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Wimpy Kid’s ‘No Brainer’ library support tour is coming to the Bay Area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

Imagine a game show where kids and librarians are the big winners – and instead of lifetime supplies of Turtle Wax, they can score free books and support for local libraries.Well, it’s happening, and you can take part.“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author Jeff Kinney is celebrating the publication of “No Brainer,” his 18th book in the series, with a traveling game show that will visit 13 West Coast bookstores — including three in the Bay Area — and provide books, financial support and some getaways for lucky librarians.Kinney is personally donating $100,000 and dividing it among local libraries along his tour, which includes off-site events arranged by Bookshop Santa Cruz on Oct. 27, San Jose’s Hicklebee’s Oct. 28 and Danville’s Rakestraw Books on Oct. 29. Tickets ($20) include admission for two people, a signed copy of “No Brainer” and various activities.“Kids are going to have a chance to win money for their school library or their community libra...

Justin Timberlake shared pro-choice views after urging Britney Spears to get an abortion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

Britney Spears’ fans have pounced on the revelation in her new memoir that Justin Timberlake forced her to make the “agonizing” choice to get an abortion while they were dating more than 20 years ago because he said, at age 19, he wasn’t ready to become a father.But, at the very least, Spears’ legion of loyal fans can’t accuse Timberlake of being inconsistent in his views on abortion. Over the years, the former NSYNC member, 42, has expressed his support for abortion rights, usually while affirming statements made by his wife Jessica Biel, Page Six reported. In 2008, Timberlake and Biel, his then-girlfriend, attended a presidential campaign rally for Barack Obama, where the “7th Heaven” actor spoke about women’s reproductive rights and told the crowd: “Nobody should be able to say what you can do with your body.”Timberlake joked in response, saying, “I give Jess the right to choose where we go to eat all the time. The...

Donald Trump spends millions in donor cash on lawyers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

By Richard Lardner, Trenton Daniel and Aaron Kessler | Associated PressWASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s political fundraising machine is raking in donations at a prodigious pace, but he’s spending tens of millions of dollars he’s bringing in to pay attorneys to deal with the escalating costs of the various criminal cases he is contending with as he moves further into the 2024 presidential campaign.Campaign finance experts say using the money to pay for lawyers in cases not related to the campaign or officeholder duties appears to conflict with a federal ban on the personal use of donor dollars, even though the Federal Election Commission has ruled the prohibition doesn’t apply to so-called leadership political action committees. The massive amount of money going to lawyers also amplifies the urgency Trump is feeling to raise money both for the campaign and his legal defense, which is unfolding on multiple fronts.Trump’s Save America political action committe...

Feds: Antioch felon caught on camera buying guns in Las Vegas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

Federal prosecutors in Nevada have accused an Antioch man with felony convictions of illegally purchasing guns by paying a friend to buy the guns for him, court records show.The scheme was easy to discover, according to the criminal complaint, because in one instance the Antioch resident was seen handing over “a stack of cash” to the other man inside a Las Vegas gun store.Now, Daryl Caldwell Jr., of Antioch, and James Kelley are facing charges of illegal acquisition of a firearm. Caldwell, arrested earlier this month in the East Bay, was released from jail while the case is pending, court records show.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | East Bay man dies in Northern California hospital after shooting, police car jacking Crime and Public Safety | Woman injured in East Bay freeway shooting Monday Crime and Public Safety | FBI investigating bomb threats emailed to private schools in Fremont Crime and Public Safety | ...

Belgian police kill Tunisian man suspected in shootings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

By Lorne Cook, Sylvain Plazy and Raf Casert | Associated PressBRUSSELS — Authorities in the Belgian capital shot and killed a Tunisian national on Tuesday hours after they say he gunned down three Swedish soccer fans, killing two of them, and posted a video online in which he claimed credit for the attack and said the Quran was “a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself.”Investigators are still trying to determine the motive for Monday night’s attack, which happened not far from where Belgium’s men’s soccer team was hosting Sweden in a European Championships qualifier. The match was suspended at halftime and the more than 35,000 fans were kept inside the stadium as a precaution while the attacker was at large.Amateur videos of the attack posted on social media showed a man wearing an orange fluorescent vest pull up on a scooter, take out a large weapon and open fire on people getting out of a taxi. He chased them into a building to gun them ...

