America's Best Neighborhoods 2010

MIAMI — The sense of dread proved all too real Tuesday, with the Miami Heat announcing that guard Dru Smith sustained a season-ending torn left Achilles tendon in Monday night’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Having recently emerged as a prime rotation component in his comeback from his season-ending knee injury a year ago, Smith was helped off the court with 8:18 left in Monday night’s second quarter, a collective shudder enveloping Kaseya Center. For his coach and teammates, this was more than a player on a two-way contract going down.

Amanda Hernández | (TNS) Stateline.org CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U. S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a report last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice. Related Articles National News | Nicotine pouches are selling fast — and falling into minors’ hands National News | NORAD’s Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost.

TALLAHASSEE — Major publishing companies and authors have argued that a federal judge should deny Florida’s request to dismiss a lawsuit over the removal of school library books, saying a controversial state law violates First Amendment rights. Attorneys for the publishing companies, authors and other plaintiffs filed a document Friday that, in part, disputed a state position that selection of school library books is “government speech” and, as a result, is not subject to the First Amendment. “First, school libraries have not historically communicated messages from the state.

Sabah Meddings | (TNS) Bloomberg News Just a year after he became chief executive officer of Philip Morris International Inc., Jacek Olczak swooped on rival nicotine pouch maker Swedish Match in a $16 billion deal. Related Articles National News | New shoplifting data explains why they’re locking up the toothpaste National News | NORAD’s Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost.

Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Bill Clinton is out of the hospital after being treated for the flu National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump.