The NBA Finals are set: It’s the Heat and the Nuggets for the Larry O’Brien Trophy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

The NBA Finals are set: It’s the Heat and the Nuggets for the Larry O’Brien Trophy Cancel that flight plan, Denver. Turns out, the NBA Finals are starting in the Mile High City after all.And Jimmy Butler was proven right.Finally, we have a title-series matchup: The Miami Heat, champions of the Eastern Conference even after getting in as only the No. 8 seed, will take on the Western Conference champion Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The series starts in Denver on Thursday night.The Heat got there by winning Game 7 of the East title series in Boston on Monday night. It came one year to the day after the Celtics won a Game 7 on Miami’s floor to win the East title a year ago.“Next year, we will have enough and we’re going to be right back in the same situation, and we’re going to get it done,” Butler vowed that night.The Heat made those words prophetic.The Nuggets had a flight to Boston tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, just in case they would be facing the Celtics — who would have had home-court advantage in the title series.But the...

Experts say wet spring could lead to uptick in ticks

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Experts say wet spring could lead to uptick in ticks DENVER (KDVR) -- Ticks are out and experts tell FOX31 the wet spring weather could play a role in an uptick. Lisa Mason, a horticulture specialist and entomologist, said tick season is usually in the spring and summer. “They prefer cool and moist conditions,” Mason said. “We’ve had a very wet spring and that can influence tick populations, so we may have more ticks. If the cool temperatures and the rain sticks around awhile, tick season, the peak, might last a little bit longer.” Mason said it’s likely to see ticks in the tall grasses, trees and shrubs along hiking trails in the foothills and mountains, but they can also be in open spaces closer to the city. “They can be pretty much anywhere outdoors especially where there’s tall grass and vegetation.”  Colorado mom killed in Ecuador home invasion She said there are 27 tick species in Colorado that carry a variety of different diseases. While Lyme Disease isn’t one of them, Mason said the most common are Colorado Tick Fe...

A ‘humbling and sobering moment’ for Liam Hendriks as Chicago White Sox fans show their love in his return to the mound

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

A ‘humbling and sobering moment’ for Liam Hendriks as Chicago White Sox fans show their love in his return to the mound Liam Hendriks walked to the bullpen before the fifth inning Monday. Fans held up letters in the left-field bleachers that spelled, “TEAM LIAM.”Hendriks tipped his hat as he received a thunderous standing ovation.Hendriks announced in January he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was back in a big-league game Monday, pitching the eighth inning of a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 23,599 at Guaranteed Rate Field.Hendriks allowed two runs on three hits with one walk. But the stats were a small part of the remarkable story.“It was great being back out there,” Hendriks said. “Getting back, putting cleats on, running out, doing all that. I felt good, I felt strong, I felt comfortable out there.“Unfortunately for me I wasn’t able to get the two-strike pitch where I wanted to. That was the bit for (Monday). It was get ahead, generally, and then struggle to put them away.“There were some positives from a purely baseball ...

Letter to the editor

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Letter to the editor Climate change contrariansA wheezing noise has emanated from Capitol Hill in Washington of late. It is a last gasp to stop America’s progress on the climate crisis. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., recently said the following to Fox News:“(Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry) was not confirmed by the Senate. He is not held accountable by the American people. He is skirting congressional oversight, and that is unacceptable. For the past two years, the Biden Administration has withheld information on John Kerry’s role within the Administration for the past two years despite the committee’s many requests.”“His reported upcoming negotiations with the Chinese on climate topics, an action which he has done on numerous occasions, is inappropriate and potentially undermines U.S. interests and domestic energy security,” he continued. “Mr. Kerry’s continued engagement in shady negotiations will be met with intense s...

Gallery: Celtics season ends as they lose game 7 to the Heat

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Gallery:  Celtics season ends as they lose game 7 to the Heat The Boston Celtics lost to the Miami Heat 103-84 during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, ending their season.

Chris Messina’s on a roll as ‘Boogeyman’ heads to theaters

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Chris Messina’s on a roll as ‘Boogeyman’ heads to theaters With Friday’s Stephen King adaptation “The Boogeyman” Chris Messina, after decades of solid work, suddenly finds himself having a Messina season.“Boogeyman,” where Messina’s therapist and his two young daughters must confront and survive the nastiest of demons, proved so successful last December in a test screening that it was pulled from Hulu to open in theaters.That happened with “Air,” Ben Affleck’s springtime hit about the creation of Nike’s Air Jordan sneaker which was highlighted by Messina’s scene-stealing, much-talked-about role as Jordan’s profane – and profanely angry – agent David Falk.  His blistering phone call with Matt Damon’s Nike veep leaps beyond hilarity to be a career-defining moment.“Boogeyman,” which counts King among its fans, found Messina doing in-depth therapist research – even though in real life, he said in a phone interview last week, “I have done a lot of therapy, which I loved and found very useful.”“When I read this script, I maybe stupidly thought, ‘...

