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Steve Aoki builds a universe on ‘HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix.’ He also plans to go to the moon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For the EDM DJ Steve Aoki, the next frontier is the final one. Last year, it was announced he was on the manifest for the dearMoon Project, the first planned civilian mission to the moon. A trip to outer space makes a lot of sense for the forward-thinking creator, who’s releasing “HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix” on Friday.The first installment of the conceptual series, 2022’s pop-punk-infused “HiROQUEST: Genesis,” introduced the protagonist Hiro, tasked with collecting magical rings to save the world. On “HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix,” his story continues, and a new antagonist is introduced. The project has a collectible card component, and Aoki is writing a graphic novel — slated for release early next year — to tie the albums’ narratives together.Beyond the lore, of course, are the songs. Sonically, “HiROQUEST 2: Double Helix” is a detour from the first release. “I’m inspired by the world around me, and the world around me has changed quite a lot. ‘HiROQUEST...

Stakes rise ahead of 2024 election in Michigan as House Democrat announces retirement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s six-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee announced Thursday he will not seek reelection, opening another competitive Congressional seat in the battleground state.Kildee, who currently sits on the House Ways and Means committee, has represented the Flint area in Congress since 2013. He succeeded his uncle, Dale Kildee, who had served in Congress for 36 years. Earlier this year, the 65-year-old Kildee was diagnosed with a curable form of cancer that he has since had removed. He said the scare made him reassess his “future and path.”“After spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren and contemplating our future, the time has come for me to step back from public office,” Kildee said in a statement Thursday. The announcement forces Democrats to defend yet another open seat next year as they attempt to retake the U.S. House, where Republicans currently hold a five-seat majority. U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin announced in February she would not ...

Matson’s journey as UNC’s 23-year-old field hockey coach reaches the brink of another NCAA title

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Erin Matson crouched near midfield, intently watching North Carolina’s field hockey players run drills creating a hive of activity near the goal.A year ago at this time, Matson was among that on-ball chaos, the decorated star of a team nearing another national championship. Now she’s a first-time head coach, a 23-year-old taking over for the winningest coach in the sport’s history and leading players who were previously teammates.Pressure? Yep. And she’s good with all of it.“I live by the quote: pressure is a privilege,” Matson said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think the ability to be in a situation like this, I’m grateful for that, and I appreciate that.”Matson’s remarkable playing career has already made her a sizable name in field hockey. She’s a three-time national player of the year. A four-time national champion, three in unbeaten seasons. The career scoring leader in Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA Tournament history. And a U...

Wisconsin’s annual gun deer season set to open this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s annual nine-day gun deer-hunting season starts this weekend to a mixed outlook.The season kicks off at sunrise on Saturday and closes on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 26. Hunters killed 203,295 deer during the 2022 season, up 14% from 2021. The higher kill numbers came despite fewer hunters in the woods; license sales were down 1.6% last year. Officials with the state Department of Natural Resources say the outlook for this year’s harvest is mixed. The gun season opens on the earliest possible day this year, putting it closer to breeding season, when deer will be on the move and increase hunters’ chances. But last winter was tough in northern Wisconsin, which could translate to fewer deer in that part of the state. And a lack of snow won’t help hunters. Snow helps hunters track and spot deer.The Associated Press

Armed man allegedly entered East Chicago PD detention garage for 'more bullets.' Gets arrested instead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — A 41-year-old man faces multiple weapons charges after allegedly entering an East Chicago Police Department detention garage armed with a firearm, police said Wednesday.According to police, around 5:45 a.m. on Nov. 15, two East Chicago police officers preparing for their morning shift observed a male, later identified as Marc L. King, walk into the restricted area with a semi-automatic firearm in his right hand.SEE ALSO: Des Plaines man accused of shooting pregnant wife, killing unborn childBoth officers drew their weapons and ordered King to drop his firearm.King complied and officers placed him under arrest.When asked why he disregarded the posted "No Trespassing" signs prior to walking the detention garage with a handgun, he allegedly told police, "I need more bullets."The subject was identified as 41-year-old Marc L. King of East Chicago. (Photo: East Chicago PD)The subject was identified as 41-year-old Marc L. King of East Chicago. (Photo: East Chicago PD...

