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Still in search of cohesion, 76ers set to face NetsThe Gold Coast Titans have reportedly denied young gun Josiah Pahulu’s release request to join the Bulldogs, stating they “won’t be bullied” into letting the prop walk. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer > Pahulu and the Titans are in the midst of a dispute over an alleged $40,000 bonus payment stipulated in the 20-year-old’s contract that he would have received had he played in 20 NRL games in 2024. Pahulu played in 19 games before being rested for the final match of the season. Of course, had he appeared in that, he would have collected the bonus. This has reportedly miffed the young prop, who is looking to walk away from his Titans deal a season early to join the Bulldogs. Pahulu is contracted with the Titans until the end of 2025. According to the AAP, the Titans have said they won’t be “bullied” into letting the 20-year-old leave his deal early. MORE NRL NEWS ‘DIDN’T WANT ME’: Tigers recruit’s cheeky sledge in bid to make Dragons ‘regret it’ FIVE POSITIONS IN QUESTION: Daley’s biggest NSW Origin selection headaches ‘BIG PART’: Flanagan’s Hunt admission, plans for recruits in Dragons’ revenge season Titans CEO Steve Mitchell wasn’t willing to publicly comment on the particulars of Pahulu’s contract. “Our club policy is that we don’t comment publicly on recruitment and retention, which applies to this case like all others,” Mitchell said. Pahulu was impressive in his rookie season, proving a handful for opposition sides during his 19 appearances. However, with captain Tino Fa’asuamaleui returning from a knee injury, former Eel Reagan Campbell-Gillard signing a three-year deal, Klese Haas re-signing and the likes of Moeaki Fotuaika and David Fifita automatic starters, the Titans’ forward room is pretty full. Yet, despite the logjam, the Titans won’t yet budge on releasing Pahulu, who won the club’s 2024 rookie of the year award. Despite the contract saga, Pahulu has been training with his Titans teammates this off-season. “He was super for us (this year). He was amazing,” Titans playmaker Kieran Foran told AAP. “I am not too sure what is happening on his contract side of things. That will work itself out but he is training at the moment and he looks like he is ripping in and we are happy to have him.”
FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consent
This week we’re handing over the newsletter to Paul Durica , director of exhibitions at the Chicago History Museum. In his own words, he reflects on his past year of research: “Over the last year, I have started my day by reading the Chicago Tribune, that is, the corresponding edition from 100 years ago. “The decision to read each day’s newspaper from 1924 came from a realization that two events that have meant a lot to my work occurred in the same calendar year. Those events are the kidnapping and murder of 14-year-old Robert Franks by Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb, considered the crime of the century at the time, and the passage by the United States Congress of the nation’s most restrictive piece of immigration legislation. “I wondered what else happened in 1924 and what would I learn by letting the year unfold day by day, in real time. Much from that year is still remembered, while many events, meaningful in their moment, have faded from memory. “I discovered a year that continues to shape Chicago. In many ways, we are all living in the city that came into existence in 1924. We engage with that year on the streets we walk, the buildings we enter, and the festivals and events we attend. “Despite many successes and advances, the year serves as a warning. In Chicago, crime is out of control. In Washington, corruption is rampant. And in Europe, authoritarianism is on the rise. We know what became of the people who lived through that year. What will become of those who lived through 2024 is the task of a future historian.” — Paul Durica Reader Daniel Knopfloch asked: What songs describe the city “in the best way?” Great question, Daniel. What’s your favorite song about Chicago and why? Email us. We might use your answer in an upcoming edition of the newsletter. Dec. 26, 1908: Jack Johnson became the first Black heavyweight boxing champ, in Sydney, Australia. He defeated Tommy Burns of Canada after the fight was stopped in the 14th round. Dec. 26, 2018: Retiring Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis signed a secret agreement with federal prosecutors in which he admitted to taking bribes from real estate developers in exchange for his help on zoning issues. The terms of the unprecedented deferred-prosecution agreement that Solis signed with the U.S. attorney’s office that day weren’t made public until April 2022. He became a government mole by wearing an undercover wire to help federal investigators build cases against former 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke and ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan . On Jan. 24, 1924, The Chicago Daily Tribune announced plans for the John G. Shedd Aquarium to be built at Grant Park by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White. (Chicago Tribune) Local: Kate Buckingham and John G. Shedd made gifts to the South Park Commission that will change the city. National: Teapot Dome scandal began to emerge in Washington. International: V.I. Lenin died in Russia. Elsie Stoneman, played by Lillian Gish, and her brother attend Ford’s Theater on the night of Lincoln’s assassination in the 1915 motion picture “Birth of a Nation.” (D. W. Griffith) Local: Police shut down screening of “The Birth of a Nation” at the Auditorium Theatre. National: Former President Woodrow Wilson died. International: Adolf Hitler went on trial in Munich for having helped lead a failed coup there in 1923. Archbishop George Mundelein leaves Chicago on March 6, 1924, from the Baltimore and Ohio station headed to New York where he will sail for Rome to become a cardinal in 1924. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: Archbishop George Mundelein was elevated to cardinal — the city’s first — in Rome. National: Harry K. Thaw received the right to a new trial for the 1906 murder of architect Stanford White. International: The Tribune interviewed Mahatma Gandhi not long after his release from prison. Beulah Annan gave her confession at the Hyde Park police station after shooting her lover, Harry Kalstedt, earlier that day, on April 3, 1924. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: Beulah Annan , the inspiration for Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” killed her lover Harry Kalstedt. National: The U.S. Senate passed a restrictive immigration bill . International: Fascists won big in Italian parliamentary elections. Eight of Robert “Bobby” Franks’ friends from the Harvard private school he attended act as pallbearers at the 14-year-old’s funeral on May 25, 1924. Franks, the youngest son of millionaire Jacob Franks, was killed by Richard Loeb, 18, and Nathan Leopold, Jr., 19, on May 21, 1924. The funeral service was held at the Franks home at 5052 Ellis Ave. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Robert Franks. National: Black Gold , owned by Osage woman Rosa M. Hoots , won the 50th running of the Kentucky Derby. International: Several nations vied for the “death ray” technology purportedly developed by British inventor Harry Grindell Matthews. Belva Gaertner and her attorneys Thomas Nash, to her left, and Michael Ahern, to her right, were all smiles after the jury’s verdict that found her guiltless on June 6, 1924, in the murder of auto salesman Walter Law on March 12, 1924. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: Belva Gaertner went on trial for killing her lover. National: Republicans nominated Calvin Coolidge for president and Evanston resident Charles Gates Dawes for vice president. International: George Mallory and A.C. Irvine were reported dead after attempting to summit Mount Everest. Sybil Bauer, the swimming champ who won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1924 Summer Olympics, circa 1920s. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: Oak Park native Ernest Hemingway was reported to have been gored by a bull in Pamplona, Spain; largest fleet to date set off from Belmont Harbor on the race to Mackinac Island. National: Deadlocked Democrats compromised on John W. Davis and Charles W. Bryan for their presidential ticket. International: Olympic games kicked off in Paris, where Chicago swimmers Sybil Bauer and Johnny Weissmuller excelled. George C. Blakeslee, chief photographer at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, circa 1926. The observatory boasted a collection of over 170,000 photographic plates. (Chicago Herald and Examiner) Local: Cigarette foe Lucy Page Gaston died of throat cancer. National: Conman Charles Ponzi was released from prison but faced state charges. International: Astronomers from around the world — including from Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin — observed Mars , which was passing the closest it would be to Earth until 2007. “Jumpy conditions,” however, prevented local experts from a clear view. The plane Chicago lands at a small airstrip just outside of west suburban Maywood on Sept. 15, 1924, during the first aerial circumnavigation of the globe by the U.S. Army World Fliers. The Chicago was flown by Lts. Lowell Smith and Leslie Arnold. (Chicago Herald and Examiner) Local: The trial of Leopold and Loeb ended with a verdict of life in prison with no possibility of parole. National: Miss Philadelphia Ruth Malcomson won what became the Miss America contest in Atlantic City. Miss Chicago Margaret Leigh placed second. International: A trio of American flyers — who stopped in Chicago — successfully circumnavigated the globe by plane. Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, third from left, visits Chicago in October 1924. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: The Prince of Wales visited Chicago. National: The Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in a seven-game World Series. International: Conservatives toppled the Labor government in a snap election in England. A crowd gathers outside gangster Dean O’Banion’s flower shop, Schofield Co. at 738 N. State St., after he was shot and killed on Nov. 10, 1924. Three assassins entered the flower shop, talked with O’Banion and then opened fire at only a few feet’s distance. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: North side gang leader Dean O’Banion was assassinated in his flower shop. National: Calvin Coolidge and the GOP won big in federal elections. International: Composer Giacomo Puccini died. President Calvin Coolidge and first lady Grace Coolidge posed for a Tribune photographer after they arrived in Chicago to attend a stock show in 1924. (Chicago Tribune historical photo) Local: President Coolidge visited Chicago; John J. Glessner donated his house to the American Institute of Architects; and the Field Museum purchased the lions of Tsavo . National: Labor leader Samuel Gompers died; tobacco magnate James B. Duke established a trust that led to Trinity College becoming Duke University. International: Sun Yat-Sen arrived in modern-day Bejing and set out to become China’s president early in 1925. Become a Tribune subscriber: It’s just $1 for a 1-year digital subscription Follow us on Instagram: @vintagetribune Thanks for reading! Join our Chicagoland history Facebook group and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
