CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia and ĂÛèÖAPP Carolina’s refusal to cover certain health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory, a federal appeals court ruled Monday in a case likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 8-6 in the case involving coverage of gender-affirming care by ĂÛèÖAPP Carolina’s state employee health plan and the coverage of gender-affirming surgery by West Virginia Medicaid.

After the ruling, West Virginia plaintiff Shauntae Anderson, a Black transgender woman and West Virginia Medicaid participant, called her state’s refusal to cover her care “deeply dehumanizing.”

“I am so relieved that this court ruling puts us one step closer to the day when Medicaid can no longer deny transgender West Virginians access to the essential healthcare that our doctors say is necessary for us,” Anderson said in a statement.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey immediately released a statement announcing his office’s intention to appeal.

“Decisions like this one, from a court dominated by Obama- and Biden-appointees, cannot stand: we’ll take this up to the Supreme Court and win,” Morrisey said.

During oral arguments in September, at least two judges said it’s likely the case will eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court. Both states appealed separate lower court rulings that found the denial of gender-affirming care to be discriminatory and unconstitutional. Two panels of three Fourth Circuit judges heard arguments in both cases before deciding to intertwine the two cases and see them presented before the full court of 15.

In June 2022, a demanded the state plan pay for “medically necessary services,” including hormone therapy and some surgeries, for transgender employees and their children. The judge had ruled in favor of the employees and their dependents, who said in a 2019 lawsuit that they were denied coverage for gender-affirming care under the plan.

The ĂÛèÖAPP Carolina state insurance plan provides medical coverage for more than 750,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, lawmakers and their dependents. While it provides counseling for gender dysphoria and other diagnosed mental health conditions, it does not cover treatment “in connection with sex changes or modifications and related care.”

In August 2022, a federal judge ruled West Virginia’s Medicaid program must provide coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender residents.

An filed in 2020 also named state employee health plans. A settlement with The Health Plan of West Virginia Inc. in 2022 led to the removal of the exclusion on gender-affirming care in that company’s Public Employees Insurance Agency plans.

Federal health officials said in a new report that an investigation from 2018 through 2023 into the clinic in Albuquerque, VIP Spa, found it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use, transmitting HIV to clients through its services via contaminated blood.

WHAT IS A VAMPIRE FACIAL? IS IT SAFE?

Vampire facials, formally known as platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials, are cosmetic procedures intended to rejuvenate one’s skin, making it more youthful-looking and reducing acne scars and wrinkles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

After a client’s blood is drawn, a machine separates the blood into platelets and cells.

The plasma is then injected into the client’s face, either through single-use disposable or multiuse sterile needles.

Vampire facials have gained popularity in recent years as celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have publicized receiving the procedure.

HIV transmission via unsterile injection is a known risk of beauty treatments and other services, officials say.

Despite this, the Academy says vampire facials are generally safe.

Health officials say spa facilities that offer cosmetic injection services should practice proper infection control and maintain client records to help prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens such as HIV.

HOW WERE THE HIV CASES LINKED TO THE SPA?

The New Mexico Department of Health was notified during summer 2018 that a woman with no known HIV risk factors was diagnosed that spring.

Four women — former spa clients — and one man — the sexual partner of one of the spa clients but who did not receive services at the spa himself — received HIV infection diagnoses there during 2018-2023. Analysis showed similar HIV strains among all cases, according to the CDC’s report last week.

The HIV diagnoses for two of these patients “were likely attributed to exposures before receipt of cosmetic injection services,” according to the CDC.

Evidence suggested that contamination from services at the spa resulted in the positive HIV infection tests for the other three patients.

Health officials found equipment containing blood on a kitchen counter, unlabeled tubes of blood and injectables in the refrigerator alongside food and unwrapped syringes not properly disposed of. The CDC report said that a steam sterilizer, known as an autoclave — which is necessary for cleaning equipment that is reused — was not found at the spa.

ARE ANY OTHER PATIENTS AT RISK?

Through the New Mexico Department of Health’s investigation, nearly 200 former clients of the spa, and their sexual partners, were tested for HIV, and no additional infections were found.

According to the CDC, free testing remains available for those who previously frequented the spa.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SPA OWNER?

The former owner of VIP Spa, Maria de Lourdes Ramos de Ruiz, in 2022 to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license, including conducting the unlicensed vampire facials.

The New Mexico Attorney General’s office said Ramos de Ruiz also did illegal plasma and Botox-injection procedures.

