5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game — plus our Week 18 predictions

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game — plus our Week 18 predictions The Chicago Bears close out the 2023 season the way they started it — with a game against the Green Bay Packers.Of course, the Bears hope for a different result Sunday at Lambeau Field after the Packers shocked them with a 38-20 win in the opener Sept. 10 at Soldier Field.That was the Packers’ ninth straight victory in the rivalry. The Bears’ last win against the Packers was in 2018, and their last win at Lambeau Field was in 2015.As kickoff approaches, here’s our snapshot look at the game.Players in the spotlightJordan Love and Justin FieldsThe stakes are high for both quarterbacks — but in different ways.In his first season as starter replacing Aaron Rodgers, Love has led the Packers to an 8-8 record and the brink of the playoffs. If they beat the Bears, they’re in.Bears coach Matt Eberflus and a couple of his players noted how comfortable Love has looked lately. In helping the Packers go 6-3 over their last nine games, Love has completed 67% of...

Celtics overwhelm Jazz defensively in dominant blowout victory

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

Celtics overwhelm Jazz defensively in dominant blowout victory Before Friday’s game against the Jazz, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was asked why his team is so elite defensively. His answer was mildly surprising considering his team entered the night ranked third in defensive rating.“I don’t think we’re there yet, but I think we’re working on it,” Mazzulla said.A few hours later, the Celtics took another step in that direction.The Celtics were not sharp defensively on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City, leading to a rare loss for this group, but three nights later – with some fresh legs and back at comfortable TD Garden – they responded. They swallowed the inferior Jazz from the opening tip and never let up in a dominant 126-97 victory that was rarely in doubt.Jayson Tatum scored 30 points, which included a season-high 13 free throws, Kristaps Porzingis had 19 and Jrue Holiday contributed 14 as the Celtics made quick and easy work of the surging Jazz – who were winners of nine of their previous 12 games – in this convincing romp. Th...

No. 2 Cathedral knocks off No. 1 St. Mary’s with dominant effort, 65-46

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

No. 2 Cathedral knocks off No. 1 St. Mary’s with dominant effort, 65-46 BOSTON – A stout defense and a dominant middle of the game led Cathedral to a convincing girls basketball win at home against Catholic Central League rival St. Mary’s of Lynn on Friday night.A 17-2 run to end the second into the start of the third turned a deficit into a 13-point lead as the No. 2 Panthers never looked back against the top-ranked Spartans in a 65-46 victory.“It’s a battle of attrition,” said Panthers’ coach Clinton Lassiter. “We run, run, run. We’ve had a lot of kids out sick this week, so players are more gassed than normal. We caused havoc and we just tried to crush it. Bring out their tendencies and take them away.”During that run, junior Hijjah Allen-Paisley netted 10 of her 15 points, with a pair of steals and a triple to go from down 22-20 to up 37-24 early in the third.The Cathedral (6-1) defense came up with 26 turnovers throughout the contest that led to plenty of opportunities for the offense as sophomore Keyona Raines came up with five of the team’s 15 st...

Man gets prison for trafficking teens from San Diego to Arizona, Texas

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

Man gets prison for trafficking teens from San Diego to Arizona, Texas SAN DIEGO -- A National City man was sentenced in federal court Friday to over eight years in prison for trafficking teenagers, prosecutors said.Kenneth Tenorio, 54, admitted to transporting two female teens from San Diego to Phoenix, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, for the purpose of prostitution, the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of California said in a news release Friday."The defendant exploited women and minors who had been removed from their homes and placed in the foster care system as part of his overall scheme to profit from their commercial sex work," the release said. Woman sentenced to 90 days in jail for hitting, killing Carlsbad mom on e-bike The defendant used a dating website often used to solicit prostitution, prosecutors said. He would post sex advertisements featuring two victims wearing lingerie and expected them to give him a portion of what they earned from participating in commercial sex acts, according to prosecutors.In September 2020, ...

New Mexico legislators back slower, sustained growth in government programs with budget plan

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

New Mexico legislators back slower, sustained growth in government programs with budget plan SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Leading New Mexico lawmakers on Friday recommended a 5.9% increase in general fund spending for the coming fiscal year amid a windfall in oil-related income, while also sounding a cautionary note on the future of the state’s petroleum bonanza and setting aside more money in savings and investment accounts.The proposal from a lead budget writing committee to the Democratic-led Legislature would increase general fund spending by $566 million to $10.1 billion for the fiscal year running from July 2024 to June 2025. The increased general spending represents a fraction of an anticipated $3.5 billion surplus of state income in excess of current tax obligations.The budget blueprint would bolster efforts to improve student achievement in public education, buttresses health care for people in poverty or on the cusp as federal support for Medicaid recedes in the aftermath of the pandemic, and provide pay raises averaging 4% to state employees along with compensatio...

