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Massive Detroit Lions & Dan Campbell corn maze set to open on Sept. 28

5 September 2024 at 15:10

We first covered this story back in July. Now, the Choice Farm Market said the corn maze will open on Sept. 28.

Tickets are $14.99 and Lions season ticket holders are $12.99. Tickets include a corn maze, cow train, pumpkin house, fall photo ops, a culvert slide and more.

The Detroit Lions hype this season is going to be unreal. In fact, it's already started with a massive corn maze in Webberville.

VIDEO: Drone video captures Dan Campbell-inspired Detroit Lions corn maze in Webberville Drone video captures Dan Campbell-inspired Detroit Lions corn maze in Webberville

Loretta Benjamin is the co-owner of Choice Farm Market, where the maze has been created.

"We knew at the end of last season that the Lions were going to be our theme this year," she told our team.

Benjamin said she and her family have been planning the Dan Campbell-inspired Detroit Lions corn maze since last February.

"We chose the lion because we thought the mane would be a great maze on it. And then it just popped in my head: well, lets put Dan Campbell on that lion head, how fitting," she said.

Benjamin shared that the maze wasn't supposed to be announced until it opens in September. It's not even completely done yet. But the rather large cat is out of the bag two months early due to Lions fandom, and a passing pilot.

"Somebody, apparently, had flown over and taken a picture and put it out on social media, and it went viral," Benjamin said. "Its phenomenal phenomenal. Weve had a couple of the Lions players actually like our Facebook page with the post on there."

The Detroit Lions NFL Instagram account even shared an image of the maze captioning it, "Just...wow."

Benjamin said the maze designer created it using GPS coordinates.

"It took a good 12 hours because they were out there after dark," she said.

When the maze opens on Sept. 28, there will be Detroit Lions-themed photo opportunities and interactive games like trivia waiting for guests between the corn stalks.

When asked if she thinks the success of the corn maze is a precursor to what the Lions' success will be this season, Benjamin said, "Yes, this is a sign. We are fortunate we can legitimately talk about a Super Bowl."

Fire up your career: Inside the life of an auto technician

5 September 2024 at 14:54

Scripps News and WorkingNation present "Fire Up Your Career," an investigation of the challenges facing employees and businesses.

The automotive industry is one sector that is full of opportunity for those looking to get their hands a little dirty. A technician in Minneapolis explained how he was able to hit the ground running thanks to an innovative program that set him up for success.

Shawn Bona, an area manager at Bridgestone, added that the automotive industry is in desperate need of skilled technicians to handle oil changes, basic brake services and maintenance services such as filters and fluids. He said that while he has some technicians that make below six figures, there are some workers that exceed that amount. As they develop their skills, the opportunity to gain income increases, he said.

Video editor of WorkingNation Melissa Panzer joined Scripps News to discuss the automotive workforce. Watch the video above for more.

In most cases of school shootings, shooter exhibits warning signs, report finds

5 September 2024 at 13:20

According to research by the National Institute of Justice, most school shooters exhibit outward signs of crisis, whether it be through social media or other means.

The government's research indicates shooters "often publicly broadcast a high degree of personal instability and an inability to cope in their current mental state."

The report is particularly noteworthy after the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed on Wednesday that the alleged 14-year-old shooter in the Winder, Georgia, high school shooting that left two students and two teachers dead had been interviewed in 2023 by local law enforcement about potential threats.

Ultimately, authorities did not find probable cause to make an arrest at the time.

RELATED STORY | The FBI says authorities interviewed the Georgia school shooting suspect about threats in 2023

Katherine Schweit, who led the FBI's active shooter initiative, said it is important for people to speak out when there are signs a person may be in crisis.

"The most important thing that I've learned from working on this for a decade or more is that it starts in the home, it starts with your friends and your family," Schweit said. "FBI research tells us that in the case of school shooters, where we looked at actual shootings and the shooters, 92% of the student shooters conveyed that information. They spoke words and they did actions that their classmates saw."

While in the case of Wednesday's school shooting, speaking out was not enough, Schweit suggested that people should not be discouraged from reporting potential school shooters to authorities. According to the National Institute of Justice, two-thirds of foiled plots in all mass shootings, including school mass shootings, are detected through public reporting.