According to , inspections by state health and regulation and licensing departments found the code violations, and the spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched.

Ramos de Ruiz was sentenced to 7 1/2 years, with four years being suspended on supervised probation, 3 1/2 years time in prison and parole, according to court documents.

Raul A. Lopez, attorney for Ramos de Ruiz, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

___

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, . Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

Both Hickory and Western Branch had matches end in ties last week, meaning Lafayette (9-0, No. 3) is now the lone team in Hampton Roads who sports a winning percentage of 100%. Kellam, First Colonial and Hickory all have technically not lost a game but have each had one game end in a tie.

Princess Anne (6-4-1) and Bethel (7-4) both dropped from the rankings this week, resulting in the addition of Grassfield (7-2) and Deep Creek (8-3).

Note:ÌęThese rankings are based on results reported to ĂÛèÖAPP and Daily Press before Monday’s games, as well as results reported on MaxPreps. To report your score, email sports@pilotonline.com.

School: record, previous

1. Kellam: 9-0-1, 1

2. First Colonial: 8-0-1, 2

3. Lafayette: 9-0, 3

4. Menchville: 8-2-1, 5

5. Norfolk Academy: 11-2, 4

6. Hickory: 9-0-1, 7

7. Western Branch: 8-1, 6

8. Granby: 9-1-1, 9

9. Great Bridge: 6-1-2, 8

10. Jamestown: 10-1, 11

11. Smithfield: 7-1-2, 10

12. Tabb: 8-2-1, 14

13. Nansemond River: 6-2-1, 13

14. Grassfield: 7-2, unranked

15. Deep Creek: 8-3, unranked

Dropped out: Princess Anne (6-4-1) and Bethel (7-4)

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

ATLANTA (AP) — As Donald Trump campaigns for a return to the White House, he often reaches back more than 40 years and seven administrations to belittle President by comparing him to 99-year-old Jimmy Carter.

Most recently, used his after the start of his criminal hush money trial in New York to needle the 46th president by saying the 39th president, a recently widowed who left office in 1981, was selfishly pleased with Biden’s record.

“Biden is the worst president in the history of our country, worse than Jimmy Carter by a long shot,” Trump said in a variation of a quip he has used throughout the 2024 campaign, including as former first lady was on her deathbed. “Jimmy Carter is happy,” Trump continued about the two Democrats, “because he had a brilliant presidency compared to Biden.”

It was once common for Republicans like Trump to lampoon Carter. Many Democrats, including Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, kept their distance for years, too, after a roiled economy, energy shortages and an extended American hostage crisis led to Carter’s landslide defeat in 1980. The , though, with the passage of time and as a political leader, Nobel laureate and global humanitarian.

That leaves some observers, Democrats especially, questioning Trump’s attempts to saddle Biden with the decades-old baggage of a frail man who closed his public life last November by silently for his wife of .

“It’s just a very dated reference,” said pollster Zac McCrary, whose Alabama-based firm has worked for Biden. “It’s akin to a Democrat launching an attack on Gerald Ford or Herbert Hoover or William McKinley. It doesn’t signify anything to voters except Trump taking a cheap shot at a figure that most Americans at this point believe has given a lot to his country and to the world.”

Trump loyalists insist that even a near-centenarian is fair game in the rough-and-tumble reality of presidential politics.

“I was saying it probably before President Trump: Joe Biden’s worse than Jimmy Carter,” said Georgia resident Debbie Dooley, an early national tea party organizer during Obama’s first term and a Trump supporter since early in his 2016 campaign. Dooley said inflation under Biden justifies the parallel: “I’m old enough to remember the gas lines under President Carter.”

Any comparison, of course, involves selective interpretation, and Trump’s decision to bring a third president into the campaign carries complications for all three –- and perhaps some irony for Trump, who, like Carter, was rejected by voters after one term.

Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment about his comparisons; Biden’s campaign was dismissive of them.

“Donald Trump is flailing and struggling to land coherent attacks on President Biden,” spokesman Seth Schuster said.

Like Carter, Biden is seeking reelection at a time when Americans are worried about inflation. But today’s economy is not the same as the one Carter faced.

The post-pandemic rebound, fueled by stimulus spending from the U.S. and other governments, has been blamed for global inflation. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates in response.

