Inter are looking to fund a move for Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku in any way they can, and will off-load Joao Mario and Dalbert in the weeks to come in order to partially fund a bid, according to reports. The Belgian has been touted as Antonio Conte's primary transfer target ever since he took over at the Serie A side earlier in the summer, with the main issue being that United are keen to recoup the vast majority of the £80m they paid for him two years ago. Struggling to justify that price outright for the 26-year-old, who has scored 42 goals in 96 games for United, Inter have explored alternative solutions to get the deal done. The Sun have reported that a bid is likely to be made 'this weekend,' looking to bring the striker in on an initial two-year loan with a £54m obligation to buy. It is unclear why they have featured this news so prominently, however, as it has been common knowledge since last week that a loan move has been in the works . Nonetheless, United aren't keen , and want a clean transfer that will free up substantial funds in the short-term. With a loan move seemingly not viable as far as United are concerned, the report notes that Inter will look to sell two players to raise £40m towards a potential fee - Joao Mario to Monaco for £22m, and Dalbert to their Ligue 1 rivals Lyon for £18m. This, however, is also not a new development. Mario's move to Monaco was reported on by Calcio Mercato as far back as Tuesday, while the same outlet also have Dalbert going to Lyon for €18m last week. It should be noted that's euros, not pounds, as the Sun have claimed. In any case, they do seem to have got one thing right. Inter are extremely keen on Lukaku, and have started clearing out their squad in a bid to make room for the investment. Whether or not they can agree terms with United, however, remains to be seen.


Trevor Bauer certainly isn't your conventional Major League player, from his use of technology and data to help his pitching arsenal to drone injuries during the playoffs to hurling baseballs over center field walls when being pulled out of games. Add this to the list: Bauer was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team deal that also involved the San Diego Padres, but he just decided to go to Progressive Field on Wednesday night like a regular fan and take in his old team's game against the Houston Astros. Fans spotted him in the stands: He's crazy but I love it! Who else does this? Trevor Bauer at the Tribe game just being an ordinary fan. pic.twitter.com/0XWrRn6ZTV - GV Art + Apparel (@GVartwork) August 1, 2019 Here's the video of Trevor Bauer leaving Cleveland in the middle of an Indians game pic.twitter.com/UgmgbsXMFL - theRealDavefromMentor (@TheDavefrom) August 1, 2019 Dude gets traded and still shows up!!! Gonna miss you @BauerOutage !!! Good luck! I'll always cheer for you! pic.twitter.com/b7h6cZ3JoV - Laura Stacy (@Laura33Stacy) August 1, 2019 He also spoke to the media in Cleveland: This is one of the more unusual things I've ever seen. Trevor Bauer, who was traded by the Indians last night, held an impromptu press conference tonight in the press box dining room during tonight's game. He spoke about what he thinks his legacy in Cleveland will be @wkyc pic.twitter.com/gvNDRH1cQC - David Kinder II (@davidkinderii) August 1, 2019 Trevor Bauer says he's got a message coming for the fans via video after being traded #Indians pic.twitter.com/VH8ctFjTaN - Matt Loede (@MattLoede) August 1, 2019 MORE: Poker pro Daniel Negreanu tells story of a wild $550k golf bet he won Fox Sports Announces 2019 NFL Broadcast Teams Packers coach Matt LaFleur sidelines Josh Jones after practice fight Steelers 2019 training camp winners and losers so far Observations from Lions training camp, Day 6: Tracy Walker making noise Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


The five-year, $16.25M contract that the Penguins gave defenseman Jack Johnson last summer drew some immediate ire. Considering that the team is still tight against the cap even after dealing away Olli Maatta over the weekend, some may be wondering if Johnson could also be on the move at some point. GM Jim Rutherford poured cold water over that idea, telling Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Maatta swap means that Johnson will be sticking around: "We certainly had to make a move from a cap point of view. … We were getting ourselves to a point where we might have been in a little trouble. It was going to be either Johnson or Maatta to open up the necessary cap space and open up the logjam at defense. And as it turned out, it ended up being Olli." The 32-year-old logged over 19 minutes a game for the Penguins last season although his offensive output continued to drop as he scored just a single goal. It appears as if Johnson will be resuming his role on their back end when the puck drops on next season in October. Elsewhere in the East: While Bruins forward David Backes has been brought up as a speculative candidate to leave Boston, it doesn't appear as if that will be the case. Speaking with reporters including Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston ( Twitter link ), GM Don Sweeney stated that Backes will not be going anywhere this offseason. The 35-year-old has two years remaining on his deal with a $6M cap hit and a partial no-trade clause but because of the structure of the contract, a buyout wouldn't save Boston much on the cap. Instead, it appears they'll ask him to hold down a spot in their bottom six once again next season. Lightning free agent defenseman Anton Stralman will be participating in the UFA interview window which begins next week, agent Marc Levine told Joe Smith of The Athletic ( Twitter link ). That suggests that there hasn't been much progress made in discussions about a possible contract extension. Stralman, 32, is coming off an injury-plagued 2018-19 campaign but still logged over 20 minutes a night and with the market for right-shot defenders dwindling quickly, he should have plenty of suitors if he does indeed make it to the open market next month.


Dustin Pedroia's Major League Baseball future is uncertain, but his impact on the Boston Red Sox is anything but. The second baseman is taking an indefinite break from rehabbing a knee injury that's restricted him to playing in just nine games over the last two seasons. Pedroia has been a big part of the Red Sox over the years, and has provided plenty of highlight-reel plays at second. He was with the team when it won the 2018 World Series, and was on the roster when Boston won it all in 2007 and 2013. His future may be unclear, but he certainly has the support of his teammates. Brock Holt, for one, knows how hard the 35-year-old has worked since getting injured. "He's busted his (expletive) and we couldn't be more proud of what he's done and where he's gotten," Hold said, via MassLive. "We're rooting for him." Holt spent some time with Pedroia rehabbing in Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland and noted "you could tell" something just wasn't right with his teammate. "You could tell. He's just not able to do it on his knee right now," Hold said. "He's trying. He tried. He had some good days and some bad days. But he was trying to do something that no one's ever done. He had a surgery that no one's ever had. He knew it was going to be a tough road. He did the impossible by doing what he's done. We're rooting for him every step of the way. And hopefully he can go home and get some time away and see what happens. "We're lucky that he's a part of our team and part of our organization," he added. "We wish him nothing but the best and we're rooting for him. Hopefully, he can overcome this." We know Pedroia will head home to be with his family after the Red Sox's series with the New York Yankees, but we probably can bet he'll be seen on the bench cheering on his team if they make the playoffs once again. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy says he isn't sure how much longer he'll be with the Bucs, but he is sure he's playing this year. "I will be playing football somewhere," McCoy told Mike Cairns . The Buccaneers haven't committed to keeping McCoy this year, and there's been talk that they might trade him, release him or pressure him to take less than the $13 million base salary his contract calls for this season. McCoy said he doesn't know if he'll be in Tampa Bay when the season starts. "I don't know. We'll see," McCoy said. "Fans know I love them. I'll be on the field at some point." McCoy has been skipping voluntary workouts, but if he wants to force the team's hand, the smart play might be to show up and work out. If McCoy were to get injured during a voluntary workout at the team facility, the Bucs would be on the hook for his salary, so if McCoy were to join team activities, it might give the Bucs a sense of urgency to decide either to get rid of him or commit to him for this season. Adding to the uncertainty around McCoy is the recent neck injury that defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul suffered in a car accident. The Bucs may be less eager to move on from a veteran defensive tackle if their top veteran defensive end is going to miss significant time. The Bucs also could change their calculation about whether they can afford McCoy's salary if they plan to put Pierre-Paul on the non-football injury list, and not pay him until he's healthy enough to play. McCoy doesn't seem particularly worried about all that. He's just sure he will play, somewhere, when the season starts. Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


NEW YORK (AP)   Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner took in as much as $135 million in revenue during their second year as aides to President Donald Trump, generated from their vast real estate holdings, stocks and bonds and even a book deal, according to their financial disclosures released Friday. Ivanka Trump's stake in her family's Washington, D.C., hotel down the street from the Oval Office generated $3.95 million in revenue in 2018, barely changed from a year earlier. The hotel, a favorite gathering spot for foreign diplomats and lobbyists, is at the center of two federal lawsuits claiming Donald Trump is violating the Constitution's ban on foreign government payments to the president. Another big Ivanka Trump holding, a trust that includes her personal business selling handbags, shoes and accessories, generated at least $1 million in revenue in 2018, down from at least $5 million the year before. Ivanka Trump announced in July of last year that she planned to close her fashion company to focus on her work as a White House adviser for her father. The disclosure for her husband, Jared Kushner, shows that he took in hundreds of thousands of dollars from his holdings of New York City apartments and that he owns a stake in the real estate investment firm Cadre worth at least $25 million. The disclosures released by the White House and filed with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics show minimum revenue for the couple of $28 million last year generated from assets valued at more than $180 million. The disclosures filed by federal government officials each year show revenue, assets and debts in broad ranges between low and high estimates, making it difficult to precisely chart the rise and fall of business and financial holdings. Among the dozens of sources of income for Ivanka Trump was a $263,500 book advance for "Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success," published in 2017. Trump has pledged to donate royalties to her charitable fund. Kushner's holdings of apartment buildings through his family real estate firm, Kushner Cos., were the source of much of his income. Westminster Management, the family business overseeing its rental buildings, generated $1.5 million. Separately, one of the family's marquee holdings, the iconic Puck Building in the Soho section of Manhattan, generated as much as $6 million in rent. Among other properties cited in the disclosure was a former warehouse-turned-luxury-condominium in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn that brought in more than $350,000 in sale proceeds and rent. Former and current tenants in the building have filed a suit against the Kushner Cos. alleging it used noisy, dusty construction to make living conditions unbearable in an effort to push them out so their apartments could be sold. The Kushner Cos. has said the suit is without merit. Cadre has also drawn conflict-of-interest questions. It launched a fund to take advantage of massive tax breaks by investing in downtrodden areas designated "Opportunity Zones," a Trump administration program pushed by both Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Also, this month the Guardian newspaper reported that Cadre received $90 million in foreign funding from an opaque offshore vehicle since Kushner entered the White House. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell did not immediately respond to an email and phone message seeking comment. Kushner appears to have cut his debt. He had loans and lines of credit worth at least $27 million at the end of last year, down from a minimum value of $40 million the previous year. His lenders include Bank of America, Citi Group and Deutsche Bank. Deutsche Bank is also a major lender to President Trump's company and has been subpoenaed by congressional investigators looking into his finances. Both Kushner and his wife took steps to distance themselves from their businesses before taking on their roles as unpaid White House advisers. Kushner stepped down as CEO of Kushner Cos. and sold stakes in many holdings, while Ivanka Trump similarly stepped away from executive roles at her companies.


Curious just how far your dollar goes in Capitol Hill? According to Walk Score, this Denver neighborhood is friendly for those on foot, is easy to get around on a bicycle and offers many nearby public transportation options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Capitol Hill is currently hovering around $1,200. So, what might you expect to find if you don't want to spend more than $1,000/month on rent? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental listings, via Zumper. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Corona Street Here's this studio apartment situated on Corona Street. It's listed for $985/month for its 327 square feet of space. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate on-site laundry. In the unit, there is a balcony. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Check out the complete listing here .) 1341 N. Ogden St. Next, there's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 1341 N. Ogden St. that's going for $975/month. The building boasts on-site laundry, assigned parking and secured entry. In the unit, expect air conditioning. Attention, cat owners: your kitty is permitted here. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. (Take a look at the full listing here .) 1355 Pearl St. Listed at $914/month, this 363-square-foot zero-bedroom, one-bathroom is located at 1355 Pearl St. In the apartment, you can anticipate hardwood flooring, air conditioning, a walk-in closet and a ceiling fan. Building amenities include on-site laundry, outdoor space, secured entry and a fitness center. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Take a look at the complete listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


VANCOUVER   The New Jersey Devils entered the off-season with one marketing plan. After April 9, the night they won the NHL draft lottery , those plans changed. Two and a half months later, the morning after they selected Jack Hughes with the No. 1 overall pick, they acquired P.K. Subban in a trade with the Nashville Predators. Those plans changed once again. "The news over the last 24 hours will challenge our marketing and content team and everyone else to ramp it up," Devils president Hugh Weber told NBC Sports during draft weekend in Vancouver. "But we've been preparing behind the scenes, adding resources and getting things in place preparing for success, preparing for more demand. The team will be ready. What that actually looks like in terms of campaigns and all that other stuff, I'm not sure yet. Ray's not done yet." Weber was the first person in the organization to know that the franchise had won the lottery and the right to make the first overall selection. The lottery process played out behind closed doors hours 90 minutes before the television broadcast announced the results. There, Weber and the other NHL team representatives were sequestered watching as the ping pong balls were pulled and the unique combinations were drawn. Through the excitement of knowing the Devils would be picking first, Weber couldn't share in that joy as the reps were forbidden from leaving the room until the broadcast ended and he certainly was going to withhold his exuberance in front of the teams that lost out on the top spot. Once the lottery knew became public, Devils fans were eager to look toward the 2019-20 NHL season. Post-lottery, the franchise moved into the top 10 in the league in new ticket sales. After drafting Hughes and later acquiring Subban, they had sales staff working to capitalize on the excitement. "I haven't gotten numbers but there's been a lot of activity and I think you're going to see in a week's time we anticipate an acceleration of not only people who were on the fence that didn't renew yet, were kind of waiting to see, but also those that have been with us over a long time who said, 'OK, I get it now, you guys are using that cap space just as you said you would and let's get after it,'" Weber said. [MORE: Jack Hughes and the impact of USA Hockey ] While they've had time to prepare a plan for introducing Hughes to the market, Subban is his own marketing team. With over one million Twitter followers and 900,000-plus more on Instagram, his personality and work in the community will help sell the Devils. The additions of Hughes and Subban not only upped the excitement levels in the Devils' fan base, but the New York Rangers' acquiring Jacob Trouba and drafting Kaapo Kakko second overall revived a rivalry between the two franchises. The Devils have long been on the outside in a crowded New York metropolitan market and they're hoping this past weekend, plus whatever happens during the free agency period, will allow them to gain ground on their regional rivals. "When hockey is competitive and the rivalries are strong in New York, I think it's good for the NHL," said Weber. "The Islanders are no slouches, they have a good core coming. You've got Lou [Lamoriello] and you've got the Rangers and us, even the Flyers now with [GM] Chuck Fletcher, there's some good narratives happening in and around the Metropolitan, and we're glad. If you stack up the teams in the East, it's going to be tough. It's going to be a very competitive conference. I think that's just going to push us all. But generally, those types of rivalries, those types of stories are good for business." The Devils missed the playoffs last season coming off a surprising 2017-18 campaign that saw them play postseason hockey for the first time since 2012. Last season wasn't necessarily a step back in Weber's eyes. He viewed the playoff year as playing with "house money" and, according to their plan, the franchise is ahead of schedule. "We never saw this as a linear progression," Weber said. "We looked at are we making progress, are our prospects and our pipeline making progress, are they developing a team, does [head coach] John Hynes have a foothold on the culture here, is there a plan that we can continue working at? The answer was yes, which is why we extended Ray [Shero], we extended John, we extended the coaching staff, we extended virtually everybody on the hockey staff because this part of a linear, longer plan. We believe that patience in sports is one of the great arbitrage because too often teams and/or partners and owners get too impatient and want to make a change just for change's sake. "I wouldn't say the lottery pick did anything more than to say it kind of accelerated a little bit because when you have the potential of the fifth or sixth pick, you might not see that player on your roster for a few more years, where now you have an impact player, an elite player that's going to potentially contribute right off the bat. It helped us accelerate our plans and put things in place, not to rush anything. We've said over and over again there are no shortcuts to the top. There are shortcuts to the middle, but we don't want to be in the middle." Keeping stability in the organization is key to the Devils in seeing progress. They believe that Hynes has helped create an identity for his team and that despite a playoff-less season, he kept them competitive through the end of the 82-game schedule. When Shero was hired in 2015 he made it a goal to ensure the franchise was respected again. A draft weekend splash certainly got people talking and excited about the on-ice product for next season. There's still the Taylor Hall extension to take care of and then more work to be done when free agency opens, but the organization sees itself on the right track. But in the end the results will speak for themselves. "In terms of fans and how fans have seen us, we have to earn that and it's going to take some time to have the consistency," Weber said. "Now moves like we did [this weekend], those are big splashes and they're great stories, but unfortunately great stories don't win games. It's going to come down to team performance. We've been bullish, even without the additions that we've had, is that to see the progression of these prospects coming up and watching them being close to it. We think there's going to be a few offshoots out of there that will surprise some people as well." MORE DEVILS COVERAGE: • Devils take Jack Hughes with No. 1 overall pick • Shero on Subban trade, Hall's future with Devils • Devils-Rangers rivalry gets boost thanks to Hughes, Kakko      Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy .


