PEBBLE BEACH – Picture this. About 170 vintage cars line up on the starting line in Pebble Beach, start their engines and drive a scenic route of nearly 70 miles along Highway 1 back to home base. How difficult can or not it’s to arrange? Considerably.

Especially when among the older cars run out of air and others malfunction. Or when gusts threaten the steadiness of a vintage automobile, or a piece of the highway along the coast breaks off and slides into the ocean. Fortunately, after 25 years of putting on this spectacle, the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance crew has learned to predict conditions, pivot, and placed on a successful parade.

Preparing for and executing Thursday's Tour d'Elegance “requires a lot of communication throughout the year between the Pebble Beach Company, the California Highway Patrol, Big Sur partners and other members of the community,” said Tour d'Elegance Director Sean Jacobs, who also serves as vice chairman of business development for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. “We have a close relationship with the CHP. We work closely with them, as well as local authorities and surrounding communities, to plan the best route for the safety of spectators and traffic, and the enjoyment of participants. We also rely heavily on our large team of amazing volunteers to help us organize the tour.”

Certainly, several aspects have influenced the tour's route over time, says Jacobs, particularly the closure of Highway 1 in recent times.

“Getting the tour to Big Sur has always been a priority,” Jacobs said, “but in the years when Big Sur wasn't an option, we got creative and used additional roads through Pebble Beach and the 17 Mile Drive, as well as scenic routes through Monterey. Even so, our cars kept breaking down, requiring the help of our support vehicles to get them back to home base. Last year, we were able to avoid many of those breakdowns by streamlining the route.”

On March 30, a big portion of Highway 1 southbound collapsed just past the Rocky Creek Bridge, cutting off the community of Big Sur from the northern a part of the county.

“Immediately after Highway 1 was closed,” Jacobs said, “we began looking at the best ways to reroute the tour. We are currently planning to recreate last year's tour route, driving down to Ripplewood Resort in Big Sur, our annual turnaround point, and back. They are a very friendly and hospitable tour partner.”

Back to route

Both Sean Jacobs and the tour participants are aware of what a luxury and privilege it’s to arrange a driving tour in probably the most beautiful places on this planet, with Pebble Beach as an anchorage and the rugged coastline and sky-blue sea as a backdrop.

“In addition, thanks to access to major highways throughout the Monterey Peninsula, there are many great options to choose from if you're planning a Tour d'Elegance route that is both scenic and inspiring, and accessible to vintage cars.”

The Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance, presented by Rolex, was created in 1998 by Craig Davis, who answered questions on the roadworthiness of the Concours d'Elegance participants.

“Basically, these cars are 'Trailer Queens' and in a way they're art,” Davis said, “but not static art; they should be ready to drive. So I said, 'Why don't we start a tour, get the cars on the road and show that they're mechanical parts that can and should be ready to drive.'”

Besides the pomp, there may be also a powerful incentive for owners to participate within the Tour. If two cars are tied of their class at Sunday's Concours d'Elegance and one automobile took part within the Tour and the opposite didn’t, the Tour participant wins.

Today, 26 years later, the tour is a everlasting fixture on the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and offers a rare opportunity to see lots of these classic cars in motion. The tour begins in Pebble Beach and travels along 17 Mile Drive, past The Lodge at Pebble Beach, then travels along the Big Sur coast and back to Pebble Beach, where participants enjoy a lunch hosted by Mercedes-Benz.

This yr, unlike previous years, the event will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and return to Pebble Beach at noon. “Because we worked with the CHP and relied on their route knowledge,” Jacobs said, “we took their recommendation to streamline the route and start a half-hour later to alleviate commuter traffic issues, which benefits everyone.”

Originally published: August 14, 2024 at 7:07 am

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride reached its exuberant grand finale Sunday, bringing rainbow-clad revelers to the streets for parades in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and elsewhere world wide.

The extensive celebrations functioned as each joyful parties and political protests, with participants recognizing the community's achievements while raising awareness of recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, corresponding to the ban on transgender healthcare, passed by Republican-led states.