But the effective federal funds rate is 5.33% right now, while the benchmark was above 17% for a key period before the 1980 election. Rates for a 30-year mortgage are about half what they were at the peak of Carter’s administration; unemployment is less than half the Carter peak. The average per-gallon gas price in the U.S., topping $3.60 this month, is higher than the $3 peak under Trump. It reached $4.50 (adjusted for inflation) during Carter’s last year in office.

Carter and Trump actually share common ground. They are the clearest Washington outsiders in modern history to win the presidency, each fueled by voter discontent with the establishment.

A little-known Georgia governor and peanut farmer, Carter leveraged fallout from Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. Trump was the populist businessman and reality TV star who pledged to “Make America Great Again.” Both men defy ideological labels, standing out for their willingness to talk to dictators and isolated nations such as ĂÛèÖAPP Korea, even if they offered differing explanations for why.

Carter cautioned his party about underestimating Trump’s appeal, and the Carters attended Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Jimmy Carter, however, openly criticized Trump’s penchant for lies. After Carter suggested Russian propaganda helped elect Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, Trump began to insult Carter as a failure.

Unlike Carter, Trump never accepted defeat. He falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen, then promoted debunked theories about the election that were that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress convened to certify Biden’s victory. Trump left Washington the morning Biden took office, becoming the first president since Andrew Johnson in 1869 to skip his successor’s inauguration.

Carter conceded to Republican Ronald Reagan, attended his inauguration, then returned to Georgia. There, he and Rosalynn Carter established The Carter Center in 1982. They spent decades advocating for democracy, mediating international conflict and advancing public health in the developing world. They built houses for low-income people with Habitat for Humanity. Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Many historians’ judgment of Carter’s presidency has softened.

He is credited with deregulating much of the transportation industry, making air travel far more accessible to Americans, and creating the Department of Energy to streamline and coordinate the nation’s energy research. He negotiated the Camp David peace deal between Egypt and Israel. He diversified the federal judiciary and executive branch. He appointed the Federal Reserve chairman, Paul Volcker, who, along with Reagan, would get credit for the economic growth of the 1980s. Carter was the first president to raise concerns about rising global temperatures. And it was Carter, along with his diplomatic team, who negotiated the release of American hostages in Tehran, though they were not freed until minutes after Carter’s term expired.

Biographies, documentaries and news coverage across Carter’s 10th decade have reassessed that record.

By 2015, a found 40% of registered voters viewed Carter as having done the best work since leaving office among presidents from Carter through George W. Bush. When to rate Carter’s handling of his presidency, 57% approved and 36% disapproved. (Trump measured 46% approval and 54% disapproval at the time, the first retroactive measure Gallup had conducted for him.)

“There has long been a general consensus of admiration for Carter as a person — that sentiment that he was a good and decent man,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor who studies collective public memory and has written extensively on Carter. The more recent conclusions about Carter as a president, she added, suggest “we should consider Carter’s presidency as a lens to think about reevaluating about how we gauge the failure or success of any administration.”

How that plays into Biden’s rematch with Trump, Roessner said, “remains to be seen.”

Regardless, the ties between the 39th and 46th presidents endure, whatever the 45th president might say. When the time comes for Carter’s state funeral, Trump is expected to be invited alongside Carter’s other living successors. But it will be Biden who .

An unknown number of teenaged girls were involved in an argument that escalated into a shooting. The bullet traveled through the boy’s window, a Portsmouth police spokesperson said in an email.

The victim was not involved in the dispute. No further information has been made available. The investigation is ongoing.

Police responded to the 30 block of Farragut Street at 6:13 p.m. Friday. Officers found the boy with a gunshot wound, and he died at a hospital.

Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins said in a statement that he’d met with the boy’s family and they were “distraught.”

“As the top officer of the Portsmouth Police Department, I am outraged over another young life taken over neighborhood disputes,” Jenkins said.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli officials appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the country’s leaders, as international pressure mounts over the . Airstrikes overnight into Monday killed 25 people in a southern city, according to hospital records.

The deaths in Rafah included nine women and five children, one of whom was just 5 days old, according to the records and an Associated Press reporter. Israel is planning an invasion of the city — though its closest ally, the United States, and others have repeatedly warned against it, saying an offensive for the more than a million Palestinians sheltering there.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have referred in recent days to an ICC three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian fighters going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The probe is also looking at Israel’s construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent.

But Israel’s Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of “rumors” that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said any such warrants would “provide a morale boost” to Hamas and other militant groups. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel “will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.”

“The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it,” he posted on the social media platform X.