Twenty years from now people will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard Notre Dame was burning . The idea of losing one of the world's most famous landmarks brought many to tears. Fortunately, most of the cathedral still stands. But after such a close scare and collective mourning, it's hard not to wonder which other iconic landmarks and even destinations are in danger of disappearing completely. Whether the threat comes from Mother Nature or mankind, it's never been more real. Here are nine places to see before they are gone. 1. The Galapagos Islands Threat: land-based tourism The Galapagos Islands are significant because they're the birthplace of the theory of evolution. They're home to some of the most fascinating endangered plants and animals on earth. Unfortunately, with the often un-regulated rise in land-based tourism, the islands' most fragile residents are at risk . More tourists mean more hotels, restaurants and traffic as the islands' human population explodes. From 1999 to 2005, the population   which is limited to living on just 3 percent of the islands' land mass   grew by 60 percent. By 2021, the Galapagos Conservancy expects around 75 percent of tourists to be land-based. Your best bet: Consider taking a small ship cruise. Galapagos National Park highly regulates how many boats and what size boats are allowed to visit the park. 2. The Church of the Nativity Threats: water damage, fires and custody battles Since 2012, this holy place in Bethlehem, synonymous with the birthplace of Jesus , has been on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites in danger. Built around 600 A.D., it's thought to be the oldest Christian church still in continuous use. However, in 2009, the Smithsonian reported that its roof is rotting, and its paintings and mosaics are subject to water damage . In 2014, a fire broke out in the church just two days after the Pope's visit. Even more alarming is the fact that the three churches   Armenian, Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic   in charge of taking care of it are often at conflict with each other. Your best bet: Take a guided Bethlehem day tour from either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. A half-day tour with Abraham Tours is only about $50. 3. The Dead Sea Threat: water shortage It's not just the Great Barrier Reef. The Dead Sea is also dying at an alarming rate. In 1950 it was 50 miles long. Today, it's 31 miles long. The receding shoreline is the result of Israel, Jordan and Syria diverting water away from the Jordan River   the Dead Sea's primary source of water. According to The Times of Israel , the water level is dropping more than three feet per year. With that comes a major problem: sinkholes. In 1990 there were just over 100. Today there are more than 6,000 according to the Geological Survey of Israel. Your best bet: Since the Dead Sea region is uncomfortably hot during the summer, visit in the spring. If the timing is right, your trip will coincide with the Gran Fondo Arava   an inspiring cycling event in the lowest place on earth. 4. Komodo Island Threat: lizard smugglers This island in Indonesia is famous for its giant deer-eating dragons. Unfortunately, these lizards, Komodo dragons   which can grow to be up to 9-feet-long and weigh 200 pounds   are a hot item on the black market. One reason they sell for tens of thousands of dollars is because their blood might save human lives . After busting a Komodo dragon smuggling ring this spring, the government has announced it will close the island   possibly for up to a year   starting in January 2020. Your best bet: According to The Jakarta Post, September to November is the least crowded and most pleasant time to visit. And unless you can afford a helicopter, bring Dramamine because you'll have to arrive by boat. 5. The Great Sphinx of Giza Threat: sand, sewage and political unrest While engineers recently saved Egypt's oldest pyramid , it's hard not to worry about the Great Sphinx of Giza. Once buried in sand up to its shoulders, the 4,500-year-old lion-human hybrid made the news in 2007 when authorities alleged the water table under it was compromised by sewage from a nearby canal. Of course, even before that in 1988, the New York Times reported on it "crumbling" when a 700-pound chunk of the Great Sphinx nearly fell on a German reporter. While the Egyptian government is working to preserve one of its most precious monuments, it's important to note the region's history with political unrest. Your best bet: For a particularly memorable visit and colorful photos, see the Sphinx and the pyramids at night during the sound and light show . If you don't want to pay for tickets, stay in a hotel with a view of Giza. 6. The Taj Mahal Threat: pollution The Taj Mahal was voted to be one of just seven places on the list of the modern wonders of the world. It's India's most famous sight and attracts 70,000 visitors a day. Unfortunately, the BBC recently reported that a "combination of neglect and pollution is threatening its existence." In 2018, an article in The Economist describes the color of the once pearly-white building has now shades of yellow, brownish-black and green. India's pollution problem is to blame. With India being the fastest growing country in the world, it's probably just going to get worse. Your best bet: Fly into Agra or take the train. Once in Agra, plan on taking a battery-operated bus, horse-drawn carriage or human-powered rickshaw. Only "pollution-free vehicles" are allowed within the palace's vicinity. 7. Easter Island Threat: rising sea levels The Easter Island mystery may be solved, but that doesn't mean it's safe. "There are sites that are being damaged and are falling into the sea as we speak," said the archeologist interviewed in a 2018 CBC story titled, "Easter Island's iconic statues could disappear because of climate change." Because most of the 800-year-old statues are located close to the coast, they're being worn down and even taken out to sea by waves. When the New York Times reported on the erosion in 2018, it called the island "critically vulnerable." Your best bet: Plan on at least two days of traveling since Easter Island (or Rapi Nui as it's called by everyone except tourists) is almost a 6-hour flight from Chile. Visit in February, if you don't mind crowds, to see the island come alive during the Tapati Festival. 8. The Statue of Liberty Threat: rising sea levels In 2012, 75 percent of Liberty Island was affected by flooding from Hurricane Sandy . In its 2016 report, UNESCO   who referred to the Statue of Liberty as one of the world's most potent symbols of freedom   reported that the damage totaled $77 million. While Hurricane Sandy was an extreme storm, even smaller storms have the potential to be just as devastating. That's because sea levels continue to rise at an increasing rate . On average, the ocean is 5-8 inches higher today than it was in 1900. Your best bet: Buy your tickets online so you can avoid the often hours'-long lines. Try to visit on a weekday and plan on going through the same security measures you'd go through at the airport. 9. Rome Threats: extreme weather, terrorism and vandalism Venice isn't the only Italian city in trouble. "Rome wasn't built in a day but these days it feels as if it may collapse in one" reads a headline in The Guardian last year. The author, Tobias Jones, describes living in a city where sinkholes swallow cars, flooding shuts down the subway and torrential rains postpone national soccer games. The nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum   which is no stranger to terrorist threats or vandalism   is particularly vulnerable, especially when it comes to earthquakes. After a devastating 6.5-magnitude earthquake in 2016, a headline in The Telegraph read, "Italy fears for Colosseum as 'cracks get bigger' after each earthquake." Your best bet: If you have $118 and want to skip the lines, take a guided underground tour . This will give you access to exclusive places like the arena floor and tier 2.


Dining at one of Lexington's finest restaurants during his official recruiting visit to Kentucky in September 2017, Keldon Johnson stayed true to his small-town roots. "He's a country boy," Wildcats assistant coach Kenny Payne said, "so this 17-year-old kid grabs his steak with both hands, bites into it and looks at me with a table of 15 people and says, 'Coach KP, this steak is really good.' " That's Johnson: Unpretentious, outgoing and true to himself. "Just a really good country kid," Johnson's father, Chris Johnson, called his youngest son. "What you see is what you get with him." What the Spurs hope to get after selecting Johnson, 19, with the 29th overall pick in last week's NBA draft is a stat-sheet stuffing 6-foot-6 swingman with the tools to become an elite defender. "Definitely, I am a dog," Johnson said, referring to his tenacious, defense-first mentality. "I will do whatever it takes for me to stay on the court and to win." Johnson hails from the southern Virginia town of South Hill. Located in Mecklenburg County near the North Carolina border, it has a population just under 5,000 and is known for the brightly colored buildings of its business district and the Tobacco Farm Life Museum of Virginia. "Everybody knows everybody in South Hill," Johnson said. "We are like one big family down here." And Johnson is one of the rural community's favorite sons, but not just because of his basketball career. "Keldon is a great player but an even better person," said Dennis Smith, who covered Johnson as a sports writer for the South Hill Enterprise. "A lot of southside Virginia fans are Spurs fans now." From an early age, it was clear that Johnson, who has two older brothers and a younger sister, was an extrovert. "He's always high energy, a people person," Chris Johnson said. "He loves people, loves the attention." In that sense, he's a lot like his father. "My dad is definitely outgoing and has never met a stranger, and that's definitely me," Johnson said. He also inherited his parents' work ethic. His father is a truck driver and his mother, Rochelle, is a nurse. "He works pretty much all day," Johnson said of his father. "He wakes up early in the morning about two o'clock, three o'clock and goes to work." Johnson's basketball career at South Hill's Park View High School began with him breaking the Virginia High School League ninth-grade scoring record by averaging just over 27 points per game. It was a feat that reflected his love of the game and the hard work he put into it as much as it did his talent, said Brian Sykes, who coached Johnson at Park View. "Anytime I went to his house, he was watching basketball," Sykes said. "And he was always calling me to open the gym. Sunday afternoon, whatever it was, he'd call and say, 'Coach, can you open the gym?' I don't care what day it was, rain or shine, he wanted to get into the gym." All the while, Johnson's parents steadfastly kept him on the path of fulfilling his dream of playing in the NBA. "There were a lot of things Keldon wanted to do that they wouldn't let him do," Sykes said. "They said from day one, 'If you want to get to the NBA, there are some places you can't go, some people you can't be around, and you are going to stick to following your dream.' They are good old country folk too." Johnson also got pushed by Sykes. "He called me 'track coach,'" Sykes said. "I kept him working. He'd say, 'You're a track coach. All you want me to do is run and lift weights.' But I see it paid off." As a sophomore, Johnson overcame a broken ankle suffered in the offseason to lead the Dragons to the state quarterfinals while garnering all-state first team honors. Viewed as a top 15 national recruit after that season and a star turn on the AAU circuit, he transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia to take advantage of its strong academics and national schedule. But he wasn't at Huntington long. For his senior season, he transferred to prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, where he continued his gym rat ways. "He comes in and hangs out in my office all the time," longtime Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told Kentucky Sports Radio in 2018. "Some players don't want to do that. He comes in here all day long. He's very likeable, his personality, very fun to be around." Johnson also forged an unlikely friendship at Oak Hill, becoming what Smith called "best buds" with a 5-foot-4 student manager from Japan named Shiryu Kataoka. "Keldon wanted to room with him on road trips," Smith told Kentucky.com. "Most players don't say, 'I want to room with a manager.'" Given his inclusive personality, it didn't take Johnson long to emerge as a leader at Oak Hill. "If somebody's not playing well or down in the dumps about something, he was always the guy to pick them up," Smith told Kentucky.com. In November 2017, Johnson signed with Kentucky as the No. 7 prospect in the class of 2018. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists last season on his way to being named SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC Second Team. He flashed his NBA potential with seven 20-point outings, four double-doubles and a late-season effort against Auburn that included a whopping 17 rebounds. "Not many perimeter players can go into a college game, a game full of energy, a high-profile game, a marquee game, and end up with 17 rebounds," Payne said. While with the Wildcats, Johnson impressed John Calipari and his staff with more than just his skills, which helped lead the school to the Elite Eight at the 2019 NCAA Tournament. "He has a fear of failure, which I love for players to have," Payne said. "The arrogant guys that are super talented, I just don't know what they do when adversity comes. But the guys who are scared, the guys that are thinking, 'I may not be quite good enough, so I better work, or this thing could go south,' that's what I like. "When you have that kind of mentality, which he does, you are always on your toes instead of your heels." Rated as a fringe lottery pick, Johnson slid down the draft board last Thursday night while two of his teammates, P.J. Washington and Tyler Herro went in the top 13. "People expected him to go a lot higher," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "We had him as the top-rated player at his position … Sometimes, especially when you're not the elite talent at Kentucky, you often get lumped into a group of good players, and it might be difficult to separate yourself. With a team that had three guys drafted in the first round, that potential was there." Calipari said in a conference call Saturday that while he's still trying to figure out how Johnson tumbled to No. 29, he's thrilled it was the Spurs who grabbed him. "He ends up going to San Antonio, which is the best team," Calipari said. "We're talking hall of fame coach (Gregg Popovich), an organization that does unbelievable work developing young players…You know they took a kid from Colorado (Derrick White) no one heard about, they took a guy, (Kawhi) Leonard, that no one really knew about, so they don't miss very often." Payne offered a similar message to Johnson in a post-draft phone call. "I told him you are probably a lottery pick, but God has another plan, and the plan was for you to go to the best organization in the NBA, with the best coach in the NBA, the best GM in the NBA, the best developmental program in the NBA," Payne said. "Here is a kid who can fill up the stat sheet, get 12 to 15 points, seven, eight, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals. If you have that type of mentality and you are put in an organization like the Spurs, you are going to be all right. "So, I told him you may not have gotten drafted in the top 10 or 15 or whatever, but you ended up being in a better situation because you are with a playoff team, a very good team, one everybody respects and does things the right way." Johnson said it was "nerve wracking" to sit in New York and watch his name slide down the board. There was also some confusion when a reporter tweeted Cleveland was targeting him at No. 26. "I was definitely nervous to find out where I was going to land, but I am blessed to come to an organization like the Spurs," he said. His father agreed. "It's the best organization out there," Chris Johnson said. "Pop will definitely teach him how to be a pro, and that means a lot to me. One thing we do know is (Keldon) will stay in the gym. I think he and coach Pop are going to hit it off really well." Johnson is already talking like a Spur, telling reporters on draft night he would maintain a good attitude should Popovich limit his playing time as a rookie. "I will just trust the process," he said. "If I am able to play right away, then I will do so. But if it takes a year or two years for them to trust me and put me out on the court, no problem. I just have to keep my head down and keep working and stay humble, be focused, locked in." This much is certain, those close to Johnson said: No matter what happens, he'll continue to stay true to himself. "When he picked up that steak," Payne said, "it told me, one, he's not afraid of being himself, and two, he is as genuine and as original and innocent as he can be. "He is the Spurs' type of player. He is young. He is going to make mistakes. But at the end of the day, he is going to give you everything he's got." torsborn@express-news.net Twitter: @tom_orsborn