RELATED STORY |Β 2 students, 2 teachers killed in shooting at Georgia high school

"We have to convince them that they must report," Schweit said. "They must tell somebody to get them help. Telling is getting somebody help. Snitching is when you're trying to get somebody in trouble. The people on the gaming site in May of 2023 who relayed in anonymous tips to the FBI saying, 'hey, this person is talking about a school shooting,' they were trying to get help for people."

The National Institute of Justice said that 80% of those who conduct mass school shootings stole their weapon from a family member. The government's report suggests that there is a need for more secure firearm storage practices.

In the case of Wednesday's school shooting, the FBI said the suspect's father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the suspect did not have unsupervised access to them.

Flint bride & groom charged in groomsman's death after wedding

5 September 2024 at 13:01

A bride and a groom in Flint have been charged in the alleged murder of a groomsman after their wedding in Flint.

According to police, they were called to the scene around 8 p.m. on Aug. 30 for a reported injury crash. They found the victim, later identified as 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor, with severe injuries. He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

Police say Taylor attended a wedding earlier that day as a groomsman. After the wedding, he was involved in an argument that led to him being intentionally struck by a large SUV that was allegedly driven by the groom.

The groom Β 22-year-old James Shirah Β has been charged with second degree murder. His wife, 21-year-old Savahna Collier, has been charged with accessory after the fact.

Olympic marathoner dies after being severely burned, allegedly by her partner over a land dispute

5 September 2024 at 12:11

Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei has died at a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80% of her body was burned in an attack by her partner. She was 33.

The country's sports minister said authorities must do more to combat gender-based violence.

A spokesperson at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret city, Owen Menach, confirmed Cheptegeis death on Thursday. Menach said the long-distance runner died early in the morning after her organs failed. She had been fully sedated on admission at the hospital.

RELATED STORY | Breaking will not be returning for the 2028 Olympics. Here's why

Cheptegei competed in the womens marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month before the attack. She finished in 44th place.

Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told journalists at the hospital that he had lost a daughter who was very supportive and hopes to get justice.

As it is now, the criminal who harmed my daughter is a murderer and I am yet to see what the security officials are doing," the father said. "He is still free and might even flee.

Trans Nzoia County Police Commander Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday that Cheptegeis partner, Dickson Ndiema, bought a can of gasoline, poured it on her and set her ablaze during a disagreement Sunday. Ndiema was also burned and was being treated at the same hospital.

Menach said Ndiema was still in the intensive care unit with burns over 30% of his body but was improving and stable.

Cheptegeis parents said their daughter bought land in Trans Nzoia to be near the countys many athletic training centers. A report filed by the local chief said the two were heard fighting over the land where her house was built before the attack.

RELATED STORY | The Green Behind the Gold: The costs and rewards of putting on the Olympic Games

The Uganda Athletics Federation eulogized Cheptegei on the social platform X, writing, We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, early this morning who tragically fell victim to domestic violence. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest In Peace.

Uganda Olympic Committee President Donald Rukare called the attack a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.

Kenya's Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the government would ensure justice for the victim.

This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to combat gender-based violence in our society, which in recent years has reared its ugly head in elite sporting circles, he wrote in a statement.

In 2023, Ugandan Olympic runner and steeplechaser Benjamin Kiplagat was found dead with stab wounds. In 2022, Kenyan-born Bahraini athlete Damaris Muthee was found dead and a postmortem report stated that she was strangled. In 2021, long distance runner Agnes Tirop was stabbed to death at her home. Her husband, Ibrahim Rotich, was arrested and charged with murder, the case is ongoing.

Electoral calendar 'not relevant' as Trump Jan. 6 case resumes after SCOTUS ruling

5 September 2024 at 11:38

A key hearing in the federal election interference case against former President Donald Trump got underway Thursday morning in Washington, D.C. This was the first in-court proceeding involving Trump since the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision on presidential immunity.

RELATED STORY | Constitutional law expert explains what's new in Trump's latest Jan. 6 indictment

Judge Tanya Chutkan will have to decide what evidence is allowed in this case.

This new court hearing comes two months after the Supreme Court's decision, with all six conservative justices ruling there is presidential immunity for official acts. The Supreme Court said presidents cannot be charged with crimes when actions involve official acts while in office.

