Music from Memphis' Stax Records and Detroit's Motown will be featured in an online show
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Fans of the soulful sounds of Detroit's Motown and Memphis' Stax Records can enjoy both brands' music in the same place with free online programming streaming during Black History. can do. Month. Registration for “Stax Meets Motown'' begins February 2nd. The production was filmed at Memphis' historic Booker T. Washington High School and features musicians from the Stax Academy of Music performing hits from both the influential soul and R&B music labels. Stacks said the presentation is aimed at students, teachers, youth groups and other groups and “focuses on groups that don't typically have access to the arts.”
Chita Rivera, respected and Tony Award-winning pioneering dancer and singer, dies at 91
NEW YORK (AP) — A dynamic dancer, singer and actor who survived a near-fatal car crash after earning 10 Tony Award nominations and two wins during a long Broadway career that paved the way for Latinx artists. Chita Rivera died on Tuesday. She was 91 years old. Rivera gained widespread attention in 1957 for her role as Anita in the original production of West Side Story, and half a century later, she was dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy in 2015's The Visit. In August 2009, Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor.
Man accused of destroying Satanic Temple exhibit at Iowa State Capitol faces hate crime charges
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Mississippi man accused of vandalizing a pagan idol statue at the Iowa State Capitol has been charged with a hate crime. The statue was brought to the Capitol by the Iowa Satanic Temple under state rules that allow religious displays in buildings during the holidays. Prosecutors have now upgraded the charges against Michael Cassidy to a felony under the Iowa Hate Crimes Act. Cassidy is a former Congressional and legislative candidate from Mississippi. His lawyer had no comment. The Satanic Temple says it does not believe in the devil and advocates secularism.
David Rubenstein has signed a deal to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, the Associated Press reports.
Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein has reached an agreement to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. Rubenstein is from Baltimore. He became the team's controlling owner and assembled an investment team that included Ares co-founder Michael Arrogetti. The Angelos family has been at the helm of the Orioles since 1993, when Peter Angelos bought the team for $173 million. Angelos' son John is the team's current president. The team recently reached an agreement on a new lease extension for Camden Yards.
Grainy sonar images reignite excitement and skepticism over Earhart's final flight
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Grainy sonar images are at the center of both excitement and skepticism as one of the last century's most fascinating mysteries gains renewed interest. Tony Romeo believes his new South Carolina-based ocean exploration company has captured the outline of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed 10-E Electra deep under the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The pioneering aviator went missing while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island on July 2, 1937, and has not been seen since. She aspired to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. Archaeologists and explorers hope Romeo's sonar is a long-awaited breakthrough. But they want to see more evidence first.
Judge rules that rap lyrics can't be used against artist charged with murdering Run-DMC's Jammaster Jay
NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of killing Run-DMC's Jammaster Jay can't use his rap lyrics against him in court. A Brooklyn judge wrote a lengthy ruling Tuesday filled with hip-hop history. Federal prosecutors sought to introduce lyrics written by Carl Jordan Jr. as evidence of his role in shooting and killing Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell. But the judge rejected the effort, with an order tracing the evolution of hip-hop and its importance as “a platform of expression for many who have had little voice.” Jordan is accused of fatally shooting Mizell in his own recording studio in 2002, but he has maintained his innocence.
2024 Grammy Awards preview: 5 big questions heading into Sunday's ceremony
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 66th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony is just around the corner and will be broadcast live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday. So what can viewers expect? Some are new, some are old. Comedian Trevor Noah will host for the fourth time. Performances and the end of the show will reflect this year's female-led nominees in the major categories. There are also many moments that could make history. Executive producers Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston and Recording Academy CEO and Chairman Harvey Mason Jr. introduce the 2024 Grammy Awards to The Associated Press.
Hal Buell, who led the Associated Press photography business from the darkroom era to the digital age, dies at age 92
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (AP) – Hal Buell, who won 12 Pulitzer Prizes and led Associated Press photo operations from the darkroom era to the era of digital photography over a 40-year career, has died. He passed away at the age of 92. Buell died Monday in Sunnyvale, Calif., where his daughter lived, after a battle with pneumonia. His colleagues described Buell as a “visionary” who encouraged photographers to try new ways to cover difficult news. Mr. Buell spent most of his career at The Associated Press as the news agency's photography editor. He worked in his 33 countries with legendary photographers such as Eddie Adams, Horst Firth, and Nick Ute.
Are you experiencing a leak? Google will find out through new partnership aimed at saving water in New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Drought-stricken New Mexico is working with Google to use satellites to search for leaking water pipes. State officials made the announcement as they roll out a 50-year plan to address declining drinking water supplies. They said New Mexico is the first state to form such a partnership. The water plan notes that some systems in New Mexico are losing up to 70 percent of their total treated drinking water due to aging infrastructure failures and leaks. More than four years ago, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham campaigned for a long-term plan guided by the management of finite resources. He warned Tuesday that New Mexico's water availability will likely decline by 25% in 50 years.
Researchers say the number of western monarch butterflies wintering in California declined by 30% last year.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The number of western monarch butterflies wintering in California declined by 30% last year, likely due to wetter conditions, researchers say. Volunteers visiting sites in California and Arizona around Thanksgiving recorded more than 230,000 butterflies, with the number expected to reach 330,000 by 2022, according to the nonprofit conservation group Zarces Society. That's what it means. In 2020, the number of butterflies is only 2,000. But even though the butterflies have recovered, their numbers are still far below what they were in the 1980s. Scientists say climate change and the destruction of monarch habitat are also to blame for the low numbers.