It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns. A series of Israeli announcements in recent days about allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza appears to be aimed in part at heading off possible ICC action.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said that the investigation is “moving forward at pace, with rigor, with determination and with an insistence that we act not on emotion but on solid evidence.”

Neither Israel nor the United States accept the ICC’s jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israel’s actions at a time when .

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

Israel has instead accused Hamas of genocide over its Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. Terrorists stormed through army bases and farming communities across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages.

In response, Israel launched a massive air, sea and ground offensive that has killed at least 34,488 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because Hamas fights in dense, residential areas. The military says it has killed over 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza .

Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive to Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter from fighting elsewhere. Israel says Rafah is the last Hamas stronghold, with thousands of fighters embedded there.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, which has provided crucial military and political support for the offensive, has urged Israel not to invade Rafah over fears it could cause a humanitarian catastrophe — in a phone call with Netanyahu on Sunday.

The Biden administration faces a May 8 deadline to report to Congress on whether Israel is abiding by international law in its use of American military aid, including by allowing the entry of humanitarian assistance.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel on that began in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He said Israel needs to do more to allow aid to enter Gaza, but that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis is for the two sides to agree to a cease-fire.

The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are pushing Israel and Hamas to accept an agreement they drafted that would free some of the hostages and bring about at least a temporary truce. Hamas is still believed to be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of some 30 others after most of the rest were freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners last year.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without an agreement to end the war. Netanyahu has rejected that demand, saying Israel will continue its offensive until Hamas is destroyed and all the hostages are returned.

At an event in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Blinken called on Hamas to accept what he said was an “extraordinarily generous” offer from Israel. “In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas,” he said.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Michael Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Matthew Lee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.

Every week, thousands of diverse selling locations report their actual sales on hundreds of thousands of individual titles. The panel of reporting retailers is comprehensive and reflects sales in stores of all sizes and demographics across the United States.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a book’s sales were barely distinguishable from those of the book above. A (b) indicates that some bookstores reported receiving bulk orders.Ìę

___

FICTION

1. THE WOMEN, by Kristin Hannah. (St. Martin’s) In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America.

LAST WEEK: 1

WEEKS ON LIST: 10

2. THE FAMILIAR, by Leigh Bardugo. (Flatiron) Luzia Cotado encounters dangers when her magic draws the attention of the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

3. FOURTH WING, by Rebecca Yarros. (Red Tower) Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders.

LAST WEEK: 3

WEEKS ON LIST: 49

4. TOXIC PREY, by John Sandford. (Putnam) The 34th book in the Prey series. Letty and Lucas must find an expert on tropical and infectious diseases before a virus becomes weaponized.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

5. IRON FLAME, by Rebecca Yarros. (Red Tower) The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training might require her to betray the man she loves.

LAST WEEK: 4

WEEKS ON LIST: 23

6. TABLE FOR TWO, by Amor Towles. (Viking) A collection of six short stories based in New York City around the year 2000 and a novella set during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

LAST WEEK: 2

WEEKS ON LIST: 2

7. JAMES, by Percival Everett. (Doubleday) A re-imagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” shines a different light on Mark Twain’s classic, revealing new facets of the character Jim.

LAST WEEK: 5

WEEKS ON LIST: 4

8. A FATE INKED IN BLOOD, by Danielle L. Jensen. (Del Rey) After the secret of her magic to repel attacks is revealed, Freya encounters dangerous tests by the gods.

LAST WEEK: 11

WEEKS ON LIST: 7

9. HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW, by Sarah J. Maas. (Bloomsbury) The third book in the Crescent City series. Bryce wants to return home while Hunt is trapped in Asteri’s dungeons.

LAST WEEK: 14

WEEKS ON LIST: 11

10. THE #1 LAWYER, by James Patterson and Nancy Allen. (Little, Brown) A criminal defense attorney in Biloxi becomes the prime suspect in his wife’s murder.

LAST WEEK: 6

WEEKS ON LIST: 4

11. REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, by Shelby Van Pelt. (Ecco) A widow working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium is aided in solving a mystery by a giant Pacific octopus living there.

LAST WEEK: 10

WEEKS ON LIST: 46

12. FIRST LIE WINS, by Ashley Elston. (Pamela Dorman) A woman who works for a mysterious boss takes on a new identity to dig up information on someone.

LAST WEEK: 13

WEEKS ON LIST: 15

13. THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE, by James McBride. (Riverhead) Secrets held by the residents of a dilapidated neighborhood come to life when a skeleton is found at the bottom of a well.