MLB team owners approve Oakland A's move to Las Vegas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Major League Baseball team owners voted to approve the Oakland A's move to Las Vegas, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Thursday afternoon.The vote comes around six months after the A's reached a tentative agreement for a new stadium in Las Vegas, after being unable to reach a deal for one in Oakland. “There was an effort over more than a decade to find a stadium solution in Oakland. It was [A's owner] John Fisher’s preference. It was my preference," Manfred said at a news conference following the vote. “This is a terrible day for fans in Oakland. I understand that and that’s why we’ve always had a policy of doing everything humanly possible to avoid a relocation and truly believe we did that in this case. I think it’s beyond debate that the status quo in Oakland was untenable.”Earlier this year, the Oakland Athletics announced a deal had been reached to build a new stadium on the current site of the Tropicana hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Nevada lawmakers ev...

'The Suite Life on Deck' 15-year dinner reservation is here

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Fans who grew up watching "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," and the spinoff, "The Suite Life on Deck," two Disney channel shows from the mid-2000s, are hitting a big milestone Thursday. In season 1, episode 14 of "The Suite Life on Deck," called "When in Rome", Zack and Cody, played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse, respectively, arrive at an Italian restaurant, hoping to get a reservation. Frontier Airlines launches $499 ‘all-you-can-fly’ annual pass The hostess tells them, "I can squeeze you in at 7:30...on November 16, 2023." To which the twins respond, "But that's in 15 years!"Well, that day has arrived.Superfans of the TV series are now counting down the hours until the boys' reservation time is here from that iconic restaurant reservation moment that aired in 2008. From left actors Debby Ryan, Dylan Sprouse, Brenda Song, Cole Sprouse and Phill Lewis make an appearance at the Disney store to promote their new show "The Suite Life on Deck", in New York, on Frida...

Mississippi man buried without his family's knowledge had ID in his pocket, attorney says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – A Mississippi man who died after being struck by a police SUV was buried in a pauper's cemetery without his family's knowledge – despite having his state identification card in his pocket, civil rights attorney Ben Crump alleged Thursday.Crump claimed that the exhumation of Dexter Wade's body and discovery of the ID, which had his home address on it, as well as a credit card and health insurance card, indicates a serious effort to cover up how Wade died.Crump confirmed to The Associated Press that the address on the ID card matched the address of Wade's mother, Bettersten Wade, who said she didn't learn of her son's death until months after he was buried.Wade, 37, died March 5 after he was hit by a Jackson Police Department vehicle driven by an off-duty officer.For months, family members tried to locate him, even filing a missing person's report a few days after he disappeared. His mother, Bettersten Wade, said she did not know that he was deceased until...

US officials releasing more RSV shots for newborns amid rising infections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — RSV infections are rising sharply in some parts of the country, nearly filling hospital emergency departments in Georgia, Texas and some other states.To help counter the surge, federal officials on Thursday announced they were releasing more doses of a new RSV shot for newborns that have been in short supply.Reports of the seasonal virus are rising nationally, but experts said RSV is not expected to generate the kind of widespread patient traffic seen last fall, when hospitals were overwhelmed with sick, wheezing kids.Nevertheless, cases will likely rise in more parts of the country and infections may be intense in some places, said Dr. Meredith McMorrow, an RSV expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In Virginia, 20 kids are currently hospitalized with RSV at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Health, with about half of them in the intensive care unit, said spokesperson Shira Pollard.In Georgia, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital ...

Anheuser-Busch marketing head stepping down after Bud Light sales slump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:25 GMT

(The Hill) – The marketing head for Anheuser-Busch will step down at the end of the year, a decision that comes months after its Bud Light brand saw a dip in sales following the company's controversial partnership with a transgender influencer. Benoit Garbe, the U.S. chief marketing officer for Anheuser-Busch, will resign at the end of the year "in order to embark on a new chapter in his career," a spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch said in a statement. The company's U.S. Chief Commercial Officer Kyle Norrington will "oversee and be fully dedicated to all aspects of its marketing activities." Two other sales leaders will now report to Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth, according to the spokesperson. Whitworth explained that the changes will "reduce layers" within the organization. Anheuser-Busch CEO releases statement amid Bud Light controversy “These senior leadership changes will accelerate our return to growth as we continue to focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for...