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TheatreFIRST in Berkeley eyes closing during financial squeeze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

It may be the end of the road for TheatreFIRST. Or maybe not.On June 30 the Berkeley theater company sent out an announcement from new co-artistic directors Victoria Evans Erville and Stephanie Prentice that the nearly 30-year-old company would be shutting down for financial reasons.Like most other theater companies, TheatreFIRST (T1 for short) was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has produced only a few plays since its return to live shows at the Live Oak Theater. On top of that, their email says, “Upon negotiations this month to renew our lease of Live Oak Theater, the City of Berkeley made the decision to raise our monthly rate by 200%. Coupled with our other fiscal commitments, this unconscionable new financial demand has made it impossible for our company to continue.”The next day, Erville received an email from Scott Ferris, the city of Berkeley’s director of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, indicating that the notice that T1 received was in error: “In an attempt to ...

New York City train derailment leaves several passengers with minor injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Several passengers suffered minor injuries when a commuter train derailed in New York City on Thursday, officials said.About 100 riders were on the Long Island Rail Road train when it derailed shortly after 11 a.m. east of the Jamaica station in Queens, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesperson said.A Fire Department spokesperson said 10 people suffered minor injuries and additional passengers were being evaluated. The riders were evacuated to a rescue train.Eight train cars derailed, officials said. Eastbound LIRR trains were bypassing several other stations as a result.“Our top priority is ensuring all passengers and railroad workers are safe and that train service resumes as quickly as possible,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. Source

Pope gets an electrifying World Youth Day welcome and urges fighting for economic justice, climate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of flag-waving young people from around the globe gave Pope Francis a raucous welcome to the World Youth Day festival in Portugal’s capital Thursday, in a sign of youthful support for the 86-year-old pontiff and his calls for inclusivity and economic justice.In a display of enthusiasm not seen since the early years of Francis’ decade-old papacy, teenagers and young adults thronged a downtown Lisbon park for the opening ceremony of the Catholic jamboree. Pilgrims ran alongside as his popemobile made languid loops through the crowd and a smiling Francis basked in their cheers.The pope, who was hospitalized twice this year, had said he hoped to be “rejuvenated” by his five-day trip to Portugal, and it appeared as if the sun-baked crowd delivered.Organizers estimated some 500,000 pilgrims attended the music-and-dance filled World Youth Day opening ceremony in Lisbon’s Eduardo VII park, a figure that was expected to more than doub...

Lindsey Horan calls former teammate Carly Lloyd’s criticism ‘noise’ at the Women’s World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Co-captain Lindsey Horan brushed aside criticism leveled at the United States by former teammate-turned-pundit Carli Lloyd, calling it outside noise.Now an analyst with Fox Sports, Lloyd didn’t hold back after the Americans eked out a spot in the knockout round at the Women’s World Cup with a scoreless draw against Portugal.Lloyd called her former team “uninspiring” and criticized players for dancing and laughing with fans after the match in Auckland on Tuesday.“I have never witnessed something like that,” she said. “There’s a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family, but to be dancing, to be smiling?”The next day, Lloyd walked back the comments a bit: “I was very critical of the team last night. I had some time to reflect, to sleep on it and I want people to understand that I care deeply about this team.”Horan said Thursday that Lloyd’s comments stung.“It’s kind of frustrat...

Cape Cod Baseball League celebrates 100 years as pathway from college to majors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

BOURNE, Mass. (AP) — Pete Alonso didn’t hit a home run the summer he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League. He made a different kind of connection. On a day off during his time with the Bourne Braves during the summer of 2015, Alonso headed out to Provincetown, at the tip of the New England summer paradise. That’s where he met his wife.“For me it was a disappointing summer because I expected to play well,” said Alonso, who returned to Florida and played himself into a second-round selection in the next year’s draft. “But I thought it was awesome because I met my wife during that summer, and it was phenomenal.“You get to play ball and create incredible relationships,” he said. “It’s a super memorable baseball experience for any kid who gets to go out there and play. It’s super fun, it’s a super special place to play during summer.”For 100 years, the Cape Cod League has given top college players the opportunity to hone their skills and show off for scouts while facing other top...

Zimbabwe’s opposition party claims that a supporter was stoned to death by ruling party’s activists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party said that one of its supporters was beaten and stoned to death while on his way to a political rally on Thursday, allegedly by activists from the ruling party, three weeks ahead of the country’s general elections.The party offered no evidence to support its claim. Police said in a statement that “an incident of public violence” had left one person dead “as a result of the clashes” but did not refer to the victim’s political affiliation. The southern African nation of 15 million people has a history of violent and disputed elections since it gained independence from white minority rule in 1980 following a bloody guerilla war. It will hold general elections on Aug. 23 to chose a president, the parliament and local government councilors.Ahead of the vote, there have been accusations that the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is using violence and intimidation to crack down on its political rivals.Fadzayi ...

MGE: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — MGE Energy Inc. (MGEE) on Thursday reported net income of $28.7 million in its second quarter.On a per-share basis, the Madison, Wisconsin-based company said it had net income of 79 cents.The public utility holding company posted revenue of $148 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MGEE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MGEESource

Live: Trump arrives at DC courthouse to face judge in third indictment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the federal courthouse in Washington to surrender to authorities on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 defeat in the presidential election.The early front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination will appear before a magistrate judge on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States. The courthouse sits within sight of the U.S. Capitol that his supporters attacked on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.It’s the third criminal case filed against Trump this year, but the first to try to hold him criminally responsible for his efforts to cling to power in the weeks between his election loss and the Capitol attack that stunned the world as it unfolded live on TV.Trump’s motorcade made its way through D.C.’s crowded streets, using lights and sirens — a journey documented in wall-to-wall cable coverage once again.Trump has s...

$1 awarded for illegal search verdict: Lawsuit follows Colorado police reform law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Christopher Mosley asked an Arapahoe County jury to award him $1, and that's exactly what it did.The 33-year-old sued Aurora Police Officer Brendan Daves for violating his civil rights when Daves searched Mosley's car without a legal justification. Colorado prison escapee caught living ‘flashy’ life in Florida after 5 years According to Mosley's attorney, he is the first person to successfully sue a police officer under the state's Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, passed as part of Senate Bill 20-217 in response to the George Floyd and Elijah McClain protests."The new law is great because now it allows for us regular people to have a fighting chance against law enforcement," Mosley said.Aurora officer illegally searched carMosley was driving to his home in Aurora on April 25, 2021, when he was pulled over for not having license plates on his car.Instead of writing Mosley a ticket or deciding to have his car towed, Daves asked him to sit on the curb an...

1 killed in shooting near City Park, shooter at large

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:26 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A man was shot and killed near City Park on Thursday morning. Just before 7:30 a.m., the Denver Police Department tweeted that officers were investigating a shooting in the 1700 block of North Race Street. The area is in the City Park West neighborhood, just a few blocks north of Colfax.When officers arrived, they located a man who was pronounced dead at the scene. His death is now being investigated as a homicide.Denver Police said they are working to develop suspect information.The identity of the victim will be released at a later time by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner.