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Celtics finish impressive West Coast trip with convincing Christmas Day win over Lakers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

When the Celtics lost against the Warriors on the road last December, it set off a rare losing stretch that exposed their flaws and showed how vulnerable they could be after a hot start to the season.Under similar circumstances this season, history has not repeated itself.Instead, the Celtics have responded with three consecutive convincing victories that have shown how far they have come, and help illustrate why they’re better suited to win a championship this season. After back-to-back dominant wins over the Kings and Clippers, the Celtics continued to display their growth in front of a national audience with an impressive 126-115 Christmas Day victory over the rival Lakers to finish a fantastic road trip.Jayson Tatum (25 points) and Jaylen Brown (19 points) did not have big shooting nights in this win but as they’ve shown through the first third of the season, that’s not required for the Celtics to have success. Tatum had a season-high seven assists. Kristaps Porzingis returned f...

Robbins: Congress preps probe of taxpayer funds for Hamas

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

It emerged over the weekend that the House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to investigate the use of American taxpayers’ dollars to fund the Murder, Incorporated that is Hamas. With the revelations that billions of donor dollars that were supposed to be used for humanitarian aid for Gazans have instead been diverted to construct a network of terror tunnels spanning several hundred miles, it’s clear that such an investigation is long overdue. And while they complain with justification that the last year in Congress has been utterly dysfunctional, Democrats ought to join the Republicans who are initiating the investigation, and make it a fully bipartisan one.When it comes to the Mideast, U.N. agencies have modeled moral rot for decades, so investigating the UN looking for corruption and the abetting of terror is shooting fish in a barrel. The Committee intends to focus on UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which is in charge of aiding Palestinian refugees in Gaza. In p...

Victoria Police Chief recounts busy Christmas Eve for officers, one hit with vomit

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

VICTORIA — The chief of police in Victoria, B.C., says his officers had a busy Christmas Eve, but the holiday season didn’t exactly bring good tidings of great joy for one officer on a city bus. Victoria police Chief Del Manak says one officer was hit with a cup of vomit as they attempted to take a passenger off a bus. Manak’s social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, says another officer had to use a Taser on a man who wouldn’t leave a store.The chief says his officers also had to arrest a woman in downtown Victoria who was allegedly trying to pop the tires on 20 vehicles. Manak says the evening wasn’t all bad though after one officer found a Tim Hortons gift card on his car upon returning to his police cruiser after responding to a call downtown. The chief says it was a silver lining to an otherwise busy Christmas Eve as officers worked to keep the streets safe for Santa’s arrival. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 25...

Chicagoans hit the lakefront during the city's second warmest Christmas on record

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

CHICAGO — It was far from a white Christmas, but there was still plenty of holiday cheer along Chicago's lakefront.On Monday, families gathered as they looked to take advantage of one of the city's warmest Christmases on record. According to Tom Skilling, Monday's warmer-than-usual temperatures were one for the record books. Skilling said it was the second warmest Christmas in Chicago. The warmest on record was back in 1982 when temperatures reached 65 degrees.  Police offer warning to Bridgeport residents after string of garage burglaries “I’m surprised because the weather today is very nice," Lazaro Dixon, who is visiting from Orlando, said. Families looking to spend time together for the holiday traded snow for sand and made their way to Chicago's North Avenue Beach. Others who were looking to take advantage of the mild temperatures hit the lakefront for a run or to get a view of the water. Pope Francis makes a Christmas appeal for peace in the world “It’s nice...

‘Vato Claus’ gives gifts to kids in need on Christmas Day

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

BASTROP (KXAN) — The Bastrop pastor who built mini-shelters on his property for families experiencing homelessness, has once again provided the gift of giving on Christmas.For the 11th consecutive year, Roland Nava handed out hundreds of gifts and grocery boxes to families in need for his annual ‘Vato Claus’ distribution event. ‘Vato Claus’ prepares to deliver gifts to Bastrop County families as need rises The founder of In The Streets-Hands Up High Ministry was joined by 18 volunteers, who spent their Christmas Day driving and delivering packages throughout Bastrop County."We can spend Christmas tomorrow with our family,” Nava said. “Today we choose to be together, going out to share the love of Christmas and they love doing it."Nancy Horn attends the HUH Ministry and regularly volunteers her time for this event."My children are grown,” she said. “I've already spent time with them so that I could do this today.”Nava was inspired by a friend of his, Richard Reyes, who’s been patro...

