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ESPN Insights:LeBron James recorded his 20th career 20-point double-double when facing elimination, tying Wilt Chamberlain for most in NBA history🔥
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype:LeBron James recorded his 20th career 20-point …
NEW YORK (AP) — The lingering impact ofCOVID-19, a few years out from the declaration that the pandemic was over, is scattered across how we live today —the work-from-home jobs, the way some have decided wearing masks is their new normal, the hand sanitizer dispensers that remain ever present.
Some of the other ripples, though, aren't as obvious. They're the ones we carry inside us — grief over lost loved ones, chronic health conditions, the sense of lives interrupted. And in recent days, another one has made itself known in the wake ofa rare hantavirus outbreakaboard a cruise ship: the fear, despite official reassurances, that it might be happening again.
But the flourishing of fear, whether on a personal or societal level, can also be an indicator that something else is missing. Perhaps there's no post-pandemic reality more entrenched than the damage done, in the U.S. and globally, to the bonds that in the before times, many would have considered secure — science, government, information itself.
“COVID undermined our trust in what most of us used to trust,” said Elisa Jayne Bienenstock, a research professor and sociologist at Arizona State University. “When general trust goes down, when there’s a lot of cynicism, who are people looking to, to explain what to do and how the world works?”
Before 2020, the outbreak of some illness somewhere didn't usually cause massive concern outside of the specific areas impacted, even as some epidemics caused significant numbers of deaths.
Some of that was complacency in the face of a world where widespread travel wasn't as accessible to the masses as it has become, which was a key part of COVID-19's spread.
In fact, there have been outbreaks of the current strain of hantavirus in some South American countries through the decades, like one in 1997 in Chile. Other countries have had epidemics of a range of illnesses from cholera to dengue to SARS, and the U.S. has seenWest Nile,Legionnaire'sand more.
But in a post-COVID-19 world, it didn't take long before questions and concerns surfaced about disease spread in the days immediately following the first reports that three people had died from hantavirus on the ship. A total ofnine confirmed and two suspected caseshave been identified, including the fatalities.
Health experts have repeatedly emphasized that even though the virus can cause serious illness in those infected, the risk of spread in the general public is low. Despite that, when ship passengers were taken to the Spanish island of Tenerife to disembark, residents like Samantha Aguero were concerned.
“We feel a bit unsafe. We don’t feel as there are 100% security measures in place to welcome it," she said. “This is a virus, after all, and we have lived this during the pandemic.”
Bienenstock points to three institutions that have suffered from the public's loss of trust: government, media and science itself. But government officials and journalists were dealing with issues of public mistrust well beforethe pandemic.
The mistrust of science got ammunition not because scientists were making mistakes in their processes but because non-scientists didn't have the same understanding, she said.
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“Most people don’t think of science as a process. In their mind, science is an answer, it’s a fact. And so when those facts showed that they weren’t 100% reliable and assured, it started undermining trust in the science,” she said.
“One of the problems with COVID is it undermined that confidence in science for people who don’t understand how science works. It showed the process. And it showed that scientists don’t always have the answer,” Bienenstock said. “A lot of people in crisis, when they fear things, don’t care what the answer is, as long as there’s a definitive answer. And science doesn’t provide that when it doesn’t know."
It's not just about the issue at the forefront of people's attention at the moment. There are ripple effects as well.
“COVID ... didn’t just heighten people’s sensitivity to health threats. It did so unevenly, in ways often disconnected from actual risk,” said Michele Gelfand, professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “As trust in institutions has weakened, people have lost a key way to navigate uncertainty together. Without trust, people rely more on rumor, fear, and emotion, which can lead them to overreact to small risks and underreact to serious ones.”
Karlynn Morgan, a 76-year-old retired nurse-anesthetist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has seen that heightened attention, with more people without a medical or science background talking about health issues than before the pandemic.
She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen infalling vaccination ratesand rising instances of diseases like measles.
“I think people are far less trusting because people used to take their children and just get the vaccine," she said. "When I was a kid, there was no question you were going to go get your shot.”
