JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 915

CINCINNATI — Jerrod Calhoun was introduced as Cincinnati's men's basketball coach Wednesday after leaving Utah State, where he spent two seasons and led the Aggies to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and conference titles.

The Bearcats agreed in writing to a six-year contract reportedly starting at $3.7 million in year one; Cincinnati moves on following the firing of Wes Miller, and Utah State announced a national search this week.

Tempe, Ariz. — Randy Bennett, the long-time Saint Mary’s head coach, is set to become Arizona State’s next men's basketball coach, multiple outlets reported Monday; the move follows the University’s decision not to retain Bobby Hurley and was confirmed by sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The hire ends Bennett’s 25-year tenure at Saint Mary’s and begins a transition at Arizona State this week; the program scheduled introductory events and Bennett has local roots in Mesa, while analysts and local figures reacted over the following 48 hours discussing experience, contract terms, and age.

United States: The Department of the Interior and TotalEnergies signed settlement agreements in Houston on March 23 to relinquish two 2022 offshore wind leases and reimburse roughly US$928 million, formalizing the company’s exit from planned projects off North Carolina and New York.

The settlement requires TotalEnergies to redirect the reimbursed funds toward U.S. natural gas and LNG developments, including planned Rio Grande LNG investments; environmental groups criticized the move this week, while officials framed it as reclaiming taxpayer-funded subsidies.

Washington — President Trump on Monday urged Republican senators to tie passage of the SAVE America Act to Department of Homeland Security funding, complicating Senate efforts to end a roughly 38-day partial DHS shutdown and reopening talks that had aimed to fund most DHS agencies.

Senators met with the president Monday evening and said they hoped to finalize legislative text this week; leaders cited limited support for the SAVE Act, while reports of more than 3,400 TSA agents calling out and growing airport delays intensified pressure to reach a partial funding solution.

Washington — Senior U.S. military officials this week said they are weighing deployment of a combat brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division and elements of its headquarters to the Middle East, with reports citing between about 1,000 and 3,000 troops and Marine units already en route.

The potential moves aim to increase readiness and secure strategic sites such as Kharg Island; Pentagon and U.S. Central Command declined public orders, several outlets reported, and a classified Pentagon briefing for the Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled this week to outline planning and posture.

Los Angeles — A civil jury in California on Monday found Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972 and awarded her $19.25 million in compensatory damages after a nearly two-week trial in Santa Monica; jurors considered further punitive damages in a second phase.

Jurors later addressed punitive damages, with some outlets reporting an additional $40 million award and a combined total around $59.25 million; Cosby's attorney said they will appeal, and the decision follows the 2021 Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversal of his earlier criminal conviction for similar allegations.

Fresno County leaders voted Monday to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Fresno County Farmworkers and Agriculture Appreciation Day after a New York Times report accused Chavez of sexual abuse; the county amended its Salary Resolution to change the holiday observed by county workers each March 31.

This week multiple California institutions responded: a Fresno mural was painted over, Humboldt organizers removed Chavez references from a Serve-a-Thon, Los Angeles officials and school leaders considered renaming motions Tuesday, and San Diego Unified began a school renaming process, waiving its usual limits at Tuesday’s meeting.

Chicago — On March 19, Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University freshman, was fatally shot near Tobey Prinz Beach Park at about 1:30 a.m.; authorities allege 25-year-old Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national in the U.S. without authorization, approached Gorman and friends and opened fire before fleeing.

Following the shooting, Chicago police arrested Medina the following Friday and he faces first-degree murder charges; DHS has lodged an arrest detainer urging state officials to keep him detained, he is due at a detention hearing Monday, and Governor J.B. Pritzker publicly cited immigration system failures this week.

United States: national gasoline and diesel prices climbed this week as GasBuddy and AAA reported sharp increases tied to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and rising crude costs, pushing national averages toward $3.90–$3.96 per gallon while local markets recorded double-digit cent weekly jumps.

Immediate effects include higher pump costs for commuters and businesses, diesel at multi-year highs, long lines at discount stations in California this week, and analyst forecasts—Patrick De Haan among them—warning the national average could reach $4 per gallon as volatility persists.

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday a five-day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, saying talks between Washington and Tehran over the past two days had been "constructive" and would continue throughout the week.

The pause follows Trump's earlier 48-hour ultimatum tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Semafor reporting indicates the halt may apply only to energy sites while other military actions could continue, Iran's state outlets denied direct contact and tensions remain high this week.