Former FedEx driver sentenced to death for killing 7-year-old girl after delivery at her Texas home
DALLAS (AP) — A former FedEx driver has been sentenced to death after he pleaded guilty to killing a 7-year-old girl he took from her Texas home while delivering a Christmas gift. Jurors decided Tuesday on the sentence for 34-year-old Tanner Horner. He had pleaded guilty to capital murder just as his trial began in Fort Worth in the 2022 killing of Athena Strand. Her body was found two days after she was reported missing in the rural town of Paradise, near Fort Worth. Horner's attorney had asked jurors to sentence Horner to life in prison and said Horner suffered from "various mental illnesses."
Matthew Perry's 'Friends' keepsakes and artwork go up for auction for foundation named for him
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Friends” memorabilia and other valuables from the estate of Matthew Perry are being put up for sale at an auction to benefit the charitable foundation established in the actor’s name soon after his death. The auction includes cast-signed scripts from the first and last episodes of “Friends” and artwork owned by Perry will be put up for sale by Heritage Auctions on June 5. It will benefit the Matthew Perry Foundation, which works to destigmatize addiction and aid in recovery from substance abuse. Perry died at age 54 in 2023 from what authorities say was an overdose of ketamine.
USPS unveils Route 66 centennial stamps, born from a photographer’s 42 trips
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is releasing a new series of stamps to honor Route 66’s centennial. The offering includes eight stamps — one each for the states traversed by the Mother Road. The special collection was curated from images captured by photographer David J. Schwartz. It was alternative rock band Depeche Mode’s cover of “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” that fueled Schwartz's lifelong journey of discovery along the legendary highway. He has traveled the Chicago-to-Los Angeles route dozens of times over two decades. He hopes his work can help keep Route 66 alive by inspiring others to explore the highway and support local businesses along the journey.
A real WKRP radio comes to Cincinnati, decades after the sitcom about a fictional station
CINCINNATI (AP) — The radio station WKRP isn't dead, and it's now live on air in Cincinnati. The call letters from the fictional station featured decades ago in a CBS sitcom were adopted by stations in the Cincinnati market in time for the Monday morning drive. The station's co-owner says delighted listeners have been mobbing the phone lines. The owners obtained the call letters by making a donation to a North Carolina nonprofit whose low-power radio station has had them since 2014. The show “WKRP in Cincinnati” ran from 1978 to 1982 and starred Loni Anderson, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid and Richard Sanders as bumbling newsman Les Nessman.
United flight landing in Newark strikes pole on New Jersey Turnpike, damages delivery truck
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A United Airlines passenger jet carrying 221 passengers from Venice, Italy, struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike on Sunday afternoon as it was coming in for a landing at Newark Liberty International Airport. The airline said none of the passengers or 10 crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 169 were injured. Though the New Jersey State Police said the driver of a truck that was also hit by a landing wheel and the underside of the plane suffered injuries that were not life threatening. The National Transportation Safety Board has directed United to provide the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder for the investigation.
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ struts to first place with $77 million debut
Studio estimates on Sunday say "The Devil Wears Prada 2" has topped the box office with $77 million in the U.S. and Canada and $156.6 million internationally. Women drove the success, making up 76% of ticket buyers. The sequel, featuring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, sees Andy Sachs working again for Miranda Priestly. Critics had mixed reviews, but 74% of viewers would recommend it. The film cost $100 million to produce, a significant increase from the original. Meanwhile, the Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" took second place with $54 million. This weekend kicks off Hollywood's critical summer movie season.
Milly Alcock’s ‘punk rock’ Supergirl takes flight as DC bets big on the Woman of Tomorrow
Australian actor Milly Alcock stars as Supergirl in this summer's new DC Studios movie bearing her name. Heading to theaters on June 26, the film finds her character on an intergalactic odyssey of revenge. DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran first noticed Alcock on the “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon.” Since she filmed her cameo for “Superman,” it's been a non-stop ride. Alcock says her character reminded her a lot of herself. She's finding the experience of sudden fame somewhat disorienting and laughs about anyone wanting a toy with her face.
Video of NYC police killing machete-wielding man at Grand Central station released
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police have released body-worn camera footage of officers shooting and killing a machete-wielding man who stabbed three people at a Grand Central subway stop last month. The video clip posted online Friday shows officers confronting Anthony Griffin after he randomly slashed three people at a major subway station connecting to Grand Central Terminal. The officers are seen ordering Griffin to drop the large knife multiple times, but he continues to approach them with the weapon held high. One of the officers then opens fire, killing Griffin. Police have said the three stabbing victims sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.
Humpback whale 'Timmy' released in the North Sea after weeks stranded off Germany
BERLIN (AP) — A rescue team has released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed Timmy by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts were made to coax it toward deeper seas. The environment minister for Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state gave the green light for the attempt to save the whale, despite some warnings from the scientific community that it may be too much for the animal.
Plane carrying pickleball players crashes in Texas Hill Country, killing all 5 on board
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A small plane has crashed in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people on board. A pickleball club in Amarillo says they were members who were flying to a tournament. Authorities say the crash happened around 11 p.m. Thursday night in Wimberley, about 40 miles from Austin. A pilot and four passengers were on the Cessna. The plane's flight history shows it took off from Amarillo and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport. Stacey Rohr, who lives nearby, says she heard a crash and “felt everything vibrate.”