San Francisco Pride is certainly one of the biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations on the planet, with over 200 parade groups and exhibitors, in addition to many community-run stages and venues.

According to their website, the annual parade and festival brings together over one million people from world wide to rejoice the sweetness and resilience of the gay community.

On June 27, 1970, a small group of hippies and “hair fairies” held the primary Pride celebration in San Francisco with a march on Polk Street.

CHICAGO – The suspected gunman within the July 4 mass murder in Highland Park, Illinois, on Wednesday rejected a plea deal that will have resulted in a life sentence.

Assistant District Attorney Ben Dillon said Robert Crimo III will plead guilty to seven counts of murder and 48 counts of aggravated assault. He can be sentenced to life in prison without parole and a further 30 years for every count of aggravated assault.

When asked if he would comply with the confession, Crimo surprisingly didn’t answer. His lawyers took a break to debate the cope with him again.

The deputies had brought Crimo into the courtroom in a wheelchair. He looked sullen and stared straight ahead.

After consulting along with his lawyers outside the courtroom, Crimo was pushed back inside and refused to comply with the confession. When asked if he agreed to the conditions outlined by the prosecution, he said, “No.”

He was then escorted out of the courtroom because the hearing for the day ended. The case is scheduled to be heard in February 2025.

Following the agreement, the victims and their families were expected to present emotional testimony about how the shooting affected them before Judge Victoria Rossetti announced the sentence.

State Attorney Eric Rinehart had previously stated that his office had contacted those affected before agreeing to the plea.

“We continue to work with victims and survivors as the situation evolves,” he said.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office said additional officers could be available for sentencing.

Crimo was charged with 117 felonies. Prosecutors said he climbed atop a store in downtown Highland Park and fired a high-powered rifle at the group gathered for the parade.

Police say he disguised himself as a lady to flee through the panicked crowd and drove to Wisconsin before returning to Illinois later that day, where a North Chicago police officer pursued and arrested him. He has been in jail ever since.

Killed within the tragedy were Kevin and Irina McCarthy, parents protecting their then two-year-old son Aiden, who survived.

Others killed included Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park; Stephen Straus, 88, of Highland Park; Jacquelyn “Jacki” Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, of Morelos, Mexico; and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, of Waukegan.

Among the roughly 4 dozen injured was Cooper Roberts, who was eight years old on the time and was paralyzed within the shooting. His twin brother Luke was also injured.

The Roberts family had previously said in a press release that the injured were “shaken but alive and able to hold on.”

rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com

kmaiarf@yahoo.com

Celts

There appears to be no sympathy between former Celtics teammates Brian Scalabrine and Kendrick Perkins.

Perkins, who was an outspoken critic of the Celtics for several years during his time as an on-air host at ESPN, could also be considered persona non grata in Boston as of late.

At least that's what Scalabrine said on his SiriusXM radio show when asked why Perkins was not a part of the Celtics who won the previous NBA title in 2008 and took part within the parade through Boston on Friday to have a good time their team's 18th title.

While the 2023-24 Celtics headlined Friday's festivities, former 2007-08 champions Paul Pierce, Eddie House, Scalabrine and Leon Powe were also featured on an amphibious vehicle.

“No, no, no, no, no, no,” Scalabrine said when asked if Perkins was invited to the Celtics' recent championship celebrations. “Big scarlet letter. … Kendrick Perkins is not exactly a welcoming place with open arms.”

It didn’t take long for Perkins to react. The former Celtics center asked Scalabrine to during an appearance on “Felger & Mazz” on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Monday afternoon.

“Right now, I feel like Scal is a coward,” Perkins said. “Was I the only member of 2008 missing from the amphibious vehicle? No, I wasn't. (Eddie) House, my friend, was there. Leon Powe, a good friend of mine, was there too.”

“Scal was there and Paul (Pierce) was there. There were 11 other guys missing. And to be honest, if I had gotten an invitation, which I didn't – I didn't know we were supposed to get one – but still, nine times out of 10 I would have turned it down. … This is not our moment. This is the moment of 2024. Let these guys have their moment.”

