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Book Review: Small-town nostalgia and inspiring sisterhood make ‘Goodbye Earl’ ideal summer reading

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

“Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel” by Leesa Cross-Smith (Grand Central)Whether you know the song by The Chicks or not, there’s a lot to love about Leesa Cross-Smith’s latest and uber-personal novel, “Goodbye Earl.” But it does help to know the context: There are Earls in this world — men who abuse women. And, as the song explains, Earl’s gotta die. When Kasey travels back to Goldie after 15 years away, she faces a traumatic past that she’d just as soon keep buried. But her best friends since they were babies — Rosemarie, Ada, and Caroline, together known as RACK — are there to help her through it. RACK’s sisterhood transcends shared experiences and close proximity. Cross-Smith crafts a magical bond between them, capturing their easy, deep camaraderie as the now-33-year-old women slip into fun teenage banter when they reunite, their Southern accents bleeding through the page when they’re especially excited. The chapters flip between then and now. In 2004, their final months together in ...

WATCH: Animals snack on 4th of July treats at Brookfield Zoo

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

CHICAGO -- Several animals at the Brookfield Zoo were served a couple delicious pre-Fourth of July snacks Monday.Bears, sea lions, and grey seals at the Brookfield Zoo were treated to a variety of “patriotic-themed enrichment." VIDEO: Wisconsin police pull bobcat from inside car "Giving the animals enrichment items they don’t typically receive keeps them physically and mentally stimulated," the Brookfield Zoo wrote.Georgie, one of Brookfield Zoo’s grey seals, was treated to red, white, and blue gelatin in celebration of the July 4th holiday. (credit: Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)Georgie, one of Brookfield Zoo’s grey seals, was treated to red, white, and blue gelatin in celebration of the July 4th holiday. (credit: Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)Taylor, a California sea lion at Brookfield Zoo, seemed to enjoy July 4th-themed enrichment he received from his animal care staff. (credit: Jim Schulz/CZS-Brookfield Zoo) In celebration of the July 4th holiday, several animals at Brookfie...

Dozens injured, man pinned in bathroom after car crashes into New Hampshire restaurant

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

LACONIA, N.H. (AP) — A car crashed into a busy New Hampshire restaurant and injured more than a dozen patrons inside, authorities said.The vehicle struck the Looney Bin Bar & Grill a little after 12:40 p.m. Sunday and came to a stop well inside, pinning one man inside the bathroom, restaurant owner Michelle Watson said.“Everybody jumped right in and helped,” she told WHDH-TV. “Everybody jumped in to make sure everybody was okay.”Police Chief Matt Canfield said the crash involved three vehicles: One was making a left turn out of a parking lot across the street while a second was in the center lane. The driver making the turn didn’t see a third oncoming vehicle, and the ensuing collision sent that third vehicle crashing into the restaurant. ‘No sense of urgency’: Man who captured crack on roller coaster says Emergency responders transported 14 people to area hospitals with non-life-threatening medical issues including significant lower leg injuries, cuts, and bruises. Another 20...

Sheetz drops gas prices for most fuel grades to $1.776 for Fourth of July

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) -- Sheetz stores are looking to celebrate Independence Day by lowering the price of nearly all their gasoline blends in honor of the year 1776 -- when the Declaration was first adopted in our country. Previously, Sheetz has lowered gas on certain blends, but this Fourth of July, the price will be dropped to $1.776 per gallon on regular, E85 (flex fuel), unleaded 88, mid-grade and premium fuel grades. It will not apply to diesel fuel. The limited-time promotion will only last for the Fourth of July beginning at 12:01 a.m. and will go all day, or while promotional gallons last, Sheetz said.The price drop will happen at all 675+ Sheetz stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. List: What stores, restaurants will be open for July 4, 2023? “Sheetz is a family owned and operated company and we are always looking for ways to assist the communities and customers that we serve,” said Travis Sheetz, President and CEO of Sheetz. ...

Human exposure to wildfires has more than doubled in two decades – read this if you’re planning fireworks on July 4

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

(The Conversation) - Over the past two decades, a staggering 21.8 million Americans found themselves living within 3 miles (5 kilometers) of a large wildfire. Most of those residents would have had to evacuate, and many would have been exposed to smoke and emotional trauma from the fire.Nearly 600,000 of them were directly exposed to the fire, with their homes inside the wildfire perimeter.Those statistics reflect how the number of people directly exposed to wildfires more than doubled from 2000 to 2019, my team’s new research shows.But while commentators often blame the rising risk on homebuilders pushing deeper into the wildland areas, we found that the population growth in these high-risk areas explained only a small part of the increase in the number of people who were exposed to wildfires.Instead, three-quarters of this trend was driven by intense fires growing out of control and encroaching on existing communities.Smoke rises from a brush fir...

