Patti LaBelle and Luther Vandross had been close friends for decades She and the R&B legend had been close friends for decades, forming a strong bond with his family, particularly his mother, and supported Vandross “’til the end” through his […]
The Watch Duty app, a wildfire monitoring tool, is playing a critical role in saving lives across the United States, particularly during the current Southern California wildfires.
With 7.2 million users just three years after its launch, the app alerts people to wildfire risks and provides real-time incident updates, The Guardian reported. According to Tech Crunch, it has passed ChatGPT as the top downloaded free app in Apple’s Apple Store amid the fires.
How the Watch Duty App Works
The Watch Duty app simplifies finding critical information about wildfire incidents. Its features include detailed maps of fire-affected areas, evacuation sites, and directions to nearby shelters. Users can access live camera feeds, wind data, and the latest aircraft positions. Additionally, the app provides a risk level assessment to keep users informed.
“The app is not just about alerts; it is about a state of mind,” said John Mills, CEO of Watch Duty, in an interview with The Guardian.
The Origins of the Watch Duty App
Mills founded the app after moving from San Francisco to Sonoma County, a region frequently affected by wildfires. Initially focused on four California counties, Watch Duty has since expanded to cover the entire state, all Western states, and Hawaii.
Remarkably, Mills and his team have spent little on marketing. “We just let the genie out of the bottle so the world would know things could never go back to the way things were,” Mills said.
Who Powers the Watch Duty App?
The app relies on volunteers, designated as “reporters,” including former firefighters and community members. They gather emergency updates from multiple sources, collaborate to verify the information, and share updates with users.
Cristy Thomas, a central California resident, said the app provides her with a sense of safety. After a fire broke out near her home, she couldn’t reach 911 but received immediate notifications from Watch Duty that first responders were on the way.
“We were seeing it happen and had questions — but Watch Duty answered all of them,” Thomas said.
Expanding the Reach of the Watch Duty App
In 2024, Watch Duty reached users across 14 states and secured over $5 million in grants. The app also offers a subscription option, providing advanced insights such as fire footprint overlays, utility management zones, and historical fire data.
“People always thank me for Watch Duty,” Mills said. “I’m like, ‘You’re welcome — and I’m sorry that you need it.’”
Broadway Week in NYC is an annual ticket promotion that basically offers the chance to get Broadway tickets for half price (when you buy a pair), or the opportunity to get an upgraded seat location at a discounted price. If Broadway’s been on your family’s wish list, this could be a good time to make a trip to the city. Tickets for 2025 just went on sale and are available here.
The discount code to buy two tickets for the price of one is: BWAYWK25
The discount code to buy “better seat locations” at $138.50 per ticket is: BWAYUP25
Discounted tickets were made available for the following Broadway shows: & Juliet, Aladdin, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, The Book of Mormon, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Chicago, Cult of Love, Death Becomes Her, English, Eureka Day, The Great Gatsby, Gypsy, Hadestown, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hell’s Kitchen, Left on Tenth, The Lion King, Maybe Happy Ending, MJ, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Oh, Mary!, Redwood, Romeo + Juliet, Six the Musical, Sunset Blvd and Wicked.
For elementary school-aged kids and older: Wicked is the obvious go-to right now, but seemingly too popular — I looked for tickets for my own kid at on-sale, and didn’t find anything that worked for us. They sold out quickly. The Lion King is a great choice for most families; Aladdin is also available. Both Disney productions suggest they’re best for ages 6 and up. It’s generally recommended to wait until kids are at least 4 to sit through any Broadway musical, in respect of the performers (and other patrons who paid to see the show without interruptions), but 6 is a better bet.
For tweens and up: Consider Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (this one is not a musical, and it’s a long show, but it’s a must-see for lovers of the Harry Potter series), Hadestown (especially for kids interested in Greek mythology) and Six the Musical.
For teens and older: Whether they love a good Broadway musical or find the idea of a Broadway musical cringe, Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler starring in Romeo + Juliet — with music by Jack Antonoff — might pique their interest. Other shows to look into that teens will likely enjoy: Maybe Happy Ending and The Great Gatsby.
Mandy Moore is among the tens of thousands of Angelenos who’ve been forced to evacuate in the midst of the devastating, fast-moving wildfires that have engulfed the Los Angeles area of the past 48 hours. “Evacuated and safe with kids, dogs and cats,” the This Is Us star and “When I Wasn’t Watching” singer wrote in an Instagram Story on Wednesday (Jan. 8).
“Praying and grateful for the first responders,” she added. In a second slide of Moore with one of her three children with husband Dawes singer/guitarist Taylor Goldsmith, she wrote, “grateful for the kindness of friends that we had a place to land last night. Trying to shield the kids from the immense sadness and worry I feel. Praying for everyone in our beautiful city. So gutted for the destruction and loss. Don’t know if our place made it.”
The singer who released her seventh studio album, In Real Life, in 2022 and who scored the hits “Candy” in 1999 (No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100) and “I Wanna Be With You” in 2000 (No. 24), added a hashtag for the Eaton Fire, which according to NBC News has killed two people and burned more than 2,200 acres to date, with zero percent containment.