Where we're going, we don't need roads! Even today, some 38 years after its launch, the DeLorean DMC-12 looks like a product of the future. It's naked brushed stainless-steel body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and those gullwing doors combine to create an awe-inspiring machine to look at. Even without its starring role in 'Back to the Future' that cemented it into pop culture, this Irish-built model is well known around the world. Sure, its period performance left much to be desired, and the DMC marque sank beneath the waves in a wash of scandal, but the small child that lives in all of us still wants to own one. Listed in the Motorious classifies are some great examples of this iconic John DeLorean model. More famous cars: Is This The Most Significant Surviving 'General Lee' Dodge Charger? Batman Turns 80! The Definitive Ranking Of Batmobiles If you were captivated by the 1985 movie 'Back to the Future', you're probably looking to live your dream of becoming Marty McFly. This DMC-12 listed with the Orlando Auto Museum has been customized to look just like the movie car. Complete with time circuits and external cladding, this DMC-12 is actually modeled on vehicle from the second movie featuring a Mr Fusion generator. The 1981 car has covered just shy of 60,000-miles with the advert boasting '1,620,000 Hp with the aid of a lightning strike.' Also listed with the Orlando Auto Museum is this $99,995 Back to the Future II replica . Your extra cash gets you an even more accurate build of the movie car, with exacting switchgear and glowing flux capacitor. This example is also an automatic car. If you want to be more visible at night while driving your time machine, the Volo Auto Museum has got you covered. Yet another Back to the Future II replica, but this time it hosts neon lighting that bathes its silhouette in an unusual purple shade. As demonstrated, many DeLoreans have been transformed into Doc Brown's creation, but if you're after something truly collectible, Garage Kept Motors is worth a visit. The DMC-12 is famed for its brushed stainless steel skin, but this example was painted red by its delivering dealer. Extensively restored using DeLorean Motor Company parts in 2013, this manual car has covered just 1671 miles from new. At $42,900 we think its a bit of a bargain considering its mileage and rarity. If you're looking for a clean and totally standard DMC-12, look no further than this 13,000-mile example listed in our classifieds . It appears utterly immaculate and highlights just what a striking car the DeLorean still is. The combination of a manual gearbox and this car's low mileage will put it on collector's radars. Fancy taking a trip back to the future? Check out our full DeLorean listings .


The NFL made the right move not changing overtime rules - at least for this year. Here's why: There are two sides to a football game Everyone makes a big deal that a team can't get a chance to win in overtime if their opponent scores. Good. There are two - well three if we count special teams - sides to a football game. There is offense and there is defense. Yes, offense sells tickets and gets television ratings, but defense is just as important. Want to win in overtime? Stop your opponent. Teams already get a chance to respond Teams do get a chance to respond. Even if a team doesn't stop their opponent from scoring a field goal, the opponent gets a shot. That even takes away from the point above, but it still stands. Don't give up a touchdown in the first drive in overtime. Hold the opponent to a field goal. A team will get their shot then. We've already had enough overtime rule changes in the past few years Remember when a team could kick a field goal in overtime and the other team didn't even get a chance? How about changing overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes? Speaking of that . . . Player safety is kind of important Player safety is a big deal for the league and the NFLPA. The longer a player is out there, the more chance they have to get hurt. It's not rocket science. If a team gets a chance to score a touchdown - and those drives can take a while - then it means more time out there for players. The entire point is to lessen the stress on players' bodies, not increase it with extra minutes and more drives. Too many ties Folks, ties are a novelty now. We aren't used to seeing them - or haven't been until recently - and they can also make playoff races really confusing. It's not a loss. A team with a tie can sneak into the final spot by a half game. Ties aren't great. Giving a team another shot to tie their opponent in a shortened overtime session will lead to more ties. There are other rules to be more concerned about How about pass interference and replay? We really think we have that fixed? We barely had a sane NFL catch rule until last season. It doesn't happen enough to warrant a change Look, this whole discussion started when the Patriots beat the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. That's an important game, but it's one game. The overtime problem that's trying to be addressed simply doesn't happen as often as people make it out to be happening. What else would people complain about? People need to complain. This would only fix a problem that isn't that big of a deal until the next small problem comes along. MORE: Alex Trebek had a classic response to James Holzhauer's 'two dimes' wager NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players 49ers LB roles change with new defensive front New Packers OLB coach raves about rookie Rashan Gary 20 fantastic quarterback-receiving combos in NFL history


