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St. Louis Union Station Polar Express tickets now on sale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- It may be a little far off to think about Christmas, but now may be the time for some parents to start planning. Tickets are now on sale for the Polar Express train ride at St. Louis Union Station.The Polar Express is the magical story of a boy's search for the real meaning of Christmas, based on the beloved children's book. The train rides begin at St. Louis Union Station on November 17 and continue through December 30th.Tickets start at $41, and can run up to $100. Learn more here.

L.A. councilmember wants to ban businesses from going cash-free

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

While the days of wallets stuffed with dollar bills and pockets jingling with coins might be a distant memory for many of us, a Los Angeles City Councilwoman wants to make sure cash doesn’t go extinct.At least not yet.Councilwoman Heather Hutt (District 10), who represents a wide swath of central L.A. from Baldwin Hills to Koreatown, introduced a motion Tuesday to ban cashless retail businesses in the city.“Cashless businesses create an economy in our City that is not inclusive and accessible for all people,” Hutt said in a statement. “There are many unbanked groups, including [minorities] and low-income communities, that rely on cash to pay for goods and services.”A 2022 Pew Research Center study found that roughly 40% of Americans go "cashless" each week – meaning none of their purchases involved physical dollars and cents. That’s up from 29% in 2018 and 24% in 2015.But there is a clear racial divide.The Pew study also found that roughly a quarter of Black adults (26%) and 21% of ...

Feinstein accuses trustees of husband's estate of financial abuse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) accused the trustees of her late husband’s estate of committing financial abuse against her and called for them to be suspended as administrators of the account in a recent legal filing.Feinstein, 90, accused the three trustees — Michael Klein, Marc Scholvinck and Verett Mims — of the Richard C. Blum Revocable Trust of denying her funds to which she is entitled from her late husband's estate. Her late husband, Richard Blum, was reportedly a billionaire when he passed away early last year. The filing marks the latest salvo in the battle by the longtime California lawmaker to gain access to the funds.According to her filing, the three trustees are “wrongfully withholding distributions to which [Blum’s] Trust entitles her in bad faith and diverting assets that they should have used to fund” Feinstein’s marital trust. Feinstein said that upon Blum’s death, $5 million was to be placed into her trust, with that total set to be dispersed to her in quarterly...

Southern California football legend drowns in Oregon river

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

A Southern California high school football legend, Herman Ho-Ching, drowned Sunday after jumping into an Oregon river.Ho-Ching, 44, was with family members at Riverside Park in Clackamas, a Portland suburb, when he jumped from a cement water intake structure in the Clackamas River, said a report from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.He failed to resurface, and he was pulled unresponsive from the river by emergency crews responding to the 911 call.On Monday, the Oregonian reported the death.In 1997, his senior year at Long Beach Poly, Ho-Ching was one of the nation’s top running back recruits. He clinched his reputation with a dominating performance as Poly defeated heavily favored Mater Dei in the CIF Southern State championship.He played two seasons for the Oregon Ducks before he was dismissed from the team for academic reasons. Off-the-field issues scuttled his announced transfer to Nevada in 2001.In announcing Ho-Ching’s death, the sheriff’s office id...

Downtown San Jose could use Summer Fest’s energy all year long

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

The three-day San Jose Jazz Summer Fest washed over downtown last weekend, making another great counterpoint to the notion that San Jose just can’t escape from its doldrums. It’s just too bad those good vibes and civic pride can’t be bottled up and sprinkled around the rest of the year.“Jazz Fest represents what our city can be at its best,” Mayor Matt Mahan said to a packed courtyard at Scott’s Seafood during the Mayor’s Jazz Brunch on Saturday. “To me, it’s the best weekend of the year in San Jose.”The crowd at the Latin Tropical stage on South First Street dances to the music of San Miguel during San Jose Jazz Summer Fest on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan speaks at the Mayor's Jazz Brunch at Scott's Seafood in San Jose on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)Festival goers Tainisha Backmon, left, of San Jose, Brenda Jackson, of San Jose, an...