Mississippi county closes jail pod plagued by fights and escapes, sends 200 inmates 2 hours away

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

RAYMOND, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s largest county is no longer using a section of its jail that has been plagued by fights, escapes and other security problems.Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said Monday that 200 inmates were transferred last week from Pod A at the Raymond Detention Center to the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, which is nearly 150 miles (241 kilometers) to the north and is run by the private prison company CoreCivic.Jones said the jail in the Jackson suburb of Raymond now has fewer than 400 people being held in the other pods, which should alleviate some concerns about short staffing and help ensure public safety.“That is one of our worst pods at the detention center, and I think that it’s pretty much on record that that particular pod was not secure, and it was one of our most unsafe areas within the facility,” Jones told news outlets.In July 2022, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ordered a rare takeover of the jail in Raymond after he said def...

SEC media panel picks No. 9 Tennessee to win league, Texas A&M’s Taylor as preseason player of year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Tennessee is the favorite to win the Southeastern Conference men’s basketball title and Texas A&M’s Wade Taylor IV is preseason player of the year, according to votes compiled by the league.The Volunteers, who enter the season ranked No. 9, are favored for the first time since the 2020-21 season and fifth time overall in voting by a panel of SEC and national media members. The league released the preseason predictions on Tuesday.The seven preseason first-team All-SEC picks: Taylor, Alabama’s Grant Nelson, Mississippi State’s Tolu Smith, Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi, Kentucky freshman Justin Edwards, Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile and Auburn’s Johni Broome.No. 15 Texas A&M was picked to finish second, followed by No. 14 Arkansas, No. 16 Kentucky and No. 24 Alabama, the defending champion.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 Basketball Polls throughout the season. Sign up here___AP college basketball: https...

Wyndham rejects hostile bid from Rockville’s Choice Hotels

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has rejected a hostile acquisition offer from Rockville, Maryland-based Choice Hotels, hours after Choice made details of its offer public.Choice went public with the $7.8 billion offer Tuesday after Wyndham executives and its board broke off protracted negotiations over a potential sale that began in April. Choice’s latest offer was worth $90 per share, a 30% premium over Wyndham’s closing share price on Oct. 16. The offer for Wyndham shareholders was 55% cash and 45% in Choice stock.In rejecting the acquisition offer, Wyndham cited the likelihood of a protracted regulatory approval process with no certain outcome, potential franchisee churn and excessive leverage levels for a combined company.“Choice’s offer is underwhelming, highly conditional, and subject to significant business, regulatory and execution risk. Choice has been unwilling or unable to address our concerns,” said Stephen Holmes, chairman of the Wyndham board...

The Washington Spirit and coach Mark Parsons part ways after disappointing finish

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Spirit have parted ways with coach Mark Parsons after the team narrowly missed the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs. No specific reason was given for the move Tuesday. The Spirit finished the season 7-9-6, losing 1-0 at home in the final match of the season Sunday to the North Carolina Courage. The Courage fell to eighth in the league standings and below the playoff line. Parsons missed the final game because of yellow card accumulation. Forward Trinity Rodman was sent off with a red card in the 23rd minute and North Carolina’s Tyler Lussi scored the game’s lone goal in the 25th. Parsons previously coached the Spirit from 2013-14. “It has been a privilege to be back in Washington DC and the NWSL this past year. I am proud of the work the players and the staff have put in this season, and I know the Spirit is well-positioned for success moving forward given the foundation that has been built,” Parsons said in a statement.Parso...

Prosecutors are seeking to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in fatal 2021 shooting on movie set

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:37:38 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in fatal 2021 shooting on movie set.Source