At 91, Dale 'Grey Beard' Sanders reclaims record as oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail
MILLINOCKET, Maine (AP) — A 91-year-old man who goes by the nickname Grey Beard has reclaimed his record as the oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail. Dale Sanders started last Sept. 6 in West Virginia, hiked the nearly 2,200-mile trail in out-of-order sections with breaks in between, and finished Monday atop Mount Katahdin in Maine. Sanders first set the record in 2017 at age 82. Four years later, 83-year-old M.J. Eberhart took the title, but within months, Sanders announced his plan for a comeback. By his count, he fell 71 times along the way, including just 200 yards from the finish. While Sanders’ first journey was easier than he expected, he says the latest trek was considerably harder.
No pint-sized matter: Thieves steal $70,000 in Pabst beer from California warehouse
MONTCLAIR, Calif. (AP) — Police in Southern California are investigating the theft of more than 30,000 cans of Pabst beer in two separate heists from the same warehouse on the same day. Police in Montclair put the value of the beer at $70,000 in a news release Friday. Both thefts occurred on Aug. 17. Thieves first made off with $45,000 worth of beer headed to Tucson, Arizona. Montclair police say about an hour later, another $25,000 worth of beer was stolen. Investigators are trying to determine whether the thefts were part of a single operation. In a light-hearted post on Instagram, Pabst Blue Ribbon started a countdown for the return of the beer.
Hundreds show up to judge New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest
NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of people showed up near New York City's Washington Square Park to judge a Mayor Zohran Mamdani look-alike contest. Nine contestants sought a $100 cash prize in Sunday's contest sponsored by a social media app, Sonder. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who took office in January, has amassed a large following on social media and young fanbase. The winner was Amadeo Fusca, who wore a jersey for the NBA champion New York Knicks jersey underneath a suit. Other contestants wore suits, dress shoes, rings — and had haircuts and facial hair similar to Mamdani's.
Lake Ontario now called Lake America on Google Maps for US users after Trump ordered name change
Google says it has updated its maps application to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States. The global technology giant says the move reflects a recent order by President Donald Trump that changed the name of the lake amid an escalating trade war with Canada. The company says that the decision was based on its practice of using the name assigned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System. The White House as well as the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney did not immediately comment Sunday on Google’s decision.
Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, 'Spider-Man' stays No. 1 for fifth weekend
NEW YORK (AP) — Three years after Warner Bros. abruptly canned the Looney Tunes feature “Coyote vs. Acme,” it has a new lease on life thanks to Ketchup Entertainment. The movie debuted with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend. For the fifth weekend in a row, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” topped the North American box office. It grossed $22.2 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, bringing its worldwide total to $2.33 billion and making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. But “Coyote vs. Acme” fared best of the newcomers, debuting in second place. The Ridley Scott action drama “Dog Stars,” with Jacob Elordi, flopped. It opened in fifth place with just $8 million.
Alex Eala returns to the US Open with a roaring fan base and on a path to stardom
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Open is the latest stop on Alex Eala's tennis tour that looks like it's ascending to stardom. The 21-year-old fan favorite from the Philippines is less than a month removed from winning her first singles title in Washington. Eala's matches have become must-see entertainment for the crowd reactions. A year ago, she was ranked 75th in the world and came back from down 5-1 in the third set to knock off No. 14 Clara Tauson in front of a packed Grandstand. With Eala up to a career best 18th, Patrick McEnroe warned that organizers better not put her on side courts given her huge following.
How to help after Nepal and Tibet's catastrophic floods
Humanitarian organizations are mobilizing to aid survivors along the Nepal-China border after catastrophic floods struck the region Wednesday. More than 300 people died after a glacier collapse triggered a deadly torrent. Over 1,400 remain missing as of Thursday. The Nepalese army is using helicopters for rescues due to washed-out roads and bridges.. Direct Relief had pre-positioned emergency supplies in Nepal, enabling quick assistance. Other U.S.-based groups like All Hands & Hearts and Catholic Relief Services are also providing aid. Responding organizations emphasize that cash donations are crucial for ongoing relief efforts.
Dolly Parton streams skyrocket after her death, making her the most streamed artist globally
NEW YORK (AP) — Streams of Dolly Parton's music have skyrocketed since the country legend died on Tuesday. She was 80. According to evolving data released early Friday afternoon by the industry data and analytics company Luminate, audio and video streams of Parton’s discography jumped 2,458% on the day of her death compared to Monday in the U.S., climbing from 1.2 million to 30.5 million in the U.S. And by Wednesday, that number rose to 46.3 million. Worldwide, her streams jumped 1,549%, from 2.5 million on Monday to 41.8 million Tuesday. And on Wednesday, her on-demand audio streams jumped to 79.7 million, making her the most streamed artist, globally, on that date.
Tim Curry, iconic character actor and 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' star, dies at 80
Tim Curry has died at 80. The beloved character actor created a gallery of delicious, loony villains for stage and screen. Curry gained fame as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” an iconic role that became a cultural touchstone. He also played the smug concierge in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.” His longtime friend and manager Marcia Hurwitz says he died Tuesday night at his home in Los Angeles. No cause was disclosed. He had suffered a stroke in 2012 that put him in a wheelchair. Curry earned three Tony nominations — for “Spamalot,” “My Favorite Year” and “Amadeus” — and an Emmy nod in 1994.
Tropical Storms Karina and Lowell form in the Pacific Ocean as Dolly churns in the Atlantic
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storms Karina and Lowell have formed in the Pacific Ocean far from land. The National Hurricane Center says both are expected to become hurricanes in the next few days. There are no coastal watches or warnings for either storm. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm could bring heavy rain to portions of the Caribbean in the coming days. The storm’s name had no connection to Dolly Parton’s death. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but the Leeward Islands could get heavy rain Saturday and Sunday.
