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Jordan Donica, Tony Award nominee for ‘Camelot,’ is Broadway’s rising star

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — When Jordan Donica was about 9 or 10, his aunt took him to New York City with a mission: Get the notion of making it on Broadway out of his system. Thankfully, that mission failed spectacularly.“It was raining and I was dancing through the streets of Times Square, loving every second of it. My aunt had to tell me to slow down,” he recalls, now happily a New Yorker. “The thing that I love the most is here, at its height — the core where everything explodes out from.”With determination and talent, Donica still hasn’t slowed down, earning his first Tony Award nomination for playing the hunky, gallant knight Sir Lancelot in a gorgeous Lincoln Center Theater revival of the classic musical “Camelot.”“I’m just thankful and it just makes me want to do the work even more. Really. That was the first thought I had was, ‘I’m excited to get back to work,’” he says.Donica’s story is of a man with a huge voice who moved a lot in his youth but always had Broadway as his ...

Shopify faces class action over severance offered to recently laid off staff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

A class-action lawsuit alleges Shopify Inc. reneged on a deal it offered some employees who were laid off in a recent round of cuts.The class action alleges some of the Ottawa software business’ employees laid off at the start of May were presented with departure packages outlining hefty severance sums they would be entitled to should they sign the agreement within a few days.However, once workers signed the agreements and before the deadline passed, Shopify allegedly told departing staff they would instead be given substantially smaller sums than were initially offered.“The individuals did the reasonable thing, which is to accept, only to be told even though we made you reasonable offers, even though you accepted that reasonable offer, we’re just not going to do it and you have to sign a brand new agreement for a much lesser amount,” said Lior Samfiru, a lawyer pursuing the case.“It just doesn’t work like that. I review severance packages every day and have 21 yea...

US opens probe into Freightliner trucks automatically braking without obstacle in road

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s highway safety agency is investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking on big Freightliner trucks can stop unexpectedly for no apparent reason. It’s at least the third recent investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into glitches with the technology, which has the potential to save lives because it can make vehicles stop or slow down for stopped or slowed traffic.The probe covers about a quarter-million trucks made by Daimler from the 2017 through 2022 model years. The agency says in documents posted on its website Tuesday that it has 18 complaints from owners alleging that brakes on Freightliner Cascadia trucks can come on without an obstacle in the road. The reports say the trucks can brake without warning or any input from the driver. The braking ranges from partial application with little loss of speed to full application, bringing the trucks to a complete stop on the road.The agency says...

Joliet shelter in place lifted following manhunt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — A shelter in place order has been lifted following a manhunt for burglary suspects Tuesday morning.At around 5 a.m., Joliet police received a request for assistance from other area departments regarding a police pursuit.Police were in pursuit of two vehicles that were believed to be stolen with four male burglary suspects inside.Officers learned that the four fled in the area of Black Road and Junie Court after stop sticks were deployed.Police said the four may be armed and a perimeter was established. One of the suspects was placed into custody in the 1200 block of Taylor Street. Just before 9:15 a.m., police said a total of three suspects are in custody. The males placed into custody are 21, 20 and 16, from Chicago.Police are still looking for a Black man in his 20s wearing a black sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. Authorities believe the last suspect has left the area, which is why the order was lifted.Residents in the area were notified of a shelter in place order v...

8 killed, 71 injured in mass shootings over long holiday weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

(The Hill) - Eight people were killed and more than 70 others were injured in mass shootings during the long Memorial Day weekend, according to an online tracker. Data from the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that keeps track of every shooting in the country, show that eight people were killed and 71 injured across 15 mass shootings in a dozen states since Saturday. The deadliest shooting happened at a motorcycle rally in New Mexico that left three people dead and four injured Saturday. Authorities said those involved in the shooting were affiliated with biker gangs, and at least one person has been charged with murder. A shooting near the beach in Hollywood, Fla., where nine people were wounded Monday, had the most people injured of any from the weekend. Three of those injured were children. Officials said all of them were in stable condition. Shots were fired after a fight broke out on the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk. The archive defines a mas...