LAST WEEK: 7

WEEKS ON LIST: 34

14. THE HEMLOCK QUEEN, by Hannah Whitten. (Orbit) The second book in the Nightshade Crown series. As Bastian’s coronation approaches, Lore fights against a dark power and machinations in the court.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

15. DAUGHTER OF MINE, by Megan Miranda. (S&S/ Marysue Rucci) The daughter of a local detective inherits her family home as a drought comes upon the region.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

___

NONFICTION

1. SOMEHOW, by Anne Lamott. (Riverhead) Meditations and stories about the transformational power of love by the author of “Dusk, Night, Dawn” and “Bird by Bird.”

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

2. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION, by Jonathan Haidt. (Penguin Press) A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children.

LAST WEEK: 1

WEEKS ON LIST: 3

3. I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED, by Jennette McCurdy. (Simon & Schuster) The actor and filmmaker describes her eating disorders and difficult relationship with her mother.

LAST WEEK: 6

WEEKS ON LIST: 79

4. THE WIDE WIDE SEA, by Hampton Sides. (Doubleday) The author of “On Desperate Ground” depicts Capt. James Cook’s final voyage and the controversies surrounding its legacy.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

5. AGE OF REVOLUTIONS, by Fareed Zakaria. (Norton) The CNN host draws out lessons for the present polarized era from the 17th-century Netherlands, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.

LAST WEEK: 2

WEEKS ON LIST: 3

6. THE AGE OF MAGICAL OVERTHINKING, by Amanda Montell. (Atria/One Signal) The linguist and podcast host examines cognitive biases and coping mechanisms used in our current information age.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

7. THE WAGER, by David Grann. (Doubleday) The survivors of a shipwrecked British vessel on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain have different accounts of events.

LAST WEEK: 3

WEEKS ON LIST: 51

8. OUTLIVE, by Peter Attia with Bill Gifford. (Harmony) A look at recent scientific research on aging and longevity.

LAST WEEK: 7

WEEKS ON LIST: 55

9. THE SECRET LIVES OF BOOKSELLERS AND LIBRARIANS, by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann with Chris Mooney. (Little, Brown) Profiles of the workers who connect people with books.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

10. BURN BOOK, by Kara Swisher. (Simon & Schuster) The tech journalist and podcast host gives an overview of the tech industry and the foibles of its founders.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 6

11. GET IT TOGETHER, by Jesse Watters. (Broadside) The Fox ĂÛèÖAPP host gives his take on some people whose political views differ from the ones to which he subscribes.

LAST WEEK: 8

WEEKS ON LIST: 4

12. BLOOD MONEY, by Peter Schweizer. (Harper) The author of “Red-Handed” depicts a scheme involving the Chinese Communist Party’s covert operations in America.

LAST WEEK: 14

WEEKS ON LIST: 7

13. THERE’S ALWAYS THIS YEAR, by Hanif Abdurraqib. (Random House) The MacArthur Foundation fellow and author of “Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest” reflects on life and success through the lens of basketball.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 2

14. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. (St. Martin’s) An oral history of the Beatles based on interviews with members of the band and peopleÌę who were close to them.

LAST WEEK: —

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

15. BECKY LYNCH: THE MAN, by Rebecca Quin. (Gallery) The WWE star describes her journey from her Catholic upbringing in Ireland to her success in the wrestling ring.

LAST WEEK: 13

WEEKS ON LIST: 3

___

The New York Times bestsellers are compiled and archived by the bestseller lists desk of The New York Times news department and are separate from the culture, advertising and business sides of The New York Times Co. More information on rankings and methodology: .

ĂÛèÖAPP jumped into the top five this week. The Eagles are 9-1 on the year and added a win over then-No. 14 Salem to their resume last week. Norview (8-0) and Woodside (8-1-1) are both new additions to the top 10 this week.

Ocean Lakes (7-4) dropped from No. 6 to No. 12 in this week’s rankings after losses to First Colonial and Kellam. Hickory (6-4) and Salem (6-4) both dropped from the rankings this week and were replaced by Gloucester (7-1-1) and Bruton (7-3-1) who are ranked No. 13 and No. 14, respectively.

Note:ÌęThese rankings are based on results reported to ĂÛèÖAPP and Daily Press before Monday’s games, as well as results reported on MaxPreps. To report your score, email sports@pilotonline.com.

