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'Whitney at 60': Houston estate announces 2nd annual gala

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — This year Whitney Houston would have turned 60, and a special celebration to raise money for a good cause is being planned for her birthday.Houston's estate, Sony and Primary Wave Music will host the second annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love on Aug. 9, which will benefit the late singer's foundation aimed at helping young people.Houston’s close friends BeBe Winans and Kim Burrell will perform at the gala at Atlanta's St. Regis Hotel, as will Whitney’s brother, Gary, who toured with her for three decades.“When I turned 50, Whitney gave me two celebrations — one in Ireland and one in London. I always tell everyone now that one of them was for her,” says Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law and the executor of her estate. Houston died in February 2012 at age 48. “This year is Whitney at 60 — we’re all looking forward to being a part of the power of love in that room.”Founded by the singer in 1989, the Whitney Houston Foundation for Children aims to empower...

Yellow trucking shutdown, bankruptcy? Here's what to know

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Trucking company Yellow Corp. has shut down operations and is headed for a bankruptcy filing, according to the Teamsters Union and multiple media reports.After years of financial struggles, reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers. Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to the Wall Street Journal, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.In an announcement early Monday, the Teamsters said that the union received legal notice confirming Yellow was ceasing operations and filing for bankruptcy.“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said in a statement. “This is a sad day for workers and the America...

'Eat my food': Dog meat farmers in S. Korea resist push to ban industry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea (AP) — The dogs bark and stare as Kim Jong-kil approaches the rusty cages housing the large, short-haired animals he sells for their meat. Kim opens a door and pets one dog’s neck and chest.Kim says he’s proud of the dog meat farm that has supported his family for 27 years but is upset over growing attempts by politicians and activists to outlaw the business, which he is turning over to his children.“It’s more than just feeling bad. I absolutely oppose these moves, and we’ll mobilize all our means to resist it,” Kim, 57, said in an interview at his farm in Pyeongtaek city, just south of Seoul.Dog meat consumption is a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula and has long been viewed as a source of stamina on hot summer days. It's neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea, but more and more people want it prohibited. There's increasing public awareness of animal rights and worries about South Korea’s international image.The anti-dog meat cam...

'I have some serious problems with that plan': Mayor Watson talks future of Zilker Park

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Zilker Park Vision Plan has become a hot button topic in Austin.According to the City of Austin's website, the park needs some upgrades.The site said Zilker is in crisis and facing increased ecological degradation, accessibility issues and damage from overuse in certain areas. The Vision Plan looks to address those issues with new parking garages, new pedestrian and bicycle bridges and even an amphitheater, but not all the proposed changes have been welcomed."I have some serious problems with that plan," said city Mayor Kirk Watson.Watson said the park needs to improve on its accessibility, but he's not in favor of the three proposed parking garages."I think we can address the parking issues in ways other than putting a parking garage in one of our crown jewels, or three parking garages," said Watson. "We could get parking nearby, we could get a tram service."Another controversial proposed addition is the amphitheater.The great lawn is a place many people like to...

Texas A&M names Mark A. Welsh III as interim president

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KIAH) -- The board of regents at Texas A&M University named Mark A. Welsh III as the new interim president in a special-called meeting Sunday.Chancellor John Sharp previously named Welsh on July 21 as the acting president of the university. The board’s action was needed to place Welsh into a longer-term role to lead the university.“I cannot think of a better person than Mark Welsh to lead Texas A&M right now,” Sharp said. “He has experience running a large organization, but he also is widely respected and universally well-liked in the Aggie community. General Welsh has earned a reputation as a smart, thoughtful and collaborative leader. We are lucky to have him in the president’s office.”Welsh has been dean of the university’s Bush School of Government and Public Service since 2016, but his time in the academic realm came after a long and decorated career in the United States Air Force.“I am grateful to the Board of Regents and Chancellor Sharp for th...