Editorial: Taxpayers score some wins in debt ceiling deal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Editorial: Taxpayers score some wins in debt ceiling deal It’s all over but the shouting as Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden wrapped up their 11th-hour negotiations to reach a debt ceiling deal Sunday.There’s a sense of relief that debt default has been avoided, at least if the deal gets enough votes in Congress before June 5, and rancor on the part of progressives who begrudge Republicans any victory in terms of budget cuts, and Republicans opposed to raising the debt ceiling. But there is already one winner to emerge from the fracas: the American taxpayer.Part of the reasoning behind the GOP’s move to make raising the debt ceiling contingent on budget cuts is the Democratic mindset in full force since Biden took office: taxpayers are ATMs. The administration’s trillion-dollar-plus spending spree helped fuel inflation, with the promise that there would be budget issues down the line as the bills come due to pay for all those programs and policies.Republicans may not have been able to tap the brakes as har...

King: We’re not ready for the massive disruption of AI

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

King: We’re not ready for the massive disruption of AI To rephrase Leon Trotsky: You may not be interested in artificial intelligence, but artificial intelligence is interested in you.Suddenly, long-rumored and awaited, AI is upon the world — a world that isn’t ready for the massive and forever disruption it threatens. AI could be the most significant disruptor in history, surpassing the arrival of the printing press, the steam engine and electricity. Those all led to good things.At this time, the long-term effects of AI are just speculative, but they could be terrifying, throwing tens of millions out of work and making a mockery of truth, rendering pictures and printed words unreliable.There is no common view on the effect of AI on employment. When I ask, the scientists working on it point to the false fears that once greeted automation. In reality, jobs swelled as new products needed new workers.My feeling is that the job scenario has yet to be proved with AI. Automation added to work by making old work more efficient and creating thi...

Dear Abby: Bridesmaid’s pregnancy new wedding stressor

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Dear Abby: Bridesmaid’s pregnancy new wedding stressor Dear Abby: I got engaged five months ago, and my wedding date is seven months from now. My soon-to-be sister-in-law and bridesmaid has just announced she’s pregnant with her second child and due a week after our wedding.I have conflicting emotions. While I’m happy for her family to grow, I can’t help but worry it will detract from my fiance and me. I’m not sure what to do. Do I keep her as a bridesmaid, one week away from delivery? She might be late, but there’s also a chance she could go into labor before or during our wedding.Can I replace her so she won’t have to worry about the “what-ifs”? Her husband is a groomsman, so this decision will affect everyone. Should I leave her in and chance it? It breaks my heart to think they might not be able to attend at all. I’m just so overwhelmed, and this is adding to the stress of planning my wedding. Please give me some advice. — Worried Bride to BeDear Worried: Talk to your about...

Free summer park concerts to attend in San Diego area

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:20:35 GMT

Free summer park concerts to attend in San Diego area SAN DIEGO -- Looking for some feel-good summer vibes? Several parks in the San Diego area are holding free concerts for the public the next few months.From the coast to East County and the city, here are some local parks offering entertainment this summer for no cost:Coronado Summer Concert Series at Spreckels Park:June 4 - BoomBox Heroes at 6 p.m.June 11 - Navy Band Southwest’s 32nd Street Brass at 6 p.m.June 18 - Crown Town at 6 p.m.June 25 - Big Time Operator at 6 p.m.July 2 - The Suenamis at 6 p.m.July 9 - Al Paris & The Heartbreakers at 6 p.m.July 16 - PHT & The Honky Tonk Nights at 6 p.m.July 23 - Mighty Untouchables at 6 p.m.July 30 - FlashPants at 6 p.m.Aug 6 - The Detroit Underground at 6 p.m.Aug 13 - The Dream Boats at 6 p.m.Aug 20 - The Zippers at 5 p.m.Aug 27 - Ron’s Garage at 5 p.m.Sept 3 - Special Concert at 5 p.m. How to get discounted San Diego County Fair tickets, parking and other deals La Mesa Concert in the Park at Harry Griffen Park:June 25 - San Dieg...