British actor Darren Kent dies at 39; played goatherd on ‘Game of Thrones’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

By Dan Heching | CNNDarren Kent, the actor famous for his role of a goatherd in “Game of Thrones” among other titles, has died. He was 39.The news was confirmed by his London-based agency Carey Dodd Associates, who posted the news on social media, early Tuesday morning:“It is with deep sadness we have to tell you that our dear friend and client Darren Kent passed away peacefully on Friday. His parents and best friend by his side. Our thoughts and love are with his family in this difficult time. RIP my friend”Kent plays a goatherd in “Game of Thrones” in 2014. His first screen credit came a decade earlier, in the series “Shameless.” (HBO)The agency’s post on Instagram added, “Darren was not only a talented actor, director and writer, he was truly one of the kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. It has been a privilege and pleasure to have been a part of his journey.”Samantha Dodd confirmed Kent’s age at the time of his passing to CNN. No cause of de...

San Jose approves pay bumps for 4,500 city workers, avoiding major strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

What may have become the largest San Jose city employee strike in decades fizzled on Tuesday after councilmembers approved a significant pay bump for about 4,500 of its workers, a major win for South Bay labor organizers who claimed their members were being short-changed in one of America’s most expensive metropolitan areas.The two unions negotiating with the city — MEF-AFSCME Local 101 and IFPTE Local 21 — secured 14.5 to 15% wage increases over the next three years, about 3% more than what the city’s final offer was in June before talks broke down.The two labor groups — which represent employees who work in libraries, parks and the city’s airport — threatened to have its members walk off the job starting Aug. 15 for three days if a deal wasn’t made, an action that would have disrupted key municipal services.“It feels great,” said MET-AFSCME negotiating member John Tucker. “I know our members are excited to get back ...

Here’s the Warriors’ schedule for NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

The NBA is trying something new this season.The Association unveiled the schedule for its inaugural in-season tournament on Tuesday.The Warriors will get started Nov. 3 in Oklahoma City, followed by games against the Timberwolves, Spurs and Kings.The new tournament will feature all 30 teams competing in group play before moving on to a knockout round.A drawing at Summer League last month divided the league into six groupings — three for each conference. The Warriors are in West Group C with Sacramento, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.Here are the Warriors’ four group-play games:Nov. 3: at Thunder – 5 p.m.Nov. 14: vs. Timberwolves – 7 p.m.Nov. 24: vs. Spurs – 7 p.m. (ESPN)Nov. 28: at Kings – 7 p.m. (TNT)Group play across the league will take place every Tuesday and Friday in November — except for Election Day on Nov. 7, when no NBA games are scheduled to encourage higher voter turnout.Eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, which wi...

Massive blast in Dominican Republic kills at least 10

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

By Gerardo Lemos and Jessica Hasbun | CNNAt least 10 people died and 37 more were injured in an explosion in the Dominican Republic on Monday, according to the office of President Luis Abinader.A further 11 people are missing following the blast, which occurred in the town of San Cristobal in the south of the country, the president’s office said in a statement Tuesday.More than two dozen rescue units responded to the explosion, and the injured were taken to various hospitals. The cause of the explosion has not been established, added the statement.In remarks from the National Palace on Monday, President Luis Abinader expressed his concern for the situation and said he is closely following events, state broadcaster RTVD’s Central 4 Noticias reported.

Taliban have no plans to lift ban on female education

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:57 GMT

By Riazat Butt | Associated PressKANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Taliban view their rule of Afghanistan as open-ended, drawing legitimacy from Islamic law and facing no significant threat, their chief spokesman said in an interview marking the second anniversary of the Taliban takeover of the country. He also indicated a ban on female education will remain in place.Zabihullah Mujahid brushed aside any questions from The Associated Press about restrictions on girls and women, saying the status quo will remain. The ban on girls attending school beyond sixth grade was the first of what became a flurry of restrictions that now keep Afghan women from classrooms, most jobs and much of public life.The Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war. To mark the anniversary, Tuesday was declared a public holiday. Women, largely barred from public life, didn’t take part in the festivities.In the southern city of Kandahar, th...