Clerk over Alex Murdaugh trial spent thousands on bonuses, meals and gifts, ethics complaint says
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina officials have filed 76 counts of ethics violations against the court clerk who handled the Alex Murdaugh murder trial. The 25 pages of allegations accuse former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill of allowing a photo of Murdaugh in a holding cell to be taken to promote her book on the trial. They also say she gave herself nearly $10,000 in bonuses, used county money to buy dozens of lunches for her staff, prosecutors and a vendor, and bought Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts for employees and jurors. Hill could have to reimburse the expenses and face thousands of dollars or more in fines.
Usher, Victoria Monét will receive prestigious awards from music industry group ASCAP
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Usher will add another prestigious award to his already loaded trophy case. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers said on Thursday that Usher will receive its Voice of the Culture Award. He’ll be honored at ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Music Songwriters and Publishers event on June 27. The R&B superstar is an eight-time Grammy winner who recently ended a two-year Las Vegas residency. Singer Victoria MonĂ©t will also be honored, receiving the the Vanguard Award for how she’s helping to shape the future of music. MonĂ©t won three Grammys earlier this year, including best new artist and R&B album for “Jaguar II.”
Mets to cut Jorge LĂłpez after reliever throws glove into stands following ejection
NEW YORK (AP) — Jorge LĂłpez will be cut by the struggling New York Mets after the reliever threw his glove into the stands following his ejection from a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza called the outburst “not acceptable” and said it would be handled internally. LĂłpez expressed no remorse for his display, saying he didn’t regret it. Afterward, the Mets began the process of designating LĂłpez for assignment. They will have seven days to trade or release him, or send him outright to the minors if no other team claims him on waivers.
Major leaguers praise inclusion of Negro Leagues statistics into major league records
CHICAGO (AP) — Baseball players and fans alike are learning more about the Negro Leagues after the statistics for more than 2,300 players — historic figures like Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige and Mule Suttles — were incorporated into the major league record book following a three-year research project. A 17-person committee chaired by John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s official historian, met six times as part of the meticulous process of examining statistics from seven Negro Leagues from 1920-1948. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene calls the move “long overdue.” Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen says he is doing some “deep diving” into some Negro Leagues players that he hadn’t heard of before.
One Tech Tip: Want to turn off Meta AI? You can’t — but there are some workarounds
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you use Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram. you probably noticed a new character pop up — answering search queries, entering your group chats and eagerly offering tidbits of information in your feeds. It’s Meta AI, and it’s here to help, at least according to Meta, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls it “the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use.” There is no button to turn off Meta AI on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp. But if want to limit it, there are some (imperfect) workarounds.
The Panda Party is back on as giant pandas will return to Washington’s National Zoo by year’s end
WASHINGTON (AP) — Half a year after the nation’s capital bid an emotional farewell to its giant pandas, the National Zoo is expecting a renewed surge in panda-mania with the announcement that two more of the furry black-and-white icons will be returning to Washington. The zoo announced Wednesday that a fresh agreement had been struck with the Chinese government, and a pair of adult pandas would be arriving by the end of the year. The zoo said the incoming pair are Bao Li and Qing Bao. Giant pandas are icons in Washington and beloved around the nation and the world. Pandas have been the symbol of U.S.-China friendship since Beijing sent a pair to the National Zoo in 1972.
An Iceland volcano spews red streams of lava toward an evacuated town
GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano in southwestern Iceland is erupting again, spewing red streams of lava and triggering the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The eruption Wednesday occurred in an area north of Grindavik, a coastal town of 3,800 people that was largely evacuated after a December eruption that ended centuries of dormancy. It was the fifth eruption and estimated to be the area’s most vigorous so far. The Icelandic Meteorological Office said lava was shooting about 165 feet into the sky from a fissure more than 2 miles long and flowing toward Grindavik. Anyone still in the town was ordered to leave.
The French Open introduces head-cams for chair umpires in bid to enhance TV viewing experience
PARIS (AP) — From interactions with players to making the correct call at the French Open TV viewers can now see exactly what the chair umpire is looking at. For the first time chair umpires at the main Court Philippe Chatrier are wearing head-cams. Organizers hope the camera footage will provide viewers with an immersive experience. The head-cam footage is part of the international broadcast feed, available to official tournament broadcasters.
McDonald’s says $18 Big Mac meal was an ‘exception’ and news reports overstated its price increases
McDonald’s is fighting back against media reports it says have exaggerated its price increases. In a post on the company’s website Wednesday, McDonald’s U.S. president said reports suggesting the price of the average Big Mac has doubled since 2019 were false. McDonald’s says the average Big Mac costs $5.29, or 20.5% more than it did five years ago. Still, the company said prices for some items, like fries, have jumped higher to account for higher costs of labor, paper and food. McDonald’s saw a slowdown in traffic early this year as inflation-weary consumers dined out less. It’s planning to focus more on deals this summer.
Charges against world’s top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship. Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell, a local prosecutor, asked a judge Wednesday afternoon to drop the four charges against Scheffler. Scheffler was not required to be in the courtroom Wednesday. Scheffler was charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer with his vehicle, along with three misdemeanors. Scheffler has said he simply misunderstood the commands coming from traffic officers.
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