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Meadows weekend

A pre-holiday weekend is set for Friday and Saturday at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino, featuring wagering opportunities and festivities tied to two themes – thanking and honoring first responders and celebrating the track’s 55th birthday.

The events kick off with a special Friday twilight card, first post 5:30, designated “First Responders Night.” All first responders who show up in uniform will receive a free Meadows program and a $5 wagering voucher.

In addition, the track will recognize members of the fire, police and EMT departments of North Strabane Township with representatives of those units competing in a match race.

Other fan activities include a BBQ Pit and bar on the apron, a bounce house, face painting, a balloon artist and a stilt-walker.

Pens hire assistant

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced the hiring of Ty Hennes as their new skating and skills development coach on Thursday.

Hennes, 38, will focus on skating and skill development with the Penguins, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Wheeling Nailers. Hennes will also travel with the Penguins’ development staff to work with the club’s junior and college prospects and will continue to assist the Penguins’ strength and conditioning staff.

Hennes spent the past three seasons working as the skill development professional at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, the Penguins’ practice facility.

Pens re-sign forward

The Penguins re-signed forward Jean-Sebastien Dea to a one-year, two-way contract.

Dea, 24, saw five NHL games in the 2017-18 regular season with the Penguins, scoring his first career NHL goal on Jan. 23 against Carolina. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound native of Laval, Quebec, set career highs in assists (32) and points (50) in 70 contests in his fourth season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last year.

The two-way deal carries an average annual value of $650,000 at the NHL level.

Rooney comes to MLS

English soccer star Wayne Rooney has signed with Major League Soccer’s D.C. United.

Rooney, 32, is the all-time leading scorer for England’s national team and Manchester United in the Premier League. Rooney, who scored 11 goals in 40 games this season for Everton, said it was a career ambition to move to the United States and play in MLS.

Adding Rooney gives D.C. United a star as it opens its new stadium in Southeast Washington in July. The club is 2-4-6 and in last place in the Eastern Conference.

Blatt returns

to coaching

Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt is joining European basketball powerhouse Olympiakos.

The Greek team says the 59-year-old Blatt has agreed on a two-year deal.

Blatt, who helped Russia become European champion in 2007, was unexpectedly hired by the Cavaliers in 2014 after winning the EuroLeague. He was fired by the Cavs in January 2016.

Olympiakos is a three-time European champion and 12-time Greek champion.

NFL fines Richardson

The NFL has fined former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson $2.75 million following its investigation into sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace.

The league said the investigation substantiated allegations against Richardson, that the improper conduct was limited to Richardson and the team failed to report the allegations or any resolution agreements to the league.

Richardson put the team up for sale after a Sports Illustrated report in December that cited unnamed sources who said Richardson made sexually suggestive comments to women and on at least one occasion directed a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout.

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