School: record, previous

1. Great Bridge: 9-0, 1

2. Cox: 10-0, 2

3. First Colonial: 8-0-1, 3

4. Menchville: 8-1-1, 4

5. ĂÛèÖAPP: 9-1, 7

6. Smithfield: 9-1, 8

7. Norview: 8-0, 12

8. Granby: 8-2-1, 9

9. Jamestown: 7-3-1: 5

10. Woodside: 8-1-1, 11

11. Kellam: 6-2-1, 10

12. Ocean Lakes: 7-4, 6

13. Gloucester: 7-1-1, unranked

14. Bruton: 7-3-1, unranked

15. Nansemond River: 6-3-1, 15

Dropped out: Hickory (6-4) and Salem (6-4)

Michael Sauls, (757) 803-5774, michael.sauls@virginiamedia.com

Every week, thousands of diverse selling locations report their actual sales on hundreds of thousands of individual titles. The panel of reporting retailers is comprehensive and reflects sales in stores of all sizes and demographics across the United States.

Picture Book rankings include hardcover sales only. Series rankings include all print and e-book sales. An asterisk (*) indicates that a book’s sales were barely distinguishable from those of the book above. A (b) indicates that some bookstores reported receiving bulk orders.

___

PICTURE

1. DRAGONS LOVE TACOS, by Adam Rubin. Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri. (Dial) What to serve your dragon-guests. (Ages 3 to 5)

WEEKS ON LIST: 439

2. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA?, by Kobi Yamada. Illustrated by Mae Besom. (Compendium) Giving a new idea the room to grow. (Ages 5 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 48

3. THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU WILL BE, by Emily Winfield Martin. (Random House) A celebration of possibilities. (Ages 3 to 7)

WEEKS ON LIST: 388

4. BLUEY: SLEEPYTIME, by Joe Brumm. (Penguin) Bingo wants to do a big girl sleep and wake up in her own bed. (Ages 4 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 14

5. ADDIE ANT GOES ON AN ADVENTURE, by Maren Morris and Karina Argow. Illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton. (Chronicle Chroma) An ant goes on a solo adventure across the garden. (Ages 3 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

6. THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT, by Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. (Philomel) Problems arise when Duncan’s crayons revolt. (Ages 3 to 7)

WEEKS ON LIST: 384

7. THE BIG CHEESE, by Jory John. Illustrated by Pete Oswald. (HarperCollins) The Big Cheese learns a lesson in humility. (Ages 4 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 12

8. THE BOOK WITH NO PICTURES, by B.J. Novak. (Dial) Silly songs and sound effects. (Ages 4 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 190

9. BUBBLY BEAUTIFUL KITTY-CORN, by Shannon Hale. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. (Abrams) Unicorn dreams of becoming a mermaid and Kitty wants to help. (Ages 4 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 1

10. THE SMART COOKIE, by Jory John. Illustrated by Pete Oswald. (Harper) Cookie builds up her self-confidence. (Ages 4 to 8)

WEEKS ON LIST: 19

___

MIDDLE GRADE HARDCOVER

1. WONDER, by R.J. Palacio. (Knopf) A boy with a facial deformity starts school. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 438

2. HEROES, by Alan Gratz. (Scholastic) Friends Frank and Stanley give a vivid account of the Pearl Harbor attack. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 10

3. THE COMPLETE COOKBOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS, by America’s Test Kitchen Kids. (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky) More than 100 kid-tested recipes from America’s Test Kitchen. (Ages 8 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 194

4. THE SUN AND THE STAR, by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro. (Disney Hyperion) Demigods Will and Nico embark on a dangerous journey to the Underworld to rescue an old friend. (Ages 10 to 14)

WEEKS ON LIST: 50

5. ODDER, by Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Charles Santoso. (Feiwel & Friends) After a shark attack, Odder recuperates at the aquarium with the scientists who raised her. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 69

6. WINGS OF FIRE: A GUIDE TO THE DRAGON WORLD, by Tui T. Sutherland. Illustrated by Joy Ang. (Scholastic) A deeper dive into the legends of the 10 dragon tribes. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 27

7. THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE, by Dave Eggers. Illustrations by Shawn Harris. (Knopf, McSweeney’s) A dog who serves as the eyes for three bison in a park enclosure devises a plan to free them. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 14

8. A HORSE NAMED SKY, by Rosanne Parry. Illustrated by Kirbi Fagan. (Greenwillow) The coming-of-age story of a colt named Sky. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 20

9. COYOTE LOST AND FOUND, by Dan Gemeinhart. (Holt) A father and daughter venture on a cross-country road trip. (Ages 9 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 4

