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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’ dances to No. 1 at the box office, eyeing 'Joker' film record

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

HOLLYWOOD (AP) — Movie theaters turned into concert venues this weekend as Swifties brought their dance moves and friendship bracelets to multiplexes nationwide. The unparalleled enthusiasm helped propel “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” to a massive, first-place debut between $95 million and $97 million in North America, AMC Theatres said Sunday. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! It’s easily the biggest opening for a concert film of all time and, not accounting for inflation, has made more than the $73 million “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” earned in 2011. In today’s dollars, that would be around $102 million. And if it comes in on the higher end of projections when totals are released Monday, it could be the biggest October opening ever. The one to beat is “Joker,” which launched to $96.2 million in 2019.A unique experiment in distribution, premium pricing, star power, and loose movie theater etiquette—more dancing and shouting t...

Former prosecuting attorney’s son charged in trunk-or-treat shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The son of former St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch has been charged with Sunday’s shooting at a trunk-or-treat event at a Kirkwood school.Matthew McCulloch, 39, was charged Monday with four counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child (first offense - no sexual contact), five counts of armed criminal action, one count of first-degree terrorist threat, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. Sunday at North Kirkwood Middle School. Tillman Elementary School organized the event, but due to construction projects, the trunk-or-treat was moved to North Kirkwood’s school parking lot in the 11200 block of Manchester Road.In a letter sent to parents from the school district, a man began behaving erratically and causing a disturbance. When other parents confronted the man, he pulled out a gun and started shooting into the air. Other parents tackled the armed man and detained him until police arr...

St. Louis Arch goes dark through November for New LED lights

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- The Arch will be dark starting tonight through November, 17, 2023. The National Park Service is installing a new lighting system to reduce the overall energy needed to light the monument by 60%.The new LED lights will replace the 26 static Xeon skylights installed in 2018. They only use 1200 watts per unit compared to the 7000 watts required by the current lighting system.There are benefits besides power efficiency with the new lighting system. It is more accurate in controlling focus and color temperature. This will make the monument brighter at night and reduce stray light for migratory birds in the night sky. Shots fired at Kirkwood school’s trunk-or-treat event The money to install the new system is coming from the Gateway Arch Foundation. They are a nonprofit conservancy and the official philanthropic partner of Gateway Arch National Park and its surrounding areas in Downtown St. Louis.The lights were off in September to protect birds migrating south for the wint...

Coffee shop hosts 'banned book' display

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A midtown coffee shop gave book lovers a chance to read books that have been restricted by schools in the state of Missouri.'Blueprint Coffee' teamed with 'Left Bank Books Foundation' at the High Low building on Washington Avenue. They gave readers a few hours to browse the banned books. The 'American Library Association' says 273 books have been banned for any number of issues relating to race, gender, or sexuality. It ranks Missouri third in the nation for the number of banned books. Shots fired at Kirkwood school’s trunk-or-treat event Left Bank Books General Manager Daniell King says, "What's ironic is that, generally speaking, a book getting banned does make more people interested in it because they're curious about why, and so our goal is to make sure we have as many of those to provide for folks as possible, or order them. We believe very much in the freedom to read."Also at the event, visitors could write postcards to their legislatures to l...

WATCH: “Saturday Night Live” spoofs Coach Prime after CU loss to Stanford

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

“Saturday Night Live” returned to the airwaves over the weekend for the first time since April, meaning there were plenty of current events to catch up on during its ever-popular Weekend Update segment.That included “one of the most exciting stories in college football,” according to host Colin Jost. He was, perhaps unsurprisingly, talking about the Colorado Buffaloes and the team’s “remarkable turnaround” under Coach Deion Sanders.Cast member Kenan Thompson impersonated Coach Prime as a guest on the Weekend Update, poking fun at Sanders’ eternal confidence and optimism poignantly after his team blew a 29-0 lead against Stanford University one day prior to the broadcast.Related ArticlesEntertainment | Steve Martin and Martin Short will play Red Rocks and Vail next summer Entertainment | Jerry Seinfeld talks standup and ticket prices as he heads to Denver following “Seinfeld” reunion tease Entertainment | Is TikTok-focused crowd ...

