We start our episode today, sports news

We start our episode today, sports news

The Patriots got their 2023 preseason underway on Thursday night against the Houston Texans, dropping a 20-9 decision with mostly backups playing throughout the game. The defense picked up where they left off last season, with Jalen Mills intercepting rookie C.J. Stroud on the first drive of the game, one of their two takeaways of the first half.

Bailey Zappe played the entire first half and one possession into the second half, as the second-year signal caller saw extensive action. Unfortunately, the offense wasn't able to produce much yardage or points, often hampered by an offensive line that struggled to protect or open holes.

But it's the preseason and wins and losses and production aren't yet what matters. What does matter is the experience that a number of young players got, as rookies Christian Gonzalez and Keion White had strong debuts that should be among some of the reasons for optimism.

Here are the other key takeaways from the first of three preseason contests this summer.

And now we turn to art news

Johnny Hardwick, voice of Dale Gribble on ‘King of the Hill,’ dies at 64

It is with great sadness that we convey to you the news of Johnny's death

Johnny Hardwick, the voice actor, comedian and producer best known for playing Dale Gribble on the long-running Fox animated comedy “King of the Hill,” has died, the show's producers announced.

He was 64. A cause of death was not given.

“Johnny Hardwick was an incredibly beloved member of the ‘King of the Hill’ family, whose tremendous talent, brilliant humor and friendship will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to work with him over the past 25 years,” 20th Television Animation and Hulu said in a statement.

“Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and family as we mourn the loss of one of the animation greats. His voice gave life to one of our most iconic characters, and he will be truly missed.”

We also turn to the accident news

Two men, woman die trying to rescue dog from cistern in Texas corn field

 Three people and a dog were found dead in a cistern in a Texas corn field on Wednesday, officials said. 

Delvys Garcia, 37, Denise Martinez, 26, and Noel Vigil-Benitez, 45, were out hunting with a fourth person when one of their dogs fell into a cistern, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office said. Officials believe one person went into the cistern to rescue the dog and two others then entered to try and rescue the first person. The fourth hunter, an unidentified man, went to his truck to call 911 and get help. 

Deputies arrived around 1 a.m. and found the underground cistern partially filled with water. The water level was "far below" the cistern's small opening, officials said. Strong fumes, similar to those of a septic tank, were coming from the cistern. There were no signs of life from the dog, woman and two men in the cistern when the first responders arrived. 

Recovery efforts were hampered by the fumes, identified as hydrogen sulfide gas, and the stagnant water, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office said. Hydrogen sulfide gas can cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system, apnea, coma, convulsions, dizziness, headache, weakness, irritability, insomnia and stomach upset, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. First responders ventilated the cistern and also removed the water. 

The recovery efforts were also complicated because the cistern was not stable, officials said. First responders tried to dig next to the structure, but abandoned the plan over concerns that breaching the side walls of the cistern would weaken it and make entry unsafe. A small drone was deployed to inspect the cistern's integrity. 

An investigator from the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office was eventually lowered into the cistern to recover the bodies on Wednesday night. 

Garcia, Martinez and Vigil-Benitez were from Florida. Their bodies were taken to the medical examiner's office by a local funeral home. An autopsy was ordered. The funeral home also took the dog's body