Spots fill fast at Austin's July passport fair but you might have other options

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — People showing up for Austin's passport fair Monday didn't expect to be turned away.The event was scheduled from 12 to 6 p.m. However, by 10:45 a.m., the office had already begun pre-screening walk-ins. US passport applications taking at least 3 months Most at Monday's event were trying to plan ahead to get a passport.In fact, it's been hard for some people to get a passport appointment with longer wait times for processing applications throughout the U.S.It's why the City of Austin decided to host a passport fair for walk-ins. It usually only processes applications on an appointment-only basis.Kimberly Rodriguez showed up a couple of hours early because she struggled to get an appointment."I started my process, actually a year ago, and I had an appointment at the post office and it got canceled," Rodriguez said.Before noon at Austin's Public Library downtown, at least 100 people showed up. The line extended out double doors on the second floor and looped around th...

Hot, humid and mostly cloudy 4th of July

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- High temperatures remained under 100° in Austin for the second straight day on Monday -- a nice, but brief, reprieve from the recent heat wave.The ridge of high pressure that brought hot, dry weather has shifted westward over Arizona and New Mexico, allowing for mostly cloudy skies and a few isolated thunderstorms locally. High temperatures stay in the middle and upper 90s on the 4th of July through Thursday with a few late-day storms possible, but rain chances are capped at 10-20%, meaning most outdoor plans will be dry. The slim chance of rain fades at sunset for fireworks.4th of July evening forecastWe are tracking another heatwave brewing late this week into next week. High temperatures rise above 100° this weekend in many areas, and hotter than normal weather is likely in 8-14 day outlooks.Week two outlooks showing another heatwave across TexasSummer Fan DriveOur Summer Fan Drive is underway! Please click here to find out how you can make an online donation and...

Thrilling finish at 77th Firecracker Open Golf Tournament in Austin

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

Austin (KXAN) - Heading into the final hole of round three at the 2023 Firecracker Open, Jonathan Alden and Nick Schafer were tied. Schafer was the furthest away of the three in the group so shot first."I had a perfect number," said Schafer. "I had 80 yards and I had a good lie in the fairway. [I] was just glad I didn't have to putt it."Schafer, who has lived in Austin about six years, sure did not have a very difficult putt. He chipped onto the green and had his second shot all but go in. The shot secured a one shot victory over Alden."I'm thrilled," said Schafer about winning the 77th Firecracker Open. "Obviously this is the premier tournament in Austin for amateur golf. To have my name etched on the trophy. To have my picture up there for a while, it's truly an honor."Schafer shot a 64 on the third and final day of the tournament Monday. This is Schafer's second time playing in the tournament with his first coming in 2019.The tournament at Lions Municipal Golf Course is one with ...

North Dakota medical waste facility says a human torso was delivered to its site and is suing

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

Human remains are at the center of tangled litigation involving a major regional health care system and the company contracted to dispose of its medical waste.Monarch Waste Technologies sued Sanford Health and the subsidiary responsible for delivering the health care system’s medical waste, Healthcare Environmental Services, saying the latter “brazenly” deposited a human torso hidden in a plastic container to its facility in March. Monarch discovered the remains four days later after an employee “noticed a rotten and putrid smell,” according to the company’s complaint.Monarch rejected the remains and notified North Dakota’s Department of Environmental Quality, which is investigating. An agency spokeswoman declined to comment during an active investigation.The Texas-based company also claims an employee of Sanford Health’s subsidiary deliberately placed and then took photos of disorganized waste to suggest that Monarch had mismanaged medical waste, part of a scheme that would a...

Minnesota firefighters deployed to fight blaze in Manitoba

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:36:47 GMT

A crew of 17 woodland firefighters from Minnesota was deployed to Manitoba, Canada, after the province asked the state for help in fighting historic blazes ripping through the area.Gov. Tim Walz said the deployment was through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ partnership with the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact.“Thank you to the Minnesota wildland firefighters who answered the call to help our neighbors in the north,” said Walz. “We have a strong partnership and will continue to do everything we can to share resources and contain the Canadian wildfires.”The partnership that the DNR has with Canada and neighboring states ensures that all parties can “quickly and efficiently share resources to respond to wildfires throughout the region,” DNR officials said.“Canada is experiencing a historic fire season this year and I’m proud that our DNR wildland firefighters are ready to protect life and property in Minnesota and beyond, whenever the call comes in,” D...