Cañon City teenager who fired shots from vehicle sentenced

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

The Cañon City teenager accused of firing several gunshots from his vehicle on July 20 was sentenced by Judge Kaitlin Turner on Monday in Fremont County District Court.Ashton Beicker, 19, pleaded guilty to count 2, illegal discharge of a firearm (a Class 5 Felony) which was accepted by Turner. In exchange, the remaining charges of count 1, criminal attempt to commit assault in the first degree (a Class 4 Felony), count 3, menacing (a Class 5 Felony), count 4, prohibited use of a weapon (a Class 1 Misdemeanor), and county 5, prohibited use of a weapon (a Class 1 Misdemeanor), and count 6, reckless endangerment (a Class 2 Misdemeanor) will be dismissed.As part of the plea agreement, Beicker is sentenced to three years of supervised probation as a deferred judgment and sentence. In addition to the standard terms and conditions of probation, he may not commit any new violations of law, undergo substance abuse evaluations, comply with recommended treatment, or complete a mental health ev...

California prison inmate stabbed to death

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

A California prison inmate died after being attacked by three other inmates at a facility in Monterey County on Sunday, authorities said.Cory Benton, 40, who was serving a 25-year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon with gang enhancements, was stabbed multiple times at the Soledad Valley State Prison.According to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, three inmates, all of whom are serving life sentences, attacked Benton with an "inmate-manufactured" weapon - also known as a shiv or shank.Benton died when en route to a medical facility, prison officials said.The three suspects, Alberto Valades, 54, Jose Valle, 33, and Jimmy Martinez, 32, were moved into restrictive housing as authorities investigated the stabbing.Jimmy Martinez, Jose Valle, Alberto Valades (California Department of Corrections)Martinez is serving a life sentence for a murder committed in Los Angeles County. Valades is serving life for an L.A. County robbery conviction that was his “third strike.”Val...

Woman Pronounced Dead following Three-Vehicle Collision on Highway 95 [Bullhead City, AZ]

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

Three-Vehicle Accident near Retail Way Left One Woman DeadBULLHEAD CITY, AZ (October 16, 2023) – On Friday afternoon, a woman was pronounced dead after being killed in a three-vehicle collision on Highway 95.The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m., October 6th, in the area of Highway 95 at the intersection of Retail Way.According to the Bullhead City Police Department, the collision involved a 2016 Hyundai Accent, a 2017 Nissan Rouge, and a 2017 Honda Accord.Upon investigation, officers determined that the Nissan was stopped when the Hyundai, occupied by two people, slammed into the rear of the Nissan.Furthermore, the collision caused the Nissan to crash into the back of the Honda, resulting in flames on the Hyundai and Nissan.Consequently, first responders transported the woman to a nearby medical center. Unfortunately, the woman succumbed to her injuries and she was pronounced dead.Moreover, the authorities stated that there were no other casualties. A large portion of the ro...

Cannabis Industry Approves of Newsom’s Actions to Preserve Branding and Licenses

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

Last week, the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA) applauded recent moves by Governor Gavin Newsom in signing Senate Bill 51 and vetoing Assembly Bill 1207. SB 51 extends the cannabis provisional licensing program for an additional seven years. The new end date is Jan. 1, 2031 for the designated social equity applicants and licensees that qualify for an extension. The bill also gives the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) the authority to issue provisional licenses to qualified social equity operators seeking a commercial cannabis retail license. The DCC can reissue these provisional licenses, if people are showing real progress toward their annual permits. “CCIA firmly believes that SB 51’s narrow extension of the provisional license program for social equity retail applicants is paramount in realizing the promises of Prop. 64 and aligns seamlessly with CCIA’s longstanding vision of broadening legal retail access throughout California,” said Yvette McDowel...

Two Swedes shot dead in Belgium, suspect at large

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:24 GMT

By Catherine Nicholls | CNNTwo people with Swedish nationality were shot dead in the Belgian capital Brussels on Monday evening with the suspect still at large, according to Belgian public broadcaster VRT.The motive of the shooting is not yet clear, which came as Belgium hosted Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifying match.Following the attack, the terror threat level for Brussels was raised to 4, the highest level. Belgium as a whole was previously level 2.Police are on the streets to ensure safety, the city’s mayor Philippe Close posted on X.“Following the shooting in Brussels, police services are mobilizing to guarantee safety in and around our capital, in collaboration with the Minister of the Interior,” Close said. “I am at the crisis center… to ensure coordination.”Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo posted to X: “My deepest condolences to the relatives of this cowardly attack in Brussels. I am closely following the situation, together with the Ministers of Justice and Home Af...