Perkins has modified his mind concerning the Celtics periodically over the past few months, especially each time Boston encountered one among the few obstacles it faced in the course of the 2023-24 season.

His harsh comment about Joe Mazzulla's coaching IQ in January prompted the Celtics coach to take a subtle jab at Perkins during a press conference – calling himself a “bird brain.”

Given Perkins' history of criticizing the Celtics, Scalabrine's comments about Boston's lack of an “open arms policy” toward Perkins can have some merit. However, Perkins stressed Monday that his recent efforts to succeed in Scalabrine have been fruitless.

“Right now I feel like you're avoiding me,” Perkins said of Scalabrine. “I have a problem with that. Can't we have a conversation between grown men?”

Celts

Derrick White needed to interrupt his Celtics title celebrations several times this week to undergo dental work.

The Celtics guard broke considered one of his front teeth in the course of the decisive win over the Mavericks on Monday. Thanks to Boston Dental, the tooth was repaired by Friday.

White and Boston Dental each released a video of his tooth repair. It appeared that various dental instruments were used to repair White's tooth.

It was also a radical process that won’t yet be fully accomplished.

“I spent about two hours [there],” White said Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston when asked how much time he spent in the dentist's chair before Friday's parade. “Then I had to return for about an hour. Now we now have just a little temporary solution for tonight.”

“Shout out to Boston Dental, you are all doing well.”

Boston Dental apparently received a signed jersey and a basketball from White as a thank you for fixing his tooth.

White chipped his tooth while diving for a loose ball in the first half of Game 5. While diving for the ball, White landed face first on the hardwood floor, while Mavericks center Dereck Lively II hit the back of his head while trying to grab the ball.

This sequence caused White to start bleeding, which led to a brief stoppage in play. However, he stayed in the game and sank a three-pointer shortly after.

The All-Defensive Team guard continued to show great commitment in Game 5 despite the situation with his teeth. In the second half, he blocked Lively at the basket and finished the game with 14 points.

White downplayed the injury when speaking to reporters after the championship win on Monday.

“I knew straight away. I've broken it before, so it's nothing recent,” White said. “But, well, this tooth is loose. The other two teeth are wobbly. They were trying things within the locker room. I used to be like, I don't care. Just play.”

As the celebrations began, White made fun of his dental situation. He pretended to pull out his broken tooth while drinking champagne in the locker room before giving a speech about the tooth at the team's after-party.

“I have no tooth,” White said at the party. “I don’t [expletive] care for it. We are the champs!”

Big due to Derrick White of the Boston Celtics for his tireless efforts on the court and trusting Boston Dental for his smile. Together we have a good time a championship victory and a winning smile!

Our NBA champion Derrick White is prepared for the parade! An enormous thanks to the… pic.twitter.com/H0imWE71Dc

— Boston Dental (@bostondental) 21 June 2024

White's dental problem didn't stop him from celebrating the Celtics' victory, nonetheless. He traveled with the team to Miami for a fast trip Tuesday through Wednesday. He also bought himself his own amphibious vehicle in an ad for Sam Adams this week.

Before throwing beers to Celtics fans during Friday's parade, White told Abby Chin what his favorite a part of the celebration was.

“Probably just hanging out with the team,” White said. “We just have a great locker room and a great group of guys to hang out with.”

It's unclear what number of more dental procedures White could have to undergo. But if he has to spend some more time at Boston Dental, it seems he has enough money to proceed the dental repairs. The Celtics and White are expected to conform to a four-year extension that could possibly be value as much as $127 million. Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported Start of the week.

Fleet Week New York 2024 officially begins with the Parade of Ships arriving in New York Harbor on May 22, with Navy ships gliding along the Hudson River past the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

Now in its thirty sixth yr, the annual event brings hundreds of energetic military personnel to town for every week of boat cruises, live shows, demonstrations and other interactive events from May 22-28, 2024.

New Yorkers can find the ships on the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 88 South, Pier 90 North and Homeport Pier on Staten Island.