Today it seems like all of America has a little piece of Napa Valley in it. While California remains America’s wine king, more than 40 states are now producing wine–15 of them with wineries of sufficient quality to rate a mention in wine guru Robert Parker’s buying guide. About 25 percent of the wineries in this year’s Orange County competition were from outside California–and a Virginia white captured gold. Elsewhere, a Texas red won a gold medal at San Francisco’s National Wine Competition and an Illinois wine finished second in a national tasting of some 120 whites....

In pre-pandemic times, the annual grand final is celebrated over the weekend in Victoria’s capital, Melbourne. But the city’s lockdown meant two Melbourne teams played for the national premiership on Saturday in Perth, where there are no reported COVID-19 cases. According to state data, a third of the 1,438 new infections in Victoria on Thursday violated pandemic regulations by participating in social gatherings over the celebratory weekend. For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below....

Brown has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL the last several years as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was selected to seven Pro Bowls in the last eight seasons, and he was named All-Pro four-consecutive years. After last season, the Steelers traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders for a pair of draft picks. Here’s a brief timeline, according to ESPN, of Brown’s off-field dilemmas:...

That’s three different ways to say those undefeated American Athletic Conference teams aren’t there yet. The AAC is tied for the most unbeaten teams of any FBS conference. MORE: Which undefeated teams will run table? | SN Power Poll No. 18 Memphis, No. 21 Houston and No. 22 Temple all have 6-0 records at the halfway point. The conference has forced its way into larger conversations so far. The question now is whether they can keep it going....

In a motion released Monday, the defense team for Ortiz says the grand jury has not been given enough evidence to bring the murder charge. MORE: Aaron Hernandez timeline | Photos from the investigation “The Commonwealth provided no evidence that Ortiz participated in any way or had any intent to commit or participate in the murder of Odin Lloyd,” defense attorney John J. Connors wrote in the motion, which was obtained by the Boston Globe....

Eddie Lacy rushed for 120 yards to fuel the Packers' first road win of the season. Green Bay (3-2) took a 16-3 lead into the fourth quarter and was up 19-10 with 4 minutes left, but the Ravens (3-3) kept coming back. MORE: Live scoreboard | Caught on camera | Recap After Baltimore closed to 19-17 on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Dallas Clark with 2:04 remaining, Rodgers clinched the victory by completing a 52-yard pass to Jermichael Finley on a third-and-3....

“I think he’s a bum. I think he’s an absolute bum,” Rodgers said after a reporter asked him about the comments made by Hub Arkush during a discussion Tuesday on 670 The Score, a Chicago-based radio station. Arkush is one of 50 voters of the Associated Press’ yearly NFL awards and an editor for Pro Football Weekly. “His problem isn’t with me being a bad guy or the biggest jerk in the league because he doesn’t know me....

While the focus has been on a potential breakup between the Packers and their NFL MVP quarterback, All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is unsigned beyond the 2021 season. Adams’ stellar play in the prime of his career makes him worthy of being the game’s highest-paid receiver with his next contract. MORE: Why Aaron Rodgers still wants out | Rodgers’ holdout timeline: Key dates to know There’s no doubt that a big part of Adams’ big success has been his uncanny chemistry with Rodgers....

Putting Rodgers and Jones together sounds like a win-win solution on paper, but when that paper becomes money, the Packers aren’t in a good spot. They will be just about even with 2021 salary cap once all of their rookie draft class is signed. Jones is guaranteed $15.3 million in salary for this season and carries more than a $23 million cap hit for the Falcons. Only Atlanta (thus the interest in moving Jones), Chicago and New Orleans have worse cap situations than Green Bay....

“After much deliberation and talking with my friends, family, teammates and our coaching staff, I’ve decided to finally bring my soccer career to an end,” she said in a statement. “While we still have more work to do for women’s soccer, after bringing the World Cup back to the United States this summer, I’m feeling extremely optimistic about the future of our sport. It’s been an amazing, wonderful ride and I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of my life brings....

After two seasons of The Bachelorette and one of Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelor is coming back in early 2022 for the first time since Matt James’ ill-fated season and the racism row that ended in Chris Harrison exiting the franchise. An ABC press release calls the exit of the new Bachelor from Michelle’s season “one of the most emotional and heart-wrenching moments in Bachelor history.” Which is laying it on rather thick, but his bond with the five-graders who the suitors met in one episode did melt the heart of many fans....

The Clemson coach was giving a passionate response in his postgame interview Saturday night after a big win against Notre Dame when the ABC broadcast suddenly shifted to the “SportsCenter” set. Harris and Connors had no clue they were on camera. MORE: Best photos from Week 5 | What we learned from ND-Clemson Hey, even the “Worldwide Leader” screws up sometimes. If you’re wondering what Swinney said, the full transcript is below....

CBT is a popular mental health treatment that involves recognizing and examining problematic thought patterns and behaviors and adjusting them to be healthier and more productive. It is used to treat depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and more. Read on to learn more about the applications of the ABC model in cognitive behavioral therapy. Definition of the ABC Model The ABC model, also sometimes considered the ABCDE model, is a simplified framework used in REBT to change irrational beliefs into rational ones, thus prompting healthier reactions to situations....

Atlanta Police began investigating after being notified that Harmony Collins had been taken by her non-custodial father, Nickien Collins, without consent in early November. The case was later passed to the department’s Fugitive Unit and assigned to Investigators Williams and D. Scott. The pair “went to work, putting in countless hours gathering intel, conducting surveillance, and working with other law enforcement agencies” to determine the missing girl and the suspect were in Mississippi, the police department said on Facebook....

Currently, at least ten Florida school districts are going against DeSantis’ executive order that bans schools from mandating masks and leaves the decision up to a child’s parent instead. The defiance comes after COVID-19’s delta variant caused a surge in cases across the state as schools were preparing to begin in-person classes this month. In Orange County, where Orlando is located, many students began to test positive for the virus....

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), and Troy Kotsur (CODA) were among the stars who walked away with big acting wins for their screen efforts. While Will Smith stole the show for slapping Chris Rock as he presented an award at the show, the actor himself was also a victor, taking home the top acting prize for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams’ father in the biopic King Richard....

“This move ensures a strong future for an outstanding athletics program, providing the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete at the highest levels,” University of Texas system Chancellor James Milliken said in a statement after the school’s board approved the move to the SEC. An individual with knowledge of the expected announcement, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the AP that the three conferences hope the 41-school alliance will make room for “stabilization” after the shakeup in the Southeastern Conference....