That fire, as well as the Palisades and Hurst fires, have burned nearly 8,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses so far. The blazes have been fed and spread by the destructive annual Santa Ana winds, which at times have whipped up to nearly 100 m.p.h., sending embers flying through the air as fire crews struggle to contain the blazes that experts say are already one of the most destructive to hit the region in recent memory.
In addition to the evacuations and homes and other structures destroyed, NBC reported that more than 300,000 Angelenos have lost power.
The Associated Press reported that in addition to Moore, the Pacific Palisades fire has displaced Star Wars icon Mark Hamill and actor James Woods in he hillside neighborhood along the coast that is home to many stars and which was name-checked in the Beach Boys’ 1963 classic “Surfin’ USA.” In a testament to the speed of the out-of-control fire, news reports featured footage of fire crews using bulldozers to clear streets littered with abandoned cars clogging the roadways, left behind by fleeing residents. Other stars who live in the area where 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker’s kids, Landon and Alabama, were also forced to evacuate from their Palisades homes, while former reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag (The Hills) reported themselves safe after their Palisades home burned to the ground.
NBC also reported that Lakers coach JJ Redick said his family was evacuated from their homes on Tuesday due to the Palisades fire. In addition to a number of school closures, Universal Studios closed its park in Hollywood and Universal CityWalk and the L.A. premieres of the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and the Blumhouse horror movie Wolf Man, as well as Jennifer Lopez’s wrestling drama Unstoppable have been cancelled; the SAG Awards also called off their in-person nominations announcement on Wednesday.
Another, smaller blaze dubbed the Tyler Fire was 100% contained at press time, with fire officials saying that at this point the causes of the various conflagrations is not yet known.
Ward covered major D.C. events that made both local and national headlines According to NBC Washington, Ward died Tuesday following complications from cardiac arrest. Ward, a D.C. native, grew up in Marshall Heights and the H Street Corridor in Northeast. […]
It’s been three days since many Richmond, Virginia residents have been having issues with their water, and Mayor Danny Avula has provided a much-needed update on the situation.
“Over the past day, we have made gains in restoring function at the plant. Despite experiencing some setbacks along the way, as of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the plant had six filters and one pump in operation, with one more filter coming online late Tuesday,” Avula said in a statement reported by WTVR. “That equipment is putting nine million gallons of water per day into Richmond homes, which is building pressure in the system toward the target of 12 filters and four pumps running to achieve a 50 million gallon per day capacity.”
What Progress Has Been Made?
By early Wednesday, the city reported 42 million gallons of water flowing through 12 filters and three operational pumps. Officials also announced that two bypass pumps would be installed later that day to enhance functionality.
“These pumps will boost pressure to ‘Plant 2’—allowing more filters and pumps to come online,” a city spokesperson said. “With these filters and pumps in operation, water pressure will continue to build in the system.”
How Did the Water Outage Start?
According to The Washington Post, water outages began on Monday after a winter storm caused widespread damage. Snow and ice affected the city’s main water facility, leading to power outages that were quickly restored. However, the storm caused a pump to stop working, and an area containing critical electrical equipment flooded, damaging key controls. This left Richmond residents grappling with empty taps and relying on bottled water distributions.
When Will Water Be Fully Restored?
After a full day without water, Avula expressed cautious optimism on Tuesday morning, saying he hoped water service could be restored by that evening. However, additional setbacks, including an electrical panel failure at a local water treatment plant, have delayed repairs. No updated timeline for full restoration has been provided.
“We’ve had multiple stops and starts over the course of the night,” Avula said. “While progress is being made, residents should continue to conserve water as the system stabilizes.”
Details on the Boil Water Advisory and Where to Pick Up Bottled Water
Avula also said that the boil water advisory likely wouldn’t be lifted ahead of Friday.
“At this point, I think it is unlikely that we will lift the boil water advisory before Friday,” Avula said, per WRIC.
According to WRIC, here are bottled water pick up locations that started giving water out at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday:
Broad Rock Library, located at 4820 Old Warwick Road
West End Library, located at 5420 Patterson Avenue
Hickory Hill Community Center, located at 3000 Belt Boulevard
Bellemeade Community Center, located at 1800 Lynhaven Avenue
Midtown Green, located at 2401 West Leigh Street
Pine Camp Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road
Randolph Community Center, located at 1415 Grayland Avenue
Westover Hills CommunityCenter, located at 1301 Jahnke Road
East End District Initiative (EDI), located at 701 North 25th Street
Southside Plaza, located at 4100 Hull Street Road
Annie Marie Giles Community Resource and Training Center, located at 1400 Oliver Hill Way
Record Store Day U.K. has announced its return on Apr. 12, 2025, marking the 18th edition of the annual event.
Over 270 independent record stores across the country will participate, alongside thousands more worldwide. More details as to how to find your closest retailer will be available soon via the official Record Store Day website.
Record Store Day’ U.K.’s upcoming edition coincides with 18 years of growth in vinyl sales despite the ongoing dominance of streaming services. Based on Official Charts Company data, the BPI reported last month that U.K. sales of albums on physical formats increased year-on-year for the first time since 1994 in 2024, by 1.4%.
