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“It’s the most iconic marathon”; Runners from around the world ready to lace up

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

Thomas VanSlembrouck, of Grand Rapids, Mich., has been to the Boston Marathon before, cheering on many of his family members who have competed in the world’s oldest marathon.Monday morning, VanSlembrouck will put his running gear on and take off from Hopkinton, running his first Boston. A fieldof 30,238 participants from all 50 U.S. states and 106 countries will be joining him along the 26.2-mile route to Copley Square.“It’s the most iconic marathon,” VanSlembrouck said Sunday, taking in the sights of the finish line with his girlfriend, Emily Gordo. “You get the top percentage of whatever runners in the world come together. Now, I’m here, ready for the big dance.”Michelle Brooks Thompson, a national award-winning independent recording artist and finalist on The Voice, will sing the national anthem while two F-15s fly over Hopkinton en route to Boston.The professional men’s field will set off at 9:37 a.m., 10 minutes before the professional women. The 127th running will featur...

‘I’m pretty proud of it’; Ortiz reflects on speech after bombing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

David Ortiz knows that what he said at the first game at Fenway Park after the Boston Marathon bombing had an impact — in Boston and around the world.Ortiz and many of his 2013 World Series champion teammates were honored Sunday in Boston before the Red Sox played the Los Angeles Angels. He’ll also be the grand marshal for this year’s marathon, which will be run Monday morning.Ten years ago, two bombs detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring nearly 300. Five days later, the Red Sox played a home game, at Fenway, where Ortiz stood in front of the pitcher’s mound and said: “This is our (expletive) city. And nobody’s gonna dictate our freedom. Stay strong.”The Red Sox took off after that moment and went on to win the World Series.“You know what, 10 years later I can tell you about the impact of what I say (had),” Ortiz said Sunday. “To be honest with you, I’m so proud it was take...

Avalanche in Thunderwater Lake riding area claims life of snowmobiler

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

INVERMERE, B.C. — Avalanche Canada says a snowmobiler died after being caught in an avalanche in a riding area northwest of Invermere, B.C. The avalanche safety organization says a trio of snowmobilers was riding a slope above Whirlpool Lake on Saturday when two of the riders were caught up in a slide. Avalanche Canada says one rider managed to avoid being buried, but one was trapped under two metres of snow. It says the other riders found and dug the buried rider out and did CPR before search and rescue arrived and transported the victim to Invermere in a helicopter. Avalanche Canada says the trio was riding a slope in the Thunderwater Lake area when the avalanche occurred. Avalanche Canada and alpine enthusiasts have sounded the alarm about the province’s dangerously unstable snowpack in some areas, with more than a dozen people killed in slides this season. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2023. The Canadian Press

Mirvish to close ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ after 13-month run in Toronto

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

TORONTO — “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is set to disappear from Toronto.Mirvish Productions announced Sunday it plans to close the stage play based on J.K. Rowling’s characters that opened less than 10 months ago. The wizards take their final bows on July 2 at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre.The end of “Harry Potter” comes as Canadian live theatre struggles for direction in the wake of extensive COVID-19 closures and a slow recovery. Producers hoped to cast a spell over audiences with a familiar franchise and theatrical spectacle that includes flying actors and impressive pyrotechnics.But the stage production was a gamble from the start. Toronto producer David Mirvish said when taking into account ticket sales trends, it became clear that high running costs would make it difficult to keep the show open.“In other times, it probably would’ve gone longer,” he acknowledged.“If we hadn’t had to deal with the pandemic, it would...

Chicago State faculty and staff union reaches agreement with university, suspends strike

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

CHICAGO — Faculty and staff members of the Chicago State University chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) suspended their strike Sunday after reaching a tentative agreement with CSU administration."We are pleased to report that, after many additional hours of intensive bargaining over the weekend, our union and CSU administration have resolved the issues remaining on the table and reached a tentative four-year agreement," said CSU UPI President Valerie Goss. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Chicago State University faculty on strike Details of the agreement will not be provided until all members of the union have had the opportunity to review it and a ratification vote is held. If approved, the agreement will take effect immediately.Union members will return to work on Monday, April 17, with classes resuming.“Our faculty and staff look forward to being back in our classrooms tomorrow," Goss said.The strike began on April 3 and lasted for ten days.

