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Book Review: ‘Welcome to The O.C.’ serves as a definitive look-back at the 20-year-old Fox drama

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

“California, here we come.”The refrain from the Phantom Planet tune “California” that served as the theme song for “The O.C.” welcomed viewers to Fox’s short-lived but much-loved prime-time soap that focused on a group of teenagers and parents navigating the emotional ups and downs of life in affluent Newport Beach.Now, 20 years after the show’s debut, Rolling Stone TV critic Alan Sepinwall is taking readers “right back where we started from” in a splendid retrospective that relies on the memories of those who brought the show’s 96 episodes to life.“Welcome to The O.C.” — the title references a memorable line from the pilot (minus a not-so-friendly word that punctuates the sentiment) — features recollections from creator Josh Schwartz, executive producer Stephanie Savage, the show’s stars, Fox executives and many more.The oral history serves as a definitive look-back at the four-season series that introduced “Chrismukkah” (a celebration of both Christmas and Hanukkah in the blended ...

MUST-WATCH: Would you like fries with that?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

Welcome to the MUST-WATCH, home of the MUST-WATCH, can I interest you in the Top 10? Could the sequel to the Good Burger take the top spot? Or could it go to an animated comedy starring Adam Sandler? Perhaps a recut miniseries of a classic 2000s film from down under? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!WishWhere to watch: CinemasFirst things first, it’s time for a new Disney film!Wish is a new animated film starring Ariana DeBose (from West Side Story) and Chris Pine (from Star Trek). She plays a young woman called Asha living in a Mediterranean kingdom ruled over by Pine’s character, King Magnifico. He has the ability to grant wishes to anyone who wishes upon a star, but only grants one a month. When Asha learns that he’s hoarding all these wishes, she makes her own wish which surprisingly brings down an actual star. The two team up to figure out how to grant everyone’s wish, and get the power-hungry King out of the Kingdom. This film also stars Al...

Don’t broaden handgun freeze exemption, firearm-control advocates tell senators

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

OTTAWA — Proponents of tougher firearm restrictions are urging senators not to broaden an exemption for Olympic athletes from the federal handgun freeze to include a wider range of sport shooters.When they introduced gun-control legislation last year, the federal Liberals announced a plan to implement a freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns to help reduce firearm-related violence.Federal regulations aimed at capping the number of handguns in Canada are now in effect.Businesses can still sell to exempted individuals, including elite sport shooters who compete or coach in handgun events recognized by the international Olympic or Paralympic committees.Gun-control advocates including the group PolySeSouvient say in a letter to Senate committee members studying the bill that expanding the exemption would put the interests of recreational sport shooters who want to buy new handguns ahead of public safety.A representative of the National Association of Wom...

Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’ pulled until next week as host recovers from surgery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

First this fall, another round with COVID-19 shuttered Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.” Now the show is again sidelined as the host recovers from a burst appendix.The comedian revealed on social media Monday that he’s recovering after surgery, wiping out planned shows for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. “Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas,” he joked.Colbert had a busy three shows planned, including guests Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer, the return of former bandleader Jon Batiste and Barbra Streisand was to take “The Colbert Questionert.”In mid-October, Colbert contracted COVID-19 and had to cancel a week’s worth of shows, although he hosted one from his home, like he did during the pandemic. The Associated Press

Contract between Puerto Rico’s government and coal-fired plant operator leaves residents in the dark

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A proposed amended contract between Puerto Rico’s government and the operator of a coal-fired power plant accused of contaminating low-income communities on the island drew scrutiny Monday during a heated public hearing.Environmentalists and lawyers demanded to see the redacted details of the proposed amendments sought by AES Puerto Rico LP as they accused officials during the hearing held by Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau of withholding key information that would affect those living in the U.S. territory.“It can say anything under those blackouts,” said Víctor Alvarado, environmental affairs secretary for the Puerto Rican Independence Party.“This is like a blank check,” added Myrna Conty Hernández, an environmentalist and community leader.If approved, the amended contract would go into effect Dec. 1. It is expected to lead to an increase in power bills that are already among the highest of any U.S. jurisdiction and award more money to a company that has co...

Man accused of threatening shooting at New Hampshire school changes plea to guilty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) — A Maine man charged with using social media to threaten to commit a shooting at a New Hampshire high school has changed his plea to guilty, court documents state.Police charged Kyle Hendrickson with criminal threatening with a firearm in April. They said he posted a video with a gun outside Portsmouth High School in which he threatened to “shoot up the school.”A federal grand jury subsequently indicted Hendrickson in September on charges of interstate threatening communications and possessing a firearm in a school zone. Hendrickson now intends to plead guilty to those charges and is due in court on Dec. 11, court records state.Portsmouth closed all schools for a day when the threat occurred. Hendrickson has been represented by attorney Murdoch Walker II. Walker did not return a phone call seeking comment.The Associated Press

A list of facts about sextortion, a type of blackmail that can turn deadly

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Police in Prince George, B.C., say a 12-year-old boy died by suicide in October after falling victim to online sextortion. Here are some facts about sextortion:— Sextortion is a kind of blackmail in which the perpetrator threatens to reveal a person’s online sexual activity, such as intimate photos that are often obtained by deception.— A review of 322 sextortion cases in July last year that were sent to the national sexual abuse tip line Cybertip.ca found that when gender was known, 92 per cent involved boys or young men.— Statistics Canada reported last year that police-reported extortion cases in Canada rose by nearly 300 per cent in the last decade.— StatCan says non-consensual distribution of intimate images involving adult or child victims increased by 194 cases in 2021, a nine-per-cent jump from the year before, and a 52-per-cent increase compared with the previous five-year average.— Police say victims of sextortion should stop communication with ...

Suburban man charged after 4 bomb threats in Evanston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — A Skokie man has been charged after four bomb threats in Evanston.Jabos Spiro, 23, is facing four counts of disorderly conduct.Four bomb threats were reported to the Evanston police between Sept. 12 and Oct. 3.The first two threats targeting the Evanston Library on Sept. 12 and 14. UChicago issues alert after armed robbery near campus The third and fourth threats took place at a McDonald's in the 1900 block of Dempster Street on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3.Spiro turned himself into Evanston police.

'Lucky mistake' leads to Illinois man winning big lottery prize

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

NEW BUFFALO, Mich. (WFLA) — An Illinois man visiting Michigan to eat at his favorite restaurant left the state a lottery winner after a "lucky mistake," according to the Michigan Lottery.Michael Sopejstal, 60, won big after he bought a "Lucky for Life" lottery ticket at a GoLo gas station in New Buffalo.“I come to Michigan every few weeks to eat at my favorite restaurant, and I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here,” said Sopejstal. “I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw. But I told him I still wanted it." Mom arrested at mall after 9-year-old daughter found dead in California home The mistake led to Sopejstal winning the game's second top prize — $25,000 for life. His ticket matched the five white balls drawn on Sept. 17: 11, 15, 17, 24 and 48. “I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life," he said. "I immediately started thinking about all t...

Suburban male charged in deadly summer shooting of 19-year-old

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:24 GMT

CHICAGO — A suburban male is charged in the deadly shooting of a 19-year-old.Datavion Braxton, 18, of Bradley faces first-degree murder and attempted murder charges months after the fatal shooting on June 24. According to police, the shooting occurred in the first block of W. 111th Street in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood.Chicago police allege that Braxton shot and killed the 19-year-old while he was inside his vehicle. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old were also inside the car at the time of the shooting but were not injured. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Braxton was due to appear in court on Monday.