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Shorthanded Celtics finally beat Magic with convincing 128-111 victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla wasn’t interested in excuse-making. They were without Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford against the No. 2 team in the East, but he knew he had enough.“Just figure it out,” Mazzulla said pregame.The Celtics had lost four games in a row to the upstart Magic, including an abysmal defeat the day after Thanksgiving last month. They were a code they couldn’t seem to crack. So, of course, they figured it out while shorthanded.Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and Jaylen Brown added 18 for the Celtics, who on the second night of a back-to-back, fired on all cylinders despite unideal circumstances. They were humming offensively and suffocating defensively as they took control in the second quarter for a 128-111 over the Magic on Friday night at TD Garden for their fourth consecutive victory.Without four players – also including Luke Kornet and Dalano Banton – the Celtics received contributions up and down their roster. Derrick White had 19 points and eight assists, Pay...

5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Cleveland Browns game — plus our Week 15 predictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

The Chicago Bears (5-8) will look to extend their winning streak to three games for the first time since December 2020 when they play the Browns (8-5) on Sunday in Cleveland.As kickoff approaches, here’s our snapshot look at the game.Player in the spotlightBrowns defensive end Myles GarrettThe last time Bears quarterback Justin Fields played the Browns in the regular season was his first career start on Sept. 26, 2021. It’s an impossible one to forget.“Just being back in Ohio, first start, everybody excited, and then of course getting sacked too,” Fields said. “Hopefully we can change that going back this weekend.”Browns defensive end Myles Garrett recorded 4 1/2 of the Browns’ nine sacks against Fields, who completed just 6 of 20 passes for 68 yards under then-coach Matt Nagy. Fields lost 67 yards to the sacks.As the Bears return to Cleveland, Garrett, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, still is wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He rank...

Federal judge denies cattle industry’s request to temporarily halt wolf reintroduction in Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A federal judge has allowed the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado to move forward in the coming days by denying a request Friday from the state’s cattle industry for a temporary delay in the predators’ release.While the lawsuit will continue, Judge Regina Rodriguez’s ruling allows Colorado to proceed with its plan to find, capture and transport up to 10 wolves from Oregon starting Sunday. The deadline to put paws on the ground under the voter-approved initiative is December 31.The lawsuit from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and The Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association alleges that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to adequately review the potential impacts of Colorado’s plan to release up to 50 wolves in Colorado over the next several years. The groups argued that the inevitable wolf attacks on livestock would come at significant cost to ranchers, the industry that helps drive the local economies where wolves would be released.Attorneys for t...

‘General Hospital’ actors win supporting honors at 50th annual Daytime Emmys

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two “General Hospital” actors have won supporting honors at the Daytime Emmy Awards.The late Sonya Eddy won Friday night for her role as no-nonsense head nurse Epiphany Johnson on the venerable ABC show. She died last December at age 55 from an infection after surgery.Robert Gossett, who plays Marshall Ashford, claimed the supporting actor trophy. He also won last year in the guest performer category for the same role. The 50th annual ceremony honoring talk shows and soap operas is the first major awards show to return since the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes ended. It was pushed back from its scheduled June date.To celebrate the awards’ golden anniversary, the previous winner of a category was paired with a long-ago winner as presenters. Attendees sat at tables spread out in a ballroom at the Westin Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles.Beth Harris, The Associated Press

DC firefighters battle blaze in historic firehouse near US Capitol

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Firefighters in Washington, D.C., on Friday battled a two-alarm fire that started in a three-story former firehouse under renovation near the U.S. Capitol.DC Fire and EMS said one firefighter declared mayday and was rescued. No injuries were reported.The fire began Friday evening in Old Engine Company No. 12, now a landmark historic site along North Capitol Street in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington.DC Fire posted on social media that an adjacent four-story building that is part of new complex attached to the firehouse was also “well involved.” The department said several adjacent homes were evacuated as a precaution, but the fire appeared to be contained as of 9 p.m. EST.The Associated Press

