SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The San Francisco 49ers' offense sputtered in an 11-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but there was a bright spot on the other side of the ball. Safety Talanoa Hufanga continued to turn heads with his impressive play, recording a tackle-for-loss in a third straight game to start the season.
The play came when he bolted past the line of scrimmage to tackle Denver's Melvin Gordon for a loss. NFL analysts have noticed Hufanga's "electric" play style, and Hall of Fame safety Charles Woodson compared him to another legendary player at the same position.
"Does polamalu play for the 9ers," Woodson asked on Twitter. Richard Sherman shared the same observation. Woodson is referring to former Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu, who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2020.
The similarities between Polamalu and Hufanga are easy to spot. Both players wear flowing, curly hair, and both have a knack for invading the backfield from the safety position.
The similarities don't stop there. Both players are Oregon natives of Polynesian descent that played their college football at USC. NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth even said during the game that Hufanga trained with Polamalu during the offseason.
Hufanga is in his first season as a full-time starter after he was selected in the 5th round of the NFL Draft in 2021. The training with Polamalu has paid off through three games — he's tallied 21 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, three passes defended and an interception.
Hufanga took over as San Francisco's starting safety for Jaquiski Tartt, who left the team in the offseason after starting at least six games each year since 2015. It's asking a lot of Hufanga to have a career that even approaches Polamalu's legendary run, but he certainly looks the part early on.
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) - If Mondays weren't bad enough, drivers across the Bay Area are all waking up to exploding gas prices.
Californians are paying as much as 40 cents more today than a week or two ago.
The Golden State always pays more than other places in the county, where the national average is $3.70 per gallon.
The prices in the Bay Area show the massive difference from week to week: Oakland was $5.56 last week, today it's $5.91.
San Francisco's average was $5.70 last week, now it's $6.05.
Experts say we are paying so much here in California for many reasons, including gas taxes and also the blends that are required here.
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Motorist Gordon Miller, who said he is around 70, said that "When I got out of the army in the 50s I had a beetle. It cost me about $3 for the whole week."
MOSCOW (AP) — A gunman opened fire in a school in central Russia Monday, killing 13 people, including seven children, and wounding 21 others.
Russia's Investigative Committee said the shooting took place in School No. 88 in Izhevsk, a city about 960 kilometers (600 miles) east of Moscow in the Udmurtia region. It identified the wounded as 14 children and seven adults.
The governor of Udmurtia, Alexander Brechalov, said in a video statement that the gunman shot himself.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the shooting as “a terrorist act” and said that President Vladimir Putin has given all the necessary orders to the relevant authorities.
“President Putin deeply mourns deaths of people and children in the school, where a terrorist act took place,” Peskov told reporters Monday.
The school educates children between grades 1 and 11. It has been evacuated and the area around it has been cordoned off, the governor said.
The Investigative Committee identified the gunman as 34-year-old Artyom Kazantsev, a graduate of the same school. It said in a statement that Kazantsev wore a black t-shirt bearing “Nazi symbols.” No details about his motives have been released.
Russia's National Guard said Kazantsev used two non-lethal handguns adapted to fire real bullets.
A criminal probe into the incident has been launched on charges of multiple murder and illegal possession of firearms.
Izhevsk, a city of 640,000, is located west of the Ural mountains in central Russia.
UPDATE | Ian strengthened into a hurricane Monday morning. This story is no longer being updated. Find the latest forecast here.
TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) — Tropical Storm Ian is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Monday as it continues to make a projected path toward Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The 11 p.m. advisory said that Ian was 140 miles south-southeast of Grand Cayman and 390 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba. The tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving northwest at 13 mph.
Rapid strengthening is expected to turn Ian into a hurricane on Monday and a major hurricane on Tuesday. As of the latest update, tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 70 miles from the center of the storm.
According to the NHC, the center of Ian is expected to pass near or west of the Cayman Islands on Monday, and near or over western Cuba Monday night and early Tuesday.
The NHC predicted that by Tuesday, Ian could reach major hurricane strength, which is at least a category three. The updated live track, which has continued to shift eastward, shows Ian as being a category four while in the gulf.
“This shift eastward has been a gradual trend all day and is believable and makes meteorological sense. It is a more threatening track for the Bay Area," said WFLA Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli. "While there is still time for shifts, and there likely will be some, but we need to prepare for a direct hit or a very close call. Either way the impacts would be significant.”