The Supreme Court ruling put the brakes on four criminal cases against Trump.

Chutkan made clear that issues of presidential immunity needs to be "dealt with as early as possible."

The judge did not say when a potential trial could begin, but said, "The electoral process and the timing of the election is not relevant here. She added, This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule.

Legal experts said the Supreme Court's decision significantly weakened special counsel Jack Smith's case.

"The Supreme Court has left a lot of space now for the lower courts to try to interpret which of these actions count within the official scope of the president's actions and which are outside," said George Washington University law professor Paul Schiff Berman.

RELATED STORY | Trump to attend court case hearings while on campaign trail

Last week, Smith unveiled a new superseding indictment against the former president with the same criminal charges, including conspiracy and obstruction.

Prosecutors say Trump knowingly spread lies that there was fraud in the 2020 election. And on January 6, 2021, when rioters broke into the U.S. Capitol, he "exploited the disruption" for personal gain.

Trump has pleaded not guilty and calls this case "election interference," writing on Truth Social, "All of these scams will fail, just as deranged Jack's hoax in Florida has been fully dismissed, and we will win the most important election in the history of our country on November 5th."

A trial is not expected before the election.

"I think whatever Judge Chutkan does, it will almost certainly get appealed to the D.C. Circuit, and perhaps ultimately the Supreme Court will weigh in again," said Schiff Berman.

During Thursday's hearing, lawyers for the former president argued that conversations between Trump and Vice President Mike Pence should equate a dismissal. Chutkan rejected that argument.

Fortnite fundraiser happening today at The Big House to raise money for U-M's cancer center

5 September 2024 at 11:01

A few days ahead of No. 10 Michigan's big game against No. 4 Texas, where the big screens at the Big House will be showing the highlights from the football game, the screens will feature video games.

The world's most popular streamer, Ninja, and his family will be taking over Michigan Stadium today, playing Fortnite on the Big Screen to help raise money for the school's cancer center.

Our own Mike Duffy got to sit down and talk to Ninja's brother, and the CEO and content creator of Bearded-Blevins, Jonathan Blevins.

"Can you describe to me what's going to happen tomorrow?" Mike asked.

Yeah. So were going to go live around 9:30 or 10 am eastern time and we are going to have cameras on and were going to be micd up and were going to be playing Fortnite together and talking to our incredible communities who are very excited," Jonathan replied. "Were going to have some previous Michigan athletes and current Michigan athletes joining us as well playing Fortnite, maybe on the Michigan field doing like a punt, pass, kick competition as well. All the while sharing that link in the Twitch chats and the Youtube chats where people can click and donate."

If you're not able to attend in person, you can find the link on Twitch and donate while you play.

You can watch the interview in it's entirety below: FULL INTERVIEW: Mike Duffy speaks with Jonathan Blevins, CEO and Content Creator of Breaded Blevins, ahead of Big House Fundraiser

Munich police kill an armed man during an exchange of fire near Israeli Consulate

5 September 2024 at 10:49

Police in Munich exchanged fire with a man on Thursday, fatally wounding the suspect in an area near a museum on the city's Nazi-era history and the Israeli Consulate.

According to a police spokesperson, officers were alerted to a person carrying a long gun in the Karolinenplatz area, near downtown Munich, at around 9 a.m. There was then an exchange of shots in which the suspect sustained fatal injuries, but there no was no indication that anyone else was hurt, spokesperson Andreas Franken told reporters.

There was no immediate information on the suspect's identity or on any motive, Franken said. The man, who was carrying an old make of firearm with a repeating mechanism, died at the scene. Bavaria's top security official, state Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect had opened fire at police and they returned fire.

RELATED STORY | Understanding the dynamics of a potential Israel-Hamas cease-fire

It was unclear whether the incident was in any way related to the 52nd anniversary Thursday of the attack by Palestinian militants on the Israeli delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics, which ended with the death of 11 Israeli team members, a West German police officer and five of the assailants.

Police said there was no evidence of any more suspects connected to the incident. They increased their presence in the city, Germany's third-biggest, but said they had no indication of incidents at any other locations or of any other suspects.