Sacramento councilman charged with illegally hiring workers, wire fraud and blocking federal probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A Sacramento City Council member pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges that he hired undocumented workers at his local grocery stores, underpaid them and cheated the government on COVID-19 relief funds.Council member Sean Loloee and Karla Montoya, the general manager of Loloee’s four Viva Supermarket stores, entered not guilty pleas to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Labor, possession and use of false immigration documents, obstruction of agency proceedings and wire fraud. Loloee also pleaded not guilty to charges that he falsified records and took park in a pandemic relief fraud scheme, said a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. Both were ordered released from custody. “Today’s news comes as a shock, particularly since I came to this country as a teenager in 1989 with absolutely nothing and have worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the underserved in both my grocery stores and as a member of the City Council; both o...

$600M in federal funding to go toward replacing I-5 bridge connecting Oregon and Washington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The program tasked with replacing the century-old Interstate 5 bridge that connects Portland, Oregon, with southwest Washington, and serves as a vital transportation and commerce link, is set to receive $600 million in federal funds, state congressmembers said Friday.Washington’s Democratic U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, announced the funding.The bridge crosses the Columbia River and is a key component of I-5, which spans the entirety of the West Coast. Traffic congestion is frequent with more than 130,000 vehicles driving across it every day, according to regional transportation agencies. “There are projects that are so big and so costly that oftentimes they don’t get funded, but they are linchpins to an economy that literally have regional and national significance to them. And the I-5 bridge is a perfect example of that,” Cantwell told The Associated Press. Projects like that need federal financial su...

Mayim Bialik out as 'Jeopardy!' host

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (WBOY) — Mayim Bialik has announced that she is no longer the host of "Jeopardy!" after being declared one of two permanent hosts more than a year ago.According to a post on her Instagram, Sony — the owners of "Jeopardy!" — informed Bialik that she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of the show, meaning that her co-host Ken Jennings will likely take over the full-time gig. Matthew Perry died from effects of drug ketamine, coroner says Bialik's full post reads:As the holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! news. Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy! I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! family. For all of you who have supported me through this incredible journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff and crew of America's Favorite Quiz Show, thank you...

Charges filed against man accused of fatally shooting woman during Joliet home invasion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — Charges have been filed against a man accused of shooting and killing a woman in Joliet during a home invasion on Thursday.Joliet police say 47-year-old Willie Banks, a South Chicago Heights resident, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, two counts of violation of bail bond, and one count of home invasion. Police investigate after 3 robbed at gunpoint in Hyde Park According to police, the charges stem from a deadly home invasion that allegedly took place on Wednesday night in the 1100 block of Westshire Drive in Joliet.Officers say they were called to the scene just before 10:40 p.m. after reports that a man had forcibly entered a home in the area. When police arrived on the scene, they allegedly found Banks inside the home and ordered him to leave.Once the suspect had exited the home, offices entered and found a 40-year-old woman, who was later identified as Alicia Cole, shot to ...

After the mild and dry week, Chicago is in store for a widespread, soaking rain Saturday and Saturday night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO AREA EXPECTED TO SEE WIDESPREAD, SOAKING RAIN SATURDAY/SATURDAY NIGHTGulf of Mexico storm expected to bring severe weather to Florida this weekendAfter a mild and dry end to the workweek, the Chicago area is expected to see widespread, soaking rain Saturday and for a while Saturday night. Our in-house computer forecast model is wetter than some other models, but it shows the potential this system has through Saturday night. Most of the rainfall is expected Saturday afternoon and early evening.A Gulf of Mexico storm is expected to bring severe weather to Florida this weekend. Strong winds and even tornadoes are possible, as well as flooding rain on Saturday. The WGN in-house computer forecast model predicts rainfall in parts of the sunshine state could top more than half a foot through Saturday night.The low from gulf will leave Florida and move up the east coast, eventually meeting up with the system that will bring rain to the Chicago area to start the weekend. Soaking rain...