4 killed, 28 injured in Alabama birthday party shooting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

DADEVILLE, Ala. (WRBL) - Four people were killed and 28 more were injured, including teenagers, in a Saturday night shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, according to law enforcement. Investigators are now imploring people to come forward with information.Witnesses said the shooting occurred at a 16th birthday party at Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in downtown Dadeville. Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said shots were fired at 10:34 p.m.Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing people running and screaming from the building.The total number of people shot was initially reported as more than 20. During a Sunday evening press conference, Sgt. Burkett confirmed 28 people were injured in the shooting, noting "some of those injuries are critical." CNN reported earlier in the day that 15 teenagers were taken to Dadeville’s Lake Martin Community Hospital with gunshot wounds. Six had been treated and released as of Sunday afternoon while the rest were t...

Weekend Break: Tron Exhibit at Chicago Gamespace

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

CHICAGO — It's the 41st anniversary of the movie Tron, along with the corresponding video games.The pinball games were made right here in Chicago. Weekend Break: Expo Chicago The 1982 film wasn't a box office hit, but the arcade games that came out of it were and still are. Time Lapetino wrote the book "The Art of Atari."In the movie, Jeff Bridges plays a programmer whose games get stolen and he tries to find the people who took them. When Disney came calling to help create an arcade game, George Gomez was one of the designers at a Chicago company called Midway.41 years later, Tron Games are still going strong.The Tron Exhibit is happening now at Chicago Gamespace.It runs on the weekends through August.

Bruce Springsteen gets his own holiday in New Jersey

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

(The Hill) - Rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen is getting his own holiday in his native state of New Jersey. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) made the announcement on Saturday, saying in a social media post that September 23, the birthday of the legendary artist, will be known as “Bruce Springsteen Day.” “Bruce Springsteen is one of the most iconic and influential musicians – and New Jerseyans – of all time, period,” Murphy wrote in a tweet.  Restaurant service fees on the rise: Here’s how to spot them “And so, I am both honored and proud to announce @springsteen's birthday, Sept. 23, will officially be known as Bruce Springsteen Day in the Garden State.”The news comes as the “Born in the U.S.A.” singer received the National Medal of Arts recognition from President Biden last month, being one of the 23 individuals being recognized with the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal.  Walmart closing locations across 12 states this year: Here’s wh...

Walk-off win clinches series over Kansas Jayhawks for No. 8 Texas softball

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After a hiccup Friday, the No. 8 Texas softball team clinched the season series against the Kansas Jayhawks with a 3-2 win Sunday at McCombs Field.The Longhorns bounced back from their worst defensive game of the season Friday, committing five errors and losing 9-3, to win the second game of the series 10-0 in five innings before Sunday's 1-run victory.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIn Sunday's game, freshman catcher Reese Atwood smacked a single to score Mia Scott with the game-winning run in the seventh inning. Scott was the only Longhorn with multiple hits, collecting a pair from the leadoff spot in the lineup."I knew Mia (Scott) was on second and she has incredible speed, so I just knew I needed to get a ball in the gap or somewhere on the ground because she would score on anything I could put in play," Atwood said. "That was my approach going up t...

Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland: Gabriel Landeskog uncertainty didn’t impact how Avs handled trade deadline

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:07:02 GMT

There are two schools of hindsight bias regarding the Avalanche’s 2023 trade deadline.First is the notion that if Chris MacFarland and the front office had known Gabriel Landeskog would be out for the year, then they could’ve, would’ve, should’ve made a bigger splash at the deadline to make use of his LTIR salary cap space.Second is the rebuttal that without absolute confidence in Landeskog returning, it would have been risky, superfluous or even nonsensical to sacrifice more future assets on a win-now mentality. The captain’s out anyway; why spend for a rental?As for MacFarland himself, he’s not taking the easy excuse that was available to him if he just wanted to appease the “trade for Ryan O’Reilly” crowd. The Avalanche general manager said Sunday that the uncertainty surrounding Landeskog had no effect on how Colorado navigated the deadline, dispelling that first theory.In fact, he indicated he was starting to get an idea by ...