Aaron dishes out final grades in a series of reviews over the next couple of weeks Another season has come and gone Magic fans. The 2018-19 version of your Orlando Magic provided the city and its fan base with many memorable moments to ring in the 30th anniversary of the franchise's existence. We were provided opportunities to celebrate big Magic road victories in Boston (twice), San Antonio, Los Angeles, Mexico City (against the Jazz and Bulls ), Toronto, Milwaukee, Indiana, Charlotte, and Miami (twice). And don't forget about those huge home wins against the Heat (opening night), 76ers (twice), Lakers , Raptors , Celtics , Rockets , Pacers , Nets , and the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors . But none of that compares to the emotions all Magic fans felt after coming to the realization that the team they've supported through so many tough losing seasons had finally clinched their first playoff birth since the conclusion of the Dwight Howard era. My progress reports were back for another season on Orlando Pinstriped Post in 2018-19 (third season featured on this site, I'm blessed). If you missed the first volume , Nikola Vucevic earned the highest grade in the class after the team's first fourteen games due to his stellar shooting and solid defense. Vucevic again earned the highest grade in my second volume (which covered the team's next fourteen games). And prior to his first career All-Star selection, Vucevic earned the team's highest midterm grade . Let's explore who on the roster pulled their own weight this season. As a teacher who is used to assessing on a regular basis, "grading" is right up my alley! Included in this series of final grade reports are statistics from Orlando's 82 regular season games played this season, along with some comments from yours truly that hopefully explain why I graded the guys the way that I did. In the comments section below, please feel free to agree or disagree with any of my assessments, or simply just let me know if this is something that interests you. Credit for statistics goes to Basketball Reference and NBA.com . Enjoy! Evan Fournier , 26 years-old (81 games played) Grade: C MPG PTS REB AST FG% 3PT% TS% +/- Per/100 Evan Fournier 31.5 15.1 3.2 3.6 44% 34% 54% +2.0 I wrote the following in my "Final Grade" column for Evan Fournier at the conclusion of last season (2017-'18): "But now six years into his NBA career, Fournier has shown no progress towards becoming anything more than a one-way NBA player. His defensive contributions in Orlando have been near non-existent for four years. Because of his offensive skill-set, Fournier has to be on the floor for the Magic. Even elevating his defensive play to the point where he's just an average defender would make all the difference for Fournier. Because right now, he's basically an average fourth or fifth starter/sixth man playing a much larger role on a bad team." I figured I would begin this process with some good Fournier news. I've been critical of his defensive efforts since the veteran of seven NBA seasons arrived in Orlando in 2014. Well, in new head coach Steve Clifford 's defensive system, Fournier transformed himself this season into what I described above as an "average NBA defender", which is a serious improvement over what he has been in his career. In fact, Clifford praised Fournier many times throughout the season during his pre-game and post-game sessions with the media for his defensive contributions. Fournier has also continued to develop legitimate offensive play-making skills for the Magic, increasing his assist percentage every season he's played for Orlando (career high assist percentage of 17.6% in '18-'19). The Frenchman recorded five or more assists in a single-game 27 times this past season. He was often used this year as the ball-handler in a two-man pick-and-pop game with Nikola Vucevic (was one of Orlando's go-to offensive plays). And as John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com wrote about in a recent article, Fournier was one of the NBA's most "clutch" players in 2018-19. According to Denton, Fournier ranked eighth in the NBA this past season in total points scored in the last ten seconds of a game where the player's team was behind or tied with the opposing team. Fournier buried two game-winning buzzer-beaters this year (against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons ), and either tied the game or briefly gave his team the lead within the last ten seconds of a game on three other occasions. The Magic favored going to Fournier at the end of games this season, but he was really off for a large chunk of the other 30+ minutes he gave Orlando each night - and that leads me to the bad with Fournier in '18-'19. Fournier had a cold shooting year, there's really nothing else that can be said. Fournier knocked-down 34% of his three-point field goal attempts this season, a career low number for the 6-7 wing. 42% of Fournier's attempts from the field came from behind the arc. His field goal percentage, offensive rating, player efficiency rating, and offensive box plus/minus numbers were all the lowest marks he's posted as a member of the Magic. Also concerning is that fact that Fournier, a career 80.5% free throw shooter, only got to the line 2.1 times per contest this season. Fournier's free throw rate (number of free throw attempts per field goal attempts) with the Magic has declined from .298 in '16-'17 to just .159 in '18-'19. I'm fine with the three-point attempts (I think his shot will return to form next year), but I'm not okay with his lack of free throw attempts as a result of taking too many long two-point attempts. Orlando's five playoff games were rough for most of Orlando's starters, but no one's game was as ugly as Fournier's play. Fournier shot a frigid 35% from the field (23.5% 3PT%), scoring 12.4 points per contest in 35 minutes per game. He committed more turnovers in the series than he accumulated assists, registered a player efficiency rating of 5.1 with an offensive rating of 80, and was a -27.5 per/100 possessions while on the floor against the Raptors (mostly defended in the series by Kyle Lowry , who he has six inches on). If the Magic make the playoffs next season, his play will have nowhere to go but up, right? Best performance of the season: 3/22 vs. Memphis 27 points (9-17 FGA's, 3-8 3PTA's, 6-7 FTA's), 8 rebounds, 6 assists 2019-20 Season Outlook I've heard/read chatter among the Magic fan-base regarding their dissatisfaction with Fournier. For example, some would like to see the veteran guard traded, I see that mentioned a lot on Twitter. I don't think that's fair; Fournier is still a large part of what Orlando is trying to do as an organization, and he's already shown in the past that he has the ability to comeback after sub-par seasons and play well the following year. I also thinks its unrealistic to assume that Fournier won't be back because the Magic still owe their starting shooting guard $34 million over the next two seasons. Technically, Fournier has one guaranteed season left ($17 million) on the multi-year deal he signed with the Magic in the summer of '16. However, he also holds a player option ($17 million) for the 2020-'21 season, an option he is unlikely to turn down. With that much money still owed to Fournier, I don't see a team trading for his services this upcoming season. Perhaps in the summer of '20, when his contract becomes an expiring deal, that notion becomes a different story. Fournier will be back in 2019-20 as Orlando's starting shooting guard, for better or worse. Personally, I am mildly confident that he will bounce back and have a career year (at age 27) for the Magic next season. Look for "Don't Google" to knock down more three's from the corner next year, and hopefully to pass up some of those long two-point attempts in favor of putting his head down and getting to the free throw line more frequently as well. Previous "Season in Reviews" in this series Wes Iwundu, C+ Khem Birch, A- Mo Bamba, C+ Jonathan Isaac, B- Terrence Ross, A- D.J. Augustin, B+


Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the date and title of Steam Into History's "Great Southern Train Raid." The event is Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25. This is it, the last hoorah of summer before it's "Back to School" season. So, grab your friends, family, some shades and get outside and enjoy the last few weeks of sunshine with any number of the upcoming events below: Friday, August 2 First Friday   downtown York Downtown Inc., hosts another First Friday in downtown York 5-9 p.m. August events include: Live music from Ten Strings, Mother Dimension, and Opera Susquehanna at Continental Square Peach festival in the Market District Los Monstros at The Cantina 6-10 p.m. For more information, visit downtownyorkpa.com or call 717-849-2331. Cultural Fest   Harrisburg The free event features live music, 11 artists showcasing music from around the globe. Cultural Fest will be held at the corner of 2nd and Market St. in downtown Harrisburg 5-10 p.m. For more information, visit dapuhincounty.org or call 717-780-6300. More: Take a photo tour of the best ice cream shops in the Lebanon Valley Saturday, August 3 Backyard BBQ Series at Adams County Winery   Orttanna In part of its Backyard BBQ Series, Adams County Winery hosts the alt-folk band The Bumperyachts 2-5 p.m. Guests can enjoy food and drinks outside on the winery's Terrance Bistro. For more information, visit adamscountywinery.com or call 717-334-4631. Peach Bake-off at Flinchbaugh's Orchard   Hellam What better way to celebrate the peach season than a bake-off? Flinchbaugh's Orchard hosts a peach bake-off at noon. For more information on the event or to register, visit flinchbaughsorchard.com or call 717-252-2540. Sunday, August 4 Equality Fest 2019 at Penn Park   downtown York York LGBT hosts Equality Fest 2019 noon-6 p.m. The event will feature live music, Drag Queen Story Hour, and over 50 vendors. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page . Wednesday, August 7 Lancaster Fiber Festival   downtown Lancaster The Lancaster Convention Center hosts the Lancaster Fiber Festival from Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 10. The festival showcases several workshops, expos and over two dozens vendors. For more information, visit lancasterfiberfestival.com or call 717-239-1600. Friday, August 9 MVPA History in Motion Military Vehicle Show at York Expo Center   York The two-day event features hundreds of military vehicles dating back to the early 20th century. The convention will also feature a military convoy around the York Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 10. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit mvpa.org or call 717-848-2596. Saturday, August 10 Unity Fest at PeoplesBank Park   downtown York The multicultural music festival kicks off at 2 p.m. The event will feature music from over 20 bands, including the grammy nominated Noriel. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit york365.com or call 717-812-9255. Second Saturday   downtown Hanover Main Street Hanover hosts Second Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This month's theme is Main Street Mini Golf. Participating downtown businesses will each have a unique mini golf hole set up on site. For more information, visit mainstreethanover.org or call 717-637-6130. More Hanover events: What to do near Hanover in August: Corn roast, bluegrass, adult prom and more Crabfest at Collusion Tap Works   downtown York Collusion Tap Works hosts Crabfest 2019 noon-6 p.m. The downtown York brewer is releasing a special lime pilsner for the event. For more information or to purchase tickets (well, crabs), visit collusiontapworks.com or call 717-848-8400. Friday, August 16 Great Summer Switch at State Museum   Harrisburg The third annual art exhibit features a split tour between the State Museum and the Susquehanna Art Museum. Attendees will explore the Art of the State exhibit, followed by a tour of the "Picasso: A Life in Print" exhibit at Susquehanna Art Museum. The event is free to attend and begins at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit statemuseumpa.org o r call 717-787-4980. Civil War Living History Days at Star Barn Village   Elizabethtown The two-day event returns with re-enactments, train rides, self-guided tours, demos and the Victorian Ball. The family-friendly event begins Friday at 1 p.m. and finishes with the Victorian Ball on Saturday. Tickets vary from $10 to $75. For more information, visit thestarbarn.com or call 717-902-9791. Goodguys 1st Grundy Insurance Great American Nationals at York Expo Center   York The weekend-long event features over 2,000 street rods and muscle cars, an autocross, burnout competition, car show and plenty of live music. The kid-friendly event runs 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit good-guys.com or call 717-848-2596. Related: Comings & goings: New openings, closings & construction news around central Pa. Saturday, August 17 Harrisburg Veggie Fest   Harrisburg Sometimes you just have to celebrate leafy greens. The Harrisburg Veggie Fest returns to Strawberry Square 1-4 p.m. The event is $20 to attend and will feature produce from over a dozen vendors and libations from local craft breweries and distilleries. For more information, visit hbgveggiefest.com . Rivertown Hops Beer Festival   Columbia The annual beer festival is back. The beer festival will be held at the Columbia Animal Shelter from 4 to 8 p.m. and features craft beer from over 20 local breweries. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page or call 717-684-5249. Wednesday, August 21 York Fringe Festival The annual York Fringe Festival runs from Wednesday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 25. Over 20 shows will be showcased throughout the festival throughout downtown York. The festival celebrates the live arts and innovative theater forms that accompany the live arts. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit yorkfringe.org or call 717-429-6085. Friday, August 23 Yorkfest Fine Arts Festival   downtown York The annual festival kicks off on Friday at 6 p.m. The weekend long event will run 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. The event will feature artwork from local artists, a chalk walk, literary competition and various art-inspired celebrations throughout the weekend. For more information, visit yorkcity.org or call 717-849-2221. Saturday, August 24 Pa. Cigar Box Guitar Festival at the York Emporium   York The 10th annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival begins at 10 a.m. The event, which highlights cigar box guitars and homemade instruments, will feature 14 bands on two stages. The event is family-friendly and free to attend. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page or call 717-846-2866. Great Southern Train Raid at Steam Into History   New Freedom The Civil War-inspired event features a train ride. The family-friendly event will feature three ride times Saturday and Sunday: 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit steamintohistory.com or call 717-942-2370. Chambersburg Crabfeast   downtown Chambersburg The 24th annual Chambersburg Crabfeast runs 5-7:30 p.m. at the AMVEST Post 224 picnic pavilion. The family-friendly event will also include a live auction. All proceeds will benefit the Chambersburg downtown revitalization. For more information, visit downtownchambersburgpa.com or call 717-264-7101. Lancaster Craft Beerfest   downtown Lancaster The seventh annual Lancaster Craft Beerfest returns to downtown Lancaster. Over 40 craft beers will be available along with live music and local food vendors. The festival is split between two sessions: 12 to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit lancastercraftbeerfest.com . This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: What to do in August around York, Lancaster and Central PA