If trust is going to be rebuilt, Gelfand said in an email, then leaders have to get involved.
“They set the threat signal. They determine whether people get accurate information about the level of danger or distorted information that serves a political agenda. When leaders send clear, honest signals, people can calibrate in the face of threat. When leaders manipulate threat for their own purposes, norms erode and and trust collapses,” Gelfand said.
“Strong, reliable institutions have historically been our superpower as a society. They’re what allow millions of people to coordinate under uncertainty without knowing each other personally," she said. "Without that institutional backbone, we lose the very capacity for collective action that has helped human groups survive for millennia.”
Follow the AP's coverage of the hantavirus outbreak athttps://apnews.com/hub/hantavirus.
TheChicago Bearsappear to be heading back to Detroit to spend Thanksgiving. Just one day before the entire 2026 NFL schedule is released, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that the Bears andLionswill meet this year on Thanksgiving. This will be sixth meeting between both teams on the holiday since 2014, with the Bears holding a 3-2 record.
It was expected the Bears would see plenty of prime time and standalone games following their 11-6 season that saw them capture the NFC North, and that already seems to be the case. Chicago is looking to snap a four-game losing streak against the Lions, one of which took place two years ago on Thanksgiving that directly resulted in the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus. Training 23-20 late, Bears had a chance to tie or win the game while driving but squandered the opportunity by letting the clock run out for all to see despite having a timeout to use.
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For the Bears and their fans, hopefully this game turns out better than that one as head coach Ben Johnson attempts to get his first victory against his former team. Here is how fans reacted to the news.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire:NFL world reacts to Bears playing the Lions on Thanksgiving
Workers at a Greer location of a popular coffee chain won their union election last week, making them one of a handful of unionized locations in the state.
Starbucks baristas at the Hammett Bridge Road and Suber Road location voted on May 8 to unionize, making them one of seven Starbucks locations in South Carolina to unionize. The workers will now be represented by Starbucks Workers United, a labor organization that represents more than 580 locations nationwide.
More:Clemson Starbucks workers file petition to unionize, seeking more hours, health insurance
According to a press release from the union, more than 2,000 workers joined the union last year. These workers are advocating for better staffing, higher pay, and the resolution of unfair labor practice complaints against the company.
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“Joining this union will give us a voice to tell Starbucks that when the baristas and supervisors that run our store are respected and valued by this company, we can make this store a wonderful place,” shift supervisor Julia Birch said in a statement.
In November, the union launched the longest work stoppage in company history to protest alleged violations of national labor law. According to the union, the company had more than 700 unresolved unfair labor practice charges as of November when the strike was launched.
Workers at the Greer location voted 13 to 2 to join the union, according to Starbucks Workers United. Union election results must be certified by the National Labor Relations Board before they are finalized.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News:Starbucks in Greer becomes seventh unionized location in SC
Kaylee Gendronis the newest Old Colony Memorial Athlete of the Week, picking up 53% of the vote. ThePlymouth Southjunior had a day for herself on May 1 as part of a 13-1 softball win over Hingham. She slugged two home runs in addition to picking up the win on the circle. Gendron has helped South out to a 10-2 start as well as a comfortable lead in the chase for the Patriot League title.
Congratulations Kaylee and to all of the nominees.
Coaches, please email me atdwolcott@wickedlocal.comwith nominations for Athlete of the Week along with a brief description of their accomplishments.Voting is unlimited and it closes every Sunday at noon.
More:South Shore track coach remembered as someone who valued every athlete
With that said, here are this week’s Athlete of the Week nominees for May 4-10, 2026.
Polisky powered Plymouth South to a 1-0 win May 7 at Marshfield High. In his first varsity start on the mound, the right-hander allowed only two hits and struck out six to get the shutout.
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Stasinos got the win May 7, pitching all five innings in a 16-2 victory over Scituate. She was also 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and a run scored.
The trio placed first in the discus relay at the Division 3 MIAA state relays on May 3 at Oliver Ames High School. Davies placed second overall with her throw of 118-2.75.