Florida is expected to feel the first of Ian's impact through the midweek, with flash and urban flooding possible due to rainfall across the Florida Keys and Peninsula. The NHC said northern Florida, the Pandhandle, and parts of the southeastern United States may also see heavy rain Thursday through Friday.
The NHC said the Florida Keys and the southern and central portions of the Florida Peninsula could see two to four inches of rain with maximum local totals of six inches starting Monday through Wednesday.
Tropical storm conditions are possible along the Florida west coast by Tuesday evening.
Several feet of storm surge is forecast for areas along the Florida gulf coast. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect.
"A track like the National Hurricane Center shows, even if it avoids a direct hit, would cause several feet plus of storm surge along the coast of the Bay Area from the Nature Coast southward into Pinellas and Tampa Bay," Berardelli said. "Several feet is conservative, as it would likely be much more in spots. People in evacuation zones may be asked to leave in the next 1 to 2 days so please be aware of your zone.”
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
Grand Cayman
Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio, and Artemisa
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
Cuban provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque, and Matanzas
Lower Florida Keys from Seven Mile Bridge southward to Key West, including Dry Tortugas
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
Little Cayman and Cayman Brac
Englewood southward to Chokoloskee in Southwest Florida
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:
Florida Keys from the Card Sound Bridge westward to Key West
Dry Tortugas
West coast of Florida from Englewood southward to the Card Sound
Bridge
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WHNT) — Over 60 ready-to-eat meat products sold by one company in Illinois are being recalled due to possible listeria contamination.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Saturday that 64 products sold by Behrmann Meat and Processing, Inc. are affected by the recall.
More products could be added in the near future, the FSIS said, urging customers to check back frequently for any updates.
Affected products that may have been contaminated with listeria will have the establishment number "EST 20917" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious infection. It can also cause common food poisoning symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says around 1,600 people get listeriosis every year, resulting in about 260 deaths. It is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
Although there have not been any confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions from eating the products, the FSIS is urging anyone who has the affected items to throw them out or return them from where they were purchased.
For questions or concerns, health officials can be reached by calling the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send an email here.
(The Conversation) - Over the next few weeks, members of the Jewish faith will observe the High Holy Days in the month of Tishrei in the Jewish calendar, usually in September and October. These holidays commemorate concepts such as renewal, forgiveness, freedom and joy.
As a scholar of the Bible and the ancient world, I am continually impressed with how the history of these festivals offers consolation and encourages people toward living well, even during a pandemic.
What are the High Holy Days?
Of the two main High Holy Days, also called the High Holidays, the first is Rosh Hashanah, or the New Year celebration. It is one of two new year celebrations in the Jewish faith, the other being Passover in the spring.
The second High Holiday is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement.
In addition to the main Holy Days, there are other celebrations that occur as part of the festival season. One is Sukkot, or the Festival of the Booths, during which meals and rituals take place in a “sukkah,” or a makeshift structure constructed with a tree-branch roof.
The second entails twocelebrations, which in some traditions are part of the same holiday and in others occur on two separate, consecutive days: Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
Shemini Atzeret is Hebrew for “eighth (day of) assembly,” counting eight days from Sukkot. Simchat Torah is Hebrew for “joy/rejoicing of the Torah” – the Torah being the first five books of the Bible, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, believed to have been revealed to Moses.
Of particular interest for the High Holy Days in 2021 is that Rosh Hashanah also begins a yearlong observance known as the “Shmita.”
Commemorated once every seven years, the term comes from a Hebrew phrase that appears in the Bible in a number of passages. Some of these passages command that the farmer “drops” or “releases” his crops. Another verse associates the act with the forgiveness of debts. In another passage in the Bible, the Shmita is connected with the reading of God’s revelation in the law.
The exact nature of the action denoted by Shmita is debated, but the idea is that some portion of the food is left behind for the poor and hungry in society.
In this manner, the beginning of the High Holy Days in 2021 is a reminder to care for those who have been struggling.
Why celebrate these festivals?
The origins and reasons for the High Holy Days are in some fashion encoded in the Bible and in the agrarian and religious culture that produced it. The millennia of Jewish tradition between the Bible and the present has informed many of the celebrations as well, in ways that go beyond the biblical texts.
The first holiday, Rosh Hashanah, celebrates renewal. It involves the blowing of the shofar horn, itself connected to the ram sacrificed instead of Abraham’s son, as God had commanded Abraham to do. Important activities include attending synagogue to hear the shofar, as well as eating apple slices with honey, the former representing hopes for fruitfulness and the honey symbolizing the desire for a sweet year.
