FAA investigates close call on LAX taxiway just weeks after LaGuardia runway crash
A Frontier Airlines jet nearly collided with two trucks that crossed in front of it Wednesday night at Los Angeles International Airport. But unlike last month’s deadly crash in New York while a plane was landing, this incident happened on a taxiway while the plane was moving slowly and no one was hurt. The Frontier pilot was alarmed and used an expletive as he told the tower he had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what happened. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said close calls like the one in Los Angeles happen every day but usually don't get attention because a collision is avoided.
Stefano Gabbana has stepped down as Dolce & Gabbana chairman but will keep a creative role
MILAN (AP) — Stefano Gabbana has stepped down as chairman of the fashion house that he co-founded with Domenico Dolce. The company said on Friday that Gabbana’s resignation from oversight roles was effective Jan. 1. The company called it “a natural evolution of its organizational structure and governance.’’ The statement said Gabbana, 63, will continue in his creative role at the company.
Masters gnomes a hot commodity at Augusta National amid speculation this is final year of production
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Patrons are lining up at Augusta National to secure a limited edition Masters gnome. This year marks the 10th and possibly final year of the gnome's release, making it highly sought after. Each year's gnome is unique, and this year's edition features the gnome in golf attire and with a Masters-themed cup. With only about 1,000 available daily, they have been selling out quickly and have become valuable on resale markets. Prices on eBay and Facebook Marketplace have soared, with some gnomes listed for up to $800. Speculation about this being the last edition has fueled demand. Many buyers have considered reselling them for the potential profit.
Picture this: A raffle offers a Picasso for 100 euros to fund Alzheimer’s research
PARIS (AP) — A raffle in France offers the chance to win a Picasso portrait for a 100-euro ticket. Proceeds will support Alzheimer's research. The draw takes place Tuesday at Christie's auction house in Paris. The event is organized by the Alzheimer Research Foundation, a leading private financier of Alzheimer-related research in France. The painting, "Tête de Femme," was created by Picasso in 1941. Previous raffles in 2013 and 2020 raised over 10 million euros for cultural and humanitarian causes. The number of tickets is capped at 120,000, and the draw will be broadcast online.
Dodgers great Davey Lopes, an infield fixture and record-setting base stealer, dies at 80
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Davey Lopes, a longtime Los Angeles Dodgers infielder and premier base stealer, has died. He was 80. The Dodgers say they learned of his death on Wednesday from his former wife, Lin Lopes. Lopes was a four-time All-Star during his 10 years with the Dodgers, playing in four World Series and winning the 1981 championship. He holds the franchise record for most games played at second base and was known for his base-stealing prowess, with 418 steals for the Dodgers. After his playing career, Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers and coached for several teams, winning another World Series with the Phillies.
Volunteers turn a fan's recordings of 10,000 concerts into an online treasure trove
In 1989, an up-and-coming rock band from Washington called Nirvana played in Chicago for the first time at a club called Dreamerz. In the crowd, with a compact cassette recorder in his pocket, was a music fan named Aadam Jacobs. He surreptitiously recorded the performance, documenting the fledgling band two years before their global breakthrough. That nascent Nirvana recording, with the audio cleaned up, is available for streaming at the online repository Internet Archive. It’s one of over 10,000 concerts that Jacobs recorded over four decades. A group of devoted volunteers is methodically researching, cataloging and digitizing them one by one.
GM recalling more than 270,000 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles in US due to rearview camera screen issue
General Motors is recalling more than 270,000 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles in the U.S. because the rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter that a rearview image that doesn’t display properly reduces the driver’s view behind the vehicle, which increases the risk of a crash. The recall includes Chevrolet Malibu vehicles with model years 2023 through 2025. GM said that it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the recall issue. Dealers will replace the rearview camera for free.
Indianapolis councilman says someone fired shots at his home and left a 'No Data Centers' note
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana politician says someone fired 13 shots at his front door and left behind a note reading “No Data Centers” on his doorstep. Indianapolis councilman Ron Gibson said he and his 8-year-old son weren’t harmed in the incident early Monday. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers called to a home on East 41st Street on Monday morning found evidence of gunshots being fired at a house, but no injuries were reported. Police say they believe it was an isolated, targeted incident and the FBI is assisting. Gibson supported the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission’s decision last week to approve a rezoning petition for a project for Metrobloks, a data center developer, in Gibson’s district.
British pastor charged with manslaughter after man drowns at baptism
LONDON (AP) — A British pastor faces manslaughter charges in the drowning of a 61-year-old man during a backyard baptism. Prosecutors say Cheryl Bartley, 48, was charged Wednesday with gross negligence manslaughter for the death of Robert Smith on Oct. 8, 2023, in Birmingham. The Life Changing Ministries ceremony took place in a kiddie pool and was livestreamed on Facebook. Bartley is scheduled to appear in Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on May 14.
Former Migos rapper Offset is stable after being shot outside a Florida casino, spokesperson says
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — A spokesperson for the rapper Offset says the former member of the hip-hop trio Migos was shot outside a Florida casino and is in stable condition at a hospital. The Seminole Police Department says a shooting happened Monday evening at a valet area outside Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. Police say a fight preceded the shooting. Officers arrested Tione Jayden Merritt, a rapper known as Lil Tjay, related to the altercation that occurred before the shooting. He was charged with disorderly conduct. Merritt's lawyer said that Lil Tjay was not charged in the shooting and did not have a gun.