The Jacksonville Jaguars' roster is now back to 90 players after the abrupt retirement of safety Zedrick Woods . In fact, the spot has been filled with a familiar face in defensive lineman Lyndon Johnson, who the team released in June. We have signed first-year DL Lyndon Johnson to our 90-man roster. We placed RB Ryquell Armstead, WR Marqise Lee and OL Cam Robinson on the team's Active/Physically Unable to Perform list. pic.twitter.com/bBYLPTPVDj - #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) July 23, 2019 Johnson, 25, joined the Jags in 2018 as an undrafted player after playing collegiate football at the University of Cincinnati. After not making their 53-man roster after training camp last year, the team signed him to their practice squad in September. Before the season could end, Johnson found himself getting promoted to the main roster in late December and played in the Jags' last three games. During that process he was able to accumulate two tackles. At 6-foot-5, 287-pounds, Johnson will get a chance to play at the big-end position for the Jags where they could use some help behind Calais Campbell. According to the Jags' official page , he'll wear his old No. 92 upon his return. MORE: Team USA basketball: See the list of NBA superstars skipping the World Cup NBA trade rumor rankings: What's up with CP3? The 21 dumbest ideas in NFL history VIDEO: Steve Austin Cut a Killer Promo at WWE Raw Reunion Ravens have another shot to land WR Allen Hurns, this time for cheap


WASHINGTON   Republicans hesitated on Monday to embrace President Trump's choice for the director of national intelligence, and some privately expressed doubts about his potential confirmation, echoing concerns of experts and Democrats that he was too inexperienced and too partisan. Mr. Trump's pick, Representative John Ratcliffe of Texas, could face an uphill battle, Senate Republicans said in private conversations. Several said they wanted to keep the intelligence post apolitical, and Mr. Ratcliffe will need to show he can move beyond the die-hard conservative persona that has made him a star in the House and on Fox News but less well known among senators who will decide whether to confirm him. Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee, including its chairman, Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, said they were unfamiliar with the congressman. "I don't know John Ratcliffe," Mr. Burr said. "I talked to him on the phone last night   it's the first contact I've ever had with him. I look forward to getting to know him, and if I get an official nomination, I'll process it through the committee." Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter Another Republican committee member, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who helped craft the 2004 law that created the position of director of national intelligence, said the job should be filled by someone "with the integrity and skill and ability to bring all the members of the intelligence community together." The cool reception from members of the president's own party reflected the split at hand: For what is supposed to be perhaps the most nonpartisan job in Washington, Mr. Trump selected one of the capital's fiercest political warriors. One of Mr. Trump's most ardent defenders, Mr. Ratcliffe was elected to Congress in 2014 after mounting a conservative primary challenge to a 17-term Republican incumbent, Ralph Hall. Mr. Ratcliffe had served as a United States attorney in Texas and as the mayor of Heath, Tex., a town of about 9,000 people outside Dallas. Mr. Ratcliffe's main intelligence experience has come as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, which he joined this year. But his record is one of fierce combat in the most partisan intelligence and judicial fights. A relentless critic of the Russia investigation, he ably challenged Robert S. Mueller III during his House testimony last week and has cast doubt on the C.I.A.'s finding that Moscow favored Mr. Trump the 2016 election. With Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, almost certain to oppose any nominee to the position, Republicans can only afford to lose two more yes votes if Democrats line up against the nomination. Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida and a member of the intelligence panel, said he knew and liked Mr. Ratcliffe but acknowledged that he could have difficulty attracting broad Senate backing because of his reputation as a partisan. A critical function of the director, Mr. Rubio noted, is "to make sure that the entire intelligence community is working in an apolitical way to arrive at a set of facts that policymakers can make decisions on." Mr. Rubio added: "I wouldn't say that I'm concerned that he's incapable of doing that job. I certainly think that's going to be an issue among Democrats and others that we're going to have to confront, because I do think the D.N.I. needs to be someone that goes in with a strong vote of support." Republican Senate leaders showed subtle signs of discontent about the nomination. Mr. Burr waited nearly a day to publicly congratulate Mr. Ratcliffe. By contrast, Mr. Burr issued an effusive endorsement when the president nominated Dan Coats to the post in 2017. The Trump administration has done little to vet cabinet nominees, to the frustration of many Republicans. While they have been loath to block many of Mr. Trump's appointments, they have slow-rolled some nominations, like that of former Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan, who withdrew from consideration after a drawn-out review of his background and qualifications. And questions on Capitol Hill about the qualifications of two picks for the Federal Reserve effectively torpedoed them. The political winds from the Trump White House have buffeted the intelligence agencies, and Mr. Coats worked to insulate them. If Mr. Ratcliffe is confirmed, some current and former American officials believe that other top intelligence officials like the C.I.A. director, Gina Haspel, and the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, could lose their shield against White House interference and partisan criticism. Democrats said on Monday that they were worried that Mr. Ratcliffe would do little to push back against the Justice Department's review of the origins of the Russia inquiry, for which Mr. Trump gave Attorney General William P. Barr broad power to declassify intelligence. Democrats also said they had concerns that Mr. Ratcliffe would not stand up to Mr. Trump when his views on Iran or North Korea were at odds with the assessment of intelligence analysts. Mr. Ratcliffe's chief qualification is "his record of promoting Donald Trump's conspiracy theories," said Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat who is on the Intelligence Committee. "Congressman Ratcliffe is the most partisan and least qualified individual ever nominated to serve as director of national intelligence," Mr. Wyden said. Mr. Ratcliffe has relentlessly criticized the F.B.I. for using uncorroborated information provided by a former British spy to obtain a surveillance warrant on a former Trump campaign adviser. He has also repeatedly raised the issue of anti-Trump bias among key investigators. While he acknowledges Moscow interfered in the election, Mr. Ratcliffe has also questioned whether the Russians were really trying to aid Mr. Trump, as the formal intelligence committee assessment and Mr. Mueller's report concluded, or were merely trying to sow chaos in the American political system. His record of criticism of the F.B.I. has provoked fears among former law enforcement officials that Mr. Ratcliffe would continue his assault on the bureau. "Mr. Ratcliffe's partisan political behavior on behalf of the president, including attacks on the special counsel's investigation, raises serious questions about whether he possesses the requisite qualities to fulfill that responsibility," said David Laufman, a former top Justice Department official. While the response to Mr. Ratcliffe on Capitol Hill was more tepid than the White House hoped for, the nomination is still in its very early stages, and the congressman could build support as he begins to meet with senators. Mr. Ratcliffe's Republican defenders insisted he is fair. His political bite is largely virtue of circumstance, they said, adding that he harbors greater respect for the law enforcement and intelligence communities than many House Republicans in his circle. In private, his allies said, he is inclined to give national security officials the benefit of the doubt and has defended   sometimes against his political allies   the need for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to have access to tools like domestic surveillance. And despite his criticisms of the Russia investigation, they pointed out, he did not join calls for Mr. Mueller's removal as special counsel or question the evidence of Russian election interference. Democrats' criticism of Mr. Ratcliffe is "more reflective of the political environment we are in than John Ratcliffe," said Trey Gowdy, the former congressman from South Carolina who like Mr. Ratcliffe is a former federal prosecutor. Mr. Ratcliffe has not always toed the Trump administration's rhetorical line: He said Americans were more at risk from a digital attack than from someone crossing the southern border and has told associates that his focus as director of national intelligence would be on cyberthreats and counterterrorism. Mr. Ratcliffe pledged in a statement on Sunday to "work on behalf of all the public servants who are tirelessly devoted to defending the security and safety of the United States." Mr. Trump, of course, has named other partisans to top intelligence jobs. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, his first C.I.A. director, had a reputation as a strong skeptic of the Iran nuclear deal and a critic of the Obama administration's handling of the Benghazi attacks. But Mr. Pompeo appointed Ms. Haspel, an agency veteran, as his deputy and quickly came to rely on her expertise, signaling to the C.I.A. rank and file that he valued intelligence professionals. Mr. Ratcliffe, however, has indicated that he intends to clean house, according to people familiar with his plans. The fate of Mr. Coats's deputy, Sue Gordon, who runs the office's day-to-day operations, is unclear. The White House did not immediately announce that she would serve as the acting director when Mr. Coats departs on Aug. 15, as is typical. Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have long been pushing for an overhaul of the office, eliminating jobs, slimming the agency and changing how it operates. Mr. Ratcliffe, according to American officials, is likely to try to push through some of those changes if confirmed. But Mr. Gowdy expressed skepticism that Mr. Ratcliffe would focus on shaking up the office. "People are most upset with John because he is good at what he does," Mr. Gowdy said. "He is also going to be good at what he is fixing to do, and that is intelligence, not politics." The White House has considered Mr. Ratcliffe for at least one law enforcement position in recent months, and he won over Mr. Trump in a meeting in recent weeks. He appeared to have sealed the intelligence nomination by executing one of the most effective Republican attacks on Mr. Mueller during his closely watched House testimony last week . Indeed, if Mr. Ratcliffe is confirmed, the appointment would deprive the president of one of his ablest allies in the House. Republicans consider Mr. Ratcliffe so important to Mr. Trump's defense on Capitol Hill that his appointment would have been less likely if they still feared that Democrats would advance an impeachment case against Mr. Trump, said one lawmaker familiar with the president's thinking. In addition to the reservations over Mr. Ratcliffe's partisanship, some former intelligence officials have said they do not think he has the necessary background. The law establishing the intelligence post required that the director have " extensive national security expertise ." Though directors of national intelligence do not have to have experience as intelligence officers   Mr. Coats did not   they should be deeply immersed in national security and the uses of intelligence, said Mark M. Lowenthal, a former senior C.I.A. official. "This is not a great position for on-the-job training," Mr. Lowenthal said. "There is a very steep learning curve." Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Emily Cochrane contributed reporting.