3 men arrested in attempted murder investigation in Mississauga

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

3 men arrested in attempted murder investigation in Mississauga Peel police’s Criminal Investigation Bureau has arrested three men and seized three firearms in connection to an attempted murder investigation.On Nov. 8, 2023, just before 12:30 p.m., police were called to the area of Matheson Boulevard and Creekbank Road in Mississauga for a shooting. Police arrived on scene and located a victim who suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a trauma centre and is in stable condition. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Bureau launched Project Poseidon to identify and locate the suspects involved in the shooting. On Jan. 5, investigators executed multiple search warrants across the GTA and three suspects were arrested in connection to the investigation, with three firearms seized along with a significant quantity of drugs. Angelo Reid, 34, of Oshawa, was charged seven different firearm offences as well as attempted murder.Ralphord Shaw, 27, of Whitby, was charged with four different firearm offences as w...

Military sends second aircraft after Trudeau’s plane breaks down in Jamaica

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

Military sends second aircraft after Trudeau’s plane breaks down in Jamaica OTTAWA — The plane that flew Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Jamaica for a family vacation broke down earlier this week, prompting the Canadian military to send a second aircraft with a repair crew to the Caribbean island.Defence Department spokeswoman Andrée-Anne Poulin says a maintenance issue on the Royal Canadian Air Force CC-144 Challenger was discovered Tuesday, before Trudeau was due to travel back to Canada.The Canadian Armed Forces sent a second aircraft and maintenance team to Jamaica, which was able to fix the issue on Wednesday in time for the prime minister, who cannot take commercial flights for security reasons, to travel back on the original plane.This was the second time in a matter of months that plane problems grounded Trudeau in another country, after technical issues with the CC-150 Polaris plane left him stranded in India for two days last September.The government did not provide information when asked about what caused the problems with the Challenger in Jama...

Florida joins efforts to keep Trump on Colorado ballot

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

Florida joins efforts to keep Trump on Colorado ballot Video above: Trump fights effort to keep him off state ballotsTAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has signed on to an amicus brief with attorneys general from 24 other states to keep former President Donald Trump on the Colorado ballot. The attorneys general signing on to the brief are all from states in which Trump either won the electoral votes in the 2020 election or have Republican governors. The Arizona House of Representatives and Arizona Senate, both controlled by Republicans, also signed the brief."The state court's choice to declare former President Donald Trump an insurrectionist under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment has vast consequences that reach far beyond Colorado," the attorneys general argue. Looking for Stanley cups? Beware of scams The brief argues that the Fourteenth Amendment is not "self-executing," and "anticipates" Congress should decide who is eligible for office. "The Colorado court's decision to dilute former President Trump...

Two injured after major 3-vehicle crash in southeast Austin, ATCEMS says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

Two injured after major 3-vehicle crash in southeast Austin, ATCEMS says AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Two people were injured after a major three-vehicle crash in southeast Austin on Friday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media.Around 6:30 p.m., medics said the crash happened on William Cannon Drive, near McKinney Falls. Two of the three vehicles rolled over, according to officials.One person was taken to St. David's South with "potentially serious" injuries, and a second person was transported with non life-threatening injuries by an ESD-11 ambulance, medics said. Another person also refused transport on the scene.No further information was released Friday.

NYSDOT crews prepared to keep up with snowstorm

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:04:05 GMT

NYSDOT crews prepared to keep up with snowstorm LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Crews have spent the past several days getting ready for this weekend's winter storm. The New York State Department of Transportation will have more than 1,800 plows on the road.Workers at the Capital District shed in Latham completed final maintenance on the equipment Friday. Officials said they will be ready to go once the snow starts to fall. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "We have preparations in place. We have the staff and the manpower in place," Josh Heller with the NYSDOT said. "We have the vehicles in place. Regardless of what ends up happening, we feel very confident that we'll be able to keep up with it and deal with it."Some plows were already out on Friday pretreating roads. Crews remind drivers to stay away from plows and give them time and space to do their jobs.