially motivated cross-burning in October 2017 at the Key Hill area of Seminary, Mississippi, along with his co-conspirator, Louis Bernard Revette. Williams said he constructed the cross using materials from in and around Revette’s home....

Parson called reports of the allegedly hidden study “purposefully misleading.” He said that data contained in the study had been available on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard for months. On November 1, 2021, Alex Tuttle, Parson’s liaison to the state Department of Health and Senior Services, wrote an email to the department asking, “Can you provide examples of local mandates and how those mandates impacted the spread of COVID in those areas?...

No potential stimulus package that is being currently negotiated on Capitol Hill includes anything like the $1,200 checks that many Americans received under the CARES Act. However, McConnell’s opposition to the idea is waning, Politico reported Tuesday. The Kentucky Republican spoke Monday afternoon with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, per Politico. Notably, McCarthy and President Donald Trump have previously been far more supportive of more stimulus checks....

“We probably need to do another package, certainly more modest than the $3 trillion Nancy Pelosi package,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “I think that’ll be something we’ll need to do right at the beginning of the year.” The remarks from the Kentucky Republican implied that he does not expect ongoing talks between House Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to yield a bipartisan deal that can pass the current Congress and land on President Donald Trump’s desk....

The GOP senator for Utah told reporters in footage broadcast by MSNBC on Monday that he supported a “vote on witnesses later” in the impeachment process, and said he was “open” on who he would vote to call forward as witnesses. But when pressed on whether he would like to hear testimony from the former Trump administration official Bolton, the former Republican presidential candidate said he was “someone who I would like to hear from....

Mizzou named Anderson as Frank Haith's replacement on Monday afternoon. The hiring is actually a return to familiar stomping grounds for Anderson, who is a Mizzou alumnus and former assistant coach at the school from 1982-1985. "I'm honored and humbled to have the opportunity to return to Mizzou and lead a program that our family is so vested in," Anderson said in a statement Monday. "When we took over in Warrensburg 12 years ago, we faced an uphill battle....

Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez knows this and told ESPN if he got a chance to face Ortiz, he would throw three fastballs down the middle so Ortiz “can hit a monster HR in his last All-Star Game!” MORE: Must-see images from the 2016 Home Run Derby Since the All-Star matchup will be all fun and games, people likely won’t have a problem with it. Adam Wainwright did the same for Derek Jeter in his last All-Star Game in 2014, and Chan Ho Park delivered an easy, straight pitch to Cal Ripken Jr....

The leading vote-getters for each award: MORE: Gold Glove winners announced | Kershaw three-time winner in players’ vote | Ranking the 25 best free agents NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS • Jacob deGrom, RHP, Mets • Billy Hamilton, CF, Reds • Kolten Wong, 2B, Cardinals AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS • Jose Abreu, 1B, White Sox • Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees • Matt Shoemaker, RHP, Angels NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS...

MLB action gets going early Wednesday when the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins match up at 1:10 p.m. ET, with Tyler Wilson (1-1, 3.04) goes up against Phil Hughes (1-5, 5.85). Minnesota is a slight home favorite at the time of publication, getting anywhere from -105 to -107 on the money line. We’re always interested when Vegas lines don’t match up with AccuScore simulations, and this matchup gives us exactly that....

TV: MLB will hold Day 1 of the draft at MLB Network’s Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J. The draft will begin live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7 p.m. ET. MLB Network will cover the first 75 picks of the draft. Before the start of the draft, MLB Network will air a preview show, also simulcast on MLB.com, at 6 p.m. Here is the order in which the teams will draft:...

MLB moved its annual selecting-the-future-stars event from its traditional slot of early June to mid-July, with the hopes that adding it to the sport’s premier mid-season showcase will put a bigger spotlight on the event. It’s an event worthy of more eyeballs. The Draft’s first round has been aired live on MLB Network since 2012 — you’ll remember a kid named Mike Trout was the only potential first-round pick to show up in the studio for that one — and this year ESPN joins the broadcast....

The 2001 Mariners make an appearance, as does Lenny Dykstra and his car wash. Man, baseball’s weird. Anyway, here’s what you submitted for this week’s MLB mailbag: This is a good thought to ponder, considering the enigmatic and largely underachieving era of David Wright and Jose Reyes has all but ended. With the arrivals of Dominic Smith, Michael Conforto and Amed Rosario (not to mention the much-maligned starting pitching), the Mets are looking to rely on a new core heading into the future....

Jacob deGrom almost paid Johan Santana the ultimate tribute on the anniversary of his no-hitter. DeGrom pitched eight innings, allowing just two hits and zero earned runs, while striking out eight. He carried a perfect game into the sixth inning, but gave up a single to Clint Barmes in the bottom of the frame. The Mets won 7-0. Albert Pujols is closing in on a milestone of his own. After bashing two home runs on Monday, Pujols now sits at 533 for his career, which is only one shy of Jimmie Foxx for 17th all-time....

Tonight, the two teams meet for the beginning of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium where William Hill sports books have Los Angeles as a -200 favorite to take at least two out of three. MORE: Giants fan with no arms throws incredible first pitch | MLB trade rumors This classic series embodies everything a sports fan loves, beginning with a complete dislike for each others’ uniforms — and it’s not just the image of Juan Marichal clubbing Johnny Roseboro with a bat in 1965....

I can’t lay the price on them tonight at -220, but I see a nice opportunity with the total going OVER just because of Jorge De La Rosa who had a very shaky spring allowing 14 runs in 20 innings. His last three starts against the DBacks have all gone OVER. Arizona’s bats also come in with a spring leading .322 batting average and incredible .910 OPS. Pick: OVER 7....

Check The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for current baseball lines from Las Vegas. Chicago Cubs -125 (@ Miami Marlins)Jose Urena vs Jason Hammel The Cubs fought tooth-and-nail last night with the Royals and walked out as winners in the 11th inning. It was an impressive game by the Cubs pitchers, as they only allowed four hits and one run against the most effective hitting team in the league....