Mother, daughter take tie-dye loungewear to the next level

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — When times got tough during the pandemic one local mom turned a love for getting creative into a business, and so far, it had continued to expand.Melissa Thaxton said her daughter Mila was her inspiration and drive to be successful in the business."Some of the pink in here,” said Melissa, as she helped Mila tie-dye some hoodies. “Do blue over here.”On the day KXAN interviewed her, she was tie dying a number of pullovers with Mila right by her side."Having her do stuff with me and the older that she gets and the more that our brand evolves it has been so much fun,” Melissa said.Melissa started Mila and Me a few years ago as a creative outlet, but creating fun and trendy loungewear became much more than that when more and more people started asking her to collaborate."I am constantly out with people going to events, working events, building new relationships, new partnerships in the city, especially being from here,” said Melissa.This Austin entrepreneur, full time mom...

Jamal Murray scores 28, Nikola Jokic sinks 18 free throws to lead Nuggets to Christmas Day win over Warriors

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

The Nuggets used a career game at the foul line by Nikola Jokic, key buckets from Jamal Murray down the stretch and tenacious defense by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to wrap up a 120-114 Christmas Day victory over Golden State.But from the point of view of Warriors coach Steve Kerr, the Nuggets’ victory was gift-wrapped by an inordinate number of cheap fouls.“I have no problems with officials themselves. All across the league, we have really good officials,” Kerr said after the Nuggets made 26 of 32 free throws, including an 18-of-18 by Jokic in a game where he shot an ugly 4 of 12 from the floor. The 18 made free throws were a career-high.“I have a problem with the way we are legislating defense out of the game,” Kerr continued. “That’s what we’re doing in the NBA. The way we’re teaching officials, we’re just enabling players to BS their way to the foul line. If I were a fan, I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second ha...

Huge waves expected to hit Southern California beaches this week

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

The biggest weather story of the week for Southern California will be monster waves produced by a large storm system currently hitting the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Weather Service.The Southland saw ideal weather on Christmas Day with clear skies and daytime high temperatures generally in the mid and upper 60s. The Weather Service says temperatures should dip slightly on Tuesday as high clouds move into the region from a storm that is bringing heavy rainfall to Washington and Oregon and parts of Northern California.  Southern California Weather Home High pressure should keep the storm from producing any substantial rainfall in SoCal, the NWS said. Light rain is possible through Thursday in Ventura County and farther up the Central Coast, but impacts are expected to be minimal. The impact on surf conditions, however, will be far more significant.A satellite-radar composite view of a large storm system hitting the Pacific Northwest on Dec. 25, 2023.. The...

Letters: Christmas trash | Electoral college | Colorado ban | Zionism meaning | Good writing | Hostage killings | Florida vs. California

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Shop local to cutChristmas trashRe: “Christmas gifts turbocharge our trash problem. How I cope” (Page A6, Dec. 21).I too am aghast at the amount of needless packaging that comes along with the merchandise we buy. Over an item bought from Amazon, there can be four layers: the cardboard box, the air pillows, the clear packaging, thick paper, and perhaps even a plastic bag. Why must we fill up our landfills with all these layers?Humans are the absolute worst animal species in the creation of waste. Here’s one vote for a tax incentive for buying gifts locally, in stores, where packaging is not needed. Remove the sales tax requirement for small, independent local stores, and we will both boost our local economy and keep our landfills emptier.Jeremiah TrujilloEl SobranteWhy do we hang onto Electoral College?Americans should be ashamed of themselves. Not for voting for Donald Trump. That was a...

Steve Kerr sounds off on officiating after Warriors’ Christmas loss to Denver Nuggets

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:47:51 GMT

DENVER — There is no pride in a moral victory or much solace to take when it seems referees take a game into their own hands.But the Warriors were OK with the way they played in a 120-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas afternoon. Mostly, the Warriors’ postgame locker room was abuzz with criticism over the way this game was officiated.The Nuggets took 32 free throws to the Warriors’ 23, but the true turning point was Nikola Jokic’s 14 second-half free throws that swung a spirited game into a foul frenzy. The Nuggets quickly landed in the bonus in the final quarter, and Jokic didn’t have to feel much contact to get a trip to the line.Coach Steve Kerr went beyond blaming Monday’s grew of Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox and Michael Smith, instead pointing a finger at the rigidity of the rules they’re trained to follow.  Those tuning in to a close game between the last two NBA champions on Christmas day got the gift of whistles upon whistl...