Palazzo Riggi in Saratoga Springs going to auction

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Palazzo Riggi, the "Jewel of Saratoga," is going to auction. The live luxury auction is set for September 8 at 6 p.m. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The Palazzo Riggi, owned by socialite Michelle Riggi, was listed for sale in September 2022. First listed for $17.9 million, the price was reduced to $12 million but still hadn't sold.A luxury auction is a time-sensitive sale, meaning it will sell that day, said Margie Philo, Broker and Owner of Berkshire Hathaway-Adirondack Premier Properties & Adirondack Realty. With Riggi now living full-time in Lake Placid, she doesn't want to leave the home empty. Cannabis dispensary looking to open in Saratoga Springs The Palazzo Riggi is about 25,000 square feet and has six bedrooms and 13 bathrooms. The home was built in 2003 and has four garage spaces, a finished basement, and an in-ground pool.The luxury auction is without reserve. The auction...

Pittsfield launches applications for Citizens Academy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- The City of Pittsfield has launched applications for a Citizens Academy, slated to begin in late August. The 12-week program aims to help community members understand the operations of local government. Those interested can sign-up online, fill out an application, or grab a paper copy available in the Mayor's Office at City Hall at 70 Allen Street. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! All applicants must be at least 18 years old, live or work in Pittsfield, and must be able to attend each of the 12-week sessions to the best of their ability. Class size will be limited to 25 people, and sessions will be held on Thursdays between August 31 and November 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. The sessions will be held at various locations throughout the city. Topics to be covered in the sessions include the following:- Overview of Municipal Government• City Council and School Committee• Police and Fire Departments• Departmen...

Rock Community Firefighter, Bo Caldwell, receives $500 and our Proud to Serve Award

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- FOX 2’s Proud to Serve recipient for the month of July 2023 is Bo Caldwell, a Rock Community firefighter and paramedic, father of four including a 1-year-old and the husband of a critical care paramedic! Bo has advanced his first responder skills set to include rappelling, boat rescues, hazmat training, and also serves as one of the Chaplains in the district. When he is not on his 48-hour shifts with Rock Community Fire Protection District, he is often doing ongoing trainings and also serves as a volunteer firefighter in his home community of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, where he answers the call to put out fires anytime he is at home.In addition, Bo serves as a volunteer in the Honor Guard with Jefferson County. Bo says this career is a lifestyle, not a job. He was nominated by a close friend who tells us:Bo is a Firefighter/Paramedic with Rock Community. He is also a volunteer firefighter with Ste Genevieve Fire Dept. He is the first Pagin Chaplain in the Fire Dept in Mi...

Denver weather: Possible afternoon heavy rain, intense storms, hail and flooding

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

A mostly sunny warm Monday at the end of a heat wave will turn turbulent as storms roll across metro Denver in the late afternoon, bringing heavy rain, lightning, hail, and possible flooding, according to the National Weather Service.The storms will hit mostly after 5 p.m., weather service forecasters said. The weather service issued a flash flood watch, warning that meteorologists expect up to 2 inches of rain in less than an hour. This could lead to flooding, especially in low-lying areas within Colorado’s Front Range cities and in the mountain foothills where fires have reduced vegetation across burn scars. Weather service officials advised drivers to avoid flooded roads, watch for warnings and be ready to move to higher ground if flooding is imminent.State health officials issued an air quality alert due to increasing pollution.The high temperature in Denver will be 90 degrees — the tenth day in a row with highs above 90 — decreasing to 63 degrees at night, for...

“The Covenant of Water,” “A Gentleman in Moscow” and more quick book reviews from readers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:32:57 GMT

Editor’s note: The opinions of the smart, well-read women in my Denver book club mean a lot, and often determine what the rest of us choose to pile onto our bedside tables. Sure, you could read advertising blurbs on Amazon, but wouldn’t you be more likely to believe a neighbor with no skin in the game over a corporation being fed words by publishers? So in this new series, The Book Club, we are sharing these mini-reviews with you. Have any to offer? Email [email protected].“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles (Viking)In 1922’s Communist Russia, unfortunate Count Alexander Rostov is placed under house arrest by the Bolsheviks for political “crimes.” Fortunately, his prison is a posh, famous Moscow hotel, home to royalty, stars, and politicians. He works for his keep, participates in numerous adventures with compelling personalities, meets a precocious and charming young girl, and launches a love affair, while trying for years to escape. Replete with humor and major historical i...