Jordan Fletcher

When he was a cocksure 25-year-old, on the fast track to officiating big-time college basketball, Scott Foster was summoned for a sit-down with his dad.They met at a bar, and his father, Dickie, brought along a family friend with experience in high-level sports. They were concerned about Foster, who was mulling a daring career move. It was 1992, and he had been offered a job in the Continental Basketball Association, then a training ground for the NBA, making $95 a game. But to do so, he would have to forgo his schedule — and career path — of officiating Division…

Endometriosis is a reproductive health issue that impacts a significant number of women and can negatively affect fertility. This condition is defined by the occurrence of endometrial-like tissue located beyond the uterus, which may result in adhesions in surrounding organs and disrupt the functioning of the fallopian tubes, complicating the process of egg retrieval and, therefore, making conception challenging.Sadly, this condition is far more prevalent than often assumed and can shatter dreams of beginning a family in a conventional manner in Montreal.Thanks to modern medicine, there are now numerous alternatives, but it’s necessary to understand the origin of these complications,…

Gazans have been uprooted time and again during the more than seven months of Israel’s invasion and bombardment. Facing the prospect of having to pack up and flee once more, some in Rafah are putting off leaving, at least for now.More than 800,000 Palestinians have already fled the southern city of Rafah and its surrounding areas over the past three weeks as Israel presses a military offensive there, according to the United Nations. But many are holding on in what was once considered the safest place in the Gaza Strip, where more than a million had come to find shelter.They…

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.Molly Mirhashem is used to running around in circles — literally.Six days a week, Ms. Mirhashem runs near her home in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Much of her weekly mileage takes place on the same, roughly 3.5-mile loop of a nearby park. Her training will come in handy: This weekend, she is running the Buffalo Marathon in upstate New York. It will be her ninth time gutting out 26.2 miles since she first caught the marathon bug in 2017.Ms. Mirhashem, an editor…

Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, had pointed criticism for NASCAR after the sanctioning body issued a record fine earlier this week against Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for his role in a fight following last Sunday’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.Elliott was aware Stenhouse had been fined for throwing a punch at Kyle Busch, but the 2020 Cup Series champion did not know the exact amount before being informed during a press conference Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the site of Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.Stenhouse was fined $75,000, the largest fine issued in NASCAR history for a driver fighting. Elliott appeared in…

Over a week ago, Taquería El Califa de León was simply one of Mexico City’s nearly 11,000 registered taco shops, though there are undoubtedly many more that aren’t. Sure, it had been around nearly 60 years and was popular, especially among politicians who worked nearby. But it was mostly a locally known taco stand.Then, on May 14, life changed completely for the cash-only taquería that has barely enough room to stand, sells four kinds of tacos — three beef, one pork — and whose grill radiates intense heat. That day, the Michelin Guide, the world’s most widely recognized arbiter of…

Beef tissue from a sick dairy cow has tested positive for the bird flu virus, federal officials said on Friday.The cow had been condemned to be culled because it was sick, and the meat did not enter the food supply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The department continued to stress that the commercial food supply remained safe.But the positive test, which came as part of an ongoing federal study of beef safety, raises concerns about whether the virus might make its way into the commercial beef supply, posing a health risk to humans.So far, the virus, which is…

It was perplexing last summer when ESPN fired NBA Finals game analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. It was part of the network’s layoffs that Disney seemingly goes through every couple of years, sort of like an NFL team pruning the books to provide room for future million-dollar spends.The Van Gundy salary dump particularly did not make sense, as he was maybe the best game analyst in sports with his gym-rat mentality and “Inside the NBA” quirkiness.In the wake of those moves, ESPN is not nearly as good as it was. With the venerable play-by-player Mike Breen, the Hall…

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted hormonal condition that impacts numerous women around the globe. It frequently arises during key reproductive stages and brings forth challenges beyond the physical realm. PCOS can profoundly affect emotional health, particularly for individuals longing to experience motherhood. A confusing combination of hormonal and metabolic issues renders it a condition that necessitates thoughtful consideration and insight.In the upcoming sections, you will have the opportunity to investigate the primary indicators of PCOS, examine successful treatment alternatives, and explore different avenues to motherhood for women dealing with this condition.Key symptoms of PCOSPolycystic Ovary Syndrome presents a range…

A stage in a northern Mexican city where a presidential hopeful was campaigning for a local candidate collapsed after a gust of wind blew through on Wednesday night, leaving at least nine people dead and at least 56 others injured, officials said.The stage collapsed in San Pedro Garza García, a suburb of Monterrey in the state of Nuevo León, during an event attended by the progressive candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez and other members of the Citizens’ Movement party. The collapse was caused by strong wind, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico said on social media.Samuel García, the governor of…