The Chiefs and Chris Jones have made no recent progress towards a long-term deal, which means that Kansas City can, if it wants, have Jones play out the 2019 season for a bargain $1.2M salary (Jones, after all, has to report to the club by August 6 to receive an accrued season toward free agency). However, if the Chiefs want to keep Jones in the fold for the long haul, it will have to pony up some cash soon. And as Joel Corry of CBS Sports relays in a series of tweets , Jones is not going to come cheap. Corry suggests that Jones is already a $20M+/year player, and if he performs as well in 2019 as he did in his breakout 2018 campaign, it will be hard to keep him for less than Aaron Donald 's six-year, $135M pact with the Rams. And if the Chiefs put the franchise tag on Jones next year and he plays the 2020 season under the tag while still performing at a high level, Khalil Mack money (six years, $141M) won't be enough. The Chiefs learned with Justin Houston that waiting to extend an elite player can become overly costly, and Corry suggests KC should not go that route with Jones. Now for more from the league's west divisions: The 49ers and K Robbie Gould agreed to a four-year, $19M pact yesterday, and San Francisco bucked tradition a bit by fully guaranteeing the first two years of the deal (a total of $10.5M). And, as Gould said (via ESPN.com ), that guarantee was a deal-breaker. He had requested a trade in April, and given the Bears' desperate need for a kicker, a trade to Chicago made since, especially since Gould   the Bears' all-time leading scorer   lives in the Windy City and plans to continue living there forever. He told the 49ers that in order for him to return to the team, he would need two fully-guaranteed years, and he got it. Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post says that Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay believes he is ready to fully participate in training camp, which opens next week, after recovering from a wrist injury he suffered late last season. That is in keeping with what we heard in June , but Lindsay concedes that it's not his decision. It's still possible that he will remain a limited participant just as he was throughout offseason workouts, at least for awhile. Denver obviously wants to get him on the field as soon as possible, especially since he will be adjusting to a new offense, but the club also does not want to needlessly rush one of its most promising youngsters. The Broncos signed No. 41 overall pick Dalton Risner earlier today , which leaves QB Drew Lock as the club's only unsigned 2019 draft pick. Lock, the No. 42 overall pick, is looking for an overslot contract, but Denver does not plan to give him one . Yesterday, the Raiders added some guard depth by signing Jonathan Cooper .


The Brewers are set to designate infielder Hernan Perez for assignment, The Athletic's Robert Murray reports. A corresponding move has yet to be announced, though Tyler Saladino seems likely to fill Perez's spot on the 25-man roster, as longtime sports reporter Joe Alexander added that Saladino and Keston Hiura left the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate in San Antonio prior to Thursday's game, and Hiura's pending return to the big leagues has already been reported . Perez has been as a useful utility piece for Milwaukee since joining the organization partway through the 2015 season. Playing primarily as a third baseman and corner outfielder, Perez has seen time at every position on the diamond except catcher during his time as a Brewer (including six appearances on the mound as a mop-up reliever). Perez showed a bit of pop with 27 homers in 2016 to '17, though overall, hit just .261/.291/.402 with 42 homers over 1,620 plate appearances for Milwaukee. Perez was arbitration-eligible for the second time this past winter, avoiding a hearing by agreeing to a $2.5M deal with the Brewers. A team claiming Perez off DFA waivers would be responsible for the approximately $1.15M remaining in salary, though it could be more likely that Perez clears waivers and is signed as a free agent if released, or the Brewers could keep him in the organization by outrighting him to Triple-A. The versatile Saladino can take over the backup infield duties for Perez, and he also has limited outfield experience, though Ben Gamel 's role on the team as the lone proper backup outfielder takes on larger import. Overall, the Brewers are costing themselves some positional flexibility with Thursday's moves, given how both Perez and Shaw were options at a wider range of positions than Saladino and Hiura. (Shaw's demotion, however, had a lot more to do with his lack of hitting than his fielding.) It wouldn't be surprising to see the Brewers further shuffle their roster on the trade front as the club continues to chase either the NL Central title or a wild-card berth.


Service is a critical issue for customer satisfaction, and new research released this week shows a very wide range of satisfaction for car brands. The research also shows how service can be either improved or undermined by how well dealers handle owners. The results of the study showed that Porsche had the best customer service among brands sold in the United States and Fiat had the worst. The J.D. Power 2019 Customer Service Index study, released today, divides brands into "luxury" and "mass market" categories. Among luxury brands, Porsche's first place position (with a score of 893 out of a possible 1,000) was followed by Lexus (881), the Toyota luxury brand, then GM's Cadillac (880) and Nissan's luxury division Infiniti (878). Land Rover was at the bottom of the luxury list (781), slightly below Jaguar (825). Both are owned by Tata Motors. Among mass market brands, GM's Buick ranked first (857), followed by BMW's Mini (853). Fiat Chrysler's Fiat brand was ranked worst (743). It was joined by four other Fiat Chrysler brands in making up the five worst. Ram (783), the company's pickup brand, was slightly better than Fiat. Jeep (803) was the third worst in the mass market category, Dodge was the fourth worst (804) and Chrysler was the fifth worst (805). The study asked 57,286 owners and lessees of 2016 to 2018 model-year vehicles about five aspects of service. The study was conducted between October and December of last year. J.D. Power broke service into five categories and then weighted them to create the grades. For what it calls the "vehicle owner service experience," J.D. Power included service quality with a 27% weighting; service initiation, which was weighted at 20%; service advisors, also at 20%; service facilities were at 17%; and vehicle pickup was 16% of the grade. Technology has changed the way dealers communicate with customers in many cases. Many of the people surveyed want the ability to schedule over the internet. Chris Sutton, Vice President, U.S. Automotive Retail Practice at J.D. Power, said, "Service customers want the convenience that technology offers them. For example, 34% of customers indicate they prefer to communicate via text message but this only occurs 9% of the time! There's no reason why this isn't a more widely adopted practice across the industry." The ability to work with dealers over the internet has not changed the importance of what happens in the service department when people bring in their cars. J.D. Power researchers said it is critical for dealers to tell customers what work will be performed on their vehicles, keeping them up to date on the status of the work and letting them know when the work on their vehicles will be finished, providing what the research pegged as "service advisor helpfulness." Another point made by J.D. Power was that satisfied customers help promote brand perception among other people. There is, the research firm pointed out, a long-term benefit for dealers whose customers who felt they received good dealer service. Satisfied customers are not just likely to come back. They might bring back their friends. (Click on the images below to enlarge)


You can leave your umbrella at home today and Saturday, but light rainfall is in the forecast for Cambridge later in the week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Monday's forecast shows the greatest chance of rain at 80 percent, with rain generally expected from Sunday through Tuesday. The immediate forecast also has warm temperatures in store for today. Temperatures will get even hotter this weekend, with a high of 94 degrees on Sunday. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for Cambridge. Skies will be mostly cloudy through Saturday and partly cloudy on Wednesday. Winds will stay fairly calm through the week, with the highest speeds today at just 9 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


A left hamstring strain forced Aledmys Diaz to be removed from the Astros' lineup during the first inning of today's game, and manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including The Athletic's Jake Kaplan ) that the injury is likely to send Diaz to the 10-day injured list. Diaz missed three games last week due to hamstring soreness, and re-aggravated the injury while running the bases today. Like pretty much everyone on the Astros' roster this season, Diaz has been enjoying a good year at the plate, hitting .286/.321/.510 with five homers over 109 plate appearances. Houston acquired the 28-year-old utilityman in a trade with Toronto during the offseason, seeing Diaz as an alternative to departing free agent Marwin Gonzalez . Diaz has lived up to that versatile billing, starting at least two games at five different positions (all four infield slots and left field) this year. Much of Diaz's recent action has come at second base, as he has been filling in for the injured Jose Altuve . While it hasn't yet affected their big lead in the AL West, the Astros have been bit by the injury bug over the last few weeks, with Altuve, George Springer , Collin McHugh , Max Stassi , and now Diaz all sidelined. The good news is that Altuve is expected back in a few days' time, filling one major hole in the club's lineup. Depending on how long Diaz is out of action, Yuli Gurriel could handle backup shortstop duties behind Carlos Correa , though Gurriel has only played two games at short in his four MLB seasons. The Astros don't have any minor league middle-infield types on their 40-man roster, so someone like first baseman AJ Reed could get the call so Gurriel could be shifted to a utility role.