It also often involves a ritual of throwing bread onto running water, called a tashlich, symbolizing the removal of sins from people.
Rosh Hashanah is believed to mark the date of the creation of the world, and it begins the “Days of Awe,” a 10-day period culminating in Yom Kippur.
The term “Days of Awe” itself is a more literal translation of the Hebrew phrasing used for the High Holy Days.
Concepts of repentance and forgiveness are particularly highlighted in Yom Kippur. Its origins are found in the Hebrew Bible, where it describes the one day a year in which premeditated, intentional sins, such as willfully violating divine commands and prohibitions, were forgiven.
Intentional sins were envisioned as generating impurity in the heart of the temple in Jerusalem, where God was thought to live. Impurity from intentional sins was believed by Israelites to be a threat to this divine presence since God might choose to leave the temple.
The biblical description of Yom Kippur involved a series of sacrifices and rituals designed to remove sin from the people. For example, one goat was thought to bear the sins of the Israelites and was sent off to the wilderness, where it was consumed by Azazel, a mysterious, perhaps demonic force. Azazel consumed the goat and the sins that it carried. The term “scapegoat” in English derives from this act.
Yom Kippur is both the holiest day of the Jewish calendar and also one of the most somber, as the time for repentance includes fasting and prayer.
Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
The Festival of Sukkot likely began as an agricultural celebration, and the booths were shelters in which farmers stayed during the collection of grain, which was to be processed for the year.
Vestiges of this agricultural commemoration appear in certain passages in the Bible, one of which indicates that the festival is to last seven days to mark the time period in which Israelites dwelt in booths, or makeshift dwellings with branches, when leaving Egypt.
This feast was known as zeman simchatenu, or “the time of our rejoicing,” hearkening to the themes of gratitude, freedom from Egypt and the reading of God’s revelation as found in the Torah to all Israel.
Such a time of rejoicing contrasts with the somber repentance and fasting that feature in Yom Kippur. So vital was the Festival of Booths that it is also known as simply “the chag,” or “the feast,” a word related to the more familiar hajj pilgrimage in Islam.
This period of seven days ends with Shemini Atzeret on the eighth day, both a connected celebration capping off Sukkot and a festival in its own right.
The annual reading of the Torah ends with the final text of Deuteronomy. The beginning of the next annual reading cycle, starting with the first book Genesis, is also celebrated. This act of beginning a new year of reading the Bible is commemorated in the festival called Simchat Torah.
The observance of Simchat Torah was a later innovation, described already in the fifth century or so but not formalized or identified by this name until the medieval period.
Why do they matter?
Religious calendars and festivals can force people to encounter certain ideas in the year. For example, they can enable them to face the more difficult dynamics of life like repentance and forgiveness, providing avenues to reflect on the events of the past year and to find courage to live differently in the next year where needed.
In this manner, structuring the celebration of the new year around remembrances of a variety of human experiences, both sorrow and joy, entails a profound recognition of the complexity of relationships and experiences in life.
As such, the High Holy Days and the holiday season in Tishrei help to mark the year in meaningful ways and to highlight our moral responsibility toward one another.
(NEXSTAR) — There's Sir Purr with the Carolina Panthers and Sourdough Sam with the San Francisco 49ers. The Baltimore Ravens have Poe and the Indianapolis Colts have Blue. No, these aren't specialty players you've never heard of - they're mascots.
There are a total of 32 teams in the National Football League. Five are mascot-less as of the 2022 season: the Green Bay Packers, the Los Angeles Chargers, the New York Giants, the New York Jets, and the Washington Commanders.
Here is a look at the current NFL team mascots:
Arizona Cardinals mascot Big Red seen before playing the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL Professional Football Game Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/John McCoy)
The Atlanta Falcons mascot Freddie Falcon works before the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Buffalo Bills mascot Billy Buffalo dances at midfield after the Bills beat the Miami Dolphins in an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
The Baltimore Ravens mascot Poe runs on the field prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Carolina Panthers mascot Sir Purr entertains the crowd during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt)
Cincinnati mascot Who Dey performs during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Emilee Chinn)
The Cleveland Browns technically have two mascots - Chomps the dog and Brownie the Elf. (AP Photos/David Richard)
The Chicago Bears mascot Staley Da Bear during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Dallas Cowboys mascot Rowdy poses for a photo before the start of an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Miles the mascot for the Denver Broncos looks on against the New York Jets during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Detroit Lions mascot Roary runs on the field before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Houston Texans mascot Toro performs before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)
The Indianapolis Colts mascot Blue during the NFL Pro Bowl Game on Sunday, January 25, 2015 in Glendale, AZ. Team Irvin won the game (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf motivates fans during the first half of the AFC championship NFL football game between the Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Los Angeles Rams mascot Rampage stands on the sidelines before an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills Sept. 8, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Jacksonville Jaguars mascot Jaxson De Ville runs on the field before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Miami Dolphins mascot T.D. is shown before the start of a NFL preseason football game between the Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Minnesota Vikings mascot Viktor on the sidelines before an NFL divisional football playoff game against the New Orleans Saints in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
New England Patriots mascot Pat Patriot runs onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Drew Harris, of Napoleonville, La., dances with New Orleans Saints mascots, Gumbo and Sir Saint, and cheerleaders, before the start of training camp at their NFL football training facility in Metairie, La., Saturday, July 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Raider Rusher, the Raiders mascot greets elementary school children at an NFL Play 60 event, Wednesday, September 9, 2015 in San Francisco. The Raiders kept Rusher in their move to Las Vegas. (Doug Benc/AP Images for NFL)
Philadelphia Eagles mascot Swoop brings the flag onto the field during practice at NFL football training camp, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
San Francisco 49ers mascot Sourdough Sam interacts with fans at the NFL football team's practice facility in Santa Clara, Calif., Saturday, July 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Seattle Seahawks mascot Blitz during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Seattle. The Los Angeles Rams won 26-17. (AP Photo/Ben VanHouten)
Pittsburgh Steelers mascot Steely McBeam before the NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)
An NFL football fan poses for a photo with Tampa Bay Buccaneers mascot Captain Fear outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, in London. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
T-Rac, the Tennessee Titans mascot, performs before a preseason NFL football game between the Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Of the five teams that don't have a mascot, one is well on his way to adding one. As part of their current rebranding, the Commanders are giving fans a chance to vote on their mascot later this month.
Regardless, here are the five NFL teams that, as of the start of the 2022 season, do not have an official on-field mascot.
Green Bay Packers
The name 'Packers' is a nod to the Acme Meat Packing Company, which no longer exists but helped get the team started in the early 1900s.
There isn't exactly a good mascot to represent the Packers either, though the team has tried. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers introduced a sausage-carrying bearded giant known as Packy Packer in the 1980s. He survived just two seasons and the Packers have been without a mascot since.
A Packers spokesperson tells Nexstar that a mascot has never seemed to catch on or naturally align with the team's "already rich history and tradition."
"We find that our fans are engaged with our games and excited about the team in their own unique ways."
While they are without a mascot, the Packers do have cheerleaders.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers did have an unofficial mascot of sorts - Boltman - while they were in San Diego. In 2018, the man behind Boltman, Dan Jauregui, retired from the role after 22 years.
In 2020, the Chargers "acquired" an unofficial furry mascot, Bolt, a puppy on his way to becoming a service dog. The Chargers partnered with Canine Companions for Independence to follow Bolt on his journey. He also appeared at various team practices and games.
Bolt has since graduated and the Chargers have brought on a new pup, Brisket. The team previously had a cheer squad, known as the Charger Girls, but they were reportedly disbanded last year.
The Chargers haven't responded to Nexstar's request for comment.
New York Giants
There isn't really an answer as to why the Giants don't have a mascot - they just don't. However, there was a Campbell Soup ad in the early 2010s that featured a woman in a large-headed Giants player costume.
Additionally, the team doesn't have cheerleaders.
The Giants haven't responded to Nexstar's request for comment.
New York Jets
While it may seem easy enough for the Jets to have a mascot, the team doesn't have one - they even note it on their FAQ page. The team does have cheerleaders, known as the Jets Flight Crew.
The Jets haven't responded to Nexstar's request for comment.
Washington Commanders
Of all five teams on this list, the Commanders are the closest to having a mascot. As part of their rebranding, the Commanders recently asked fans to vote on what type of mascot they should have.
Voting has now closed, but fans were able to select from one of four categories: dog, hog, historical figure, or superhero.
According to the Commanders' website, renderings of the highest-voted options will be shared during the team's September 25 game. Fans in attendance will then have the chance to vote on their favorite design.