Video: 10-pound pooch with 3 teeth saves brother pup from coyote in California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

(KTLA) – Backyard surveillance cameras captured the tense moments when a small Maltese dog saved his little brother by chasing off a coyote that had gotten the younger dog in its mouth.  The owners of the pooches, David and Erin Mascaluso, say the incident happened earlier this month after a coyote jumped into their backyard one evening. Their hero dog, 11-year-old Vinny, who weighs all of 10 pounds and has only three teeth, was up for the challenge, they said. “He’s always been a scrapper, oh yeah,” David Mascaluso told Nexstar's KTLA. “The first day we brought him home, I went and I pet him and he started growling at me.”   Entire graduating class at Boyle Heights charter school accepted into 4-year universities In the video of the incident, the coyote can be seen jumping the fence and chasing Vinny’s brother, Harley, into a corner. After Harley is heard yelping, Vinny springs into action from the other side of the yard and chases the coyote off as Harley runs in the othe...

Texas is home to most Scripps National Spelling Bee champions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 30, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that also goes for the number of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions native to the Lone Star State.Data compiled by Bet Texas reported 15 winners from the national competition's 95-year run hail from Texas. Ohio with nine winners and Pennsylvania with seven winners round out the Top 3.Texas: 15 winnersOhio: 9 winnersPennsylvania: 7 winnersColorado: 7 winnersCalifornia: 6 winnersTennessee: 5 winnersKansas: 5 winnersKentucky: 4 winnersIowa: 4 winnersMissouri: 4 winnersIndiana: 3 winnersOklahoma: 3 winnersNew York: 3 winnersNew Jersey: 3 winnersNebraska: 2 winnersIllinois: 2 winnersGeorgia: 2 winnersNorth Carolina: 2 winnersAlabama: 2 winnersVirginia: 2 winnersFlorida: 2 winnersMaine: 1 winnerMassachusetts: 1 winnerMichigan: 1 winnerArizona: 1 winnerWashington: 1 winnerWisconsin: 1 winnerMinnesota: 1 winnerLouisiana: 1 winnerAnd this yea...

Brett McLean returns to his roots, takes over as coach of Iowa Wild

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

After spending the past few seasons as an assistant coach for the Wild, the highly respected Brett McLean is blazing his own trail.Albeit with the same organization.In a brief news conference on Tuesday morning, the 44-year-old McLean officially took over as the next coach of the Iowa Wild. He did so while seated alongside Wild general manager Bill GuerinThis is full circle for McLean after he served as an assistant coach with the Iowa Wild of AHL from 2017-20. He paid his dues as an assistant coach in the NHL from 2020-23, and now will take over for former coach Tim Army, who the Wild decided to part ways with last month.There’s a lot to like about McLean being in charge of the farm system. He carved out a niche for himself diring a respectable playing career, skating with the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers during his 385 games in the NHL. He also played for a few different teams overseas.That should give McLean perspective as he steps into the bi...

Severe weather potential for Twin Cities on Tuesday afternoon and evening

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

There is a potential for severe weather — including heavy rain, large hail and scattered thunderstorms  — for the Twin Cities on Tuesday afternoon and evening.“Currently, we’re expecting things to ramp up after 3 p.m., with the heaviest activity probably between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.,” said Tyler Hasenstein, meteorologist with the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service, early Tuesday.As of Tuesday morning, it looked like the eastern half of the metro has more of a chance to see this severe weather, Hasenstein says, but that forecast could evolve.This threat includes heavy rains — from a quarter inch to a half inch — which could fall in a short amount of time.In terms of severity, Tuesday’s severe thunderstorm risk a level one — green — or the lowest of the five levels, according to the weather service.The primary threats are large hail and heavy rain, with gusty winds a secondary threat.Isolated severe storms are pr...

Albany County unveils new initiative to prevent skin cancer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:34 GMT

WATERVLIET, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- With summer just around the corner, Albany County is taking initiative to help their residents prevent skin cancer. The county will install automatic sunscreen dispensers throughout area parks. The announcement coincides with Melanoma Awareness Month and the county's effort to raise awareness about the risks and how to prevent skin cancer. “We have to continue to educate people and the way we are doing this is making sure even the smallest little things matter," Dan McCoy, Albany County Executive, said. "We want to remind people if you use the rail trails, if you’re just walking around or want to use the pool and you forget your sun lotion, we’ve got it taken care of.” Implementation will happen in two phases beginning with placing the dispensers at 20 parks across the county along with resources at local libraries and public spaces.