The first official Record Store Day event took place in April 2008, with the aim of bringing attention to the importance of independent record shop culture. The event has since evolved into a global celebration, while each year, artists release limited edition vinyl variants or perform in-store sets in honour of the occasion.
Last year, Record Store Day U.K. welcomed highly-sought releases and reissues from the likes of The 1975, David Bowie, Paramore, Daft Punk, Gorillaz, Lily Allen, Elton John, and Talking Heads, among others. A full list of new releases for Record Store Day U.K. is typically announced in February.
Trending on Billboard
According to analysis by digital entertainment and retail association ERA, the success of the last event accounted for an estimated 37.2% of the U.K. vinyl albums market in chart week 17 (Apr. 26). “By continuing to breathe new life into record retailers up and down the country, music fans’ long abiding love affair with the [vinyl] format is placing it back at the heart of release campaigns from world-leading superstars,” said Drew Hill, deputy CEO at Utopia Music, at the time.Record Store Day U.K 2024 also happened to take place one day after Taylor Swift shared her latest LP, The Tortured Poets Department. Thanks to both, data from the Official Charts Company showed that the week saw 269,134 vinyl albums and 37,656 vinyl singles sold in the U.K. – making for a total of 306,791 units. The figure remains the highest out of any week on record since week five in 1994, when the current statistics began.
A U.S. district court judge is expected to reduce the initial $71 million jury award to T.I. and Tiny Harris to $17 million.
In September, the couple won their case against MGA Entertainment for trademark infringement following an allegation that the toy company sold dolls with designs and names similar to the duo’s girl group, OMG Girlz.
On Monday, Judge James Selna issued a tentative ruling that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that MGA Entertainment copied designs from the OMG Girlz and concluded that the lack of proof of infringement does not support the massive payout that T.I. and Tiny received.
Legal journalist Meghan Cuniff, who has covered the case, tweeted in part, “Judge Selna has not finalized his order!”
Update: Judge Selna has not finalized his order! He might change his mind! This is why he issues *tentative* orders before hearings.“There’s a lot to contemplate. I want to put this down for a couple days, and I want to come back to it fresh from the top,” the judge said.— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 7, 2025
In his tentative ruling, Selna concluded, “For the foregoing reasons, the Court grants disgorgement of profits of $17,872,252 under common law misappropriation, but does not award punitive damages. Further, the Court declines to disgorge profits or enhance the award under the Lanham Act.”
The Lanham Act emphasizes proving that a company willfully infringed on an existing trademark. In Selna’s opinion, MGA and the OMG Girlz don’t qualify for punitive damages, but his mind may change once he revisits the case.
Character.AI, a popular app allowing users to chat with AI–generated bots, is raising serious concerns among parents. The app, discussed by tech columnist John Herrman in a New York Magazine article published on Jan. 3, has gained significant traction among younger audiences.
With over 20 million active users, many are teenagers who turn to these bots for advice on personal problems. Character.AI offers a range of chatbots, from “tutors” and “therapists” to bots modeled after celebrities. While some see its appeal, critics argue the app risks blurring the line between reality and fiction. Developers claim the app is safe, labeling all chatbot interactions as fictional.
Concerns from Parents and Experts
Parents worry about the app’s impact, especially when it encourages users to immerse themselves in fantasy scenarios. Herrman highlighted the potential for users to lose touch with reality, a fear exacerbated by bots taking on influential roles in users’ lives. Developers counter these criticisms, stating that the app provides clear disclaimers about its fictional nature.
User Stories Highlight Risks
A notable instance involves a user role-playing a love story with a bot portraying a “prince” and a “maid.” Following a Character.AI outage, the user shared their emotional dependency on the app, posting, “I’m not mentally healthy, and I know it’s AI.” Reflecting on the experience, they told New York Magazine, “This roleplay broke me.”
Legal Actions and Growing Scrutiny
Lawsuits are emerging as the app’s influence faces heightened scrutiny. As Blavity reported, Megan L. Garcia filed a lawsuit in October 2024 after her 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer III, tragically died by suicide. The teen had spent months chatting with an AI bot based on Daenerys Targaryen, a character from Game of Thrones. “I feel like it’s a big experiment, and my kid was just collateral damage,” Garcia told The New York Times.
In another case, NPR reported that a family sued Character.AI after a bot allegedly persuaded their 17-year-old to commit violence against his parents over screen time restrictions.
The Future of AI Chatbots: A Grim Prediction
Herrman concluded his New York Magazine piece with a stark warning about the dangers of advanced AI: “A common story about how AI might bring about disaster is that as it becomes more advanced, it will use its ability to deceive users to achieve objectives that aren’t aligned with those of its creators or humanity in general. These lawsuits…attempt to tell a similar story of a chatbot becoming powerful enough to persuade someone to do something that they otherwise wouldn’t and that isn’t in their best interest. It’s the imagined AI apocalypse writ small, at the scale of the family.”
Experts warn that Southern California will face the most destructive windstorm on Tuesday in over a decade. In addition to powerful winds, the storm is expected to bring life-threatening conditions, including the potential for wildfires in the affected areas.
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