10. FERRIS, by Kate DiCamillo. (Candlewick) During the summer before fifth grade, 10-year-old Ferris contends with friends’ and family’s bouts with love. (Ages 8 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 6

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YOUNG ADULT HARDCOVER

1. POWERLESS, by Lauren Roberts. (Simon & Schuster) Forbidden love is in the air when Paedyn, an Ordinary, and Kai, an Elite, become romantically involved. (Ages 14 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 23

2. THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE, by Holly Jackson. (Delacorte) Annabel Price’s mother was presumed dead, until she reappears during the filming of a documentary about her disappearance. (Ages 14 to 17)

WEEKS ON LIST: 2

3. DIVINE RIVALS, by Rebecca Ross. (Wednesday) Two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 43

4. RUTHLESS VOWS, by Rebecca Ross. (Wednesday) In the sequel to “Divine Rivals,” Roman and Iris will risk their hearts and futures to change the tides of the war. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 16

5. HEARTLESS HUNTER, by Kristen Ciccarelli. (Wednesday) Rune, a witch, and Gideon, a witch-hunter, fall in love. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 7

6. NIGHTBANE, by Alex Aster. (Amulet) In this sequel to “Lightlark,” Isla must choose between her two powerful lovers. (Ages 13 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 23

7. THE PRISONER’S THRONE, by Holly Black. (Little, Brown) An imprisoned Prince Oak must decide between his love and his kingdom. (Ages 14 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 6

8. MURTAGH, by Christopher Paolini. (Knopf) Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, must find and outwit a mysterious witch. (Ages 12 to 15)

WEEKS ON LIST: 23

9. WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS, by Isabel Ibañez. (Wednesday) Inez Olivera sets sail to investigate the mysterious deaths of her parents in 1884 Egypt. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 8

10. YOUR BLOOD, MY BONES, by Kelly Andrew. (Scholastic) Wyatt Westlock inherits her family’s farmhouse and intends to burn it to the ground until she finds Peter, an immortal, chained in the basement. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 2

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SERIES

1. THRONE OF GLASS, by Sarah J. Maas. (Bloomsbury) Celaena must battle evil forces threatening her realm. (Ages 14 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 65

2. A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER, by Holly Jackson. (Delacorte) Pippa Fitz-Amobi solves murderous crimes. (Ages 14 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 133

3. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. (Amulet) The travails and challenges of adolescence. (Ages 9 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 787

4. HARRY POTTER, by J.K. Rowling. (Scholastic) A wizard hones his conjuring skills in the service of fighting evil. (Ages 10 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 786

5. ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART, by Stephanie Garber. (Flatiron) The story of Evangeline Fox, Jacks, the Prince of Hearts and the pursuit of true love. (Ages 13 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 10

6. WHO WAS/IS 
?, by Jim Gigliotti and others; various illustrators. (Penguin Workshop) Biographies unlock legendary lives. (Ages 8 to 11)

WEEKS ON LIST: 150

7. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion) A boy battles mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)

WEEKS ON LIST: 720

8. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. (Scholastic) In a dystopia, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 323

9. BOYS OF TOMMEN, by Chloe Walsh. (Bloom) In Ireland, friends at the private school Tommen College prepare for adulthood. (Ages 16 to 18)

WEEKS ON LIST: 4

10. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY TRILOGY, by Jenny Han. (Simon & Schuster) A beach house, summer love and enduring friendships. (Ages 12 and up)

WEEKS ON LIST: 104

___

The New York Times bestsellers are compiled and archived by the bestseller lists desk of The New York Times news department and are separate from the culture, advertising and business sides of The New York Times Co. More information on rankings and methodology: .

It’s a chilly, gloomy day, but the mood is bright as the players come on to the field.

They aren’t there to play, but to give back.

Never mind that the team played a game less than 10 hours earlier. Or that many of them have prom later that night.

But the players arrive upbeat and ready to go for Great Neck Baseball League’s Champions League, which provides the opportunity for children with special needs to play baseball.

“I think this is great,” said Cape Henry senior Tanner Schaedel. “It just so happens that prom is the same day. But I think it’s great to get up early and help out these kids. We love it.”

Teammate Trajan Taylor agrees.

“I think it’s an awesome idea to come out and help the community and give back to some of the people that come watch our games and come support us,” he said. “It’s also a way to help grow the game of baseball to people who need a little bit extra help. I think it’s awesome.”

