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The Death of Peter Thiel’s "Kept" Romantic Partner Is Being Investigated as a Suicide

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

Jeff Thomas, a model and social media influencer who was recently in a long-term relationship with billionaire Peter Thiel, said he spent much of his time with the tech mogul working to persuade him away from his increasingly aggressive pursuit of a culture war — a war that Thomas warned was blowing back on their community.“I don’t side with him on a lot of political things, but I understand him,” Thomas told me in an interview last November. “I’m trying to influence him in ways to show him my heart, and show him how it affects myself, certain individuals, himself.”Thomas said that he felt like he had made strides with Thiel, though his effort was cut short earlier this month, on March 8, when he died tragically. His death is being investigated as a possible suicide, according to a Miami Police Department report and sources who have been contacted by the police for information. Miami police have been in contact with Thiel, and will interview him as part of the probe, two...

April showers bring Arlington Players, who make a splash with local production of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'Singin' in the Rain' by the Arlington Players (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); The American Film Institute voted the 1952 film the greatest movie musical ever made — and I don’t disagree.Now, a new generation makes a splash as the nonprofit Arlington Players stage “Singin’ in the Rain” from March 25 through April 8 at the Thomas Jefferson Commu...

Rap artist Afroman sued by officers who raided his home

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

WINCHESTER, Ohio (AP) — Seven law enforcement officers have sued rap artist Afroman, accusing him of improperly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year in his music videos.Four deputies, two sergeants and a detective with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office brought the suit earlier this month, claiming invasion of privacy. Other law enforcement officers who were involved in the raid are not named as plaintiffs.The plaintiffs say the rapper, whose real name is Joseph Foreman, took footage of their faces obtained during the August 2022 raid and used it in music videos and social media posts without their consent. They say that has caused them “emotional distress, embarrassment, ridicule, loss of reputation and humiliation.”The plaintiffs are seeking all of Foreman’s profits from his use of their personas. That includes proceeds from the songs, music videos and live event tickets, as well as the promotion of Foreman’s Afroman brand, under which he sells beer, ma...

Business Highlights: TikTok CEO’s grilling, credit crunch

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

___TikTok ban CEO congressional hearing ByteDance ChinaWASHINGTON (AP) — The CEO of TikTok has been grilled by a U.S. congressional committee to make the case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn’t be banned. Shou Zi Chew’s testimony Thursday came at a crucial time for the company, which has 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S. officials concerned about data security and user safety. TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been swept up in a wider geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology. Chew, a 40-year-old Singapore native, made a rare public appearance to counter the volley of allegations that TikTok has been facing. ___Fed’s unwanted ally in bid to tame inflation: Credit crunchWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is getting some unwanted help in its drive to slow the U.S. economy and defeat the worst bout of inflation in four decades: a cutback in bank lending. The upheaval in the financia...

Texas has Terry coaching among March Madness heavyweights

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Of the four coaches who led their teams to the semifinals of the Midwest Region at the NCAA Tournament, the most unlikely of them might feel the most at home when he walks into T-Mobile Center on Friday night.Sure, Kelvin Sampson has taken Oklahoma and Houston to the Final Four and is two wins away from guiding the Cougars back for the second time in three years. Miami coach Jim Larrañaga led George Mason to its own improbable Final Four in 2006 and had the Hurricanes a game away from the national semifinals last season.Xavier’s Sean Miller has reached the Elite Eight twice, once at Arizona and once in his first stint with the Musketeers.Then there’s Rodney Terry, the assistant-turned-savior of Texas, who not only kept the Longhorns from floundering after the firing of Chris Beard but has them thriving. The same coach that couldn’t get Fresno State out of the first round, or get UTEP into the Big Dance, has the Longhorns playing in the Sweet...

ARL: Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — DALLAS (AP) — American Realty Investors Inc. (ARL) on Thursday reported fourth-quarter net income of $43.4 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.On a per-share basis, the Dallas-based company said it had profit of $2.69. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 69 cents per share.The real estate investment company posted revenue of $13.3 million in the period.ARL shares have climbed roughly 9% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $27.88, an increase of 99% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ARL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ARLSource

Now 40, Verlander still looks strong this spring for Mets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — It’s a fair assumption that Father Time will catch up with Justin Verlander one of these days.The three-time AL Cy Young Award winner is putting up quite a fight.The 40-year-old Verlander signed with the New York Mets during the offseason and looks like he’s got plenty of good pitching left. The hard-throwing righty has a 2.25 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 16 innings in four starts during Grapefruit League action.The Mets are hoping to squeeze another elite season out of Verlander and Max Scherzer, who is 38 years old. Scherzer has also had a solid spring training, giving up just one earned run over 11 2/3 innings.Verlander is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, helping the Astros win the World Series and the Cy Young with an 18-4 record and 1.75 ERA. Here are a few more standouts during MLB’s spring training games in Arizona and Florida:Ozzie Albies, 2B, Braves: The two-time All-Star is trying to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2022 ...

What makes you 'low income' in Denver?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Thirty dollars an hour is officially "low income" in Denver, according to the latest Denver Department of Housing Stability information.The new income limits come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. The limits mean anyone making less than a certain percentage of the area's median income can get subsidized housing of some kind. Denver has planned to deepen subsidized housing offerings for those making 80% of the area's median income or less. In Denver, this is $62,600 a year — almost exactly $30 an hour for a full-time worker. IRS: How to avoid impersonation scams as tax deadline nears The chart below gives HUD's ranges for Denver income levels by household size.% Area median income1-person household2-person household3-person household4-person household5-person household6-person household120%$98,450$112,500$126,600$140,650$151,900$163,150115%$94,415$107,780$121,325$135,470$145,590$156,400100%$82,100$93,800$105,500$117,800$126,600$136,...

State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz voices support for ‘Don’t Say Gay’ expansion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

ORANGE PARK, Fla. (WSVN) — State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz threw his support behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial plan to expand the Parental Rights in Education Act to all grade levels in the state’s public schools.The law, known by critics as “Don’t Day Gay,” prohibits instruction in sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.Speaking on Thursday at an event in Orange Park, near Jacksonville, Diaz said schools should focus on academics.“This rule basically says that we’re sticking to the standards, and when you’re talking about K-12 instruction, all the way to 12th grade, these standards don’t incorporate gender ideology or these theories in math, social studies, reading or anything else,” he said. “We preserve the health standards, and that provides it, makes it clear for teachers what it is, because there were a lot of questions about age-appropriate [content]. Well, this clar...

Hollywood Police officer and boy he saved from near drowning reunite

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:51:00 GMT

A family is hailing a Hollywood Police officer a hero after he saved a little boy from drowning.Hollywood Police officer John Guzman and the boy, Ky’eir Ray, were reunited at Hollywood Police headquarters, Thursday.In a 911 call, someone said, “This little boy was in the pool, and he was at the bottom, and he’s not responding.”It looked like a bad dream, and it sounded like one too.“Ky’eir, come on, Ky’eir, keep breathing, come on,” a woman’s voice could be heard on an audi recording.March 4, 9-year-old Ky’eir Ray and his best friend Jacob Jimenez had been swimming in the Hidden court complex in Hollywood, and it was getting late.“Grandma over there said it’s time to go,” recalled Jacob.“And the goggles went into deep end,” said Ky’eir. “I went down. I couldn’t get it because it kept pulling me back up, so I kept swimming down, and I eventually grabbed it, but then I blacked out.”“I...