Five officers were at the scene at the time the gunfire erupted. Police later deployed to the area in force.

Israels Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Munich was closed when the shooting occurred and that none of its staff had been hurt.

RELATED STORY | Israel's Netanyahu demands open-ended control of Gaza's border with Egypt

The nearby Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, which opened in 2015 and explores the city's past as the birthplace of the Nazi movement, also said all of its employees were unharmed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he spoke with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He wrote on the social media platform X that together we expressed our shared condemnation and horror at the shooting.

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Berlin, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described Thursday's shooting as a serious incident but said she didn't want to speculate on what had happened.

She reiterated that the protection of Jewish and Israeli facilities has the highest priority.

Is it too expensive to stream NFL games this season?

5 September 2024 at 10:40

The NFL season kicks off tonight, and millions of football fans and fantasy football players from around the world will be tuning in to watch the Chiefs and Ravens.

And if you are one of those fans looking to binge every game this season, be prepared to pay up.

I hit up Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit to speak with people about streaming services, and how much it would cost them to watch every single game, and some of the answers that I got will surprise you.

"I would say that's an investment," said Sam Day.

"I think it's about, maybe like the high $400s, low $500s, maybe?" estimated Michael Rahl.

"20 bucks a month, so I don't know, maybe $150?" one man estimated.

"What if I told you $850?" I followed up with.

"Oh that is pretty pricey, it's too much," he responded.

It's become pretty apparent that streaming services may have caused some frustration when it comes to having the ability to watch your favorite teams.

In total, there's 272 regular season games. Fans and their wallets are going to have to keep up with the rising costs of the services.

There's Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Netflix, and ESPN Plus. But NFL Sunday Ticket is the only way for football fans to access every game on Sundays. It's available exclusively through YouTube TV.

I asked Tracy Melville how much she thinks it costs to watch every single NFL game this season.

"My guess is about $700 to get all of them, at least that, because there's so much premium that you don't get."

Tracy works in the restaurant industry, and has seen change in how customers watch their teams on Sunday.

"Do you have more people coming into your restaurant you work at to watch these games, rather than them having to spend their own money to watch it at home?" I asked her.

"Absolutely," she responded. "They're coming in because they don't have the packages themselves and they're coming in with hopes that we have it and it's really a timing thing too and it's hard to plan for."

"If you add on YouTube TV, we have for our cable, add that to the NFL Network and all that, you're looking close to a grand between all the streaming services," said Mark Kindall.

He nailed it.

I asked this trio the same question: How much do you think you would be paying?

"I wouldn't say more than $100" said Ronan (left)

His friends were right on the money and guessed $1,000.

"Wow bro, that's expensive," Ronan said.

And Ronan had some advice for those looking to cut costs.

"You have to customize your own packages," Ronan said.

Where Your Voice Matters

'Someone dropped the ball': Bridgerton fans disappointed after themed ball suddenly rescheduled

5 September 2024 at 09:54

A highly anticipated Bridgerton-themed ball planned for Detroit ended up being a bust.

The Bridgerton Ball, put on by Uncle & ME LLC, should have happened on Sunday, August 25. But just days before, people learned their regency ball gowns wouldn't be needed, because the event is being postponed another month, and if you can't make it, you're not getting your money back.

I spoke with the organizer, who says the venue pulled out last minute. Now we're hearing from the people who instead of dancing the night away, are trying to find out what happened.

Being carried into her client's new Detroit home is the only action Terri Burch's Bridgerton Ball Gowns are going to be seeing. Same for Dolores Parson and her ornate custom-made gown.

"For the dress itself at least $250," Dolores said. "It's a one-of-a-kind outfit."

Dolores' niece is Terri's client, and they all share a few things in common: a love for the show Bridgerton, and a flare for dressing up.

So when Detroit Bridgerton-themed ball came on their radar, they grabbed some tickets.

"We were all looking forward to it. We all had bought our fancy clothes, our shoes, got my nails done," Dolores said. "I went overboard."

"It was an opportunity to indulge in a fantasy," Terri said.

"People were actually sending them to me from all over," Terri said. "This is happening in your city? From Pennsylvania, form Canada from the West Coast."

But that ball didn't happen. Instead, ticket holders got an email at 11 p.m. the Thursday before the ball, saying they're suddenly rescheduling the ball because of the event going viral.

