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Tony Bennett, champion of the Great American Songbook, is dead at 96

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

By Bruce Weber, The New York Times CompanyTony Bennett, a singer whose melodic clarity, jazz-influenced phrasing, audience-embracing persona and warm, deceptively simple interpretations of musical standards helped spread the American songbook around the world and won him generations of fans, died Friday at his home in Manhattan, where he had lived for many decades. He was 96.His publicist, Sylvia Weiner, announced his death.Bennett learned he had Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, his wife, Susan Bennett, told AARP The Magazine in February 2021. But he continued to perform and record despite his illness; his last public performance was in August 2021, when he appeared with Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall in a show titled “One Last Time.”Bennett’s career of more than 70 years was remarkable not only for its longevity, but also for its consistency. In hundreds of concerts and club dates and more than 150 recordings, he devoted himself to preserving the classic American popular song, as w...

X Games California finals kicking off in Ventura 

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

The X Games have returned to California, with the event finals taking place this weekend at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. This year’s edition is the first X Games in the USA to feature in-person attendance events open to the public since 2019, and the first to come to Los Angeles and Ventura counties in 10 years. The extreme sports competition, which features skateboarding, BMX and Moto X events, is making its long-awaited return to what X Games host Selema Masekela calls “the birthplace of action sports.” “[Southern California] is the birthplace of action sports and the culture that has spread to the world,” Masekela said. “So, to be able to have fans back at an X Games in SoCal, it just makes sense.” According to Masakela, one event in particular to keep an eye out for is women’s skateboarding. Contests include street skateboarding runs and competitions for best trick. “The young women in skateboarding are really leading the charge in defining what skateboard...

Five People Hurt in Chain-Reaction Collision on Highway 101 [Healdsburg, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Chain-Reaction Collision on Highway 101 near Dry Creek Road Resulted in Multiple InjuriesHEALDSBURG, CA (July 21, 2023) – Wednesday afternoon, a chain-reaction collision on Highway 101 sends at least five people to a hospital.According to reports, the initial crash happened around 6:00 p.m. in the southbound lanes of Highway 101 near Dry Creek Road.As a result, motorists in the northbound lanes slowed down to inspect the activity in the opposite lanes. Investigators said this led to a rear-end collision in the northbound lanes.The CHP said that a third and fourth collision occurred shortly after the second crash in the northbound lanes.In total, 5 people suffered injuries, including three with major injuries. Paramedics transported all five victims to a local hospital for treatment. One of the patients had to be transported by air ambulance.Three of the five or six vehicles involved in the crash were described as a Chevrolet Tahoe, Nissan Rogue, and a pickup truck.One small dr...

Joaquin Carrasco Jr. Killed in Hit-and-Run on Pacific Avenue [Stockton, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Bicycle-Auto Collision Near West Yokuts Avenue Left 64-Year-Old Man DeadSTOCKTON, CA (July 21, 2023) – Tuesday night, Joaquin Carrasco Jr. sustained fatal injuries in a hit-and-run crash on Pacific Avenue.Officers responded to the collision shortly after 10:15 p.m. at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and West Yokuts Avenue.Upon arrival, the first responders declared the male bicyclist dead at the scene. However, the circumstances that led up to the collision remain unclear.The San Joaquin County Medical Excaminer’s Office later identified the deceased man as 64-year-old Joaquin Carrasco Jr. of Stockton.At this time, the Stockton Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who can give information that will lead to the suspect’s arrest.Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about the fatal hit-and-run to contact 209-937-8777.The team at Sweet James sends their warm and sincerest sympathies out to the friends and family of Joaquin Carrasco...

Gaylin Reese Killed in Bicycle-Auto Collision Near Second Street [Long Beach, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Tandem Bicycle Versus Car Crash Near Marina Drive Left 76-Year-Old Woman DeadLONG BEACH, CA (July 21, 2021) – Sunday afternoon, a bicycle accident on 2nd Street in Long Beach claimed the life of Gaylin Reese.The collision happened shortly before 12:30 p.m. near Second Street and Marina Drive.According to reports, Reese and her husband were riding eastbound on a tandem bicycle when they approached heavy traffic on 2nd Street.For unknown reasons, the bike sideswiped a car and lost control causing the two bicyclists to fall to the ground.Reports said the involved vehicle drove away from the scene. At this time, it remains unclear whether or not the driver was aware of the collision.Responding paramedics transported the female bicyclist to a hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Later, authorities identified the deceased woman as 76-year-old Gaylin Reese of Long Beach.Medical personnel treated Reese’s husband for minor injuries. Investigators claimed that both bicyclists ...

Barack Obama shares his summer playlist

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

By Alli Rosenbloom | CNNFormer President Barack Obama is staying cool this summer with a summer playlist of 40-plus songs that showcase his eclectic tastes.“Like I do every year, here are some songs I’ve been listening to this summer,” Obama wrote on Twitter on Thursday, adding that his playlist is “a mix of old and new.”Like I do every year, here are some songs I’ve been listening to this summer — a mix of old and new. Look forward to hearing what I’ve missed. pic.twitter.com/H2Do2iaD1p— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2023The playlist truly does span the spectrum of the old and the new, with everything from indie rock group Boygenius’s “Not Strong Enough,” released this year, to classics like Tina and Ike Turner’s 1966 hit “River Deep – Mountain High,” perhaps an ode to the “Queen of Rock and Roll” who died in May.As far as throwbacks go, 90s hip-hop anthem “California Love” by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman appears on the playlist, along with hits like 80s t...

15 of America’s best small towns and cities

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

By Joe Yogerst | CNNThe vast majority of Americans may live in big cities (more than 70%, according to the 2020 census), but there’s an enduring affection for small towns and cities.A lot of that nostalgia is stoked by popular culture. From fictional cinematic stars like Amity Island (“Jaws”) and Bedford Falls (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) to TV towns like Hawkins (“Stranger Things”) and Twin Peaks, small-town life looms large on the small and silver screens.American literature is spangled with small towns from Alabama (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) to the state of Washington (“Twilight”).Many well-known Americans are proud of their small-town roots. Taylor Swift spent part of her childhood in the Borough of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania (pop. 11,000). Stephen King spent his formative years in Durham, Maine (pop. 4,100). Brad Pitt is from Shawnee, Oklahoma (pop. 31,000). Model Chrissy Teigen was born in Delta, Utah (pop. 3,600), and baseball great Jackie Robinson in Cairo, Georgia (pop. 10,000).T...

Missed out on the $1 billion Powerball jackpot? $720 million is up for grabs in tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot drawing

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

Your dream of buying 654 castles or maybe 171 private islands could become reality after tonight’s $720 million Mega Millions jackpot drawing.The six coveted numbers will be plucked at 8 p.m. PT Friday. If you hit the jackpot but don’t want to wait 29 years to collect all your millions, the cash value option is $369.6 million.The $720 million jackpot is among the biggest in Mega Millions history. The jackpot has jumped past the $700 million mark only four previous times, the lottery said.But don’t start shopping for new houses yet. The odds of hitting the Mega Millions jackpot has gotten worse in recent years – from about 1 in 258 million to about 1 in about 302 million.Related ArticlesBusiness | California man declared winner of November $2 billion Powerball Jackpot wins round in court Business | California scores another winning ticket to a huge jackpot Business | $1 billion Powerball jackpot winning ticket sold in California; three Bay A...

A’s shut down by Astros rookie pitcher France in 3-1 loss

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

By JANIE McCAULEY | AP Baseball WriterOAKLAND — J.P. France knew he had been more reliable on the road than in Houston so far this season — and showed it again, even after getting in an early hole.Relying on his nasty change-up, the rookie struck out five while pitching into the eighth inning for the first time to win his third straight decision, Kyle Tucker hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth, and the Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Thursday night.The right-hander owns a 2.05 ERA over the first eight road starts of his career, which is lowest in the majors by a starting pitcher with a minimum of 40 innings.“You’ve got to go out there and just take every game as it is. It’s not the same as the one that’s coming up, it’s not the same as the one that just happened,” France said. “I didn’t know that at all. I knew on the road I was pitching a little better, but that’s awesome.”Alex Bregman homered in the ninth to help secure the win for France (5-3). France, a 28-year-o...

Correction: Extreme Weather story

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:45:45 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — In a story published July 19, 2023, about a North Carolina Pfizer plant that was struck by a tornado, The Associated Press, relying on information provided by Pfizer on its website, erroneously reported that the facility produced nearly 25% of all sterile injectable medications used in U.S. hospitals. The company has since updated its website to reflect that the plant produced nearly 25% of Pfizer’s sterile injectable medications used in U.S. hospitals.Source