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Good afternoon, Chicago. A body was found in a wheel well of a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Hawaii, authorities said. The body was found in the well of one of the main landing gears after flight 202 landed at Maui’s Kahului Airport on Christmas Eve, a spokesperson for United Airlines said. The wheel well was only accessible from outside the plane, and it wasn’t clear Wednesday how or when the person accessed the space, according to United. Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Asking Eric A Cook County Jail detainee attends Cardinal Blase J. Cupich’s Christmas Day Mass at the jail on Dec. 25, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) The Christmas morning Mass at the jail is an annual event for Cupich, who sought to use it to remind the men who were spending the holiday in jail that they were not forgotten. Read more here. More top news stories: Jeep crashes into Lake Villa-area house killing man, seriously injuring 2 others Tinley Park District makes progress on cleanup of former mental health hospital People walk past the New York Stock Exchange on Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan) The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Read more here. More top business stories: Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices Feeling lucky? Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion The Bears Drumline performs on the field in the fourth quarter against the Lions on Dec. 22, 2024, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) The Bears (4-11) will play the Seahawks (8-7) tonight at Soldier Field in a Week 17 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff. Read more here. More top sports stories: Column: Chicago Bulls players and coaches refuse to tank as the front office nears a turning point Loyola men’s basketball loses 71-68 to Murray State for last place at the Diamond Head Classic Nicole Scherzinger in “Sunset Blvd.” on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in New York. (Marc Brenner) This last year was busy on Broadway, with new musicals and several impressive plays featuring ensemble casts. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: North Shore native tells how she compiled family’s mental health struggles in ‘While You Were Out’ ‘Baby Driver’ actor Hudson Meek, 16, dies in a fall from a moving vehicle Finnish National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskim’ki attends a news conference in Helsinki on Dec. 26, 2024, investigating the electricity transmission between Finland and Estonia through the Estlink 2 connection, which was cut on Christmas Day, according to Finnish grid operator Fingrid. (Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via AP) Finnish authorities have detained a Russia-linked ship as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables, according to police and news media reports, in the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Read more here. More top stories from around the world: Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they’re tuning out. Israeli strike kills 5 Palestinian journalists in Gaza, officials say(The Center Square) – Hurricane Helene, Donald Trump and a swelling population were intriguing North Carolina storylines in 2024 as The Center Square delivered news and information. Two dozen of them are gathered here, though the list is not a ranking, does not attempt to define “the most” of anything including republications by news partners. Rather, it is a collection of interesting, important and useful news and information delivered by The Center Square news wire service. Here’s 24 from 2024. • U.S. Census Bureau estimates have pushed the population to 11.1 million . • Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, among the matriarchs of the state's Democrats, will begin work next month with a sixth different governor. She is 79 years young and on track to have 32 consecutive years in the office. Marshall told The Center Square in a one-on-one interview in September , “It’s historic, and it’s also astonishing to me because I didn’t grow up dreaming that I would be even a lawyer, let alone running a major office in government. I didn’t dream big enough for myself.” • Actions of Carolina fraternity brothers with the American flag on the famed Polk Place campus quad drew the praise of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and led to a joint session of Congress rising for a standing ovation and chanting, “USA! USA! USA!” The April actions amid a protest about the war between Hamas and Israel also led to a guest spot at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis. • First bet was the Legislature approving sports wagering. Through the first 265 days, North Carolina is averaging a gain of $372,177 per day on the $98,627,032 total. • VinFast, in line to be a recipient of $1.2 billion in taxpayer money through incentives, failed this summer to start production of its $4 billion plant in Moncure . It’s bleeding money, too, with a third-quarter net loss of $550 million – a tad less than half of the $1.15 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawing on Friday night. • North Carolina is expected to remain a destination for abortions in the South following two decisions in a federal case litigating new state law. Overall, most of the law enacted Dec. 1, 2023, in the wake of Roe v. Wade being reversed in June 2022 is in place. Included are no abortions after 12 weeks, down from 20, except in cases of rape, incest, or “life-limiting anomalies." • Well beyond the halcyon days of the Bible Belt, faith still matters in eastern North Carolina. Speaking to The Center Square at a Trump rally in Rocky Mount, 1st Congressional District candidate and retired Army Col. Laurie Buckhout said, “Faith matters in this state. Faith matters in this district, more than a whole lot of people think.” And, she says, not of the old Bible Belt way. “It did get shook,” she says of the moniker, “and it came to have a not great conversation. Now, it’s a loving, accepting positive environment. It’s a wide environment. I see it all over the state.” • Agriculture, North Carolina’s No. 1 industry forever, topped $111.1 billion in economic impact in 2024 with No. 1 in production rankings nationally for sweet potatoes, tobacco, and poultry and eggs. Growth since coming out of the COVID-19 era in 2022 is $18 billion. • The school choice waiting list of about 55,000 was wiped clean when lawmakers appropriated $463 million to the Opportunity Scholarship program. • The state’s 100 sheriffs, according to a new law, are to hold suspects believed to have illegally entered or be illegally living in the United States. The detainer is up to 48 hours, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is to be notified . • With a ruling from Judge Melissa Owens Lassiter at the Office of Administrative Hearings, Aetna is in and BlueCross BlueShield is out as the State Health Plan. • Charlotte City Council approved allocation of $650 million to the stadium project of NFL Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and his companies. He’s the 94th richest person on the planet at an estimated $20.6 billion net worth and owns the stadium used by his Panthers, his Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer, and his Tepper Sports & Entertainment. • Kylee Alons, a two-time national champion and 31-time All-American for N.C. State, is among 16 collegiate athletes, including 12-time All-American Riley Gaines, suing the NCAA for letting men who say they are women compete against them and use the same locker rooms. • Payton McNabb, the volleyball player from Hiawassee Dam High School in the mountains injured in 2022 by a boy saying he was a girl so he could play, continued to lead the national fight to protect women’s spaces alongside notable figures such as Gaines and Paula Scanlan. The Independent Women’s Forum coalition and its Our Bodies Our Sports “Take Back Title IX” Bus Tour, of which she was a part of, was vandalized while making a stop in Chapel Hill. By year’s end, the Biden administration had withdrawn changes to Title IX in a true national grassroots movement victory. • In one of the two biggest legislative wins of the last 15 years for the fight against human trafficking, lawmakers made solicitation of prostitution a felony . Enactment was Dec. 1. • Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, 72, won a sixth term last month . North Carolina was more blue than purple in the 1990s when he felt Democrats were hostile to tobacco production and he left the party to be a Republican. • Gov. Roy Cooper, 67, was a strong consideration for the Democrats’ presidential ticket, ultimately saying he would support Harris but not be her running mate . He remains with a perfect election record, unbeaten in 13 – three for North Carolina House of Representatives, four in the state Senate, four four-year terms for attorney general, and two four-year terms for governor. There's a watch for his decision related to the U.S. Senate seat race in 2026. • Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson held a modest polling lead as late as May against Democrat Josh Stein in the governor’s race. The summer swoon of the Republican went to unthinkable depths – losing by 14 points on Election Day – in part ignited by a Sept. 19 report from CNN. • AI & Politics ’24, led by Lee Rainie and Jason Husser at Elon University, in May said 78% believe it is likely artificial intelligence will be abused to impact the outcome of the presidential race. • Between July 22 and Sept. 12, seven lawsuits were filed against the State Board of Elections that includes Democrats Alan Hirsch, its chairman, Jeff Carmon and Siobhan Millen; and Republicans Stacy Eggers and Kevin Lewis; and Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell. • Hurricane Helene killed 103 in the state, 232 across seven states, and caused an estimated $53 billion in damage to the state. Arguably, it is the state’s worst natural disaster. • Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, as well as their vice president picks and for Harris presidents present and past, were regular visitors ahead of Election Day . Trump’s win kept intact a pattern now 60 years old. • Average household spending in North Carolina is $1,017 more per month today to buy the same goods and services as it was in 2021 according to a July report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s 22% cumulative inflation. • Fifty-nine positions were eliminated and 131 realigned after the University of North Carolina System changed a diversity policy that ensures “equality of all persons and viewpoints.” Total reported savings are $17.1 million and total redirected savings are $16.2 million.