WASHINGTON, June 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would grant $4.6 billion for border aid in a bid to stem illegal migration across the country's southern border with Mexico. The legislation will need to be reconciled with a separate different border aid bill passed by the House of Representatives before it is sent to President Donald Trump to be signed into law. The White House has said Trump would veto the House version, which includes restrictions on U.S. immigration agencies and which does not include extra funding for the Defense Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees. Earlier Wednesday the Senate rejected a bill approved by the House that would have provided $4.5 billion to address the migrant surge, while setting new standards for the care of migrants taken into custody. Related video: Watch Sen. Hassan and Hastings's heated exchange during a Senate border patrol hearing (The Washington Post) (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Tim Ahmann)


Voters go to the polls Tuesday in the city's first mayoral runoff election, with the outcome determining not only Chicago's future but the direction of its Democratic politics. Election day is the culmination of a six-week runoff campaign spurred by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's failure to capture a majority on Feb. 24. Challenger Jesus "Chuy" Garcia is trying to deny the mayor a second term following a brutal campaign fought on TV and radio, in the mail and in union halls across the city. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m., with hundreds of suburban races also on the ballot ranging from village president to school board to tax hike referendum questions. The suburban contests include Naperville voters picking a replacement for Mayor George Pradel, who opted not to seek re-election after two decades in office. West suburban voters also will consider candidates for the College of DuPage board, which has been battered by controversy and scandal. But it's Chicago's mayoral race that has gotten the most attention, both locally and nationally, given Emanuel's stature as a former top aide to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and as a political force while serving as a congressman. And it's Garcia's effort to represent the progressive wing of the Democratic Party against the establishment Emanuel wing that has added a new dynamic to the untested nature of a one-on-one mayoral runoff campaign. "This is a big election, with clear choices," Emanuel told reporters at a Lakeview campaign office, with a backdrop of volunteers calling potential voters. "There's a lot at stake for the city of Chicago." Defending his Democratic credentials, Emanuel pointed to backing from some elements of organized labor, his support for raising the minimum wage and having real estate developers set aside money for affordable housing. "That is what people are voting for, they're voting for the basic things that they want for their families, their neighborhoods and their communities," said Emanuel, who added, "Yes, my name's on the ballot. That's also true, 'Chuy's' name is on the ballot. But what's on the ballot is Chicago's future. That's what's on the ballot." Afterward, Emanuel sat with volunteers and made roughly a dozen phone calls to potential voters. A bottle of antacid pills and ibuprofen sat in the center of the table. "It's Mayor Emanuel, how are you?" Emanuel said to one potential voter. "Don't forget to vote, and hopefully I can count on you." After hanging up, Emanuel wrote a "yes" next to the person's name and continued down the list. Garcia, his voice deteriorating following a weekend illness, stopped at one of his campaign offices near Pullman to encourage supporters. "We weren't supposed to be here, we were counted out by the pundits, by the polls," said Garcia, a Cook County commissioner and former alderman and state senator. "In the end, leadership is about priorities," he said. "We're going to lift our schools and not close them down. We'll build real deep relationships of trust and mutual respect, because that's how we make our communities safer again. We're going to listen to residents who have concerns about noise from airplanes on the North and on the South Side of Chicago. That's the least that we can do." Amid a busy election-eve schedule that included greeting CTA commuters at various bus and rail stops, Garcia said he'd been drinking tea with honey, in addition to a variety of unspecified home remedies, to protect his voice. Garcia's camp is counting on the work of a ground team consisting of Chicago Teachers Union members to help turn out the vote from a variety of regional campaign offices. And he dismissed the effect of Emanuel's financial advantage over him on the election outcome. "To the conventional thinkers, there's a big surprise in store," Garcia said. Outside Emanuel's City Hall office, Garcia supporters the Rev. Jesse Jackson, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis and Cook County Commissioner Robert Steele joined a group calling for more transparency and independence for the organization that investigates allegations of wrongdoing by Chicago police. Members of the coalition met with Emanuel on Saturday and told him the changes they want made to the Independent Police Review Authority but said the mayor only agreed to sit down with them again to discuss the situation further. Emanuel's office said the mayor agreed to include a member of the group on the recently created IPRA advisory council. While the anti-police brutality activists said they are not making an endorsement in the mayor's race, the Rev. Eddie Knox Jr. of Pullman Presbyterian Church said Garcia agreed early in the campaign to support their proposed reforms. And Jackson, who has endorsed Garcia, said he expected Garcia would approach allegations of brutality with "more sensitivity" than Emanuel. In addition to mayor, Chicago voters in 18 wards will decide their next alderman as a result of runoffs created when no candidate got a majority in the first round. Those aldermanic runoff wards could drive help drive turnout higher than the 34 percent of voters who showed up in the city six weeks ago. Early voting was up by nearly two-thirds compared with to the February election. A couple of other factors could complicate turnout predictions. Chicago Public Schools are on spring break, and the forecast for Tuesday is rain with a high in the mid-40s. In the suburbs, four candidates are vying to replace Pradel, 77, as mayor of Naperville, who is stepping down after five terms. And DuPage County voters will pick from 12 candidates who are running for three trustee positions on the seven-member board of trustees of the embattled College of DuPage. Two trustees are seeking re-election. The Tribune has highlighted several controversial spending issues at the community college. Elgin Mayor David Kaptain is seeking a second term against challenger Joseph Galvan. Downers Grove Mayor Martin Tully is being challenged by village Commissioner Geoff Neustadt. In Buffalo Grove, village President Jeffrey Braiman faces challenger Beverly Sussman, a village board member. And there's a six-way contest for Zion's open mayoral seat. In Harvey, controversial three-term Mayor Eric Kellogg faces five challengers and a write-in candidate. Country Club Hills will select its first new mayor in nearly 30 years. Homer Glen Mayor Jim Daley faces challenger George Yukich. And New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann faces two challengers as he seeks a third term. Tribune reporter John Byrne contributed. rap30@aol.com cdizikes@tribpub.com jjperez@tribpub.com


Technology has made being a new military wife a little less scary . I'll never forget how ecstatic I was to see my husband on FaceTime the first time he went away. While I treasure the letters he wrote me, I'm forever grateful for the e-mails, phone calls, and texts that allowed us to feel connected while being thousands of miles apart.   Jennifer Jones, Pensacola, Florida My work and the kids' school are 30 miles from our house, and my husband works full-time (and has a moonlight gig), so staying connected can be hard. I love the fact that we can see each other's calendars and are "invited" to all things that have to do with our family. Technology helps us be together when we're not and allows us to share the parenting load that is so important to us.   Michele Ward, Greenville, North Carolina The greatest gadget that has made a difference in my 51-year marriage is wireless TV headphones. My husband likes movies; I don't. Now we can be in the same room while he watches and I read in the quiet.   Susu Draper, Anniston, Alabama T exting a quick "I love you" helps to keep my marriage fresh by letting my husband know that I think of him throughout my workday.   Amanda Walters, Phelps, New York Before we were married, my husband's job sent him to Taiwan for a year. After the first $800 phone bill, we decided to try something else. I bought a fax machine and a typewriter (this was before people had computers and e-mail), and we would send each other long letters. Now, of course, we text, but I loved getting those faxes.   Dawn Butler, Kingwood, Texas The Timehop app makes me smile when I see the sweet things my husband used to write on my Facebook wall back when we were dating 10 years ago . After growing together during six years of marriage, it's nice to be reminded where we started.   Emily Jarvis, Macon, Georgia Skype enabled me and my then boyfriend, now fiancé, to "see" each other while he was away getting his master's degree.   @KARASARVEY My husband and I are bicoastal and spend a lot of time apart. Snapchat has changed our lives because we can send each other the million little things we want to share all day long without wondering if it's worth sending or filling up our phones' memories. I love seeing his world when I can't be there in person.   Sabrina Carmichael, North Hollywood, California In 1967 technology began my love life. Back when computers were main frames and IBM cards, my now husband and I were in college. Our engineering department ran a "computer dance." (We filled out questionnaires and were matched up.) Fast-forward all these years and we have to say that the match is still working. I think we have at least one of those IBM cards packed away in our memory box.   Karen Grover, Rockford, Illinois My husband is an airline pilot and is often away from home. Having smartphones with no long-distance charges means that we can keep in touch easily. My father-in-law is also a pilot. He would have to go for days without talking to his wife and family when my husband was growing up. I am so grateful for the technology that allows me and my daughter to say good night to my husband , no matter where in the world he may be.   Sara Trznadel Dyck, Hanover Park, Illinois My fiancé and I met through Google Hangouts! We were attending an educational conference. I was there with friends, and he was attending remotely from his couch a few hundred miles away. We connected through e-mail and phone and became best friends. I can't wait to marry him this summer!   Elizabeth Kowba, Fremont, California


Bengals guard Clint Boling announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday. The veteran was hoping to play in 2019, but an undisclosed injury has brought his career to a close. "After eight years in the NFL, it is time for me to step away from the game due to medical reasons," Boling said in a press release. "This is not an easy decision, but it is the right one for me, my wife Kelly and our two young girls. I want to thank the Brown family for giving me the opportunity to play my entire career with the Bengals. I also want to thank my teammates, coaches, fans and everyone who has supported me throughout my career." Boling, 30, joined the Bengals in 2011 as a fourth-round draft pick out of the University of Georgia. He went on to become a key figure on the offensive line, with 109 starts at left guard and occasional time spent at right guard and tackle. It's yet another blow to the Bengals' offensive line after the loss of first-round tackle Jonah Williams. Christian Westerman , John Jerry and Trey Hopkins figure to compete for the left guartd job now that Boling is gone and Cordy Glenn has been kicked back to the outside.