5 things you need to know Thursday
1. New dinosaurs come to life in 'Jurassic World'
More than 20 years have passed since dinosaurs were cloned from fossilized DNA on the island of Isla Nublar, and Jurassic Park is in need of some new attractions to boost attendance. Enter the hybrid dinomonster Indominus Rex. Yes, it gets loose and puts visitors to Jurassic World in serious jeopardy. That's not a spoiler, it's just a given. The big-budget adventure (select shows Thursday, opening wide Friday) continues the dino-mite trilogy that has racked up more than $800 million since Steven Spielberg's 1993 Jurassic Park.
2. Under 21? Looks like you're drinking less
Underage drinking and binge drinking rates among young people are on the decline across the USA, a new government study finds. A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released Thursday found underage drinking among all U.S. residents age 12 through 20 dropped 6.1%. Underage binge drinking decreased 5.1%. The survey examined the years 2002 to 2013. In the final year of the study, 22.7% of the nation's young people reported that they had an alcoholic drink in the last 30 days.
3. Why winning Thursday is such a big deal for the Cavs
If the Cleveland Cavaliers win Game 4 Thursday at home, they will have a 3-1 lead in the series. That puts the Golden State Warriors in a dark spot: No team in NBA history has been able to recover from that type of deficit in the NBA Finals, the league confirmed to Paste BN Sports. The Warriors won Game 1, but the Cavs' defense has dominated and LeBron James can lead just about anyone to a title.
4. Country music's biggest stars, fans head to CMA Fest
Music City is turning up the volume this weekend with Nashville's CMA Music Festival beginning Thursday. Superstars (Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band), veterans (Oak Ridge Boys, Wade Hayes) and up-and-comers grace the stages Thursday through Sunday. CMA Music Festival has become the city's premier tourism event, a critical artist development tool for Nashville's country music industry and a top-shelf corporate sponsorship opportunity. Last year generated nearly $40 million in direct spending and sold out LP Field concerts nearly a year in advance.
5. Record-setting female astronaut returns to Earth after 200 days in space
European Space Agency Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian who broke the record for the most time a woman has spent in space during a single mission, will be returning to Earth Thursday, along with NASA's Terry Virts and Soyuz commander Anton Shkaplerov. Cristoforetti wasn't planning on breaking the record. The 38-year-old was supposed to return to Earth on May 12, but her mission was delayed when a Soyuz rocket carrying a Progress cargo ship suffered a breakdown after a launch in April. Cristoforetti and her crew mates are expected to land at 9:43 a.m. ET, in a rural area of Kazakhstan after a 200-minute flight, according to ESA.
And, the essentials:
Weather: High heat and humidity will bake the eastern half of the nation Thursday while a few storms rattle the north-central U.S.
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were higher Thursday.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Bones and Beauty and the Beast.
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