"I said youre kidding aren't you?!" Dolores said when she found out the news.

"The same day we also got a reminder from the event planners that the event was happening," Terri said.

Originally, Uncle & Me LLC planned the Bridgeton themed ball for August 25 at Castle Hall. It holds 450 people, and the ball quickly sold out, so they added Beacon Park as a venue, which holds up to 10,000 and sold tickets all summer.

Co-owner of the company, Chelsea Beard, says they sold just under 15000 tickets.

"When we did do our in-person meeting we already had told them about ticket sales," Chelsea said.

You can see the Beacon Park event rental agreement Chelsea signed with the Downtown Detroit partnership on June 4th. Tuesday prior to the ball, Chelsea got the update.

"It expanded beyond what they were willing to accommodate," Chelsea said.

Downtown Detroit partnership told me in this statement, "The sudden change is due to the third-party promoters not meeting the basic obligations to secure the park". But when asked, they wouldn't expand on what obligations Chelsea didn't meet.

"Thats all they said. Thats the only reason they gave me," Chelsea said.

They rescheduled the ball for September 22 at the Harmonie Club. Chelsea's event company sent out this email Saturday. The email also notified ticket holders that refunds couldn't be processed.

"The policy is that all sales are final when you purchase your ticket," Chelsea said.

"When you see no refund in my book its like 'ok, as long as whatevers been advertised is delivered then I would not expect my money back,'" Terri said.

Terri and Dolores saying that's not right, especially since Dolores, who lives in NYC, came to Detroit just for the ball, so for her, it is cancelled.

"I couldnt come back," Dolores said. "Nor would I want to. I got a bitter taste in my mouth."

"Exactly, I couldn't enjoy it if I wanted to," Terri said.

"I apologize to all the customers and I just want to make sure that this event did happen," Chelsea told me.

Chelsea added they've even turned off social media comments because of the backlash. With the new date, Dolores won't be coming back to town, and Terri says even though she's local, she's out as well.

"Someone dropped the ball. I dont know who did it. All the Ts werent crossed and all the Id werent dotted," Dolores said.

"Thats the problem its just been kind of vague. Sorry you gave us your money, your 100+ dollars and youre unable to attend our rescheduling and youre just out of luck. Thats not enough," Terri said.

Chelsea said some refunds are being given on a case-by-case-basis. You can contact her at Hello@unclenme.com.

Mother killed after trying to de-escalate argument that led to double shooting in Detroit

5 September 2024 at 03:59

A mother was killed and another person was critically injured after a shooting in Detroit Wednesday evening in what police say was an argument that went too far.

It happened around 8:10 p.m. in the area of Runyon and Greiner streets. Detroit police said they received a ShotSpotter alert and officers were at the scene within two minutes.

When police got to the scene, they found two people wounded, started providing aid and the victims were taken to the hospital.

According to police, an argument between two people who know each other escalated, someone pulled out a gun and as a mother tried to de-escalate the situation, she was shot and killed.

A second person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Its just one of those things that doesnt make sense. You got two people over here, associates hanging out. All of a sudden, they get in an argument, it escalates, we got two people shot. Its just ridiculous, a police official said.

No one is in custody as of Wednesday night. Police said theyre working to identify the suspect.

Emotions high at town hall as move of radioactive waste begins in metro Detroit this month

5 September 2024 at 02:58

At an emotional town hall meeting in Van Buren Township Wednesday, officials with EGLE, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discussed the move of radioactive waste heading from New York to the Wayne Disposal Facility.

Hundreds of residents gathered at the Wayne County Community College District, furious about the move.

We dont want it story closed. Nobody wants it. They shouldve left it where it was," Van Buren Township resident Sonia Devias said.

Last month, we reported that low-radiation atomic bomb byproduct waste from the Manhattan Project in the 1940s was making its way to Michigan.

State and local officials and residents were caught off guard and demanded answers. Rep. Debbie Dingell called a town hall meeting with the help of Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.

Our community just wants to feel safe. They just want to be safe," Rep. Rashida Tlaib said at the meeting.

Wayne Disposal Facility is run by Republic Services but is under federal regulations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had five options on where to dump the material, making the decision to transfer the waste to Wayne County.

We want to be transparent," Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District Lt. Col. Robert Burnham said. We follow all Department of Transportation and EPA rules."

Watch our previous coverage before the town hall in the video player below: Town hall to be held about radioactive waste being shipped to Michigan

During public comment, concerned residents said the only reason they found out about the waste being moved to their area is in news report. EGLE says they are not required to report these moves if they are safe but wanted to make sure the community knew details at the town hall meeting, highlighting the Wayne Disposal Facility's capability to take this material in.

I know a lot of the concern is about notifications, there is no notification required to move this material," EGLE Director of the Material Management Division Liz Browne said. Its the only hazardous waste commercial waste facility in Michigan.

Officials at the meeting highlighted that in New York, it is illegal to dispose of hazardous waste but legal and cheap to do so in Michigan.

Previous story: 'I'm concerned.' Interview with Van Buren Public Schools superintendent on radioactive waste coming to Wayne County 'I'm concerned.' Interview with Van Buren Public Schools superintendent on radioactive waste coming to Wayne County

Michigan has made itself the hazardous waste dumping grounds," Tlaib said. Our state laws need to change. We need to ban these types of facilities.

The waste will begin to move in via semitrucks starting this month and the transfer will continue until January 2025.

Authorities identify 4 victims in Georgia high school shooting

5 September 2024 at 02:25

Authorities have identified the four victims who died in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says two students were killed: 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn and 14-year-old Christian Angulo. Two teachers were also killed: 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Christina Irimie.

Nine other people were hospitalized with various injuries, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said on Wednesday afternoon. All of those who had been hospitalized as a result of the shooting were expected to recover.

The suspected shooter was identified as a 14-year-old student at the school. He will be charged as an adult with murder, authorities said.

RELATED STORY | The FBI says it interviewed the Georgia school shooting suspect about threats in 2023

Authorities said there was no evidence of additional shooters or of other schools being targeted. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it would continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the incident and into whether there were any outstanding threats to other schools.

Community and family members have organized crowdfunding drives for the families of Aspinwall and Angulo.

This is a developing story. Stay with Scripps News for updates.

Queen guitarist Brian May says he had 'minor stroke' that left him unable to control his arm

5 September 2024 at 02:15

Brian May, the lead guitarist of Queen, said he suffered a minor stroke last week that left him temporarily unable to control his arm.

In a video posted on his website Wednesday, the 77-year-old said he went "blue lights flashing" to Frimley Hospital in Surrey last week, where he received the "most fantastic care and attention" after losing control of his arm "out of the blue."

May said it "was a little scary," particularly after his ability to play guitar again was "in some doubt." But the musician, who is also an astrophysicist and animal rights activist, said he's now back to it after the "little health hiccup" Β albeit slowly.

RELATED STORY | Queen's entire music catalog may sell for more than $1 billion

"Good news is I'm okay, just doing what I'm told which is basically nothing," May said in the video. "I'm grounded. I'm not allowed to go out Β well, I'm not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high, not allowed to have planes flying over, which will stress me.Β But I'm good."

The guitarist said he waited to let fans in on the health scare because he didn't want their sympathy. He asked them to still not send any because "it'll clutter up my inbox and I hate that."

He concluded the video by discussing his documentary, which is the result of a four-year investigation into whether badger culling in the U.K. is necessary.

RELATED STORY | Freddie Mercury's personal items to go on sale at auction

May co-founded Queen with frontman Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor in 1970. May and Taylor have continued to perform with the group since.

In May 2020, the guitarist said he had a heart attack while gardening that required three stents to be inserted into three blocked arteries. He said at the time that it left him "very near death."

The FBI says authorities interviewed the Georgia school shooting suspect about threats in 2023

5 September 2024 at 01:42

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that authorities had previously interviewed a minor who is now suspected of killing four people in a shooting at a Georgia high school. The agency did not find probable cause to make an arrest at the time.

The FBI released a statement Wednesday concerning the suspect in custody.

The FBI said it had received anonymous tips in 2023 about a possible school shooting. It said it traced the postings to Georgia and warned the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

"The Jackson County Sheriff's Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father," the FBI wrote in its statement. "The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online."

"At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels," the FBI wrote.

Two teachers and two students were killed in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Nine others were taken to area hospitals with various injuries, GBI director Chris Hosey said.

RELATED STORY | 2 students, 2 teachers killed in shooting at Georgia high school

The shooter was identified as a 14-year-old student at the school. He will be charged as an adult with murder, authorities said.

At a Wednesday evening press conference, authorities said there was no evidence of additional shooters or of other schools being targeted. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it would continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the incident and into whether there were any outstanding threats to other schools.

EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO REFLECT THAT LOCAL POLICE, AND NOT THE FBI, CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEW.

Green Day rushes off stage, concert briefly paused after drone flies over Comerica Park

5 September 2024 at 01:21

Green Day's concert at Comerica Park in Detroit Wednesday night had a brief "pause" as the band was rushed off stage in the middle of a song.

The band was performing "Longview" when someone rushed on stage and pulled them off.

Detroit police confirmed a person flew a drone into Comerica Park. The person was found outside the baseball park by police and was detained.

Watch videos of the situation at Comerica Park below: Video: Green Day concert in Detroit briefly paused as band rushed off stage

The band returned to the stage a few minutes later after the drone flew away to a cheering crowd.

Green Day posted an apology to social media and credited Detroit police for quickly resolving the situation. The post read:

"Detroit! Sorry for the delay in the show tonight, Stadium security had us clear the stage while they dealt with a potential safety issue. DPD quickly resolved the situation, and we were able to continue. Thanks for understanding. <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/greendayDetroit?src=hashtag_click">#greendayDetroit</a>"

The band performed as the headliners of a concert that also features Rancid and Smashing Pumpkins.

Teen charged with attempted murder in shooting of 49ers player Ricky Pearsall

5 September 2024 at 01:18

A 17-year-old has been arraigned on charges including attempted murder in the Saturday shooting of San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall.

After appearing in juvenile court Wednesday, the high school senior's attorney told reporters the teen and his family were "genuinely very sorry" for the incident and that their thoughts went out to Pearsall and his family.

"There is genuine, genuine remorse in that regard," Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap said, per The Associated Press. "He is a young boy."

On Tuesday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced the 17-year-old was charged with multiple felony counts in connection to the armed robbery, which left both Pearsall and the teen injured. Those charges include attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and attempted second-degree robbery.

RELATED STORY | San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall shot during attempted robbery

John Lynch, general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, said Pearsall had just left an autograph signing and was shopping for luggage for the team's road trips when the event occurred in Union Square.

San Francisco Police said the male suspect approached Pearsall just after 3:30 p.m. and attempted to rob the rookie receiver of his Rolex watch. A physical struggle ensued, leaving Pearsall with a close-range gunshot wound to the chest and the subject with a gunshot wound to the arm.

Pearsall was hospitalized overnight and released the next day. His mother posted on social media saying the bullet was through and through, meaning it exited out Pearsall's back and didn't strike any vital organs.

Lynch said on Tuesday that the 23-year-old player was back with the team the day after his release from the hospital and was "doing really well."

"It's nothing short of miraculous he came out of this as good as he did. On behalf of Ricky and his family... he just wants to express, and the team wants to express, our gratitude." Lynch said during a press conference, thanking various first responders who assisted in the event.

RELATED STORY | 49ers player who was shot during attempted robbery will miss first 4 games of season

The general manager said Pearsall has been placed on the non-football injury list, which means he'll be out for at least four weeks. To fill the vacancy on their roster, the 49ers said they signed offensive tackle Brandon Parker to a one-year deal, but Lynch said they expect Pearsall to be back on their field soon.

"When we drafted Ricky, we did it for the long term, and Ricky's going to be a fantastic player here," Lynch said. "He's eager. He was disappointed but understood that we put him on that list and what that entails. It's four weeks at least, and we're just going to take this as it comes."

Since the suspect is a minor, Jenkins said there is "very little" to share beyond his charges, which cannot be filed in adult court under California law. But she said Tuesday her office will review the case more closely to determine whether or not there should be a transfer hearing, where a judge would rule on whether the juvenile system would be "equipped to rehabilitate" the minor or if he should be transferred to adult court.