The players, who serve as buddies on the field with each child, come to support Dolphins assistant coach Billy Mike Chadwick, who has two children, son, Will, and daughter, Ryan, who are part of the Champions League program.

“My 9-year-old twins are autistic, they’re on the spectrum. And we’ve been doing this Champions League for about four years,” said Chadwick, who has been the pitching coach at Cape Henry for 10 years. “(The players) know about my kids and welcome to help the special-needs kids out.”

Chadwick said Will comes to practice often. He said the players engage with him as if he was one of the players. But when the team started coming to help at the Champions League, he said it was a total surprise.

“Our head coach Chris Dotolo and former coach Tim Hummel put it together. I didn’t know it was going to happen. I was kind of taken aback by it. I was really overwhelmed,” Chadwick said. “It means a lot, honestly. Sometimes you’re on an isolated island being a special-needs parent. You don’t get invited to as many things. And when you do, you have to turn them down sometimes. So sometimes you feel isolated.

“But when you have people like this in the community reaching out to you, you don’t realize there’s a lot of people also dealing with it,” he said. “If you’re not involved with special-needs kids, you kind of don’t understand. Once you do, you understand each one’s ploy and the situation.”

Running around trying to get everything organized on this morning is Christine Ross. She’s the founder and executive director of Aid Another, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote awareness and education of special-needs families in the community through social integration.

She has one son, Aidan, who plays baseball for ĂÛèÖAPP High. But she also has another son, Ethan, that she didn’t want to be left out.

“My oldest son is an amazing baseball player, and Billy Mike has been his pitching coach since he was like 7 or 8,” she said. “When I realized that my middle child was diagnosed with autism, I was afraid to put him on a normal team because I know how the parents get, me being one of them. So, I actually emailed Great Neck.”

So, in 2017, she got the Great Neck Baseball League to get involved. The idea has just continued to grow.

And the addition of Cape Henry players has made it that much more special.

“We used to have adult volunteers, but the kids weren’t receptive to the adults. This is how they see themselves,” she said as she looked out at the Cape Henry players. “To see these young men here on Saturday at 8 o’clock, and they’re here dedicating to help other people, it’s just amazing. Now the parents can sit back and watch and cheer on their kids, and enjoy it like every other parent would.”

Also busy this morning is Angellica Schulman, the director of the Champions League.

She got involved like Ross because she also has one son, Bryson, who is special-needs.

“Unfortunately, there were no teams for special-needs kids,” said Schulman, who also is a special-needs teacher. “I knew there was no way I could put him on a regular team, but I wanted him to have that experience. I had heard about Christine through word of mouth, and we’ve been doing it ever since.”

On this morning, the kids were showing off their skills, whether it was hitting the ball off the tee, or fielding the ball and throwing it to first base. Some kids run, others get pushed in their wheelchair.

No matter how they participated, they were having fun.

Just the smiles on their faces made it all worthwhile for the players.

“It just lights up my world,” Taylor said. “It’s just a great feeling being able to help these kids. And when they do something, it just really makes me happy. It really shows how fortunate we are and how fortunate we are to help.”

Teammate Noah Hummel said being out there made him cherish what he has even more.

“It really makes you appreciate what you have and the opportunities that you’re able to have playing sports,” he said. “It’s the best feeling to see them happy, especially when they’re playing a game they love. They’re given the opportunity that we all have. Seeing that smile, it’s just the best feeling.”

The parents appreciate it, too.

Alexandria Jones found out about the program a few years through a friend.

On Saturday, she came with other members of her family to watch her son, Derrell. They were overjoyed as they watched him.

“This is great. This makes him feel like he’s included and that he can do anything that he wants to do. I love it,” she said. “Being a mom to a child who is special-needs, it’s hard because they don’t fit in all the time. So seeing him out here smiling, I could cry. It’s amazing, it’s beautiful. He’s having fun.”

Taking it all in is Chadwick’s wife, Katie.

When asked what she thought about the players coming out to volunteer, she had to hold back her emotion.

“It means a lot to Bill that they actually care about his life outside of baseball, and how much he puts in every day,” she said. “He’s with them all day, and then comes back home to us. It just means a lot that they care about him as a man, not just a coach.”

And to see the excitement on her children’s faces?

“It’s just so nice to see them smile,” she said. “To see Ryan out here interacting when going to the grocery store can be tough. And they’re out here thriving from time to time. It’s hit-and-miss. And when it hits, it’s great.”

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com