The senior captain did not lose a game at first singles in recent wins over Quincy High and then Pembroke as the Panthers continued their march to clinching a tournament spot. Plymouth South started the week tied with Scituate in first place at the top of the Fisher Division.
Adair ended things against Whitman-Hanson on May 5 with a walk-off bunt in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 1-0 win. Adair was also 3-for-3 with 2 RBI on May 1 as part of a 4-1 win over North Quincy.
Meyer led the way with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at first singles May 5 as part of a 4-1 win over Whitman-Hanson.
The poll includes players from Plymouth North, Plymouth South, and the Rising Tide Charter School. Votes are unlimited. Voting closes each Sunday at noon. Emailed votes will not be counted.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com:Vote for the OCM Athlete of the Week from May 4-10, 2026
TheNew York Jetsand rest of the NFL will soon know their exact route to the Super Bowl in 2027.
The league has confirmed when the schedule for the 2026 regular season will be announced for all 32 teams will be. It is set for Thursday:
The Jets have known who their opponents will be next season for months. That is determined at the end of last season.
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The schedule release announces exactly how that order of games will happen. Fans will then have the ability to plan road trips and know what games will be considered prime-time games.
Prior to the release on Thursday, schedule leaks and rumors will surface.
Jets Wirewill continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire:NFL announces when Jets' 2026 regular season schedule will be released
CLEVELAND (AP) — Travis Bazzana wasn't concerned when he began his major league career by going hitless in 12 at-bats. The Cleveland Guardians rookie felt that if he maintained his consistent approach, the hits would start coming.
That has certainly been the case over the past week.
Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 amateur draft, hit his first big league home run and stole two bases inCleveland's 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twinson Friday night.
“I was just hoping. Today, there was no wind so it carried out. I got it good. I just hustled and tried to yell it out,” Bazzana said.
With José Ramírez on first and two outs in the first inning, Bazzana connected on a 1-1 slider from Minnesota's Connor Prielipp to make it 4-0.The 427-foot drivewent into the Guardians’ bullpen in center field. It was the second-longest homer by a Guardians player this season.
Bazzana was the first Australian-born player to be the top overall pick in the draft and became the 10th Aussie to homer in the majors. According to Baseball Reference, Joe Quinn was the first in 1886 for the St. Louis Maroons. Dave Nilsson, who played eight seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers, has the most with 105 from 1992 through '99.
Bazzana is one of two Aussies currently in the big leagues. Curtis Mead is in his fourth major league season and has gone deep four times this year for the Washington Nationals.
Bazzana wasn't satisfied with just the homer. He got aboard in the eighth inning by beating out what would have been an inning-ending double-play ball. He then stole second and third base before scoring on a base hit by Austin Hedges to put the Guardians up 6-3.
“He’s been pushing the pace since he’s gotten here. He looks comfortable. Looks like he belongs and he crushed that ball tonight,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.
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Bazzana is 6 for 18 with four RBIs since going hitless in his first 12 big league at-bats. He also leads MLB with six stolen bases since May 2.
The six steals are the most by a Cleveland player in his first nine games since Alex Cole had 10 in 1990.
Guardians' left-hander Parker Messick, who allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings, described Bazzana as an animal because he is not afraid to show his emotion.
“I love that he would describe me that way,” Bazzana said about Messick's comment. “So yeah, when I’m in a controlled aggression, that’s like when I'm at my best and showed a little bit of that tonight.”
Even though Bazzana is showing signs of production the past week, he said he has been comfortable since being called up from Triple-A Columbus on April 28.
“Honestly, it’s kind of felt the same from the get-go. I felt really good. I was squaring the ball up. I was taking my walks. If I’m swinging at good pitches and squaring the ball up, over time, good things are going to happen,” he said. “I felt like I was in control of my at-bats early on, so everything’s kind of felt the same.
“I finally got a ball kind of in the air where I wanted it today, but I’m in a good place offensively and just sometimes balls go at guys and just got to stick with it, stay healthy and keep finding my ball flight and I’ll be good.”
AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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