An expert explains which jobs will and won't be replaced by AI

5 September 2024 at 00:42

With the buzz surrounding AI and how it's likely to impact our lives, you may be wondering whether your job will soon be replaced by a computer.

There are some jobs at risk. A recent Forbes article lists eight types of jobs that will likely be eliminated first. They include roles that can become easily automated and have structured tasks, like retail checkouts and customer service.

Nick Bunker, a research director with Indeed, says AI has the potential to change the way the workforce functions.

"There are going to be some jobs that are gonna be more directly impacted by AI, generative AI, any new technology. But this seems like it could be a technology that affects sort of every job, at least indirectly," said Bunker.

And while AI is not expected to replace careers such as a computer programmer, Bunker sees the opportunity for AI to help augment the roles like these by making them more productive and efficient.

RELATED STORY | How businesses are increasingly embracing the use of artificial intelligence

Bunker also believes that AI isn't going to impact the job market overnight.

"We're going to have to see how people are using it, how it gets integrated, the different business cases for it and the different products before we can really feel the effect of this technology on labor market," he said.

While super intelligent algorithms can automate many tasks, it still can't replace human expertise and craft.

Freelancing platform Upwork looked at 119 professions that it says AI can't replace, including skilled trades like construction, public service posts like firefighting and healthcare positions like nurses and surgeons.

There's no doubt that machines an mimic human intelligence and AI has the potential to be transformative, but it could take quite a while before we see dramatic changes to the labor market.

RELATED STORY | More Americans are boosting their income with the help of artificial intelligence

'A healthy canopy': Rochester Hills offered 200 free trees and sold out in 24 hours

5 September 2024 at 00:24

Less than 24 hours after the city of Rochester Hills went live offering 200 free trees to residents for fall, it sold out.

We were lucky to apply early, so we were able to get the trees, said Mary Schultz, who lives in the area.

The city of Rochester Hills has partnered with Arbor Day Foundation for the Community Canopy Program and has done so since 2020. It offers 200 trees twice a year during fall and winter to homeowners who apply.

The trees are then planted for residents.

Thats pretty awesome to see as a natural resources manager to see residents in our community support a program like that, planting trees on their property and being a part of growing our community's canopy, Matt Einheuser, Rochester Hills' natural resource manager, said.

Since 2020, Einheuser says theyve planted more than 1,800 trees provided by Arbor Tree Foundation.

Calculated out, they provide a nice little dashboard of what that provides. So over the next 20 years, that provides over $300,000 in community benefits, including over 8.9 million gallons of storm water over the next 20 years and filtering it, Einheuser said.

Schultz is a part of a group of passionate tree and nature lovers who waited for the fall application to open.

Im very, very happy my city of Rochester Hills in conjunction with the Arbor Day Foundation provides trees to residents in the area. We were looking to replace trees that had been damaged by the storm or just by pests and needed some trees, and we found the Community Canopy Program and applied and were so excited for our little community to be receiving some trees come October, Schultz said.

They are the only community to participate in Michigan, but two utility companies are participating: the Holland Board of Public Works and Lowell Light & Power.

This is in addition to their city-funded Street Tree program, which has planted 20,000 trees in the public right-of-way spaces for the past decade.

Trees provide so many different benefits. Thats why as a city, were always looking to try to maintain a healthy canopy, Einheuser said.

With trees down by storms and an increase in flooding, Einheuser says its been a way for them to introduce green infrastructure, which can help long term.

There's a lot of different green infrastructure techniques out there that help communities mitigate against flooding and one of those is planting vegetation and establishing trees and different vegetation, natural vegetation that uptakes a lot of water, Einheuser said. Oakland County, in general, and a lot of communities around here, youre starting to see that push around green infrastructure, and I think a lot of communities have started to realize the need for it.

Recently, the city of Sterling Heights was one of the 36 recipients to get $500,000 to launch the Sterling Heights Urban Reforestation Initiative from the American Forests organization.

The program will tackle the loss of 12,000 mature trees in the city caused by an invasive species.

SHURI aims to plant more than 1,500 trees in underserved communities to bridge the gap of almost 60% of residential properties in the city that lack trees.

The city of Royal Oak also offers free tree planting in the fall in the easement between the sidewalk and the street.

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